Depending on your musical poison of choice, your family can be competing with the time you need to practice, play gigs, song write, sing in a choir, direct a music ensemble , teach music, or even schmooze with other musicians . Music Pro Tip 1: Be realistic Sure, you might want to play drums in the punk band , direct the church choir , AND give private music lessons , but you also have a spouse and three kids that need you. If you have a spouse that is helpful or you can afford quality sitters to watch your children and clean your home, then by all means, take on two dozen gigs, write the next Pulitzer-prize winning symphony, and go on a whirlwind solo tour of Europe . For the rest of us who have limited means (and time), limiting the number of commitments you have will ensure that the time you spend with your family and music is quality time not hampered by the hectic. Music Pro Tip 2: Balance You cannot take care of your family and be a good musician if you can...

Jim Ellis on How to Make Money Playing Music In this clip from www.artistshousemusic.org - Jim Ellis, a musician and composer based in Atlanta, GA , discusses how to make an actual living as a working musician in todays music business , and how to market yourself to people who can pay you money to play music. Related articles Local Sounds 2k16: Calling All Musicians New beast of an amplifier for musicians. Hot Licks band leader Dan Hicks dies at age 74 New Talking #Rhythm Series - Rhythm Practice Every Musician Needs to Know! Waywords and Meansigns: Recreating Finnegans Wake [in its whole wholume], Wholume 2 R.I.P. Maurice White: 5 Things to Remember About the Musician Local Musician and Teacher, Nicki Carano, Dies at 48 from Falling Tree ALARION - New Album Waves Of Destruction To Be Released This Spring; Cover Artwork Revealed Good singers, bad techniques Trailer Of 'Miles Ahead'