It's not a job they say but musicians still have to play

It's not a job. I wonder how he'll make ends meet. It's just a hobby. He will probably end up homeless.

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Nothing worthwhile was ever easy. I fail every day and that's okay. I don't mind it. I like it. It comes easy. Not that it is easy to try. Most people don't. They don't try and then they never fail, but you have to fail. To be your best you have to be your worst. A five-year program coming to a conclusion. One hour of practice a day. Roughly. Some days more sometimes less. What do I get after five years of practice? Five years of learning. A degree? A certificate? Nothing at all, I can't even play the guitar that well.

Five years and I am still finding things I don't know nearly every day. With all skills, we can still learn more. Music is no exception, it is a prime example of a skill that you can always learn more. No matter your age or ability. I love learning anything new. This alone keeps me going, pushing forward.

I can't say the money is good. With an average stream on Spotify worth around $0.004. Not to mention royalties from radio play and streams paid by PRS are eight months delayed. Then there is the expense of actually producing and recording your own music. Being an independent musician is a hard grind. A lot of effort for seeming little reward. So why would anyone do it?

I guess this world is a more complicated place than just trying to earn the most amount of money you can. In any case, if you want money you can always become a lawyer. It is more about emotional expression and feeling good about what you do and who you are. On a basic level, I feel I just have to play. Like some primal instinct urging me too. It might sound a bit cheesy to say but I think musicians just feel it in their soul. To me, it is a nagging sensation that never seems to go away. No matter what level of musician you are it will always provide an escape. An opportunity to express yourself.

The biggest driver of music to me is a need to create rather than a need to consume. That might sound super deep, but I ensure you it's not. The simple fact is upon hearing a Bob Dylan album or any other album you might enjoy for that matter. Is to think wow! Wouldn't it be great to contribute something like that? Now that doesn't mean it has to be as good as Bob Dylan in terms of sales or creativity but to make music that effectively people can enjoy at any time. Wouldn't it be crazy to think that in 40-50 years someone, somewhere could be listening to music that you made? I guess they might not but in principle giving others that feeling of listening to something new. The sense of enjoyment discovery you could give that to your audience is what you strive for. I also find the process of making music a sense of discovery for yourself. An opportunity to write your own story and showcase your ideas. You could say making music is like writing a book. Other than the basic structure you can do what you want. It is nice to be in the mood for discovery and nurturing new ideas. After my last release, I felt pretty down for quite a few days. The process is somewhat addicting. You're writing your own story, but you only have a vague idea at the start but seeing it all come together can be beautiful and sad all at the same time. After a while, you can look back and be proud of what you have produced. It will be there existing for anyone and everyone to experience.

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There you have it. Why I do music and why I see it as a 'Job' even though I don't get so much money from it. It is the most important thing I do and the best way I could ever contribute to anything worthwhile. If you want to read more about how I did the recording for my latest release 'I just want to sleep' I will leave a link below: