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03-09-2009, 02:11 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Canada | | | Are you a hobbiest, part-time or full-time bassist?
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I was wondering how many bassists that visit Talk Bass play in bands or mainly play as a hobby at home. Also, how many can catagorize themselves as 'pro bassists'. I thought of a few 'basic' categories as there are many, please add more if you like:
- Bass Collector
- Hobby Bassist (playing at home/jamming)
- Serious Bassist (playing in a band with the odd show)
- Semi-pro Bassist (playing in a band/s a few times a month and maybe some instructing part-time)
- Pro Bassist (playing in a band/s and/or studio work and maybe some instructing full-time)
You can respond with your current status.
I would basically put myself at the 'serious bassist' level at this point. |
03-09-2009, 02:15 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mechanicsburg, PA | | | Former pro, now semi-pro.
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03-09-2009, 02:16 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Concord, NH | | | How about a Student category?
Although that isn't mutually exclusive of the others.
I suppose I would be a Student and Semi-pro bassist. |
03-09-2009, 02:17 PM
|  | Lone Wolf and Renagade Miner | | | | | - Semi-pro Bassist (playing in a band/s a few times a month and maybe some instructing part-time)
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03-09-2009, 02:17 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Tuscola, Il. | | | Former Semi-Pro, now serious. - Really a weekend warrior now since I don't care so much for traveling.
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03-09-2009, 02:18 PM
|  | Regal User | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Orange County, CA | | | i guess i would fit between serious and semi-pro. i play in a few groups at any given time, and practice a bunch. but i also work full time, so that kind of limits how 'professional' i can get. which is OK with me. |
03-09-2009, 02:20 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Columbus, Ohio | | | I'd say I'm a semi-pro, being in 3 bands and playing at my church as well as the occasional church fill in gig.
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03-09-2009, 02:22 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Franklin WI | | | Guess I'm a "serious bassist". I play in a cover band with a group of friends. Band practice once a week and we play out a few times a month. But I consider this a hobby as we play just for fun. No intention of quitting my day job
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03-09-2009, 02:23 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia | | | Semi-pro, I guess. I play in a regularly gigging and soon to be touring band.
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03-09-2009, 02:25 PM
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Semi-Pro.
Gig anywhere from 4-8 gigs a month.
With studio work mixed in.
Have a part-time job other than music to pay bills.
Hope to make music my full time job in the next year? |
03-09-2009, 02:26 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Nashville | | | Semi-pro: Playing in a couple of bands, lots of one-off dates and sub work, occaisionally in the studio either playing or producing. |
03-09-2009, 02:26 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Sylva, NC | | | Former Pro (like, eons ago - early seventies!), now Serious.
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03-09-2009, 02:29 PM
|  | I Know Nothing | | Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Columbia River Gorge, WA. | | I consider myself a Hobbyist, although by your definition I guess it'd be Semi-pro. "Serious" just doesn't jibe with my attitude at all.  |
03-09-2009, 02:29 PM
|  | Faith, Family, Fitness, and Frets | | Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: New Jersey | | | Former full time pro (about 1,000 years ago), now semi pro - 50 shows a year with my main gig, lots of sub and studio work, owner of a company unrelated to music to feed the family and pay the bills!
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03-09-2009, 02:30 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2005 Location: Charlottesville, VA | | | That's tough. I play in two bands, which means practice something like once or sometimes twice a week with one or the other band gigging every 4-6 weeks, occasionally I end up with two gigs a month. One band is currently in studio working on a CD. I guess by your definitions that would make me "Semi-Pro", but I feel more like an amateur hobbyist. Just a busy amateur hobbyist.
In my mind, a Pro does this professionally, it's their job and main source of income.
I would only consider myself semi-pro if I actually made money at this equivalent to at least a part-time job.
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03-09-2009, 02:31 PM
|  | Superfast 2.0 | | Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: San Antonio, TX | | | I was a serious/semi-pro up until last semester when everyone graduated and moved away. Now I'm a hobbyist. |
03-09-2009, 02:35 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Sherman Texas | | Quote:
Originally Posted by topper That's tough. I play in two bands, which means practice something like once or sometimes twice a week with one or the other band gigging every 4-6 weeks, occasionally I end up with two gigs a month. One band is currently in studio working on a CD. I guess by your definitions that would make me "Semi-Pro", but I feel more like an amateur hobbyist. Just a busy amateur hobbyist.
In my mind, a Pro does this professionally, it's their job and main source of income.
I would only consider myself semi-pro if I actually made money at this equivalent to at least a part-time job. | +1
I'm pretty close to exactly this. I consider myself a serious hobbyist as I practice with full band serveral times a week, record, and gig about once a month.
I didn't see a "back from the grave" category. I put it down for 25 years and feel reborn again. GURRRAAHHH! |
03-09-2009, 02:37 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK | | | I'm a hobbyist. I like to jam and just play for pleasure. Now there is no money in music. I can be happier playing what I want to play instead of having to play cover tunes for cash. I let the day job pay the bills. |
03-09-2009, 02:43 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sioux Falls, SD | | | Serious/Semi-Pro, i.e. weekend warrior with a non-music day job.
Paid work = My main cover band that averages 2 weekends (3-4 nights) a month; also a handful of sub gigs a year in another band, and the occasional one-off project.
Freebies = Church, average two weekends a month plus specials (Christmas, etc.). Also the occasional benefit gig.
No teaching or studio work at this time, though I have done some of both in the past.
Last edited by jaywa : 03-09-2009 at 02:45 PM.
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03-09-2009, 02:47 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Omaha, NE | | | Semi-Pro, in that I'm making more of my income from music than from any other source. Almost living the dream.
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