Musicians! If nobody is willing to pay you for your work you are NOT a professional musician... even if you (or your mum) thinks you are great and should be paid.

Musicians! If nobody is willing to pay you for your work you are NOT a professional musician... even if you (or your mum) thinks you are great and should be paid.

If some people are prepared to pay for some of it (recordings or live) then maybe you are a semi-pro musician.
Maybe you are an undiscovered musical genius... maybe you are on the way up and awaiting your big break (just like all those artists from the past who struggled and had to do "normal jobs" on the side/as well).
Not everyone is a talented artist... and not everyone who has talent will be recognised and rewarded financially. 
There's never been better access to everyone to record and distribute music... consequently more people are choosing to do so. If you decide to try and make a career/living out of your music/talent then good for you... but please don't expect us the audience to pay you to indulge your belief in your talent.
We'll choose who we think is worthy and what you are worth.
We are your audience... respect us!

I saw this via Raymond Gorman 's FB timeline.
http://www.worknotplay.co.uk/most-musicians-i-know-do-not-earn-most-of-their-money-from-music/