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So You Wanna Be a Rock Star?WHAT IS IT REALLY LIKE BEING A PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN???
What people THINK it’s like being in a band…
But first…you have to know a LOT of things…
How to play music/sing
People to play with
Places to play
• Lessons? • Equipment
• What kind of music?• Will you write your own?
• Pay to play• Being paid by the venue
But if you can find all those things…
You could get to this:
So let’s start with the basics
What will you do?If you like to sing – SING!
If you play an instrument, keep playing it!
If you want to learn, ASK!
Who With?The best music is made by people who agree
Bandmates can be friends, or BECOME friends
Sometimes, new people bring something amazing to the group.
Where?Start at home!
Practice…practice…practice!
Don’t forget…it’s called the music BUSINESS
…SO DON’T FORGET ABOUT THE BUSINESS PART
If you have music, you have a product
To deliver the product, you need:
A way to get to the venue (a ride!!)
Instruments (which can cost as little as $20 at a garage sale, or $1000 for a very upscale keyboard or complete drum set)
A way to amplify the product (AKA…a sound system)
PS a Sound System can cost anywhere from $250-$THOUSANDS!!
THEN, if someone wants to hire your band, you need to figure out…
What do we need to bring
When do we need to be there
How long will we play music
And then….
You have to ask them to pay you
That’s how you become “professional”…you get paid to do it.
So, when I was in my first band
I didn’t know the people I was performing with (but they are my best friends now!)
I didn’t own an instrument, but needed to play one
I didn’t own a sound system, but they already did
So…..
I bought a microphone, stand, cable and some percussion instruments
I practiced my parts for several hours at home alone
I practiced 3-5 hours a week with the band
I played 5-8 shows a week
What a show day is like
You have to be there at least 3 hours early to set up.
Some things set up quickly, like a keyboard. Some things take an hour, like drums
You have to play for 2-4 hours (and usually there is a 30 minute break)
You have to stay after for at least an hour to break down
THAT’S 6-8 HOURS!
At the end of it…you may walk out with $200 for those 6-8 hours.
$200! That’s A BUNCHA MONEY!
Except that it isn’t, if you have to pay for a place to live, food, clothes, etc…which is why many musicians who are professionals also have other jobs
So what do you need?LET’S BRAINSTORM A BAND…