International Jazz/Improvising Musicians Survey
(2004 - 2005)
If you are a jazz and/or improvising musician and you would like to contribute to this project, please complete the survey below, and send it as an attachment to this addres: IIJMS survey response. You can either save this page to your disk, or you can download a Word document version of the survey here. Please type in your answers beneath each question. All information given will be treated with the strictest confidence.
As a jazz and/or improvising musicians anywhere in the world, your assistance in completing this survey would be highly appreciated. I seek responses from full-time professional, part-time professional and amateur musicians. I seek response from self-employed and employed musicians. All answers given will be treated in the *strictest* confidence. No personal information will be attributed to you personally. Replies will be evaluated and reported on generally.
This is a survey of career experiences and ambitions of jazz and improvising musicians. The questions are not solely about music, but also concern social and economic issues. They address comparative evaluations of opportunities and preferences. Thus, some of the questions may seem irrelevant from a purely musical point of view, but in this wider context, especially of motivations, they are crucial.
Your assistance with this survey is greatly appreciated.
International Jazz and Improvising Musicians Survey
Part 1:
1. What is your name?
1a. How old are you?
1b. Where were you born?
1c. What was your nationality at birth, and what is it now if different from that?
1d. Do you consider yourself to be a member of any ethnic group, if yes, can you specify that?
2. Where do you now live?
2a. Do you own your own home?
2b. Do you own a car?
3. Are you single, married or in a committed partner relationship?
3a. If so, what was your partnerÕs (spouse, or committed partner) occupation at the time when you married or committed to the relationship?
3b. Do you have any children?
3c. If yes, what is the age and sex of each child?
4. At what age did you begin to study music?
4a. Which instrument did you begin to play?
4b. Why did you begin to play that instrument?
4c. If the instrument(s) you play now is/are different from 2, when did you begin to play that/those instrument(s) and what is it, or are they?
4d. Why did you choose to play the instrument(s) you now play?
4e. What about playing your instruments gives you the most stimulation, reward or satisfaction? (Please explain in as much detail as you can.)
4f. How would you describe the relationship that you have with your instrument(s)?
5. Were either of your parents musical and/or did they play music, a musical instrument?
5a. If yes, in what way and/or which instrument(s) did they play? (Were they active professionally, amateurs, etc.?)
5b. Was music a major part of your household when you were a child? If yes, which type(s)?
6. Were either of your parents supportive or opposed to you studying music? Can you explain a little what you think was the reasons for the attitude of each of your parents?
6a. Were either of your parents supportive or opposed to you becoming a professional musician? Please explain a little what you think was the reasons for the attitude of each of your parents?
6b. Do you think your parentsÕ attitudes were important for your musical studies? Can you please explain a little?
6c. If you have, or were to have any children, would you support them if they wished to become professional musicians? Please explain why you would or would not support them.
7. What were your parent's occupations at the time of you leaving school (high school, not university)?
7a. Please list the occupations of your 5 closest friends outside of music?
8. Did you pursue higher level education, e.g., college or university?
8a. What is your highest level of education? (if you graduated university please give the degree and the subject.)
8b. Did you study music to the level of higher education?
8c. If, yes, what is your highest level of musical education?
8d. Did you study jazz and/or improvised music at an institute of higher education?
8e. Do you consider your musical studies have reached completion?
8f. Please explain why you think they have/have not reached completion.
8g. While being a jazz and/or improvising musician does not necessarily require formal educational qualifications, musicians do need to have extensive knowledge and skills to perform among equals. If you consider what you needed to learn and achieve to become jazz/improvising musician with other occupations (in terms of educational achievement, personal study, training, practice, practical experience, personal investments, etc.,), which other occupations do you think compare in these terms with being a jazz/improvising musician? (For example, in terms of education, training and experience, an electrician may be thought to have equal status to a plumber, or a chef, or a technician, or a computer programmer. Perhaps being an architect may be considered equal to that of a doctor, or a software developer, or a chemist, and so on) Which occupations do you think demand similar levels of study, (perhaps formal educational attainment), similar degrees of personal commitment, and range skills to that of being a jazz/improvising musician? (Please give more than one if possible, or explain why you think being a musicians is so unique that there is no comparable occupation.)
Part 2:
9. Why did you choose to play jazz music and/or improvised music? (Please specify which of these you consider you think fits your music best. If you think neither please kindly indicate which approach to music you think is most appropriate for yourself. (Pleas note: All answers after this will be interpreted to match this, if you choose other than jazz or improvised music.)
9a. How old were you when you first decided on jazz and/or improvised music (or the type of music you play)?
9b. If you consider the music you play is jazz music, which kind of jazz music do you think most accurately describes what you play?
9c. Which musicians do you consider to be most interesting or engaging? (These can be contemporary or past musicians.)
9d. Please explain your preference for the one (or ones _ up to 5) which is, or are, for you the most interesting or engaging. (If you specify more than one, please explain for each individually, if your reasons are different in each case. Please give as much detail as you can, thank you.)
Part 3:
10. What would you consider to be your prime occupation? (This may or may not be the one offering you the largest source of your income, or that occupies the largest proportion of your working time; please provide your own assessment.)
10a. If you have another occupation to music, what percentage of your income comes from these other non-musical occupational activities?
10b. If you have another occupation to music, are you happy with the balance that you achieve between that and working as a musician? (Please explain your preference or any discomfort.)
11. How many years in total have you been playing jazz and/or improvised music as a performer?
11a. It usually takes some time to become established as a musicians. Which best describes your current situation:
i. I am not yet fully established:
ii. I am established.
11a2. If you answer is i, how many more years do you think it will take to establish your career as a musician?
If your answer is ii, how many years did it take for your to become established as a musician?
11b. What do you think kept you going in the years that it took you, or it is taking you, to become established?
11c. What do you think is your greatest motivation in your musical career?
12. What is your current average annual income from playing jazz and/or improvised music? (Please answer either in your local currency, US$, or Euros, specify clearly which one.)
Below ___5,000
Between ___5,000 and ___10,000
Between ___11,000 and ___15,000
Between ___16,000 and ___20,000
Between ___21,000 and __-25,000
Between ___25,000 and ___30,000
Between ___31,000 and ___40,000
Between ___41,000 and ___50,000
Between ___51,000 and ___60,000
Between ___61,000 and ___70,000
Between ___71,000 and ___80,000
Between ___81,000 and ___90,000
Between ___91,000 and ___100,000
Between ___101,000 and ___150,000
Between ___151,000 and ___200,000
Between ___200,000 and ___250,000
Above ___251,000 (Please specify the range.)____________________________
Which currency is this in, $US, Euros, or_____
12a. Does your income from your music vary significantly each month?
12a.1 How much can your monthly income from your music drop below your monthly average? (Please, put an asterisk at the answer.)
25% below monthly average,
50% below monthly average,
75% below monthly average,
Zero monthly income
10% of average monthly income below zero income
25% of average monthly income below zero income
33% of average monthly income below zero income
50% of average monthly income below zero income
75% of average monthly income below zero income
90% of average monthly income below zero income
100% of average monthly income below zero income
More than 100% of average monthly income below zero income
12a.2 How often in a year can you experience such a drop in your income?
12a.3 How much can your monthly income from your music rise above the average? (Please, put an asterisk at the answer.)
The monthly average plus 25%,
The monthly average plus 50%,
2X monthly average,
2.5X monthly average,
3X monthly average,
3.5 X monthly average,
4 X monthly average,
4.5 X monthly average,
5 X monthly average,
more than 5 X monthly average
12a.4 How often in a year can you experience such a rise in your income?
12b. If your monthly income varies significantly, what do you feel and think about that variation?
12c. What do you think is the likely maximum average annual income that you can achieve as a jazz and/or improvising musician? (Please answer either in your local currency, or in US$, specify clearly which one.)
13. Do you think that you are paid fairly for live performances? Can you please explain a little your opinion on this?
14a. How much on average have you been paid for yourself for a live performance as lead musician in the last year?
14b. How much on average have you, as the lead musician, been paid for your principle group for a live performance in the last year? (Please state how many members are in the group.)
14c. What was the maximum that you were paid for yourself only as a lead musician in the last year?
14d. . What was the minimum that you were paid for yourself only as a lead musician in the last year?
41e. What was the maximum that you were paid, as the lead musician, for your principle group for a live performance in the last year?
14f. What was the minimum that you were paid, as the lead musician, for your principle group for a live performance in the last year?
14g. Do these fees include travel, hotel, and other expenses for a performance, or are these paid in addition to those fees?
14g. How much do you think you should be paid for an average live performance as a lead musician for yourself and for your principle group? How much do you think is a fair and just fee for these types of performance?
15a. How much on average were you paid for a live performance as a side musician in the last year?
15b. What was the maximum that you were paid as a side musicians for a live performance last year?
15c. What was the minimum that you were paid as a side musicians for a live performance last year?
15d. How much do you think you should be paid for an average live performance as a side musician for yourself and for your principle group? How much do you think is a fair and just fee for these types of performance?
16. How much on average are you paid for participating in a recording session as a lead musician?
16a. What was the maximum that you have been paid for a recording session as a lead music in the last few years?
16b. What was the minimum that you have been paid for a recording session as a lead music in the last few years?
16c. What was the maximum that you have been paid for a recording session as a side music in the last few years?
16d. What was the maximum that you have been paid for a recording session as a lead music in the last year?
16e. How much do you think you should be paid for an average for a recording session as a lead musician? How much do you think is a fair and just fee for these types of performance?
16f. How much do you think you should be paid for an average for a recording session as a side musician? How much do you think is a fair and just fee for these types of performance?
17. Have you ever experienced a significant interruption in your career as a musician and/or playing jazz/improvised music?
17a. If yes, could you please provide details of the break? For example, how long it lasted, the reasons for the break, and the reasons why you returned to your career and/or playing of jazz/improvised music?
Part 4:
18. Do you attempt to follow a strict routine pattern of life, practicing, playing, socialising to obtain performance, recordings, etc?
18a. How many hours per day on average do you actually spend practicing? (Place an asterisk beside the correct one.)
18b. How many hours per day would you ideally hope to spend practicing? (Place an asterisk beside the correct one.)
18c. How many hours a month on average do you spend in actual live performance?
18d. How many hours a month on average do you spend in rehearsing?
18e. How many hours a month on average do you spend composing?
18f. How many hours a month on average do you spend in seeking to arrange performance bookings?
18g. What do you think presents the biggest obstacle(s) to your obtaining live performances bookings?
18h. What do you think assists you most in obtaining live performances, bookings?
18i. Are relationships with other musicians helpful or important for you in finding bookings? (Please put an asterisk next to the answer.)
I. For Local Performances:
Extremely Important
Very Important
Substantially Important
Moderately Important
A little Important
Can add 1/2 performances in 2/3 months
Not at all Important
II. For National Tours/Performances:
Extremely Important
Very Important
Substantially Important
Moderately Important
A little Important
Can add 1 Ð 3 gigs to a tour
Not at all Important
II. For Tours/Performances in Other Countries:
Extremely Important
Very Important
Substantially Important
Moderately Important
A little Important
Can add 1 Ð 3 gigs to a tour
Not at all Important
18j. If yes, could you provide an example of any way that other musicians have helped (or been an obstacle to) you find bookings for national and/or international touring?
18k. Do you employ a bookings agent?
18l. If yes, please explain why you do, and what you think the advantages and disadvantages are in having one.
18m. If no, please explain why you do not?
19. How many hours a month on average do you spend seeking and/or planning recordings?
19a. How many hours a month on average do you spend in travel for your musical career?
19b. How many hours a month on average do you spend in other activities for pursuing your musical career? (Please specify some of these activities.)
19c. How many hours a week on average do you spend in musical activities that you would consider solely as a means to improving your income (These are activities which you would prefer not to do, and/or would not do if you were able to earn sufficient income from your musical activities of choice. These activities are to be decided by you, but they may include session work for recordings or performance outside your preferred musical style, recording music for commercials, recording music for television, cinema, etc., composing for advertising or films.
20. Which occupations would you consider directly comparable (in terms of their salary, conditions, hours of work, working conditions, etc.) to being a jazz and/or improvised music musician? Please indicate up to five of these.?
21. How many performance projects are you currently involved in?
21a Please describe some of these, stating which are the most important to you, and why?
21b. In ensembles, do you prefer to be the lead musician or the side musician? Please explain your preference.
21c. Please list the musicians that you most often perform with.
22. Where do you most frequently perform in public? (Please mark from the most, 5, to the least, 1, and for never, 0. Please mark places of equal importance with the same number.)
Jazz Clubs
Improvised music venues/clubs
Cafes:
Pubs/bars:
Restaurants:
Lofts/apartments:
Bar and Grills:
Art galleries:
Museums:
Concert halls (small):
Concert halls (large):
Local community halls:
Jazz festivals:
Improvised music festivals:
others (please specify, with number)
22a. What do you think is the ideal performance space for your music, e.g., jazz club, club, bars, concert hall, etc.? Can you explain why?
23. Do venue owners try to influence what and/or how you performs in ways that you think are bad for your music/performance?
23a. If yes, can you explain how this happens and to what effects?
23b. If yes, in your experience, does this interference occur rarely, occasionally, sometimes, frequently, or usually?
24. Please name some of the venues where you play most regularly.
24a. How often on average do you obtain live performances in a month?
24b. What do you usually do to obtain live performances?
24c. What do you think is most helpful for you to obtain live performances?
25. Do you tour within the country where you reside?
25a. If yes: What is the average number of weeks in a year that you tour within the country where you live
25b. If no: Do you have individual performances outside of the city, within the country where you live?
25c. If yes, how often are these individual performances per month:
25d. If you work outside your city of residence, roughly what percentage of your live performances do you do outside of the country where you live?
26. Do you tour/work in countries other than the one you reside in?
26a. If yes, how often on average do you tour/work in other countries in a year?
26b. If no, do you have any plans or intentions to play in other countries than the one where you now live in the near future?
27. How regularly do you usually record per year as lead musician?
27a. What sort of record label Ð e.g., a major label, a branch of a major label (e.g., Verve, Impulse!, Blue Note), an independent specialist label jazz and/or improvising music - would you prefer to sign a recording contract with? Please explain why?
27b. What sort of contract relationship do you think is ideal with such a label? An exclusive contract, a non-exclusive contract, a limited term contract, or for a set number of recordings, or no contract but a willingness to release your materials (involving more than one label)? Please explain your preference.
28. Are you involved in a partnership, or any other way, with a recording label? If yes, please specify which ones you are involved in.
29. Do you issue your own recordings by owning your own label or CD-Rs, etc.?
29a. If yes, how many CDs and/or CD-rs do you print per run of one recording?
29b. Do you reprint recordings when they sell out? If yes, how many do you in each reprint batch?
29c. How do you usually advertise and distribute these? If no, please explain why not?
29d. What is the most important outlet for the sale of your CDs?
30. How regularly do you usually record per year as side musician?
31. What do you consider the ideal set of relationships among musicians in a group in live performance contexts; should the leader always be in charge and dominate or should it be a loose association of equals? Or is it something in between these? Please explain what you think is ideal, and if you think this is occasionally, sometimes, often, or usually achieved among the musicians when you play.
32. What do you think is most rewarding about playing jazz and/or improvised music?
32a. What do you think is the most troubling or distressing for you in playing jazz and/or improvised music?
33. How often do you attend live performances as a member of the audience in a month?
33a. When you attend, what aspects of the performance would you think about to evaluate whether it was an average, good, very good, excellent or an exceptional concert?
33b. What effect, if any, does attending what you consider to be an excellent or exceptional performance have on your own playing?
34. Which type of music do you regularly buy? (Please list as many as you like, and mark the ones you most often buy with tick.)
34a. When you buy music, which criteria influences your choice most?
(Please mark the most with a 5 and the least with a 1, and those that do not apply with a 0.)
Same instrument(s) as you play:
Similar instrumentation to your ensemble:
Novel instrumentation:
Novel instrumental techniques:
Same/similar music as you play:
Completely different music to what you play:
Similar, but possibly innovative music:
Different, but possibly innovative music:
Simply pleasure:
Price:
Someone recommends it:
The musician/composer is particularly important for your music:
Other reasons: (please specify)
35. Do you currently have your own homepage?
35a. If yes, please give the url:
35b. If no, are you currently planning to set-up a homepage?
35c. If you are planning a homepage, how much work has been done on this? (Please, place an asterisk beside the answer.)
I am only just thinking about it.
10%
25%
40%
50%
75%
90%
The page is almost finished, will soon be up and running.
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I thank you very kindly for your participation, and appreciate you taking the time to answer these questions. All responses will be treated with the utmost confidence.
International Jazz/Improvising Musician Survey