This is actually a talk I can relate too, aka Lives journey.
I started playing piano at around age 6 (maybe 7-ish). Loved every moment of it the "black and whites" loved me and I loved it. Few years later due to finances I got stopped going to piano lessons. Was the end of my world at that point in my life but as a consolation my grandfather gave me a guitar for my 13th Birthday. Pianos are very expensive incase no one knows. But I hated the guitar. It mostly gathered a lot of dust, and I used to lay it down on the table and "play" on it like a piano.
Through the years I learned a few major chords (On a guitar that was not tuned because I did not know of any better) but was all just down strumming. With my out of tune guitar and my down strumming I wrote my own songs. (LMAO imagine my surprise when nothing sounded right after I eventually got the guitar tuned). So around age 16 I was sitting on the porch (Was more like a sunroom, had windows all round) with my out of tune guitar working on a song and a guy walked past, heard the guitar and decided I am in serious need of a guitar tuning. He knocked on the door and we became very good friends. Him and his 3 brother with another friend of theirs had a band. So, he taught me the guitar (on hearing) and eventually asked me to join the band.
The band lasted for 7 years and was the best 7 years of my life. Even while doing my compulsory military service, I still during off times went with them on "Gigs" and shows. When the band split and my initial military service ended, I joined the UN under (permanent service), but by then music was in my blood. The knowledge and experience I gained from the band made me to buy recording equipment wherever I could find and it was a hobby mostly. I met a music producer (Wish I could give his name but not allowed too for obvious reasons) several years later and when I was not busy would be at his place and learn. My composing, arranging etc just grew bigger and I started getting interest from young and upcoming artists for back tracks. Not because I was a professional, I simply did it for the love of it and not because of the money. My prices were dirt cheap and was pretty much just to cover expenses and maybe being able to buy a beer or ten out of it.
Age started catching up with me and was not able to do everything required of me at the UN so I retired. Figured I have the knowledge and experience (Industrial electronics in AED's etc.) so I can just do whatever when I am back in my country. Did not work that way and realised that military background means pretty much nothing in the private sector. Everyone wants certificates. A referral letter from the UN (Geneva) meant nothing to them.
That said I went to a school play (On invitation) the one night and ended up speaking to the music teacher. That conversation is why I am where I am today. I simply create "RAW" tracks for people and what they do with it afterwards is their problem. I will take a melody or a set of chords and create a whole band around it for you and that is what most young and up comings want. I still do back tracks and arrangements and yes, I do still compose (for private use only) and I am mainly into theory as opposed to actually playing instruments, but my journey into music started the day I sat down in front of a piano for the first time.
My very first lesson EVER (Burned into memory) and that was where to find "Middle C". I am definitely not the best in the market but Most artists (especially when starting) simply cannot afford huge companies to get them on their feet. I do explain to every client I am not the best and they accept it as such. Honestly, I do not even own any musical instruments anymore because I have any instrument imaginable on my computer.
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