Wessel wrote
i think that is what could help anyone that wants to make a living out of it , love of music and jusy enjoying it.
That does help immensely, but - as with anything that is a job - there are the times when you aren't inspired, when it's
not fun and when it is outright hard work. Those are the times when you have to be self-disciplined, just knuckle under and do the job that has to be done. That's what separates the pros from the wannabees.
Being a pro musician is so much more than being a good player, IMO. There are lots of good players. The key word here is "Pro" as in "professional" and that implies more than just playing, it implies being on time, being easy to work with, knowing your parts before you arrive, etc., etc., etc..
Something that rarely comes naturally to musicians (and it usually shows) is business savvy. If you're typically weak in this area, that's what you have to work on most - learn everything you can about the business and apply it to becoming a success. When Vai was asked what was the single most important thing he learned from working with the legendary Frank Zappa, he said: "Make sure you own your own masters".
One business concept that is very important is networking. As a pro, you will get 99% of your work via referrals from other musicians, so it's always important to be out there, meeting industry people, playing with other musicians and making friends. Even if it means non-paying gigs (once you've done enough paying gigs to handle the rent). Even unpaid, recording with a band gets you in a studio, where you get to meet engineers, producers, etc. Especially with smaller studios, they often are starting out themselves and if you make a good impression, they may think of you in future when they move on to bigger, better paying projects.
As a pro muso, you are basically self-employed. This effectively means you are running a business, and
you are the product being sold. As with any business, you have to put in time and effort to succeed. Consider it an investment.
The Afrikaans thing was just an example
But a very good one... It may not be the most soul-satisfying gig for you, but you could make a connection that leads to greater things.
I am Afrikaans (that explains my shit spelling)
No excuse ;D - my wife is Afrikaans and her English spelling is better than mine. Seriously though, you do very well. Your biggest problem applies to any written language - typos and capitalisation. Forgive me for being critical, but it's something that's near and dear to me for obvious reasons (and you brought it up first! ?).
