Ableton Forum

hey all --

hows life?

so i have been considering more and more lately about quitting my day job and making music full time.

it is something that i really wanna do, i just cant do it at this moment because my year to date dollars earned from making music = 0.

i am getting close to finishing my first album, and i have a friend who does social media marketing and networking professionally so he is going to manage my band and get us gigs etc.

my question is - what are people making these days?

i know its very based on an individual situation, but what can someone who is openening for bands and playing shows at small venues except to make in a year?

for instance, what does someone like Bottin, Bicep, Classixx, fred falke, etc. make?

people ranging from small to medium.


i dont care about being loaded i just wanna know that i can continue my current standard of living before i put in my 2 weeks.


thanks!

Is this a serious question? The people you quote are big names in their scene, play lots and lots of shows and sell lots of records. It's not really important how much Fred Falke earns because you are not Fred Falke. Until you stop earning zero and start earning enough money to quit your job my advice would be DON'T quit your job. And I'd worry about getting some labels to release some of your tracks before worrying about self-publishing your magnum opus too

People who earn a living from DJing and production are the exception not the rule. I say DJing and production because the examples you gave are all DJ/Producer combos and not in a 'band' like yourself...

Sounds like a solid plan. 1st album and social networking guru = can't fail. Put in your 2 weeks notice. You'll be fine.

it's a solid plan... but also a major bet...
if you're miserable in your day job...I say leave...(or adjust)
I just sat at home for 6 months willingly ... refused several jobs..did the occasional PA gig..
but eventually I got the jobs I wanted..
and had 4 months of making music all night...and quality time to myself which I really missed.. reading books etc.
financially... I needed to lay low for that time and stretch my small amount of money as long as I could...
means no hanging out with friends and wasting money... and no hosting people at home either..fridge is empty... no partying... no beer...
eating minimally...

for the last 3 months needed to borrow $$ for rent/food/etc...sold some gear too...
I now need to pay everything back.. but got myself on a better track than 6 months ago..with jobs I'm really enthusiastic about..
prepare yourself for a rough time if you don't have any other income...
it would be smarter I think to first book the gigs if you can... then reconsider...
in the meantime put your $ aside..
if you're going to do it .. it's very easy to "loose" yourself when unemployed...
prepare yourself a routine to not get lost...and keep yourself in check...

it's not a good time all around.. (musicians have got it bad too!)
so don't assume it's going to be easy getting a new job when you need it..
I was just about to give up .. but I'm pretty confident now that I've made the right choices...
so if you're confident about your material it should be enough fuel to get you through..mentally..

basically what I'm saying is you need to be either tough.. or loaded.. if you're going to go up this road..
financial matters become very important ... especially in a "band situation"
I would also think of getting a sponsorship or a label behind you once the album is done..

I think we all want to quit our jobs and make music full time. but we cant.
my plan is to make music and keep at my full time job. its intense it feels like I work 2 jobs sometimes.

hopefully something happens with music for me at some point in the next few years. And when it does I'll quit my job then.

but for now I'm happy being a part of 'the struggle'
I just submitted an entry to remix mike oldfields tublar bells.

now just to have the opportunity to do this makes me forget about making a living from music . its a rewarding enough hobby.

http://www.indabamusic.com/opportunitie ... ons/127229

my advice. concentrate on the music, forget about the money thats what your jobs for. Just enjoy your art and work to get better.

Beats is right, go for it! You should easily be able to make $60-80k in your first year depending on how many gigs you play.

always...
when you say to yourself... "there's got to be something more than this.."
there usually is...

ouch!
hmm...well at least it can't get any worse eh ?

(if there's one thing I've learned is that it can always get worse...)

I can relax and be creative when I know the bills are going to be paid.

crawling wind wrote:I can relax and be creative when I know the bills are going to be paid.

^this

Your chances to be successfull is direct related to the amount of pressure that you have to earn money to make a life.

My advice is to quit day job ONLY WHEN you are making the same or more money of your day job, unless you have parents support, that is another story....

With over 1,000 years of collective experience under our belt we should share the one certainty that we all wish was shared with us early on. Success can’t be achieved with Live’s summing engine and a Windows computer. It’s a subtle truth.

crawling wind wrote:I can relax and be creative when I know the bills are going to be paid.

that's the crippling issue that happens when being unemployed...
you're constantly stressed about it... and can't think of anything else...
after doing a couple of these.. I can tell you...being stressed helps up to a certain point..
... but there are situations... where the bills are getting payed ok...
but you feel like you're going in the wrong direction..or going in idiotic circles..
and it's time to put it on a different path...
it's a different kind of stress... an has it's effects..

anyways.. follow your dreams and shit...
nobody can tell you what to choose anyways..

I just got a job after being unemployed for a year. the subliminal stress definitely hampers enjoyment & creativity. This is my last week of "freedom" and I'm excited to earn some money again. Plus, playing music is a nice balance with work, esp. if the job isn't exactly your dream situation. At this point, I'm even not sure what that would be...

Also there is the possibility at some point of buying some more gear, and that IS exciting!

hmm, well this post was more about getting an idea of what different levels of DJs make (not the huge ones everyone knows those are ridiculous amounts) and how big you really have to be to live decently while making music full time -- not a misery rant on a day job or a cry for sympathy and sarcasm.

but thank you for all the responses, from the a-holes and the genuine people.

however one legitimate point did arise through all this, and that is... why is everyone so adamant about having a label represent you right off the bat?

can someone explain the finanaical purpose of that move rather than self marketing and branding? i feel like a label would actually just cut into your profits no? other than the fact that you gain exposure obviously...

stop being a pussy, quit your job and you'll have to make it happen!


why a label? my guess, if you were to take a canoe down the Nile River would you get a guide or just wing it and learn as you go?

of all the freaks on this forum there are just a handful that pull of the no jobby job thing.

next best thing, keep a constant eye out for ANY job in the industry or anything audio related. take that job and you might be able to get in the door and make music or audio your profession. you can also try volunteering to do audio work be it sound for a local theater company or doing jingles for non-profits, who knows. everyone wants to do that stuff you really have to work to get it. once you're in the industry and have experience then you have something, experience and connections.