3 ms·

I have a few friends in the business and they are basically all broke except for one. Music is like the game industry. Hits based and there are far more talente

I have a few friends in the business and they are basically all broke except for one. Music is like the game industry. Hits based and there are far more talented people pursuing it than there are hits. Being talented isn’t enough, you need to be well connected, good looking, lucky, etc. The internet has made it better than ever to carve out a niche and get a few thousand fans, but it’s still hard to get people to choose you over the millions of other things screaming for attention.

offtop5 6y ago
The music industry is much worse in my opinion. If you spend half your life learning to program so you can make games, you can always give up at 38 and start working on boring enterprise software. If You're a 38-year-old self-taught musician you can't exactly walk into a company and get a job. I still make music as one of my main hobbies, but I've accepted that no one will ever know who I am, and I'll never make a single cent. There's nothing in the world like making a song for your friends though.
- jfengel 6y ago
  That is precisely the story of a close friend. It really messed her up for several years. She was genuinely amazingly talented but her band never managed to be in the right place at the right time. She did land on her feet, after literally going all the way back to college as a freshman. (She was fortunate to have the resources for that.) Best anecdote though, on the 18 year olds who she befriended in the program: "The good news is they think I'm 28. The bad news is they think that's old."
- Jasper_ 6y ago
  There's plenty of "working musicians" not in the industry: playing gigs in jazz clubs, at weddings. If you're a composer or a songwriter, you can find work in films and TV and commercials (lots of ad agency work to go around), or become an in-house composer at a stock music house, or another production staff, like a game studio! If you try to find stardom, you won't succeed.
  - alfiedotwtf 6y ago
    I like this answer. There’s more musicians who aren’t well known, but doesn’t mean they’re out of work. I have much respect for session musicians... probably the most talented type of musician
Agentlien 6y ago
This sounds very much like my impression of the music industry but not my experience of the game industry. Yes, starting your own indie studio means you'll probably not make it. But a lot of developers have steady jobs with decent pay at bigger studios.
soulofmischief 6y ago
I'm making decent money as a game developer. You just have to hone your craft and find something niche and interesting that few people can do well. I also compose and produce music and have not made a cent from it other than occasional recording time. Game dev is way easier.

offtop5 6y ago

The music industry is much worse in my opinion. If you spend half your life learning to program so you can make games, you can always give up at 38 and start working on boring enterprise software. If You're a 38-year-old self-taught musician you can't exactly walk into a company and get a job. I still make music as one of my main hobbies, but I've accepted that no one will ever know who I am, and I'll never make a single cent. There's nothing in the world like making a song for your friends though.

jfengel 6y ago
That is precisely the story of a close friend. It really messed her up for several years. She was genuinely amazingly talented but her band never managed to be in the right place at the right time. She did land on her feet, after literally going all the way back to college as a freshman. (She was fortunate to have the resources for that.) Best anecdote though, on the 18 year olds who she befriended in the program: "The good news is they think I'm 28. The bad news is they think that's old."
Jasper_ 6y ago
There's plenty of "working musicians" not in the industry: playing gigs in jazz clubs, at weddings. If you're a composer or a songwriter, you can find work in films and TV and commercials (lots of ad agency work to go around), or become an in-house composer at a stock music house, or another production staff, like a game studio! If you try to find stardom, you won't succeed.
- alfiedotwtf 6y ago
  I like this answer. There’s more musicians who aren’t well known, but doesn’t mean they’re out of work. I have much respect for session musicians... probably the most talented type of musician

Agentlien 6y ago

This sounds very much like my impression of the music industry but not my experience of the game industry. Yes, starting your own indie studio means you'll probably not make it. But a lot of developers have steady jobs with decent pay at bigger studios.

soulofmischief 6y ago

I'm making decent money as a game developer. You just have to hone your craft and find something niche and interesting that few people can do well. I also compose and produce music and have not made a cent from it other than occasional recording time. Game dev is way easier.