Mini careers?
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Be kind. No government, state, or local politics allowed. Admin has final decision for any/all removed posts.
Be kind. No government, state, or local politics allowed. Admin has final decision for any/all removed posts.
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Todd S. Malicoate
- 6 valves
- Posts: 2378
- Joined: Sat Mar 20, 2004 11:12 pm
- Location: Tulsa, OK
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Alex F
- 4 valves
- Posts: 798
- Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 12:39 am
- Location: Chicago
I got one for you. Piano tuning.
Don't laugh. The number of good piano tuners is declining and a good tuner around Chicago can get $75 - $125 per piano.
You start by signing up for one of the home study courses that are out there. There's one run out of Washington (state of) that's quite good. AT THE SAME TIME, offer yourelf as an apprentice "slave" to a local tuner so you can learn the ropes (strings actually) from a pro. It will require some investment for basic tools and books and a lot of disciplined study, but it can be done. I know you can hear pitches so you have a good start.
Beyond tuning, you'll also learn som basic repair skills: changing strings; freeing stuck keys; installing springs; minor action regulation; and basic voicing.
You won't make millions. If you get good and pick up a stable of regular clients, you can make some $$.
Check out: www.ptg.org
Don't laugh. The number of good piano tuners is declining and a good tuner around Chicago can get $75 - $125 per piano.
You start by signing up for one of the home study courses that are out there. There's one run out of Washington (state of) that's quite good. AT THE SAME TIME, offer yourelf as an apprentice "slave" to a local tuner so you can learn the ropes (strings actually) from a pro. It will require some investment for basic tools and books and a lot of disciplined study, but it can be done. I know you can hear pitches so you have a good start.
Beyond tuning, you'll also learn som basic repair skills: changing strings; freeing stuck keys; installing springs; minor action regulation; and basic voicing.
You won't make millions. If you get good and pick up a stable of regular clients, you can make some $$.
Check out: www.ptg.org
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Alex F
- 4 valves
- Posts: 798
- Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 12:39 am
- Location: Chicago
Bob,
I looked at the PTG site which I have not done for quite some time.
There is now a Chicago School of Piano Technology. I know three of the faculty personally and would consider the school top flight. You may find the tuition somewhat high though, and the program takes one year.
The home study program I referred to above is the Randy Potter School in Oregon (not WA).
I looked at the PTG site which I have not done for quite some time.
There is now a Chicago School of Piano Technology. I know three of the faculty personally and would consider the school top flight. You may find the tuition somewhat high though, and the program takes one year.
The home study program I referred to above is the Randy Potter School in Oregon (not WA).
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MartyNeilan
- 6 valves
- Posts: 4876
- Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 3:06 am
- Location: Practicing counting rests.
My vote for piano tuning as well. Anything that helps your ear will only boost your brass career.
I actually attended the National School of Locksmithing and Alarms on 42nd St in New York at night while I went to Manhattan School of Music during the day. I graduated with a diploma as a Locksmith and Safe Technician and earned a New York City locksmithing license (not the easiest thing to get.) I worked fulltime in an established shop in NJ that summer and for a few months afterwards. I learned really quickly that if you work for someone else you make squat in that field. The only way to make money in locksmithing is to own your own business. I had a few tools and did some side jobs but did not want to make that kind of expenditure or take that kind of risk, so I decided to go the IT route instead for a day job.
FWIW, I knew a lot of reputable locksmith shops who would not do the late night pop-a-lock thing. They said most of the clients were drunks and / or they would not be able to pay. Plus there is the whole "having to prove it is your car" thing first, which is difficult when your registration is in the glove box. Probably why a cottage industry has sprung up for that.
Toby Hanks DID get me to use my skills to play a recurring trick on another prof at MSM, but I don't think I can say any more than that
I actually attended the National School of Locksmithing and Alarms on 42nd St in New York at night while I went to Manhattan School of Music during the day. I graduated with a diploma as a Locksmith and Safe Technician and earned a New York City locksmithing license (not the easiest thing to get.) I worked fulltime in an established shop in NJ that summer and for a few months afterwards. I learned really quickly that if you work for someone else you make squat in that field. The only way to make money in locksmithing is to own your own business. I had a few tools and did some side jobs but did not want to make that kind of expenditure or take that kind of risk, so I decided to go the IT route instead for a day job.
FWIW, I knew a lot of reputable locksmith shops who would not do the late night pop-a-lock thing. They said most of the clients were drunks and / or they would not be able to pay. Plus there is the whole "having to prove it is your car" thing first, which is difficult when your registration is in the glove box. Probably why a cottage industry has sprung up for that.
Toby Hanks DID get me to use my skills to play a recurring trick on another prof at MSM, but I don't think I can say any more than that
Adjunct Instructor, Trevecca Nazarene University
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windshieldbug
- Once got the "hand" as a cue
- Posts: 11514
- Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2005 4:41 pm
- Location: 8vb
Texas Hold-'em Poker
If you're looking for a high return job, don't want too much of a time or dollar commitment, don't like what people have well-meaningly suggested, and don't want to apply yourself, I'm not sure there's too much left
If you're looking for a high return job, don't want too much of a time or dollar commitment, don't like what people have well-meaningly suggested, and don't want to apply yourself, I'm not sure there's too much left
Instead of talking to your plants, if you yelled at them would they still grow, but only to be troubled and insecure?
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Naptown Tuba
- bugler
- Posts: 210
- Joined: Mon Mar 27, 2006 1:34 pm
- Location: Indy
A full-time diploma school is what I'd recommend as that's how I did it approx 30 yrs ago. I did the correspondence course first. Aced it; but realized I still didn't know squat. That's when I decided if I was going to learn it, I was going to do it first hand in the classroom. (No local techs were taking any apprentices at the time.) At that time, there were only about 4 places around the country that offered a course. I chose Western Iowa Tech. comm. college (they no longer offer it).
It was a 1 yr. course; 5 days a week, six hours a day covering tuning, all repairs, rebuilding and refinidshing. I was lucky enough at the end of the year to be chosen as 1 of 2 students to work the summer at the Aspen Music Festival (tuning pianos everywhere from non-airconditioned practice rooms to the back of box trucks.
Although I've had a great career (being able to tune for the likes of Liberace, Ferrante & Teicher, among others), the piano market has changed considerably over the years. When I came to Indy, I was the service tech. for the local Baldwin dealer which had 4 stores (one in each mall). There were also about another 6 major piano dealers in town. Lots of opportunities and lots of business.
Today there are a total of 3 major piano dealers in all of Indy (and sales these days are nothing like they used to be). A paradox considering how Indy has continued to grow over the years. My field has not escaped the plight that so many other music related fields are suffering. Where's the money/interest going? Computer related activities? Audio/visual/technology based interests? I guess so. If I had to break into the piano tech. field in todays market, I'm not so sure I would attempt it considering the diminished opportunities at the entry level. You gotta eat dirt when you start, and there's fewer places to eat dirt these days.
But, there are always opening for those who desire to be the master of their craft; and if that's you, then go to a school that offers such a course or find a piano tech willing to take an apprentice and learn everything he/she knows. But, just don't learn the tuning. Many clients call for non-tuning related problems; and if you don't know how to fix them properly, you'll end up looking and feeling like this guy
It was a 1 yr. course; 5 days a week, six hours a day covering tuning, all repairs, rebuilding and refinidshing. I was lucky enough at the end of the year to be chosen as 1 of 2 students to work the summer at the Aspen Music Festival (tuning pianos everywhere from non-airconditioned practice rooms to the back of box trucks.
Although I've had a great career (being able to tune for the likes of Liberace, Ferrante & Teicher, among others), the piano market has changed considerably over the years. When I came to Indy, I was the service tech. for the local Baldwin dealer which had 4 stores (one in each mall). There were also about another 6 major piano dealers in town. Lots of opportunities and lots of business.
Today there are a total of 3 major piano dealers in all of Indy (and sales these days are nothing like they used to be). A paradox considering how Indy has continued to grow over the years. My field has not escaped the plight that so many other music related fields are suffering. Where's the money/interest going? Computer related activities? Audio/visual/technology based interests? I guess so. If I had to break into the piano tech. field in todays market, I'm not so sure I would attempt it considering the diminished opportunities at the entry level. You gotta eat dirt when you start, and there's fewer places to eat dirt these days.
But, there are always opening for those who desire to be the master of their craft; and if that's you, then go to a school that offers such a course or find a piano tech willing to take an apprentice and learn everything he/she knows. But, just don't learn the tuning. Many clients call for non-tuning related problems; and if you don't know how to fix them properly, you'll end up looking and feeling like this guy
Gnagey/King Satin Silver CC
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Carroll
- 4 valves
- Posts: 737
- Joined: Sun Mar 21, 2004 12:25 am
- Location: Cookeville, TN (USA)
In between school and more school I did many temp jobs. Perhaps the most fullfilling and profitable was teaching at Sylvan and Kaplan Learning Centers. I had tons of math and science (and English because of the way my undergrad was et up) so I was qualified on many fronts. I ended up teaching law school kids how to take the LSAT. Mostly it is about test taking skills and not so much about content.
I also bought a trailer load of surplus office equipment from the State at $50 for the lot of 200 machines. I repaired/rebuilt all of them and sold them to local churches for an average of $150 each. They were happy and I paid for school. But that requires skills and contacts you may not have.
I also bought a trailer load of surplus office equipment from the State at $50 for the lot of 200 machines. I repaired/rebuilt all of them and sold them to local churches for an average of $150 each. They were happy and I paid for school. But that requires skills and contacts you may not have.
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Evil Ronnie
- bugler
- Posts: 57
- Joined: Wed Mar 22, 2006 2:24 am
- Location: Chicago
Bob,
You've written about your experiences as a dishwasher, so use that to your advantage. Talk your way into a job at a private club, which there are plenty of all over Chicagoland. The pay and pace of work in the club sector of the foodservice industry is generally better than in the for profit sector.
At the club where I'm the chef, dishwashers start at $12 per hour and cooks average $15 and higher. Sous chefs make 40-50-60K and higher.
What I'm hearing from everyone who posted here is that there isn't a quick fix. Any skill worth learning requires long hours, dedication, and persistance. Just like blowing the horn does.
You've written about your experiences as a dishwasher, so use that to your advantage. Talk your way into a job at a private club, which there are plenty of all over Chicagoland. The pay and pace of work in the club sector of the foodservice industry is generally better than in the for profit sector.
At the club where I'm the chef, dishwashers start at $12 per hour and cooks average $15 and higher. Sous chefs make 40-50-60K and higher.
What I'm hearing from everyone who posted here is that there isn't a quick fix. Any skill worth learning requires long hours, dedication, and persistance. Just like blowing the horn does.
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tofu
- 5 valves
- Posts: 1998
- Joined: Sun Mar 21, 2004 11:59 pm
- Location: One toke over the line...
Here ya go Bob:
http://www.chicagogentlemen.com/male-st ... hicago.php
Bring one of those Eb's along for your performances.
Think of it as "Brassed Off meets the Full Monty".
Plus it's a chance to meet boozed up "horny" broads!
How about "Low Blow" as a stage name?
I bet Sean would pony up a Tubenet Thong to get your "mini" career up and going.
http://www.chicagogentlemen.com/male-st ... hicago.php
Bring one of those Eb's along for your performances.
Think of it as "Brassed Off meets the Full Monty".
Plus it's a chance to meet boozed up "horny" broads!
How about "Low Blow" as a stage name?
I bet Sean would pony up a Tubenet Thong to get your "mini" career up and going.
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greatk82
- 3 valves
- Posts: 422
- Joined: Wed Aug 04, 2004 6:28 pm
- Location: Bloomsburg, PA
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Evil Ronnie
- bugler
- Posts: 57
- Joined: Wed Mar 22, 2006 2:24 am
- Location: Chicago
Elephant,the elephant wrote: A number ot the players in my orchestra went to school at Juilliard, NEC, Peabody, and many other very fine East Coast, big city schools. When I lived in Brooklyn I also did this for extra money:
Banquet Waiter
I waited tables for many years of my past. This was not the highest paying gig, but it was very good and it was BY FAR the easiest. A big town like Chicago probably has need of a tuba playing waiter at the big banquet halls. Much easier and cleaner than most waiting jobs.
Great suggestion. A harpist friend just worked her way through graduate school at Northwestern and earned a masters in performance, payed for by working as a banquet server at our club. Good, steady work. Do a good job and they'll ask you back. She's getting so many gigs around town now that she's been able to quit the banquet server job.
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tubatooter1940
- 6 valves
- Posts: 2530
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 11:09 pm
- Location: alabama gulf coast
Down here in the deep South we invented mildew.
When in college I made money in a pinch by power washing dirty houses.
I would spot houses that needed cleaning and knock on the door. It only took a few seconds to offer to power wash the house and quote a price ($100-$200)-at the time. I would line up three or more homes to wash and rent a power washer and buy cheap bleach (bleach seems to be the same at whatever price). I could wash three to four houses in one day all by my onesies and clear $300-$400 after I paid for bleach and to rent the machine. The price for a power washer has dropped recently and the machines are smaller. It became practical for me to buy my own.
I later hooked up with a paint contractor who paid me to prep old houses for painting and no longer had to knock on doors. I began to paint houses for the contractor and found that job required only a small investment in tools.
When in college I made money in a pinch by power washing dirty houses.
I would spot houses that needed cleaning and knock on the door. It only took a few seconds to offer to power wash the house and quote a price ($100-$200)-at the time. I would line up three or more homes to wash and rent a power washer and buy cheap bleach (bleach seems to be the same at whatever price). I could wash three to four houses in one day all by my onesies and clear $300-$400 after I paid for bleach and to rent the machine. The price for a power washer has dropped recently and the machines are smaller. It became practical for me to buy my own.
I later hooked up with a paint contractor who paid me to prep old houses for painting and no longer had to knock on doors. I began to paint houses for the contractor and found that job required only a small investment in tools.
We pronounce it Guf Coast
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tofu
- 5 valves
- Posts: 1998
- Joined: Sun Mar 21, 2004 11:59 pm
- Location: One toke over the line...
If stripper is too public you could go the gigolo route.
You can even use the late great Louie Prima's "I'm Just A Gigolo" for your theme song! Just remember to Swing "IT"!
I'm just a gigolo, and everywhere I go,
People know the part I'm playin'.
Pay for every dance, sellin' each romance,
Ooohh what they're sayin'.
There will come a day, when youth will pass away,
What will they say about me?
When the end comes I know, there was just a gigolo
Life goes on without me.
I'm just a gigolo, and everywhere I go,
People know the part I’m playin'.
Pay for every dance, sellin' each romance,
Ooohh what they're sayin'.
There will come a day, when youth will pass away,
What will they say about me?
When the end comes I know, there was just a gigolo,
Life goes on without me.
Cause I ain't got nobody, nobody, cares for me,
Nobody, nobody, cares for me.
I'm so sad and lonely, sad and lonely, sad and lonely
Won't some sweet mama come and take a chance with me?
Cause I ain't so bad.
Bop, boze ziddy boze ziddy bop, zee bop.
I ain't got nobody, nobody cares for me,
Nobody, nobody,
(SOLO)
Mumbaly bibbaly zeebaly boobaly hummaly baybaly zeebaly bop.
I ain't got nobody, nobody, nobody cares for me
Nobody, nobody.
I'm so sad and lonely, sad and lonely, sad and lonely
Won't some sweet mama come and take a chance with me?
Cause I ain't so bad.
Nobody cares for me
or maybe you could model yourself on Midnight Cowboy with Jon Voight if that is more to your liking now that you too are in the big city.
You can even use the late great Louie Prima's "I'm Just A Gigolo" for your theme song! Just remember to Swing "IT"!
I'm just a gigolo, and everywhere I go,
People know the part I'm playin'.
Pay for every dance, sellin' each romance,
Ooohh what they're sayin'.
There will come a day, when youth will pass away,
What will they say about me?
When the end comes I know, there was just a gigolo
Life goes on without me.
I'm just a gigolo, and everywhere I go,
People know the part I’m playin'.
Pay for every dance, sellin' each romance,
Ooohh what they're sayin'.
There will come a day, when youth will pass away,
What will they say about me?
When the end comes I know, there was just a gigolo,
Life goes on without me.
Cause I ain't got nobody, nobody, cares for me,
Nobody, nobody, cares for me.
I'm so sad and lonely, sad and lonely, sad and lonely
Won't some sweet mama come and take a chance with me?
Cause I ain't so bad.
Bop, boze ziddy boze ziddy bop, zee bop.
I ain't got nobody, nobody cares for me,
Nobody, nobody,
(SOLO)
Mumbaly bibbaly zeebaly boobaly hummaly baybaly zeebaly bop.
I ain't got nobody, nobody, nobody cares for me
Nobody, nobody.
I'm so sad and lonely, sad and lonely, sad and lonely
Won't some sweet mama come and take a chance with me?
Cause I ain't so bad.
Nobody cares for me
or maybe you could model yourself on Midnight Cowboy with Jon Voight if that is more to your liking now that you too are in the big city.-
MartyNeilan
- 6 valves
- Posts: 4876
- Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 3:06 am
- Location: Practicing counting rests.
I don't know what kind of build you have on your 7 foot frame, but if you work on your "guns" maybe you could get a job as a bouncer or some kind of nightclub / concert security. Good pay, easy hours / just look mean and never loose your temper.Bob1062 wrote:See, I'm looking more for decent wages and a steady, sorta flexible schedule so I can do music/school stuff that I can start soon-ish.
Regular "security" jobs pay pretty poorly unless you have a firearms certification, so I would probably not recommend that route unless you were Gary Coleman.
Adjunct Instructor, Trevecca Nazarene University
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Alex F
- 4 valves
- Posts: 798
- Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 12:39 am
- Location: Chicago
Bob,
I've got another idea for you. Since you seem to want to attend NEIU, go over there and see if there are any civil service jobs available. I'm talking building servies, parking, security, bookstore, general clerical - whatever. Advantages: decent pay, health insurance, FREE TUITION, and possibly meeting someone who can help you get in. I know a woman who got her piano perfromance degree there by working as a key clerk in campus security (big school = 1000s of keys which need to be tracked). She had to work full time for a while but eventually, with the HELP OF THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT, got them to give her a semi-flex schedule, allowing her to complete her degree requirements. If you can't get in by the front door, find an open back door - once you're in, you're in. It may take longer this way, but it's one way to get the job done.
BTW: at NEIU, take some lessons from Art Linsner - he teaches trombone, euphonium, and tuba (Not sure if he teaches the last two at NEIU). I take 'bone lessons from him at DePaul, where he's also an adjunct. Art got his degrees from Eastman (Emory Remington) and Northwestern (Peter Crisafuli), plays legit, jazz, and pit, and was an adjunct at Northwestern for 20 years. Highly recommended.
I've got another idea for you. Since you seem to want to attend NEIU, go over there and see if there are any civil service jobs available. I'm talking building servies, parking, security, bookstore, general clerical - whatever. Advantages: decent pay, health insurance, FREE TUITION, and possibly meeting someone who can help you get in. I know a woman who got her piano perfromance degree there by working as a key clerk in campus security (big school = 1000s of keys which need to be tracked). She had to work full time for a while but eventually, with the HELP OF THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT, got them to give her a semi-flex schedule, allowing her to complete her degree requirements. If you can't get in by the front door, find an open back door - once you're in, you're in. It may take longer this way, but it's one way to get the job done.
BTW: at NEIU, take some lessons from Art Linsner - he teaches trombone, euphonium, and tuba (Not sure if he teaches the last two at NEIU). I take 'bone lessons from him at DePaul, where he's also an adjunct. Art got his degrees from Eastman (Emory Remington) and Northwestern (Peter Crisafuli), plays legit, jazz, and pit, and was an adjunct at Northwestern for 20 years. Highly recommended.
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WakinAZ
- Community Band Button-Masher
- Posts: 1096
- Joined: Sat Sep 02, 2006 4:03 pm
- Location: Back Row
Dang, several people beat me to the "man-ho" suggestion.
The pharmacy thing might work out if people don't mind talking to your abdomen as you stand behind the counter.
Seriously, this is a growing field with pharmacists (four-year or more? degree) in particular being in very, very short supply. Most community colleges offer a pharmacy technician (read assistant) program; you probably will not get any responses to applications unless you have a certification and/or experience.
Eric "who thinks the pharmacy field is an excellent place to be for the next 20-30 years, and has considered it himself" L.
The pharmacy thing might work out if people don't mind talking to your abdomen as you stand behind the counter.
Seriously, this is a growing field with pharmacists (four-year or more? degree) in particular being in very, very short supply. Most community colleges offer a pharmacy technician (read assistant) program; you probably will not get any responses to applications unless you have a certification and/or experience.
Eric "who thinks the pharmacy field is an excellent place to be for the next 20-30 years, and has considered it himself" L.
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tubeast
- 4 valves
- Posts: 819
- Joined: Thu Feb 17, 2005 3:59 pm
- Location: Buers, Austria
In university I did two things as reasonably payed jobs:
- work as "Studentische Hilfskraft" at one of the university´s institutes. That included preparing PowerPoint files for conventions, library research on certain topics the professor or his assistants were interested in, as well as driving to another university to pick up material samples.
They did this convention on micro milling, where I served as everything, ranging from handing out passes and forms, driving a shuttle bus between lecturing sites as well as preparing PowerPoint presentations that included data collected from the participants.
- work as a "factotum" at a advertising firm (they did the technical part, not the design). That´s where being good with a jigsaw and drilling machine as well as pop-riveting comes in handy.
Both were cool jobs far from boring or repetitive. Reasonably paid, too.
At the institute (part of the mechanical engineering faculty) we had one colleague who studied string bass, so common sense was more important than actual knowledge of mechanical engineering.
- work as "Studentische Hilfskraft" at one of the university´s institutes. That included preparing PowerPoint files for conventions, library research on certain topics the professor or his assistants were interested in, as well as driving to another university to pick up material samples.
They did this convention on micro milling, where I served as everything, ranging from handing out passes and forms, driving a shuttle bus between lecturing sites as well as preparing PowerPoint presentations that included data collected from the participants.
- work as a "factotum" at a advertising firm (they did the technical part, not the design). That´s where being good with a jigsaw and drilling machine as well as pop-riveting comes in handy.
Both were cool jobs far from boring or repetitive. Reasonably paid, too.
At the institute (part of the mechanical engineering faculty) we had one colleague who studied string bass, so common sense was more important than actual knowledge of mechanical engineering.
Hans
Melton 46 S
1903 or earlier GLIER Helicon, customized Hermuth MP
2009 WILLSON 6400 RZ5, customized GEWA 52 + Wessex "Chief"
MW HoJo 2011 FA, Wessex "Chief"
Melton 46 S
1903 or earlier GLIER Helicon, customized Hermuth MP
2009 WILLSON 6400 RZ5, customized GEWA 52 + Wessex "Chief"
MW HoJo 2011 FA, Wessex "Chief"
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MaryAnn
- Occasionally Visiting Pipsqueak
- Posts: 3217
- Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 9:58 am
Pharmacy pays, but it also blows. People who are on "mental meds" come in and regularly bellow in your face when they don't like what their doctor ordered, and you have to just stand there and take it and be nice back.
Stand there....pharmacy guys stand up all day, just like retail guys. If you've never done that you'll be amazed at how badly your feet hurt.
I made my part time income giving lessons. You can give guitar lessons to kids, and all you have to do is stay a few pages ahead of them in the book (of course you need to have reasonable basic technique to start with.) Lessons are pretty good hourly pay, you are your own boss, and if one person fires you, you have a bunch of others who didn't. And you can fire them too, if they bug you or cancel too much. It's also more rewarding than being a buffet server, at least for me.
You do have to be organized and reliable, and keep decent records for the tax guys.
MA
Stand there....pharmacy guys stand up all day, just like retail guys. If you've never done that you'll be amazed at how badly your feet hurt.
I made my part time income giving lessons. You can give guitar lessons to kids, and all you have to do is stay a few pages ahead of them in the book (of course you need to have reasonable basic technique to start with.) Lessons are pretty good hourly pay, you are your own boss, and if one person fires you, you have a bunch of others who didn't. And you can fire them too, if they bug you or cancel too much. It's also more rewarding than being a buffet server, at least for me.
You do have to be organized and reliable, and keep decent records for the tax guys.
MA