When do you drop things to be serious with music?
- Thread starter cloy26
- Start date
ShredderForhire
Member
That's what my ultimate goal is, but I wanted to tour with a band and get to know the business and get my foot in somewhere instead of some law student who has no idea what really goes on...
Revson
Member
Tour during the summer when you're out of school. It'll take at least 4-5 months of planning and booking for a 2-3 week tour. Everywhere you go bands will tell you the scene is dead in their city and that's why the turnout is so low, but had you talked to them first they could have totally hooked you up at the best metal bar in town and 300 people would have been there. If you have a little money you may spend the night in a crap motel 6 sharing a bed with your bassist, but since you're in school you'll probably sleep in the van most nights and won't shower for several days on end. Pray no one in the band is a vegetarian. If you don't have a strong following where you live, don't expect an audience of more than the other bands and their girlfriends (assuming they stick around). That's touring in an unsigned metal band.
Adendum: from a lot of major bands I've seen, this still isn't far from true. Intronaut still has 9-5's as servers in LA when they aren't on tour as do Ion Dissonance from what I've read. Touring is fun, but don't expect to make money or even expect to make gas money until you have a nationwide following. Only expect a tour to make one fan a night at a given show and save enough money so you can enjoy your vacation that also allows you to play music each night.
Adendum: from a lot of major bands I've seen, this still isn't far from true. Intronaut still has 9-5's as servers in LA when they aren't on tour as do Ion Dissonance from what I've read. Touring is fun, but don't expect to make money or even expect to make gas money until you have a nationwide following. Only expect a tour to make one fan a night at a given show and save enough money so you can enjoy your vacation that also allows you to play music each night.
AntonioPetrole
Brootz
Im with AllanD on this one. If you are REALLY passionate about something, just do it. If you really love what you do and are decent at it the money will come. The problem is alot of people dont REALLY have that drive to make music happen. Its alot of hard work but its not impossible at all, despite what alot of people say. Theres always money, you just have to be the best and the only way you get there is by taking it head on
amarshism
Member
One day you'll die and all you'll have done is push pencils. This was my reason for leaving law behind. That and actually dying.
Sloan
Sounds like shit!
the time thing KILLS me, i have been doing cover band stuff the past two years or so, so we get together and rehearse two 4-5hrs two weeknights and then play 4-5hrs at bars on friday and saturday nights. that's almost 20hrs a week. then i play shows sometimes on sunday nights or other weeknights with a punk band, don't really make it out to their practices. i also am trying to work on some dude's album and there's a chick that wants to be my girlfriend or something. i am exhausted.
I know tons of guys who are doctors, surgeons and psychiatrists and also play in touring metal bands with a record deal. They have completed their studies and/or had a regular day job while touring around the world, making records etc. So getting the best of both worlds can be done, although I'm sure it'll be tough and stressfull as fuck!
DanLights
Santa Hat Forever
Things is, you have to be extremely indispensable in your day job or your own boss with a succesful business if you really want to take enough time off to tour enough to get really known to be able to keep touring. It's a cycle, if you don't tour enough, you'll never build enough fame to really make it. Not that I know, I still have my day job.
ArnaudM
Metalstasis
- Apr 7, 2011
- 381
- 0
- 16
Reading you,I have the feeling going back in the past, when I was 20 and dreaming about playing in a successful band.
Well, every story are different, but maybe mine could give you something to think about.
I always wanted to make my living of music, but in another hand, I also wished a "B plan" if things turned out bad.
I built my more than hulble musician and producer carreer in the same time I was studying and having my university degrees. Now, I'm teaching french litterature.
I have had the opportunity, in 2003, to really developp my musical carreer, but I was too young and unexperienced - just like my partners, and, even if we had inked a good deal with Nuclear Blast records, we haven't been able to grow up, tour, etc, i.e living the pro musician experience. I don't blame the label, even if they did absolutely nothing to help us developping our carreer : we were good but maybe too much afraid of loosing our ordinary life,I don't know. We also had difficulties, with the other members of the band, to go in the same direction. I just want to say that even the smallest detail can ruin years of work in this situation.
So,as a conclusion : being good at something is not sufficient.You have to be smart and able to take advantage of every situation. You have to stick to a clever business plan, etc. It's far more difficult than being a lawyer, in fact. Know what you choose.
AM
Well, every story are different, but maybe mine could give you something to think about.
I always wanted to make my living of music, but in another hand, I also wished a "B plan" if things turned out bad.
I built my more than hulble musician and producer carreer in the same time I was studying and having my university degrees. Now, I'm teaching french litterature.
I have had the opportunity, in 2003, to really developp my musical carreer, but I was too young and unexperienced - just like my partners, and, even if we had inked a good deal with Nuclear Blast records, we haven't been able to grow up, tour, etc, i.e living the pro musician experience. I don't blame the label, even if they did absolutely nothing to help us developping our carreer : we were good but maybe too much afraid of loosing our ordinary life,I don't know. We also had difficulties, with the other members of the band, to go in the same direction. I just want to say that even the smallest detail can ruin years of work in this situation.
So,as a conclusion : being good at something is not sufficient.You have to be smart and able to take advantage of every situation. You have to stick to a clever business plan, etc. It's far more difficult than being a lawyer, in fact. Know what you choose.
AM
Sacha
Throbbing Member
Wow that sounds a lot like my story!
It's hard to give advice on something so personal...for me, making money and making music do not mix very well as of yet. I don't think that's a bad thing...
My one piece of advice is if you ever get the chance to sign anything, get a good fucking lawyer!
Wow that sounds a lot like my story!
It's hard to give advice on something so personal...for me, making money and making music do not mix very well as of yet. I don't think that's a bad thing...
My one piece of advice is if you ever get the chance to sign anything, get a good fucking lawyer!
me.
abt
BT
FWIW I know two bands that are quite big. One's metal, one's rock. Both signed to pretty big labels. Every member has a day job and a couple of them teach guitar and drums. The tours make very little or break even and there's not much in album and merch sales. Making money in this game is hard. Making a living is harder.
black.death
BOOMandTACTiswhereitsat
- Mar 1, 2009
- 116
- 0
- 16
This fucking this.
Seriously one of my friend's is in an active band on Solid State and is broke as shit. You cannot climb too much higher than that as far as metal/hardcore labels go. I constantly hear in real life and see on these boards mentions of people wanting to "get signed" and "make it big". These are fucking fairy tales.
You must decide if you want to live your life in squalor in a van that breaks down with a bunch of smelly dudes, or not. If you are the kind of person that rages while stuck in traffic going to and from work, school, etc. Don't even think about heading out on tour. It is tough as fuck.
abt
BT
JeffEstrada
Ascend Recordings
- Dec 16, 2010
- 603
- 1
- 16
In the music industry, I would say it's much harder to make $$ as a band than it is to make $$ as a producer. My band, playing gigs, will always be a hobby. I know realistically my chances of actually making a living off of it are next to nothing. Not only do you have to be talented, but you also have to be putting out really good music. Then there's the fact that many bands get fame but die out soon, their music just becomes overplayed and old. For me, having the choice between getting serious about a band or music production, I'd completely choose music production. Anyways... I'd say finish school. Whatever you do after...You'll always have something to fall back on.
John_C
formerly Skeksis268
Be born -> have fun -> got to school -> get student debt -> get mortgage -> have kids -> be wage slave -> die
alternatively, you can go and do the things you love. Choose your own path, not just the one that's laid out in front of you.
But on a more boring practical note, get as qualified as you can stomach first, then go try and live out your dreams. If for some reason it all falls down completely, you've got a good fall-back position.
alternatively, you can go and do the things you love. Choose your own path, not just the one that's laid out in front of you.
But on a more boring practical note, get as qualified as you can stomach first, then go try and live out your dreams. If for some reason it all falls down completely, you've got a good fall-back position.
Lon
smash that.
you sir, have just described my biggest nightmare, fortunately i do not plan to ever have kids and i have some dough.
And although i am a really negative and pessimistic person this thread even came off as a tad depressing to me, so kudos...
question to the more established guys here: how important is age in a band? As a producer it doesnt really matter i figure, but i am now in the midst of my computer science BA and just turned 22 and i feel my time is slowly running out, you can't do this piss poor brodown in a van thing forever i guess...
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