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Feeling like hanging it up...

MultiScaleMale

MultiScaleMale

Gold Supporting Member
Jun 19, 2003
27,208
38,986
Maryland
#1
The problem with bass is that we're 100% dependent on a band. With rare exceptions, you'll never see Joe Blow on solo bass tonight at The Red Door. But you do see solo acoustic or acoustic duos all the time. It's a perfect setup for doing bars, the volume is low so people can still talk or watch the game. After 30 years on bass, I'm this close to hanging it up and going acoustic. A Martin and a Bose L1 will cover anything I need and I can still play with some of my pedals.

I like the guys that I'm in a band with, but we've lost all momentum. Maybe I'm just having a bad day, (I am), but maybe it's time to put myself in the driver's seat and control my own destiny. My problem - limited vocal range.
 
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#4
Nowadays, due to the decrease in the amount of work available, I'm seeing many more musicians double up on instruments to fill up the calendar.

Back when gigs were more plentiful, all I had to do was play bass. Singing of course helps, but not as much as it does nowadays as people want smaller bands to reduce the number of splits of gig money. I've taken singing way more seriously in the last 6-7 years as a necessity, not just for vanity. Often, that is the thing that I practice the most. Almost every pro horn player I know plays another instrument, because not all gigs require horns. I've been doing more acoustic gigs because demand for that has increased as venues don't have the capacity or desire for loud Rock bands. Most working drummers I know also play the cajon or djembe, so they can do the acoustic gigs. Also because of the rise in acoustic gigs, it seems like every drummer, keyboard player, bassist, horn player, etc. that can strum 4 chords with one octave of range are looking for these gigs. Same goes for every guitarist, keyboard player, bassist, horn player, etc. that can tap on a tambourine. I also see more guys doubling up on instruments on a gig as well. It's not uncommon for a horn player in a wedding band to also play percussion, guitar, keyboard, or different horns on a single gig.
 
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#10
jive1 said:
Nowadays, due to the decrease in the amount of work available, I'm seeing many more musicians double up on instruments to fill up the calendar.

Back when gigs were more plentiful, all I had to do was play bass. Singing of course helps, but not as much as it does nowadays as people want smaller bands to reduce the number of splits of gig money. I've taken singing way more seriously in the last 6-7 years as a necessity, not just for vanity. Often, that is the thing that I practice the most. Almost every pro horn player I know plays another instrument, because not all gigs require horns. I've been doing more acoustic gigs because demand for that has increased as venues don't have the capacity or desire for loud Rock bands. Most working drummers I know also play the cajon or djembe, so they can do the acoustic gigs. Also because of the rise in acoustic gigs, it seems like every drummer, keyboard player, bassist, horn player, etc. that can strum 4 chords with one octave of range are looking for these gigs. Same goes for every guitarist, keyboard player, bassist, horn player, etc. that can tap on a tambourine. I also see more guys doubling up on instruments on a gig as well. It's not uncommon for a horn player in a wedding band to also play percussion, guitar, keyboard, or different horns on a single gig.
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I have found that simply being the business motor of the band is sufficient to keep me as busy as I want. No gig? Go out and book one!! And then I get to play electric bass, piccolo, and lately, a ton of upright bass as well. I get to focus on one instrument, and I'm as busy as I want to be!
 
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#11
I'm pretty much in the same boat. I don't really feel like cranking out the same old hits for the bands that pay well anymore and don't have the time to network myself into a more satisfying position. The stuff I'd rather perform and create takes a whole other level of commitment and resources I just can't muster up these days between other work and family life. I'm to the point where I don't much get a thrill from the performance aspect doing the paying gigs and the other cover/tribute projects that are worth an effort are locked up with players that aren't going anywhere until someone dies. I'm in one of the more lucrative acts in my area that isn't doing weddings, unionized or using agents and we just got word from one of our best clients that after this summer they'll be severely slimming down on live music altogether. The market I'm in is saturated and is suffering the fallout of the dirge of weekend warrior types that work for nothing and chase people out of places with volume/poor performances. The good gigs are fewer and some older bands with good reps have resurfaced, crowding the market further. The days of the "bar band", at least in my area are coming to an end. The crowds still turn out, but the decline is palpable.
 
#16
This is where I am at too. Gone down the singing route with lots of coaching. Playing guitar with duos in mind. But I keep coming back to the bass. I find the fat strings so much more pleasurable then guitar. I've recently hooked up with a vocalist/guitarist for quiet duo gigs with me on bass - not as much on offer for bands these days. And yes our destiny is tied to the vocalist. I think of myself as a horse rider... still need a horse to do all the work for me, so my job is to find that horse and help make it the best so that I can shine too. Maybe this will change in time but maybe that's just about enough for me.
 
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