I'm sure many (most?) of you already know which one's among us were crazy enough to make music a career & profession. For those of you whose principal profession is not music, please share (with us) what you do to make your living.

I had read (somewhere) that a lot of people into music are strong in math, science and/or computers, and pursue professional careers like: doctor & lawyer. I think it would be interesting to find out what (other than music) careers members here are in (or were in if you're now retired). Thanks. - Scott

I am a live-in caregiver and also repair - build computers. I was a semi-pro musician (drummer, over 1/2 my income) untill Jan. of this year. Had to get out because of health problems, and am now really studing the keyboard instead of just "playing around" with it.

Hi Scott,

I always enjoy your broad-based "What's your...? kind of questions. (I've also listened with admiration to some of your work on the Tyros.)

I'm an old "hippie" drop-out type who never got into the professions. I did make a small living for a while playing keys in clubs, but didn't like working nights. So I decided a while back to completely divorce my musical aspirations from my "make a living" necessities.

Silly as it sounds, it frees me up to just pursue "art for art's sake," untainted by the pragmatics or politics of events.

I have a humble position as a Physical Therapy Tech at a major teaching hospital. While not lucrative, it's good, solid, and rewarding sevice work, dealing hands-on with the elderly, the sick, the injured, and the traumatized. The work is both interesting and rewarding. Every day is different, and I'm happy with it.

Hi Scott
Your threads are always of interest to a large cross-section of us. It shows your thirst for knowledge and communication skills. You would probably have become a Teacher in another life.
Strangely, I myself have always had a thirst for knowledge, and I mean thirst! If I start to watch a TV programme, I find it extremely difficult to turn it off, particularly if it is a documentary. I cannot bear to think that I missed something!
For that reason, perhaps, my career (now retired) was always along lines of communication (for the Astrologers amongst us, this is a strong trait of Taureans!)and I therefore did well at school in languages. It was inevitable that I went into Export and Marketing. For most of my career I was an Export Sales Manager in the Packaging Industry and was lucky enough to travel to most parts of the world. This for me was more a pleasure than work because I was able to meet people and cultures of many countries and in some cases even speak to them in their own language.

As for music, I began to play the piano from the age of 8 and music has been ,and still is, a very big part of my everyday sustenance,i.e. a food I cannot exist without.
Sorry for the overlong reply but when people are asked to talk about themselves,the ego is raised!
cheers

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Eddie from Rotherham
www.yamahakeyboards.info

Thank you Scott for your interest.
I am in the radiobroadcasting business. For over 24 years working for the NOS: Dutch national broadcasting corporation and since 1996 for the KRO, more than 8 years already.
When I started the job I wanted to be a recording engineer for music: pogroups, orchestra's etc., and in the first 4 years I was an assistent and had a wonderfull time and saw a lot of artists.
But after that I didn't really want to become an engineer myself: I listened too much to the music and didn't really care how it sounded, so I specialised in documentaries and radioplays instead. I really enjoyed that - but never listen(ed) myself to the radio.
In the meantime I played in several formations with my collegues, so music has always been there in the background. I did some writing and arranging then.
In 1982 the NOS started the SVEM studio, where I could play the CMI Fairlight and make music, jingles and such.If you have clicked my alias already you have seen what the SVEM was and what we did.
In the beginning we worked hard and 6 days 10 hours was normal, sometimes 13 days in a row, same hours. We had a great time, but from 1986 the work diminished. More people started their own home MIDI-studio and were cheaper. So the studio closed in 1989/1990 and I went back to documentaries, but there are few made nowadays and radioplays are even history. Having more spare time on my hands I started a personal project where I had to programm a database (Foxprow) and made a website on TV-series.
The knowledge of computers, databases and radio gave me the opportunity to go work for the KRO in 1996, where I still work. I am now responsible for radiobroadcasting with the Dalet computersystem. I call myself a consultant in that area, because there is not really a name for what I do. I also teach newcomers to work with the system and advice on equipment for the radiomakers, mostly journalists.
5 years to go (if politics don't decide I have to remain working after 60) and then I can enjoy my pension. I am slowly picking up my music and as you know totally enjoy the Yamaha PSR3000. And when I am 60? Who knows, I might become a Pro too


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drdalet

[This message has been edited by drdalet (edited 10-30-2004).]

While neary half my income is derived from music, the other half comes from freelance writing. I currently write for more than a dozen publications, both regionally and nationally. The subjects are usually outdoor related, fishing, boating, hunting, conservation, etc..

Prior to 1975, I spent 15 years working in the medical field as technical director of the Cardio-Pulomonary Divisions of The Johns Hopkins and University of Maryland Hospitals, and also taught cardio-pulomonary technology at Spokane Community College in Spokane, Washington for a couple years.

The best and worst aspects of my current professions is being self employed. As those of you who do this for a living well know, there is no such thing as retirement, no group health insurance programs where the employer pays half or more of the premium, and vacations and holidays are for other folks. Therefore, as an entertainer, you must be prepared to work until at least three days after you're dead. You must also be prepared to work every holiday, birthday, day, night, and above all, never, never get sick.

At the end of the job, when a dozen people come up to you and say "We really loved the music and hope you'll be back real soon" it makes it all worthwhile.

Cheers,

Gary

Teaching and research. -- José.

Now retired,I was employed as a mechanical engineer for 40 years working in various branches of the engineering industry in Britain,Canada And New Zealand. Coming from a musical family I was into music as a sideline at an early age. Learned to play a ukelele at 11 years old and performed in backyard concerts for kids. My first pay envelope contained the handsome sum of 96 cents in British currency. At age 15,I learned to play drums and progressed from small groups to large dance bands in the 50s doing weekend gigs only. In 1980 I had the honor of playing a gig with Art Van Damme the accordion jazz man when he was touring New Zealand. Discovered the new keyboards 8 years ago and now I play for senior citizens groups in Calgary.

OK - that does it! Seeing that in print makes my blood boil. I've been living that roi=utine for TOO long now, and ity must stop ! Dammit - I want a holidy off, and I want it now !!!!! Grrrrrrrr....



OK, I'm calm now. Seriously - I intend to re-structure my work load. This 6 night schedule is making me nuts. I need to get off stage a bit. I need to connect with some of my other talents, and explore some new possibilities. Cripes ..... I've been singing for my supper since I was in High School. I need some down time, and SOON.

That does it ! I'm taking a break and going to Miami to see my son's new place.

When I fill out applications and forms, my position is that of a school teacher. I have been teaching 8th grade language arts for 32 years; this is my last year. But, concurrently I am also the organist/music director, choir director and all-around PITA (pain in the ass)at my parish, also for the last 32 years. How much longer I'll be there is anyone's guess.

My music career started at 8, when my school offered acordion lessons. I did that for about 6 years, until I could convince my dad that I wanted to play the organ. At. age 15, my grandmother talked her parish organist into taking me under his wing (as I was attending high school there). I and another student learned the church ropes for about a year or so. The other boy graduated, leaving me to do the very early services and fill in whenever the organist 'needed' me. One day in the spring of my junior year, the guy had an argument with the pastor and just up and quit. I was offered the job (at a greatly lesser salary + stipends) and stayed there until I went off to college 18 months later. I swore I'd never do that again, but in 1972, while still looking for a teaching position, I decided to take a 'part time' at the church we were attending. Now, 32 1/2 yrs. later I've out-lasted 6 pastors and am working on the 7th.

As a 'rock star' (yeah, sure!) I started at 14 with a 4-piece group we called the Four Dimensions. The rhythm guitarist could never play in tune and the lead guitarist, although good, was the furthest thing from rock star material. A few years later there were those put-together groups that played for a while, but never went anywhere. At 17, I was asked to come and practice with some local guys who wanted to 'make it big'. I went to the first practice and was blown away by all the Vox equipment in the basement. I played my Farfisa thru a Super Beatle and have never felt the same emotion since (well almost). They said they were going downtown to play some bars - oh, oh I was 17 and as straight as they came - so I backed out. 15 months later I heard a new version of 'House of the Rising Sun' by an up&coming local group, Frigid Pink - oh, well. At 23 I hooked up with my old drummer and formed a trio, Music Express, and played one-nighters locally almost every weekend for 15 years. The band broke up and I wandered around for a few, then hooked up with my present partner to form Token. This Christmas will most likely be our last together. My immenent retirement(s) and my friend's personal turmoil are urging me move on to solo work (as One2Many ?? - help me here).

Sorry for the length of this post, but you asked for it, Scott.