minstrel: Re: SCA to professional

[nickolas kaugon]

i've been a professional musician for fifteen years.

i have three tapes and i'm about to complie two
cds(with any luck)

it depends where you are.

when i was in antir or visited the west. or even st
louis(calontir i think) people were very apreciative.
i was always able to travel light. instruments only
and get garb tents and what ever on the road. 

now i'm based in ontario and as far as i've
experienced, that is in toronto. people are actively
hostile to professional musicians and forget about
getting help with garb etc unless you are part of the
clique, so i don't play unless i travel--mostly to the
east now.

at thirty year celebration there were some great
professional musicians who played many instruments. i
love comparing my wierd collection of early music
instruments and celtic instruments with other's.

really it's only the big events where you can sell
enough tapes or busk for a decent profit, but you can
do it at big events and you meet everyone.

i fact i would like to go to more events again but i
lost all my garb in a fre and i have never learned to
sew--anyone out ther willing to donate a t tunic or
two. a cape? anything. if i had garb i'd go to more
events--but not likely in ontario. the politocs of the
sca dominate all other considerations here . i've
known a dozen musicians who looked into the sca here
and ran for cover when they saw how it was run.(am i
tattling--this was the cae in madrone at one time too)

a hint. professional musicians are welcome anywhere.
they do not want to play hierarchy games unless they
are committed scaers, and few are regulars. they do
love a party though and if you don't try to dun them
with political rules and power trips they will come to
events anf play for free, because most pro's love to
play--any time ant where as long as they can stand.
when i'm not doing gigs i do a lot of busking not just
for the money--i'm good at making some money at
it--but it's fun, people love you. every day someone
tells me that they were having a terrible day and my
music made them feel better. i wish i made more money
but i never had another line of work that was near as
fulfilling, now ask me when i'm 75, most musicians
don't retire they play till they drop.

as to stage fright, well used it. i never give a
bright performance if i don't feel a little nervous
before beginning. i have met people who had it bad, so
play to friends, back to them if you have too.i've
honestly seen people start that way.the sca is a great
place to get a small non judgemental audience who will
be supportive.



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