Finding gigs in Oklahoma....

[TheMaynorD]

What are some nuggets of wisdom people have for finding a decent paying gig? I have my project band that practices/ records once a week, gigs maybe once a month but am looking for a side gig/ main gig that pays so I can fund my GAS attacks.

The local craigslist is full of the typical 'numetal thrash singer and guitarist need bass and drums' and 'christian red dirt singer needs band to complete his dreams' but no substantial leads.

Turned down one solid country gig after one show because they wanted me to play only for them and not be in any other band. I won't cast judgement, and I also really don't like playing country so no hard feelings there.

Location btw is Oklahoma City, so any OK bassists like @ElMon feel free to pitch in.

 

[Jehos]

Are you willing to play in a cover band? That's typically how you get paid. I cut my teeth in the OKC originals scene back in the early 2000s. It was kinda cool that there were some well-known rock bars like the Samurai that weren't too hard to get into, but I don't remember making any money at it either. The only time I've ever gotten paid enough to think about funding GAS was playing in a cover band where I took home $100+ per gig.

 

[PauFerro]

You have to find corporate, festival and wedding gigs. The style of music is really important, and you have to be GOOD. I am learning now how to do a tribute band act and get into theaters. I did a theater gig on upright a year and a bit ago, and it was $500 per person for two, 1.5 hour shows. Green room, catered, someone carried my equipment and helped me set up, professional sound, and we did ZERO promotion.

I think the tribute band/theater thing is the way to go if that experience is typical. I will know soon after I interview a few industry professionals.

Look how busy this Abba tribute band is in the UK...and check out the venues to see the price of tickets. (BTW, not suggesting you do an ABBA tribute band in Oklahahoma, they just came to mind since I saw them once in Canada).

Home - Björn Again - The ABBA show

 

[MrLenny1]

Tribute bands. Check out BassCliff here on TB.

 

[TheMaynorD]

(BTW, not suggesting you do an ABBA tribute band in Oklahahoma,

LOL . Funny story, my project band's first bass player for our classic prog days (he got the boot for doing coke, weed, and being a POS) was strangely adamant about starting an ABBA cover band. It is now the running joke for us.... i would prefer the related but slightly less well known Chess musical.

Are you willing to play in a cover band? That's typically how you get paid. I cut my teeth in the OKC originals scene back in the early 2000s

100% agree. I will play covers all day if someone pays me, as long as it's good money and professional people. I would do an 80's hair metal tribute 3 days a week if need be. Love hair metal.

 

[sean_on_bass]

The gigs i get paid on are jazz gigs...there seems to be a healthy enough market for that in my town. As an upright bassist with decent time and intonation, i am fairly in demand. There's just not that many of us here. I just got home from a political committee gig. Played less than an hour and walked out with $100. 2 hour time footprint including travel. Also i had never played with anyone in the quartet, so no rehearsal time even.

The gigs i see other people getting paid on outside of jazz are cover/variety bands and small acoustic solo/duo performances(doing covers). Small groups are great...smaller split

 

[ElMon]

What are some nuggets of wisdom people have for finding a decent paying gig? I have my project band that practices/ records once a week, gigs maybe once a month but am looking for a side gig/ main gig that pays so I can fund my GAS attacks.

The local craigslist is full of the typical 'numetal thrash singer and guitarist need bass and drums' and 'christian red dirt singer needs band to complete his dreams' but no substantial leads.

Turned down one solid country gig after one show because they wanted me to play only for them and not be in any other band. I won't cast judgement, and I also really don't like playing country so no hard feelings there.

Location btw is Oklahoma City, so any OK bassists like @ElMon feel free to pitch in.

As far as making connects beyond Craigslist (eww):

I know that there are jam sessions/open mics in Mid-Town (club called Saints I believe) that cater to Jazz, and if R&B/Soul is your thing, there’s a club on NE 23rd and I-35 (not 235, but actual I-35 in Eastside OKC) that I believe has a jam session. Shouldn’t be too hard to bring an axe and sit in.

That being said, it’s been a while since I’ve had to do any of that. I have a good network and am unfortunately not gigging all that much these days anyways.

Norman might have similar opportunities, but I’m guessing it’s more in the RedDirt vein.

As to your larger point and the situation you referenced, if you want to be in an interesting/original band, then I would expect that scenario to play out like that just about every time. There a lot of talented musicians here who make their bread as hired guns, and the original-writers out here get frustrated when these hired guns won’t commit to one project that may not (for the moment) be paying all that well.

Are you willing to play in a cover band? That's typically how you get paid. I cut my teeth in the OKC originals scene back in the early 2000s. It was kinda cool that there were some well-known rock bars like the Samurai that weren't too hard to get into, but I don't remember making any money at it either. The only time I've ever gotten paid enough to think about funding GAS was playing in a cover band where I took home $100+ per gig.

You can expect to make $100 bucks for this type of gig (or at least $75). I’m not at all involved in the rock cover scene, but I’m sure it’s lucrative, and even more so for the ‘Red Dirt’ thing. I will say that as far as music catering to our African-American community, it’s almost like two separate scenes. I have played a LOT of private events where folks rent out a space, hire one of the Neo-Soul/Classic R&B bands I’m with, and we all have a great time and get paid well. Wineries are a good venue for this type of gig as well. A bit more classier type of clientele who still wants to go out on a Friday and get turnt up.

You have to find corporate, festival and wedding gigs. The style of music is really important, and you have to be GOOD. I am learning now how to do a tribute band act and get into theaters. I did a theater gig on upright a year and a bit ago, and it was $500 per person for two, 1.5 hour shows. Green room, catered, someone carried my equipment and helped me set up, professional sound, and we did ZERO promotion.

I think the tribute band/theater thing is the way to go if that experience is typical. I will know soon after I interview a few industry professionals.

Look how busy this Abba tribute band is in the UK...and check out the venues to see the price of tickets. (BTW, not suggesting you do an ABBA tribute band in Oklahahoma, they just came to mind since I saw them once in Canada).

Home - Björn Again - The ABBA show

Seems like I’ve started to see a few of these groups here in OKC, and a few genre-specific ‘Karaoke’ bands, where the audience gets to choose the setlist to a certain degree, or else the band focuses on one specific era/genre.

 

[ElMon]

The gigs i get paid on are jazz gigs...there seems to be a healthy enough market for that in my town. As an upright bassist with decent time and intonation, i am fairly in demand. There's just not that many of us here. I just got home from a political committee gig. Played less than an hour and walked out with $100. 2 hour time footprint including travel. Also i had never played with anyone in the quartet, so no rehearsal time even.

The gigs i see other people getting paid on outside of jazz are cover/variety bands and small acoustic solo/duo performances(doing covers). Small groups are great...smaller split

Once the OP gets into some of the jazz groups around town (it takes some doing, and some of these folks are a bit ‘clique-ish’) there is plenty of this type of work available. Rococco is a place that not only pays decently, but there’s a clientele who frequents that restaurant who on occasion will hire a hip jazz band to play their in-house cocktail party/event, and I’ve gotten paid upwards of $250+ a ‘man’ for that type of gig. Not something to count on, but good when you get it.

I do love that ethos behind the jazz scene that you describe.

- Everyone knows the song ‘canon’

- Everyone is competent on their instrument (or they don’t get hired back)

- You can literallly show up with complete strangers on every instrument and 9/10 make the gig work.

In general, if you’re playing the type of jazz that most laypeople are familiar with, you have a chance at a wide-range of well-paying, ‘classy’ type of gigs. I’ll echo all of your suggestions about time/intonation and add ‘look clean cut in a suit’.

 

[TheMaynorD]

@ElMon thanks much! I don't really do jazz right now, it's a genre I am working towards as my sight reading was all treble cleff based for a fixed scale instrument (bagpipes). My theory isnt bad as my wife is a opera singer and choir director and I pick her brain and steal her college textbooks. Another issue is that the EBMM bongo 6er will give some jazz cats a heart attack. I can build a dozen or so jazz staples up though no problem.

The r&b/ funk side will probably be more up my alley. I will definitely look into some if the jam sessions.

 

[PauFerro]

- Everyone knows the song ‘canon’

- Everyone is competent on their instrument (or they don’t get hired back)

- You can literallly show up with complete strangers on every instrument and 9/10 make the gig work.

In general, if you’re playing the type of jazz that most laypeople are familiar with, you have a chance at a wide-range of well-paying, ‘classy’ type of gigs. I’ll echo all of your suggestions about time/intonation and add ‘look clean cut in a suit’.

Yep to the part in bold. And more than that, you can play original jazz at most of the gigs and no one knows the difference. It's the ambiance and visuals (like the upright bass) they want, and original jazz seems to fly as well as the standards if your band is rehearsed. I wrote a bunch of simple jazz tunes for that very purpose. Plus you can download Today's Jazz Book, a collection of royalty free charts and MP3's that are worth sharing and performing.

That's one thing I like -- people bemoan the fact that if you are playing your original music, you're playing for free. Not so with jazz in my town -- it's corporate rates all the way, even for original jazz music.

 

[TheMaynorD]

Yep to the part in bold. And more than that, you can play original jazz at most of the gigs and no one knows the difference. It's the ambiance and visuals (like the upright bass) they want, and original jazz seems to fly as well as the standards if your band is rehearsed. I wrote a bunch of simple jazz tunes for that very purpose. Plus you can download Today's Jazz Book, a collection of royalty free charts and MP3's that are worth sharing and performing.

That's one thing I like -- people bemoan the fact that if you are playing your original music, you're playing for free. Not so with jazz in my town -- it's corporate rates all the way, even for original jazz music.

Agreed. Unfortunately, I sold my upright a few years back. Didn't use it enough and honestly my forte is as a prog metal/ prog rock bassist who likes to groove across genres. I'd get hired for my electric chops before upright anyway.

 

[PauFerro]

Agreed. Unfortunately, I sold my upright a few years back. Didn't use it enough and honestly my forte is as a prog metal/ prog rock bassist who likes to groove across genres. I'd get hired for my electric chops before upright anyway.

Then the next best thing is one of the existing 34" Electric Upright Bass options. I have an Ibanez and people, including my fellow musicians, absolutely love the tone and its novelty. NS Design also makes a 34" one. Easy transition for an electric bass player.

 

[TheMaynorD]

Then the next best thing is one of the existing 34" Electric Upright Bass options. I have an Ibanez and people, including my fellow musicians, absolutely love the tone and its novelty. NS Design also makes a 34" one. Easy transition for an electric bass player.

I have definitely looked into those. I have also considered getting a fretless 6er again. I had my ibanez BTB 6 fretless but again, not much use.

The other thing that I "need" is a more traditional bass like a J, P or a ray for those that wont hire me on the bongo alone.

 

[TheMaynorD]

There a lot of talented musicians here who make their bread as hired guns, and the original-writers out here get frustrated when these hired guns won’t commit to one project that may not (for the moment) be paying all that well.

My max capacity is 2 bands. My main focus/ project band, a paying gig, and maybe a fill in recording project. Unfortunately a lot of the country artists I have worked with get seriously offended if you play with any other group.

 

[ElMon]

My max capacity is 2 bands. My main focus/ project band, a paying gig, and maybe a fill in recording project. Unfortunately a lot of the country artists I have worked with get seriously offended if you play with any other group.

No doubt. That is absolutely ‘a thing’.
Even worse if you’re playing in the genre that is, at least to me, more fun for the bass player. Like any black music.

 

[ElMon]

I saw what I perceive to be a big cash grab in the mid 2000’s. I was in band with guys who were into experimental music, and we’re basically like hippie stoners. Then all of a sudden these guys developed country back stories and start going on tour with all these bands that were riding the popularity wave.

More power to them for it. I couldn’t fake the funk like that. Someone wise told me your nose will grow if you do that

 

[TheMaynorD]

No doubt. That is absolutely ‘a thing’.
Even worse if you’re playing in the genre that is, at least to me, more fun for the bass player. Like any black music.

I suppose they get butthurt because it indicates that the bass player finds their music boring and unfulfilling, which is usually the case. You can only play root four so often before it gets old.

 

[ElMon]

I suppose they get butthurt because it indicates that the bass player finds their music boring and unfulfilling, which is usually the case. You can only play root four so often before it gets old.

+a bajillion

 

[Pacman]

I suppose they get butthurt because it indicates that the bass player finds their music boring and unfulfilling, which is usually the case. You can only play root four so often before it gets old.

May I suggest root five for a more authentic approach?

 

[TheMaynorD]

May I suggest root five for a more authentic approach?

Tried that once and the drummer had a heart attack, guitarist broke all his strings at once, and the singer lost Jesus....