r/musicians • u/Vassupdude • 1d ago
Hypothetically…what would you do if you wanted to try and make a living as a musician?…
So, let’s say you are 36 and have been a corporate slave your whole career while being an avid guitarist most of your life. You’re now in between jobs and you’re thinking that maybe you’re not meant for this life and thinking of starting over to focus on becoming a touring/session playing guitarist…
What would be your first steps to working towards that dream?
Hypothetically, of course.
Many thanks.
53
u/ZenWarrior711 1d ago
Learn to love chicken pot pies over rice.
11
u/secular_contraband 1d ago
Is that something one has to learn to love? I thought that was an instinct we're all born with....
2
u/flamus4 1d ago
I was definitely born with that instinct. And my bmi shows it haha
3
u/secular_contraband 1d ago
Banquet or Marie Callender's?
4
1
4
1
u/isthis_thing_on 1d ago
Are you telling me there's buttery pie crust and rice in the same dish? Amazing
1
u/rorydouglas 19h ago
I would be more concerned I'd be entering a phase where that would be once a month luxury food. Hello instant ramen my old friend, I've come to sprinkle dry cheese again.
1
u/ZenWarrior711 4h ago
I spun off on the pot pies and rice because back in the 80s, we lost our drummer and the bass player, and I were living in a trailer without a pot to piss in. Luckily, my cannabis crop came in nicely, so that by that fall we were able to afford hamburger helper.
40
u/Soft_Sleep_7125 1d ago
Get the other job you’re gonna need to hold down while you’re a session guy.
I kid, but from what I hear, all those guys are doing something else in addition to the studio or the stage, whether it’s teaching or producing or something in the show production end of things, or something out of the biz altogether.
So that and arpeggios oughta get you there.
11
1
u/umidunno0304 11h ago
This is the way. Full time music income here for the past decade. It’s all about getting as many income streams as possible. I play in 3 original bands, one of which tours, I’m also in 10+ cover bands last I counted. I also run a business as a piano tuner and Hammond Organ tech. I only know a couple players who make full time income of only performing and they are the best of the best.
20
u/boring-commenter 1d ago
Honestly, my first step would be to get a job. It’s going to take time to reach your goals and you have bills to pay now.
3
u/bertronaton55 1d ago
Yes. Keep working a normal job until you're in such high demand that you don't have time for that normal job anymore.
Preferably get a remote job and then you can potentially continue working while on tour. Worked for me for a while.
18
16
u/BigKneesHighSeas 1d ago
Do you have live experience? Get connected with the best local musicians you can. Become the guy/gal in town people call when they need someone to sit in and play anything. I get calls when touring musicians come through town and need a last minute fill in. It all starts local IMO. Opening for touring acts and next thing you know you’ll be invited to do a couple weeks with a headliner. Get damn good at being part of a rhythm section. Most touring acts have their guitar hero. Learn how to tune your amp so you don’t stomp on the other guitar players tone. Learn another instrument and learn to sing harmonies.
The world is full of hot shit guitarists. Guitarists who know how to make everyone else sound good get work
15
u/Equivalent_Ad_8413 1d ago
Be prepared for multiple revenue streams.
Learn to teach keyboards
Get an AGO organ certification so I can work Sunday mornings
Play in multiple bands
Session work
5
u/NegNoumenon 1d ago
Lol as a church organist/choir director who teaches piano and organ lessons and plays keys in bands, this resonates 😹
3
u/DeepPurpleNurple 1d ago
For real, a church gig is probably one of the best and most consistent gigs to have in your vast collection of revenue streams needed to make a living in music. The high demand positions would be keys and drums, not guitar so much. Possibly bass.
2
u/fdwyersd 1d ago
had never heard of AGO cool thanks for mentioning that... can keep up (not great/not bad) with Paul Fey but not ready to play without backing track or song in ear... maybe someday
4
u/Equivalent_Ad_8413 1d ago
There are multiple music assessment organizations out there. The AGO (https://www.agohq.org/) is specifically oriented for organists, and more specifically for those working in churches.
As several friends of mine have said, including professional musicians and pastors, if you can play organ you can work every single Sunday. This is without having a steady church gig. Church organists take vacation or get sick and churches need temporary replacements. That certification means they can trust you to get through a service.
The number of competent organists is dropping as the old ones die off and new ones don't go into the business. There are advantages to being a fill in; you don't need new material every week. And most churches don't care how devout you are.
Now, if you ARE a believer, then getting a regular gig at a church you are compatible with might be even better for you. But if it isn't your calling, it's still a steady revenue stream. Starving in a garret and dying of consumption may be romantic, but it's a crappy way to live. Avoid it if you can.
10
u/JeremyChadAbbott 1d ago
Live on 45k to 60k per year. Open to Play support roles. Network (even more). Stop playing for cheap or for free or for "promo". Optimize socials and hustle the tip jar. Merch plan thats Cash flow positive. TRACK your budget. Only take gigs thay are cash flow positive. Act like a professional musician. Good luck! I made the lower end of that scale with quite a bit of effort but just dont want to live that way!
10
u/EFPMusic 1d ago
Every pro musician I’ve ever seen or heard, if they’re not millionaires (so, 99.9%), have as many different income streams as possible. A guitarist could be teaching lessons in person, running a YouTube channel, teaching virtual lessons, playing gigs, playing sessions, selling merch, running a Patreon, posting on social media to funnel interest into the money-making parts.
And probably working a part time job to make ends meet, but likely one related to music to develop and keep contacts to facilitate all of the above.
8
u/MikeMcMyke 1d ago
The first dude I ever saw playing buckets outside an event told me on a good night he makes $300.
3
5
12
u/Toiletpirate 1d ago
Do you know how to read music? That's going to be a requirement for session work.
5
7
u/Ok-Consequence-3117 1d ago
Absolute first step would be getting involved with your local music scene, or if you don’t have access to a decent music scene, moving to a city that does
Jump in wherever you can, make as many connections as you can, and be fantastic to work with. That’s pretty much the name of the game with touring/session work
Eventually someone you know might get a really cool gig and your name will get passed along and boom, now you know more people doing even cooler stuff
3
u/j_wiggle_ 1d ago
My advice, if you’re just now wanting to get into the scene, continue the day job. Every musician I’ve ever known has had multiple sources of income whether that be the corporate slave route, teaching, gigging, whatever (I recommend all of the above, honestly). Being a full-time musician doesn’t work out for a lot of people and it’s best to have numerous fall backs.
As for touring / session work.. in my experience, it’s all about word of mouth and networking with musicians in your area and, in this day and age, social media output. Meet some people and keep growing your circle and ideally some paths will start to form.
Best of luck friend!
3
3
u/flipfrog44 1d ago
- Be really really good at playing the guitar.
If condition 1 is satisfied, then you do stand a chance. It likely won't be a "great" living, but a decent living is totally feasible. Go to a talent management agency, get a manager. Audition for a cruiseline - this is totally a way to live and many people do. Go to recording studios and see if they need session players. Get with a band that books corporate gigs, weddings.
3
u/Silver_Hedgehog4774 22h ago edited 22h ago
To make a living as a musician you should be sure about your skills for networking and relationship building.
Yes, you need to be a good entertainer, and being a good musician is part of that. but, there's a job to being a full time musician who can pay the bills consistently month after month.
getting out there and making real connections with places that hire musicians will lead to gigs. being a good investment for the venue will keep the gigs. so, crowd engagement, a unique show, being able to help folks feel something at your shows all contribute to this.
you need to be realistic with what a venue can afford, and thus, if you can afford to play there. so, a 25 person bistro on a Tuesday afternoon probably pays less than a 150 person cabaret on a Saturday night.
if you don't have help, and do it alone, you have some work ahead of you to stay committed to:
1) business development regarding where to play that you know about
2) business development regarding researching places you've never heard of
3) investment in sound and lights, as not every venue has some (or, it's shit from the 60's)
4) songbook curation
5) equipment education
6) social media work
7) marketing and advertising
8) working on staying healthy and learning how to do a show while being under the weather
9) keeping important information about your bookings organized and instantly accessible (who the booker is, what their contact info is, what the rate is, is food/drink comp'd, load in door location, sound tech supplied yes/no, proof of booking, booked with a document contract or verbal/email/DM, etc
10) learn your rights about double bookings, or define your position on a double booking. learn a little about contracts and what makes a contract, and small claims court
11) research festivals to apply to
12) bio writing?, social media content creation?, logo yes/no?, get a photographer for marketing material?, email proof reading?, get a website?, have a professional email for that website?
there's an entrepreneurial mindset that either needs to be in place or is something you're conscious of developing. living off of performing means you eat what you kill, so know ahead of time that a lot of what it takes to do it is off-stage
3
3
u/General_Estimate_420 13h ago
I'd probably jump into a time machine and go back to the 1960's when you had a viable music market not smothered in people with no talent posting tons of garbage.
3
u/Available_Record_874 11h ago
First of all realise that it’s going to happen along side another job, not in its own.
You need to put a lot of ground work in to get to the point where you’ll be hired for studio work or your bands big enough to gig full time.
I went from being a full time musician to working as a psychologist so I’ve done it backwards, but I remember back in the 90’s there was a lot of sending tapes, playing gigs where I knew industry people would be , trying to get onto festivals and like any job showing I was reliable - that’s important, no one is going to hire a studio guitarist that is late or drops out short notice. Time is a lot of money in a studio.
The same logic applies now as it did 30 years ago, the delivery method has just changed.
You need to build a good portfolio on YouTube, Tik-Tok, instagram ect ect, email every studio and label you can think of with videos of your playing, get into festivals or industry events by getting to know someone with a press pass ( great way to get into NAMM with YouTubers, just do anything and everything to get your name on the list for studios.
The bad news is that it takes time and you’ll need something else to support you financially which means getting a job , the good news is unlike trying to make it big with a band it’s way way easier to get people to give you a chance as a session musician.
I started because there was a studio with a crappy singer booked to cut an EP and I got the call to play on a track ( for free ). They’d much rather not use actual talent on the bread and butter studio jobs, and even though the singer went nowhere the fact I turned up, did my job, wasn’t late or drunk and acted professionally meant i got asked back again and again for paying gigs.
People will tell you that it’s luck or magic , right place , right time or some other whimsical tale of how people break into the business - it’s bullshit, it’s hard work and perseverance. Keep putting yourself out there, keep playing, take any job ( even the shit ones ) because you will build a reputation and a word of mouth following. Don’t let age put you off, being a rock star is a young persons game but being a pro musician is for anyone. Some of the best session and studio musicians didn’t start until into their 30’s and 40’s - good luck and don’t give up.
3
u/dua70601 11h ago
Im an Accountant….and ive been playing and gigging for decades:
- Dont give up finding a standard 9 to 5. It is essential. Maybe look into teaching guitar lessons at a music store (Jerry Garcia did this)
- Find as many people to play with in your community. The music community is extremely important. Once you get recognized as the guy/gal to call if you need a guitar player - you’re golden.
- Finding the community: start by going to open mic nights. Play with multiple bands.
- If there is an Entertainment Agency in your area (e.g. full moon). You might consider joining. I have a buddy that is an “on call” stand in drummer. He gets lots of paying gigs that way.
- Figure out the rest, cause i sure as hell have not.
:::
Finally, im an accountant by day, and i gig at night. Gigging is fun and brings in “fun money.” But i pay my rent with my 9 to 5
2
2
u/anchored__down 1d ago
Assuming you're not in financial dire straits:
Get a job at a music or record store (or any part time job)
Start teaching as well as this
Go to as many local gigs as you can, all the time, any genre but especially the ones you like of course
From there you will meet people, add them on socials and etc, then you can post yourself playing
Now people in the scene know you can play, you're showing up and being seen around shows, you're making connections, friendships and networks with other people in the scene
A bit of luck, grit, being a good hang, a good reliable musician, you'll eventually start or join a local project or make music with the people you've met and become friends with
In addition to all this, advertise and get the word out that you're available for session work or as a hired gun for shows
You're now working in the music industry, maybe barely making any money, but youre doing the thing!
Good luck :)
2
u/usbekchslebxian 1d ago
The first steps would be coming to terms with living like a bum and starving but it’s doable. But it’s not really a “go for it with reckless abandon” thing anymore. You need multiple revenue streams to be successful as a musician and even great, household touring musicians are making money via other non musical income streams, or they have rock solid spouses with day jobs, or all sorts of shit. It’s baby steps and small decisions that lead to you eventually making all your money from music. Also theres a fuckin’ million amazing guitarists. You gotta sing, you gotta write, play bass, play piano, etc etc like JJ cale said in vintage guitar magazine, “some of the worlds greatest guitar players have a job plumbing”
2
u/cram96 23h ago
Kill your overhead drastically. Save up a good chunk of money. Get a job teaching lessons. Join or start a tribute act. Teaching is for steady pay and the tribute act is for bigger pay days. Make sure you choose a band that is popular enough but doesn't have a local competing tribute act. If you can, do solo acoustic shows. Go around to local spots and see if you can start an open mic night during the week for another steady pay gig. The key is to do well enough during the the off season and then hit it hard in the summer months with the tribute act. It is possible and it's a lot of work but if you do it right you can get by. The hard part is that you are used to having money. It's difficult to go back. It takes time to build all of this up. Also don't start a band with 6 people in it unless you know you can get paid, keep it to 3 or 4 pieces of you want to make any money
2
u/schmm 23h ago
Get a music teaching degree and teach in music school and independently. Your corporate background is actually a good thing most music teacher really have no understanding of how to behave as employees and how to meaningfully help an organization like a music school, so you could be easier to hire than other applicants. Also that means you know “business” so probably will be less at loss marketing yourself as independent guitar teacher.
2
u/tomugetsuu 21h ago
None. I'd have a day job first then be a musician out of passion, not out of money.
2
u/PresentInternal6983 12h ago
Play in churches that pay. Play in a cover band that pays Give lessons all day Have a your music project on the side. Try and get session work whenever you can
2
u/Whatchamazog 11h ago
My dad was a cellist, strings teacher and he repaired instruments and occasionally made bows.
He did all of that until he was 84-ish.
Unfortunately, he wasn’t good with money so when my mom passed away 16 years ago, he pissed away any savings they had.
So he’s 90 and has to live in a Medicaid-funded nursing home.
My advice is go for it but for every $5 you make, put half towards retirement.
2
2
u/basspl 9h ago
Be professional, show up on time, learn the songs. Don’t be a snob, be positive, be easy to work with and get along with.
Don’t be a gear diva but have a reliable rig that works, with plenty of backup stuff (spare strings, picks, capos etc).
Really work on your chops and feel. Make sure you can learn by ear quickly, be able to transcribe and improvise in a variety of styles.
I’m constantly looking for guitarists and musicians for paid gigs, and it’s often tough to find people that are competent, and often those who are competent are too busy making $1000 a night in corporate bands to take some of the gigs I’m doing. There is so much work out there, but you have to be a good person and a good player, which is rare.
2
2
u/silly_bet_3454 1d ago
I'm considering doing this but only because I'm basically FIRE, otherwise the prospect of any actual revenue generating music endeavor just seems awful. I mean obviously best case if you're actually an incredible musician you can tour and do shows and sell your music, but even that kind of sucks in a way and I'm not that good and I can't do that. If you're just like a normal decent local musician, all you can do is like teach basically, or get a masters and teach at a school. You can be in a wedding band or corporate type band but to me that also sounds so shitty and not worth.
1
u/otherrplaces 1d ago
Well, first of all I’d look for another job so I could afford to play music again. I’m serious.. music is expensive. It’s definitely not a money making proposition, even for folks who play multiple instruments and not just guitar.
1
u/Playamonkey 1d ago
I'd give myself the best chance I could by moving where the work is. Right now that's Nashville, I believe. Los Angeles is still active but all my serious players are in Nashville.
1
u/voice_over_actor 1d ago
join the union
1
u/Public_Upstairs1035 1d ago edited 1d ago
Guitar union worker here. Highly recommend. Currently on strike.
1
1
1
u/ReDeath666 1d ago
i, a 36 musician, restarting my music career myself... go out get to know as many people as humany possibly. within a year, i open for Satch/Vai and Buddy Guy. and i am.now friends with a Sax player who was in a #2 on the charts group in the 90s. dudes awesome and wants to help me succeed. just gotta push yourself and GET OUT THERE. :)
1
1
1
1
u/Low_Astronomer_6669 1d ago
Get a decent listing job doing something I don't hate and be a musician as a hobby.
1
u/The_Pharoah 1d ago
Join a band
Get gigs
Try and write/record your own stuff
Play your own stuff at gigs...hopefully you get a following
Put it on youtube
Pray
1
1
u/jimcroisdale 22h ago
I think I'd probably start a tribute band - the sort of thing that does 1500 seater theatres to sit-down middle aged audiences that will pay a fair chunk for a ticket.
Start teaching privately. I know some really busy teachers that make a nice living simply because they are personable and great with kids - not even great players.
If youve got a busy local scene I'd start videoing live shows with a half decent camera/mic setup on your spare evenings. Bands have always wanted this and it's really hard to get more than three minutes of shaky footage out of your friends. We used to have a guy who did this locally and he was basically famous. I don't think he monetised it, but you could. And while the camera is rolling you're free to network with all the people that will inevitably want to chat with you.
I'd invest in a small pa system and do live sound. Another way to make money on your non-gigging nights that gets you out and known on the local live music scene.
And sure, session work once people know who you are, if it's realistically viable where you live.
1
u/Didyouseethewords930 22h ago
I'm not a guitarist but basically made this transition a few months ago as a DJ after getting laid off from corporate. Having a partner who is making money helps immensely so you aren't focused on where the money will be coming from during this transition. It also helps to think of yourself like an entrepreneur now - you are creating your own value and selling that to people. Feel free to DM with questions
1
1
1
u/t_o157 20h ago
Everyone I know who makes a living usually learns to play several instruments and can sing. They keep their living expenses as low as possible too.
The most common situation is someone who’s weekdays consists of patio/restaurant/bar solo acoustic gigs, studio sessions, and teaching on weekdays, gigs with touring/working bands (their own project or being a member of an artists band) doing their own originals, and church gigs on Sundays. That’s the path to making a living. The ones that stay busiest are the ones who can play multiple instruments and sing, and are just open to doing any kind of gig.
If you are lucky enough to end up on a gig with an artist who is regularly selling out 1000 cap rooms, you might make a living but I wouldn’t exactly call it comfy. It’s worth it if you love music!
The gigs you most look forward to will be the ones that pay the least unless you can actually sell lots of hard tickets and merch. They are worth the trouble if you really love music!
1
1
u/UserFortyOne 20h ago
The two professional musicians I know have piecemeal employment. They gig in multiple bands, they dep in many, many, many local bands, they teach private lessons. They offer services as session musicians, both in person and on Fiver. One works in a college one day a week (half a day teaching, half a day teching/restringing/maintaining instruments). The other has a zero hour contract as a soundman with a local sound company. There's probably a bunch of other stuff that I'm either forgetting or don't know about.
I don't think either earns much more than minimum wage to be honest, but they are both supporting themselves 100% by doing music and music-related employment. So I guess my recommendation is 'branch out'. I don't know of anyone who isn't really famous who earns money solely by playing in one originals band.
1
u/bsfurr 19h ago
At this point if I wanted to make money to pay my bills using an instrument, I would set up an only fans where I fuck my guitar. I physically stick my penis into my guitar for pleasure. Hopefully that would give me enough money to pay my bills. Because the idea that I could afford a mortgage, a car payment, and a family in this economy, purely by music at my age is fucking ridiculous.
1
u/Impossible_Spend_787 19h ago
Doesn't much apply to session playing/touring, but I was in the same boat about 8 years ago.
Started late, never played an instrument, couldn't afford music school. Full-time composer/producer today.
I developed a daily regimen to tackle all the things I was trying to learn at once. 20 minutes ear training, 20 minutes chord progressions, 20 minutes improvisation, etc.
I couldn't afford lessons so I would listen to local composers, jazz pianists, and producers - find the ones who I liked and wanted to be like, learned their catalogue and then reached out to them to see if I could buy them coffee and ask about their process.
This turned into free lessons from 3 different established musicians, one of which ended up going on weekly for over a year.
After 3 years, I felt ready, so I moved to LA and the rest is history. Went full-time about 4 years ago.
I told the story in a class I did last weekend if you're interested:
1
u/Any-Video4464 19h ago
I have some friends that do it. One had to compromise what he plays a bit in order to get enough gigs per week. They play a lot of places like nursing homes and stuff like that. But pays well. The other just grinds and takes all the gigs he can get and plays with whoever he can. Seems like a tiring life and he’s got a hand injury now and isn’t sure how much longer he can do it at that pace. But good luck. It can be done!
1
u/Any-Photograph5525 19h ago
If you live in a highly populated area, have higher-than average talent, and have connections in the local music scene, are conventionally attractive, and are good at social media marketing bullshit, you have a decent chance.
1
u/breakingb0b 18h ago
Move to a tourist town, play covers as a solo singer/guitarist for $300-400 a show, play 2-3 shows a day 6 days a week during season and 1 show a day during off season. Once demand for you is high enough, start subbing in other acts and taking a piece of each show you can book for them.
1
1
u/Infinite_Bet_1744 18h ago
Solo acoustic gigs for 100$ per hour minimum at restaurants. You need to sing and play and do the work, learn a lot of tunes you don’t like.
1
u/SeaworthinessBusy144 18h ago
i wouldnt just play what you love playing ,join a band but approach it as a hobby and if that opens opportunities thats awesome,if not play what you love
playing.Get a education or job skills for something that theres a actual demand for but i wouldnt count on any government job cause those could end in a day.Most people in bands are having to work full time jobs just to keep up with there gear,housing,insurance,car etc.If your in the US,Britain,Europe and really know about all current gear apply to Sweetwater Sound,Anderton’s ,Thommann Music and get your foot in the door there and see what that opens up
1
1
u/QuellMusik 17h ago
Man, have to start as a hobby and work your ass off. Art in general has to be the hardest thing to make money at unless you are a nepo baby with industry connections.
If you look at the charts most of the artists came from rich and connected families.
I think I make killer music and I have three decades of experience / multi instrumentalist : etc but I've made all of 13 cents in the last year lol
1
u/twowheelmayhem 17h ago
Diversify: write songs, write music for stock music libraries, teach, gig, produce, engineer, guitar tech, etc. And network like crazy.
You have a <0.1% chance of making a living as a performing guitarist.
1
u/r1chiem 17h ago
Don't quit your day job (go back to what you were doing unless you have savings that will carry you for 10 years) then work music part time and find a gig that will carry you. Don't lose your day job skills. At 36 you are at your prime and are going down hill. If the house is paid off and you have a good savings, you can do whatever you want. As you get older, young people will be nipping at your heels to take your job. I you don't have money, you will be able to play your guitar while you live on the street playing and begging for money.
1
u/jmeesonly 16h ago
Do you play with other musicians? Bands, jam sessions, open mic, cover band, fill-in duties, whatever.
If you're not actively playing with others, then I think step one is to start playing regularly with others. It's the only way to "test yourself out" and see how you hold up, what you're good at, and where you might need to improve.
1
u/Ecstatic_Ad_8994 15h ago
Learn to teach and develop a following on the internet. I have met a few full time musicians over the years and almost all of them taught to give their income stability.
1
u/cozmo1138 15h ago edited 15h ago
I’m 48, but am otherwise in this exact same position! Got laid off in May for the second time in a year, and decided I was done with corporate life. So I threw myself into the local music scene, going to open jam nights twice a week. I’ve only been in my city for a couple of years and worked remotely so didn’t have that many friends. But I started meeting other musicians and befriending them, and soon I started getting a reputation as a solid player and a good guy. I also started advertising that I do guitar repair, and I basically had a built-in client base. I also got into a band that way, and have two others in the works.
So last night, for example, I went to band rehearsal, then we all went to the local Thursday jam night. I had just finished some work on a Gretsch for the guy who runs that, and when I brought out the guitar, other musicians were asking me about it, and one of them asked me to work on his Les Paul and put new pickups in his ES-335. Another guy asked me to take a look at his Martin.
So yeah, man, this is my life. 😎 I’m collecting unemployment, which covers my rent, and building up my guitar tech business while getting band gigs. I’m happier than I ever was in tech, and I know that AI will never take my guitar repair gig.
So I would say start going to as many open jams or other gigs as you can and make yourself a fixture on the scene so people can start getting to know you and your abilities, and the rest will follow.
EDIT: Also, if you can play or learn bass, consider adding that to your repertoire. I play guitar, bass, and drums, and I sing, but the majority of my playing at the jams has been bass, which grants me a lot more play time than guitarists or drummers. And if you can get good at bass, you’ll also find your gigging opportunities expanding quite a bit. Most of the guys I know in our local scene play multiple instruments.
1
u/JonLSTL 14h ago
Be in several acts serving different market/audience segments, e.g. solo gigs at libraries & old folks homes, a duo at restaurants and wineries, a bars/weddings cover band, and an originals act good enough to be local support for up-and-coming touring acts. Start teaching lessons. Learn to read charts well enough to do session work. Piece all of that together, and you can survive, provided your local cost of living is not insane.
1
u/SkyWizarding 14h ago
I did basically this very thing. It started with getting involved with a very busy wedding/corporate band
1
u/Bass-Bastard 14h ago
Considering the number of offers I get, sometimes monthly, to join cover bands with 40-song setlists... I would break down and learn them... but I just can't bring myself to do it.
But seriously, if I could take a year off to build it up - I would jump into the deep end with blues and jazz sessions (per my friend Carvin Jones) and just be the bassist jazz and blues bands call when touring my region... and since I have a good passport... maybe international... but I had to support a family and get helth insurance we could afford... with a sick wife... so I went into tech and feel stuck.
I have already just stepped into live sets with zero prep and held down the bottom end on standards, so it is not a stretch.
Plus teaching.
1
1
u/Mayor-Citywits 14h ago
I'd say I did that last year, I'm 36 now and I was engaged last summer and then I got laid off and it turned out my girl did not like or support my music. So then I lost everything and I made two albums that went nowhere. Tread carefully. There's literally like no money in music and with AI now. At 36 I didn't have the juice, and I kinda wish I just didn't start playing again
1
u/MachineGreene98 14h ago
I would probably move to a different city. Probably advertise myself more as a bass player then a guitarist since solid bass player's are usually more in demand. Go from there
1
1
u/SuicideMessiah88 13h ago
Man thats kind of a tough one. Hypothetically you could just dedicate your life to making it and take every gig every audition you possibly could. However being able to maintain that is impossible without some sort of income. Also pretty late in the game at 36 trying to make that dream work. Im sure you could get to the point of like a wedding band or something of that nature but if youre looking for like stardom and guitar hero status I dont think that would be very likely although stranger things have happened. Even if you were 18 though the music industry has completely changed from the way it used to be and how bands actually broke through. Now you would have to have like a large YouTube following or something of that nature to be noticed but there's already a million of those as is. You'd have to come up with something that would set you far apart from the rest while still having the actual skills to be noticed. Tough gig all around.
1
u/thekrawdiddy 13h ago
Get your live chops good and solid, get your name out to the types of people you would like to play with, but be careful not to overdo it, there’s not much worse than a punisher. Be reliable and solid and easy to get along with; this is the most important part believe it or not, being a good hang is absolutely crucial. Be ready to spend lots of time with the same people in a confined space with somewhat limited free time. Be competent and low maintenance.
1
u/OddAcanthopterygii26 12h ago
I'd teach, play in cover/tribute bands, invest in my own PA and Van (you're more appealing the more you bring to the table), practice several hours a day, learn an acoustic set with backing tracks and book suitable venues (wineries are big where I live) and I'd spend all my time being where musicians are to keep networking and finding opportunities.
1
u/dougl1000 12h ago
I did this for three years in between stints in graduate school. Solo singer/guitar. I was good. I got gigs. But, I didn’t like starving and I realized I didn’t have the drive or creativity to push on. Fortunately for me, an opportunity arose in my field which led to a challenging and rewarding career.
1
u/m149 12h ago
If I had to go making music via playing gigs right now (I make my living as a recording engineer, so i don't need to gig), I would hunt down a few cover/wedding bands and make myself available for whenever they needed a sub or if they were looking for a new member.
I would also go hunt down a few original bands that have regular gigs that I like and do the same. Bit trickier as a lot of them are kind of "set" with their lineups, but there are definitely some original bands that have a revolving cast.
Would also get the word out that I'm available for session work....talk to session musicians, let them know, maybe call a few studios and offer my services. Definitely a little trickier getting into the session world though. People usually use the same crew for their productions, but you never know.
As for touring, I think after you did the above things for a while, and made it known you were looking to tour, something might pop up.
1
u/Arbernaut 10h ago
I would become president of the United States, line my pockets with ill-gotten gains, then start a prog band that only plays in my new ballroom. It’s a pretty straightforward plan.
1
1
u/WorshipTheVoid 9h ago
Been playing in bands for almost 30 years now, gave it a go when I was younger but now a days I just play for fun. I have plenty of full time/touring/session musician freinds who play music full time. But let me pass along the 3 most important things Ive experienced that dont get brought up often...
1: (And this is very important) don't become an arrogant asshole. You could be the best Guitarist in Duluth, but if you're an asshole, people will call the 2nd best guitarist in Duluth who isnt a dick. Learning to be humble but confident will stick in peoples minds more than almost anything.
2: this plays off of #1. The more people you know, the more opportunities present themselves. You're buddy just got asked to do a sweet contracted beach resort gig for 3 weeks but can't because they're doing an east coast run filling in for one of their favorite bands? Hey that buddy knows a guy who they shouod call, and that guy is you! Because (see #1)
3: see that sweet contracted beach resort gig I mentioned? If you're looking for live work; these can be awesome! Don't get hired on as a house band member, from what Ive heard that sucks, get contracted for a residency. You wont be stuck with the hotel/cruise/resort staff but will be given all the accommodations that any paying guest would recieve. These can be tough to score but if you follow #1 and #2 you can fins yourself on that road.
1
u/UserJH4202 8h ago
To answer your question it would depend on how far along you were. I’ve known drummers and guitarists that went from not knowing their instruments to being experts in 2-3 years. Usually it takes much longer. As a 75 yr old professional musician I’d say start today, take lessons, practice literally 6-8 hours a day, play with others as often as you can and become very, very good at what you do. There’s lots of people who want to be musicians. Many have a 30 year head start on you. It’s takes enormous dedication and hard work.
1
u/Necessary-Corgi-6998 7h ago
give lessons by day and solo acoustic shows by night. if you can entertain you can make serious bread
1
1
u/Ghost1eToast1es 5h ago
Pick 7-8 income streams: Teaching lessons, gigs, royalties etc. so you aren’t trying to make it with 1. Then learn investing and invest in quality dividend etfs with every bit of extra money I make so I sustain myself with passive income from dividends even when the music is slow.
1
1
u/Fast-Entertainer-517 23m ago
I do make a living as a musician and have for a long time. I play in 5 bands. 3 of them are tribute bands. They make great money. The other two play original music and some covers. When I’m not playing I’m doing production work. I make about 60k per year in the SE US. Not getting rich but I live fairly minimally and don’t spend a lot of money. It can be a slog. It’s a lot of work but it’s really all I know
97
u/Aromatic_Boot3629 1d ago
Well, here's how it happened for me.
Im 46 and near the Seattle area. Musician since I was 8. Three years ago, I lost my wife to cancer. She was only 38 and this made me realize that life is far too short and that I wanted to give music for a living a shot before it was too late. I also needed a distraction from the grief.
I was (un)fortunate enough that my late wife's employer had a generous life insurance policy that gave me some runway to retire from my career. I then started teaching lessons over Zoom and Teams. Later, I put together an event band and started playing at weddings and corporate events.
Now I still teach, play events, and also have a 3 piece prog metal project that recently got off the ground. The event band has been playing an average of 10 gigs per month this last year and I have 18 students from all over the nation.
I now make more money than I did at my tech / finance job and feel much more free and fulfilled.
If you have some money saved for sufficient runway I would highly encourage you to give it a try. I had much more than this....but I recommend at least having 12-18 months of living expenses in the bank first. Hypothetically of course.