Originally Posted by Hags888

Patric...I seriously think you are confusing the world of amateur/semi-professional players, and full-time professional players. There is a distinct difference between these two musical worlds. One does it for a hobby, for the love of doing it, etc. The other may do it because they love it, or maybe they do it because they are good at it, or maybe they do it, because they are expected to do it, etc. I'll let you sort which of those examples belongs in the amateur vs professional realm.

But, you're fundamentally missing the point of what it means to be a professional musician. If someone has a regular day job, and then gigs and performs on the weekends, I would classify that as either semi-professional playing or amateur playing (it largely depends on the ensembles they are playing in). But heck, you can be a professional musician and not spend all your time performing. Many of us teach in addition to playing, or do arranging, etc. But most professional musicians make the vast majority of their income from musical sources.

But to suggest that musicians should only perform music because they "love to perform" is naive and unrealistic. And to further suggest that musicians should then not be paid if they have a day job is just ridiculous. I know lots of freelancers in the Twin Cities who are monster musicians, performing at a professional level, and they hold down non-music day jobs. Some of them perform for free and some of them don't, but to expect them to play for free is to misunderstand, basically, the way the entire music world operates, IMO.

Just so I'm clear, is it your ideal and intention in posting this ridiculous thread, to suggest that all musicians should simply perform because they "love it", and then if they don't have a non-music job to support themselves financially, they should stand on a street corner with a hat out while they are playing to try to make a living instead? Or if they're playing in an ensemble the ensemble should have a hat/tip jar out? If that is indeed what you think, then I can honestly say, I have nothing else to say to you.

Some rock musician once said when asked if they had "sold out", "Of course, we sell out stadiums every night." If you don't think that musicians provide a service worthy enough of being paid, then that is your opinion. But I don't think it is one that will be shared by many on this forum.