“As a musician, you should know your worth”
Its something i’ve heard and read numerous times. As if you could put a price tag on musicians and performers and consider that a summation of their worth.
It’s also my unpopular opinion - musicians should not gatekeep music for monetary gain.
That’s not to say that musicians should go unpaid, musicians should definitely be paid, and they should be paid well - however, the outright refusal to create, perform, share, or play music seems counterintuitive to a performing artist.
The fact is that we all sit in our bedrooms practicing almost daily for hours and hours. Many of us have been playing our instrument for years and some of us for decades.
What was it that drew me to the guitar in the first place? The ability to perform? To play a cool instrument in front of a crowd that was enjoying the music. Only opting to perform with some type of monetary reimbursement would make a lot of that practice time and devotion a waste. The prospect of money never really factored into the motivation when I was learning chords at 12 years old.
I had been practicing guitar pretty extensively up until about 2009. I had decided to go back to school to get a degree. I was about 23 at the time and had been working fast food for about 3 years. I couldn’t do that for the rest of my life. So i went and got my Associates degree in Medical Technology. In order to do that I had to skip out on some guitar playing for a couple years.
About 2013 I decided to get a bachelors degree. Finally finishing in about 2015, I was able to re-devote some of my free time to music. I bought a book of songs by Fernando Sor and added that to my little library of classical guitar music. In 2018 I decided to purchase some more music, With streaming platforms, PDF downloads, and better online music stores - It was much easier to find classical guitar music. I could listen to playlists on streaming, and hear a song I liked, search for the music and purchase or download it, and then learn it.
About a year later I sat down and went through my repertoire and had about an hour worth of music. The local bar had a monthly open night and in August 2019 I finally decided to show up and perform. I was 33.
(performing for the first time in over 10 years at 33 would make an entirely separate blog post)
I performed my 2 or 3 songs. Two pieces by Tarrega, and a short piece by Sor, The audience enjoyed it, I enjoyed it. It was good to be back.
I went back in September and again in November. I don’t remember if i made it to January, but i know I missed February, And then March 2020 happened…
Performing at that open mic, though, opened the door for me for all the opportunities that have come after. I was hired to play a Celtic Faire the following year by a frequent attendee/host of the open mic. I made some friends. And from then on - well you can check out my past and upcoming events.
So. I should know my worth, And I do. I get reimbursed well when needed. But I won’t back down from sharing my skills just for the fun of it, I love music, and I play music, not just for myself, but also for others, and for God. My worth is more than a paycheck. I provide an entirely different spectrum of benefits for those who are able to listen and enjoy. One person signs a paycheck. The audience gets an entirely different experience from hearing live music.
Not to mention the fact that I am helping to keep the classical guitar tradition alive. I am hopefully inspiring others to search for music to play and enjoy, and maybe to look beyond what is popular. I am breathing the music of experts and virtuosos and keeping their songs alive.
One of my favorite things is to look up into an audience and see kids who have stopped to watch, sitting closely and attentively, even if just for a few pieces, i know i have impressed on them at least some appreciation or curiosity toward music. That in and of itself is worth more than what I get paid.
So, musicians, remember your worth. Your value extends far beyond a paycheck. You dont’t have to let yourself be taken advantage of, but don’t selfishly guard your music until someone pays.
Remember
it is so much more.