Top 5 Mistakes of the Music Biz Newbie

[thefogster61]

You are so on the money with the work situation. I've been doing music full time for eleven years and the amount of time I need daily to devote to everything is huge. Three or four hours practice ( six to eight if my wife is out of town), an hour or two working on songs, couple of hours tracking down and booking gigs, couple of hours networking with other musicians and stuff, and another couple hours updating my websites, links, finding useful stuff from people such as yourself. Cheers and thnx

[creativeguitarstudio]

@thefogster61,

Great post! It's definitely a daily grind doing this music biz thing. And, if you simply do it entirely because it's all that you ever want to do in life, then I believe that those who are realistic with it, will generally achieve some level of success with music. If anybody is doing this because they want to, "get rich," or something equally one-dimensional... well then, good luck to them.

Thanks again for the excellent post here!

- Andrew

[thefogster61]

@creativeguitarstudio Hey Andrew, thanks for your quick response and personal touch. Makes all the difference. I quit my job in journalism to do music full time.... only after the consistent pushing by my girlfriend at the time. Sure you got to work hard, but the harder you work the luckier you get. In a lot of "normal" jobs it don't matter how hard you work you are still bumping your head on the low career ceiling. Again, hats off to you and best of luck with it all.

[thefogster61]

@thefogster61 Oh, I also want to add that I effing LOVE my work. I'm also teaching a few guitar lessons every week, working on film scores on spec with a composer guy, and even play some songs to the kids in my daughter's kindergarten..Even a bad gig nowadays is not Soooo bad and the good ones are great. But there was a lot of years of "what the hell am I doing?" Best of luck and like Tommy Emmanuel says "Get to work!!"

[gillian0511]

I'm a saxophonist struggling to write music. I never know exactly what i want to say through the music so i'm always doubting myself. listening to this has given me the confidence to carry on writing and know that one day i will succeed.

[Rojbas100]

just dont let the music industry ruin you!!

[chandlerbird617]

I think this is a really interesting and insightful video on why people don't have the success that they want in their career. I remember I would work a 40 hour week at amazon, come home and immediately go to sleep!!! My problem now is budgeting my time, and prioritizing.

[100flyingfish]

thanks

[Pierceher]

Thanks man, any advice on online musicians not gigging? im a one band man :P

[MrBlockHouse]

@Pierceher i think u mean a one man band, but yeah, same here, im an at-home producer, what can i do besides online stuff?

[RiffTheory]

Hi Andrew. Thanks for the video! Any tips for older musicians trying to get back in? You only really touched on that point in this video.

[VenVile]

Excellent points Andrew!

[BoboSab3121]

slash rulz

[datluigi]

I'm 13, I just got into a band, we aren't that bad but unfortunately our drummer needs some work. Long story short we aren't promoting ourselves yet, but I was just curious, what kind of decisions can I make as a musician (not a band) to help my music career in the future? I guess it was irrelevant that I'm in a band as it probably won't last long anyway.

[MrBlockHouse]

@datluigi seems like u already have the skill to make one of the most important choices a musician can make, that being not playing with artists/bands who arent "on-par" with your skill level

[AuraBakkerMedia]

Hi Andrew,

I liked your video a lot and will be taking the advice you gave! Usually though, adults have a midlife crisis at 50 or 45... not 35. :-)

[dkistheshizam]

You're the man Andrew. Thanks for always keeping it real.

[ilyat0nes]

Just one question: how important do you think the location of the band is in terms of country ?

[polaracci]

I really like your advice videos!

[grozlz]

adobe audition? (cooledit was bought out)

[bartkruizenga]

Cooledit pro

[dimarziotonezone23]

@bartkruizenga its audition cs3

[forumrida1234]

what program is on his computer

[ardentoctopus]

Thank you very much, we work hard to be congruent with most of what you have presented here .This video is an excellent reminder and adds a few very important points. I do agree with most of what you say here. On the age and throwing money away part I feel it is too much of a generalization and each person needs to look at there particular situation pragmatically. I do enjoy your vids.

[affiliate383]

Uh I wish I was one of the kid's who are able to leech off their parents until they are 20. I'm 16 and I pay my dad rent and pay some of the bills.....

[jkuebler89]

@affiliate383 those who are the most remarkable are those who fight the most odds. dont complain.

[rocker801]

i have been a professional musician for quite a while , been in a band signed to island records , dropped , and in another hot on the trail . I have played music showcases and been the headliner w/ plenty of 80's bands like skid row . I can tell you that its taken years to understand the concept of a good song . All the bands i've ever been in have been more of a curse than a blessing . Enjoy things while you can because they just don't last forever !

[creativeguitarstudio]

Hello rocker801...

Thanks for this comment. It's really important that people like you step forward and mention that even being signed to a major label is often times more of a curse than a blessing. Most young players think that it's all about getting signed. However, as you've mentioned, getting signed may never lead to all that much for many bands.

Thanks again,

Andrew

[rocker801]

agreed andrew ...

i think music has gone wrong in the way that anything i've done the passion for the music has got me through the hard times .

[rocker801]

networking through you tube , myspace/facebook has been the secret to creating a platform to work from .

I see all these musicians make negative comments on all the videos .Remember , its not about burning bridges its about making them ! be kind to your neighbor and have fun ! the number one most important secret to the music biz ! don't worry about getting signed w/ the internet and a van you can do for you what a label may do for you ! cheers !

[Shadowboxe]

@creativeguitarstudio True indeed, I saw an article about 10 Artists/Bands that got signed by a major and then left to rot on the shelf for years before the label would set them free to goo elsewhere.

[andysenn]

genio!!!

[D0g63rt]

I say burn your ships and never look back. The problem isn't whether you're good at music, its how seriously you intend to pursue your dream. If you have one foot in the music door, but never quite enter because of reservations on how you can "make it" then you simply won't, unless you have tremendous luck as Andrew says. But great artists that seem to stick around forever are the ones who made up their mind and never thought they should be doing anything else.

[twocsies]

Really great video. Not positive but realistic.

[danychicobadboy]

ok ok... before i watch this video i thought that I can say the mistakes of the harmony of Satriani and Colplay in the video "Did Coldplay copy Joe Satriani? Let's Do the Music Theory: PART 1" but, in this video I saw a good person!! take care!! ciao ciao

[KacanuHa]

The truth is - it's HARD to make your living ONLY from music, even if you are not a newbie. So much for the "money for nothing and chicks for free"...

[pb3ch]

is that cool edit pro in the background? hellz yea

[creativeguitarstudio]

Hi pb3ch...

It's Adobe Audition 1.5 - but yeah, basically it is Cool Edit Pro. Adobe really screwed with it in their 2.0 release, (it didn't even properly work), and then they switched it over to running strictly ASIO in their 3.0 release, (which only records from a USB source in mono unless you have an ASIO mixer signal, or if you try and download an ASIO driver - Google, "asio4all" for a download... I haven't tried it though). So, for the time being I'm sticking with Audition 1.5!

- Andrew

[Cazaq]

I would recomend buying Ableton Live , it is simply amazing.

[jippie11261]

Hey Cazaq... I thought Ableton Live was a sequencing program, not a recording studio program (?)

Can it run like a typical mutitrack recording studio?

[stevieVantanna]

...now being a rock star over 30 is highly unlikely, but making a living doing what you love is very possible. Very unlikely to make a living playing your originals no mater how talented...I don't know if that's what your sister die?

thanks

[joshyboy152]

you got to have a job, if your not making any money from music at all.

[altcraftstudio]

to: joshboy152,

I think the way the music industry is today, you'd have to start out in life early if you wanted to be a musician. It's not a career change in mid-life - I agree. So, what I hear Andrew saying is to start when you live at home with your parents (and you have no bills, rent and groceries to buy). Then, you'll actually have a real chance at becoming a musician in your life.

[stevieVantanna]

I don't see anything wrong with a career change in your 30's - as long as one paid his dues and practiced in one's teens and early 20's.

[jippie11261]

Hey stevieVantanna...

My sister is 33 and she went into heavy debt because she decided to, "pursue her first love," as she called it. She realized that there was no way she could just jump into the music biz, (and she's damn talented), and make the same money she was making working at her day job. She played the scene for about a year and gave up. She had band problems, money woes, and the lack of sleep from playing gigs at night was too much for her. So, I don't agree with you at all - sorry.

[stevieVantanna]

Yeah, but she did it - and when she looks back 20 years from now I'm sure she won't regret it.

Myself I can make good money playing in a cover band and teach + work on originals. plus mabye work part -time. It's possible for sure.

[Whinesilencer]

thank you for this video!!

[AlwaysKurtCobain]

I have not seen your other series yet but I will check it out.

This video is awesome and thanks.