Something that I've always wondered about is just how do oud players actually make a living? I know that some have long-term positions in various
ensembles, while others teach oud and Middle Eastern music at music colleges, but quite a few oud players seem to just perform the odd gig and release
a CD every few years (if we're lucky!) I can't believe this is enough to make a living, as a lot of people in full time jobs find it difficult enough
to pay the bills, so what do they do for the rest of the time? A lot of oud players seem to fly all over the world to perform (and record), so is the
travel paid for by whoever is organising the concert?
Hopefully I won't offend anyone by asking these kind of searching questions, and I'm not referring to any players in particular - as an outsider I'm
just really curious to know how the whole thing works.
DavidGiorgioud - 7-10-2012 at 03:09 PM
Uuuuhhh good topic...and a thorny one.....unfortunately, and now more than ever, in Western money-obsessed music, as in the more "pure" art-driven
world of oud, the musician has got to be a hustler......my experience is limited only to Western music, but as I've started playing with "Eastern" (a
general, all-inclusive term and not a specific one) musicians, I've noticed they really hustle, man: they play gigs everywhere: one day it can be the
South Bank in London, the next day a Lebanese restaurant, the next day accompanying a Raqs Sharqi performance, the following day a Bar Mitzah, then
maybe a performance at the Royal Albert Hall, then at a small venue like Ronnie Scott's, then maybe a Shisha bar on the Edgware Road in London, than
maybe a big festival in Portugal.
It's got to be pointed out that the vast majority of these musicians usually plays, as well as solo, also with three, four or more outfits. Their
musical expertise is such that they need to meet for rehearsals only once before the gig, if not the very same day at soundcheck. A lot of the
performance falls back on what are called "cliches", thus providing a solid bedrock which will make the gig go smoothly.
When they're not playing they're giving lessons, seminars, even as speakers of musical matters if occasion arises. They really move and they move fast
and far. They deserve all the money in the world because their level of dedication reminds me that of the Jazz musician of old.
Generally the travel expenses are paid by who organises the gig. That's true also for Western musicians. If the artist's not well known and it's the
first gig in that town, usually he/she gets only travel/food expenses. If the gig's a scorcher, there's a second time, where more people will attend,
and there will be a bit more money on the top. And it build from there.
Of course, since the advent of internet, it's possible to build an audience from nothing. This is a distinct advantage from earlier eras.
CDs bring no income whatsoever (unless you count bits and bobs from mechanical royalties - sales, and radio appearances, which is basically a
pittance), unless one happens to sell a substantial amount because of a freak accident like a hit (?). Unfortunately, having a CD is of paramount
importance in order to get gigs, especially abroad. So one has to make one, either through a kind soul who will pay for it (record deal), or most
likely, self-financed (a costly affair).
A Catch-22 if there ever was one. That's why I say that the musician, especially of the oud persuation, must be a hustler.
This is my personal experience and perception, and in no way applies to every professional oud player. Some have an easier life than others, but all
have to hustle.....unless they're affiliated to a powerful agency...which eats up the 20% of every gig (plus a 20% to give to a manager, if they have
one....mmmmhhh)....it's a hard life, that of a musician, no doubt about that.......John Erlich - 7-10-2012 at 04:19 PM
I think 100% of the full-time musicians I know from the "ethnic" music scenes (Middle Eastern, Balkan, South Asian, Latin, African, etc. etc.) make a
substantial portion of their $$$ teaching.Giorgioud - 7-11-2012 at 10:11 AM
I forgot about the studio sessions.....here in Britain is about £50 per hour.....but the Musician's Union said they raised it to £75 now.....and
it's always a minimum of three hours block sessions, so that's a nice packet for 20 minutes of real work and the rest just waiting around drinking
Lemonade.......
Yeah John, that is very true. Lessons are a very important part of the income. The staple actually.
I must say I do not know how the situation is in America.
But here in Europe, to be fair, if someone persists and is prepared to slog it, there are a lot of places which put on "ethnic" (the all-inclusive
term for non-Western music) music, and in the summer there's a really big demand for this sort of stuff, especially in places like Italy, Spain,
France, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway. I mean, I'm talking about full houses! They really love it!
If someone is prepared to live on a shoestring for three-four years, travel constantly, not to be knocked by setbacks (too many will happen to take
the wind out of one's sail!), gig anytime anywhere anyhow, and to invest everything earned back into the activity, it is possible to build some sort
of "career" out of this thankless passion.....I've seen it happen and I still see it happening....but it's hard, man......John Erlich - 7-12-2012 at 08:37 AM
..."ethnic" (the all-inclusive term for non-Western music) music...
In the USA, many traditional Western musics--especially European genres, such as Polish Polka--would be considered "ethnic" music. It is always
interesting how the perception of ethnic identities depends upon the partiuclar society. The US Census actually batches all Near Eastern and North
African people with Europeans as "White": “White” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or
North Africa. It includes people who indicated their race(s) as “White” or reported entries such as Irish, German, Italian, Lebanese, Arab,
Moroccan, or Caucasian." But when my crazy former landlord, half-Iraqi-Jewish, half-Muslim-Iranian-Azeri, visited Apartheid South Africa, he was
admitted as an "Asian."
Peace out,
"Udi" JohnGiorgioud - 7-12-2012 at 11:04 AM
Wow, interesting.......and yes, good point John, come to think of it, even in Europe Polka, Mazurka or even Kletzmer (which originates from the
Ashkenazi German/Polish/Russian Jews) would be termed as "ethnic". And also les chansonnieres francaises and la canzone napoletana (which makes ample
use of Arab scales and melismae).
I think that anything which is not Western Pop-Rock would be termed "ethnic" nowdays. But according to this principle Blues and Jazz (until the '60s)
could be termed "ethnic" too, but it's not, because it had a fundamental role in shaping Western/White attitudes to song-writing and music-making.
Let's hope a can of worms is not open by this debate.......
