We are not slaves, nor indentured servants, nor debtors. We owe the music industry nothing. Why, then, does it ask for everything? Unlike the majority of professions, the music industry routinely has a habit of following us home. And to be fair, a professional musician with a home studio chooses to live at work. Our personal lives are not sacred or even sheltered. Whatever our boundaries are, whatever our limits of productivity or unemployment, whatever our priorities, all will be tested and challenged by the music industry. This threat to a healthy and balanced life is pervasive and affects everyone from aspiring graduates to career musicians. That means you. Why is balance important? Let’s consider just a few of the …