This thread is a bit of an experiment. I figured a bunch of us have spent a number of years in music, so we must be able to speak from our own experience in some way.
I guess I’ll propose a few questions to provoke discussion. Maybe like a pseudo interview format.
- Could you overview your involvement in music up to this point?
- What inspired you to pursue music?
- Have you made any money in music (including DJing)? If so, how much (if I may ask)?
- How do you see your future in music?
- What kind of music do you most prefer making?
- What do you most enjoy listening to?
- What have you learned from your experience in music?
- What advice would you give to somebody starting out in music?
- How healthy do you consider the music community and industry to be?
- What would you like to see happen for the music community and industry?
- What do you do professionally?
- What other art forms or pursuits are you interested in?
- Any closing statements?
I’ll start:
I was born in 1989. In the late 90s in primary school, I began to learn the clarinet. In early high school I switched to the tenor saxophone for a short time and began playing guitar. In 2007/2008 I took a college certificate in music and played in a couple of bands. From 2009 I took a break from music for a few years. In 2012, I renewed my interest in music in the form of electronic music production and have been partly consistent since. In 2016 I spent a couple of months as a local DJ.
I think I can recognise an early turning point which may have lead to my significant interest in music. I have one memory of sitting in the back seat of mum’s car as a child in the mid 90s. She and her sister were in the front enjoying popular music on the radio as we drove past the beach in summer. That installed in me an appreciation for the beauty and enjoyment that can be gained from the experience of music, a sensation I strive to share with others.
I’ve made a total of the low thousands of dollars in music. Some from playing in bands and I think most from DJing.
My interest in music has waned a little in more recent years, but my recent output has been an early exploration of algorithmic music, combining my interests in computer code and music. I would like to explore that further going into the future.
My interests in music are wide. As a teenager I was very much a metal head. As I started producing beats, my interest turned toward underground dance music and now I have more recently discovered live coded or “algorave” music as an interesting an emerging field of music composition.
The main thing I learned about music came from my days playing in bands: that making a financial living in music is very difficult. Making some money is possible, but to rely on it is something I have personally not achieved. This realisation is what lead me to take a break from music for a few years.
My advice for somebody starting out is to remember to enjoy yourself! That’s why you do it. Nobody’s forcing you, so you must enjoy it.
The ease of internet piracy has lead to a downfall in the music industry’s profit since the late 90s. This has somewhat started to bounce back as a result of advertising revenue on streaming services, especially YouTube. Therefore music video production may be worth exploring, especially considering it allows for further creative expression.
I would like to see the music community respond creatively to technological advances. Algorave is great contemporary example of that.
I study computer science full time (online). I live in a town in Western Australia during a slump in our mining economy. This has lead to difficulty finding employment. I recently volunteered for a digital marketing agency.
Other than music, I am interested in story telling, especially as it relates to film. Screenwriting is just one specialisation within that field. I actually would like to try my hand at stop motion animation. I also see the creative and economic value of writing computer code.
In closing, I would just say remember to keep enjoying music. Even if you aren’t a producer, at least take the time to enjoy yourself in appreciating what can be a very satisfying art form.
