Playing drums and music- a low barrier to entry compared to other occupations?

Jeremy Bender

Jeremy Bender

Platinum Member
A friend and I were having this discussion at dinner about how there are low and high barriers to entry in different occupations in life.
ex: If you want to become a pilot you may need a college degree, will have to pass a stringent medical check, study for ground school, take flying lessons working your way through the levels of Federal certifications. If you want to become a CPA it usually takes a degree in accounting and taking an exam, etc...

Can you become a musician by getting hold of an instrument without training or simply playing along to music?

At what point do you call yourself a drummer? When you have drums and play music?

Discuss
 
Some professions require various licenses, training, degrees and certifications. Others do not. Drumming doesn't.

For example; I can call myself a "drummer", but I have nowhere near the talent to do it for a living. I'm just a hobbyist. I wouldn't call myself a "professional drummer". I'd reserve that for someone who does it for a living or a significant portion of their living.
 
licenses, training, degrees and certifications
add to that Practice as in as a Doctor "practices" with office space holding drums and the other equipment (cases, sticks,
license could be registered (at least once) with a local Musician's Union
if you don't gig at this time or pursue gigs at this or any time you're in self imposed semi retirement
as soon as you play a gig you're out of retirement and in the following morning back to self-imposed hibernation
having a sign out front "hanging a shingle" for advertisement not necessary but sometimes included

i wouldn't say it's a low barrier; it needs upkeep even in times of low activity
i've been practicing have all the above have had a practice for 54 years very selective of the client list I'll take (patients)
 
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Some of us don't have a degree but we've spent hours..weeks..months..years honing our Kraft..playing dive bars for food money..getting home at 3 am..loading..unloading..trying to afford decent gear...club owners not paying you what your worth..dealing with drunks..feeling unworthy at times because we don't wear a tie running a business..im just scratching the surface. Oh..weve earned our degree and have put in more hours than surgeons. Some of us hit it big..AC/DC..Zeppelin..you know the list and then ya..their probably on drugs..they make ungodly amounts of money just playing an instrument....really?. Can you buy degrees at Memphis drumshop? 😃.
 
In some circles there's a saying:
Own a camera, and you're a photographer.​
Own a violin, and you have a violin.​

I can hold a simple beat, but give me the drum kit notation for anything and I'm DOA. There's a reason guys like Kenny Aronoff and Carter McLean are so busy.
 
I still hang a shingle over the door
"DrumsDrummer available Inquire inside"
10am -5pm knock twice
 
Bozozoid said:
Ah..berry berry wise tots! ah grasshoppa. 😃
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I prefer being a janitor to being a drummer I like mingling with people of different persuasions
Also liked mechanic as it paid better

Musician is very nomadic occupation
 
I think I read where the only member of Pink Floyd that had any musical training was keyboardist Rick Wright the others just picked up the instrument. They did pretty well for themselves.

The Beatles? The Rolling Stones? I'm not sure how much training they had. They done good.
 
jda said:
I prefer being a janitor to being a drummer I like mingling with people of different persuasions
Also liked mechanic as it paid better

Musician is very nomadic occupation
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Actually jda being nomadic is one of the things that had a sizeable effect on my staying on the porch.
 
like a dog 😉
 
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jda said:
like a dog
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It can be sad or smart depending on how it all plays out. It's a dog catchers world sometimes. But hey..ive got a letter from Andy Newmark so it wasn't ALL bad. Shi* almost noon..goin to the bank befor they close. My grandpa always said..remember Bozozoid..cheating wins. Words I've not forgotten. 😃
 
  • Haha
Reactions: jda
There's not supposed to be a barrier, music is for everybody.

Doing it as a job, the barriers are greater than for other professions, if anything. You can't just get certified and get work.

It's more democratic in that it's possible for somebody to put together a basic set of skills and figure out how to make a living out of it-- which involves someone dedicating their whole life to it, which I would not call a low barrier.
 
the barrier really depends on the idividual. you either have "it" or you don't. not every doctor can perform delicate heart or brain sugery. I can apply ointment and bandaids to cuts, i dont need a degree and no one thinks im a doctor. some people can stand in frot of a room full of people and speak without fear, thay become teachrs because they have that ability. you can be really smart but if that fear of speaking in public is too overwheliming, you cannot be a teacher. you have to hae "it" for your chosen profession or you just cannot do it. helicopter pilots are coodinated like drummers with 4-way independance to fly one. not all pilots can fly a helicopter, they just dont have it. no profession should think they are above another, in this case a musician because of some proceived barrier, thats b.s.
 
The low barrier is mostly a natural talent thing. As a drummer, if you can keep a solid tempo OR you can follow along with the band’s tempo, you qualify as a drummer. Also, who you are friends with can get you into a band.

So yes, the barrier is rather low if you want to join a local bar band, and or play music with your friends.

However, the barrier is high if you want to make a living as a drummer. Or if you want to become a well known drummer who gets the calls for the big gigs; Someone like a Steve Gadd.
 
that's crumby
😁
 
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