Alone Together: The Crisis of Pure Talent

Since becoming a pandemic, COVID-19 has threatened musicians everywhere. Because of social restrictions, for nearly a year, many haven’t performed or recorded with each other. With nearly every venue closed, the concert industry was reported to lose almost $9 billion in ticket sales. And next year, Live Nation — the largest producer of concerts in North America — will decrease guarantees paid to performers, and increase financial penalties for cancelled performances.

And though many received unemployment benefits, those such as the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance weren’t paid to independent workers — musicians being some of them. In other words, in a time like this, musicians may not be able to only depend on their talent. Because pure talent without skills isn’t profitable.

Think about it this way: playing instruments is natural for me. But I practice to play better. Similarly, I make music to support myself. But unless, in doing so, I only need to make music, I’ll most likely need additional support.

To add, unless I can do everything alone, financially, making music can be very interdependent. In other words, if I only write songs, someone else has to record them. If I only record them, someone else has to produce them. If I only produce them, someone else has to write and record them. And to be commercially released, they have to be distributed.

But for all this to happen, more often than not, everyone involved has to be paid. But if people can’t perform, write, or record together, how else can they get paid?

Last year, 17 musicians shared with Vulture that they had “odd jobs”, because their musical income wasn’t enough. Some were secretaries for psychiatrists, while others drove trucks. Some became landlords, while some couldn’t afford apartments.

Some were carpenters. Some simply lost money. Some only performed on weekends. And whether or not this was their goal, they all proved one thing: not all musicians can support themselves by only being musicians.

You may or may not need an odd job. Only you know your situation best. But if you can honestly admit that making or play music hasn’t helped you to support yourself, you may need to consider having other sources of income.

If you have the talent to support yourself, why not also have the resources? Making music may very well be your strongest skill. But by limiting your skills, you can also limit your funds. Think about it. You may be a good producer, or a good singer.

But with your income, can you afford new equipment? In a time like this, think about jazz musicians. Many years ago, when referring to concerts, jazz musicians made up a new word: “gig”. And historically, as well as music, jazz is known for the gig.

Yet with many jazz clubs closed, the gigs, gig workers, and gig economy gave suffered altogether. One should also know nearly 10 years ago, in one year, some “gig workers” made less than $38,000. And 2 years ago, in New York City, — the “Jazz Capital of the World” — some only made $200 each gig. But more importantly, many of us don’t know when concerts will normally happen again.

And since we don’t know, can you truly afford to limit your skills? For example, you may know bands who recorded songs, but need sheet music. You can compose their lead sheets. Or their songs may need legal protection.

You can register their copyrights. Maybe they have too many expenses? You can help them create budgets. Or maybe you can try things you never did before?

Professional or not, in anything you do, the best way to have new skills is to try new things. If athletes miss shots they never take, you can’t do things you never tried. I can’t bake if I never tried to cook. I can’t write books if I never tried to write.

I can’t sprint if I never tried to run. And I can’t have different income by only doing one thing. It’s no secret this wasn’t an easy year for musicians. And you may feel alone.

You may feel like the only one who needs more money. You may feel like the only artist waiting to be with your producer. You may feel like the only band who wants a real audience. You may feel like the only songwriter waiting to be with other writers.

You may feel like the only one trying to understand what may feel like a very confusing year. But whoever you are, wherever you are, and whatever you do, know that you are not alone. Whether you play funk, jazz, pop, or rock, you are not alone. Whether you play, record, sing, or write, you are not alone.

And whether or not you only make music, you are not alone. We are alone together. And we are overcoming the same pandemic. And every day, we overcome it more and more.

So, keep learning. Keep practicing. Keep working. And keep trying new things.

For in any trouble, perseverance is the secret of triumph. Until the next “real” gig, stay safe!

All content in this news article is the intellectual property of original author, Seth D. Mills, and may not distributed, publicly displayed, published, or reproduced without the expressed written consent of Seth D. Mills. The content, rights, and copyright of this article belong to Seth D. Mills.

? 2020 Seth D. Mills