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Jon Boyes
Posts: 1377
Joined: Jul. 10 2003
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 RE: Would you leave your job...? (in reply to Guest)
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I was in my thirties before I realised what I really wanted to do, and by then I had a mortgage and was about to settle down. Now I am working towards my goals and much nearer to where I want to be, but its much harder as I have responsibilities and so I have to be careful and go slowly.
My advice to you is do as much as you can, experience as much of life as you can while you are young - don't waste decades of your life in some boring job because society/parents etc expect that of you, you will regret it big time later. Money is not everything.
As to all those questions you ask, no-one but you can answer them, it is all about priorities, and it's normal to be completely clueless about your priorities at your age  , hence my suggestion that you go live a bit 
BUT you can bet that once you have chosen what you want to do, there will be people in your life that share the same priorities.
I feel a sudden urge to quote Obi Wan Kenobe, but I think I'll play safe and go and have a cup of tea instead...
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Spanish Guitarist in Devon, Cornwall and Somerset
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Date Jul. 17 2006 14:54:10
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Miguel de Maria
Posts: 3532
Joined: Oct. 20 2003
From: Phoenix, AZ
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RE: Would you leave your job...? (in reply to Guest)
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Lionel,
I empathize with you...my father worked 12 hours a day, 5 days a week, at a job he didn't like. He put two kids through college and then retired. He is enjoying life now, but he worked for 30+ years doing something that had no appeal to him! I admire the discipline, but... I went to school for business administration...got a couple office jobs...wore a tie to work. Then I kind of jumped ship and started waiting tables and bartending! One place I worked happened to be a Spanish restaurant, and they happened to have rumberos playing on the weekends, and it also happened to be a hangout for guitarists to come by and drink after work...
Anyway, it seems some people are willing to conform to society's expectations of them. They are willing to go to a job which has little intellectual or emotional value to them and do it for 30+ years. And some people need to follow their dreams, not the path that has been laid for them. Maybe they are the same people, but just a little thing steered each the other way.
I made the decision to be a musician and so far it has gone pretty well. You have to be smart about it and realize that it is a business. You don't just go to a commune and wake up and play guitar all day and that's what you do. You have to make money, you have to promote, you have to get networks together. I'm sure this goes for any level of musician, from what I do to what Paco does.
I think Ron has a good idea to get an engineering job in Spain. I've seen how the Spanish work--it sure as heck isn't 12 hours a day! More like 5. You'll have plenty of time to practice guitar and soak up the culture. If you practice 4 hours a day and take lessons from the finest teachers, you will probably have a good idea in 3-4 years whether you want to continue.
As far as your girlfriend, relationships succeed when the people have compatible values. If your #1 priority is flamenco and her #1 priority is having money to buy Prada, that won't work. But a lot of other combinations will. You both have to compromise some, that's the best way.
Shroomy, I hope you go for it. The world needs more musicians, it doesn't need more oilmen. I like to see people follow their dreams because although the way is more obscure, it is not neccessarily harder. What could be harder than 30+ years of hard labor at something you hate?
PS (I just saw your new post)
Do you have what it takes to be a pro guitarist? the answer is if you have the passion, the desire to be great--if you have the drive to expend the mental and physical energy over a period of years, then YES is the answer! of course, you need 5 fingers, too--if you have that, we're good. Well, actually Django didn't have 5 figners on one hand, so maybe you dont' even need that.
There is no guarantee that the job in Spain will be totally easier, but there's agood chance. Especially if it's with a Spanish government or company. Anyway, once you are on the ground there, you can look for other opportunities.
_____________________________
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Arizona Wedding Music Guitar
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Date Jul. 17 2006 15:42:06
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JBASHORUN
Posts: 1839
Joined: Jan. 23 2005
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RE: Would you leave your job...? (in reply to Guest)
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quote:
Why do you say that you couldn't be a pro guitarist? Are you not willing to put the hours into it or is it something else?
Partly natural ability. I never touched a guitar until I was 21, and when I finally did start learning, I found my progress slow. It seemed that playing the guitar was not something that I was naturally suited to. yes, given lots of time and practice I can and will improve. But by how much? And in the mean time, I have rent and bills to pay. I am studying luthiery at the moment, and its a similar story... I'd never touched a plane or any other woodworking tool until about a year ago, and its still something I'm getting used to. I'm not saying I'll never be any good at luthiery or playing the guitar, but some people are just better suited to some things than others, and its important to be realistic about this. Don't let me put you off... I've you've got a certain amount of natural ability, then the rest can be learned, regardless of age. I just feel that its best to choose an activity that you are suited to if you are going to do it every day for the rest of your life. If Anders was a bad luthier, would people buy his guitars? No. If Grisha was a bad player, would people buy his CDs? No. You need to have a certain aptitude for an activity, and only time and experimentation will tell you if you have this aptitude for something. In the mean time, its probably best not to make any radical decisions that you might regret at a later stage.
Jb
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Date Jul. 17 2006 16:55:13
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John O.
Posts: 1723
Joined: Dec. 16 2005
From: Seeheim-Jugenheim, Germany
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RE: Would you leave your job...? (in reply to Guest)
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Sometimes people just know when something's right or should be a certain way or not at all. I'm one of those people which was never given the chance and never had the guts to stand up for it.
Since 16 I knew I wanted to play guitar. As a teacher, performer, cashier in a guitar shop - I didn't care. It was just what I did and what I was about. I brought my guitar to school everyday and played during recess, played on the train or bus to wherever I was going, didn't care what people thought. I was forced by my parents to college for 5 wasted years until I finally gave it up and made an apprenticeship for being a technical support in industrial filter sales. Hated it, but I thought "Hey, I can still play after work, and in a few years, who knows?" This "who knows" has streched out over four years and as I reach 30 I'm less able to practise 4-5 hours a day after 9 hours of work. Something's gotta happen soon.
Two years ago I met my now soon to be wife who taught me to not be afraid of taking chances or not making enough money, she made me get in touch with Frank Ihle who got my foot in the door of the local flamenco scene. I just had my first concert, it was only a flamenco school presentation, but got my name out there nevertheless and in August I give a little solo performance - if that goes well, all the better. People are contacting me about lessons without me even advertising.
It's almost like after about 13 years everything fell into place. First 5 years practising technique like a sick man, then to the rhythm and theory of flamenco, then accompanyment - just now where it's almost time to give my body a rest for good, it's happening. One more year and my fiancee will switch to full time and I'll have the time and space to give it a go. It'll work, too - I just have that feeling.
And I don't mean making records. I could care less! I just want to play guitar. It couldn't have been any other way.
Lionel, if you have that feeling music is what you were meant to do, if you fall into a deep depression whenever you can't play and have that strong, painful feeling in your gut that something is horribly wrong and life is unfair - you need to do something.
I'm gonna go out on a limb and be completely open - if I'd never come this far, I don't know if I'd be on this earth anymore.
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Date Jul. 17 2006 17:06:38
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Ramin
Posts: 103
Joined: Mar. 15 2005
From: Toronto, Canada
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RE: Would you leave your job...? (in reply to Guest)
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Lionel,
Thanks for bringing this thread back to life. I do think it is an important subject. Like you, I currently work as an engineer but know for a fact that I won't be doing this for the rest of my life. However, my job is VERY flexible which allows me to have more time for myself, either playing guitar or having fun in general. I know I can get MUCH higher paying jobs but I never even consider that. I think happiness is much more than just playing guitar, making lots of money, or being in a great relationship. It also depends on a sense of satisfaction that comes from within, true appreciation of what you already have, and "knowing" where you want to end up in the future. Of course, reaching that "knowing" is in itself one of the highest achievements in life. I would recommend you look for a more relaxed & flexible job and spend more time doing what you love to do and then re-examine your feeling towards your life and your career.
Ramin
_____________________________
What we are today comes from out thoughts of yesterday and our present thoughts build our life tomorrow: our life is the creation of our mind.
-Buddha
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Date Jul. 17 2006 19:45:19
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Ron.M
Posts: 7051
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Scotland
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RE: Would you leave your job...? (in reply to Guest)
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Well, I've read all these posts about deciding whether to be a pro Flamenco guitarist or not, whether you have the dedication, the time for practise etc.
Well, I think it would be the choice of a lot of amateur Flamenco guitarists that they'd rather be playing Flamenco professionally in Spain, with wonderful singers and dancers etc rather than do their humdrum day jobs.
Lionel, amigo...how are you going to support yourself in Spain?
You can't just arrive there with a guitar and passion for Flamenco, a bit of technique, little knowledge of accompaniment etc..and suddenly be embraced by professional artists struggling to make a living for themselves.
You've heard the albums....
In Spain you have got to be GOOD to work as a professional.
Not simply have mucho aficion.
Where are you going to live...in the streets?
(You can be sure the police will pick you up and deport you...)
Spain is a modern country.
How are you going to live...food...soap...toothpaste etc.
If you go around begging, unshaven in filthy clothes and stinking to high hell, no Flamenco is gonna want to know you! 
If you are thinking about just picking up some casual day work, then I'm afraid there are a lot of Moroccans and North African illegal immigrants willing to work a 16 hour day for a few Euros who are ahead of you in the line.
These are romantic day-dreams my friend.
Get real.
Two ways you can do this practically IMO.
Either apply for a job in Spain or stick with your own job, save as much money as you possibly can and go to Spain for six months or a year and have the financial means of paying for accommodation, food, lessons etc .
If you run away from home with an air ticket and a few hundred dollars, you'll be back in the good ol' USA in two weeks.
Guaranteed.
cheers
Ron
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Date Jul. 17 2006 20:00:48
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