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Feeling like its time to quit bass...
- Thread starter tjnkoo
- Start date
Lots of good comments here, but the thing I'm not hearing enough talk about is networking. The impression I have from the OP is a whole lot of practicing and not a lot of making connections. Every career out there goes better if you build a network. I would have said that's the point of berklee more than the playing.
I don't think that there's an instrument that requires other musicians more than the bass. Bass alone does not make much sense for me. Practicing scales maybe...
A bass player needs to listen to the sound and be able to play the things necessary. It's less about a good technique and a huge knowledge of scales etc. but way more of the feeling. I'm not saying that knowing the theory doesn't help, but only with practice and theory you're far from a good bass player.
Music is interaction, feeling and performance.
These things you cannot learn sitting on the edge of your bed.
Aren't there any local ads of bass player wanted? Jam sessions?
I'm having fun when playing with others, especially with the prospect of a gig.
A bass player needs to listen to the sound and be able to play the things necessary. It's less about a good technique and a huge knowledge of scales etc. but way more of the feeling. I'm not saying that knowing the theory doesn't help, but only with practice and theory you're far from a good bass player.
Music is interaction, feeling and performance.
These things you cannot learn sitting on the edge of your bed.
Aren't there any local ads of bass player wanted? Jam sessions?
I'm having fun when playing with others, especially with the prospect of a gig.
Being a musician is really tough it's not a job it's a life style and a tough one to keep. Gigging wise it is so hard to make a living playing music. I considered session work before but even that is hard studios got their session guys so you have to wait for someone to die or retire...even then someone is already waiting. Also with home recording being so advanced studios aren't getting as much business. The music field alone is tough to have a living in you really need to know how to network and know the right people. Better than you can play.
So with all that to consider I decided to try and pursue a career and play music for fun than pay to try and work. Musics a pay to play industry. If you want to really make it in music you need to constantly network and self promote. You could end up spending so much just to try and get your foot in the door and leave chewed up. That's something that needs to be considered before commiting.
So with all that to consider I decided to try and pursue a career and play music for fun than pay to try and work. Musics a pay to play industry. If you want to really make it in music you need to constantly network and self promote. You could end up spending so much just to try and get your foot in the door and leave chewed up. That's something that needs to be considered before commiting.
+1 plus, if you have to work some regular job while you search for those gigs and all...Nashville is a great city. I have lived an hour away for the last 7 years and can't get enough of it. It is such a good inspiration for a musician but just for life man. The Vandy girls are nice to look at too
haha.
What does your mentor say?
If you are good enough to get into Berkley, but are only gigging two or three times a year, you are doing something drastically wrong. You need more help than you are going to get from a bunch of strangers on the internet.
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
Burnout is not fatal. I coach youth baseball, and some parents are so determined that their sons have a future in a sport that they suck the joy from playing, and their kids quit. I think you did this to yourself. But you are in charge here, so take some time and reaccess.
First off, I know 3 Berklee grads, all are killer players but none of them make a living in music, but only because they choose not to.
A degree, even if it's in underwater basket weaving demonstrates to potential employers you have the maturity to pick a path and see it through to the end. Music as a career or no, completing a degree will save you years of working your way up the food chain in whatever path your earning life takes you.
Second, if you are as good (and as personable) as you think you are, your phone would be jumping off the hook with offers to play. As an average bassist I am well acquainted with the concept of being malleable enough to fit in to a situation where I may not be the best to try out, but I'm the easiest to get long with, rock solid dependable, and willing to accept constructive criticism and opinion of my efforts as well as direction from the BL without feeling like my "territory" is being impinged or my skill being called into question. I'm there at the pleasure of the BL. If they ask for my input I'll give it honestly, if they don't, I keep my mouth shut, my head down and my mind on giving my best effort to whatever I've been directed to do. I've replace bass players who were worlds more technically adept, but were in a nutshell too hard to get along with.
Not saying you shouldn't be cocky, if you have the skill to back it up it ain't bragging, but there is a fine line between comfortable confidence and annoyingly bloated ego.
Find someone you trust to be honest with you to give you an assessment of your personality, then beat the street and line up as many auditions as you can physically make and test your skills in the real world instead sitting in your bedroom playing to yourself.
If Nashville is your dream and you lack the discipline to get back into formal schooling, move to Nashville and start making the rounds like everyone else with the desire to be an A lister in Nashville. I know 3 people who've done exactly that and one of them actually made it.
In any case, sitting in a big pity puddle is only going to waste your time, and time is the only thing in life you can never get back once it's gone.
A degree, even if it's in underwater basket weaving demonstrates to potential employers you have the maturity to pick a path and see it through to the end. Music as a career or no, completing a degree will save you years of working your way up the food chain in whatever path your earning life takes you.
Second, if you are as good (and as personable) as you think you are, your phone would be jumping off the hook with offers to play. As an average bassist I am well acquainted with the concept of being malleable enough to fit in to a situation where I may not be the best to try out, but I'm the easiest to get long with, rock solid dependable, and willing to accept constructive criticism and opinion of my efforts as well as direction from the BL without feeling like my "territory" is being impinged or my skill being called into question. I'm there at the pleasure of the BL. If they ask for my input I'll give it honestly, if they don't, I keep my mouth shut, my head down and my mind on giving my best effort to whatever I've been directed to do. I've replace bass players who were worlds more technically adept, but were in a nutshell too hard to get along with.
Not saying you shouldn't be cocky, if you have the skill to back it up it ain't bragging, but there is a fine line between comfortable confidence and annoyingly bloated ego.
Find someone you trust to be honest with you to give you an assessment of your personality, then beat the street and line up as many auditions as you can physically make and test your skills in the real world instead sitting in your bedroom playing to yourself.
If Nashville is your dream and you lack the discipline to get back into formal schooling, move to Nashville and start making the rounds like everyone else with the desire to be an A lister in Nashville. I know 3 people who've done exactly that and one of them actually made it.
In any case, sitting in a big pity puddle is only going to waste your time, and time is the only thing in life you can never get back once it's gone.
my 2c.... finish your berklee degree or move to nashville (assuming you want to be a musician). if not, enroll in a liberal arts college and move on.
I almost posted the same thing, but it seemed trite after all the bitching I did.
I have little experience in the actual music business, but I know THIS to be true.
Like people who go to ivy league colleges, it's not REALLY about getting the degree in itself, the degree is not the most valuable thing you'll get there, it's about the opportunities it opens up from the contacts you make as a ivy league alumni.
I agree with the "Follow your dream" crowd. Get some scratch together, see if your day job will let you take leave, line up a couple dozen auditions, and get to it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Personally, I'm afraid of Nashville. Terrified of session work too. Even the guys that don't make it are a jillion times better than me. You've just GOT to have the chops.
Personally, I'm afraid of Nashville. Terrified of session work too. Even the guys that don't make it are a jillion times better than me. You've just GOT to have the chops.
I agree with the people who say you need to network. Push yourself like any other businessmen trying to get noticed in a given field. Is it hard hell yeah, but what worth all your time and effort isn't.
That's one of the reasons I play guitar more often than bass, but I still play both--when I do play bass it's either with others, with recordings or I play riffs or jut noodle.
Exactly! If it's in you-it's got to come out.
All I'm gonna say man, to reinforce what many others have, you gotta jam with people as much as possible. Time to put up or shut up, and let the school of hard knocks education begin.
Not to sound harsh, but playing with others is the key to life as I see it. Humble yourself, join a cover band, answer an ad for an experimental pop band, go to open mic nights, etc etc..
Good luck.
Not to sound harsh, but playing with others is the key to life as I see it. Humble yourself, join a cover band, answer an ad for an experimental pop band, go to open mic nights, etc etc..
Good luck.
This is the best comment in here...For certain styles of music or to be a session player you need to be where the jobs are. Your profile says you live in Atlanta I'd infer based on what I know that the only available session gigs there are for hip-hop or possibly R&B artists. Therefore if you wanted to stay in Atlanta you should be playing those styles of music. Despite the fact that a lot of people in Atlanta probably listen to country/folk/americana music Nashville is where the jobs are if this is the type of music you want to do which is what I am inferring from your post. So it shouldn't really surprise you that you can't find work. Like for instance I really like stoner/doom type music. The biggest scenes for those bands seem to be LA/Portland/Austin/Sweden. If I wanted to be in an arty metal band I'd be in LA/Chicago/NYC. If I wanted to be in a hardcore band I'd move to NYC/Philly/Boston. If I wanted to do pop music I'd move to NYC/LA/Nashville. If I wanted to do country/folk/americana I'd move to Nashville or Austin. If I wanted to do hip-hop/R&B I'd move to Atlanta/LA/NYC. If I wanted to do indie music I'd do Austin/Boulder/LA.
Being successful is a combination of three things for everyone not a genius/prodigy : hard work, networking, and being in the right place at the right time to catch a break. You've done the hard work and probably done some of the networking but you can put yourself in a better position to network and get noticed by moving. The only real question is how bad do you really want it.
