"So this is what you do?"
"Not just teaching here, I also gig most every weekend, create lessons that are available for purchase online, teach Skype lessons, perform at a church every week, and I'm an adjunct professor."
"So you teach and perform? That's cool!"
I'm sure many of us involved in music have had similar conversations with our students at some point. What has really impressed some of my younger students is the fact that I have a YouTube channel, been on the news/radio, and that I have a couple albums on iTunes.
I don't bring this up to brag, but to rather point out what we as musicians have as part of our resumes and to shed light on the reality of this career for those wanting to pursue this lifestyle. What at one time may have seemed almost impossible has become a reality. With the ability to bypass record companies, set up our own "channels", and even "Go Live", we have the ability to reach so many people.
You become not only a musician, but a composer, booking agent, PR, marketer, videographer, graphic designer, entrepreneur, employer, etc.
Now this may seem like an amazing opportunity, and it is. However, it is ever so easy to be pulled away from creating your art. This is the reality though. If you do not delegate some of these tasks to 0thers then you must take on these responsibilities and while doing so, you will often find that you are spread out across other endeavors in order to earn money. I can speak from experience the times that I was teaching at 3-4 locations while having students coming to my home. During this time I was taking any gig I could get as well.
This is not meant as a deterring factor, but rather as an insight from one musician perspective. I would have never thought that I would be teaching Taylor Swift songs to 8 year old students, or teaching Jazz standards to teenagers. The point is that if I can do these things, then so can you and the countless number of other musicians. You just have to accept that your career will be multifaceted and enjoy the ride!
