Where do you see yourself on your career/time chart?

[Arın Aykut]

As a composer, where do you see yourself on your career/time chart? Do you need someone to remind you how you got here?

Hi, this might stray from the usual topics, but I want to share my thoughts on something I've personally experienced, struggled with, and still occasionally battle with. I'm sure there are many in this forum who can relate, and maybe this can be helpful. The film industry, due to its clear connection with money, has become increasingly tough over time. Big names and brands gather under specific entities, making it harder for newcomers to break in. At least, that's how I see it.

As a young media composer these days, I'm in London composing music for various projects, searching for opportunities on Facebook pages and anywhere I think projects could be created, balancing between being selective and finding work, producing music for scoring competitions, sending my music to festivals, blogs, and platforms where I hope it'll be seen and heard, following established composers and listening to their stories, watching their documentaries, and so on. These are the regular actions I take that keep me going on the path to my dreams.

However, I've been stuck in a dilemma for a long time. On one side, I hear, "This is how it works; keep going patiently." On the other, "You're missing something or not reaching out to the people you want to meet; stop waiting to get better, be proactive." I find myself in the middle of these two paths, sometimes finding comfort and renewed motivation in reading stories of people like me, getting back to composing, but other times feeling like I'm falling behind, sensing that today's system might hinder my dreams.

Currently, I believe that all these paths are one and the same. Because it seems like the era we're in isn't just about constant production but also about proper promotion, PR strategies, and staying connected with the things mentioned earlier. Sometimes I can do one of these, sometimes all, and sometimes none. But I now see them all as one path. Sometimes stumbling, sometimes finding a path to run on. Yes, I want to reach that light at the end of the road as soon as possible, but as long as I'm on the journey, I'm making the adventure enjoyable by thinking about that light. I go to bed every night with the desire to reach that light and wake up every morning with excitement.

What are your stories? Do you have tactics that new media composers use to deal with this situation? I'm curious about your suggestions. Thank you so much.

All the best,
Arın Aykut

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[Epic Wonder]

I’ll be extinct within a year or two due to A.I. Maybe future composers can turn my old songs into fuel. ️ Honestly, I think most composers will need day jobs to support themselves and will need some big break in order to land any steady work in the field. Art is hard to make a living from, until it’s not. Keep chasing your dreams…….

 

[Arın Aykut]

I’ll be extinct within a year or two due to A.I. Maybe future composers can turn my old songs into fuel. ️ Honestly, I think most composers will need day jobs to support themselves and will need some big break in order to land any steady work in the field. Art is hard to make a living from, until it’s not. Keep chasing your dreams…….

I definitely agree with your views on the financial side of the business. I wanted to start a little bit more on the artistic/creative side. It's a collection of thoughts about dreams, working for these dreams, this work going somewhere and the percentage of achieving dreams. And of course a bit of criticism of the system and a search for courage. I am grateful for your valuable contributions.

 

[NekujaK]

This is a large and multifaceted topic, and because there are very few, or perhaps no, clearly defined career paths in music, especially for composers - the journey is characterized by many unique and personal stories.

I recently entered the 6th decade of my life, and it's only in the last few years that I've become what I consider a "professional" composer, although I've been playing and making music all my life.

I've been in the company of musicians, composers, and performers my entire life, from part time hobbyists to struggling auteurs to steadily working grinders to wildly successful stars who've attained fame and fortune. Here are some observations and conclusions I've reached about music careers:

LUCK: Every music professional I know, including myself, has had their career propelled by luck at one or more key junctures. Some of the stories are so extraordinary and laced with cosmic coincidence that they border on unbelievable. It's almost as if a successful music career can't manifest until it's been graced by a healthy dose of luck. Hearing this is both frustrating (because it's unpredictable and we feel we have no control in the matter) and empowering (because anyone is likely to encounter luck as much as anyone else).

Of course, expecting luck to happen doesn't mean sitting on our thumbs and doing nothing. We increase the chances of luck bumping into us by putting ourselves out there, relentlessly pursuing our craft, and seizing whatever opportunities come along way. You can't win the lottery if you don't buy a ticket.

DIVERSIFICATION: Many professional musicians don't narrowly specialize at doing just one thing, until and unless they experience significant repeatable success at one thing. For many folks who choose to make music their sole profession, they typically earn money from multiple music-related sources to make ends meet. This can include teaching music, maintaining a YouTube channel, mixing projects, recording projects, songwriting, composing library music, composing for video games, gigging, applying for grants, and even marrying rich! (that last one may seem like a joke, but I assure you it's not).

We may aspire to compose scores for AAA Hollywood films, but until we get there, we will likely need to leverage our musical talents in other ways to keep ourselves in the game, or simply take a "straight" job to support ourselves.

F*** PERFECTION: The most successful musicians/composers aren't necessarily the most gifted, schooled, or talented. And more importantly, they never let this fact hold them back. The worst thing we can do as artists is constantly compare ourselves to others in our field, and use that as an excuse for our career struggles or as a reason to not put ourselves out there and try.

Yes, it's vitally important to have talent and skill, but it's not necessary to be the best, or even among the top 25%, to experience success. Having a realistic sense of our abilities and constantly striving to improve are perhaps, the most valuable attributes to have. One of the best ways to spark actual improvement is to put ourselves in situations in which we have no choice, where we're in over our heads, where there's no choice but to improve. To do this, we must aim higher than what we feel we're capable of. Most musicians/composers experience imposter syndrome - it comes with the territory - and while it can be an unpleasant feeling, it's also the best motivator for improvement, and in the end will help build our confidence.

BE NICE: Music is a people business, and people like hanging out and working with pleasant people. The surest way to avoid getting any kind of gig is to come off as an arrogant jerk. You don't need to possess the best social skills or be the life of the party, all it takes is having a genuine interest in other people and finding ways to connect on a personal level. Be supportive, be encouraging, be friendly, be humble, be nice, and you'll find a lot more opportunities will open up to you. People remember nice people. People remember how you make them feel.

PATIENCE AND PERSISTENCE: Perhaps the most difficult skill to cultivate is patience. Music careers rarely advance along our own desired timelines. Things can turn on a dime, but we can never predict when that will happen. The best we can do is be persistent in our efforts to advance our careers, celebrate even the smallest victories, and use them as inspiration to keep pushing forward with a positive attitude. And be sure to enjoy the journey - we're making music, after all!


Hopefully, some part of this will be somewhat helpful to someone...

 

[Arın Aykut]

This is a large and multifaceted topic, and because there are very few, or perhaps no, clearly defined career paths in music, especially for composers - the journey is characterized by many unique and personal stories.
...

I realize once again how valuable it is to be in this forum. It is very important to meet with people like you, even virtually, to share information, to benefit from experiences. First of all, thank you very much for these wonderful determinations, information and thoughts like lessons. Even though I know and feel the same things, I could not have written them so beautifully and neatly. For this reason, I am glad that I opened this topic so that we can all benefit from these thoughts. I am very pleased to meet you.

LUCK: I totally agree with what you say, the saying "You can't expect the lottery without buying a ticket" sums it all up. It's always frustrating for me how out of control this factor is. Especially for those who like to control every aspect of their life. Because the internet and social media present us with so many stars of this factor, it makes us feel like everyone else has a chance and we don't. Even though I know how wrong it is, I still find it really hard to get used to it. However, I know that it is very important to be ready when "the moment" comes and I support what you said.

DIVERSIFICATION: I think I am a bit lucky in this regard. Both in terms of character and educational process, I have done and can do a lot of work in different and supportive fields. Although I am already producing regularly as a pianist, conductor and composer, I also try to constantly improve myself in production and studio desk work. Although I am not very ambitious, I support some friend projects in side branches. This helps me to develop, stay in the game and sometimes keeps my mind busy in a positive way when I feel empty. Being a pianist, it is my luck that I have no difficulty in finding private students, so this is the most important factor that keeps me alive in London. I strongly advise people not only to produce music but also to take the opportunity to give lessons if they can.

PERFECTION: This is where the rope has snapped. At least for me, it's the most problematic part. The biggest wall that has stood between me and the person or company I want to communicate with for years. Because it's not just about a project/production being perfect, it's like a computer virus wanting everything to be perfect - timing, communication style, everything. Weeks, months, maybe even years passing between "Is it the right time?" and "Go, just be proactive." It's really tough, overcoming this is really tough for me. Especially lately, this virus is preventing me from reaching out to some names I want to connect with, introduce myself to, and I'm really fighting against it like an antivirus. Wish me luck

BE NICE: I completely agree with what you said, and I think it's a heartfelt impulse for me as well. It's something I value a lot not only in music but also in my regular life, something I want to both see and show. In a profession where survival is already difficult, it's a topic that must be paid attention to, at least because it contributes to our mental health. Thank you for highlighting it.

PATIENCE AND PERSISTENCE: It's like a big balloon that encompasses all the points mentioned above. The topic always comes back to working hard and being patient. And yes, while it's easy to say, it's really difficult to implement. I particularly believe that family and/or close friends provide a lot of support in this regard (in an optimistic scenario at least). Because even if the smallest successes don't carry news value, they are the ones who will share, congratulate, hug, and celebrate those successes. Sometimes, saying "look, I've taken another step" without waiting for the light at the end of the road can be really motivating. In this sense, truly understanding, recognizing, and living in the moment are crucial. I hope I can continue to practice these as I've written.

I wanted to share my thoughts on every topic you mentioned, and I hope I didn't make it too lengthy. You made such a positive contribution that I wanted to send my good vibes your way as well. Thank you again so much. The time you've taken means a lot to me, all the best!

 

[nitrateaudio]

Well, I don't really look at it as a career path. I look at it as a sort of personal journey to see if I can get better at it. Kind of like my other hobbies like running, cycling and so on. The more you do it, the better and more resilient you are at it and you get further ahead -- but you gotta put the time and effort into it.. it doesn't just come on it own.

But I am not a pro composer or have those aspirations. I sort of treat it as my own artistic expression with it's own little quirks and idiosyncrasies. I have a feeling doing it professionally would be a whole other ball game and would require understanding what commercially works. If someone was to ask me to make music for a Godzilla film or Kung Fu Panda , dude, I wouldn't know where to begin.

 

[Arın Aykut]

Well, I don't really look at it as a career path. I look at it as a sort of personal journey to see if I can get better at it. Kind of like my other hobbies like running, cycling and so on. The more you do it, the better and more resilient you are at it and you get further ahead -- but you gotta out the time and effort into it.. it doesn't just come on it own.

But I am not a pro composer or have those aspirations. I sort of treat it as my own artistic expression with it's own little quirks and idiosyncrasies. I have a feeling doing it professionally would be a whole other ball game and would require understanding what commercially works. If someone was to ask me to make music for a Godzilla film or Kind Fu Panda , dude, I wouldn't know where to begin.

Your contribution is appreciated. Indeed, everyone's journey and expectations from composing are different. I approach this work as both a form of self-expression and a professional career. In my position, there can be deeper concerns, various challenges, and physical or mental obstacles to overcome. There can be a lot to learn from those who have experienced, struggled with, or overcome such situations. We are fortunate to be in this forum where great contributions come in. Thank you for your time as well, all the best.

 

[LivingForce_14]

I find as a composer, the only circumstances you can control, are your own. So much energy is lost idolizing and worrying about the successes of others and not realizing your own personal victories.

With that being said, I aspired at one point to be a working musician (pianist), but that simply wasn't feasible with the travel and sporadic gigs available, along with my tech career. I had enough knowledge of music theory to start writing and composing trailer pieces which didn't require any travel.

Eventually after a hundred or so demos sent to various library houses, I got an acceptance and the AR who led me in the on-boarding process was great and I've been writing stock cues for multiple libraries the last 5 or so years.

Writing this music has given me a greater appreciation for music than I ever thought possible and has made me a better musician.

As usual, have a body of work to produce (via website/iTunes), remove self-doubt, and simply stay persistent with submitting works/demos.

Finally, if funding/financing is an issue, get gig work or any other supplemental jobs available as finances can seriously hamper creative output. There should be absolutely no shame in working a traditional job and being musician, none!

 

[Jeremy Spencer]

It’s not about reaching the light at the end of the tunnel, it’s about pursuing your passion and enjoying the journey towards that light. So many great comments in this thread! I’ve been on the Journey for about 30 years now, and it has taken so many unexpected twists and turns, and have forged a ton of great relationships along the way…both professional and personal. Don’t overthink it or you’ll end up not enjoying it. Although I have a full time career in another industry, I consider myself successful as I have a “second life” as a composer on the side…which has had epic experiences (and a healthy second income to feed my other hobbies such as sailing). I still see that light in the tunnel, and still plow ahead because I love the satisfaction of composing music and hearing on TV and in live theatre. It’s a never ending journey!

 

[Arın Aykut]

I find as a composer, the only circumstances you can control, are your own. So much energy is lost idolizing and worrying about the successes of others and not realizing your own personal victories.

With that being said, I aspired at one point to be a working musician (pianist), but that simply wasn't feasible with the travel and sporadic gigs available, along with my tech career. I had enough knowledge of music theory to start writing and composing trailer pieces which didn't require any travel.

Eventually after a hundred or so demos sent to various library houses, I got an acceptance and the AR who led me in the on-boarding process was great and I've been writing stock cues for multiple libraries the last 5 or so years.

Writing this music has given me a greater appreciation for music than I ever thought possible and has made me a better musician.

As usual, have a body of work to produce (via website/iTunes), remove self-doubt, and simply stay persistent with submitting works/demos.

Finally, if funding/financing is an issue, get gig work or any other supplemental jobs available as finances can seriously hamper creative output. There should be absolutely no shame in working a traditional job and being musician, none!

Thank you very much for your contribution; I don't think there's a problem with the production side of things. There's no issue with continuously creating, experimenting with different genres, and improving production skills with different techniques. What I'm talking about is somewhat related to the mechanical decisions full-time media composers make at certain junctures or twists. It's not so much about the mental aspect of the job, but more about the technical/professional decisions and their reasons at strategic junctures I mentioned in the first message. I guess I'm curious about that. Thanks again for taking the time to respond.

 

[Arın Aykut]

It’s not about reaching the light at the end of the tunnel, it’s about pursuing your passion and enjoying the journey towards that light. So many great comments in this thread! I’ve been on the Journey for about 30 years now, and it has taken so many unexpected twists and turns, and have forged a ton of great relationships along the way…both professional and personal. Don’t overthink it or you’ll end up not enjoying it. Although I have a full time career in another industry, I consider myself successful as I have a “second life” as a composer on the side…which has had epic experiences (and a healthy second income to feed my other hobbies such as sailing). I still see that light in the tunnel, and still plow ahead because I love the satisfaction of composing music and hearing on TV and in live theatre. It’s a never ending journey!

Hello Jeremy, thanks so much. I find myself thinking about many of the same things in many ways. However, let's not forget that your only and full-time job isn't composing. In this context, our paths diverge, and our experiences may differ. Because I don't have another job and compose full-time, there might be some technical distinctions, strategic decisions, and implementation differences. In this context, I'm not really seeking an answer from a "mental" perspective; rather, I'm curious about the professional decisions composers make in the situations I mentioned above and how they perceive the outcomes. However, as I mentioned, we already share many thoughts like many musicians do. Thank you very much for your contributions.

 

[Epic Wonder]

It’s not about reaching the light at the end of the tunnel, it’s about pursuing your passion and enjoying the journey towards that light. So many great comments in this thread! I’ve been on the Journey for about 30 years now, and it has taken so many unexpected twists and turns, and have forged a ton of great relationships along the way…both professional and personal. Don’t overthink it or you’ll end up not enjoying it. Although I have a full time career in another industry, I consider myself successful as I have a “second life” as a composer on the side…which has had epic experiences (and a healthy second income to feed my other hobbies such as sailing). I still see that light in the tunnel, and still plow ahead because I love the satisfaction of composing music and hearing on TV and in live theatre. It’s a never ending journey!

You’ve accomplished much. Be proud of the work you put in.

 

[NekujaK]

I realize once again how valuable it is to be in this forum. It is very important to meet with people like you, even virtually, to share information, to benefit from experiences. First of all, thank you very much for these wonderful determinations, information and thoughts like lesso

Hopefully, we're all here to support one another, especially during the challenges and struggles that we all face as artists. But no matter how difficult, frustrating or discouraging things can sometimes get, I'm still grateful to be among the few on this planet who get to make music, regardless of whether it earns money or not.

 

[C.R. Rivera]

I am a hobbyist (good or bad is subjective). I am approaching my eight decade. I was a two decade-long US Army dependent. I am a retired US Navy officer with multiple deployments and multiple wives, as I was almost always somewhere else. I got my MA and PHD while in the service, then evetually lectured for 3 decades. I had so many stressors built up that I needed to handle them. I enjoy making "noise" with computers. I noticed how many speak here of handling life. I use the Mandala concept, so as not to worry about making a living or money from music. No bosses, no deadlines, no stresses. Just a way to enjoy life. I am not, in any manner, diminishing those who try to, or do, make a living from composing or making music, but just offering a perspective from someone never going to be in that career path.

 

[SyMTiK]

At the end of the day, I think there are a huge amount of factors that determine your "success" in a creative career. It is hard to pick a one size fits all solution or piece of advice that would work for everyone.

I am only very early on in my career, but I figured I would share what I have found has worked for me thus far.

Ultimately I think there are three main factors that play a strong role a successful career -

1. Talent/Skill.

- How good are you? Does your work stand on its own alongside established works that are successful? I think you must be super critical of your own work and always strive for improvement in order to stay competitive in this industry. The greatest, most accomplished composers I know recognize they are good at what they do, but are usually never fully satisfied with anything they do - they always find things they can improve upon. You should be working on your craft in some way, every single day if you want to have a chance at competing with the big dogs. You are fighting against people with college degrees, lifelong practice at an instrument, decades of experience writing to picture 10+ hours a day 7 days a week, you NEED to do everything you can to refine your skillset to compete on that level. If you aren't practicing every day, someone else is.

2. Network.

- Who do you know? Are you surrounded by and connected with individuals making livings in music and film? Are your friends motivated? Even if they aren't in the same profession as you, being around motivated driven people makes a difference. Being around motivated people is inherently motivating.

- Do you know people you can work with? I think it is really important to put yourself in an environment and situations where you are surrounded by the work you desire to be a part of, and be willing to be a part of it, no matter what. I did a lot of unpaid work very early on just to be in the room, and those gigs led to much more substantial gigs and connections.

- Are you a good friend, and an honest and reliable person? Seriously, being a good person to be around can go a long way. People naturally want to work with someone who makes them feel relaxed and comfortable. It is a fine balancing act - you don't want to be so chill that people think you don't take anything seriously, but having the type of vibe that makes people feel at ease when working with you and confident that things will be handled goes a long way.

3. Work ethic.

- Do you know what the f@#% you are doing? Doing things on time, efficiently, and with a high level of accuracy are the baseline things most clients and employers are going to see. Sending messed up stems that need to be reprinted, missing deadlines, misspelled files, are all things that make you look unprofessional and untrustworthy. It is the thing that gets most assistants fired, because if you can't name a file, what makes someone think you can write a stellar cue and deliver it on time with proper stems? Don't gloss over the basics. Nailing the basics can give much more confidence and flexibility down the line when you need it. Delivering sloppy stems and misspellings, loses a LOT of trust whether it from a client or if you are working under a composer. No one is "above" doing the grunt work.

Some other general advice I can give to make a living off your work is to be more business savvy - your work is art, but it can also be a product. Don't be afraid of looking at it through both those lenses if you are trying to make a living off of it.

- How can you best monetize your work? What tracks get the most placements? How can you pull more of an audience? Is there something you enjoy doing creatively that you could be charging money for? Putting your work on streaming services, sync libraries, writing jingles for small businesses, creating youtube channels and social media pages for advice and tutorials aimed at other creatives, sample libraries, MIDI packs, brand deals, there is a huge world nowadays of ways to monetize your skills, you just have to not be afraid to charge for it, which I think a lot of artists struggle with. Do not undervalue your work and time.

I started writing music at 14. I went to Berklee at 19. I got my first job as an assistant at Bleeding Fingers at 24. At 25 I was a junior composer. At 26 I have gotten to work on some incredible projects I never thought I would be a part of. I am extremely proud and lucky to have made these achievements at my age, and always remind myself how incredibly privileged I am to make a living as a composer. But I am nowhere near my ultimate career goals, and I think it is important to always have something greater you wish to achieve in order to keep moving forward. I am never fully satisfied with anything I write, but I always tend to like what I write today a little bit more than what I wrote yesterday, and ultimately what drives me more than anything is the enjoyment I get out of that alone. I love the process more than anything!

 

[yydr_cc]

I am a retired semi-pro/hobbyist. My music 'career' was not really in the music world at all but much more in the art world. I feel my work is better than ever, could not be happier with making music but am old enough to be able to listen back to work and think - How did I do that?

Sadly there is little to no market for what I do as a public 'performance' anymore - my last installation works for an artist were a few years ago and even tho they had some solid success with exhibitions both here in Australia and in the UK and Europe, that avenue seems to have dried up with nothing on the horizon to replace it - for the moment .

The old pieces still get exhibited sometimes eg sound for video in this retrospective https://blog.qagoma.qld.gov.au/judy-watson-tomorrow-the-tree-grows-stronger/ but nothing new on the horizon.

I have moved into sound+video and perhaps there will be some venues for that. Certainly I am very happy with how that is progressing.

 

[Epic Wonder]

Honestly, there are a lot of things that pay a lot more money than music for less work. Maybe the work is more physical or mental in nature, but there are far more opportunities to make a middle class living with less work and less stress. I know that this sounds defeatist but there has to be more than life than suffering for art’s sake. When will people have an honest conversation and come to the realization that being a creative is not a path to stable earnings for most? It’s not a bad thing but knowing that making music for a living has upside and downside helps. I wish more people who has been through the struggle would share their stories.

 

[yydr_cc]

Honestly, there are a lot of things that pay a lot more money than music for less work. Maybe the work is more physical or mental in nature, but there are far more opportunities to make a middle class living with less work and less stress. I know that this sounds defeatist but there has to be more than life than suffering for art’s sake. When will people have an honest conversation and come to the realization that being a creative is not a path to stable earnings for most? It’s not a bad thing but knowing that making music for a living has upside and downside helps. I wish more people who has been through the struggle would share their stories.

What I did as an adult, a tale of woe and a warning to the young ( or: you might have to do a lot of different jobs in your life but that doesn't mean you have to stop composing)

I was pretty much kicked out of high school as a kid, went back as an adult to a special high school for adults, then drifted around and ended up being a fulltime visual and sound artist in my twenties - doing okay as a young person as far as exhibiting goes.

I had some residencies, inclusion in national touring shows etc etc. Not a lot of money tho but I would have been considered potentially up and coming haha.

Then we had a recession, and our first child, who had a disability and I realised that there was no way we could continue with the sort of precarious economic life my partner and I had had - and she was a bit more successful than me eg bought by major state and national galleries.

So I went to Uni, did Honours, was awarded the University Medal, did a PhD in the Psychiatry School attached to a major hospital, became a research neuroscientist and then for similar reasons to stopping art, took an offer to be a tenured academic in IT and Design (strangely enough) as that sort of combined my career in the arts and sciences. Did not enjoy that at all really and resigned as soon as the children (two by then) left home.

Spent a few years failing to raise money for some software I designed for people with physical and mild coggitive disabilities but that was a dud - although very interesting to see how philanthropy and NGO's actually work


And all the time I did that I reviewed music and art for a national magazine eg https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-76714461...01&partId=nla.obj-767228010#page/n43/mode/1up where I manage to drop in some of my research findings

and kept up music making and sound art - often did academic consulting with the excellent spatial sound group at RMIT - exhibited a tiny bit, was mostly acoustic ecology, field recording +/- processing

Now 66 in remission from bowel cancer, wtih 3 stents and significant coronary artery disease (shit genetics) and what is hopefully a reducing pituitary adenoma.

Life,
lol.
Can't live without it

 

[HERVED]

This is a large and multifaceted topic, and because there are very few, or perhaps no, clearly defined career paths in music, especially for composers - the journey is characterized by many unique and personal stories.

I recently entered the 6th decade of my life, and it's only in the last few years that I've become what I consider a "professional" composer, although I've been playing and making music all my life.

I've been in the company of musicians, composers, and performers my entire life, from part time hobbyists to struggling auteurs to steadily working grinders to wildly successful stars who've attained fame and fortune. Here are some observations and conclusions I've reached about music careers:

LUCK: Every music professional I know, including myself, has had their career propelled by luck at one or more key junctures. Some of the stories are so extraordinary and laced with cosmic coincidence that they border on unbelievable. It's almost as if a successful music career can't manifest until it's been graced by a healthy dose of luck. Hearing this is both frustrating (because it's unpredictable and we feel we have no control in the matter) and empowering (because anyone is likely to encounter luck as much as anyone else).

Of course, expecting luck to happen doesn't mean sitting on our thumbs and doing nothing. We increase the chances of luck bumping into us by putting ourselves out there, relentlessly pursuing our craft, and seizing whatever opportunities come along way. You can't win the lottery if you don't buy a ticket.

DIVERSIFICATION: Many professional musicians don't narrowly specialize at doing just one thing, until and unless they experience significant repeatable success at one thing. For many folks who choose to make music their sole profession, they typically earn money from multiple music-related sources to make ends meet. This can include teaching music, maintaining a YouTube channel, mixing projects, recording projects, songwriting, composing library music, composing for video games, gigging, applying for grants, and even marrying rich! (that last one may seem like a joke, but I assure you it's not).

We may aspire to compose scores for AAA Hollywood films, but until we get there, we will likely need to leverage our musical talents in other ways to keep ourselves in the game, or simply take a "straight" job to support ourselves.

F*** PERFECTION: The most successful musicians/composers aren't necessarily the most gifted, schooled, or talented. And more importantly, they never let this fact hold them back. The worst thing we can do as artists is constantly compare ourselves to others in our field, and use that as an excuse for our career struggles or as a reason to not put ourselves out there and try.

Yes, it's vitally important to have talent and skill, but it's not necessary to be the best, or even among the top 25%, to experience success. Having a realistic sense of our abilities and constantly striving to improve are perhaps, the most valuable attributes to have. One of the best ways to spark actual improvement is to put ourselves in situations in which we have no choice, where we're in over our heads, where there's no choice but to improve. To do this, we must aim higher than what we feel we're capable of. Most musicians/composers experience imposter syndrome - it comes with the territory - and while it can be an unpleasant feeling, it's also the best motivator for improvement, and in the end will help build our confidence.

BE NICE: Music is a people business, and people like hanging out and working with pleasant people. The surest way to avoid getting any kind of gig is to come off as an arrogant jerk. You don't need to possess the best social skills or be the life of the party, all it takes is having a genuine interest in other people and finding ways to connect on a personal level. Be supportive, be encouraging, be friendly, be humble, be nice, and you'll find a lot more opportunities will open up to you. People remember nice people. People remember how you make them feel.

PATIENCE AND PERSISTENCE: Perhaps the most difficult skill to cultivate is patience. Music careers rarely advance along our own desired timelines. Things can turn on a dime, but we can never predict when that will happen. The best we can do is be persistent in our efforts to advance our careers, celebrate even the smallest victories, and use them as inspiration to keep pushing forward with a positive attitude. And be sure to enjoy the journey - we're making music, after all!


Hopefully, some part of this will be somewhat helpful to someone...

Bravo for this summary where everything is said! (or almost)
I am an amateur musician, my goals are different and the means to achieve them are also different.
On the other hand, I have been professional in another artistic discipline for around fifteen years. I meet a lot of sculptors, painters, photographers...
The observations you made for music play out in exactly the same way in these other artistic careers.
Skills (know-how), a little talent, patience or even stubbornness (sometimes it can go quickly, sometimes it never happens), sometimes agreeing to diversify without compromising yourself and above all to luck. I know an incredibly high number of artists who have incredible talent but who fail to get their careers off the ground because they haven't had the chance to meet the right person who will make them known in the gallery network.
And to meet the right person, you increase your chances by being present on social networks, by moving around, by meeting people, by exchanging business cards. And it's easier when you're friendly and smiling! (There are exceptions. I know some unpleasant people who have been successful but choosing this path is a risky bet)
One last thing. We never please everyone. It's ugly, it's too modern, it's too classic, it's too dark, it's bad... whispered behind your back but you hear it anyway, there will be some! At first, it bothers, it annoys, it hurts. And then when you realize that there are enough people for you to make a living from your art, that kind of criticism, you don't care!

 

[yydr_cc]

Bravo for this summary where everything is said! (or almost)
I am an amateur musician, my goals are different and the means to achieve them are also different.
On the other hand, I have been professional in another artistic discipline for around fifteen years. I meet a lot of sculptors, painters, photographers...
The observations you made for music play out in exactly the same way in these other artistic careers.
Skills (know-how), a little talent, patience or even stubbornness (sometimes it can go quickly, sometimes it never happens), sometimes agreeing to diversify without compromising yourself and above all to luck. I know an incredibly high number of artists who have incredible talent but who fail to get their careers off the ground because they haven't had the chance to meet the right person who will make them known in the gallery network.
And to meet the right person, you increase your chances by being present on social networks, by moving around, by meeting people, by exchanging business cards. And it's easier when you're friendly and smiling! (There are exceptions. I know some unpleasant people who have been successful but choosing this path is a risky bet)
One last thing. We never please everyone. It's ugly, it's too modern, it's too classic, it's too dark, it's bad... whispered behind your back but you hear it anyway, there will be some! At first, it bothers, it annoys, it hurts. And then when you realize that there are enough people for you to make a living from your art, that kind of criticism, you don't care!

it is more than just getting known or meeting the right people in the gallery system. There also has to be an available 'slot' Galleries are businesses and the art scene completely driven by fashion (altho there are different fashions runningparallel within different social groups) But you can be a fantastic artist whose work is even fashionable but if the gallery has enough of those artists on their books then you will be unlikely to get a show or even if a show, unlikly to get 'represented'