Whether its your hobby or your profession, start treating it like one!

[KEVMOVE02]

As we come to the end of another year, I have been trying to recap the year in a way that makes sense of all that has transpired, thus providing some guiding principle for the year to come; hoping to make the next year a more fulfilling one. For the moment, the one thought that stand apart from all is others is that we need to stop straddling the fence an make choice on what we call ourselves: either your a hobbyist that loves what is possible to create with a DAW or your an aspiring professional, hoping to make a living wage from your creations. If you try to be both, you won't get far, you will probably spend far too much time worrying about things that really don't matter, and despite your best intentions, you will end the next year with a show box full of incomplete projects and regret. If you aspire to be a professional, then start behaving like one. Learn the business side of things. Learn time and project management. Get savvy about marketing and promotion. Refine your message and personal mission statement. Stop working for free and always pay yourself. And whatever else you do, for every hour you spend browsing the web, spend 3 hours on something that is a quantifiable return on your investment. Now if all this talk of being a responsible and competent business person is a bore and is killing your marijuana induced creative spark, then you are definitely a hobbyist; feel free to carry on "taking the long way home". But don't deceive yourself into thinking that your hobbyist mentality can be parlayed into a paid gig with longevity. Nobody who likes making money will work with somebody who is lazy and unwilling to grind. Hell, even when its a bunch of hobbyists gather together, nobody wants to hang around the dude who seems to have nothing to say about anything outside of criticizing somebodies setup, bragging on how they could make somebody else's music better, and how they are one note away from finishing an epic song that will change the game. Seriously, nobody wants to hang with that guy. If you disagree, maybe you're the guy.

I don't know if this will matter to anyone or if anybody will bother to read it. This is me, choosing to stopping thinking about what to say and just saying it. Now that I have said it, now its time to go do something, because all time is valuable, and I've wasted too much of this precious resource already. GO DO SOMETHING PROFITABLE!

[BRIGGS]

Get savvy about marketing and promotion.

There's my weakness right there!

Wish there were more demand for what I do, as a programmer!

Thanks for the post!

[Emian]

didn't all proffessionals start as hobbyists tough ??

[Ostermilk]

I aspire to be hobbyist that keeps getting paid for having a devil may care attitude and mostly being a time waster. For that I have limtless application, ambition and drive and no one can tell me otherwise. It's worked for me for the best part of 58 years and by now the ol' bike might be completely clapped out but it's been one heck of a ride already.

Anyone care?

In fact if it's that time for resolutions I'm gonna strive to take myself even less seriously, be far more hedonistic, far more caring and the most fruitful one of all be more grateful, after all appreciation adds value to everything.

Merry Christmas from me and a great New Year to all!

btw Kevmove said 'we'...hehehe

[Social Exodus]

It's a good idea for young people to heed your advice, but an older dog like me? I am working hardest on trying to find the exit from the big hairy ball of bullshit called the working world and playing aimlessly with Reason is one of my escapes. That said, it does matter to me most to understand what is possible, even if I never use everything. I am a computer programmer by trade, so there are a lot of similarities - except w hen playing with Reason on my home studio, I am in no way beholden to anyone else (or their insane ideas) which is a bliss all its own.

I fully realize that I am an exception in this crowd, for webcast it's worth lol....

[decibel]

i have absolutely no ambitions what so ever to ever release any music to the public i just enjoy the path of learning how to make it and reason gives me a convenient environment to do that in. once i have reached a level which i feel can rival the people i enjoy listening to, then i will probably become bored and look for another challenge to occupy my mind

[gak]

I do treat my hobby like a hobby

[freeQlow]

Great Post!

This kind of post is true for some young people and can apply at any age.

If failure is not an option, love what you do.
If you work hard and it shows, you will get an eureka moment and. doors will open whether you own a pepper farm, own a business, make beats, write music or create diorama.
Be punctual, patient, honest, practice being a good listener cast positive vibes, play well with others, give it 110%, be a giver and not a taker. If it isn't meant to be, accept it and start the next marathon. Surround yourself with nothing less than an A+ team, build up your team... no matter what you do, can afford

[Gaja]

Well I'm certainly more of a hobbyist than a professional, which is awesome, because I can make music when I'm inspired and don't need to rely on income through music. Of course when I get a payed gig I take it and take it seriously, so that I can justify my expenses for Reason and get some return on top. At some point in 2016 I might release a swing album, but it might as well take considerably longer, given that I have a lot of work to do and am directly liable on finishing on time. I stopped caring for making money from music. In my experience it's far too difficult to get production gigs that actually pay accordingly, so I'm happy with creating music when inspiration strikes.

[4filegate]

pay alimony for children who no longer live - does not make sense! I'm going to make toilet cleaning. Mental activity - a tough job - Hold the line!
https://soundcloud.com/4filegate/25th-w ... legate-avm

[motuscott]

This may be an age thing.
I'm all about professionalism. and huffing reefer. Check out my pro links in my signature.

[Kov]

No!

Will stay a hobbyist. I don't trust people who are just into money. I don't want them to hang out with me.

[Benedict]

I don't trust people who are just into money. I don't want them to hang out with me.

So you are saying that Bruce Springsteen, Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, Vince Clarke, Fleetwood Mac... Stephen King are all only in it for a quick buck and therefore not worthy of attention? And if Mr Sony came to the door (with a good contract) an artist would decline because of there being money??

Commercial success is always a sign of hard work and pleasing the population. Sure, recently what has pleased the masses has been pretty poor but I think best not to throw the baby out with the bath water. Mr Sony isn't tapping on my door so I self-release but I most definitely present as professionally as I can and if lots of my albums started selling I wouldn't be trying to give the money back.

[raymondh]

I'm not sure why money and activities to generate money are considered evil, when at the end of the day for most of us it's about paying the mortgage and putting food on the table for our families. Some people think art is compromised when commercial motivations are in play, and that is probably often true, but it's also true that commercial interests is the vehicle that delivers art to those that can enjoy it.

Whether it is hobby or commercial, I think what is important is persistence and having a goal in mind. There's nothing like the feeling of finishing a track and posting it. It's an achievement, it really is. And for anyone who feels their music is inferior to other music they hear, I would suggest you write down one number. How many hours of work did you put into your song/track? 40 hours? Then think about a song you like and think about how many hours they put into the production of that song. Factor in things like (1) there's a team of experts involved in different parts of the production, (2) the practicing and perfecting and the cutting room floor. We hear artists talk about how they wrote a song in 1 day. We don't often hear that they vocal line is the result of 100+ sung takes comp'd together to get a single vocal line.

It's unfortunate that most people that listen to your music will think you pressed a big button called "automatically play a great song" and the computer did everything for you haha. But like anything, people trivialise what they don't understand.

[Ostermilk]

I don't trust people who are just into money. I don't want them to hang out with me.

So you are saying that Bruce Springsteen, Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, Vince Clarke, Fleetwood Mac... Stephen King are all only in it for a quick buck and therefore not worthy of attention? And if Mr Sony came to the door (with a good contract) an artist would decline because of there being money??

Commercial success is always a sign of hard work and pleasing the population. Sure, recently what has pleased the masses has been pretty poor but I think best not to throw the baby out with the bath water. Mr Sony isn't tapping on my door so I self-release but I most definitely present as professionally as I can and if lots of my albums started selling I wouldn't be trying to give the money back.

I got a nice share of a fat advance in the '70's for just doing what up until that point I loved doing just for the sake of it, and all that money did was stilfe any creative output from me for quite a few years.

Not speaking for Kov but I don't think anything you just wrote had any bearing on what he put, which was citing people that are into anything JUST for the money. Perhaps it's his reasoning that could expain why you think what has pleased the masses recently has been pretty poor.

Nobody has said earning money is a bad thing but I would examine it carefully if it was my PRIMARY motive for anything I did. Most of my life I've done something cool first before I get paid for it, even if that merely means enjoying a good hard weeks work before I picked up my pay on a Friday.

Do what you love if you can, second best is love what you do and the money will follow, well at least that's been my experience FWIW.

[avasopht]

I think this resonated with me on the level of just honouring your love. Amateur tends to come with a negative connotation but when it comes to music, a highly valuable skill that tends to earn a living for a few, being an amateur is a formidable path.

So maybe for some the "profit" needn't be financial but purely self reward.

[Benedict]

Sorry to hear your contract didn't pan out. I got interest from labels a few times but the deals never went through so I can't say how the money would have affected me. I guess there would have been a period of adjustment; esp if there was an A&R man telling me change things I felt were integral to me. I know I wasn't keen on using a studio who said they would start by checking all my samples to remove distortion when I liked my rough sound. That said a 'clean' record from a similar artist from that studio did get industry attention...

Taylor Swift and Adele work hard. Personally I don't think they work the same kind of hard as The Eagles; or should I say work as hard on the same parts of the craft. Easy to blame The Man but as long as the masses keep buying poor songs with over-singers and over-production then that is what will be on the charts. Other music is there if you dig a bit.

Let's also be honest that right here on this forum there is a greater pressure to over-produce than to write a great song. I just saw a pretty good record being panned for "poor sound quality". Irony is the "quality" of the sound was part of the artistic choice.

[Ostermilk]

Sorry to hear your contract didn't pan out. I got interest from labels a few times but the deals never went through so I can't say how the money would have affected me. I guess there would have been a period of adjustment; esp if there was an A&R man telling me change things I felt were integral to me. I know I wasn't keen on using a studio who said they would start by checking all my samples to remove distortion when I liked my rough sound. That said a 'clean' record from a similar artist from that studio did get industry attention...

Taylor Swift and Adele work hard. Personally I don't think they work the same kind of hard as The Eagles; or should I say work as hard on the same parts of the craft. Easy to blame The Man but as long as the masses keep buying poor songs with over-singers and over-production then that is what will be on the charts. Other music is there if you dig a bit.

Let's also be honest that right here on this forum there is a greater pressure to over-produce than to write a great song. I just saw a pretty good record being panned for "poor sound quality". Irony is the "quality" of the sound was part of the artistic choice.

No apologies needed that was back in the '70's and I can't even remember what I did with the money...

We did produce what was required though and it got rejected because music business had changed from wanting to swim the depths of the universe to wanting to take a pee in the gutter whilst gobbing on the person next to you in the space of the 3 years we took to make the thing.

[CaliforniaBurrito]

16

[Soft Enerji]

You say hobbyist vs pro. I say hobbyist vs pro vs artist and an artist just does what they do.

I'm all for lighting fires under some arses to destroy resistance in the war of art but everybody's journey is different.

One big issue with the youngins these days is they have easy access to the tools with fancy logo's, social media presence and all kinds of hype without something worthwhile to promote. Where are the ten thousand hour badges? Where is the soul?

I don't smoke marijuana because it heightens my already debilitating anxiety.

Hello to all of the artists here. Happy holidays.

Addition: I wanted to add that we're never too old for anything. Look up that lady who took up track and field in her 60's.

This is a great post with some very interesting replies and the above rings true with me the most. The artist is all too often forgotten. I guess I consider myself an artist before anything else but as I work in a normal job and get paid a wage I'd have to say my art is my hobby. Unfortunately I don't get to spend enough time with my hobby but such is life. Now if Mr Sony wants to come knocking............

[Kov]

So you are saying that Bruce Springsteen, Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, Vince Clarke, Fleetwood Mac... Stephen King are all only in it for a quick buck and therefore not worthy of attention?

No. I say i wouldn't hang out with them on a musical basis if they really were only in it for a quick buck (don't know that for sure). Still like the music some of them make.

And if Mr Sony came to the door (with a good contract) an artist would decline because of there being money??

I would. Others wouldn't.