What should i do for my future?

[htengz]

hello guys, please give me some directions.

im a student studying in Diploma Aerospace Electronic. but that dont matter to me.
cuz i had made a decision. my career has to be in the field of music and arts.

while i've been getting some, "you'll look like a fool if you try to struggle into the music industry. you'll never climb, get paid well." im going to go ahead and ask for help and approval.. hopefully you kind softies can gimme some nods.

i picked up electric guitar when i was 17. now turning 19, im very sure my passion of my life is music. right now, im very confused on how to improve my skills and knowledge, whether to drill myself on how to read music scores or memorize more guitar tabs. i must say im not the guy that wow people when i play.
i'd been taking lessons at yamaha contemporary guitar course. though it helps, the progress is slow and i dont wish to waste anymore time that doesn't help me in future. i dont want music to be just a hobby

i dont mean i gotta get in as an artiste. that would be ideal though. so my question is, what should i do to be a professional musician? continue taking contemporary guitar lessons? switch to classical guitar classes and take grading? (i'm more of an electric guitar person) or perhaps i should try and get into lasalle/NAFA and all that.. im so lost.

i would do anything for writing/performing music for the rest of my life. even if it means i'll fail and be looked down upon. :evil:

please help..

 

[bf0502tr]

u will get nothing done if u cant even read sections of a forum properly. this is guitar rookie corner, not career corner. and if u want to be serious in music, its either u take private lessons or go 1-on-1 at yamaha. dont waste time on group lessons(if u're alr taking 1-on-1 at yamaha then tell ur teacher to teach u more). also, when was the last time u had a jam? if u're an electric guitarist then i'd think u are either in a band or is looking to join/start one. if u intend to go solo like joe satch or yngwie then u need to know what sets u apart from the whole legion of shredders in the market(u'll be competing with very very profficient shredders). all the best.

 

[Likui]

hmm start writing songs would be a good start, by the way what kind of music would you want to play? guitar solo kind like joe satriani or band kind like guns and roses or do punk rock like blink 182 , etc?

 

[htengz]

bf0502tr im sorry for not reading the forum sections. i thought i was considered guitar rookie needing help. i am trying to form a band with a drummer friend, but i cant seem to cover the simplest solo. im already taking yamaha's 1 on 1 lessons with shern wong. but half an hour a week.. anyway, thanks alot man. thanks for replyin
Likui write songs?! i have thought of that but im not strong in music theories. i wonder if i can write a nice song. i like GnR and Blink 182! i listen to alot of music.

 

[needyounow]

Dude if you're really sure about going into music, don't expect it to be easy.

A good first step would be to BE SURE OF WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IN MUSIC. From your post here, it seems like you play guitar. Since you play electric, are you gonna be the kind that plays and sings at the same time? Or are you going to be the kind that shreds and plays solos? You've gotta decide. If you're not sure, TRY IT OUT.

i wonder if i can write a nice song

Don't wonder. Why not try it out? Write a song, and then get others to listen to you and get feedback. That's a start.
But be warned. Music is not an easy path. I won't elaborate so that I won't frighten you, but if music is what you really want, don't give up.

 

[Likui]

=htengz

Hey shern wong is a damn good guitarist. If you want to write punk rock kind of song, well many of those hits songs are just 4 chord progressions, if you can play power chords and major, minor, and your 7th chords then that's it, u can play your own music. As for music theory wise it's ok, u don't have to learn theory, music comes from you not from a book, think of a nice tune in your head. then try diff chords to suit that tune, don't worry about scales and stuff, very important think of a nice tune. Then u write your lyrics to fit that tune or do it the other way round write your lyrics then think of a tune and try to fit it in. Once you've got that done the next thing u should figure out is how to market your music. Don't think of ahh damn does many ppl like my music? will I be able to sell sg, is such a small place. Don't worry you can market your stuff online sell it online, put it on youtube let ppl hear, if you can get 80 million + hits on youtube you'll probably be a millionaire, can't be 0 out of 80 million likes your music no matter how bad it is if you think it's bad. The thing is u must let many many many ppl in the world hear your music, how to do it? hmm try to figure out yourself. If I knew it I'm a millionaire now lol

 

[htengz]

needyounow thanks man. thats really encouraging! i'll do my best.
http://www.soft.com.sg/forum/members/likui.html
Likui Yes! He is AMAZING! he is very inspiring to me. Though he is an instrumental rock guitarist, and i want to become a guitarist in a band, he inspires me. He is who i wanna become. i think with your reply i roughly know what to do. thanks!

 

[cheesedaele]

You're right, 1/2 hr a week is very little. But you don't learn an instrument from lessons alone. In fact the lessons make up a very small part of your learning. Most of your learning an instrument should come from practice, and lessons just compounds the effect. They point out your mistakes, answer your questions, guide your practice and your pace of learning, but that's all that lessons do. Lessons don't teach you the instrument, they teach you how to learn the instrument. It's still you who has to sit down and do the learning, to sit down and get to know your instrument inside out.

This is completely arbitrary and will vary with the individual, but it's just for illustration.
If you don't take any lessons, but you practice every single day. It will get you maybe to 30%.
If you don't touch your guitar at all outside of lessons, only play during lessons just that 1/2 hr a week. It will get you maybe to 5%.
Now if you go for lessons, and outside of that you're playing your guitar every day - and not just strumming three chords day in day out but you're trying new things, trying new sounds, new rhythms, new scales, new whatever and making sure you nail them before you move on - then it will get you maybe to, no not 30+5=35%, but something more like 70%.
And in all three scenarios, it will take you years to get there.

The remaining 30%... most of us are still figuring out how to complete. It could take a lifetime and you may still never find out. There is no short cut to learning an instrument.

I feel sad that you think lessons will not help you in the future. You say progress is slow in your lessons? Why? If you want to learn how to read tau gei - the next time you see him just ask Shern to start on it. If he thinks you're ready, I can't imagine why he wouldn't. Read interviews with all the pros, and what almost all will tell you is that the best thing you can do for your learning is to get a good teacher. What they don't say is practice is a given. It's so basic that it's assumed you should already be practising regularly, that it doesn't need to be said.

But on the other hand, if what you're saying is that learning guitar is secondary, and that primarily you just want to be a popular recording artist - then I think you're in the wrong place cause we can't really help you with that .

 

[valentinik_15]

Finish your diploma. Get a proper job that gives you time to do music on the sidelines. Don't think for 1 second that you can survive of just playing music at this stage. The practical choice is to get a stable income (not from playing gigs) so you can fund your passion for music. Thats my 5 cents.

 

[htengz]

cheesedaele surely i figured that much. and i do practice. thank you for voicing your opinion but i must say its not true that i want to be a popular recording artist. i just want to be a professional musician. after listening to your comment i think i'll practice harder
valentinik_15 i will finish my diploma.. but doing music on the sideline.. aw man thanks

 

[theunknown]

you said u wanna become like ur teacher?

so who's the best person to ask?

him la!