PRO MUSICIANS- how well do you do and why?

[ampegfatty]

As a pretty serious 17 year old bass player, I'm doing all i can to prepare myself for conservatory and a successful life as a pro. I play double bass and electric bass and I'm studying jazz mostly but have a strong back ground in rock and funk. I also have a strong grasp of theory/changes and am proficient in bebop. My reading however is poor.

I am very interested to know what skills have really gotten you ahead of the game. What advice would you give me? What makes you money and gets you gigs and makes people say "you killin'"?

what's really important to you?
-hearing chops?
-reading chops?
-technique chops?
-repertoire?
-solo chops?
-professionalism?
-networking??

etc.etc.et.c.et.cf.et.c.et.c.t.>........??

[tplyons]

Professionalism is paramount. Nobody wants to deal with the hottest thing out there if you're a complete jerk, never show up on time and are a diva.

[Visirale]

Not a pro, but in full time music school... I can tell you one thing... Reading is ESSENTIAL for doing well in school and as a professional. I was proficient in treble clef, but I'm still getting used to bass clef. Pros are expected to be able to pretty much read a chart/part down on the first time. The fewer takes you can do it in, the more money you save the client, the more likely they are to call you back.

Also, networking is key. Meet as many musicians and other people who can help you out as you can. One day they might be in a position to help you, and if you know and like them, they'll be a lot more willing to help you out.

[LowBSix]

Originally Posted by ampegfatty

As a pretty serious 17 year old bass player, I'm doing all i can to prepare myself for conservatory and a successful life as a pro. I play double bass and electric bass and I'm studying jazz mostly but have a strong back ground in rock and funk. I also have a strong grasp of theory/changes and am proficient in bebop. My reading however is poor.

I am very interested to know what skills have really gotten you ahead of the game. What advice would you give me? What makes you money and gets you gigs and makes people say "you killin'"?

what's really important to you?
-hearing chops?
-reading chops?
-technique chops?
-repertoire?
-solo chops?
-professionalism?
-networking??

etc.etc.et.c.et.cf.et.c.et.c.t.>........??

IME the least important would be solo chops and networking.
EVERYTHING else is about equal... PRACTICE WITH A CLICK/METRONOME!!!!!!!
Pound on reading, technique and ear training!!!
Always be kind and courteous!!!
Be early when you're on time!!!
Be on time when you're late!!!
Learn to play proficiently with a pick, too... You never know, when you'll need it...
Devolop your sound...

[GeneralElectric]

My advice is to get your name out there and play with as many people as possible in as many genre's as possible.

Learn to read bass and treble clef.

Learn your theory like the back of your hand. Piano lessons are good since they force you to read and you learn a lot of theory, and it also lets your bring something else to the table.

Learn horn solos, especially trumpet.

Learn how to play more than 4 string fretted bass. Fretless, 5, and 6 strings as well as upright just means you bring more to the table than the guy next to you.

Learn a few techniques aside from finger playing. Learn how to play well with a pick, and be able to slap. Tapping is good too, but not essential and I've never been asked.

Don't always play slap bass.

Always be early.

Always bring something you're comfortable playing but what they want to hear. Like P-necks, but they want a Jazz bass sound? Get a Jazz bass with a Precision neck. In my opinion you should get the 'signature sound' basses at some point, or at least rent them or borrow them for a session. Though I'm finding that this isn't as important as it once was, it still helps to have a Fender style bass in your stable.

Do some recordings and put them online, and send them to people you want to work with.

Never stop practicing and never stop learning.

[lefty007]

1-Knowledge: know your music, be proficient reading, be versatile in as many styles as you can.

2-Attitude: be professional, on time, dress the part, be confident.

3-Taste and musical personality: know what to play and when, be melodic, learn the main melody of the song, develop little things here and there that make you unique. Chops are for the most part useless unless you use them musically. But chops will get you places in they are accompanied by musical sense.

4-Strive to make your bass playing memorable. Complement the melody.

5-Adapt to the situation: help the musicians you play with sound better. If you encounter a bad drummer, work with him, not against him.

6-Timing, timing, timing: work on your sense of time. That is 50% of what a bass player is.

[deaf pea]

Originally Posted by ampegfatty

...what's really important to you?
-hearing chops?
-reading chops?
-technique chops?
-repertoire?
-solo chops?
-professionalism?
-networking??

In my experience, the MOST important thing is "professionalism" . . . and I would rate "hearing chops" a close second.

In MY relatively long career "reading chops" was VERY important during the first 20 years or so . . . I needed to be able to read, at first sight, "fly specks", sometimes while transposing the part "on-the-fly".
Reading hasn't been THAT important in the last 28 years . . . but it WAS important during the time that I was "getting known" as a professional bassist.
And my ability to sight-read HAS helped me in many other ways, too . . .

In MY experience, technique, repertoire and "solo chops" weren't THAT important . . .
but the ability to play in many different styles, convincingly, WAS!

As far as networking goes, I think the best thing about being in music school is being in daily close contact with many different musicians . . . if you make a good first impression there, you'll probably end up working with some of those same people out there "in the world".

Good luck, and keep studying 'til you die!



Another thought . . . learn to read as many different types of charts as you can . . . full music notation, in AT LEAST treble and bass clefs; "chord charts"; "nashville number charts"; "lead sheets"; etc.

[ampegfatty]

thanks for the input!

what about you other pro talkbassers, there must be more than 6 of you!

[Pacman]

I agree with the other posters (except one) that soloing is the least needed skill. Everything else is key to making a living. I think reading and listening are the two most important on your list. You did, however, miss the most important one:

Feel.


Doesn't matter about any of the other ones. If you don't have feel, you'll never make it.

[JKT]

Smile

Be pleasant

Be flexible

Groove comes first

Learn to be a good reader- of music and people.


JKT

[0fret]

Originally Posted by GeneralElectric

My advice is to get your name out there and play with as many people as possible in as many genre's as possible.
Learn to read bass and treble clef.
Learn your theory like the back of your hand. Piano lessons are good since they force you to read and you learn a lot of theory, and it also lets your bring something else to the table.
Learn horn solos, especially trumpet.
Learn how to play more than 4 string fretted bass. Fretless, 5, and 6 strings as well as upright just means you bring more to the table than the guy next to you.
Learn a few techniques aside from finger playing. Learn how to play well with a pick, and be able to slap. Tapping is good too, but not essential and I've never been asked.
Don't always play slap bass.
Always be early.
Always bring something you're comfortable playing but what they want to hear. Like P-necks, but they want a Jazz bass sound? Get a Jazz bass with a Precision neck. In my opinion you should get the 'signature sound' basses at some point, or at least rent them or borrow them for a session. Though I'm finding that this isn't as important as it once was, it still helps to have a Fender style bass in your stable.
Do some recordings and put them online, and send them to people you want to work with.
Never stop practicing and never stop learning.

This user has said all about it, and I totally agree.
But before you start and do it all, first ask yourself: Do I want to get money with music? Or rather I prefer to play what I really like to play and try to make something more than just a session man? Will I be really happy if I had to play latin music (supposing that you don't like it, I DO) all my life to make a living out of it?
Understanding this is essential: IMO the times in which pro- session musicians were highly demanded and well paid are almost gone.
My advice to every musician is to start a band, a musical project in which you can find self satisfaction, in which you can put your own ideas and not someone else's. And if you succeed, that is the greatest reward you can get from music.

[ampegfatty]

yeah, you're thinking about this on a pretty profound level. I'm really interested in having my own projects and making the music i want to etc. and i have done that, and am doing that. but I want to have the technical foundation of the best of the session men to back me up -even if i don't regularly use it- because i feel i will gain from that musically and i want to have it to fall back on financially.

So, i guess i'm really asking what skills put bread on the table.

[Visirale]

Originally Posted by GeneralElectric

Always bring something you're comfortable playing but what they want to hear. Like P-necks, but they want a Jazz bass sound? Get a Jazz bass with a Precision neck. In my opinion you should get the 'signature sound' basses at some point, or at least rent them or borrow them for a session. Though I'm finding that this isn't as important as it once was, it still helps to have a Fender style bass in your stable.

Some questions about that. I've been trying to get an "arsenal" together so to speak. I'm wanting to dabble a little in the studio/session/recording world and I have found that I really dig the "signature sound" basses over the more versatile basses that try to emulate a lot of the sounds. I'm thinking about this list, is it overkill?

A passive fender jazz
A passive P
Stingray
Fretless jazz
Sadowsky or another modern J

Is this too many basses, or would I have my bases (heh) covered? I'm also looking to get a small tube combo or head for recording purposes. I just want to have a lot of great sounds at my disposal.

And don't worry, I'm working hard on all the other (more important probably) stuff. I just have a gear fetish too...

[GeneralElectric]

Originally Posted by Visirale

Some questions about that. I've been trying to get an "arsenal" together so to speak. I'm wanting to dabble a little in the studio/session/recording world and I have found that I really dig the "signature sound" basses over the more versatile basses that try to emulate a lot of the sounds. I'm thinking about this list, is it overkill?

A passive fender jazz
A passive P
Stingray
Fretless jazz
Sadowsky or another modern J

Is this too many basses, or would I have my bases (heh) covered? I'm also looking to get a small tube combo or head for recording purposes. I just want to have a lot of great sounds at my disposal.

And don't worry, I'm working hard on all the other (more important probably) stuff. I just have a gear fetish too...

To be honest, I don't do many sessions but I sub for a lot of people.

I usually whip out a Fender P since that'll fit most situations, but sometimes it calls for a Jazz, or a Rick, or a Stingray. Being able to have those basses at your beck and call really helps. If you know what kind of music you're playing (say ska) bring two basses that you think would fit into it best.

I'm in the process of finding a Stingray I like, and I still need a fretless jazz. I also want a G&L at some point.

I have 3 precision basses. A thumper for certain styles, a fretless for when I'm emulating upright, and a regular P for rock and whatever else calls for it. Its a bit redundant, but I'm too cheap for strings.

I plan on getting some jazz basses too, since my collection (1) is woefully small. I have a Fender Jap 75 RI. I didn't like the neck so I slapped a Precision neck on it. I plan on getting at least 2 more Jazz basses at some point as well.

I'm drunk so I can't comcemtrate and this s getting hard.

[pointbass]

It's all important, but the level of importance changes item by item depending on circumstances. I kinda agree with Jon, the soloing is maybe the least important, but when you need to get some cash in your pocket and a gig comes up that requires you to solo you'll be glad to have that skill set. It's all important ....

In addition to the musical skills required, learn to be a strong financial "manager" .... there are a lot of peaks and valleys in the music biz. Some periods you'll be racking in money, and then all of a sudden the cash flow will shut down. You need to be able to handle your finances to get you through those slow periods (and believe me, you'll have slow periods ). Financial problems are probably the biggest reason pro musicians eventually end up with a day gig ... there are a bunch of TBers regularly posting that were once full time pros who hit the cash wall and had to change career direction (including me .... serious medical issues with rotten insurance drained all of my cash reserves).

The fact that you are putting this kind of thought into it at your age is a good sign. At least you're taking a realistic approach to making a career, unlike so many who are only shooting for that "big break" .....

[mrpackerguy]

I'm not a pro, but networking is the key to a lot of successes in life.

[ampegfatty]

thanks for all of your input, i'm really gaining a lot from this.

Right now i just have one very nice bass and surprisingly enough i'm satisfied with her to the point that i'm not gassin' over anything in particular (or maybe there's just no way i can afford anything i would really like?).

It's a warmoth jazz bass. Neck is completely unfinished bubinga with ebony fretboard and stainless steel frets. Body is a walnut that i finished with like 10 coats of tung oil and then covered in clear carnauba wax. Pickups are both darkstars, I love these pickups and each one has it's own volume and tone control. The strings are a set of thomastik roundwounds. I got the 36" scale ones though because they aren't as tiny as the regular 34" scale ones (the E string is like .89!!!), they sound really good and are worth the extra money.

I have a billfitzmaurice dr250 that is quite nice for my purposes, I like it. I power that with either a 1976 ampeg v2 head that i just put new caps and kt88s in or a euphonic audio micro 300. since the cab is so efficient, I figure i never use more than 100watts(small club gigs), but more importantly the tone is great.