What makes a good teacher in any field? Someone who has experience. How do you get experience? By immersing yourself in your craft. How do you immerse yourself in your craft? By spending a large part of your time and life focused on that skill. How are you able to spend a majority of your time and days focused on that one thing? By getting compensated for the work that you do and what you are bringing to the table, so that you aren't spending a majority of your time and day focused on things outside of that realm, just so you can have the basics of life: food and shelter etc...
As it pertains to music, there has always been a way for musicians and artists to make money from their craft, thereby allowing them to delve deeper into the study and experience of it all, and progressing it as a whole, both from a personal standpoint and on a larger scope, by influencing those around them and contributing to the overall growth and change of music.
Now days I see a lot of ads for free music lessons (and we're not talking for disadvantaged people, but for people who can and have the means to pay for this service being provided), artists giving away their music free (with little to no return, except exposure, and exposure doesn't pay the bills). There is an argument about over saturation and that's a very valid point. But at the core, there still needs to be some recompense for what is being provided.
I know a lot of friends who are really good musicians and teachers, they got that way because at some point in their life they were able to fully immerse themselves. And if they've continued to grow, they are still immersing themselves in it. If everyone has to work 40 hours a week not doing music and it's just a hobby, then all of music suffers. If every artist was given only 2 days a week to do art, they might make some wonderful masterpieces, but think of all the great works they could create if they were afforded the opportunity to do nothing but.
We all have to do our part to make the wheel that is the earth go round. I get that not everyone gets to just up and follow a dream on a whim, this post isn't about that person. This is about the artist, that someone who has that something extra, that spark in their eye, that passion, the natural talent, who has something to create, to move people, and to progress art.
The music industry is changing but if we're not careful soon there will be no industry left and what happens then to the next Bach, Bob Dylan, or Joni Mitchell or whatever who has to go work at a factory all day (which is not a bad thing at all, but bad for the artist who, if born in a different era, would have the means to pursue their talents)...
Random Saturday Night Thoughts from behind a sound board...Rest easy Julia...
