Making a Career out of Singing
KevinGrem
Pro Posts: 217
I have been thinking about the question "If my career and work life were ideal, what would they look like?"
The answer is that I would be touring while making money doing it. Now that's a dream that I'm sure many people have, but very few can actually do.
I think if you want something bad enough, it can be done. In the case of my singing, it is something that I'm so passionate about that I can foresee success coming from it. But it seems unlikely.
What I need to do is find a band who wants the same thing I do, and who have the necessary talent to succeed. It was recommended to me that I write and record a professional album. So this is exactly what I'm going to do. I know a producer in California who will do this with me. He is a professional. Once I get the songs written I will go out there and record them. He will get some big name musicians to play on it. Then I hope to get signed by a record label.
Is this a good plan or should I do something else?
The answer is that I would be touring while making money doing it. Now that's a dream that I'm sure many people have, but very few can actually do.
I think if you want something bad enough, it can be done. In the case of my singing, it is something that I'm so passionate about that I can foresee success coming from it. But it seems unlikely.
What I need to do is find a band who wants the same thing I do, and who have the necessary talent to succeed. It was recommended to me that I write and record a professional album. So this is exactly what I'm going to do. I know a producer in California who will do this with me. He is a professional. Once I get the songs written I will go out there and record them. He will get some big name musicians to play on it. Then I hope to get signed by a record label.
Is this a good plan or should I do something else?
Comments
It's kind of like "what should I do with my life?"
I don't know where you live, or even what age you are, Kevin, but life does go by quickly, if you let it, and your chances to do things like what you want to do will go by if you don't act on them.
That being said, it's a risky business. The odds are against us all when we want to get to fame and fortune. Part of that is because that's exactly what everyone else wants, and they are willing to do anything to get it so that they'll have it and you won't. It's very competitive.
The safest way to deal with something like that is to put yourself into a position where you can access the things you need (producer, studio, musicians, etc) and have a means of support to keep you alive and well-fed while you are working on your album and your band.
This is normally called "your Plan B"
Without a Plan B, sometimes Plan A can't come into being.
I moved from the barren central U.S. to the West Coast many years ago, so that I could be in a better geographical location to continue my musical endeavors. I also had a plan B that kept me afloat. If I had never made that move, as hard as it was to pull off, I would have regretted never trying.
It worked out for me. I didn't become famous, or a full-time musician, but I've played so many good gigs and I feel very fortunate to have had what is to me, a richer life, from pursuing music. But I needed that plan B to make sure I had a roof over my head. Music has also been a substantial contributor to my income, but without plan B it would have been rough.
What kind of parachute can you put together in case this takes a really long time to come together or doesn't pay what you need to sustain yourself? Do you have marketable skills to put food on the table if you move to another state?
If you can answer that "what if" part of the equation, then you might be able to put together a workable plan.
Normally you have to put yourself into situations where you can succeed. They don't come to you. But there is a lot of risk in the music business, so protect yourself and find a way to sustain yourself when you're a long way from home. If you don't have that, things can become problematic.
Tough choices. But important ones.
All the Best!
Bob
It was easy for me to find bands to work with. In the first month there I found 3 different bands. It didn't work out. I lost all motivation for music. I got horribly depressed. I had no drive. I had no passion. I don't know where it went, but it left me.
I was freaking out and feeling suicidal. I'm not going get into the whole story because honestly I don't want to even think about the horrors of my past. I have been through absolute hell. Worse than most people can even imagine.
I am 28. I'm only looking forward.
Hopefully you'll be able to get your album recorded and manage to work with some people who really click with you.