I'm assuming you're in highschool?

All of us here probably asked that same question when we were younger. The problem is that music jobs are generally very competitive, and there's a lot of extremely talented musicians out there trying to take any paying job you may find away from you. So you're left with two options:

A. Charge head first into the competition. You'll get to live life as a starving artist and most likely work low paying jobs, with no guarantee that anything more will come of it.

or

B. Go around the competition. You could pick a career in another field that will allow you the money and time to pursue your true passion - music.


Personally, I chose option B. I started towards my music composition degree fresh out of highschool, but the thought of ending up a starving/struggling film score writer didn't appeal to be. When my father suggested a job that allows you to work 2 days a week and produces some pretty good money too..it sounded great!

So yep...that's why I chose Nursing as a career. I can't wait till my wife and I are done with school...guitar/synth money!

Yeah B does sound like a good choice. The whole starving artist idea is too risky.

I could never be a nurse, but option B can be very satisfying. I took path A as an undergrad, and path B as a graduate student. Both hands wash the other at this point.

There are lots of great music programs out there, it all depends on what your interests and golas are which ones you would want to look at. Although option B pays a lot more bills these days without the hassles associated with making money after completeing option A, there is something to be said about the places the music can take you.

I highly recomend you read "Effortless Mastery" by Kenny Werner. If, at the end of that book you still want to pursue music at the highest possible level for the sake of the MUSIC (not the money) then I say do it. You only have one life.

sallan

I chose secret option C. I work full time doing stuff related to music - I'm an audio engineer, mixing music and sound in general for a living - and then I write music in my time off in my own little studio. It's a pretty satisfying kind of life.

What exactly does an audio engineer do?