“If you want to be a singer, you’ve got to concentrate on it twenty-four hours a day. You can’t be a well driller, too. You’ve got to concentrate on the business of entertaining and writing songs.” -Otis Redding
I have a hard time agreeing with this quote, and the main reason why I picked it is because of the discussion that needs to take place for creative people trying to stay creative while paying bills. If I had read this quote in my late teens or early twenties–before I lived out on my own–I would’ve whole-heartedly agreed with it.
However, now that I have lived on my own for quite some time, I would say that this view isn’t always realistic. You have to pay rent and bills, so you need a job–five to eight hours are taken up by that–so you wouldn’t necessarily be able to concentrate on music all of the time. Many musicians go on to become music instructors at music academies, public schools, or as professors at a university or two-year college to be able to maintain a somewhat steady paycheck while still working in their field.
This may seem pessimistic to some, but it’s a reality that’s not really talked about as often as it should be. Being a musician–or creative person of any kind, really–in today’s world means being able to diversify yourself. Being able to write music, arrange music, play an instrument, and lead a band are all great skills that can make you a well-rounded musician and could potentially get you a lot of work, if you make the right connections. Acquiring multiple skills related to your craft can open up many different avenues and job opportunities for you.
Having a discussion about diversifying yourself in your field doesn’t mean that you’re not concentrating or focusing on music (or any other craft). It means that you study all elements of music, picking skills that you’re interested in and/ or good at, and sharpen those skills to make you a more marketable musician. This will most likely take you more than twenty-four hours at first, but in the end, will give you a head start during the times when you don’t have the luxury to devote all your time to music. This will also make you more likely to find more work than other musicians around you, potentially allowing you to continue to do what you love instead of sitting behind a desk all day, dreaming of performing or composing.