Which Is It?

[Skip Ellis]

As I was reading a recent thread about pricing a three hour gig, I got to thinking about why we do what we do as musicians. Is it a commodity that you expect to profit from or is it some sort of 'emotional support animal' that 'you just couldn't exist without'? Or something in between?

Personally, playing music (since I discovered I could do it well), has ALWAYS been a commodity - a means to and end with the end being a paycheck. There is nothing emotional about it for me. I show up at the gig, prepared to the best of my ability, play what's required, get paid, and go home with the knowledge that I've played the performance correctly (and this is especially true in theater work where you play eight shows a week and each must be done to as close to perfection as you can get). I'm not there to be anyone's friend, schmooze, drink beer or smoke dope. I'm there as a worker who's been hired, based on my qualifications and reputation, to deliver a service and I do it to the best of my ability. That's where I get my satisfaction.

I've sure lots of other folks have totally different ideas on the subject and it should be interesting to hear some of them.

[ChrisE]

My first paying gigs were beach weddings. Show up, play 4 or 5 songs, go home. And get paid? Winning!

When I only had a few gigs every summer (mostly just beach weddings) I considered the money as "mad money" and kind of just spent it on gear or whatever.

Then I got to the point of playing around 50 gigs every summer at local resorts and it kind of turned in to a job. I get 1099's, have expenses, pay taxes, etc and the money I make goes into the general household fund. It's not "mad money" anymore, it's a vital part of the family income.

I can't complain, the money's good for the time commitment, all gigs are close to home, and I'm usually home at a decent hour. It doesn't interfere with my "real job" where I have a salary, insurance, 401k, paid vacations, etc.

Even though I've played hundreds of gigs by now, I still have to pinch myself that I'm actually getting paid to stand here and sing and strum my guitar. I'm a decent singer, but my playing is very "basic" at best. I still worry that someone is going to figure out one day that I'm not really that good and I'll lose all my gigs.

[Goat Mick]

I gig because I love playing music and entertaining people. And I find it especially rewarding when I'm compensated for doing what I do. I can't get most anybody to listen to me for free, but when the product I offer is good enough for me to be paid to do it, then it is especially rewarding.

[guitar george]

Originally Posted by ChrisE

I'm a decent singer, but my playing is very "basic" at best. I still worry that someone is going to figure out one day that I'm not really that good and I'll lose all my gigs.

Me too. I played Neil Diamond's Holly Holy at a recent non-paying "gig" and when I was finished a woman came up to me and said that she really liked my Holly Holy song. This song is long and monotonous using only 5 basic chords. I guess I had her mesmerized. All my "gigging" is unpaid for my own satisfaction.

[Mbroady]

It’s a calling. Picking up a guitar and writing, then performing an original song, one that makes an emotional connection with someone is an amazing (and somewhat addictive) feeling.

[ctvolfan]

I haven't ever gigged yet but I will give my thoughts. Firstly, I want to play out live because I love music, love to play guitar and would love to share my material that I write and compose. If I got compensated for it then that is just a bonus but not the driving force behind why I would do it. But getting paid for what I like to do would be the best of both worlds!

[Silly Moustache]

I think I made more money in the '60s and '70s playing drums in various bands, than I've made since playing acoustic guitar and singing.
I've always had pretty good "day jobs" until 1993 when I was out of work for some time, and decided to create a circuit of pub gigs toget some cash doing what I loved to do.

It was really hard work getting the gigs, setting up for te gigs and I foud out pretty quickly that playing to a pubful of peole who weren't really listening was just like work and not like playing in a club full (or even half empty) of a listening audience.

Then there was the "competition" - the other pub giggers who made it known that I was on "their patch". I grew to hate it, and so I gave it up.

but where to play/sing? There were some clubs around but they didn't pay well or at all. I enjoyed doing them better.

I gave up the idea of making money from my music. I even got some acting work which I loved and I had been on the judging/speaking circuit since 1989, and I enjoyed them just as much, and I got paid, but the search for money for what was , essentially a hobby and not a career, only soured matters for me.

I started my own club. People come along to play and make a "contribution" which pays my costs and a little more, and occasionally I do other clubs.
Because of my cancer in 2017, I've been off the circuit for some time, so I've only just done my first gig with my trio last week, and I'm dong my first solo gig on Saturday.

The cash is nice, but not a criteria.
Being in front of an audience is my driver.

[thomasinaz]

I play my acoustic guitars for the enjoyment of it. There's probably some positive mental benefit from it too, and most days I wake up looking forward to playing something on guitar. I've never gigged or performed, probably never will, and I'm good with that.

Performing musically just isn't in my DNA, or wherever the need/drive to perform comes from. I have performed for audiences, riding a horse for different events. Had fun doing it, and having an appreciative crowd was always gratifying. But it was part of my job and I got paid whether riding a horse or doing something else.

Learning a new song, or perfecting a long played song that I had wrong, is gratifying for me. I don't think I'd get that same gratification from seeking a paycheck for playing music. Of course I may be wrong, but at this stage of my life I'll probably never have to worry about that.

[TBman]

I don't gig. I suppose I could learn a bunch of sing along strumming songs like I did as a kid, grab my friend who's a former band singer and maybe make a few extra bucks. Maybe when I retire.

Right now I enjoy writing my silly little tunes and being a wannabe finger style player/"recording artist"

I made $3.54 streaming my tunes over the past 6 months or so, lol. It'll be a while before I'm making a profit

[leew3]

Skip, thanks for beginning this thread. It sounds as though you are in every good way the definition of a professional so your perspective is really helpful here. My impression is that many of us who post on this forum are hobbyists who play primarily for enjoyment. That might account for the differences in our perspectives on playing. I admire your dedication and skill, as the level at which you are playing is surely beyond me and the rest of us who have never made our playing much more than a part time pursuit.

[AndrewG]

I just enjoy playing whether for an audience, paying or not, or just for myself. Money wasn't my motivation back when I began, and if I earned a bit in the ensuing years it was a bonus, never a living. While I appreciate people making a career from playing I could never treat music as just a commodity, like being a plumber.

[lovgren]

I play for personal enjoyment. If I didn't like it, I wouldn't do it.

I play in church most Sundays. I view that as a professional gig, even though it's volunteer. Selecting songs, leading rehearsals, playing live for the service.

I also play because my wife is a pro-level vocalist. Making music to accompany her is exceptionally rewarding because I get to be part of her beautiful singing. (She also sings in church).

We have a duo but we only do open mics for fun. We couldn't earn enough to make it worth our time economically as a husband-wife duo to do a 2-hour / 3-hour gig + setup and takedown. If we decide to do this, the money would be entirely secondary to the enjoyment factor of making music together and entertaining people (we'd save any money we make for a vacation or use it on a nice dinner, etc.)

[Mandobart]

I'm not a professional musician, in that the majority of my income comes from my real career. I've been a musician for over 40 years. I've played 100's of public performances in various orchestras, jazz bands, garage bands, bluegrass bands and as a solo or duo. I still get a handful of paying gigs a year, but I'm selective.

I think its a different paradigm for anyone pursuing a career in a field where there are far more amateur hobbyists than actual professionals - painting, writing, skiing, cooking, photography, acting and music to name a few. You don't see amateur doctors, auto mechanics, electricians, engineers, plumbers, accountants, etc. down on the corner offering their services for tips or free. There is no regulating body or set of standards for the "fun" or "hobby" jobs like there is for the "real" jobs - to be a doctor, lawyer, accountant or RN you need degrees and to pass state boards. To be a skilled craftsman you need to serve an apprenticeship, do coursework and pass performance standards. Sure to be in a professional orchestra you need to audition. You likely won't get in the door for that without a music degree and recommendation. But how many people working as professional musicians, particularly in popular music, have formal training?

Is being a musician a "real" job? Do some in the field have some discomfort that it might not be? Is there a need for validation (that typically comes from financial compensation in our society)? Or is the attention and applause what some really crave (and gladly take over actual cash)? Are very accomplished players who play purely for fun or enjoyment less than those who get paid?

I saw the Milk Carton Kids at Wintergrass a few years back. They knew their audience contained some real good pickers and confessed it was a little different knowing there were several people in the crowd who could play way better than they could. They put on a great show.

[UncleJesse]

Originally Posted by Skip Ellis

As I was reading a recent thread about pricing a three hour gig, I got to thinking about why we do what we do as musicians. Is it a commodity that you expect to profit from or is it some sort of 'emotional support animal' that 'you just couldn't exist without'? Or something in between?

Personally, playing music (since I discovered I could do it well), has ALWAYS been a commodity - a means to and end with the end being a paycheck. There is nothing emotional about it for me. I show up at the gig, prepared to the best of my ability, play what's required, get paid, and go home with the knowledge that I've played the performance correctly (and this is especially true in theater work where you play eight shows a week and each must be done to as close to perfection as you can get). I'm not there to be anyone's friend, schmooze, drink beer or smoke dope. I'm there as a worker who's been hired, based on my qualifications and reputation, to deliver a service and I do it to the best of my ability. That's where I get my satisfaction.

I've sure lots of other folks have totally different ideas on the subject and it should be interesting to hear some of them.

I played music for money quite a bit. Nowhere near the amount you probably did, though. When it got to be more chore than fun, I quit doing that. I am lucky and have a good job, I don't need music money. But I love music and playing so much I would hate to ruin it or be so jaded that I don't care about it.

[jklotz]

I'm currently in 2 bands, 1 cover and the other original. Between the 2, I probably do 8 - 10 shows a month. It averages out to about $100 a gig to me. So, I suppose I'd call it supplemental income. The money doesn't justify the hours learning new material, rehearsals, tear down, set up, travel, etc. I do it because I love it and love the camaraderie with other musicians. If I had to do it to put food on the table, I'd probably hate it.

Now to flip this back to the OP, if I were a beer bar manager, I'd hire us. We have fun and usually get the crowd going. Maybe a little irreverent at times, but in a fun way and our audience likes to drink a lot of beer typically. But if it were something more serious, say a corporate event, wedding, fundraiser, etc, I probably hire somebody like you. Less hassle, less chance for drama (guys showing up late, cars not working, dead amps.....), a very deep song book, less chance you'll say something stupid over the PA.

At the end of the day, I don't think there is a right or wrong, but I can certainly understand your perspective on others who play for free, and bar owners who take advantage of that.