The Good Musician

Musicians are egoists. They live for themselves, and their own endeavors.

In the long run, they do it to please others, to enchant an audience or to just enjoy playing in a group or alone. So how does a musician justify the time he needs to develop this hobby and skill, while still maintaining a sane routine in the context of college, a family or your real job if music isn’t your profession?

• Musicians can be understood only by musicians. I think that for a musician to be understood, he needs the company of another musician. If you have a life partner, it’ll be a thousand-fold easier if he/she palys an instrument as well. This way you both need time for your music, and you can enjoy it together.
• Make your Job allow a time-intensive hobby. I think unless you can make your daily work life sane enough to accomodate half an hour daily towards music, you might be in the wrong job or simply need to make adjustments.
  For me, as a college student, I had to change a few classes, shuffle things around and opt out of unnecessary classes I could study up quite fine right at home. Make your job one that works with music. Sounds cheesy, but it’s important, just like brushing your teeth every morning.
• Dedicate a space: If you know where your music “is”, then you can physically go to it. I have a small corner in my apartment set up just for my guitars and a practice stool, so that if I have the time and DO want to practice, I just have to move my butt over there. If you have to waste time setting up and unpacking and creating make-shift musician rooms, you might as well send your guitar for recycling.

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