At a crossroads in my life: to pursue audio engineering or not?
- Thread starter Damian B
- Start date
Skyweaver
Shred or Die !
Theres a couple of routes you could consider
A. Spend your life pursuing what your passionate about - not focussed on financial security.
B. Pursue a career for financial security (house, family, toys etc) - which could mean a life of study and stress in corporate world
C. Blend of A and B - get financial security of a career and work on passion - finding a balance is the challenge....
I took option C. and wish I had of gone with option A, but I had no choice.
Life is short, spend it wisely
A. Spend your life pursuing what your passionate about - not focussed on financial security.
B. Pursue a career for financial security (house, family, toys etc) - which could mean a life of study and stress in corporate world
C. Blend of A and B - get financial security of a career and work on passion - finding a balance is the challenge....
I took option C. and wish I had of gone with option A, but I had no choice.
Life is short, spend it wisely
Felix Neumann
Member
Balance is a good keyword! This is what I don´t have..as a negative example. I give Guitar/Bass lessons the day (nearly 100 students meanwhile) and in the evening I´m doing recording sessions with artists or bands til the night. I´m on the verge getting a burnout! Believe me, doing your beloved hobby as a fulltime job can be dangerous, as well. I have daydreams about being a lumperjack in Canada, for fuck´s sake!!! I don´t come in the mood or muse composing a new MM song, that´s pure frustration. So...oviously I´m at a crossroad in my life, too. But just the other way around. Your dreams become my nightmare 
But I went the first step...I´m just about founding a staff.
But I went the first step...I´m just about founding a staff.
Jevil
Pro Evolution Fucker
You can also try to work as political scientist, and work as AE in your free time, and then decide which one you prefer.
I work as salesman and my free time I "work" as musician, I earn money from both. I hate my salesman job, but it is safe, and I still find music as my passion and my hobby.
I know people that made his hobby a job, and now they hate their hobby.
@Felix: LoL your avatar!
I work as salesman and my free time I "work" as musician, I earn money from both. I hate my salesman job, but it is safe, and I still find music as my passion and my hobby.
I know people that made his hobby a job, and now they hate their hobby.
@Felix: LoL your avatar!
Felix Neumann
Member
Yeah, the Alestorm mascot is awesome! Yeah it´s so important to keep the passion alive, that´s the drive in the lifetime. Best forumula is going 2 ways simultaneously, side by side. It´s not a crossroad, Damien - you can go left and right!
I kept AE as a hobby, and now I hate my hobby.
I would suggest try recording some bands in your spare time for a small fee with what little equipment you have and see if you even enjoy it as much as you think you would. It's much different from recording yourself. I started out just recording myself out of necessity, but when I started doing bands mostly just for fun, it became a complete nightmare... but I do still do it occasionally.
setyouranchor
Celestial Recordings
really helpful thread though!
SocialNumb
Damn Christians!
im in a similar situation. im in my 2nd year of college and im not really into it at all. ideally im in the process of recording an album and hopefully forming a band and would like to tour as much as possible and in my free time record local bands, but im not sure that would support me financially. but, imo theres no point in living if you dont pursue what you love doing.
LeSedna
Mat or Mateo
I won't add too specific thoughts to the thread, but the biggest +1 i can do is : ALWAYS HAVE BACKUP PLANS, and create yourself some.
I've finished my Airline Pilot training. It can be the most rewarding job (incredibly cool, prestigious, well paid up to $15 000 a month in end of carreers in some cases) but it can also be the worst (currently the situation in the world is so bad that most pilots are unemployed, and when you are unemployed as a pilot, you're pretty much screwed deep.
So I have like... 5 backup plans. I'm serious :
- B - Get back to a lesser level engineer school from the one I left to go the pilot school (I only took the 3rd year out of 5, the 2 first ones being the french concours preparations) or maybe use my pilot theory skills to work for an aeronautical company in some flight preparation or line studies.
- C - Find a way to become audio engineer a safe way
- D - Be a photographer
- E - Try going with my father in buying and renting appartment and buildings since it's what he is doing with his saved money now
- F - work in a bank or a express shipping fret company since I have good records in 2 of them, I could have a decent legal minimum french pay out of that and maybe build another backup plan afterwards with the time I would spend in one of those two and the money saved.
And whatever my life is, I will always build possibilities like that.
I've finished my Airline Pilot training. It can be the most rewarding job (incredibly cool, prestigious, well paid up to $15 000 a month in end of carreers in some cases) but it can also be the worst (currently the situation in the world is so bad that most pilots are unemployed, and when you are unemployed as a pilot, you're pretty much screwed deep.
So I have like... 5 backup plans. I'm serious :
- B - Get back to a lesser level engineer school from the one I left to go the pilot school (I only took the 3rd year out of 5, the 2 first ones being the french concours preparations) or maybe use my pilot theory skills to work for an aeronautical company in some flight preparation or line studies.
- C - Find a way to become audio engineer a safe way
- D - Be a photographer
- E - Try going with my father in buying and renting appartment and buildings since it's what he is doing with his saved money now
- F - work in a bank or a express shipping fret company since I have good records in 2 of them, I could have a decent legal minimum french pay out of that and maybe build another backup plan afterwards with the time I would spend in one of those two and the money saved.
And whatever my life is, I will always build possibilities like that.
TheDriller
Member
I just found an article that is somewhat relevant to the topic here:
Don't Follow Your Passion:
http://unicornfree.com/2011/dont-follow-your-passion/
Don't Follow Your Passion:
http://unicornfree.com/2011/dont-follow-your-passion/
Felix Neumann
Member
Jevil
Pro Evolution Fucker
If this can help, years ago I had the chance to open a studio with my band mate also rehearsal rooms, music school...
I didn't, cause I was afraid of many things, it was like 800 metre square venue rent, works, bank credits and that kind of shit.
My mate did himself and now it is his way of living... but specially rehearsing rooms, cause studio is the fucking hell... he coulnd't make a living of it.
I like to go there to rehearse, record my band's albums, reamping, checking new mics, amps... and I love my home studio too, it is my passion and my hobby. and it is very funny. But recording other's bands is something I couldn't do. My friend hates it too and usually he pays a guy to do the dirty job.
I don't regret of what I did, now I'm 35 and have a job that I hate but economically very safe, live in a good house with my wife and about to be father, haven't got money issues.
That was my choice and my experience, I hope it helps.
I didn't, cause I was afraid of many things, it was like 800 metre square venue rent, works, bank credits and that kind of shit.
My mate did himself and now it is his way of living... but specially rehearsing rooms, cause studio is the fucking hell... he coulnd't make a living of it.
I like to go there to rehearse, record my band's albums, reamping, checking new mics, amps... and I love my home studio too, it is my passion and my hobby. and it is very funny. But recording other's bands is something I couldn't do. My friend hates it too and usually he pays a guy to do the dirty job.
I don't regret of what I did, now I'm 35 and have a job that I hate but economically very safe, live in a good house with my wife and about to be father, haven't got money issues.
That was my choice and my experience, I hope it helps.
