The Career.

ihs0y · #1 10-04-2010, 02:28 AM

Hello fellow bassists!

First of all, a word to share.
I sincerely do hope for replies to this thread considering there might be some of us out there, like me for example. Who are very interested in music and are considering to take it up as a career, to really make music part of their life.

My personal hopes would be,
Sharing of opinions and experiences of other fellow bassists out there, on this thread.
(Do elaborate)

I'll start the ball rolling for this thread. Any topic-related questions are most welcomed, the aim is have a wide range of view for the topic.
- Here we go, the basic and more general questions!
(all opinions are welcome)
1. Qualifications a musician would require to consider taking up music as a career?
2. Employment rates, in different categories of the music industry?
3. Career as a performing musician/bassist?
4. Other music related careers, particularly with the bass? (maybe as a luthier, teacher or some others)
5. Places/countries where music might be more "involved"?

If there are any comments or questions that might be directed at me, I'd be more than happy to see them!

Thank you so much in advance for your sincere replies and for your time!
I speak on behalf of everyone, that we hope to learn something

- John

JimmyM · #2 10-04-2010, 04:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ihs0y

1. Qualifications a musician would require to consider taking up music as a career?
2. Employment rates, in different categories of the music industry?
3. Career as a performing musician/bassist?
4. Other music related careers, particularly with the bass? (maybe as a luthier, teacher or some others)
5. Places/countries where music might be more "involved"?

1. do you own an instrument?

2. you get a few gigs, consider yourself luckier than most.

3. see #2.

4. there are also tech jobs like soundman, recording engineer, things like that.

5. major cities mostly, but i've seen folks make careers for themselves in unlikely places. however, you do have to go where the gigs are.

ihs0y · #3 10-05-2010, 04:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

1. do you own an instrument?

2. you get a few gigs, consider yourself luckier than most.

3. see #2.

4. there are also tech jobs like soundman, recording engineer, things like that.

5. major cities mostly, but i've seen folks make careers for themselves in unlikely places. however, you do have to go where the gigs are.

Hi, yes. I have a jazz bass. What kind of experiences do you have as a bassist may I ask?

dwbentley · #4 10-05-2010, 04:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ihs0y

Hi, yes. I have a jazz bass. What kind of experiences do you have as a bassist may I ask?

check out his profile

Rob Lewis · #5 10-05-2010, 04:38 AM

Whatever way it goes, best of British luck!

JimmyM · #6 10-06-2010, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ihs0y

Hi, yes. I have a jazz bass. What kind of experiences do you have as a bassist may I ask?

oh, about 33 years worth. some years better than others, but mostly these days working with a lot of the more popular 50's-60's-70's acts of the day.

PastorofMuppets · #7 10-06-2010, 09:22 PM

Ive played a few hundred gigs in my career, but to me its really not a career.
Its a passionate hobby. It pays for vacations and more gear and affords me time with friends to rock out.

I suggest you learn music and reading to a high degree and look into getting into the cruise industry as a career in music. GREAT pay and awesome life. One friend is now in his 6 year as a bassist on a carnival cruise ship and he loves it. great pay and you dont need cash at all the entire time so when your contract is up you have it all waiting.

Stereo Joe · #8 10-06-2010, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PastorofMuppets

I suggest you learn music and reading to a high degree and look into getting into the cruise industry as a career in music. GREAT pay and awesome life. One friend is now in his 6 year as a bassist on a carnival cruise ship and he loves it. great pay and you dont need cash at all the entire time so when your contract is up you have it all waiting.

Great pay? On a cruise ship?

All the contracts I've heard about were in the $500 - $600 per week area which puts the salary well below the poverty line even discounting food and shelter.
I guess it's steady income and a better gig than playing trashy bars on the weekends though...
Did your friend get a nice raise each year? Maybe that would explain how he is getting decent pay.

JimmyM · #9 10-06-2010, 09:48 PM

$500-600 a week when you have no other real expenses is not bad at all. it's an odd lifestyle that i could never in a million years get used to, but it's good for young folks starting out.

Ric5 · #10 10-06-2010, 09:58 PM

Music is a truely wonderful hobby ... and also a gateway to poverty to many who do not have a good day job.

ihs0y · #11 10-07-2010, 01:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ric5

Music is a truely wonderful hobby ... and also a gateway to poverty to many who do not have a good day job.

May I ask why?

JimmyM · #12 10-07-2010, 10:16 AM

because good gigs are incredibly hard to come by, and even the best gigs often don't have enough work to stay alive on. i get paid pretty well on my main gig and sometimes i have great months, but there are times i still have to freelance on other gigs just to make ends meet.

PastorofMuppets · #13 10-07-2010, 10:19 AM

dont be discouraged.
It CAN be done.
just hard sometimes.

I know some people who play 6 nights a week and pull in over 50 grand a year
they also teach private lessons and all that

JimmyM · #14 10-07-2010, 10:44 AM

diversification is the key. in addition to playing bass, i play guitar and gig on that occasionally, and i sing. singing especially helps me get gigs. also, owning a pa/lights is a big investment but can pay for itself within a short time if you know how to work it well. and don't be afraid to play in more than one band. at my peak i've played in as many as 4 bands. one of them is my main band and i don't sub it out, but i do other gigs either as a sub or in a sub-out situation.

Righteous Thunderer · #15 10-07-2010, 10:54 AM

The branches of the military have slots for musicians; I've heard that the Air Force is the place to go for that train of thought. I myself will be auditioning to reclass from Infantry to musician when my recruiting time is up (Army).

BASSDROID · #16 10-07-2010, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ihs0y

May I ask why?

I have about 20 years of gigging experience, the last 10 years or so with music being my sole source of income. When I set out on this path, I think I was pretty idealistic: I figured that as long as I kept a good attitude, was versatile, dependable, played well, and did what was expected of me, that the gigs would continue to come and I would survive.

I was right; they have and I am surviving...just barely. At 42, I'm in my 24th year of renting. I have never owned a home or a new car. I pay for my own health insurance and hope that it will be sufficient should something go wrong. My personal time is extremely limited due to all of the traveling I must do in order to keep the gigs coming and the bills paid. Sometimes (and sometimes quite often) I have to play music that I don't particularly care for and work with musicians who are either indifferent or sometimes downright unpleasant.

What I've laid out here is nothing new, I'm sure. But I'd like to add that these things really take their toll over the years. Looking back, I wish I'd trained for a different career and kept active in music as a secondary source of income. I may still take steps in this direction, but it is much harder to do this at 42 than it is at 18.

JimmyM · #17 10-07-2010, 11:22 AM

bassdroid is right. i've often felt that way myself. but once i got past 45, things started turning around for me, and i've somehow managed to reclaim the joy i had for doing it when i was 16. the money improving didn't hurt, and neither did marrying a gal i helped get through rn school and now she's a higher-up at her hospital

it reminds me of a quote from mark mothersbaugh of devo..."when you're in your 20's it's a great job. when you're in your 30's it's alright. but it kind of sucks when you're in your 40's." i certainly felt that, but what he left out is that once you hit 45 or 46, the pendulum starts swinging the other way. of course when he said it, he was in his 40's so he didn't know, but considering he's 61 now, devo just put out their first album in 20 years, and they're actively touring behind it and having great shows and having a great time, i think he feels it swinging, too.

okcrum · #18 10-07-2010, 11:55 AM

Things were not so bad in the 70s-90s, you could make a darn good living playing in a second tier (no hit single yet) show band on the right circuit, with the right manager. These days, the industry has changed greatly as far as recording, booking, and promotion. The successful newer bands I know now do all that themselves.

So I'd add a bunch of business skills to the basic musical chops requirements, though they have always been important, it seems there are more of them now.

I've heard from some guys that Asia is the place to go now if you want to make a good living playing.

I don't know what it is, but I understand that thing Jimmy's talking about.

dmusic148 · #19 10-07-2010, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BASSDROID

I have about 20 years of gigging experience, the last 10 years or so with music being my sole source of income. When I set out on this path, I think I was pretty idealistic: I figured that as long as I kept a good attitude, was versatile, dependable, played well, and did what was expected of me, that the gigs would continue to come and I would survive.

I was right; they have and I am surviving...just barely. At 42, I'm in my 24th year of renting. I have never owned a home or a new car. I pay for my own health insurance and hope that it will be sufficient should something go wrong. My personal time is extremely limited due to all of the traveling I must do in order to keep the gigs coming and the bills paid. Sometimes (and sometimes quite often) I have to play music that I don't particularly care for and work with musicians who are either indifferent or sometimes downright unpleasant.

What I've laid out here is nothing new, I'm sure. But I'd like to add that these things really take their toll over the years. Looking back, I wish I'd trained for a different career and kept active in music as a secondary source of income. I may still take steps in this direction, but it is much harder to do this at 42 than it is at 18.

This ought to be a sticky.

DrayMiles · #20 10-07-2010, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

bassdroid is right.

it reminds me of a quote from mark mothersbaugh of devo..."when you're in your 20's it's a great job. when you're in your 30's it's alright. but it kind of sucks when you're in your 40's." i certainly felt that, but what he left out is that once you hit 45 or 46, the pendulum starts swinging the other way. .

Listen to these words of wisdom grasshopper, or you'll be learning the hard way...

You start playing for the love, in your 30's there's still love but
mom ain't feeding you, so eating/bills chokes da love.. In your 40's anything/everything makes you realize 20+ years of struggling killed the love. I'm not saying it'll happen to ya, but half your life is a bad time to wake up from the dream saying "oh, s***."