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
Hotel Wonderfully Welcome, Chicago.
Robert Fripp
16 Nov 2005
Hotel Quite Acceptable, Vancouver.
Robert Fripp
12 Dec 2004
Bredonborough.
Robert Fripp
1 Apr 2009
Bredonborough.
Robert Fripp
14 Apr 2020
Hotel Quite Acceptable, Denver.
Robert Fripp
12 Dec 2004
Just For You
ARTICLES

Gibson Stereo guitar.

With the DGM releases of The Cheerful Insanity of Giles Gile...

MORE

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

Toyah & Robert's latest Upbeat Moments & a vintage Sunday Lu...

MORE

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

Toyah & Robert's Weekend

MORE

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
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

Winnepeg Art Gallery

Robert Fripp
Winnipeg Art Gallery
9 Aug 1979

MORE

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

Robert Fripp
DGMHQ Soundworld 1
23 Apr 2021

MORE

The Sheltering Scape

King Crimson
DGM Soundworld II
15 Oct 2018

MORE

Jaani kirik Viljandi Estonia

Robert Fripp
Jaani kirik
25 Aug 2006

MORE

Queen Elizabeth Foyer Day 1

Robert Fripp
Queen Elizabeth Hall foyer
7 Mar 1996

MORE

Teatro Palamostre

Robert Fripp
Teatro Palamostre
24 Jun 2006

MORE

Finger Lakes Art Center

Robert Fripp
Finger Lakes Arts Center
25 Jun 1997

MORE

Le Pretzel En Chaine

Robert Fripp
Le Pretzel Enchaine
19 Aug 1979

MORE

World Financial Centre New York United States

Robert Fripp
World Financial Center
29 Nov 2000

MORE

Kursaal

Robert Fripp
Kursaal
15 Apr 2007

MORE

Music For Quiet Moments 13

Robert Fripp
DGMHQ Soundworld 1
24 Jul 2020

MORE

Music For Quiet Moments 51 - Opening (Nashville 17 Apr 2004)

Robert Fripp
DGMHQ Soundworld 1
16 Apr 2021

MORE

Teatro Académico Gil Vicente

Robert Fripp
Teatro Académico Gil Vicente
20 Apr 2007

MORE

Matrix Studios

Robert Fripp
Matrix Studios
13 Feb 1982

MORE

Music For Quiet Moments 46 - Elegy ( Nashville 1 Mar 2006)

Robert Fripp
DGMHQ Soundworld 1
12 Mar 2021

MORE

Rough Trade Records London

Robert Fripp
Rough Trade Records
19 Jul 1985

MORE

Music For Quiet Moments 43 - Reflection (La Spezia 28 Jun 2006)

Robert Fripp
DGMHQ Soundworld 1
19 Feb 2021

MORE

Music For Quiet Moments 50 - Time Present (Buenos Aires 9 Jun 2007)

Robert Fripp
DGMHQ Soundworld 1
9 Apr 2021

MORE

Music For Quiet Moments 35 - Drifting Gently (Chattanooga 27 Feb 2006)

Robert Fripp
DGMHQ Soundworld 1
25 Dec 2020

MORE

Teatro Independencia

Robert Fripp
Teatro Independencia
2 Jun 2007

MORE
ARTISTS

Robert Fripp

MORE
PHOTO GALLERY