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Bass Gig - starting pay $34K+ per year

#22
deaf pea said:
I don't know . . . from MY point of view, $34K/year + medical/dental is NOT "well-paying" . . . maybe some of the other people here that live in the "real world" can comment . . .
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that is starting out...we advance in the military...trust me, an E-9 with 20+ years makes a heck of a lot more than that, and if one decides to retire at 20 you get a paycheck for the rest of your life...retiring at 30 and getting 75% of your base bay isnt' too bad...granted, you aren't in the same tax bracket as the rolling stones, but it isn't anything like the $200,000 deal my band was offered by metal blade records...that was for 5 years and would've been split 4 ways...and i wouldn't be able to have a day job (terms of the contract), and there were no benefits included...starting out as en E-3 or E-4 in the military is a lot more attractive than some of the deals offered to several of the bands i was acquainted with in seattle...my experience is limited, obviously, but the military is a good gig, and from my limited experience, is well-paying...the military payscale is online...

i found this article...not sure how accurate it is

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
#23
Well when you consider a lot of symphony guys, minus the major symphonys, make less than that, its a pretty good starting salary. I can support myself and my wife pretty well with just my salary and gigging around town. The Air Force takes care of you and money is the last thing i ever worry about at the end of the day.

I'm more worried about dragging my sorry bones out of bed at 7:30 to make it in by 8 to practice with the rock band for a few hours, that's the hardest part of the job for me, waking up in the morning. How many people can say their day job is just playing music, then can gig around town at night, and business trips are going on tour, and professional development means going to Bass Day, or ISB, or getting private lessons with anyone you want in the world all paid for.

The Air Force has some of the best musicians I've ever played with and a lot of these guys play with big names on the side too. That's the beauty of this gig, you can still gig out as much as you want as long as you're not on tour. This gig is much better than living in a tour bus scraping by, or wondering how much a gig pays so you can pay the rent, plus its your day job! You're home every night 3 weeks out of the month.

Alright, that's enough from a newbie, pm me if you're interested in a gig like this as our band has an opening coming up in September.
 
#25
DirtPoorRobins said:
Well when you consider a lot of symphony guys, minus the major symphonys, make less than that, its a pretty good starting salary...
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But those "symphony guys" that you're talking about aren't making a good salary either . . .

I think (IMO) that a "symphony guy" making $100,000+/year IS making a good salary . . .

And I stand by what I said. A starting salary of $34K/year + medical/dental is NOT "well-paying" . . .
 
#26
You are right in that this is all just opinions on how much money is a lot of money. You're right that to you $100,000 a year is a well paying job. To me thats an amazing salary to START at (playing music none the less) So to the very few, very, very, very few, who make it into those symphonies that is an amazing salary to start off. I really don't know any other job in the world that you can walk into making $100,000 the first year you work there with only bachelor's degree, and even that isn't required.

Anyways, you can't live on $34,000 a year, but to a lot of people, myself included, that goes a long way, and most of us do start at the bottom in any career field we choose. For the select few who do START their careers at the top tier of the pay scale of six figures a year, they have been very blessed indeed and that is not the norm.
 
#27
Hey Jon, if you make your empty slot an A1C-SrA, I might think about swapping with you in two years! Omaha is an amazing place, but I could go for some Japanese stuff too, or maybe I'm just stalking schmaus around the world. He's an amazing player, you're getting a good one.


Pacman said:
I know! Schmaus is coming here - I want that gig, but I'm not DROSing till July of 2011...damn, damn, damn....
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#28
deaf pea said:
But those "symphony guys" that you're talking about aren't making a good salary either . . .

I think (IMO) that a "symphony guy" making $100,000+/year IS making a good salary . . .

And I stand by what I said. A starting salary of $34K/year + medical/dental is NOT "well-paying" . . .
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i would agree, but is the average salary of a symphony musician $100K plus? starting out? starting out at $34K doesn't seem bad for an early 20's guy getting started with the potential to make upwards of $60K-$75K or even more, if you decide to be an officer/bandmaster...especially when your college is free and your medical/dental costs peanuts and your housing is paid for...i guess to each his own...i'm a chief petty officer in the Navy (not a musician, a submariner), and between my pay, bonus, special pays and allowances, i just about fall under what you consider "well-paying" ...i've been in the military for 15 years...not arguing here, i just think that 34K is not a bad starting point, and at that level, the advancement is pretty quick, plus factor in re-enlistment bonuses, the fact that the navy band is now buying personal instruments for its musicians, it's a great opportunity...
 
#29
deaf pea said:
And I stand by what I said. A starting salary of $34K/year + medical/dental is NOT "well-paying" . . .
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how about an entry-level job that pays $34K, medical and dental, provides free housing, pays you extra for food, AND gives you 30 days paid vacation per year?


oh, and will pay more if you have dependents....
 
#31
neptoon said:
i would agree, but is the average salary of a symphony musician $100K plus? starting out?...
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But I wasn't talking about "average" . . . salary-wise OR musician-wise . . .

What I was refering to is the exceptionally talented musician who could (after winning the audition!!!!) enter one of the major world symphony orchestras with a "starting salary" of $100K+ . . .

:hiding:

also see my post ^^^^
 
#32
Pacman said:
how about an entry-level job that pays $34K, medical and dental, provides free housing, pays you extra for food, AND gives you 30 days paid vacation per year?


oh, and will pay more if you have dependents....
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See my other 2 posts ^^^^ please . . .

And, like I said above, I wasn't really talking about "an entry-level job" . . .
 
#35
Pacman said:
I was in the Army band from 1987 to 2001 (I'm now Air Force). Soldier first was the working phrase, and trust me - we were DTOC security for the Division, and just as deployable and ready to fight as anyone else in the Army.
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In my 10 years with the Navy Band we never had to a pull a watch or do much of anything that was militarylike other than PT and wear a uniform. But I must say that every time I mention to someone I was in the Navy I have to qualify it with "I wasn't a real sailor" and it is almost embarassing. I have a lot of respect for the Army and Marine musicians!
 
#36
chris.gotfunk said:
I just checked the audition requirements.... man.... I really need to learn what it is that I play. I came from the school of being thrown to the wolves on stage and never took the time to learn what I should know.
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Big +1 on that. Same situation. I'm 47 years in and taking lessons now. Inversely? You can drop me behind enemy lines with just my bass and I'll survive and prosper, but in a more civilized world?,waddya call them? Notes? Amazing! Can't stop growing.
 
#38
Considering housing is paid for, and the fact that most people spend at least 30% of their income on it, it equates to a $50,000/yr salary. If you can't live on that, you need to stop buying boutique basses on talkbass.

I mean, you could probably support an entire neighborhood in your neck of the woods with that kind of money.

deaf pea said:
Agreed . . . but that's all that you'll get in the first year, at least . . .
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#39
Pacman said:
how about an entry-level job that pays $34K, medical and dental, provides free housing, pays you extra for food, AND gives you 30 days paid vacation per year?


oh, and will pay more if you have dependents....
Click to expand...

When I started to work at music studio as a "Runner" back in 1999, I got minimum + no benefits, and I had to file tax as a self-employed with 1099. Dang... I still remember those hard years, day by day was tough to survive with less than $1000/month salary. I was literally digging for leftover food after every sessions.

Of course I make much more now, but as a starter, $34K + benefit is an excellent job!!
 
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