What Is A Musician?

1. What Is A Musician? • A musician: known to most of the public as a drifter living a life of sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll. Or so they say! Whilst some musicians do live an on-the-edge life, there are the elite few which take it easy to survive and to sustain a long life career in the music industry, without killing themselves first. • For some outsiders, a musician’s job is simply unfathomable. They cannot (or will not) understand; 1 – what is a musician’s skill or job, 2 – why do musicians work all hours day and night, and 3 – what is a fanbase and where does a musician draw the line with fans? Let’s discuss each of these in detail. • 1. What is a musician’s skill or job? • First of all, let’s just clarify that a musician studied and practiced (until they bled) just like a law or medicine student did. A musician earning money daily underwent thorough and proper training – most have a degree and can’t be employed without one. Music is based on theory and practice of an instrument or voice or both. Some musicians are so gifted that they can learn a song just from listening to it and they also only need the basics of music theory to still earn top dollar. Others less fortunate in the natural (playing by ear) department learn the theory. Both are classed as skilled and professional as long as they deliver what is musically required on stage or in a studio for the job or client. All musicians learn about scales, pitch, rhythm, chord progressions, genres, aural training, harmonies, dynamics, arrangements, improvisation, instrumentation, history of music, music in society, stage presence and delivery, organization, backstage, sound set-up, studio technology, marketing, and pure business logic (what earns money, how to make money, not performing for free). Musicians learn to either create (songwriting his or her own original songs) or re-create music (covering other people’s songs). Whether it is from a classical or rock genre, it is still classed as music. Whether live or in a studio – these are both work related money earning – REAL – jobs. • 2. Why do musicians work all hours day and night? • Did anyone ever time how long Albert Einsten took to develop the theory of general relativity? Probably his wife and that’s about it. Conclusion, you may as well just class musicians as rocket scientists and creative geniuses. Think about it. How many times when ‘I Will Survive’ plays at a wedding do all the ladies run to the dance-floor to sing their hearts out and dance away in hysteria professing every word? Now think about how many weddings and events that plays the song daily (live and on the radio still today, even after the release in 1978)? Then think about the money earned from this one song. Now say that the songwriters, Freddie Perren and Dino Fekaris, are not geniuses and very happy millionaires? That excludes Gloria Gaynor’s royalty cheques. To create a number 1 song that sells worldwide, a musician would definitely be classed as a mastermind – and it does take endless hours perfecting and mastering the song, editing and perfecting the production to have that edge which radios will play non-stop, because it becomes an addiction. Regardless of how many intricate hours it takes to write that song, there is a whole other ball game, which musicians have to tackle; being heard. Being heard by an A&R person that actually has the same vision to financially invest in your song or album and then actually deliver a release on a global scale. Finding that person is harder than finding the person you are going to marry. Plus this successful A&R person expects a certain level of musicianship and that you have an already screaming fanbase following you. Now add up the hours of practicing, performing, writing, travel from one place to the next and all the paperwork – mostly done without recreational drugs or alcohol. It is time to stop wondering what a musician does daily. • 3. What is a fanbase and where does a musician draw the line with fans? • Social media, fan frenzy infatuation, stalkers and love notes with a phone number at the bottom. Well quite frankly, it’s all part of the hype and magic that happens. A wanted band or artist does have a following and it is a good thing, rather to have fans than no fans. Plus those frenzified fans are dollar bills right before the band’s eyes. So give your fans attention (politely), acknowledge them and if anyone steps out of line or crosses the line then show them the boundary. For those that hinder, social media sites allow you to block them and if it means they are buying your CD and so obsessed with your performance that they then tell ten people, who also buy your CD – tell me what is so bad about that. Just keep your distance and have boundaries so you are not ever exploited negatively. • So to clear up any nuances, yes a Musicians Classifieds a skilled profession as well as a genius of creativity. Time to put your hands in the air, wave them in the air like you just don’t care and pay some RESPECT!