Life Vs. Music

[Mehlovich]

I've always wanted to do this, but

1) My music is not at that level
2) There's nothing like being stuck in work and wanting to produce, and then finally getting home and unleashing all the day's ideas into your DAW.

I find when I am off work, I don't produce as much in the week compared to if I was working.

This!

Also my music is no way near good enough for me to stop working

Anyway I have thought about some sort of education in sound design. I just cannot figure out if I only like it as a hobby or if I would like it as a carreer as well.....

[hutyluty]

dont think this would be a good idea because, theres like 90% chance i'd never make a living off it and i dont want music to feel like a job- its just a hobby, not something i want to make money off..

[Sharmaji]

Take a section player of any half-decent orchestra... they'd say they wished it only took 10,000 hours.. as most of em probably did 2 or 3 times that before they got a job.. and they still had to beat out 200 people with the same level of training to get the gig.

seriously. I mean, I know accomplished string players in their mid-30s who still take adderall at auditions to hide nervousness-- competition is fierce!

[Perfecture]

I am feeling this thread sooo much.

My days consist of waking up for work at 7, finishing at 5:30, and when i get home at 6 I produce music until about 3:30 every morning, This is my daily routine I have been on for about 7 months. It's hitting my body hard not getting much sleep, but If It means i can get better at producing quicker and get ahead then I don't care, fuck my body hahaha.

for me music is my life too, since the age of 5 I have played instruments and been obsessed with music. I play all the norms: guitar, drums, trumpet, piano, violin, sing and now DJing and producing.

Everyday I am stuck at my crappy job I think I could be at home making music for a living, touring, djing at big nights etc.

I just refuse to settle down in a career I hate, like some of you on here I will give my everything to be able to have a career in music.

[Perfecture]

The only thing I would without an effort give up for music, is my current office job. Luckily that's all I will ever have to sacrifise when I would choose a life (and job) in music. I am very lucky to have a girlfriend that supports me in every way possible when it comes to my music, and would be willing to join me on tour (if that would ever happen). Also my parents support my dream as a proffesional musician. So yeah... the only thing I would be sticking it to, would be my boss at the office, and were not that close anyway (a).

A healty, varied life is the way to really bacome happy. Spending the rest of your life in clubs, or on a stage can also wear you out. You gotta keep life interesting. Becoming a big DJ or musician brings not only money and fame, but also opportunity to see the world and meet new interesting people.

THIS.

I am in a very similar situation.

[benjam]

People will disagree but I dont want music to be a job. Its that feeling of looking forward to getting home, making a brew, rolling a fat one and losing myself for hours and hours. I never want to lose that and have music become a chore in any way.

[BaseBass]

The only thing I would without an effort give up for music, is my current office job. Luckily that's all I will ever have to sacrifise when I would choose a life (and job) in music. I am very lucky to have a girlfriend that supports me in every way possible when it comes to my music, and would be willing to join me on tour (if that would ever happen). Also my parents support my dream as a proffesional musician. So yeah... the only thing I would be sticking it to, would be my boss at the office, and were not that close anyway (a).

A healty, varied life is the way to really bacome happy. Spending the rest of your life in clubs, or on a stage can also wear you out. You gotta keep life interesting. Becoming a big DJ or musician brings not only money and fame, but also opportunity to see the world and meet new interesting people.

THIS.

I am in a very similar situation.

Good to hear man! Support from your friends/family etc is really statisfying, not to mention motivating =). Unlike my ex-girlfriend, who always said that if I became famous and would go on tour... she would leave me xD. Screw her anyway... she cheated on me =P.

[hutyluty]

People will disagree but I dont want music to be a job. Its that feeling of looking forward to getting home, making a brew, rolling a fat one and losing myself for hours and hours. I never want to lose that and have music become a chore in any way.

this this this, making tunes is something i do to relax, and whilst i love it and would be really excited to get a release/play out etc i would never want todo it full time.

Besides, it's a big risk backing yourself to make it in my opinion, and i dont think it really matters after a certain point how much reading and practice you put in, sure you do need to work hard to get to a standard where your stuff sounds professional but a lot of it depends on just whether you've got the knack for good songwriting: everytime i would rather listen to a catchy, musical tune rather than a really well produced, if uninspired one. By giving up your job and focussing solely on "making it" you also take the risk of having to sell out, or whatever- making songs that will sell just to get money on the table, rather than what you actually want to make.

Good luck if you do it though, braver than me.

[fragments]

While music is a hobby and I occasionally ignore other more "important" things for my hobby may be unhealthy, I find that my creative outlets are the things that keep me sane. It's only when I'm writing music or words or working with a student one on one with their words that I ever feel really focused, alive and fully engaged with the world around me. Otherwise it's a crap shoot--I mostly at a distance from things most other times. My mind is always wandering to one idea or another, trying to get back to engaging in those creative activities. I *need* a creative outlet. It's pretty much my only way of making sense of the world and my place in it. I'm probably adding too much drama to it...but I do jones from time in the studio when I have to stay away for a couple days.

The modern industrialized first world is crazy place. And while I feel privileged to live in such a society...I can't wrap my mind around the shit we spend serious time worrying about...and I'm as guilty as anybody...I can't wrap my head around the fact that we worry about what beer we drink and what shoes we were says about us. I mean...who gives a fuck...at least I have beer and shoes, right? I mean...what the fuck...seriously...compound that with the fact that I deal with people who think what happens on Facebook is more important than anything going in the classroom of University course...ugh. Banging out melodies, beats, ambiances and noises and arranging them is one of the only ways I have of making sense of this shit...but don't ever ask me to explain how that works exactly... /RANT

[Dosva]

While music is a hobby and I occasionally ignore other more "important" things for my hobby may be unhealthy, I find that my creative outlets are the things that keep me sane. It's only when I'm writing music or words or working with a student one on one with their words that I ever feel really focused, alive and fully engaged with the world around me. Otherwise it's a crap shoot--I mostly at a distance from things most other times. My mind is always wandering to one idea or another, trying to get back to engaging in those creative activities. I *need* a creative outlet. It's pretty much my only way of making sense of the world and my place in it. I'm probably adding too much drama to it...but I do jones from time in the studio when I have to stay away for a couple days.

The modern industrialized first world is crazy place. And while I feel privileged to live in such a society...I can't wrap my mind around the shit we spend serious time worrying about...and I'm as guilty as anybody...I can't wrap my head around the fact that we worry about what beer we drink and what shoes we were says about us. I mean...who gives a fuck...at least I have beer and shoes, right? I mean...what the fuck...seriously...compound that with the fact that I deal with people who think what happens on Facebook is more important than anything going in the classroom of University course...ugh. Banging out melodies, beats, ambiances and noises and arranging them is one of the only ways I have of making sense of this shit...but don't ever ask me to explain how that works exactly... /RANT

[Shum]

I never want to lose that and have music become a chore in any way.

As someone for whom music is a job, I find this feeling (of it becoming a chore) creeping up on me from time to time. Remarkably what keeps such emotion in check is the constant bullshit I have to deal with on the business side of things.