I wanna be a rock star!

Can you play an instrument? I'd recommend being a drummer, since there aren't nearly as many drummers as there are bands, yet every band needs one.

Personally, I'm a pretty decent bassist, and I play guitar too. Oddly enough, I've actually swapped basses with a guy whose latest track has been played on BBC radio. Kickass, no?

Actually, come to think of it, he almost certainly played that BBC recording with my bass, since he's had it for the past four months and his other only bass had two strings missing (I've restrung it since then).

Kickass.

Anyways, if you need any advice or whatever on guitar, I've been playing for well over four years now (I started in June '04). Might be able to help with something.

 

Go for it! As the inspirational poster says"Shoot for the moon,
and if you miss you'll land among the stars" (if a bit cliché).
But really, it's awesome that you have dreams and I'm sure
that if you want it bad enough you will get what you want.
(*hug*)

 

That cliche is actually quite a good one, come to think of it. Even if you don't make it to be a festival topping rock legend or whatever, if you put enough effort in, something will come of it, and that something will usually be worthwhile. And you'd have a more interesting life than most.

That's what life's about really. Being interesting.

 

I'll try to go easy on you.

>>>I want to be a musician, it's my new discovered passion...

What do you play? Anything yet? If not, buy yourself a cheap electric guitar and amp and get started. Take some lessons if you want to learn the basics, but you and that guitar should be nearly inseparable for the next few years. Play your favorite song and play guitar on top. Write your own little tunes. Find some friends and form a band - just for the garage for now.

>>>If I don't make it and get signed 2 a uber cool record label then I'll be a homeless person =(

Bull. Yes, a major label deal can be a great way to get your music out there, but it's not the only way to do it. And - speaking way ahead of the game here - make sure you find yourself a good entertainment lawyer before you even start chatting with the labels.

>>>First things first. Finish High School.

Yes. But don't sit around waiting for high school to end before putting any plans into action. Keep playing and practicing, practicing and playing. Find your voice, find your muse, get some songs written, start a band, enter some local band competitions.

Also, get yourself some recording gear and software, and make yourself extremely adept at recording yourself so you sound good. I've heard basement recordings that sound like national acts, and recordings that cost 10 grand that sound like utter crap. If you can learn to do this stuff yourself, it'll put you way ahead of the game. You don't need million dollar gear, just million dollar ears.

>>>Then I can go to some college in either New York or L.A. and major in Journalism (cus I just love writing and journalism is another passion of mine!). When I'm not in school I can work on recording demos, sending them out to record labels and gigging all over the big cities!

A bunch of things here. First off, don't feel that NY and LA are your only choices for journalism. Plenty of other places that offer great journalism studies majors.

And yes, keep working on demos. These you can work on right in your dorm room. Do NOT, however, blindly send them out to labels. Do your homework first. Find yourself some people at record labels, in radio, at concert venues. Ask if you can chat with them. Get their side of the story. Find out what they're looking for, what works, what doesn't.

Take some classes in college on marketing. You won't be marketing a soft drink - you'll be marketing you and your music. Learn how to best market you, so that labels will want to sign you, radio will want to play you, and venues will want to book you.

Touring? Until you've got a good following in other cities, forget it. Stick to cities close to home, or those you can reach easily in a one-day drive. Even if you get a buzz going in your hometown, that'll wear off pretty quick once you reach the next city over, and you'll be playing for gas money and dinner. That's fine - that's how you get your name out there.

>>>I GO FULL ON MUSICIAN! I cna do odd jobs aroudn the city during the day and gig and work on my music at night.

Two musician jokes to ponder.

How do you get a musician to leave your doorstep?
Pay him for the pizza.

What's the difference between a musician and a pizza?
A pizza can feed a family of four.

I know a lot of musicians. I know very few who make their living completely and solely from music. They work in guitar stores, coffee shops, tattoo parlors and, yes, pizza restaurants. This isn't a temporary, three-month thing they have to do before their careers take off. This is how they live. They get home from a gig at 2:30 am and then have to be at Starbucks at 6. But they drag their asses out of bed and do it. Not because they can't hold down a real job. But because they wouldn't have it any other way. They can't imagine not playing in a band any more than you can imagine not eating. They live, breathe, talk and exude music. It's their passion.

I do know a few bands that make their living solely from music. But even then, with most of them, it's not the full-on "concert, after-party, trash hotel, repeat" sort of thing. You know how they make their money? Cover gigs. Playing 80s and 90s hits for coporate functions. You know why? Because when their band plays their original material at the local bar on a Thursday, they might make $100 (and have to split it four ways). A corporate gig might pay $1000, $2000 and up.

I do know a select few who make their living completely and solely from playing "their" music. And they all consider themselves extremely grateful - they know it's a small percentage of musicians who can say that.

I don't say all this to crush your dreams. I just want to make sure you really want them. I mean, I remember thinking it'd be fun to be an Olympic gymnast. But once I saw what exactly that would mean for me, I said "Nah, never mind." I want you to know what you're getting yourself into. So let me ask you:

* Do you REALLY love music?
* Do you play/sing music constantly?
* Can you play/sing a song you don't like every night for a year?
* Can you compromise with fellow musicians, or are you insistent on doing things your way?
* Is it the "musician" thing that's making you want to do this, or the promise of fame?
* Imagine traveling in a van loaded with band equipment and three other smelly straight guys for four to six hours.
* Now imagine doing that every day.
* Now imagine the payoff for doing that is to perform in front of 100 disinterested patrons at a bar, for which you'll be paid just enough money to refill the van and get lunch at McDonald's.

If you can read all that, and think "I'll do that if it means I get to play" rather than "I'll do that if it means I'll be famous someday"...

...go for it.

Lex

 

Speaking from a musician's point of view, just being a "rock star" won't get you far.
Here's my advice:

1. Learn MANY genres-- classical training, jazz, and others depending on your instrument.
2. Read music-- you MUST be able to read music (NOT just tab), preferably treble & bass, but if you want to be super cool alto and tenor clefs.
3. Learn a few instruments-- start out on one, maybe piano, then branch out to your instrument of choice, but also others!
4. Music theory-- learn about chords and inversions, arranging for different instruments etc.
5. Play with other people-- form a group, learn about balance, because you can't always be the center of attention.
6. Learn how to set up/repair your own equipment-- depends on your instrument, but if it's guitar/other strings: learn how to tune, restring, maintain... drums: tune, set up, move them... etc.
7. Be flexible-- whether it's a fellow musician that flaked out on you, or a venue that cancelled at the last minute, or a band member that wants you to play a different instrument, you gotta be flexible
8. Accept the fact that you will be broke-- for many many years, usually. Get a rich boyfriend.
9. Your place in the world-- there will always be people better than you. You have to look at these people and figure out what they're doing right and what you are doing wrong. The people that are better than you are going to have started their instrument at age 3, gone to a performing arts middle/high school, released their first album at age 12, gotten a full ride to a great music university, graduated at the top of their class, and gone on tour all over the world.
10. Never give up-- and don't do this half-way. Put your soul into it!! Love every minute of it!!



And I think that if you approach this the right way, you'll rock!

 

My advice:

Follow your dreams.

Never, EVER give them up.

Most importantly, have fun with it.

Anything beyond that is just gravy.

Good luck!