A Musician's Perspective On Quitting YouTube
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- čas přidán 18. 01. 2024
- #saxophone #bettersax #quittingyoutube
Jay Metcalf offers his perspective on quitting CZcams as a musician.
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Jay, you have been a huge help and inspiration for me in restarting my sax playing at 71!
I bought the Better Sax Alto and am having a great time relearning. Best wishes and many thanks!🙏🎷👍🏻
Wonderful to hear this. Thank you!
Don't sleep on the insightfulness of Jay. At NAMM we talked for hours in the middle of a street where we accidentally found each other at while I was walking to the nearest Mexican restaurant for dinner (I was craving a fat burrito). At the time I was deeply questioning my path of staying in school for my DMA and locking myself to the path of academia forever, and it was our conversation this night that made me build the courage to finally let go and try a new path. Thank you Better Sax/Better Man!
Nathan, you and Jay are a huge inspiration to so many aspiring musicians and saxophonists. Thanks for everything you guys do to keep musicianship alive!
Great, now everyone knows it was my fault! 😂 just kidding. I just told you what you wanted/needed to hear from someone else. You knew what you really wanted to do and were looking for a nudge in that direction. I am happy to nudge in those situations.
It would have to be academic career? I'm big believer in education up to a Masters. Doctorate only required for college teaching. At least lock in Master degree while young. Indelible mark on resume.
You and jay are my heroes
I got scared for a second when I saw this, thank goodness you’re not quitting bro, I wouldn’t be practicing my sax without you! ❤️❤️🎷🎷🔥🔥
I appreciate that
Jay you're the man! You raised the bar to so many youtubers out there. The quality of your videos and work are amazing. Please don't quit!
I played sax theough college and even had paying gigs, but I got to play with some powerhouse players and saw how much they hustled and quickly realized that life wasn't for me. Got a degree in mechanical engineering and have had a great career. That said, because of my performance background with lots of jazz Improvisation, it has helped me think on my feet as well as being comfortable presenting complex ideas to large rooms of powerful people. All that to say that music enriches us in so many ways that we may not yet realize.
So close to the story of my life/career path! Loving practicing sax in retirement.
@marcwolman2719 I'm quite a way from retirement, but still play occasionally and both of my kids are in band so I get to help them in their journeys.
@@Engineering_Improvisation haha - both my kids have taken the musical path as well🎺🎻
Thank golly your not quitting. I need you!!!
Truly appreciate your honesty Man! Your face, the tone of your voice reveal a very positive and a good person...
Great video Jay, you inspired me to start learning to play the sax at 75. I'm still rubbish a year later, and at my age I'm never going to reach any great level, but thanks for the inspiring videos.
What a great take on this! Thank you. Common sense and humility augmented by intellect! I wish every quitter had to watch this before quitting.
Thanks for sharing Jay. It's really hard to live up to our own expectations in any field. And hearing from others helps a lot on dealing with that.
Oh Jay! I had a sudden rush of anxiety when I saw the title! And after viewing it I wanted to send lots of love and hugs! You are THE one and only saxophone tutor, enthusiast and amazingly inspirational musician I have had the privilege to learn from!
I am so sorry not to be able to see you in Manchester UK this year - the second time you have come to the UK and I am on vacation elsewhere!
A lot of music teachers, colleges and websites could learn a lot from you on how to present; lighting, sound, editing AND generating excitement and enthusiasm whether it is about pentatonic scales or reed production!
Keep well and we just LOVE your CZcams broadcasts.
Thank you!
We love you, Jay. I bought your BetterSax alto sax because of your CZcams channel. I am 54 years old and your BetterSax is the first one I have ever touched. Thank you!
Wonderful to hear. Thank you.
Jay, the saxophonist community needs people like you who share their experiences and knowledge with the rest of the community. You are my point of reference when it comes to the saxophone due to your selflessness and desire to help everyone by telling your experiences. You make us all feel that we are your friends and that makes us trust your experience and pedagogical work. My better sax has been a very good experience due to its ergonomics and the sound it helps produce, no matter what mouthpiece or reed you use, it is very easy to emit the sound. Keep going brother because in this world the only good thing left is music, the saxophone, jazz and people like you. Happy new year.
Thank you
So glad you didn't quit since you (and some others musicians) are the reason I started studying Sax 🎷 even if (after 3 months) I am yet soooo slow at reading pentagram 🙄
Thank goodness for musicians such as yourself who are dedicated to sharing your knowledge, experience, and craft. I am very glad you find fulfillment in being a CZcamsr and it's an extension of yourself as a musician. Looking forward to your next video!
Hi Jay, great inside the saxophone/musicians mind here. I have some of these thoughts all the time. But you made me remind myself on something I always tell myself: Do what you are good at and keep doing it.
Thanks man for the inspiration!
Thanks Soren
Totally agree (and relate) with everything you say. Being a full time musician is f…… hard these days. I’ve been doing this for years now and I feel that it is only getting worse. So many amazing players doing shitty jobs only to keep playing. The fact is you can have 3 gigs in a week and after that, not be playing for 3 weeks as well. The thing is, as musicians, we NEED to play to be happy so we keep going that path but sometimes it is very difficult. Cheers!
Funny, I just watched that Rick Beato video recently. Thanks for all you do, Jay!
I thought you were gonna quit ☹ You've helped me so much on my saxophone journey! Thanks, Jay!
Jay thanks so much for coming on here and getting real! What an important message for your followers- one that I can relate to and take guidance from as a young musician. Your videos have been a part of my upbringing and are now seeing me into the start of a musical courier. I know it will be hard but with guys like you lighting the path it’s easier to feel good about it because as you say not everything that’s “good” or “worth it” can be put into a bank account. ❤️
Much appreciated
Well said. It’s always good to have choices in live
Video title had me spooked. Glad to have you Jay
Without a doubt the best saxophone CZcams channel
Keep up the great work 👍
Thank you!
I was practicing and I saw this video thank god your not quitting
Lovely video Jay. Thanks for that. 🙏🏻
It’s weird how similar our trajectories have been. Almost everything you said I thought “yeh that’s me!”, right down to the whole CZcamsr to saxepreneur thing.
I DO get frustrated that subs and views just don’t budge, and then some random thing that took 5 minutes to shoot picks up, and many 9-5ers would consider online business to be perilous and risky, but you’re right, being a career muso makes you bombproof to uncertainty and financial vulnerability!
Keep up the good work man, we’re all watching! (and in a supportive way, not like Miles, Trane and Bird etc in your dream 😂) Jx
Thanks Jamie
Jay….dropping the knowledge…
You are a wise man and a legendary sax player ! I'm coming from a family of musicians and I'm a musician that counts only on music. I believe every musician that counts only on music its close to GOD and every time we get in complicated situation every time GOD helps us !
Hi Jay @bettersax ....You're such a great resource for so many saxophonists... Thank you for your diligence in providing all the info that benefits so many of us! ...Most successful musicians/artists/actors always say that they work with a team of people that help them to succeed. That no one ever does it alone. Other people invest in them as a team financially to create success. So my question is, how did you go from struggling gig to gig... taking every gig that came your way... not having health insurance or a retirement savings, to where your are now? Who invested in you to get from surviving gig to gig, to having a plethora of Yanagisawa saxophones, and to build the Better Sax company/Brand? Who comprises of your team, and who helped you the most? I think knowing that would help a lot of us understand what it took to make what you've achieved possible. Especially because surviving as a professional musician can be such a challenge... Even for those that are somewhat successful. Thanks so much!! ... Also, glad you're not quitting!! Lol!
👊🏼🎷
-Best Wishes
Cat
Nice analogy on Life Jay 😉
Gotta love what u do 🤙
Jay I appreciate your channel and the education you provide. I’ve been a musician most of my life and I’ve rediscovered my love for the sax after a two decade break and have found your approach to be helpful and informative. I also have been a CZcamsr for 14 years to support my own online business and I can see why people get burned out, I’ve come close myself. Balance is the key to a lot of it, mix in work you do just for you along with work you do for money, and it helps keep the passion alive. As they say in Hollywood, “do one for them and do one for you”
Absolutely spot on, Jay! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Bravo Jay. Everyone will be sticking with you, no worries mate.
After my father retired 55 years of tenor sax player he always said he did what he loved for all those years and that he did what he loved for all his life , now with the technology we have streaming and CZcams and all that jazz I'm sure he would have loved to exploit it more but he had a good run as he says and has many childhood friends who he can still to this day sit down with and chat about the good old days ❤
NOT YOU TOO (haven’t seen the video yet)
Edit: False alarm we’re okay
Thank you for these insights and your honest words 💚.
I feel fortunate to be an amateur musician. My livelihood was in a different industry - making music is a hobby. I am thankful for my good fortune and for educators like yourself.
How succinctly well stated.
Great video Jay !!!! I'm retired from the USAF bands, after 23 years of service,
I'm set for life and get paid until I die. I have always been blessed to be able to just concentrate on music and playing in bands. I look forward to all your videos, so helpful to my students. Thanks!
Thanks Grant
My heart!!! I thought you where quitting and now I’m crying happy tears you’re not 😵💫😳
That last sentence nailed it! Wise man!
You managed to alarm many people with that video title 🙂. I love your videos, and although I was playing before watching them, you inspired me to practice more, practice correct and get better, and in general you made me appreciate saxophone much more than I did before. Now my son is learning to play and I hope I am sharing the enthusiasm with him.
Yes l would miss your videos too. I've played saxophone for 40 years and have played most of that time and not going to stop. Played in all types of bands and sometimes got paid. So l'm not about to put my saxophone away.and life continues. But it's nice to play saxophone with a friend. Thank you
I think the big difference too is that you, like Rick, Bob, Rhett and others, are teachers. Music and teaching are two disciplines whereby fame and fortune aren’t core motivators for the majority of practitioners therefore the metrics of success are vastly different. Keep doing what you’re doing. I love your channel and what you bring to the conversation that is music and education. 😊
Play for fun. I was fortunate to study under Bill Trimble, SJSU. His tone sticks in my head to this day.
This is so very interesting! Thanks for sharing! It’s information that someone might have to guess about but now we have an inside scoop.
keep up the good work. Thank you
Thanks Jay, you said was I was thinking, but was reluctant to say since I have no YT experience other than watching. What I can say, as a 45 year musician, is that musicians also need to NOT feel too “oh-poor-me”. Imagine the stress that farmers, utility workers and health care workers etc, etc have to deal with daily! Those jobs make being a musician look pretty cush! All that to say - whether a musician or a “Ytuber” we should all have humility, feel blessed and give thanks and kindness to the people that make our pursuits possible.
On point Jay!
Very nice videos. Thank you. Great job. 👍
Love ya Jay
Great thoughts and insights Jay. Thank you for sharing.
And thanks for watching the Beato video so that I didn't have to 😁
Jay, you about gave me a heart attack!.. but then I remembered how you love those provocative video titles. Here’s to many more inspiring and fun-filled video projects!
Your devoted editor,
Chris ;)
Very nice video man! You are all right, it is very hard being a musician, and adding to what have you said Jay, we saw the pandemic phenomenon of 2020, a lot of people had a vision because most countries were having issues of the restrictions of performing live at rhe clubs or restaurants, and that's when most people tried to do this You tuber life, but once the restrictions and the people started to go back to a certain "normal" life, the rhythm of human society had changed and most people preferred to have live classes and events, but fortunatelly we have Better sax to keep learning!
Thanks for sharing Jay, you have great content and a much respected perspective. Recently, one of my students bought a better sax from you and loves it. I wanted to thank you for your time, patience , and diligence on creating the sax as well as the Better Sax program and resources. I have your videos on and shared in the classroom all the time. Keep up the great work and I hope to see you at NAMM 2024 - Peace be with you from the 562 area in So Cal.
Great to hear. Say hello at NAMM if you see me around.
Thanks Jay, for this video and for continuing to do what you do! It has been interesting watching you develop over the past few years and I am happy that your music business is going well! (My most watched CZcams video is my "6 scales in 1 breath" for your contest. Ha)
Jay, I really enjoy your work on this channel! Three of my saxophone students (who are all in middle school) recently upgraded from rental horns to the Better Sax alto. I appreciate what you do!
Great to hear this!
Jay you are a great saxophonist and I appreciate your videos, they educational and information
I appreciate that!
It’s important to remember that CZcams is nearly 20 years old now. Seeing as many of these classic CZcamsrs started their channels between 2008 and 2014, it would make sense that they could be experiencing burnout from making videos. It could be that the pressure to maintain a popular channel became too exhausting.
Regrettably, pursuing a career as a content creator has never been the most stable path. While individuals on CZcams may amass a significant audience, it doesn't necessarily translate to financial success. Some videos generate more revenue than others and the view count doesn't guarantee a larger payout. Furthermore, CZcams is frequently entangled in controversies and drama, which further adds to the instability of turning a channel into a career. Given the potential for demonetization on CZcams, channels face the risk of both temporary and permanent bans, making it possible for them to be penalized at any moment. For large and small channels alike, CZcams's viability as a long-term career is a constant cause for concern.
Aside from platform-related concerns, it's not uncommon for internet celebrities to lose passion for their niche. When coupled with the ever-changing CZcams algorithm, people tend to pursue a new goal or fresh platform. Fortunately, oftentimes, this means that creators aren't fully leaving the internet, but rather exploring a new path, (Twitch streaming, acting, filmmaking, etc.)
Please do not quit You Tube. Having Jay Metcalf as personal instructor / jazz guru is THE REASON some of us bought saxophones and we're sticking with it. You are changing more lives here, where we are the beneficiaries of your past life.
Not quitting anytime soon. Thank you.
Thanks!
Thank you!
I'd love to hear stories of your professional musician experience, and what it took to get to that level. I am sure young musicians would benefit greatly as well.
I think what makes it different for musicians is that if they would do it for getting rich or famous, they would have quit a long time ago being a musician in the first place, like you pointed out. And the stress and level of accountability to perform at a high level was true for musicians long before CZcams.
So in the end, nothing new under the sun in terms of type of pressure, only a different format and technical skills involved.
Thanks for all the great content for the saxophone community around the world Jay.
All the best to you,
Jorre
Thanks Jorre!
Thanks…’Spose we all have a dream…’may not come true however; never give up on the dream 🛌☮️🎶🎵🎷
I’ve never been more nervous than last Christmas playing for my family. My embouchure evaporated, my fingers where all over the place, I played wrong notes and squeaked like a duck - I play tenor! The horror of dry mouth and reed is inhumane 🥹. When I play concerts in sold out venues with the orchestra I’m in, I could equally play in a relaxation wellness center- chill! Even though the sheet music often shows more black than white (ever tried a passo doble 🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶😀😀)
Well said Jay 🐬
You (and Rick) create content based on experience outside CZcams. You have vast knowledge, expertise and substance built up that your viewers come ro see. That's a stark contrast with a youtuber who has to generate tbe content out of thin air. Thst's stressful, because they know they're in a fishtank where at any point a new shark can drop into.
Appreciate that
CALLED
PAYING DUES.
And Sometimes you get out what you put in.
IF YOU LOSE THE SPARK 🔥
NONE OF IT SEEMS
TO MATTER
THAT PILOT LIGHT
WILL TAKE YOU FAR.
IF IT GOES OUT
YOU SEE THINGS
DIFFERENTLY.
WHAT MATTERS
MOST?
I do agree with all the things you said in this video, Jay. Go on with your great educational work. One question: are you planning to produce a better sax soprano?
Yes! It may be ready by the end of this year.
Saw Rick’s, interesting..
Love your channel! 🌟
Same here. Saw Rick's video yesterday as well.
Thanks for making this, Jay. A lot of insightfulness and outright WISDOM for the benefit of all.
On the outside looking in, the life of a musician seems so attractive and glamorous. The more I learn, though, the more I see how precarious it usually is.
Definitely not quitting my career in education!
As for the YT quitting, I am a "motovlogger," and I've been making motorcycle vlogs since 2007. I have about 6,000 subscribers, and I'm losing subs every day because I've evolved to be much less into motorcycles and making videos about it.
My "income" was never great, but now it is not much of anything at all. Do I care? Nope.
I've always done my thing on here for myself. Any subs I get or friendships I make are icing on the cake.
And now, I make really crappy videos of me busking in my back yard as I practice my bari sax.
I get about 10 views! Again, I don't care! 😀
If it isn't fun and you don't HAVE TO do it, then don't! A very simple approach to something easily complicated by life.
Thanks again for all that you do!
Yes CZcams and music are similar in that way.
The upside of having a video that flops is that no one really knows unless they happen to click on it and then notice it has low views.
Can you do a video where you show us every saxophone you own please
Good idea.
Thank you for great value, what camera do you use. Great quality!
Canon EOSR
How can i get a youtube channel! I guess it must pay very well? We cancelled a gig tonight because of a blinding snowstorm and below freezing temps but not untill i had slready loaded all my gear and was on my way to play...aaaargh....no pay for that! But glad to be home and warm.
Hey, could you make a comparision video with the new Legere French cut tenor reed?
Mr Metcalf- any word on the progress of development on the BetterSax Burnin Soprano mouthpiece?
Ehi, greetings from It
I gigged for pay since 1969.A Teamster since 1973. Married to my beautiful wife since 1976. Retired in 2017 and became a full time musician on three pensions and two health insurances.
Interesting
I’ve not been coming on much recently! I play for my own pleasure not everybody else’s 🤣🤣
Come on Jay, be a bit more gentle with the title!
You scared the death out of us!
Greetings from Greece!
Looking forward for more of your great footage!
Jay goes to both heaven and hell simultaneously in his dreams!
As a retired professional musician, I would definitely miss CZcams, if I were to quit. There is so much talent out there that it's incredible. I've already quit Facebook, etc...... and I must say that I don't miss it one bit! I do not enjoy all the propaganda on CZcams, and I try to avoid it! It's everywhere these days!
There's a huge number of jobs in industries that are high stress and high performance. Many have high personal stakes, and many people burn out in all of them. High level construction has huge burnout, but thousands and thousands of people handle millions of dollars worth of planning, building and materials every day. So yeah, I agree, while we're all humans with feelings, there's only a limited amount of sympathy a lot of us have for people who burn out of making videos.
I’ve not seen any of these quitting videos. But think about this: very few tv shows last more than a few years even with teams of writers and producers. Sustaining a CZcams channel independently has to be even harder
I honestly wish you'd get back into CZcams someday
Hi Jay - Are you going to be at NAMM 2024? I would like to try your large chamber alto sax mouthpiece on a Rampone alto that I am trying out there. I briefly saw your in that area last year. Thanks, Jeff
Yes I’ll be there and the BetterSax mouthpieces can be found at the JodyJazz booth.
Great! See you at NAMM! @@bettersax
The work balance is artifically pushed to the max by a computer algorithm. At first they try to keep up with ever-expanding their numbers, and then crash and burn when they can't anymore.
You are in a good place when you don't crave 'likes' on any social media or need 'views' to survive. No time to replay 'wrong note' during live performance but CZcamsrs have time to edit out what they choose to post. A CZcamsr who places self on a time-line for daily/weekly/etc postings, places self on on 'stress-line'. Who cares? You don't 'answer' to the viewers for the stress. Do they pay you for your postings? At Jay, I think you have don't excellently well all round to become an influencer. You have sacrificed a lot (as a pro musician); not caring about 'big' money or comfort that other career paths could have provided initially. Your sacrifice and experience has positioned you and is now paying off with your continuing hard work on your products. I bought all your mouthpieces (x 2 for tenor) and recommend your sax to beginners/parents. I would have bought one except that I have the......(s) already. What I like most about your postings is your gentle candor. I bought some books you recommended and when you made that 'face' about that black improvisation book (name witheld), I thought 'common, it can't be that....). Now, I understand. Thanks for all you do. Keep the good work going. Don't stop no matter what they say.
All i see lately on youtube is videos about people quitting. Then at the end of the video they say they aren't quitting. They are playing with our emotions. =/ Keep making nice videos please. =)
✝️🎵🎶🎷
Mr. Metcalf, I'm selling my mint '83 YAS-62 but haven't posted it anywhere yet. Are you interested?
LOL. Since Rick put up his CZcamsrs Quitting video, here you are Jay and oh ya....as I write this Rhett Shull is showing off his shiny forehead in the side bar with his take entitled "Why CZcamsrs Are Quitting". You guys are toooo funny. It's good to hear your gratitude about why youtube has done good for you Jay. This looks to be a nice income stream for you despite its variability. I encourage those quitters to follow through....go ahead and line up at the water cooler over at "happy to have a job, U.S.A". Also, I encourage all of their "subscribers" to hit "unsubscribe" and wish them well.
I have sympathy for anyone who works a high stress job for bad pay.
Implying we shouldn't feel sympathy for people who are struggling because others have struggled in the past is such a boomer take. We all deserve a fair living for fair work.
Dang I thought you were quitting.
Yeah it sucks playing for peanuts
I too was a professional musician (upright bassist) for 25+ years and lived gig to gig and student to student, as did my wife. It's not all as bad as he says. It's about living below your means and saving the rest. I saved for retirement, paid for a house, health insurance and more. No children so that probably helped.
As for Beato, don't be fooled. I think he does care about how many views he gets. IMHO Beato should be banned from youtube - much of what he does is infringement no matter that he hides behind "fair use" or "educational use". Ironically I'm pretty sure that if someone reposted one of his vids for "educational purposes" he would be the first to sue. And when the rare video of his does get taken down, he posts a whiny clickbait "Why I'm Quitting youtube" video, but he doesn't quit LOL. Beato cares about views - no doubt about it.
It occurs to me that the "youtubers" that feel stress have no idea what a real job is. You'd have the same stress if you had a 9 to 5 gig. "Whhaaaaaaa I have a modicum of success...Whaaaaa" Grow a sack!
Musicians are making too much money to quit.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣! Most of us work day jobs too!
Hi Jay, I love most of your takes, advice and recommendations, but this one rubs me the wrong way. It reminds me of a verbally abusive parent explaining to their child that they should be grateful they aren't being spanked like they were. You tried to be diplomatic, but it came off as insincere, and frankly, whiny about whiners.