I woke up the other morning and saw that Mike Park sent me an email with a few questions about life as a musician. Mike is on the path himself and I have to say I am deeply complimented that he thought to ask me for some advice.
I’m just getting started in this life of music so I am not so sure that I can offer any groundbreaking words of wisdom here. However, I do know that there are a lot of us out there trying to figure out what to do with ourselves and it always helps to talk about it. If you want to send me an email like Mike did, my address is: willcady@gmail.com
It would be great to hear from you.
Mike wrote:
Hey Will,
I’ve been really thinking about majoring in music lately, but I wanted to get an “inside perspective” of things and I wanted to get that perspective from as many people as I can. I’ve asked my best friend who is currently a freshman at William Patterson University in New Jersey as a Music major, as well as my guitar teacher, so I thought I’d also ask you. I’ve just wondered what it takes to be successful as a musician. I don’t mean like going to Hollywood and getting Rock Star status or anything, but just how life is like as a musician and stuff. I’ve been really thinking of being a music teacher or a tutor while being part of a band on the side or something, much like my choir teacher from high school or my guitar teacher who tutored me.
Basically I guess I’ll just list the few questions:
1. How stressful can it get being a musician? Is the payoff/good feeling from being a musician worth the stress?
2. What is the likelihood of making a modest living off of being a musician?
3. What are the things that producers really look for in an artist/band?
I love music and really want to do it, but I want to know what I’m getting myself into before I do. I know I’m not the greatest musician or singer, and I also know that I’m not the worst, but I’m worried that if in the future I start a family I wouldn’t be able to support them with a career in music. Thank you for your time 
Sincerely,
Mike
So, to answer Mikes questions:
1. I have found that being a musician means that I am solely responsible for the outcome of my career. That’s either deeply terrifying or truly liberating, depending on which way the wind is blowing. I have imagined myself as a songwriter, session player, music critic, stage performer and a few other things at different points in my life. Regardless of the identity I want to call my own, making sure that I am good at what I do has always been on me and me alone.
The best way that I have learned to deal with the stress of it is to just create. I can’t prove to anyone that I’m a songwriter if I can’t show them any songs. I can’t call myself a session player if I haven’t made music with anyone else. When the creating just isn’t happening, then it’s time to practice because it means I’m not good enough to pull off what I’m trying to do. So is the payoff worth the stress? Yes, because the stress comes from wanting the payoff.
2. To make a living off being a musician, you’ve got to have your hands in a lot of different things. Right now, I’ve got most of my eggs in one basket at Source Audio, but they are asking me to wear a lot of different hats. Each responsibility I take on has everything to do with the fact that I am a musician. Marketing and sales are skills I’ve developed marketing myself and The Help. Writing and performing bass lines has been the core of my musicianship for years. Sound engineering is something I’ve learned from recording myself and being in professional studios. The concept of “artist relations” to me, is just making friends with people like me. Explaining the details of the pedals feels no different from giving a private lesson, really. All of these things are pretty unique skills, that I didn’t realize were valuable until someone started paying me for them. As for the rest of my life, I can it all and apply it anywhere.
There are many ways to to make money from these skills being a musician gives you. You can offer them to one or to many people who will pay you, depending on what opportunities are available to you but it’s going to be work and you have to be sure you want that.
Check out this article about The Black Eyed Peas
This is not a case of earning a modest living, but it’s worth thinking about. They are making big money from the skills they accrued by being musicians on the world stage and there could be a trade off. They are doing it in a way that, in certain respects, damages their ability to let their artistic message be heard. “Hold on everyone, Will.i.am has something to say! Oh no wait, he just wants me to buy a Coke”. Maybe you don’t listen to him next time…or maybe if he never shilled for Coke, you’d have no idea who he was.
It’s a thin, thin line to walk making money as an artist so you must be very conscious of every step you take. The important thing is to think about and act on what you want for your life and for your music and to also understand that they may be separate things.
3. This is a question that I am not the best authority for. I’m not there yet. I can say this though: People stop and listen to a unique voice so try to make sure there is a human in the music.
And make sure you have a great drummer.
