What makes one a pro? Do you have to do music for a living? Do have to make money composing, writing or playing? What happens when you wake up one day and are no longer an amateur musician? Is the word "pro" self proclaimed or are you voted into some kind of fraternity? Can you buy your way into being a pro? I'm sure after hearing some of your answers I will have to remain content just playing music for selfish personal pleasure and over indulgance!!! -charley

[This message has been edited by sk880user (edited 01-09-2003).]

I'd guess pro implies professional which implies it is one's profession or occupation. Easier with technical occupations than something like music...

There's an exhibition coming to my city in a few weeks where punters will have a chance to go and see the world's largest model railway.

So, what I'd really like to know is... at what point does a large model railway become a *real* railway?

I would have to agree with Cloakboy but in the long run I'd say "attitude" has a lot to do with it. If you do...what you do...with a professional attitude, who's to say?

Your bank statement?

...Ouch !!

Ha yeah. If you're broke th first half of the month, you're a pro.

When a person's entire livlihood is made by a trade skill or profession whereby the rent they pay and food they eat is generated from these skills.

I am semi-pro because with the money I make, I buy and live on Top Ramen noodles.
MORPH!

the Shrimp flavor is the best!!!!

Y'know, back when I was a struggling "professional," they didn't HAVE Ramen noodles...Banquet pot pies were $0.19, and each had roughly the same salt content as the Dead Sea. Of course, we had to walk barefoot 6 miles through 3 feet of snow to get 'em...uphill both ways...

"Professional" means more than just making money primarily from something, since that "something" generally must be considered a "profession." Most folks wouldn' call someone hired as a street sweeper a professional, even though he's being paid for it. However, he, I'm sure, would use the word! Same goes for musicians, who are generally looked upon as scalawags and ne'er-do-wells (as well they should be! ).

The moral of the story - call yourself anything you like, but make music. One of the greatest American composers was Charles Ives, who made his living from insurance and wrote music only on weekends (here's a short biography ).

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"The problem with the world is that the ignorant are cock-sure, whereas the intelligent are full of doubt." - Bertrand Russell