# What would you do if you couldn't compose?



## M.L. (May 15, 2014)

Hello everyone,

I’d like to see a discussion on what options are open to composers who are simply unable to earn a living freelancing.

I’ve decided to make the effort to jump from hobbyist to full time composer, but I’m fully aware it will likely be a struggle, and I often question this decision, doubting myself and the future of the profession. I’ve been studying all the usual important skills for the industry like orchestration, sound design, recording, mixing, etc... but it’s unlikely I’ll ever be good enough at any single skill to do them at a professional level, eg being hired as a mixer for a studio.

What I’m eluding to, is that I’d get some piece of mind in knowing that the skills I’m developing might translate to other opportunities, should freelancing not be providing what I might need it to.

As an example, could the skills you’ve learned in freelancing qualify you for a job as, say, a production sound mixer or ADR editor? I don’t really know much about what jobs are out there and what type of schooling or experience you need to get those jobs. 

I’d just like to know there’s hope I could continue in music/film/games where my experience and abilities aren’t meaningless and I just end up in a call center.

Perhaps a good conversation starter would be: what would you do if your compositions suddenly had zero value and you were forced to do something else because you needed a steadier income?

thanks!


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## Blackster (May 15, 2014)

Interesting topic!  ...

Probably I would become a physicist. The open space, planets, light and time are things which are fascinating to me since I was a kid ... and I really enjoy mathematics. That's why I also enjoy scripting! :D ... maybe becoming a programmer would also be an option for me but my first choice is physicist.

Looking forward to read what others have to say ...


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## Daryl (May 15, 2014)

That would depend on whether it was just my compositions, everyone's compositions or music in general. If the first of those, I could conduct, orchestrate, play the Piano, play the Violin or teach.

D


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## Resoded (May 15, 2014)

I would probably be one of those people running naked across the field during sports events, but I'm not sure if that counts as steady income. Either that or professional wrestling.


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## The Darris (May 15, 2014)

I am very passionate about education so I would probably teach.


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## markwind (May 16, 2014)

I would set up a company (or multiple), be an entrepreneur. Tho being a film composer and an entrepreneur aren't really exclusive occupations to one another.


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## Jem7 (May 16, 2014)

Probably something like photography or computers if it's not music related.


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## Stephen Rees (May 16, 2014)

I'd be a model.


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## G.E. (May 16, 2014)

For me it's more about creating something more than what I'm creating.It's not necessarily the music which appeals to me but the fact that at the end of the day I can look and say "wow,I've made something from nothing"

Until a few months ago I was a programmer.But if the music thing isn't working out I guess I would either be a 3D animator,VFX artist,web developer/designer.All skills which I already have but need some refinement.The only thing I could never be is a mixing engineer because mixing is the only part of music which I hate.
But if you were hoping for some ideas based on your skills acquired as a musician,I'm not the guy who can give them to you.


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## AC986 (May 16, 2014)

I'd go back to my old job of bank robbery and petty crime.

That said, it's a bit of a weird question.


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## rayinstirling (May 16, 2014)

decompose

my wife says she isn't going to have me burnt


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## chibear (May 16, 2014)

If I were younger I'd go into architecture. Now the I'm retired: Go Fishing more often :wink:


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## Inductance (May 16, 2014)

> what would you do if your compositions suddenly had zero value and you were forced to do something else because you needed a steadier income?



Hm, the funny thing is that my music composition career hasn't even started, so I'm in that boat, pre-career, where I'm not making much from my composition skills! A lot of people here are in that boat, I think.

If I had a composing career, and suddenly the jobs dried up, I'd probably go back to doing what I'm doing now--work full-time (as an engineer as of now), while still composing part-time/as a hobby. Honestly, I enjoy composing, so I'll probably do that for the rest of my life now, whether anyone listens to my music or not. (Interesting enough, my wife and I just had a discussion about this.)

If I made enough money composing and didn't spend it all, I'd probably go back to school. Maybe I'd learn music production and stay in the music business that way. 

If I truly broke whatever part of the brain gives me composing skills, I'd probably study something unrelated like physics (I'm a science nerd)! And I'd probably try to express myself creatively with writing. I once entertained dreams of being a novelist.


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## chillbot (May 16, 2014)

I would be a chef. Or at least I would want to be and try to be... I imagine it's at least as hard or harder to make a decent living as a chef as a composer (who got lucky).

Out of curiosity I posed this same question to myself a couple years ago and made a list which I saved. It was somewhat enlightening, you should try it.

* No offense to anyone who might be in one of these jobs, this is just my personal list, in order:

THE TOP PICKS:

composer/musician
chef
vintner/brewmaster
construction worker
carpenter
soldier/marine

STILL HAPPY:

farmer
fireman
writer
mechanic
teacher
scientist
architect
psychologist

COULD BE WORSE:

producer
pilot
gardener
police officer
janitor

GETTING TO THE ROUGH STUFF:

bartender
porn star/prostitute
taxi driver
mail carrier
waiter

PLEASE HELP ME:

veterinarian -- slightly better than a doctor because of cute pets
dentist -- ugh
doctor -- too gross, also couldn't deal with delivering bad news
undertaker
politician
receptionist
truck driver
actor

I'D PROBABLY KILL MYSELF:

flight attendant -- dealing with grumpy people all day, I wouldn't last an hour
priest
lawyer
accountant -- hell
insurance agent -- worse than hell


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## Matthijs van Wissen (May 16, 2014)

Ouch, I belong to the PLEASE HELP ME category then :( ....... If only I belonged to the TOP PICKS category (dreaming of a career as a composer)


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## artsoundz (May 16, 2014)

adriancook @ Fri May 16 said:


> I'd go back to my old job of bank robbery and petty crime.
> 
> That said, it's a bit of a weird question.



You'll need a competent get away driver.

P.m. Me when you're ready.

Ray, that was my first thought. Good one. 
Great minds think,alike.


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## AC986 (May 16, 2014)

artsoundz @ Fri May 16 said:


> adriancook @ Fri May 16 said:
> 
> 
> > I'd go back to my old job of bank robbery and petty crime.
> ...



Right ho!

Do you have a Jag Mk II?


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## artsoundz (May 16, 2014)

No. Dont even have a license. Is that going to be a problem? I promise to drive fast and wear my glasses as well. I'll need my fee up front to get those.

I do have access to a 62 ford falcon. It gets decent mileage so after my fee, you would save on transportation costs. We'd have to drop off my grandma at bingo on the way, though.

Run the numbers and get back to me.


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## chillbot (May 16, 2014)

Matthijs van Wissen @ Fri May 16 said:


> Ouch, I belong to the PLEASE HELP ME category then :( ....... If only I belonged to the TOP PICKS category (dreaming of a career as a composer)


As I said nothing wrong with any of those jobs it's just about temperament, I couldn't ever be a doctor but thank god there are people who can. I definitely couldn't be a flight attendant but I try to make up for the rude passengers by being as polite as humanly possible...


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## MichaelL (May 16, 2014)

OK Chillbot, if I ever get to your coast, we have to hang. 

Composer and Chef are my top 2.

I've been a bartender. It was actually a lot of fun.

I've been a lawyer. Got to agree with you. 

Prostitue, arguably analogous to composing for cable TV.


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## chillbot (May 16, 2014)

MichaelL @ Fri May 16 said:


> OK Chillbot, if I ever get to your coast, we have to hang.


Wonderful! Anytime you find yourself in LA please send me a PM and we will either dine in the best restaurant I can find or have a cook off, I'm ok either way.


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## M.L. (May 17, 2014)

Thanks to everyone who have replied, it's always fun to hear people's responses to hypotheticals. I also considered culinary school tbh  

My question, though, was meant to be a bit more specific to careers that would still involve the skills we've developed in preparing to be composers, and careers where employers would appreciate these skills. Meaning, for instance, if you've studied theory & orchestration, jobs where those skills would be valued are copyist, orchestrator, conductor, not so much dentist or undertaker.

We're all putting a lot of effort into honing these skills, I'd just like to know there are a fair number of options where these skills are valuable if composing doesn't work out. I realize typing up a list of jobs is a pretty horrendous activity (though I would love you for it), which is why I thought I'd just ask what _you'd_ do instead. It could certainly help those of us not quite so in the biz!


edit: though I should add it'd be equally interesting to hear if some of you would rather just start over in a different career than try to use your skills for something other than composing.


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## AC986 (May 17, 2014)

artsoundz @ Fri May 16 said:


> No. Dont even have a license. Is that going to be a problem?



No licence? How is that going to work?

But hang on there. If your driving a Jag Mk II after I just heisted the local building society, the last thing the cops are going to do if they catch us is ask to see your licence right?

Wrong!!!

This is England. That's the first they do. :lol:


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## Stephen Rees (May 17, 2014)

I was expecting you to be a touring golf professional Adrian. Any preference for US or European tours?


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## AC986 (May 17, 2014)

Stephen Rees @ Sat May 17 said:


> I was expecting you to be a touring golf professional Adrian. Any preference for US or European tours?



Yeah the Senior Tour. :lol: I'm too old for that really. Hahaaaaaaaaaaaaaa….

I prefer the US PGA Tour these days because the European Tour is dying a bit of a slow death. If you look at the amount of contests now just in the UK they have really gone down since 2007.
All the very good European players go to the US now. The Open is always good though.

I'm just off the American Golf store because my Taylormade driver has developed a rattle inside the head. The club captain just emails asking if I could play in a mixed Greensome on Tuesday. I also have a tournament on Monday and my wife is now very cross with me. I've got one of my publishers saying I have to change a track and I have to cut the grass. 

This is why I never get any music done. This is why I laugh when I get referred to as a _composer_.


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## Jaap (May 17, 2014)

Composing a good swing is not easy o=? 

For me, I always wanted to be a Captain and actually even considered going to a Naval school when I had to choose my education


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## PeterKorcek (May 17, 2014)

Im not a professional composer, but I work as a doctor (neonatologist) :-p


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## Qomodo (May 17, 2014)

rayinstirling @ Fri May 16 said:


> decompose
> 
> my wife says she isn't going to have me burnt



hahahaha I literally laughed out loud, in a very uncharming way :lol: . 

But to answer the topic's question. I would probably be a dance producer(If making beats doesn't count as composing. And I'f that one doesn't count I'll probably be a Chemistry-technician. Only because chemistry was easy for me at school, and you can get paid a lot here in holland when you work at Shell or Unilever. 

Met vriendelijke groet 

-D-


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## AC986 (May 17, 2014)

Jaap @ Sat May 17 said:


> Composing a good swing is not easy o=?



Ohhhhhhhhhh……thats absolutely marvellous!


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## dannthr (May 17, 2014)

Well, I have a degree in Creative Writing, so I'd have to say that if I weren't doing something music related, I'd be an illustrator/animator.

This is from figure drawing workshop today:

3 Minute Poses
http://www.dannthr.com/temp/sketches/li ... Mather.JPG

5 Minute Poses
http://www.dannthr.com/temp/sketches/li ... Mather.JPG

Three 5 and one 10 Minute Pose(s)
http://www.dannthr.com/temp/sketches/li ... Mather.JPG

25 Minute Pose
http://www.dannthr.com/temp/sketches/li ... Mather.JPG


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## IFM (May 17, 2014)

Simple...
Race car driver.

In fact I want to do both so I am building a 944S into one slowly. :D


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## Peter Alexander (May 22, 2014)

Well, I've had some health challenges that put me into this boat so looking at something else is always an option.

But in the end, you have to decide how important the music inside you really is. Can you not live happily without writing and creating music? If you can, take some tests and find other things you're good at and can be happy doing.

If you can't, if writing is an absolute must for you, then gird up your loins like a man, dig in and press forward.

That's the only way.


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## germancomponist (May 22, 2014)

If I couldn't compose I would be a writer or a journalist.


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## Vin (May 22, 2014)

Astronomer, definitely.


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## pkm (May 22, 2014)

If I can stay in the film/tv business but outside of music, I'd probably go into film editing. If not, I'd design and build stuff. Either with wood (wooden boats, furniture) or more electrical (audio gear, guitar pedals, etc.). I really wish I had a house with a garage so I could build a woodshop.


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## jcs88 (May 23, 2014)

Always been my dream to be a Royal Marine or a Rock Ape. Would be there now if it wasn't for my asthma!


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