For me the answer is both yes and no.

For awhile I was in a great church volunteer situation that was truly one of the best times of my musical life (as well as in my life, period), but it came to a very sudden and very unexpected end.

At present, I am slowly working on something that I would like to see completed within the next few months, but whether it will be worth anything or not is yet to be determined (if it does come to a positive fruition, I will make mention of it at such time).

I am currently having a lot of fun with music and getting somewhere at the same time. Just completed a soundtrack for a movie that is scheduled to go into limited release in the US on the 9th as well as being seen in South Africa. They are a start up studio and are hoping the movie will go national. If nothing else it will be cool to sit in a theater and hear my music come out of the speakers.

Working on two different CD projects. One for myself and one for some friends. The one for myself has been in the works for about a year now while the one for friends is somewhat simpler and is going fast. Both are sounding nice and hope to have something to share in the coming months.

I get to play in front of people on a fairly regular basis but don't make much money at it right now. My regular band broke up last year as my bass player went away to school. Hope to get back on track and make money if for no other reason than to buy some more stuff to make more music with!

All in all loving what I am doing which is the biggest thing of all. Cheers!

I think I've always wanted to record, starting with 2 Philips cassette recorder and my dad's Grundig reel-to-reel in 1969.
Even when I was playing in a band 4, 5, 6 nights a week I was always on the other guys to get in the studio. It was fun to see the song come together piece by piece like a jigsaw puzzle with no picture to guide you.
When I left the band in '82 and moved back to NC from CA, I pretty much became a casual strummer, just picking up the guitar when the mood struck me. And since good recording equipment was kind of expensive, I didn't pursue recording.
Then my brother Mike got a 4-track Fostex and the bug hit me again... for a few months. We did four songs together then I moved to TX and forgot about recording again.
Getting my first computer in 2001 and my brother Carl asking "hey, you know you can record on the computer, don't you?" got me back into it.
But my level of proficiency is not high, I don't have a great ear, am hard of hearing and my voice has been compared to Neil Young's on a bad day.
I don't practice enough, I can't seem to make time for recording, and despite my recent "Feast or Famine" thread, I'm now stuck with about 4 more unfinished songs.
I am happy that I can do this, though. And I plan on finishing them all.
Someday.

Oh, I should add that general church singing was done using the organ, and perhaps I was a bit "out of the norm" by drawing from a very wide variety of sources - classical/folk/and even CCM that could work with the group we had as well as original material.

Creating original material was actually one of the most important positives of the whole experience, and the leader of the church did remark that he hopes that - even though I am no longer there - I will continue writing (even if generally at a rather slow speed).

Rain, it really was quite interesting, and along with the friendships that developed within the group, one of the most joyful experiences I have ever had.

Jim thanks for sharing your experience as well!  It's interesting that they chose to move in the opposite direction that most others are doing.

Rain


I'm always surprised to read how many musicians here seem to be "employed" by churches and how elaborate this seems to be. Where I come from, it boils down to an old gentlemen at the organ. There was some sort of very informal choir also, I think. My grandma was in the choir section, but anyone with a voice could join if they felt like it.

A little microphone for the priest and that's it - don't think there was anything like a sound guy. 
Have churches changed that much - or maybe it's always been - not just where I come from? Or is it that you guys are there for things like weddings? I've played in churches for weddings, but not as a church musician - just a guy on a contract. There was basically me, my little amp and if there was a singer, they had to come with their own rig. No mixer, no speaker, no nothing...

 Beagle covered it pretty well, but I'll add that entire industries have sprung up to accomidate the radical changes in music at some churches. I get magazines called 'Church Production' and 'Live Sound'. A lot of companies like Roland and Yamaha have identified a large market in sales to churches.
 
 Aside from the technical end of things some churches rock in terms of music. The last church I was in had a no holds barred approach to music. We even occasionally played things like U2 if the message of the song fit that days plan. Its all about getting the message and meaning across and whatever or however that happens can be interesting. There is a very large spectrum of different types of churches all the way from traditional to the unexpected. The church I am helping in now was a traditional church that is slowly loosing its old base and getting a younger crowd in. It is interesting to see the music slowly blending as a result of that. FWIW I never have been paid to do any of it although the larger churches certainly do pay for a worship leader.
 
 

Thanks Beagle and Starise. :)

Iplayed in bands from the 8th grade unti I was about 21yo... I am 59yo now. My first guitar was a '67 Tele but I wanted to be Jim McGuinn (Roger) so I traded it in on a Hofner 12-string acoustic. Finally the truss rod came loose in the neck... mercifully. I had a few other guitar over the years, in the 70s I had a nice Yamaha FG 300 or 360, I don't remember I didn't have it long. In the 80s I got a Fender Lead II butdidn't keep it long. Early 90s I got a Takamine, I still have it and a bunch of other guitars. Around that time I quit drinking, and for some reason a whole bunch of songs came pouring out. I got into recording originally to try and record those songs however, I got severely distracted by GAS. I learned to play lead guitar instead of just rhythm and vocals but still struggle with recording. It seemed like with my limited time and resources and teenage daughters and running a business I just never took the time to learn it all... and... I didn't have the money to buy equipment that would really work well. Powerful computers were really expensive so I cut corners on everything and lived a life of digital frustration.
Finally, I have equipment that will run at low latency, software that I understand (sort of).. I started with a Yamaha QY-70.. ugh. (old dog/new tricks...) I have a constant battle keeping myself on track, not wanting more and more stuff instead of using what I have.
It may sound weird but sharing a song I wrote and recorded scares me a LOT more than playing live on a stage. I continually fight to overcome that phobia... but I am pleased with where I am and with my direction. It keeps coming together.
My last "gig" was at the Church we used to attend. I was the electric guitarist, it was a Calvary Chapel and it was a blast!! Strat>Jordan J-700 pedal>Fender Vibrolux.
 
I am now writing a lot of yrics again and I think I am getting better. I am taking my time and learning a lot. The videos, X1 POWER!, and reading this forum everyday really have helped me. In the past I have always gotten ahead of myself and tried to do things my HW/Software just would not do and quit, in frustration. I am taking my time and so far, so good. I am really thankful for how inexpensive good computers and hardware have become and how good the drivers are these days.
 
My goals are:
 
1: Become comfortable with my DAW and HW.
2: Get my spare room set up for a mixing/recording room.
3: Find a way to share what I learn locally with young people.
4: Write a string of hit songs... well, 3 out of 4 ain't bad.
 
Julien
 
 

Music? I'm spending too much time in the CH to do music. LOL

LOL. I'll give it some thought.

Thanks for sharing everyone!  I love hearing these stories!

A guy I mentioned in another thread (most famous person you met?), William Burton and I were talking the other day. I asked him how his album project was going and if he needed any help with it. He said he's not that great a guitarist and I offered to do some leads on it. He asked me if I wanted to sit in at one of his shows.
It's been, oh, 29 years since I played in front of people. I told him that me shaking like a leaf would not enhance the show.

When I was in high school my dad and mom asked me what I was planing on becoming. When I mentioned musician they told me point blank and with all knowing certainty that " Musicians don't make money". So I became Railroad Carman Carpenter, Zamboni driver,School bus driver,Health care worker etc instead. But If you asked me who I am I will always say I'm a musician. ( Insert new paragraph here unless you have firefox 6) I have enjoyed a blend of musical adventurers from playing small party's to huge festivals crowds, I've played bass, guitar and drums, I sing, Bluegrass, country rock, old rock, party rock, Elvis, Jazz, in church and under the church, Funerals ( oh dear me) weddings, Choir and high school bands. I also have become a pretty good sound engineer which I believe being a musicians is a good asset. I mostly am busy playing live or doing sound guy gigs and find I never have time enough for recording. I record live shows and then never have time to edit them. MY goal for this winter is to hide out in the attic and finish what I started,, Posting here is a big distraction but I think It helped understand the computer thing which I needed to do.

Janet - but now you're shared with everyone else which is what I wanted! 

Greg - you should go for it!!!!!

Russ - you've been an inspiration to me!  thanks for sharing with everyone!

Johnny - thanks, I'm sure it's disappointing when you're steered in the "backup" position, but it sounds like you're still working the dream!

thanks for sharing, Rob.  I know panic attacks are serious things and affect a lot more people than we realize.  I hope you have been able to avoid them mostly and congrats on the daughter!