Professional Musicians

[The Gobi Desert Canoe Club]

I just wondered if there are any (still playing) professional musicians on this site. The only reason I'm asking is that the standard of musicianship on a lot of the music posted is so high I find it hard to believe that some of you aren't working musos. Writing songs is a different matter, I've known trash collectors that have been poets and labourers that quote accurately from Shakespeare. Whether you can play an instrument or not is not really important but the song is, and if you can't play it you would still sing it. If I'm rambling a bit it's the green apple vodka but it's just a curiosity if you want to answer. Regards Willie

[henwrench]

Green Apple Vodka?  What the Hell is wrong with you...?   

     I've never been a pro musician, but have worked with many...and gigged with a number of working bands....
  From 1987 (christ, remember them, the 80's?) until around '02, I worked as a professional sound engineer and record producer. I learnt a lot...as you can imagine.
  Then I gave it all up and fled to the coast... I picked up a MicroBR sometime around early 2008, bought myself a cheap Les Paul copy, a no name £80 bass and a few other bits and pieces...and finally got my shit together to do what I'd always wanted to do....record some of my own shit. For a long time, this shit languished on my old laptop - until I literally stumbled across this site. I posted a song...people liked it. I posted a couple more and a few more people liked it...

   The MicroBR (and no doubt the rest of the series) is an incredible bit of kit for the money. Back in the day, the facilities that this small silver fag packet provides would have cost tens of thousands of pounds. All for a hundred and thirty quid. Unfuckingbelievable....

    And so it goes on.... I spend as much time as I can letting the music visit me and allowing me to 'capture' it, like a photograph, on my MBR. It might all stop tomorrow, so in the meantime, old henwrench just keeps on truckin'....till the road stops, or the evil Mrs. henwrench shoves my MBR up my cock-end...

                                           henwrench

[Flash Harry]

Had my first paid gig last Thursday! Yay!  
I've been in broadcasting before I gave it up and moved to the countryside. So been around production and stuff. I'd love to jack in the day job and do it for real.

Btw henny, that really smarts but it never seems to damage the mbr.

[henwrench]

Btw henny, that really smarts but it never seems to damage the mbr.

   As long as she sucks it first (the MBR) I don't mind.....

                                              henwrench

[Tony W]

I'm on the absolute opposite end of the spectrum, and it really shows. I bought the micro br a year ago because I wanted to slow down simple songs and learn how to play them. Recording never entered my mind, just learning to play an instrument.

I will tell you this, the level of musicianship on this site has literally forced me to advance at a ridiculous pace. It won't be much longer and I'll be a competent musician.

All Hail Songcrafters!

[Bluesberry]

I spend as much time as I can letting the music visit me and allowing me to 'capture' it, like a photograph, on my MBR. It might all stop tomorrow, so in the meantime, old henwrench just keeps on truckin'....

Thats it right there isn't it.  Thats what it is all about for me too.

[Vanncad]

I spend as much time as I can letting the music visit me and allowing me to 'capture' it, like a photograph, on my MBR. It might all stop tomorrow, so in the meantime, old henwrench just keeps on truckin'.... - Henwrench
Thats it right there isn't it.  Thats what it is all about for me too. - BluesBerry

Yep that's it. My enthusiasm for creating music comes and goes, but there is always a guitar waiting for me when I need it.

I played in cover bands that played many local bars in the '80s and '90s. Used it to supplement my income with some weekend spending cash. 
I don't know if that makes me a professional or not, but it sure was fun getting paid to party with my friends! 

I agree with Tony. The inspiration and support I get from this site has brought me a long way in the last year.
Everyone here is encouraged to participate no matter what their skill level, and that's what makes this place unique.

The progression of so many of the people on this site over the last year simply blows my mind.

[peterp]

Closest I came to "professional" was carting equipment around for touring bands visiting my city in the 60's & 70's.
Paid, but doesn't count .

[The Gobi Desert Canoe Club]

Sorry about the green apple vodka it was all I find. I'll disgust you with stories of round the table cocktails oneday. Although I'm sure there will be more posts to this subject it appears that there are some very gifted amateurs/semi pro musicians on this site. Not too many pros. Hennies description fits perfectly, the need to capture those odd intuitive moments that flash in and flash out and are probably lost forever if not recorded immediatley. Well, that's enough of being serious, back to the vodka.  Willie   

[Greeny]

Never been pro and never been paid for anything music-related. I've never even hung out with professional musicians.

I just do it for the love of it.

Lyrically though, I have had my poetry published and other bits and pieces of writing, so I guess I have a bit of a head start in that area.

There's plenty of people on here with far more talent than so-called professionals!!!!