Who would go to one of my live shows?

[Jean Valjean]

Please check out my music at

soundcloud.com/Michael-Schriner 

 

looking for support and to one day make this a full time living 

[Stormswift]

Michael - hey there! Welcome to jwtalk ... hope you really enjoy it here.

 

I've popped in and had a wee listen, you have good management of the guitar - electric bass guitar yes?  While it is not my type of music, I certainly can recognize your skill.

 

Being in New Zealand I could not support you by attending a live concert, but I certainly look forward to you playing Jehovah's music in the new system, I look forward to meeting you there one day soon. So maybe your full time career may be realised in a more complete and wonderful way you can ever imagine now.  

 

Lovely to meet you. Warm NZ Aroha to you. (Love).

[Friends just call me Ross]

Welcome to the message board, Michael!  

I really enjoyed 'Broken' and 'Santa Monica'.

'Stressed Out' was my fave track.

Not a big concert goer, but your guitar playing ROCKS!

[Alexa]

3 hours ago, Michael Schriner said:

Please check out my music at

soundcloud.com/Michael-Schriner 

 

looking for support and to one day make this a full time living 

I see you at facebook too so yes dear brother, why not 

[Brother_Bliss]

I dunno @Michael Schriner I'd have to give it some real thought

 

[tekmantwo]

1 hour ago, Dismal_Bliss said:

I dunno @Michael Schriner I'd have to give it some real thought

 

Methinks there is more to this than meets the eye...

[Cool Cat]

Having been in the music industry when I was not in the truth and experienced the lifestyle that is involved:- Ie:- playing in pubs/bars/function rooms where people are drinking and often get drunk and have lower inhibitions. Where people go to try and hook up or find someone to go home with.

 

Having to practise or share a stage with other musicians who don't love Jehovah and  who are involved in drinking/smoking/drugs/staying out late at night/and picking up girls who love hooking up with musicians.

 

The time and effort that goes into promoting, managing, rehearsing, traveling and playing including at weekends especially Saturday nights which would interfere with Sunday meetings.

 

If you want to make this a full time living then be prepared for it to take over your life. It has knocked many a person out of the truth and there is a reason why we had a video and talk during the convention discouraging Sergei from persueing the violin to become a musician. Instead he was encouraged by his father to do it just for fun.

 

I am the finished article and I could charge between £100-£400 per night in a pub or £500-£1000 for a wedding

 

The decision to not persue a music career though I believe was a good one and one that has kept me safe from all these pressures that go along with it. Instead I have a part time Job that funds my full time service to Jehovah. This would not be possible if I was trying to make a living from full time music.

 

Hope this information helps you to get an idea of what the music industry is like. It's harder living it than reading about it on a forum.

 

 

[futurepromise]

'Out of the mouth the heart speaks'.  You just joined this forum and what is in your heart is promoting a music career.  Looking forward to hear you speak on spiritual matters to share with us. Let's focus on supporting one another to get closer to

Jehovah.

[Tortuga]

Wasn't there a video recently about a young brother making a decision about a music career? 

[Cool Cat]

I worked with a brother at the new Chelmsford facility a couple of weekends ago and he taught children music/guitar lessons in his old school. £5 for 10 minutes which is all you need to set someone something to learn on guitar for a week. He worked 2 days a week and was able to pioneer. I thought that was a great idea!

[Brother_Bliss]

20 hours ago, tekmantwo said:

Methinks there is more to this than meets the eye...

 

Michael is in my congregation and we are working together musically as well as separately.

[Brother_Bliss]

9 hours ago, Tortuga said:

Wasn't there a video recently about a young brother making a decision about a music career? 

 

Yeah, but that brother was into rap and thus needed saving

 

[Thesauron]

 
Yeah, but that brother was into rap and thus needed saving
 

A friend of mine was considered a ' musical wonder child', played at prestigious clubs at 15, got one of he best musical educations in Europe. But in time he realised it took away too much energy and focus from the truth, so he gave it all up. Now he is a young circuit overseer instead and work on various music projects for bethel instead.

[Brother_Bliss]

37 minutes ago, Thesauron said:

A friend of mine was considered a ' musical wonder child', played at prestigious clubs at 15, got one of he best musical educations in Europe. But in time he realised it took away too much energy and focus from the truth, so he gave it all up. Now he is a young circuit overseer instead and work on various music projects for bethel instead.

 

Good for him!

 

It's really about balance. I'm a ceramic tile setter by trade, and kitchen and bath remodeling sometimes takes way too much energy and some focus away from the truth. We call it 'feast or famine' in the industry.

 

I imagine most fields take effort to keep them in their proper place.

[Thesauron]

 
Good for him!
 
It's really about balance. I'm a ceramic tile setter by trade, and kitchen and bath remodeling sometimes takes way too much energy and some focus away from the truth. We call it 'feast or famine' in the industry.
 
I imagine most fields take effort to keep them in their proper place.

Yes. When you get a lot of attention for your skills it makes it really tricky to keep a balanced view. At first he took a small job for a construction firm. The brother who ran that firm got so successful that he eventually lost sight of the truth.

[ReadYourBible]

On ‎9‎/‎20‎/‎2016 at 5:17 PM, Michael Schriner said:

Please check out my music at

soundcloud.com/Michael-Schriner 

 

looking for support and to one day make this a full time living 

Your covers are half decent.  My daughter is a crazy good guitar player (I'll see if I can find some of her stuff), she busks and people stop, she often earns $300 per evening for a couple hours. 

 

Your strumming patterns need variation,  you could also experiment a bit with some different music styles.  I found Blue to lacking, but that my just be my personal preference.  If I were going to see a people with their guitars these are small examples of what I'd see.  Start at 3:05, because this is where he hammers on the guitar with such intensity it makes the hairs stand up on the back of my arms.

 

Please know I played guitar for 4 years,  played so much my fingers bled, so I know how much dedication you've had to put into your craft and I have a heightened appreciation for all things guitar.  

 

Much respect. 

 

Music lessons, and side projects would be cool but don't sacrifice your relationship with Jehovah for it. 

 

 

 

 

 

Also check this out.........

 

 

 

[ReadYourBible]

 

This is my daughter singing and playing guitar.............. she lays floor for a living and busks when she needs money.

[Stormswift]

wow Sharon, i could listen to her all day that is my type of music.  Nice.

[Stormswift]

We actually did have a brother here who managed to balance both a career in the music industry AND his spiritual responsibilities even serving as an elder. He passed away a few years ago, and his son and DIL are in the RTO in Tonga now.

 

But the key difference here was his music did not require concerts or the party lifestyle to bring in the income. He did jingles for Television programs, and advertising - I'll show you one in a minute. He also had a dance band, that backed talents shows and did ballroom dancing. He put out albums of piano music. Was quite an icon if that is the correct word to use. I remember playing the piano when i was younger at the Kingdom Hall and getting nervous because he was visiting and giving a talk. haha.

 

Here is one of his jingles that is very well known in NZ ... not many people delve into who wrote it, so he was able to keep a lot of anonymity. Enjoy.

 

 

 

A lot of programs sported his music as well. So yeah it's possible, but I would be afraid for any youth who got into the music scene at this time ... because of it's nature and associations that are needed in order to promote and garnish an income. 

 

 

[Thesauron]

Please check out my music at
soundcloud.com/Michael-Schriner 
 
looking for support and to one day make this a full time living 

Brother, I'd go to your live show whenever it's nearby.

[ReadYourBible]

2 hours ago, Stormswift said:

wow Sharon, i could listen to her all day that is my type of music.  Nice.

This isn't even her best work, in fact if she knew I had it, she'd take it down LOL!  I have videos someplace of her playing and if the entertainment business weren't so disgusting I would want her so much to pursue a career in music.  However, with where we are in the stream of time, and my hope that someday she'll make the truth her own..... I'm glad she isn't caught up in that.

 

Anyhow, I don't want to detract from Michael's efforts.  I think there could be something good there, just needs to work on it more.

 

 

Edited September 22, 2016 by cerebral ecstasy

[Jean Valjean]

Thanks everyone for all your feeedback and I would appreciate anyone's help brother and sisters 

 

I am blessed with my god given talent 

I will not put it to waste 

[Jean Valjean]

On 9/20/2016 at 11:12 PM, Alexa said:

I see you at facebook too so yes dear brother, why not 

Add me in FB sis

[Stormswift]

1 hour ago, Michael Schriner said:

I am blessed with my god given talent 

I will not put it to waste 

I don't think anyone would want you to waste your talents, they are indeed special gifts, we all have these special gifts. I think the essence of what everyone is saying is go into this with eyes wide open ... talk to those who have been through it ... and to keep an even keel spiritually, which is of course most important even more important than using any skills, abilities or talents we all have. To do that as suggested above research what the society says on going into this type of industry and read experiences. If you do this prayerfully and with Jehovah's perspective  then the decision you arrive at should be the right one.

 

I draw portraits, and  art is another extremely difficult field to break into and make an income from ... i would have loved to have had an income from my art - and sometimes it's helped me get to conventions even, but realistically i have had to put my dreams on becoming a famous artist aside, but it's not wasting my talent, as I spend time teaching children how to draw and I know I can pick up drawing again in the new system, and for me that is the real life and art is going to have a deeper meaning then, and it won't be in return for an income to live in this horrible system. 

 

Just all aspects to consider ... and i certainly wish you well and hope the decisions you make will help you on your journey to the new system ... all my aroha to you. 

[Hope]

Yes - I'll add my two cents to the "be careful" crew.  My father is a blues musician, rather famous in Chicago.  I'm a professional singer - not by trade, but I've been paid well for it.  I received my first standing ovation at age 15.  I've sung with jazz bands, with the Portland Opera last year, with my dad's band.  There isn't ANYTHING I like to do better than sing and I'd love to take the time to really develop my voice and acting skills.  I've had genuine encouragement to audition for shows, the opera chorus... I believe I could do it if I put my mind to it.

 

However....

 

Something I love so well would really make me want to do it all the time.  I know the late hours rehearsals and gigs require.  I REALLY know the wonderful camaraderie that develops between artists - the production I did with the Opera last year was the single most enjoyable, enriching and mind-blowing experience I've ever had doing anything.    I'm Facebook friends with most of the people I worked with on that project and I see their travels, shows, recitals, etc and I can't say I don't envy them a bit.  I don't have anything so personally fulfilling in my real life.  This is not downplaying my life as a Witness.. I'm a regular auxiliary pioneer and I love the ministry.  But it's not "me", if you get my meaning.  Music *is* me -- and that's what's a bit scary.

 

The environment, association, even physical locations I'd have to perform in could be spiritually dangerous.  There's a strong homosexual element amongst professional singers/theater people.  Most of the recitals and smaller performances are done in churches (low fee, great acoustics), lots of religious music sung - because it's beautiful and technically challenging.  Also -- the people in the business are so friendly, accepting, supportive... I don't want to be in a constant state of comparing them to my people in Jehovah's Organization.  I cannot, in all honesty, say who might win out, depending on what's going on.  But the possibilities have been humming rather loudly beneath the surface of my brain for quite some time, now.  I know all I need to do is reach out and grab it...

 

One of my favorite district overseers, Charles Jackson, gave a very fine talk about 20 years ago at our circuit assembly.  I don't remember the title or most of the content but the point that has stuck in my brain all this time is this:  "Jehovah's Witnesses aren't Witnesses because we can't do anything else.  We have such talent, intelligence, artistic and engineering abilities, so many incredible careers put to the side for the Truth.  Jehovah knows this and He appreciate our sacrifice... these things are what He created us to do.  Not the preaching work, not really.  But that's what's necessary not and we need to keep our focus.  Not much longer before we can really be all that we're supposed to be."  Those words mean so much to me.

 

I know a lot of Witnesses who are musicians, singers.  Particularly in the Chicago area, I'm always hearing about performances, shows, etc... friends do it.  I love working with other JWs (although the drama is there, as well...  ).  At least with us, we have a common sense of what's right and wrong, not blowing off meetings/ministry for gigs, avoiding questionable material/venues.  But even that can be challenging; even as Witness, we need to be careful of that "wonderful camaraderie" if that vibe is with the opposite sex.  And that one is not available.  Just trust me on that...  that's some trouble you do NOT want.

 

Anyway - welcome to the board, I friended you on the Facebook.  Looking forward to your participation here.  And yes - I'd love to see one of your shows if I was in your neighborhood.