Jumping in .. maybe..

[Riddim]

Thanks for the nice words, folks. A spell checker is a beautiful thing.

Something else you might want to do:

- Get a cell phone with a 212 or 718 area code.

- Go to NYC once a month and hit the early in the week jam sessions. See how vicious the competition is or isn't. If you feel ready, sit in. Respect and play the idiom, but be yourself. And if you're not ready, pay attention. You're in school.

If things go well, folks will ask for your info. Make sure you have a card -- Vistaprint.com is cheap -- with name, cell, e-mail, and instrument on it. A local number makes it look like you're a local, and increases the odds of your getting a call. It probably won't pay squat, but you gotta get a foot in the door somehow. You're planning for a few years ahead.

And if things don't go well, that's OK too. Go home and get better. Figure out what you need to do, and do it.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ November 06, 2005 05:32 AM: Message edited by: Riddim ]</font>

[Riddim]

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ November 06, 2005 05:36 AM: Message edited by: Riddim ]</font>

[got_a_matchgrip]

Rhythm & Riddem - good posts, broski's. [img]cool.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/thumbs_up.gif[/img]

Another little story-example: I just recently re-united w a singer/entertainer whom i'd long played with [for a living] but had left [was at odds w], & now reconciled our differences. The first gig back was one i'd done "a hundred times," but this time was different, almost "new," There were many mentally & physically challenged [AKA formerly "handicapped"] kids AWA adults including paraplegics, blind, deaf, downs syndrome, palsy, dystrophy, sclerosis, etc, AWA their caregivers who showed up intermittently during the week long gig.
After every show [thrice a late-afternoon/evening], i jumped off the stage & went straight for them, man, to "get me some a' that" ["spirit;" "angels in disguise"].

When one gets all phreeked about a little flubbed note [or how "great" a muso they are], it can become a greater [lesser, really] problem than the now-gone incident itself.

I think of these people, & consider myself "lucky/blessed" or it a privelege to have the physical, mental, AWA spiritual abitlity to send some brief musical joy their way...because if one stops & looks more closely/deeply for it, you'll find that they freely give more back to you as well. [OK, yeah; Warm fuzzy for the day.]

Peace.
[No, you don't have to go out now & "hug a tree;" but for some it might help...] ;-)

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ November 06, 2005 03:56 PM: Message edited by: got_a_match_grip? ]</font>

[Mazzhole]

Thanx sooo much for the out-pouof support. Sorry I let the thread go a little long but I wanted to say thank you. I'll keep you up on my endeavours. I'm trying to work a few angles and get some more opportunities going. Thanx again!!

Joe

[sweetrock]

For what it is worth, here is a little something from a newb at HOD.

I am a full-time player/teacher who used to work in law enforcement. I had dreamed of a career in music but was too scared to make the leap of faith. I blew my knee out on the job and was forced to take a year off. During this time my wife and I decided it might be a good chance to leave that profession and pursue my dream. We set LITTLE goals with timelines and now I have never been happier. I've been playing full-time since '98 and now have a two year old at home. When the baby came, I could no longer do the extensive hired gun tours I was doing (all national, no international) in good conscience. I knew I needed to find another way to help put food on the table and keep me closer to home.

Long story short, I have found success by not putting all my eggs in one basket. I bring income in through teaching, session work (all local), gigging and running a teaching studio with other instruments and teachers. I never thought I'd become a "businessman", but here I am. I get to be my own boss and am working towards the goal of having the studio run itself so I can check out some other ventures. Others have posted that in order to make ends meet, oftentimes one must play music they're not too particularly fond of. I concur wholeheartedly and find myself in this situation far too often. I do, however, have a different take on it. Coming from a long line of day gigs I HATED, the worst day of teaching, gigging, recording, or running my music studio is far better than any of those day gigs I had. The challenge of being able to support my family doing something I love and am relatively gifted at is a real charge.

I think if you have a supportive spouse and are careful and calculating in your preparations it can be done. I'm living proof! BTW, I am 40 years old and started my professional career in 1992... that is a pretty late start in my estimation!

Sorry for the epic-length post. I just feel strongly about pursuing your dreams and finding ways to make them come true. Best of luck!