Jeremy Shaskus new article series Jeremy Shaskus – How To Survive Being A Musician In The New Millennium

Jeremy Shaskus new article series Jeremy Shaskus – HOW TO SURVIVE BEING A MUSICIAN IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM:   My name is Jeremy Shaskus. I am a woodwinds performer, composer/arranger, educator and as of now, a writer based in Seattle Washington. Throughout the next couple of months I will be presenting a series of articles on how to survive as a musician in the new millennium.

***Based on my experience and view on the world***

Within the past century we have seen many changes. Socially we have seen a movement towards equality and a fight for a peaceful Utopia. Politically we have seen racial barriers dismantled as well as the darker (well, more orange) side of freedom. Technologically there have been very quick advances within the past 20 years that have shaped the way everyone interacts on a global level. Musically this has allowed some incredible moments to happen yet it has opened the flood gates for a firmly sealed market place to become overly saturated. With the current dismantling of the music business and the rise of the DIY attitude, sprinkled with a bit of entrepreneurial wonder, what we are left with is nearly complete and total anarchy.

Maybe I’m disillusioned to think that the past was better for musicians and creatives, in a business sense. I mean, something had to happen in order for there to be ruins of a musicians union or guild but again, WHAT HAPPENED? When did the view of creating/performing music go from being a professional craft to a mere hobby for bored housewives? Call me an idealist, hopeless romantic or whatever patronizing name you can think of but the point stands; It’s hard to make a living at this, hell it’s hard to do anything BUT, if I may be so cliche, “where there’s a will there’s a way”.

My intention and hope with these writings is to hopefully encourage, guide and at the very least shed a different light onto the daunting and seemingly overwhelming task of being a musician in the modern age.

I have organized the next five installments as such. Hopefully you will get as much out of them as I did creating them:

1. Studying/Learning your craft (Acquiring Basic Technique, A Means to Imaginative Infinity)
2. Getting a Gig (Being a Leader vs. Side Man)
3. Keeping Gigs (Being in a Band vs. Being a Mercenary and how to Behave)
4. Sound vs. Style (Not as Different as you Think)
5. Humility not Nihilism

Editor notes:  I asked Jeremy to give us his thoughts on how to survive in today’s music world… he’s a perfect “spokesman”, since he’s a very active player himself… the videos below will give you some “live insight” into his various high-energy playing styles…