How do you find the balance...?

Tonite when Jim (Zuki) comes to Lexington to pick-up his G-70 (Bontempi, actually, he just dosn't know it yet), he'll meet me at a restaurant where I'm playig for an annual Credit Union meeting. Pay: $250 for one hour.

The reason I'm there is I am the marketing V/P/ consultant for this organization. They pay my company $4500.00 per month for the service.

I get lots of my jobs like this...other business relationships.

Thing is, I really don't like to do solo gigs. But, I do them to solidify my other business relationships and to maintain the exposure/contact with key business and community leaders. I've gotten lots of business for my production company playing these kinds of jobs.

All during my work history, I've had to choose between doing what I want to do (playing jazz for little money, for instance)
and doing what pays well.

I don't like commercial photography, but it pays $2000.00 and up per day to take unimaginative photos of equipment for Fortune 500 companies. Creative photography is a much tougher sell and usually generates much less revenue.

I don't like to produce commercial brochures, but the pay is about $3000.00 per finished page to create. For most freelancers, magazine work pays a small percentage of what this work pays.

Some of you heard a recent post of a film rough. It's not close to the music I want to write and record, but it's an essential element of films I produce and the pay is at least $1000.00 per finished minute. I'd love to write and produce a jazz album, but it would be a "crapshoot" to make any significant money.

The choices are to do what you love and starve, to sell out completely and go for the bucks or find a comfortable place somewhere in the middle.

I'm somewhere in the middle and I'm sure a lot of us are.

How do you find the balance point?


Russ

The balance point is the tip end where the money is . Then, you retire early and pursue a life of leisure and creativity. Worked for me. Sort of.

chas

Time... Time is the balance point.

I'm often asked 'How can you stand playing those Buffett tunes, day after day?'. My answer is usually 'Firstly, most of those Buffett tunes are no worse than most other pop tunes, except for repetition. And repetition is what I am getting payed for. But primarily, I am playing for tops about eight hours a day (and often less!) in a commercial venue. That's at least sixteen hours a day left for me. I can play what I want to, write what I want to, record what I want to in that time.'

Now, others with legit day gigs away from music still have at least SOME time each day...

How much of that you want to dedicate to projects that are less guaranteed commercial is up to you. But not putting out a jazz album because it won't make any significant money is an indicator of where your priorities lie, NOT an actual indicator of whether you could do it or not.

How much do YOU want to do it is the question, not how much will it make....

Music can be art and/or business. It doesn't always HAVE to be both.

Russ,

You and I have talked about the photos, and while I still sell a couple hundred a year, I'm to the point where if I don't sell any this year I really don't care. It takes lots of time to obtain a good one, and even more time to produce a fantastic one. The magazines still pay the same or less than they did 20 years ago for a photo, and the pay scale for a feature story is about the same as two decades ago as well.

At this point you have probably made all the money you really need, therefore, if I were in your shoes I would think seriously about either selling the business to someone else, or allowing someone in the family to gradually take over and run the business, while you remain majority stockholder and collect a portion of the proceeds. Then you could spend as much time as you wanted, doing exactly what you wish to do.

For me, I'm still searching for that 47-foot Morgan Outisland sailboat, one that will allow me to sail to the Florida Keys and play Buffett tunes at the tiki bars during the dead of winter, then sail back to Chesapeake Bay and play my regular jobs a couple days a week during summer.

Life's really short, but unfortunately, most folks don't seem to discover this until they're nearly dead.

Good luck,

Gary

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Travlin' Easy

Wow!!!!!!!!!
I feel bad for you guys...

I have been doing what ever I want for just about all my life.....just goes to show you..How blessed I am..

We choose our paths in life no one else....if you dont like it its your choice to make a turn & head in another direction.....simple life is eh?

Confusious say:
"Three early risings
make an extra day"

I don't know what it means...unless it has something to do with Viagra...but it seemed philosophical enough for this thread.

Eddie

Russ,

What a great thing meeting you tonight. I had fun and learned some things too. You certainly have your plate full - I was thinking on the way home of how you manage to do all.

So, as discussed, if you want to throw some extra bookings my way, we can even work a commission structure - pleasure all mine.

Folks, Captain Russ is the real deal. Successful, talented and a great guy to boot

Can't wait to get that Bontempi out of the car tomorrow.

zuki

Zuki congrats......!!
let us know your opinions asap...

Jim, my only regret about our deal is that you had to get back home immediately. How GREAT it would have been if you could have stayed a while! The good thing is, you're not too far north of here, so we'll be sure to get together real soon. You're welcome to come down some Sunday. We'd go to Spindletop, the faculty club where my B-3 is, and have dinner. You could stay over with us and get back home for your first job on Monday. Or, I'd be glad to meet you in Cincinnati, buy lunch and stop by an afternoon gig before heading south.

I'll certainly send Assisted Living jobs your way if two could be booked on one afternoon, but please, let's not talk about a commission. A nice visit and a cup of coffee would be more than enough.

Really appreciate the good guys of the world, and you're right up there in the top tier.

We trusted each other so much that Jim didn't fire up the G-70 (Bontempi) and I haven't had time to even open the SD-5 case. I'll do that this week-end.

Just when the silliness of this place gets a little old, I meet a fellow like Jim, and I appreciate what Nigel has done here even more.

It's so cool to meet great people! You know if there's any question about that fine Bontempi, just let me know. You don't need those missing black keys anyway, and you can get 9V. batteries at Big Lots for $1.49. No jack is no problem...just mike it! Seriosly, ANY concerns, just let me know.

All the best,friend!


Russ

[This message has been edited by captain Russ (edited 02-29-2008).]

I think this is a great question.As someone approaching 62 and about to be celebrate 40 tears of marriage.[Freudian slip] thats:'years'Here is my take:if you have enough money, kids are grown up and the missus is supportive forget balance and do the thing you love.I read somewhere in a survey, elderly folks regretted not taking more chances.I was a pro singer,drummer songwriter for 20 years,went from near stardom to a hotel residency in England[drove me nuts]I have been out of the business for the last 18 yrs and run a lawn service ,sole proprieter,bust my derrier!I certainly dont have enough stashed away for retirement but have started gigging again[on keyboards]and have played about 27 gigs since in the last few months[just seniors for now]My playing seriously sucks ,I struggle with PA and digital pianos,but when I sing and I can tell its beginning to click musically,even the audience notices it .It reminds me of the passion I originally had all those years ago.My 'true north' so to speak.I intend to end up playing some sort of solo jazz and funk set and do private parties,corporate meet and greet etc and dump the lawn business and sing and play till I drop.I also intend on writing again and have put together a little'studio'and will look to get published,again.If you have this in you you have to express it.We all know the entertainment biz sucks and artists are in the main not given their due,you are an artist remember,tip the balance in the right direction.Head North! [I think Iv ebeen watching too much Operah]sincerely,Charles

I think it's the predecessor to "Early to bed,early to rise" yada,yada,yada.

Use your day jobs to finance your creative endeavours and be VERY thankful that you're in a position to do so.
If ANYONE paid me what they're paying you,I don't know if I could stand it! *LOL*