Do musicians make a good living?

*Sigh*. I'm so down right now. I was only taking TWO courses this semseter in my college, and I dropped them both. One was Anatomy and Physiology, and the other was Human Motor Behaviour.

I took an interest in Human Kinetics because 3 years ago I started exercising and lifting weights, and lost 30 pounds. I figured, I might as well take a few classes relating to health and fitness...

However, I came to the conclusion that I just don't fit in with these people. The students in my classes have all played on teams, they've volunteered in hospitals, and amongst other things...

The only thing that I have is MUSIC. I've been classically trained in piano since I was 5 (I'm 22 now), and I've learned several other instruments as well. Its the only thing I can see in my future, but I'm so scared because everyone and the internet makes fun of artists and that they don't make any money....

Are there any musicians here that make a decent living? 

lady gaga made $90 million dollars from may 2010 - may 2011.

lady gaga made $90 million dollars from may 2010 - may 2011.

-Renegade

if you are serious,unless you get a contract and touring, you wont make much as a musician but scoring for movies do make alot if you are lucky.

If you're some kind of musical prodigy, maybe. 99.9% of us with any musical talent are lucky to make any kind of decent money off of it. I made 100 bucks over Christmas playing trumpet at a church mass, but that's about it.

[QUOTE="-Renegade"]

lady gaga made $90 million dollars from may 2010 - may 2011.

lonewolf604

lady gaga started off small time you never know man. i know we all got to pay the bills but if you enjoy what you are doing it doesn't matter how much money you make.

I'm guessing that the majority of them do not. Being classically trained in piano (and presumably being music-literate) might be very handy though; I'm guessing that would have more viable career options than only knowing how to strum a guitar.Planeforger

composing music is the meat of the money not when you peform music, this causes musicians to fail from the start.

Most don't unless your a mega star like the ones on TV but most other musicians scrape by most of the time from what i hear. A session musician is a bit better as you get commissioned and probably have a better steady flow of well paying work but still not amazing pay.

The vast majority of musicians do not make great money doing it. If you're dedicated enough and will to play live nonstop and/or do mostly session work (ie: being a hired hand playing other people's sh*t with any creative say of your own) then you'll probably make enough to pay the bills. But don't expect to be swimming in money. Even many "big name" musicians who you think of as successful aren't necessarily making a lot of money at it and hold down regular jobs. Bruce Dickinson, the vocalist of Iron Maiden, for instance, holds down a job as an airline pilot when he's not touring. Steve Von Till, of the band Neurosis, works as a school teacher. Pete Steele, of Type O Negative, worked for the City of New York (parks department).

So yeah, if you want to make a living as a musician, it's possible, but extremely difficult. Making a good living at it is even harder. If your idea is playing on the streets....let's just say you might as well panhandle.

The vast majority of musicians do not make great money doing it. If you're dedicated enough and will to play live nonstop and/or do mostly session work (ie: being a hired hand playing other people's sh*t with any creative say of your own) then you'll probably make enough to pay the bills. But don't expect to be swimming in money. Even many "big name" musicians who you think of as successful aren't necessarily making a lot of money at it and hold down regular jobs. Bruce Dickinson, the vocalist of Iron Maiden, for instance, holds down a job as an airline pilot when he's not touring. Steve Von Till, of the band Neurosis, works as a school teacher. Pete Steele, of Type O Negative, worked for the City of New York (parks department).

So yeah, if you want to make a living as a musician, it's possible, but extremely difficult. Making a good living at it is even harder. If your idea is playing on the streets....let's just say you might as well panhandle.

worlock77

[QUOTE="worlock77"]

The vast majority of musicians do not make great money doing it. If you're dedicated enough and will to play live nonstop and/or do mostly session work (ie: being a hired hand playing other people's sh*t with any creative say of your own) then you'll probably make enough to pay the bills. But don't expect to be swimming in money. Even many "big name" musicians who you think of as successful aren't necessarily making a lot of money at it and hold down regular jobs. Bruce Dickinson, the vocalist of Iron Maiden, for instance, holds down a job as an airline pilot when he's not touring. Steve Von Till, of the band Neurosis, works as a school teacher. Pete Steele, of Type O Negative, worked for the City of New York (parks department).

So yeah, if you want to make a living as a musician, it's possible, but extremely difficult. Making a good living at it is even harder. If your idea is playing on the streets....let's just say you might as well panhandle.

lonewolf604

Certainly, but those jobs are few and far between and are filled with people who don't tend to leave them until retirement.

[QUOTE="lonewolf604"][QUOTE="worlock77"]

The vast majority of musicians do not make great money doing it. If you're dedicated enough and will to play live nonstop and/or do mostly session work (ie: being a hired hand playing other people's sh*t with any creative say of your own) then you'll probably make enough to pay the bills. But don't expect to be swimming in money. Even many "big name" musicians who you think of as successful aren't necessarily making a lot of money at it and hold down regular jobs. Bruce Dickinson, the vocalist of Iron Maiden, for instance, holds down a job as an airline pilot when he's not touring. Steve Von Till, of the band Neurosis, works as a school teacher. Pete Steele, of Type O Negative, worked for the City of New York (parks department).

So yeah, if you want to make a living as a musician, it's possible, but extremely difficult. Making a good living at it is even harder. If your idea is playing on the streets....let's just say you might as well panhandle.

worlock77

Certainly, but those jobs are few and far between and are filled with people who don't tend to leave them until retirement.

Relevant video

Music is one of those things you have to basically dedicate most of your life to... and more often than not for the money (EDIT: I think I mean't 'usually not for the money'... I think... or maybe I'm just tired...).

Those who do make a bit of money often get lucky breaks (and of course, the drive to continue playing and making music).

Relevant video

Music is one of those things you have to basically dedicate most of your life to... and more often than not for the money.

Those who do make a bit of money often get lucky breaks (and of course, the drive to continue playing and making music).

Celldrax

[QUOTE="worlock77"]

[QUOTE="lonewolf604"] What about things like private lessons or school/college teacher? lonewolf604

Certainly, but those jobs are few and far between and are filled with people who don't tend to leave them until retirement.

Your choice. Certainly you can make a living in music, there are many different paths to it. It all depends on what compromises you're willing to make. If you're willing to play other people's music, without having any creative imput into that music, you can work as a session musician. That wouldn't preclude you from making your own music, but it would mean that your own creative work wouldn't be your full time focus. Or there's also working for other bands in a non-playing capacity. I have a friends who's put out 4 albums, 2 EPs and a handful of singles on his own (self-released, no label to interfere), but to pay his bills he goes out on the road as a guitar technician with an internationally touring band.

Doing what you love is more important.. than money.Dogswithguns

Nice sentiment, but not practical.

[QUOTE="lonewolf604"][QUOTE="worlock77"]

The vast majority of musicians do not make great money doing it. If you're dedicated enough and will to play live nonstop and/or do mostly session work (ie: being a hired hand playing other people's sh*t with any creative say of your own) then you'll probably make enough to pay the bills. But don't expect to be swimming in money. Even many "big name" musicians who you think of as successful aren't necessarily making a lot of money at it and hold down regular jobs. Bruce Dickinson, the vocalist of Iron Maiden, for instance, holds down a job as an airline pilot when he's not touring. Steve Von Till, of the band Neurosis, works as a school teacher. Pete Steele, of Type O Negative, worked for the City of New York (parks department).

So yeah, if you want to make a living as a musician, it's possible, but extremely difficult. Making a good living at it is even harder. If your idea is playing on the streets....let's just say you might as well panhandle.

worlock77

Certainly, but those jobs are few and far between and are filled with people who don't tend to leave them until retirement.

Majority of them, no. Luck is required for this type of thing, and quite a bit of skill and dedication.

This may explain it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmXcpWkkin8

I played guitar in a bar band for quite a few years.  While working a full time job.  It was purely for fun, we made some money but I think I spent almost all of it on guitars and amplifiers and effects processors and beer. If you actually tried to live on that you'd probably be moving into your rehearsal studio with your sleeping bag.

There might be some jobs in orchestras, I don't know how that would pay but that's all I can think of that you could make a steady living at.  As far as getting a degree in music generally though, I thought about it at one time and looked into some of the possibilities.  They weren't good.  Basically you can be a music teacher or write jingles for radio and TV ad's.  Most bands couldn't care less about your musical education and you'd be better off learning a little theory on your own and just practicing your preferred style of music.

You can of course try to get work as a studio musician - you and a thousand other people, some of whom are supremely talented, skilled, and have many years of experience.  Or you could dream about making it big some day in a band - and eventually give up and get a job in a factory or something.

Of course if you're that 1 in a million you could be a big star :D  Has a lot more to do with being in the right place at the right time and knowing the right people though.

Just do what I did - get a degree in accounting and play your guitar for fun.

"money for nothing, chicks for free"

-Dire Straits

you tell me. At least if they are talented.

Depends what sector you are doing as someone said.

Also depends on the studio you sign up with. It's hard to get into the bigger one's (I mean, extremely fvcking hard). You don't even have to be that talented, but you've got to have something they can exploit to make you big. But if you don't meet the agreed amount of sales then you are truly even more fvcked.

Indy studio's allow creative freedom and decent pay depending on who they are.

Not the talented ones.

Like anything in the entertainment business, there's a tiny handful of superstars who make more money in a month than most people will ever see in their lifetimes, there's another small group who make enough money to live comfortably, but don't become celebrities or anything like that, and the vast majority will never even make enough money to pay the rent on a one room apartment.

If you truely feel drawn to music, especially to create music, then probably the best advice is to have something you can do day to day to provide for your living and then just create your music without any regard to whether or not it'll pay your bills. That, actually, might be the best thing for a musician, because then your creativity is not constrained by financial concerns. There's creative freedom when you're not bound by what a label wants of you. And there's a creative freedom when your rent doesn't depend on how many units you sell this quarter.

*Sigh*. I'm so down right now. I was only taking TWO courses this semseter in my college, and I dropped them both. One was Anatomy and Physiology, and the other was Human Motor Behaviour.

I took an interest in Human Kinetics because 3 years ago I started exercising and lifting weights, and lost 30 pounds. I figured, I might as well take a few classes relating to health and fitness...

However, I came to the conclusion that I just don't fit in with these people. The students in my classes have all played on teams, they've volunteered in hospitals, and amongst other things...

The only thing that I have is MUSIC. I've been classically trained in piano since I was 5 (I'm 22 now), and I've learned several other instruments as well. Its the only thing I can see in my future, but I'm so scared because everyone and the internet makes fun of artists and that they don't make any money....

Are there any musicians here that make a decent living? 

lonewolf604

That depends on what you consider a good living, what exactly it is you are willing / interested in doing, and on luck.  If you teach at the post-secondary level, then yes, you make a good living.  If you have low expenses, some investment income to go along with it, and a small private studio, you will also make a good living.  Unless you become a star performer or reach the upper range of the post-secondary pay scale, you're not going to earn 6 figures in North America.  But if you don't intend to live a 6 figure lifestyIe, that really isn't a problem.

I'm a professional musician, and through a combination of frugality and good fortune, I've done just fine.  My house, car, and two mid-size grand pianos will be paid off in June, and it's the last of my debt, which is certainly not bad for a soon-to-be 32 year old who has only been out of school since 06.  I'll say this, though - it wasn't my job that made this happen.  It was graduating with no student debt, good fortune in the stock market, and an intensely frugal lifestyIe.

That depends on what you consider a good living, what exactly it is you are willing / interested in doing, and on luck.  If you teach at the post-secondary level, then yes, you make a good living.  If you have low expenses, some investment income to go along with it, and a small private studio, you will also make a good living.  Unless you become a star performer or reach the upper range of the post-secondary pay scale, you're not going to earn 6 figures in North America.  But if you don't intend to live a 6 figure lifestyIe, that really isn't a problem.

I'm a professional musician, and through a combination of frugality and good fortune, I've done just fine.  My house, car, and two mid-size grand pianos will be paid off in June, and it's the last of my debt, which is certainly not bad for a soon-to-be 32 year old who has only been out of school since 06.  I'll say this, though - it wasn't my job that made this happen.  It was graduating with no student debt, good fortune in the stock market, and an intensely frugal lifestyIe.

pianist

Piano teacher, beats being a guitar teacher. Should pay okay.

yes

If you can sing (and do it very well) and do a whole performance entirely on your own, then you have a better chance of making real money. You could write music and put it up on YouTube, become a YouTube partner and then sell your music on Bandcamp.

If you can sing (and do it very well) and do a whole performance entirely on your own, then you have a better chance of making real money. You could write music and put it up on YouTube, become a YouTube partner and then sell your music on Bandcamp.

PinkiePirate

You can teach music and you can also start building a home studio and learn how DAWs work. Then, you can rent that studio and your work behind the (more than likely virtual) mixing console. For less than 1000 dollars you can buy a humble audio interface, a MIDI keyboard, a good microphone and some software to get you started (whatever computer you are using right now will more than likely be more than good enough). Results will be unbelievably good right away and you will be producing your own stuff in no time and then, when you are confident enouogh about your skills, you can produce other people's stuff for a decent hourly fee.

Teaching and having a home studio will get you by easily. And if you are open-minded and capable of working with all kinds of performers from every genre, including the ones you don't like, you have a very good chance of having enough money to turn that home studio into a full blown studio, which will, in turn, make more money. 

Piano teacher, beats being a guitar teacher. Should pay okay.

Bikouchu35

Or do both if you are proficient in both.  I think a big part of the equation is versatility.  The more you can do well and are willing to do, the better the chances are that you'll make a go of it.

I was wondering when you'd post! (And BTW if you don't recall I've messaged you a few times in the past about practice methods). Thanks...I mean what everyone says in this thread kind of scares me. I don't really see myself doing anything else. I get bored of studying body parts and end up practicing piano/guitar all the time...lonewolf604

Yeah, it's a tough call.  Certainly you shouldn't be going into this career if you're expecting a lot of money or stability.  That's hard to come by (though frankly, an established studio teacher with a full studio class can certainly accomplish the stability part of the equation).  But if you're passionate about music and nothing else, it may be a good fit for you, provided that you exercise some money smarts and are willing to do a number of different things to increase your earning potential.

It's not a career I would recommend to everyone, and I certainly wouldn't recommend it to anyone who hates the idea of teaching, because just about all professional musicians will end up doing that at some point to make ends meet.  It's highly unlikely that you will have a lucrative performance-based career.  The people who make millions as performers are incredibly rare, and as someone else pointed out, their success is usually the result of marketing as much as musical skill.