Apologia Pro Vita Sua

Posted by Robert Fripp
13 Nov 2024
Wednesday, November 13, 2024

Perceptions of more and less subtlety, such as creative insight and decision making, are open to reasoned debate, but only between those who are practised to a sufficient degree of proficiency / competence in the particular area of endeavour being debated. These are conventionally referred to as adult conversations.

How can I be a professional musician?...

Wednesday 23rd. December, 1998.

An ongoing question asked by many students in Guitar Craft: "How can I be a professional musician?". The quick answer is this: why? and you probably can't.

To earn a living as a professional musician means that people give you money. If anyone is going to part with their hard-earned pay, it's likely to be on the basis that:

1. The musician gives them something that they want; or:
2. The musician gives them something that they need.

The only possible alternative I can conceive is that of permitting the outbreak of charitable acts, which has precedents in several traditions (the Zen monk's begging bowl, for example). But this is not an intent I have recognised in the GC students and aspirant pros that have come to me for advice.

The two Argentinian Guitar Craft students referred to above: both are professional; that is, they are prepared to accept money for playing guitar and giving guitar lessons. Both of them are broke. Last year I advised them to go to GIT in Los Angeles, which provides an excellent education in the what-to-do expected / required of contemporary professional guitarists. Neither went.

On a personal level, I don't blame them: leaving home, family and friends is hard. I know. I haven't been at home much since 1967. So, what personal price is the aspirant professional musician prepared to pay? What limitations is the player going to set on the demands made of them by music and / or the professional life?

My advice remains the same, to nearly every aspirant player: have a richly enjoyable, sustaining and nourishing hobby. You need make no compromises with the music you play. If you become successful as a semi-pro, then you can move full-time if you wish. But if you have rent to pay, a wife and children who would like occasionally to be fed, you may well discover that you are prepared to lie (musically) for money. This is the shadow side of being a professional musician (cf Laurie Lee's poem "The Bird").

 

 

 



Popular Posts

A Tale of Two Concerts
David Singleton
19 May 2025
Apologia Pro Vita Sua
Robert Fripp
8 Nov 2024
What Is A Question?
Robert Fripp
23 Mar 2025
Hotel Professionally Acceptable, San Francisco.
Robert Fripp
23 Feb 2024
Motel Modesto, San Luis Obispo.
Robert Fripp
28 Feb 2024

Related Posts
Bredonborough.
Robert Fripp
29 Jun 2020
Guitar Craft Levels 1 & 2+ - St. Vincent de Paul Circle V Ranch, Santa Barbara, California
Robert Fripp
2 Mar 2023
#507, Sofitel, Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles.
Robert Fripp
12 Dec 2004
Bredonborough.
Robert Fripp
11 Jun 2020
Bredonborough.
Robert Fripp
25 Apr 2020
Just For You
ARTICLES

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

Toyah & Robert's latest Upbeat Moments & a brand new Sunday...

MORE

Going Mobile:

When the League of Crafty Guitarist’s sound engineer abruptl...

MORE

Guitar Craft Course with RF

An Introduction To Guitar Craft & The Guitar Circle, directe...

MORE

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

MORE

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

MORE

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

Toyah & Robert's latest Upbeat Moments & vintage Sunday Lunc...

MORE

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

MORE

Stormy's Monday Selection: The Letters

Alex 'Stormy' Mundy combines the studio take of The Letters...

MORE

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

MORE

Giles, Giles & Fripp New Editions.

The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles and Fripp (The Songs),...

MORE

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

MORE

Happy Birthday Robert!

King Crimson's guitarist turns 79 today. To mark the occasio...

MORE

Elemental Mixing Underway

New music discovered! Lizard gets the Elemental Mix treatmen...

MORE

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

MORE

Managing America.

Dee Anthony was King Crimson’s heavyweight manager in the US...

MORE

Stormy takes apart FraKctured

This month Mr Stormy throws the spotlight on Robert, Adrian...

MORE

Toyah and Robert's Weekend.

Catch up with Toyah and Robert's latest weekend on YouTube.

MORE

Son Of Glen the new album by Jakko Jakszyk

King Crimson's guitarist/vocalist announces a June release f...

MORE

Red Elemental Mixes

David Singleton's alternative look at the Red album now avai...

MORE

Toyah & Robert's Easter Weekend

Toyah & Robert's Easter Weekend

MORE
DIARIES

Satch Bus.

09.23

Satch Bus.

We arrived at Hotel Adeq...

MORE

Satch Bus.

10.53

Route 66 gives a route of 1535 mil...

MORE

Cabin 6020, Silja Ferry >Stockholm.

16.21

Cabin 6020, Silja Ferry >Stockholm.

...

MORE

Satch Bus.

10.29

Bags at 09.30, lobby 10.00, set off for Got...

MORE

Satch Bus, outside venue, Copenhagen.

24.47

An experientially long overnight drive, inc...

MORE

Hotel Pricey And The Staff Are Superb, Amsterdam.

10.47

Breakfast this morning with Joe alone. He w...

MORE

Hotel It-Is-Almost Posh, Amsterdam.

09.10

Into the breakfast room at 06.30 for a quie...

MORE

The Basement, Chateau Belew.

10.28

The Basement, Chateau Belew.

The su...

MORE

The Basement, Chateau Belew.

05.30

One proper response to being alive is joy....

MORE

The Basement, Chateau Belewbeloid.

16.41

The event of the day: Martha Belew is 31 to...

MORE

Los Molinos.

07.23

Rising at 05.52, or 04.52 UK & body tim...

MORE

Crimson Tourbus, Outside Hotel Acceptable, Phoenix.

01.00

Crimson Tourbus, Outside Hotel Acceptable,...

MORE

#504, Hotel Quite Acceptable, Vancouver.

00.15

A supportive & generous audience and wh...

MORE

Hotel Quite Acceptable, Vancouver.

11.03

The weather is changeable, a blue sky rapid...

MORE

Hotel Quite Acceptable, Vancouver.

23.57

We arrived at Denver International Airport,...

MORE

Hotel Quite Acceptable, Denver.

10.42

The sun is shining, the sky is mostly blue,...

MORE

Hotel Quite Acceptable, Denver.

20.04

Snowbound in Denver. Rising at 08.30, a not...

MORE

Room Most Acceptable, Hotel Quite Acceptable.

11.00

Driving snow is blowing past on the other s...

MORE

Hotel Quite Acceptable, Denver.

23.15

And with free Ethernet access, too. A call...

MORE

Mobile HQ, Crimbus.

12.47

We left our hotel punctually at noon and ar...

MORE
DOWNLOADS

Bathurst Street Theatre

Robert Fripp
Bathurst Street Theatre
11 Aug 1979

MORE

The Phoenix

Robert Fripp
The Phoenix
14 Jan 1998

MORE

Music For Quiet Moments 42 - Glisten (La Spezia 28 Jun 2006)

Robert Fripp
DGMHQ Soundworld 1
12 Feb 2021

MORE

Charlotte's Web

The League Of Gentlemen
Charlotte's Web
12 Jul 1980

MORE

Forte Belvedere

Robert Fripp
Forte Belvedere
26 Jun 2006

MORE

Orchard Hall

King Crimson
Orchard Hall
19 Dec 2018

MORE

Music For Quiet Moments 17

Robert Fripp
DGMHQ Soundworld 1
21 Aug 2020

MORE

Music For Quiet Moments 45 - Elegy (Paris 22 Sept 2015)

Robert Fripp
DGMHQ Soundworld 1
5 Mar 2021

MORE

World Financial Centre 2nd Performance

Robert Fripp
World Financial Centre 2nd Performance
3 Dec 2010

MORE

Jones Beach Amphitheatre

Robert Fripp
Jones Beach Ampitheatre
20 Jun 1997

MORE

Teatro Central

Robert Fripp
Teatro Central
18 Apr 2007

MORE

Music For Quiet Moments 3

Robert Fripp
DGMHQ Soundworld 1
15 May 2020

MORE

Bijou Cafe 2nd Performance

The League Of Gentlemen
Bijou Cafe 2nd Performance
1 Jul 1980

MORE

Music For Quiet Moments 36 - Drifting Firmly (Chattanooga 27 Feb 2006)

Robert Fripp
DGMHQ Soundworld 1
1 Jan 2021

MORE

Teatro Circo

Robert Fripp
Teatro Circo
23 Apr 2007

MORE

Nautica Stage

Robert Fripp
Nautica Stage
24 Jun 1997

MORE

Bewitched

Summers & Fripp
Arny's Shack
1 Jun 1984

MORE

RF Guitar

ProjeKct Two
Ventura Theatre
18 Mar 1998

MORE

Music For Quiet Moments 52 - Time And Time Again (Mendoza 2 June 2007)

Robert Fripp
DGMHQ Soundworld 1
23 Apr 2021

MORE

Robert And Trey

King Crimson
DGM Sound World I
26 Sep 2022

MORE
ARTISTS

Robert Fripp

MORE
PHOTO GALLERY