Music business advice

["ChipComcast" <jandkday@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

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My story:
  Played rockabilly styled guitar for years. (don't stone me ;-) Put =
down
music for ~ 8 years.
 Went nuts on the harmonica. I tried some side man work, but it is
infinately easier
to be the singer and have the harp as a side. You then call the tunes =
and
build the band around
that.  Now I am no awesome harp player.(like Dennis Grueling or Jason =
Ricci)
 I take James Harman's advice and come with a song in my heart and a
harmonica in my hand. I also did what Howling Wolf did, and just stated
playing without all the effort of
years of practice being a 'mastreo' on the instrument.  At the moment ,I
play within my limitations and get better as I go along.
  You can do that if you are the vocalist, I play harp on 50% on the 3 =
sets.
I let the other fellows in the band wail on
certain tunes and they pick some tunes if I can sing them (fairly..well)
     The other fellows are right, it is 1950 wages, you do it for love. =
Some
times I forgo my cut so the other guys
get more money, in this way it isn't an ego trip. Jason, my advice to =
you is
be a part time player, (you'll be happier) , try to play close to
home,practice singing, get a day job, and consider a duo.  It is easier =
to
get taverns,resturants and the like if you play in a duo or trio.
  Get a stand up bass man for bottom & rhythm & a guitar player or piano =
man
who can share some of the vocal chores...""you'll be glad you did!"

  Oh yes, realize that if you are the band leader you will be hustling =
90%
of the gigs. Do you like dealing with
 bar owners who are "tight as Dick's hat band"?  Or the owner appointed
female bartender who "books the bands" and
gives you attitude when you call, because she's unhappy in her career
choice!   Realize that people are neither for you nor against you ,but
rather indifferent.

 Before I sign off consider what your up against:
 (This will be cynical)
  DVD's
  Tougher DUI laws
  Weather
  Low pay
  Other band competition
  Band politics
  Smoke vs Non-smoker bar issues
  Karoke
  DJ's  (Grrrrrrrrrrr!)
 PC's & the internet
 Boomers with kids
 Do you have a following?  (at 40yo? hardly!)
 We tried music it didn't work....
 Are you Loud?
 on and on and on and on..
  Good Luck and the journey is the reward daddyo!

Jimmy Day
www.fishfryswingers.com


- ----- Original Message -----=20
From: "Jason Paul Stolaruk" <stolaruk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, October 30, 2003 12:37 AM
Subject: playing harp professionally


>
>
> Hey all.  Let me give you a little background info on myself.  My name =
is
> Jason, I'm 24 years old and have been playing blues harp since about =
15 or
16.
> I hail from just outside Detroit, Michigan, but for the last year I've
been
> living and teaching English in Japan.  I'll be here for about another =
1,
maybe
> 2 years, after which my plans are to return to Michigan and=81c well, =
I
don't
> exactly know yet!  But for years now I've been throwing around the =
idea of
> playing harp (and blues) professionally.  I think I am/could be =
musically
good
> enough, and I'm starting to seriously consider it, but the problem is =
that
I
> have next to know idea about how to start a career as a musician and =
how
to
> make it work.  I'm too ignorant about what being a professional is =
REALLY
like
> to decide whether it is right for me.  For years I've been seeing live
blues
> around Detroit and I've been playing at the local jam sessions, =
thereby
making
> a handful of semi-pro and pro musician friends; unfortunately I have =
lost
touch
> with most of them due to the circumstances, and even so our past
conversations
> were often about the music itself and musicianship, NOT the =
professional
side
> of the JOB.
> So, here are my questions:
> -In a nutshell, how does one start a career as a musician=3Dblues harp
player?
> What are some things I should expect (things that most people don't?)
> -Other than musical talent, what qualities tend to make a person a =
good
> professional musician?
> I'm sure one could write a book in answer to the above questions, =
which
leads
> me to wonder if someone could recommend a book on the subject, or =
other
> resources?  (I would like to talk to someone in person, but =
unfortunately
I
> have no musician friends in Japan and things are a lot different over =
here
> anyway...)
> Thanks for any help/hints/tips!
> -jason
>
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