Are you a Professoinal Bass Player?

[HELLonWheels187]

Well are you?

What makes one a "pro"?

Does it have to do with talent or fame or both? Just wondering what people thought.

Brandon

[MikeXbass]

I consider myself a "Professional" but its because music is my FULL TIME gig..
also because i always give my BEST in what i do. Im sure others might have different ideas....lookin forward to hearing all of them


Mike X Zuniga

[The Nameless]

I am. I think professional has to do wit 1) Getting paid to use a skill you've acquired and 2) the attitude and commitment you have to using that skill to its fullest. IOW, "professional"-ism. I consider myself a professional. I've played the last 25 years or so regularly. Paid my bills, bought houses and cars, and provided a decent quality of life for my family and me. Now, I am not famous. Nor am I rich. But, I am good at bass guitar, both teaching and entertaining. I have always treated this as a way of life, same as a Doctor, Lawyer, Carpenter. I also am an electronics tech and carpenter/luthier. I am paid well for my services, and take enough pride in my skills as to improve every day, learn every day, so as to provide my clients, whether they be bands, customers for contracting, or first year students, wit the most "professional" service I can provide. Fame and talent do NOT define pro. Love, Attitude, gettin paid do. IMHO.

[Mojo-Man]

I conceder myself a semi-pro.

To me a pro is someone who is good enough to get payed,
And make a living playing music.

There only source of income.

There is also, a certain talent level.

I have played music full time in the past.

But, now I have both a "Day Job" and play music part time.
The money I make playing music, is part of my income.

[jmattbassplaya]

This topic has been done before... it got REALLY heated, too.










I look forward to this round!

[xgator4u]

I am a professional bassist if I get payed for the gig.
If I do NOT get payed, then I am a rank amateur.

[NickInMesa]

If you get paid then you're a professional, now do you do that full time or part time?

My first gig I made $10. Swear to god: opening band, only our friends and relatives showed up, some forgot to put a check in front of our name, we got 50% of the cover from those who did. $50 divided by 5

So, no, I will not write it down for my taxes, but then again, if I do, then maybe my accountant can deduct my gear from my taxes? Hmmm...

Seriously, the definition is vague and personal. I am not a pro, or even a semi-pro. I don't even know how much I would have to be paid on a regular basis to start calling myself a pro bass player (which I will never be).

[T-Bird]

Hi.

I'm not. Never been, never will.

For me the description is simple. Your profession is what you do for living, nothing more, nothing less.

In other fields of life, a person can be called a professional without giving a crap about what she/he does, why not in music industry.

This passion for playing has always been a hobby for me, and I intend it to remain as such.

Regards
Sam

[Geddyfleaharris]

Originally Posted by Mojo-Man

I conceder myself a semi-pro.

To me a pro is someone who is good enough to get payed,
And make a living playing music.

There only source of income.

There is also, a certain talent level.

I have played music full time in the past.

But, now I have both a "Day Job" and play music part time.
The money I make playing music, is part of my income.

^^^^ this is it exactly for me. Same boat.

If you get paid but you play music part-time then IMO you are semi-pro. As soon as you accept money I think that at least entitles you to semi-pro status.

If you noodle in your basement or at your buddy's place on Friday nights and never get paid then it is a hobby only.

[pointbass]

I was a full time musician (bassist ) until I was 45 ... for the past almost 15 years I have had a day gig in addition to my "music" job ... and yes, I am that old ....

Players get very hung up on the idea of being a professional musician, and it's very easy for us to manipulate that term to suit our desires. If you repair a neighbor's toilet and he pays you for it, does that make you a professional plumber?

Really, it doesn't much matter. I've always been a professional musician ... I was paid for it exclusively when it was my only job, and I get paid for it every time I gig now. I did almost 150 dates last year in addition to my day job, I report all of my music income, and I try to be a professional in how I conduct myself in any field that intends to pay me money.

It's really a question of pride, integrity, demeanor and of course, talent/ability. When my wife is asked "What does your husband do?", she always say musician first, because in her mind that's what I am, even though our primary source of income now comes from a non-music related job.

I'd suggest that we shouldn't get too hung up on the description, though .... in our hearts we know what it really means to be a professional musician and our own interpretation of that qualifier is what we all need to live with ...

[jwbassman]

I guess I would be Pro or Semi-Pro.

Music is a business for me. I treat it as such, I derive a decent chunk of income from playing music, enough to pay my mortgage. I look at the people that hire me as my "employer", and I'm also sent 1099's, So I have to declare my income. So everything that I buy that is related to music, every expense, gas to gigs, food, etc. All of it is a deduction. So I guess if Uncle Sam considers me professional enough to tax me, I guess I can call myself a pro.

Although I don't go around using that term to describe myself. Also I don't just play music as my only means of income.

[Mr. Lovejoy]

No.

Apparently there is not enough money to go around anymore for "pro" musicians.


When I do start to gig for fun, I will make those necessary tax declarations though.

[RobertPaulson]

I consider somebody pro if music is their main source of income, i.e. their (pro)fession.

[J. Crawford]

Seeing that Im 17, and music is my only income.. I guess so!

But I would like to keep it that way in coming years, but if not, I have the grades and such to go elsewhere. But of course, my "elsewhere" will be music related, and backed up by gigging.

[Phalex]

I get paid to play bass, and I honor all of my bass playing commitments. It's not my main source of income though.

I'm a no talent hack, but I do gig pretty regular with my band.

I guess that makes me a bass player, but I don't consider myself a professional one.

[mrpackerguy]

Main Entry: 1pro·fes·sion·al
Pronunciation: \prə-ˈfesh-nəl, -ˈfe-shə-nəl\
Function: adjective
Date: 1606

1 a : of, relating to, or characteristic of a profession b : engaged in one of the learned professions c (1) : characterized by or conforming to the technical or ethical standards of a profession (2) : exhibiting a courteous, conscientious, and generally businesslike manner in the workplace
2 a : participating for gain or livelihood in an activity or field of endeavor often engaged in by amateurs <a professional golfer> b : having a particular profession as a permanent career <a professional soldier> c : engaged in by persons receiving financial return <professional football>
3 : following a line of conduct as though it were a profession <a professional patriot>

....Miriam Webster online

[Richland123]

Yes, I am a professional bass player.

[SteveC]

Originally Posted by HELLonWheels187

Well are you?

What makes one a "pro"?

Does it have to do with talent or fame or both? Just wondering what people thought.

Brandon

By definition: professional: engaged in a specified activity as one's main paid occupation rather than as a pastime : a professional boxer - no.

See above definition.

Both.