Guitar Music Lessons - Turn Playing Into A Career

With guitar music lessons, I’ve learned to love playing the guitar, and in turn, the guitar has treated me well. Similarly, the guitar can treat you just as well with time.

When I first started playing, I was jamming for fun in a small classic rock cover band in my mid teens and I had no idea what that would eventually lead to. Eight years later, I’m still playing to have fun, but I’m recording professional rock, indie, and hardcore albums and performing in front of hundreds of people in sold-out venues all over the area.

Throughout this entire process, I’ve acquired some great concepts and learning tidbits that made the difference between playing the guitar as a hobby and using it as a career. I want to share these concepts with you an hopefully they can have a great impact on how you treat your guitar music lessons.

Let’s take a look at three levels of guitar-playing that you can or may be accomplishing.
(1) Non-professional or amateur guitarist
(2) Semi-professional guitarist
(3) Guess...you got it. Professional guitarist

So what do each of these categories mean?

For non-professional/amateur guitarists, playing the instrument is fun and adventuresome. If you’re a non-professional, you’re most likely not getting paid for your performances, so you have an advantage over most professionals. You have the ability to choose where, when, and to what audience that you perform without worrying about compensation. When you’re done, you just get back to your private guitar music lessons.

Semi-professional guitarists like to get compensation for their performances but are not ready to make a steady income from it. If you’re in a band that plays shows, weddings, or other social events and appreciates a check at the end of the night, you’re a semi-professional. Most of these guitarists book the “fail-safe” dates like New Year’s Eve to make a big score, but the majority of income comes from some other source.

A professional-guitarist gets all of their income from playing whether that’s from being in the studio or doing live shows.

Notice, by the way, that the level of expertise on the guitar has nothing to do with the professional level that’s appointed. It’s simply based on how the performer gets their income.

At least with this information, you can decide where you are right now and where you want to be.

And be aware, there are going to be people that will tell you that being a professional guitarist just does not work and you can’t listen to them. They are incorrect, but let them have their own opinion.

Your mission is to keep up with your guitar music lessons, practice hard, and focus on your goals. Use this knowledge to make your next big decision regarding the guitar.