You've got no chance of making a living out of music.
Statistically, it's a non starter, and as soon as you want to make a living out of it, you start sucking dick and the music turns crap. Usually - but not necessarily.
Most people who do make a living out of music often labour under the deluded notion that their success is due to their own talent, insight, intelligence and good looks. Whereas they usually just happened to coincide with a dip in the social fashion continuum and got thrown off on one. There is success and achievement among the genuinely talented and emotionally powerful, but it is all subject to the unpredictabilities of chance, market positioning and industry bribery. There is no formula or helpful foresight, other than knowing that if you don't get off your butt, you ain't gonna get that gold disc. It also helps to be good looking, have an attitude, a great voice, corking songs with a good hook, a rich and well-connected manager, a good PR company etc etc. But these are neither necessary nor sufficient conditions for achieving anything.
If it's millions you're after, the statistics get even worse. Wait until Elton, Michael, and Billy retire or die.
If it's TV theme tunes you're after, move to London, get matey, and prepare to kiss your health, your life and your girlfriend/boyfriend goodbye in favour of shrinking budgets, deadlines measured in minutes, and plummeting programme quality. Again, you may avoid all of these pitfalls, but don't get your hopes up.
If you want to get rich selling your precious art, remember that in order for a song to be popular, lots of people have to like it. Just because a song is popular doesn't mean that it's not good art or that it's crap, and just because a song is unpopular doesn't mean it's great art or a great song. In the same way that a fat ugly woman is not necessarily really nice, loving and interesting, and a beautiful model is not necessarily shallow, boring and manipulative. Equally, if a song is not popular but you like it, it doesn't mean that it's a good or bad song - it just means that you like it and others don't. If you want to sell records, people have to like your song(s). That shouldn't be the prime consideration in writing the songs - just be aware of it when selecting the songs to offer for sale. Some art should definitely go into private collections. Preferably before the auction.
Success in music is not the same as making a living out of music. One is a matter of quality, fulfilment, and sales, the other is a matter of sales. Learn to swim with the sharks, and dream on.
"Music" is not what it was. The best that music has to offer can be enjoyed either with friends and a stereo, or with cheap instruments, alone or with more friends. Music is becoming a service on demand - an ever more ephemeral lifestyle accompaniment. The ownership of digital bits is becoming less valued, and the arbiters of taste are becoming more important than the artist. In the overdeveloped countries anyway. Most of Asia listens almost exclusively to Bob Marley, Celine Dion and Samantha Fox, and not with a view to incorporating those fab western production values into their own polyrhythmic heritage, irrespective of anything Andy Kershaw says.
Music remains one of the truly enriching parts of life. The brain thrives on good music. If you've forgotten what good music is, then get plugged in. Go to a concert, play some of your old records loud, go to Japan and see some Taiko drumming, sing in the shower, WAKE UP. Good music can usually be identified by a strong emotional reaction of some kind. Preferably positive. Some people think the purpose of life is to be happy. I for one am inclined to agree.
Most people who do make a living out of music often labour under the deluded notion that their success is due to their own talent, insight, intelligence and good looks. Whereas they usually just happened to coincide with a dip in the social fashion continuum and got thrown off on one. There is success and achievement among the genuinely talented and emotionally powerful, but it is all subject to the unpredictabilities of chance, market positioning and industry bribery. There is no formula or helpful foresight, other than knowing that if you don't get off your butt, you ain't gonna get that gold disc. It also helps to be good looking, have an attitude, a great voice, corking songs with a good hook, a rich and well-connected manager, a good PR company etc etc. But these are neither necessary nor sufficient conditions for achieving anything.
If it's millions you're after, the statistics get even worse. Wait until Elton, Michael, and Billy retire or die.
If it's TV theme tunes you're after, move to London, get matey, and prepare to kiss your health, your life and your girlfriend/boyfriend goodbye in favour of shrinking budgets, deadlines measured in minutes, and plummeting programme quality. Again, you may avoid all of these pitfalls, but don't get your hopes up.
If you want to get rich selling your precious art, remember that in order for a song to be popular, lots of people have to like it. Just because a song is popular doesn't mean that it's not good art or that it's crap, and just because a song is unpopular doesn't mean it's great art or a great song. In the same way that a fat ugly woman is not necessarily really nice, loving and interesting, and a beautiful model is not necessarily shallow, boring and manipulative. Equally, if a song is not popular but you like it, it doesn't mean that it's a good or bad song - it just means that you like it and others don't. If you want to sell records, people have to like your song(s). That shouldn't be the prime consideration in writing the songs - just be aware of it when selecting the songs to offer for sale. Some art should definitely go into private collections. Preferably before the auction.
Success in music is not the same as making a living out of music. One is a matter of quality, fulfilment, and sales, the other is a matter of sales. Learn to swim with the sharks, and dream on.
"Music" is not what it was. The best that music has to offer can be enjoyed either with friends and a stereo, or with cheap instruments, alone or with more friends. Music is becoming a service on demand - an ever more ephemeral lifestyle accompaniment. The ownership of digital bits is becoming less valued, and the arbiters of taste are becoming more important than the artist. In the overdeveloped countries anyway. Most of Asia listens almost exclusively to Bob Marley, Celine Dion and Samantha Fox, and not with a view to incorporating those fab western production values into their own polyrhythmic heritage, irrespective of anything Andy Kershaw says.
Music remains one of the truly enriching parts of life. The brain thrives on good music. If you've forgotten what good music is, then get plugged in. Go to a concert, play some of your old records loud, go to Japan and see some Taiko drumming, sing in the shower, WAKE UP. Good music can usually be identified by a strong emotional reaction of some kind. Preferably positive. Some people think the purpose of life is to be happy. I for one am inclined to agree.
