can we make a living from music in singapore?

[KeDraiv]

is roninroit from vs or from vj?
lol, was "scanning" thru the stuff he wrote when suddenly saw " nil sine labore"
lol.

but yes, don't limit yourself to singapore, although it is true to certain extent that you can make a living from music in singapore.

it's about finding the right opportunities etc.

and yes, we're now in a globalised world. singapore is trying very hard to be a global city (think Paris, New York, London etc)

so i bet many of us studying in Singapore now would be working overseas one way or another in the future.

but the bottom line is, don't give up.=]=]

 

[roninriot]

no problem heroxx.
Remember
when you're dead in 60-2000 years time (eat fetuses, they postpone your life span!)
would you want your grave to say
"died at XXX years, a jolly good degree holder!"
or
"died at XXX years, and missed by many whom he inspired" ?

Nobody gives a damn if you have a degree in this or that if you don't go on to change people's lives with your actions.
Unless you want to become a doctor or some other profession which truly requires a paper cert of course, in which case a higher education will obviously aid you in helping more people.

 

[Hydrofly]

agree with roninriot. It's pretty hard in Singapore because of the lack of support and the 'social stigma' the you are labelled with because of the 'mentality' the roninriot mentioned.

Personally? I have 2 passions, first is insanity, that's why I'm going to do architecture in college, the other is music of course, I will definitely be doing both and taking the opportunity to study overseas that I will have (yea I'm a 'quitter' and have already decided to go for the architectural studies undergrad course at UWA's FBE, probably won't come back after that).

While I will definitely be busy honing my skills at designing crazy buildings that look like they shouldn't be standing, I'll be just as busy working as a musician to make it. So, frankly speaking? The degree in music is unnecessary, and going to music college will make you start sounding like someone else (especially conservatories).

But, the BIG but, is that no matter what, follow your dream to become a musician, don't give a flying f*** about what everybody else tells you, I want to be a musician and an architect, and erect a dick inbetween the 2 hair balls.... I mean esplanade. While making it as a metal musician at the same time, and remember, being a musician is ALOT of work, when you see rock stars, you only see the cool side of their work, as a musician, you're gonna have to practice like hell. It's not work for lazy people.

 

[roninriot]

Hydrofly, hey my sister's an architect too! I know it's bloody tough, the academics, but I can't wait to see what crazy buildings you will conjure up from the wickedness of your mind.

And then make sure you come back to Singapore and pull up the roots of every HDB foundation to make everything look like two balls and a sausage! OMG that would be a hilarious sight!

 

[legless]

P.S. On a small personal note, I studied in Victoria School, scored 6 points, went to Temasek Polytechnic, scored the Top 5 percent in grades, and somehow turned down the opportunity to study in a University overseas to be in a band. I am also going to quit my job at LIME to pursue music again overseas. I will be poor, I will probably sleep in a bloody van, but that's alright. I'm not saying this to 'show off'. I'm just trying to tell you, my SOFTie friend, that YOU are probably much much more capable than I am at finding your own path (Given that I have the guitaring skills of a duck with webbed fingers, er...feet?). Have faith and work damn bloody hard. Good luck! Don't give up.

You have balls of steel and I really respect that. Dammit I should friggin' withdraw from Junior College now and learn music, but its only less than 2 more months to A's and I will persevere! What did you take in Poly by the way.

 

[chrisiscoolerthanyou]

waliew i didnt know levan can study so well xD

 

[Hydrofly]

yea, according to some of the guys I know over at UWA, 30 hours of flat out work is not really unheard of, BUT HEY, WHO CARES! I love doing that shit! Frankly speaking, I won't touch HDB flats, their a simple elegant solution to a fatass overpopulation problem. HDB flats were obviously built with function over form.

Thing is, over in Australia, theres a HUGE metal scene if you know where to look . So if I ever make it as a musician, it'll probably start there

 

[PatheinRaindropMoe]

heh, yo hydro, just wondering(no harm nor jest intended), is there anything right now, at this stage of your life, which you are happy or satisfy with? Can be anything, from living standard, social aspect or future prospect etc?

Really, just curious.

 

[Hydrofly]

I'm happy with the progress I'm making with my guitar playing, I'm thankful that I'm passing my exams. AND I'M GOD DAMN HAPPY TO KNOW THAT MY PARENTS ARE WILLING TO SEND ME OVERSEAS. AND I AM ALSO GOD DAMN THANKFUL I TORE MY ACL AND I GET PES C.

 

[PatheinRaindropMoe]

heh, thats cool, i can see your joy with the caps on the words

oh well, as much as i cant stand your bluntness at times, i think you do have the passion burning strong within. Perhaps if geetar playing really your passion, the otherside to explore, can be music production/audio engineering and stuff. Those are actually value added factors which really enhance music making in overall sense rather then just guitar playing alone...

good luck bro!

 

[Hydrofly]

Hey, I don't just do guitar haha, Italian Opera is something I do by the side for the fun of it, guitar playing for me is part of a whole thing called "music". Well, sound engineering and all that, will definitely take a back seat to architecture, I find the whole idea of engineering the image of a building incredibly appealing, to me, architecture is easily one of the greatest expressions of the appreciation of beauty, just like music is the expression of the appreciation of aural beauty.

 

[PatheinRaindropMoe]

*serious mode off*

ahh yes, i appreciate oral beauty as well..

 

[KeDraiv]

I'm happy with the progress I'm making with my guitar playing, I'm thankful that I'm passing my exams. AND I'M GOD DAMN HAPPY TO KNOW THAT MY PARENTS ARE WILLING TO SEND ME OVERSEAS. AND I AM ALSO GOD DAMN THANKFUL I TORE MY ACL AND I GET PES C.

haha, you're so damn lucky.

i think my parents got a shock when they heard i'm going to do music in JC.
i didn't expect that kind of shock lah, since i've been doing music all my life.
is there any way to convince my parents not to be worried? =\
cause i don't really talk much to my parents( and my siblings)

 

[shinobi]

hydrofly - bro r u L9? last time i think C1L9 and C9L9 no need to reservist

studying overseas is the sex lah. don't look back

 

[Hydrofly]

c2l2... but its busted acl, so I can't really run around.

 

[roninriot]

You have balls of steel and I really respect that. Dammit I should friggin' withdraw from Junior College now and learn music, but its only less than 2 more months to A's and I will persevere! What did you take in Poly by the way.

Hee hee thanks.
I studied, um, INTERNET TECHNOLOGY in Poly.
I don't know. I've always been pretty good at my studies but I always HATED it.
I never did my homework cause I was always thinking of marketing. I LOVE marketing! And I love the power of marketing combined with music even more.
I dunno. Always thought everyone around me kept studying, studying, studying damn hard but they didn't even know what they were studying for?
That's the thing about a lot of Singaporeans. Ask them about their books and they can reply very fast. Ask them for their OPINIONS and they draw a blank!

A lot of them AUTOMATICALLY study hard but they don't know WHAT they want to do in life. They just want to 'get that paper' with little care for how happy it would make them. Of course, it doesn't apply to everyone but there is a large number of people like that in NUS, NTU and SMU!

It's very very scary leaving the comforts of my job soon. The job pays well, and it's nice having a constant salary. But the itch is too strong bro. I'm planning on quitting early next year and going back into music full time but not in Singapore.

The only sad part is that I won't be able to help other local bands gain that little bit of media exposure through the press. I hope the person who replaces me will be pro-local as well!

And I really agree with Hydro's approach to life. Just do what you want to do when you still can. I think if you're really really committed at something, eventually you'll become good at it, and eventually people will seek out your expertise

Levan

 

[spinofdoom]

Hee hee thanks.
I studied, um, INTERNET TECHNOLOGY in Poly.
I don't know. I've always been pretty good at my studies but I always HATED it.
I never did my homework cause I was always thinking of marketing. I LOVE marketing! And I love the power of marketing combined with music even more.
I dunno. Always thought everyone around me kept studying, studying, studying damn hard but they didn't even know what they were studying for?
That's the thing about a lot of Singaporeans. Ask them about their books and they can reply very fast. Ask them for their OPINIONS and they draw a blank!

A lot of them AUTOMATICALLY study hard but they don't know WHAT they want to do in life. They just want to 'get that paper' with little care for how happy it would make them. Of course, it doesn't apply to everyone but there is a large number of people like that in NUS, NTU and SMU!

It's very very scary leaving the comforts of my job soon. The job pays well, and it's nice having a constant salary. But the itch is too strong bro. I'm planning on quitting early next year and going back into music full time but not in Singapore.

The only sad part is that I won't be able to help other local bands gain that little bit of media exposure through the press. I hope the person who replaces me will be pro-local as well!

And I really agree with Hydro's approach to life. Just do what you want to do when you still can. I think if you're really really committed at something, eventually you'll become good at it, and eventually people will seek out your expertise

Levan

+1/

I'm constantly being told by parents/auntie/uncle/grandma/whoever that must go to Uni, cannot stop at poly.

I'm like super disinterested in studies.My exams results attest to it ...If i had a choice I'd just practice bass at home evryday .I'm in a 'good' school but I don't see the point of all the studying. ALOT of the people in my school are aiming for the prestigious JCs. Ask them why?' Because My parents want me to go there/ I can hao lian'

All that studying, just for a paper? I know the importance of it though, thats why I WILL go to the poly once i finish o lvls. But I don't intend to go to the uni.

I'd pack up, fly to jp(if my skillz are good enough by then) and try to start with their undergroun scene.

But this would likely lead to a 'You don't go U no need to call me mom/dad' kind of thing...


hmm

 

[tim098]

I've always been pretty good at my studies but I always HATED it.
I never did my homework cause I was always thinking of marketing. I LOVE marketing! And I love the power of marketing combined with music even more.
I dunno. Always thought everyone around me kept studying, studying, studying damn hard but they didn't even know what they were studying for?
That's the thing about a lot of Singaporeans. Ask them about their books and they can reply very fast. Ask them for their OPINIONS and they draw a blank!

A lot of them AUTOMATICALLY study hard but they don't know WHAT they want to do in life. They just want to 'get that paper' with little care for how happy it would make them. Of course, it doesn't apply to everyone but there is a large number of people like that in NUS, NTU and SMU!

Good to know there are people in SG who share this sentiment. Seriously man, practically 80% of Singaporeans in recognised institutions/courses are exactly as described.

 

[PatheinRaindropMoe]

heh, they cant help it, but to be that 80% i guess.

 

[roninriot]

And isn't that the saddest part?
To be SELF-confined to an institution of thought and not even know why?
And not even daring to question why?
It's not like they're rebelling against authority here.
This is their own lives!

And yet they don't even know in which direction to turn to except for chasing that bloody paper.

It's fine if you're chasing a paper if you have plans to become a world-renowned engineer or doctor or a job which does require thorough educated knowledge but jeez. There are plenty who don't even know why they are doing what they are doing.