Sunday, August 9, 2009

Motto for new music graduants...

A couple of months late : pay attention and learn from my mistakes...I've broken nearly all of the following...*sheepish grin*...So I'd thought I could save you guys the trouble...this applies to students of any music profession...
  • If you're going to be stupid, you've got to be tough (TM)...Happens to everybody, I'm sure...its just that people like me would need more "stupid-time" than others...
  • Don't lie...to anyone...even to your students...kids these days are smart as hell...and they can smell your 'poo' a mile away...
  • Be nice as you can...If you can't be nice, be silent...If you can't be silent, walk away for a while and count to ten...Never switch to strangle mode...After a tiring 12 hour work shift, 6 days a week...all you have left is your auto-pilot and your self-control...Doesn't pay to lose either one.
  • Always answer your phone...you will never know that a very much needed gig is just a pick-up call away...though I must urge you to put your foot down, should you find clients/students calling you at 12am "just to chat"!!...
  • Don't take criticism personally...if you must, step aside and do an honest self-evaluation of yourself...some critics does hold water...others, are just plain words from brainless morons who can't back up their statements...
  • NEVER ASSUME!!!!...
  • Don't assume that just because you've explained something, that the other party understands...Don't assume that just because you've said something several times, the other party remembers...Chances are, they will conveniently forget, so you will have to explain again...
  • If you have trouble with with your student/client/projects...don't give up...Keep trying...the breakthrough will come, but you have to keep trying...
  • Start planning when to take leave at the beginning of the year...or you never will...
  • Fake it till you can make it...you can't put off not talking to parents, apologizing for errors, PERFORMING on stage..."Being fearful" is gonna be a helluva lifelong recurring theme...[Note : I learnt this from my dad..]
  • Appreciate your fellow colleagues and college friends, they are your lifeline, music support, last minute band on call, food delivery, complaining partners and counselors...And they are the ONLY people who will know EXACTLY how you feel because they're going through it too...
  • Lastly, enjoy a great time ahead!!...Nothing beats the thought of one having the privilege to make music everyday...learn music everyday...and work with music everyday!!...
Ah...such bliss...yet so much heartache...

1 comment:

Philip said...

And who said making a career out of music would be easy? :-)