Have you had an "oh ****" moment like me?

[SMILEYSIXX]

I've been in quite a few bands on and off in my area for about 2 years now, but nothing really went anywhere. I want to be a bassist for the rest of my life and actually get in a relatively stable band, but it seems like no one in my area is dedicated. I'm feeling really down right now because the band I was in (who was just about to record an EP) broke up out of nowhere. Has everyone gone through this? I have to believe you guys have, but at the same time I hope you didn't, because this feeling absolutely sucks.

[hrodbert696]

To quote That Thing You Do...

"Ain't nothing can keep a band together; Bands come and go. You keep playing... and watch your money."

Keep at it, keep networking, play whenever you can with whomever you can, and eventually a situation will come together for you.

[tharv]

I feel your pain...... Been out of a "working" situation for going on a year now. There just isn't much out there. But yet every time I talk to someone, all I hear is how "in demand" bass players are. Uh.... Hello!!

[Lady Kayri]

Been playing bass for three years now. Been in two bands, neither of which got to the gigging stage before they broke up. Very irritating, very frustrating. Still trying to network to find another band to play with. At this point, I don't care if it's a band that only plays in someone's garage or basement. I just want more experience playing with other people, instead of with frakking CDs!

[SMILEYSIXX]

I couldn't care less about making it big or anything like that, but I would give the world to be able to make a living with the bass. Hell, I would play in a cover band if it was at least a solid band.

[hrodbert696]

Originally Posted by SMILEYSIXX

I couldn't care less about making it big or anything like that, but I would give the world to be able to make a living with the bass. Hell, I would play in a cover band if it was at least a solid band.

I glanced at your profile and saw that you're still a teenager -- so you have plenty to time to figure all this out and find the right group. But just some perspective about playing music and making a living; playing originals, you have a slim chance of making it big and a very strong chance of going nowhere. Playing covers, you have a much better chance of getting regular paying gigs - weddings, corporate parties, bars and all. But of course, covers bands don't become big stars, they are the meat and potatoes of local live music. Either way, unless you hit it big with originals, you'll get a more regular paycheck at music by teaching.

This is not to hijack this into yet another (groan) originals-vs.-covers thread. It was just prompted by the tone of your statement about covers bands.

[Ursus Tyrannus]

I was in a band that was starting to get noticed, get a following locally both in Providence and Boston and getting some attention in NH. We were working on getting gigs in NY. The singer and I even got cast in a movie and the band all had cameos in it. We were gonna record a soundtrack in a studio for the movie and get a quality demo to shop around out of it. Then our practice space got robbed and every single piece of gear was stolen from us. We had to cancel important shows, we couldn't meet the time line to have our songs recorded for the movie, and we broke up shortly after a trio of shows played on borrowed gear.
I quit music a few years later, got a good job, nice house, new car, pretty wife. I lost those too and now and I'm living in a leaky trailer running out of food and money at the end of every month.
Man, I'm suddenly bummed out.

[Thor]

Originally Posted by Ursus Tyrannus

I was in a band that was starting to get noticed, get a following locally both in Providence and Boston and getting some attention in NH. We were working on getting gigs in NY. The singer and I even got cast in a movie and the band all had cameos in it. We were gonna record a soundtrack in a studio for the movie and get a quality demo to shop around out of it. Then our practice space got robbed and every single piece of gear was stolen from us. We had to cancel important shows, we couldn't meet the time line to have our songs recorded for the movie, and we broke up shortly after a trio of shows played on borrowed gear.
I quit music a few years later, got a good job, nice house, new car, pretty wife. I lost those too and now and I'm living in a leaky trailer running out of food and money at the end of every month.
Man, I'm suddenly bummed out.

Post of the day.

Oh, no wonder, you're in Little Rhody, like me.

[stflbn]

I'm not even sure what the "oh ****" moment in the OP was...


.

[tangentmusic]

Yeah man, you're young. These things will happen. Maybe more times than you'd like. It doesnt make it any easier. I know.
You're no doubt still in H.S. Concentrate on school. Have fun with music. Keep looking for more opportunities to advance musically. You may have to wait awhile, or you may find the right situation this weekend.

I was in a band years ago that I thought was going somewhere (like we all do when we're younger). It broke up due to bizzare circumstances involving a murder. Very extreme situation, but I dealt with it and moved on, both musically & personally.

Play music because you love it. There is always the possibility of a career in music. My old man used to say to me "dont put all your eggs in one basket". I now realize just what he meant.

[AltGrendel]

Originally Posted by stflbn

I'm not even sure what the "oh ****" moment in the OP was...


.

He's just bummed because he can't seem to get anything going musically. I don't really blame him if he's (or anyone for that matter) been working hard at this and nothing seems to gel. It may be that point where you need decide to stick it out or move on to something else entirely.

[Munjibunga]

I had one a couple months ago when I disbanded my band of 5 years.

[spaz21387]

My last band just ended because the of guitarists immaturity. I got tired of his sex stories. He would tell to same stories over and over. I told him nicely that I dont want to hear his stories he replied with "nope ima tell you all my fantacies" spelled wrong and everything. I said im not going to stick around if you keep up with the stories. He got offended put what Gear I had left at his house outside. Which was a spare hartke lh2500 head and my tech 21 sansamp. I came over and got it and 2 days later I found a new band and better yet the band leader is going to pay us per show no matter what the turn out of the show ends up being.

[SMILEYSIXX]

Originally Posted by spaz21387

My last band just ended because the of guitarists immaturity. I got tired of his sex stories. He would tell to same stories over and over. I told him nicely that I dont want to hear his stories he replied with "nope ima tell you all my fantacies" spelled wrong and everything. I said im not going to stick around if you keep up with the stories. He got offended put what Gear I had left at his house outside. Which was a spare hartke lh2500 head and my tech 21 sansamp. I came over and got it and 2 days later I found a new band and better yet the band leader is going to pay us per show no matter what the turn out of the show ends up being.

Sex stories? Wow, that's a bit weird... I quit a band because the guitarist couldn't shut up about his drug adventures, so I kinda know what you mean.

[Rockmusician]

I've been lucky in that every band I was ever in did some gigs. Not all of the bands lasted very long though. As I got older and more experienced, I played better and better gigs and eventually toured and did some music for television.

Get used to being frustrated. Understand that someone can be the nicest, most down to earth person you ever met, but when they have an instrumnt in their hands, they can turn into an a**hole. Don't let that stop you. keep playing. You have plenty of time.

[avvie]

I played a corporate gig at James Brown Amphitheater in Augusta GA in the mid 90's and things went so godawfully bad (out of my control as the band leader) that when I returned home I put all my equipment in a closet and didn't play a note for five years.

This guy started coming around and pestering me to work with him in a duo, and I went along with it just to be nice... he didn't have much talent that I could see. Practices were at my home so I could put as little effort into it as possible. Despite that lack of effort, we wound up doing coffee houses and art shows, added a horrible drummer who shaped up fast, played lots of gigs all around the area, recorded a CD and got radio airplay. Disbanded when the circuit ran dry.

That whole scenario happened simply because these guys had the correct attitude and ethic- not because they were talented. The pro corporate guys were talented with no ethic and a lousy attitude. This restored my faith in musical humanity and I've been plugging away at it ever since. The band projects are never a fairy tale romance but they're better than being at home sulking over a few bad moments and not playing at all.

Just keep playing with everyone you can... answer all the ads, meet and greet the clowns on your way to meeting and greeting the aces. Your phone will never ring if nobody knows you're out there.

[ggunn]

Originally Posted by SMILEYSIXX

I've been in quite a few bands on and off in my area for about 2 years now, but nothing really went anywhere. I want to be a bassist for the rest of my life and actually get in a relatively stable band, but it seems like no one in my area is dedicated. I'm feeling really down right now because the band I was in (who was just about to record an EP) broke up out of nowhere. Has everyone gone through this? I have to believe you guys have, but at the same time I hope you didn't, because this feeling absolutely sucks.

It happens all the time and it happens to everyone. You have the choice of persevering through it or giving up. Anyone who is any good chose the former.

People will decide to go to the mat over the silliest things. Once I was in a relatively successful band that broke up over the allocation of a dozen donuts. Of course there was a back story, but that was the issue that broke it. I moved on.

[Ubersheist]

Smileysixx - this is off topic, and probably deserves it's own thread, but there's already tons of them out there.....

There are ways to make money as a musician. Most of them do not involve being in a rock band as a rock star. Most of them involve behind the scenes things, like producing, writing music for movies or TVs, or playing in a jazz cover band at a restaurant or casino. Then there's also the teaching industry, running music at churches, running choirs or orchestras, and other ways that tend to be backed by institutions, but I don't have much experience with those, so I'll focus on the private industry side of music (selling records, concerts, being a studio producer or musician, selling songs for TV ads, etc.)

There is no tried and true "way" to make a living in the music industry today. The rules of yore are gone, and it's now the Wild, Wild West. Record deals are fading away fast, and it's easier for a band to get money through other more creative avenues, like Kickstarter.com. As such, the key is to find a creative way to monetize your music. No one can tell you how to do that, and you'll have to figure that out for yourself in all likelyhood.

However, there's certainly things you'll need to do to find success in the music industry. They are (briefly):

1) Be a great musician, well rounded, and a multi-instrumentalist in addition to your main instrument - this usually involves going to school and studying music specifically. The best thing you could do is probably learn how to sing at a near professional level. Also, if you're going to be a performing musician, then also be a great performer in addition to being a musician.

2) Have some business savvy. Take some community college classes, or something to understand how businesses work. You'll need to basically run your own business if you want to be a musician. The old ways of just getting a record contract are pretty dead if you go with original music, and you'll have to be your own company. The same was pretty much always true if you're doing more behind-the-scenes stuff. Also, if you're running a band or working alot with others, take a few management classes, too.

3) Be in tune with the music industry. Understand things like why getting a great publishing deal today is far better then getting a record deal. Check out hypebot.com (for mainstream record industry) or some of the other music news websites, and check them daily. Know how the industry works.

4) Treat your music as a business. If you want to make a living at it, it's a business, like it or not. As such, you have to offer a product that people want to buy, know how and where to position it, how to advertise it, etc. Make budgets, keep accounting records, have band checking accounts, give yourself a salary (when you start making money). Part of this means getting your own website, and keeping up on Internet social media sites like a fiend. First, though, really sit down and try to plan things out, and work with some numbers, not just a dream. Make a realistic plan. If you don't map it out, you won't be able to make a living off of your music.

5) Create your own musical destiny. This economy today seems to be better for entrepreneurship, rather then jumping in someone else's boats. Other people's boats are few and far between. So, build your own musical boat. Create a situation where people come to you, not the other way around, like start up YOUR band, create great music such that people will come to you, etc. This also involves Step 4. Really make a plan. Set realistic goals, and most importantly, with deadlines. This is tough, and you have to be self motivated. What's worked for me in the past was announcing via my website that my new album will be out on a specific date, for example.

6) Be dedicated. All the musicians that I know who do it full time never stop. They practice like crazy, even 20 years into it. They are always pushing out music, and their motors never stop. They put in tons of work and it shows. Recently, I attended an interview with Linda Perry (former singer of 4 Non Blondes, then she went on to be one of the best and most in demand producers and songwriters, now she's touring again with Deep Dark Robot). She stressed how even that she's been at it for over 20 years now, sold millions of records, won Grammys, etc., she's still busting her butt every day. She's relentless with her music, and you'll need to be, too, for however long you want to be a musician. Also, there is no "we can do it later." The music industry moves very fast, especially if you're doing original work. Get your music out there sooner rather then later.

7) Network, network, network, network. This is where if you have the stuff above in line, you can start to have your music business make money. If you're serious, don't work at a pizza joint, a coffee shop, or some crappy job outside of the music industry. Dive in. Work with as many people as you can. Write songs with them. Sit in or help out when they're in the studio. Get an internship at a recording studio, a promotions company, a publishing company, or somewhere in the general industry of your plan that you created in Step 4. Very few business deals with regards to music are made in pizza joints. That only happens in the movies and in a few anecdotal stories about bands in the 1980s or earlier. Tons and tons are made in recording studios or the offices of a publishing company. Alot of networking is also networking with other up and coming artists, industry people and business people that may not have any more experience or clout then you, but will later on down the road, i.e. music major classmates at college, interns at a booking agency, etc. At first, there is no money in most of the networking endeavors. However, if you keep alert and open minded, you'll come across things. Then, when you have a bit more steam, those contacts will come to you with contracts, clients, or other opportunities.

Except for the very, very, very rare "overnight sensations" (who usually have a back story involving 10 years of hard work before being "discovered") or a rare and relatively stable gig like at a casino or on a cruise ship, being a musician is not a 9-5 job, and it's very, very tough. If you're opposed to working hard, long hours, often physically demanding, being away from friends and family for extended periods of time, rejection, or working very hard on projects which do not have any immediate success, then being a musician is not for you. Wherever you are in your musical career is as easy as it'll ever be - the farther you get along, the more work and the more demanding it becomes.

That's pretty much the straight #$%, no bs. as I see it.

[Lemming16]

Whoa uber, great post!

[SMILEYSIXX]

Originally Posted by Ubersheist

Smileysixx - this is off topic, and probably deserves it's own thread, but there's already tons of them out there.....

There are ways to make money as a musician. Most of them do not involve being in a rock band as a rock star. Most of them involve behind the scenes things, like producing, writing music for movies or TVs, or playing in a jazz cover band at a restaurant or casino. Then there's also the teaching industry, running music at churches, running choirs or orchestras, and other ways that tend to be backed by institutions, but I don't have much experience with those, so I'll focus on the private industry side of music (selling records, concerts, being a studio producer or musician, selling songs for TV ads, etc.)

There is no tried and true "way" to make a living in the music industry today. The rules of yore are gone, and it's now the Wild, Wild West. Record deals are fading away fast, and it's easier for a band to get money through other more creative avenues, like Kickstarter.com. As such, the key is to find a creative way to monetize your music. No one can tell you how to do that, and you'll have to figure that out for yourself in all likelyhood.

However, there's certainly things you'll need to do to find success in the music industry. They are (briefly):

1) Be a great musician, well rounded, and a multi-instrumentalist in addition to your main instrument - this usually involves going to school and studying music specifically. The best thing you could do is probably learn how to sing at a near professional level. Also, if you're going to be a performing musician, then also be a great performer in addition to being a musician.

2) Have some business savvy. Take some community college classes, or something to understand how businesses work. You'll need to basically run your own business if you want to be a musician. The old ways of just getting a record contract are pretty dead if you go with original music, and you'll have to be your own company. The same was pretty much always true if you're doing more behind-the-scenes stuff. Also, if you're running a band or working alot with others, take a few management classes, too.

3) Be in tune with the music industry. Understand things like why getting a great publishing deal today is far better then getting a record deal. Check out hypebot.com (for mainstream record industry) or some of the other music news websites, and check them daily. Know how the industry works.

4) Treat your music as a business. If you want to make a living at it, it's a business, like it or not. As such, you have to offer a product that people want to buy, know how and where to position it, how to advertise it, etc. Make budgets, keep accounting records, have band checking accounts, give yourself a salary (when you start making money). Part of this means getting your own website, and keeping up on Internet social media sites like a fiend. First, though, really sit down and try to plan things out, and work with some numbers, not just a dream. Make a realistic plan. If you don't map it out, you won't be able to make a living off of your music.

5) Create your own musical destiny. This economy today seems to be better for entrepreneurship, rather then jumping in someone else's boats. Other people's boats are few and far between. So, build your own musical boat. Create a situation where people come to you, not the other way around, like start up YOUR band, create great music such that people will come to you, etc. This also involves Step 4. Really make a plan. Set realistic goals, and most importantly, with deadlines. This is tough, and you have to be self motivated. What's worked for me in the past was announcing via my website that my new album will be out on a specific date, for example.

6) Be dedicated. All the musicians that I know who do it full time never stop. They practice like crazy, even 20 years into it. They are always pushing out music, and their motors never stop. They put in tons of work and it shows. Recently, I attended an interview with Linda Perry (former singer of 4 Non Blondes, then she went on to be one of the best and most in demand producers and songwriters, now she's touring again with Deep Dark Robot). She stressed how even that she's been at it for over 20 years now, sold millions of records, won Grammys, etc., she's still busting her butt every day. She's relentless with her music, and you'll need to be, too, for however long you want to be a musician. Also, there is no "we can do it later." The music industry moves very fast, especially if you're doing original work. Get your music out there sooner rather then later.

7) Network, network, network, network. This is where if you have the stuff above in line, you can start to have your music business make money. If you're serious, don't work at a pizza joint, a coffee shop, or some crappy job outside of the music industry. Dive in. Work with as many people as you can. Write songs with them. Sit in or help out when they're in the studio. Get an internship at a recording studio, a promotions company, a publishing company, or somewhere in the general industry of your plan that you created in Step 4. Very few business deals with regards to music are made in pizza joints. That only happens in the movies and in a few anecdotal stories about bands in the 1980s or earlier. Tons and tons are made in recording studios or the offices of a publishing company. Alot of networking is also networking with other up and coming artists, industry people and business people that may not have any more experience or clout then you, but will later on down the road, i.e. music major classmates at college, interns at a booking agency, etc. At first, there is no money in most of the networking endeavors. However, if you keep alert and open minded, you'll come across things. Then, when you have a bit more steam, those contacts will come to you with contracts, clients, or other opportunities.

Except for the very, very, very rare "overnight sensations" (who usually have a back story involving 10 years of hard work before being "discovered") or a rare and relatively stable gig like at a casino or on a cruise ship, being a musician is not a 9-5 job, and it's very, very tough. If you're opposed to working hard, long hours, often physically demanding, being away from friends and family for extended periods of time, rejection, or working very hard on projects which do not have any immediate success, then being a musician is not for you. Wherever you are in your musical career is as easy as it'll ever be - the farther you get along, the more work and the more demanding it becomes.

That's pretty much the straight #$%, no bs. as I see it.

I totally understand your post and agree 100% with all of it. I do a pretty great deal of this stuff already, specifically networking. I know most every musician in my school and have connections to some amazing musicians outside my school. My issue specifically is that I would love to play in a band but stupid BS always gets in the way.