what should I do with my life??

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travis16vp

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Hi, I wanna ask for advice on this dilemma I'm having. Right now I'm living in the Philippines and I'm studying music composition in college. Before I went to college, I had plans of going to the United States after I graduate college and start a band and take a shot in making it in the music industry. Since by that time, I would have graduated music composition already so maybe I'll have a bigger chance of making it. When I was a freshmen in college, I learned to play the trombone and play jazz so I thought, what If I study jazz trombone in Belgium? (It's the place I'm supposed to go when I graduate). But the that would take 5 years + 2 years of getting ready for the audition. I would be like 30 years old when I finish all of that. The only positive thing I can think about if I go that route is that I can make use of my degree in composition and use my full potential as a music student. Now I'm thinking, what If I regret not going to the states and starting a punk band? Having my own band playing my songs has always been my dream and playing jazz was just a recent thing. When I ask my friends about their opinions, they go for the jazz trombone thing but when they hear my punk songs they really like it. I'm really committed to making it in the music industry because all I ever do is either practice trombone or write punk songs and record it on my personal studio. What do you guys think? Which route should I take? Anybody's opinion is welcome. thanks...
 
I don't know that I have a good answer for you, but I'll throw in a comment or two.

First, is it possible to pursue both kinds of music? If so, do both, and if you get tired of one, just do the other.

If not, you can consider a few things. Which kind of music is more likely to let you make a living, assuming you don't become famous (which of course you could, but you can't depend on it)? Which one are you more likely to be still doing after 10 or 20 years?

My feeling is that rock and punk music is great, but there are a lot more people trying to do that and not succeeding than in jazz. If you have a degree in composition and are a good player, I feel like you can get semi-steady work, maybe teach lessons on the side, whatever, because it is a specialized field. I don't really know this, it's just a guess, based on knowing some people who play in orchestras and such. Basically you're a highly trained person with not so many competitors in your field.

Punk rock, on the other hand, requires no qualifications. Maybe succeeding is just as hard, but anybody can get a guitar and some friends and put up a poster and play in a bar somewhere. The question is what level you would have to make it to for it to pay you. I think that an average orchestral musician can make some money at it, but I don't know about an average punk band.

The last thing is age. If you're in your mid-20s, can you see yourself still playing jazz at 40? What about punk rock? If it takes you a while to get started, doesn't punk rock depend more on being young and cool?

You can see I'm leaning towards jazz, just because it sounds more practical. If you're not determined to make a living from music and would be happy working a regular job and doing music just for fun, then don't worry about all that and just do what seems like more fun.

I could be wrong about all of this, by the way, I'm just guessing based on a few observations.

Maybe one good question is "what would you do if you weren't afraid of failing?" If the answer is clear, try that. If you do fail, life will go on and you can try something else.
 
Thanks for the reply. One thing that crossed my mind was that If I go and start a punk band, I would be just wasting my composition degree. The only thing that hinders me from studying jazz trombone is that while I'm still in the Philippines studying compostion, I don't have a trombone instructor. So when I graduate and go to belgium, I might not be good enough to pass the audition. I'm willing to take lessons when I get to belgium until I'm ready to audtion. I don't care how long it takes. Is it still a good Idea if I do it this way?
 
If that's what it takes to pass the audition, it sounds good--assuming you've decided that you want to go the jazz route.

This may be a stupid question, but is there any market for punk music in Belgium? What's to stop you from trying it out while you're studying there?
 
There is punk in belgium but the funny thing is, I'm a belgian who can't speak belgian and my songs are all in english. It would feel wierd for me. Well thanks for the replys. Now I'm sure I'll be taking is the jazz route. All I needed was a little patience.
 
punk is a waiste

the whole punk musical genra is very narrow any way. You will expand you musical mind and find music much more gratifying if you go the jazz route, then for a band from those influences.
Just let the jazz stuff grow and let the punk influences die, then you'll be ready to maybe do a real band, that could be progressive rock or folk rock or funk/fusion, but the punk stuff is for kids who are hooked on Xgames. Expand your mind
 
well ... at least you'll be prepaired for when SKA comes back :)

I would go the jazz route and try doing both. classical musicians make more... you could try putting your composition skills to work as a jazz artist too.

I'm a metal drummer but I was classically trained and I was thinking about refressing my sight reading abilities an trying to find an orchestra... turns out orchestras and jazz groups are killing for drumset players who can read sheet music (drumset sheet music _is_ a little goofy)
 
yup the notation for drums is a little awkward to read. I can play drums and sometimes when our jazz drummer is too lazy to practice, I take over and read the sheet music but only when we're playing ballads coz they're not too fast.

I thought about study in a classical trombone program but I've always been fascinated by improvisation so that's why still like to choose jazz.
 
You should come to the states, start playing in a jazz group, a house band for a bar or whatever... that'll pay the bills. Then do the rock 'n' roll on the side until you get a band with a good set and some cash flow coming in from giggin' and what not. If you're good you could also be a studio musician to pay the bills.
 
I think the very fact that you have to ask advice on this clinches it for me.

You are not cut out to be a real punk, so forget it! You are a sensible person.

Such a punk would not care for tomorrow and would live for today and follow their ambition to make it in rock n roll by whatever it takes and whoever they need to step on. They would 'go for broke' all or nothing. The fact that you are sensible enough to carefully way up options means to me that you will take the pro' musician/jazz route, and leave the punk stuff and dreams of rock n roll stardom to 'wasted youth' types.

Rationaly, there's far more chance of you having success (earning a living) in the jazz/music teaching/session musician field than in becoming a punk rock star. You sound rational.
 
I just thought, what If I choose to form a punk band in the future and then realize... what the hell was I studying music composition for? that stuff is hard and now I'm playing powerchords. I would feel like I'm not using my knowledge that I learned about theory, harmony etc.. not even my degree. Here I am studying compostion and I have to finish it so I can get out of the country.
What I meant when I said punk band was not exactly (punk) but pop-punk. You know the kind of music some people hate. So I think it's rational for me to choose the jazz route. How much do you think does a session musician make?
 
travis16vp said:
How much do you think does a session musician make?
Click to expand...

If you're really good you can probably make $50/night and free beer. All the big money is in poetry these days.

If you are serious about being a professional musician than contact DavidK and he can probably give you some pointers. He plays violin for a lot of groups and does session work.

There is some money in classical music but little to none in jazz. Even many of the jazz greats died poor.
 
What if I decide to start a pop-punk band and If ever I don't succeed, I'll just go back to belgium and study jazz. That way I won't have any regrets. right?
 
I know folks in the Madison symphony orchestra here in town make a salary pay... probably 20-35K for practices and performances. My friend plays piano for the university's choirs and such and makes a few hundred for each performance. A jazz musician I know that's in a house band for a local pub said he makes $250 a night.

On the other side, A friend of mine is in a semi successful rock band and when they did a US tour he brought home about $1500 for a month and a half (after costs of living)

I used to be in a bar cover band and we got paid $200 - 400 per night. ($100/person) It was enough after awhile that I could cut down to working only 30 hours/week in a restaurant. The other bar band in the area I know made no less than $1600 / show. They had been around for a few years and gained some popularity. This was up in hicksville, WI too which could have been working for us because of the demand for live music in bars and the lack of bands to play.
 
i think you should change your thinking from looking out to looking in.
no one person on this board understands yourself more than you.
people can give you ideas all day long, but nobody truely understands what special gifts you hold...
id love to tell you to work at it as hard as you can until the magic doors opens, but i dont know you ... you could be somebody that plays whenever they feel like it and drink alot on the weekends...

you dont need to tell me who you are... you can tell yourself that
everyones situation is unique... so answers are out of the question... just go into situations w/ optimism and when you fail,thats good , because that means your trying..

those that try and fail are better off than those that dont try for the fear of failure


a wise person once told me that music is not a choice




at any rate good luck to you!
 
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do the jazz thing

then while doing it form a punk band with jazz influences.

maybe you can create something great that way, i can imagine jazz-punk working. Who says punk just has to be 3 chords and bass/snare?
 
travis16vp said:
What if I decide to start a pop-punk band and If ever I don't succeed, I'll just go back to belgium and study jazz. That way I won't have any regrets. right?
Click to expand...

Follow your heart if you can afford to. Just be prepared to make money working a regular job or have your parents support you.

As an unknown artist you CANNOT make enough money to live off of playing original music, period. The only way to make money is playing covers no matter what the style.
 
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