hi james-
thanks for your post. i'm sure others will post some great feedback, as well, but i will give you my $.02. first of all, in my humble opinion there are certain academic aspects of being a bassist you have to make sure you have together before you even begin the 'hustle', so to speak. i mention this because there are many players out there who either do not prioritize these things or simply take them for granted, and then unfortunately get passed over, scratching their heads wondering why when they can play well... obviously, you have to have your playing together at the highest level if you want to be ready for any opportunity that comes your way. that almost goes without saying. you have already mentioned that your playing is already at a high level so i say this more for everyone's benefit, in general. if you have a weakness in your playing that compromises your confidence on the stage or in the studio it is going to reveal itself in your playing, even if it is in a less-tangible form than obvious 'mistakes' or 'timing issues'. your performances need to be inspiring and your groove needs to be infectious!!!
ok, so assuming you have your act together with your playing, i can't stress enough how important it is to have great tone. i can't tell you how many times i've heard producers and bandleaders mention how they haven't hired a cat because their tone wasn't happening. if you don't know what folks think of your tone, then ask them, and if the response is less than favorable, take the steps to improve it. you also need to have pro gear that doesn't break down. (this should also be obvious). having your playing, gear, and your tone together are more basic facets, but i mention those first because they should be in order if you are serious about moving onwards and upwards. as far as getting gigs and auditions, there are so many factors that can come into play. i'd have to say though, in my personal experience, the year after year experiences of meeting and playing with new musicians and working in as many diverse musical settings as possible has contributed most to my being able to build a career doing this. so, having said that i guess you really can't overestimate the value of networking and playing with as many cats as possible. honestly, every significant tour or gig i have gotten has at least started with a referral from someone that i had worked with before or someone that knew my playing and personality firsthand. as for the union, i am a member but i haven't gotten any gigs directly as a result of my membership. the union does offer some cool benefits in the area of insurance and pension, but they are not really an organization that you can go to to find gigs. depending on the city you live in, there are probably a handful of established players that are very plugged in that you should get to know on a personal and professional level. you might also check the recent threads posted in my forum on nashville and how to break in... lots of incredible insight from seasoned pros that i think might also help, at least philosophically. i wish there was a magic formula for finding success when pursuing gigs and tours but persistence does pay off when coupled with a positive attitude and skills on the bass. i hope this helps somewhat. let me know if you have any other specific questions and i'll try my best to answer them.
all the best to you,
adam
