Lots of posts on the trials and tribulations of getting paid to play. Curious, how many TBers rely on the money, or really just gig as a reason to play?
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Money or love?
- Thread starter Bass Motifs
- Start date
I love the bass. I do almost anything to get to play with others. There's no substitute for that. Just give me a gig, man! 
The money is just a bonus. I never expect to make any money from playing gigs this way I'm never disappointed.
Yes, the money is a bonus. If I wasn't having fun I wouldn't be doing it. I stopped for about ten years from burnout and working a 12 hour rotating nightshift that made it impossible for me to be in a band. Then I started hanging around open mics with my present wife, working days and I got pulled back in. I am presently in a country band that is starting to make some noise in our area and getting better gigs and paying better money.
Music is my post-corporate second career. The money figures prominently into my 'retirement planning.'
Just started with a Doors tribute...
Just started with a Doors tribute...
I play for the love of it in my free time, but if I’m playing out my goal is to make it a well-performing, financial venture.
Sometimes I get paid and that’s great.
Some gigs I only did because I was getting paid and that was fine.
I tend to work on a self-imposed two-out-of-three system. For me to pursue a project it has to check two out of three of these boxes:
I get paid
I like the people involved
It’s musically rewarding (this can either be because I enjoy the music or because the music is a challenge that forces me to grow as a player - either is fine.
If all three boxes get checked, great! But life’s usually not that blissful. Most of the time, pay is what ends up being sacrificed. I usually won’t take gigs where I lose money anymore, but I tend to just break even. That’s why I have a day job.
Some gigs I only did because I was getting paid and that was fine.
I tend to work on a self-imposed two-out-of-three system. For me to pursue a project it has to check two out of three of these boxes:
I get paid
I like the people involved
It’s musically rewarding (this can either be because I enjoy the music or because the music is a challenge that forces me to grow as a player - either is fine.
If all three boxes get checked, great! But life’s usually not that blissful. Most of the time, pay is what ends up being sacrificed. I usually won’t take gigs where I lose money anymore, but I tend to just break even. That’s why I have a day job.
Love and fun for me as an amateur/semi pro.
If I get paid, I make sure I cover my expenses and give the rest to charity.
But…………. I play the music styles I enjoy.
Some of my semi pro musician friends are more money oriented, they play a larger variety of music in various conditions but quite often they don’t have much fun. I don’t wanna be one of those…………..
If I get paid, I make sure I cover my expenses and give the rest to charity.
But…………. I play the music styles I enjoy.
Some of my semi pro musician friends are more money oriented, they play a larger variety of music in various conditions but quite often they don’t have much fun. I don’t wanna be one of those…………..
60/40 Money over playing on the cover circuit.
It's a job with folks telling you they enjoy your performance and some great free dinners. It's not a bad thing by any stretch but musically it's driving over the same roads while trying to avoid the same potholes..
It's a job with folks telling you they enjoy your performance and some great free dinners. It's not a bad thing by any stretch but musically it's driving over the same roads while trying to avoid the same potholes..
The longest lived, most successful band I've played with always had two or three players who needed the money. Which, I am certain, is why we played so often. I don't need the money, but as I've often posted here, money is validation. What I do is worth being paid for.
I'm not doing it for the money but I wont do it if there isn't any either.
People are too willing to not get paid so its no wonder people don't want to pay the going rate.
The going rate should be same as a plumber/ contractor pro rata, imv.
People are too willing to not get paid so its no wonder people don't want to pay the going rate.
The going rate should be same as a plumber/ contractor pro rata, imv.
The way I see it, if someone else (the bar) is making money, I'd better, too.
Been a minute since I made a living at it.
Learned the love of playing before I needed to pay a bill.
But don’t be the only one on the bill or on the staff doing it for free. That lowers the bar for everyone.
Learned the love of playing before I needed to pay a bill.
But don’t be the only one on the bill or on the staff doing it for free. That lowers the bar for everyone.
Love to play. But if I'm providing a service, I'm gonna get paid [unless I decide otherwise].
I don't rely on the money to make a living, though it's handy to have that little bonus. My daughter just got married and I gave them an envelope of gig cash to help them get started on a home or to use for their honeymoon.
But my observation has been that, even though I play out for the joy of playing and entertaining people, I find that if you pay attention to the money and treat the band like a business, you get more of the joy of playing too. When I've been in bands where "we're going to play whatever we want and screw the crowd, screw the venues," then you wind up playing by yourself in a basement a lot and when you do get a gig, it's poorly-attended and lukewarm response. Organize the band around getting regular, decent-paying gigs, and you get to play out a lot and have big happy crowds loving what you're doing. That's what I like to see happening.
But my observation has been that, even though I play out for the joy of playing and entertaining people, I find that if you pay attention to the money and treat the band like a business, you get more of the joy of playing too. When I've been in bands where "we're going to play whatever we want and screw the crowd, screw the venues," then you wind up playing by yourself in a basement a lot and when you do get a gig, it's poorly-attended and lukewarm response. Organize the band around getting regular, decent-paying gigs, and you get to play out a lot and have big happy crowds loving what you're doing. That's what I like to see happening.
I’m self-employed. That means I can work whenever I want to. And I make good money at my full-time job. So Playing bass is a actually a money loser for me. It is 100% for MY enjoyment.
I played almost full-time way back in my late teens, early twenties.
Even then I had a man-with-van job going on the side to make ends meet.
Once I started a family, mortgage, etc, there was no way I could earn enough with band work.
Nowadays, I've pretty much zero expectation of breaking even playing a gig, so it's all for love, baby.
Even then I had a man-with-van job going on the side to make ends meet.
Once I started a family, mortgage, etc, there was no way I could earn enough with band work.
Nowadays, I've pretty much zero expectation of breaking even playing a gig, so it's all for love, baby.
in my younger days I tried to make a living playing in an originals band, but I never made enough to stop having part-time jobs delivering food or whatnot. the closest i came was also one of the most emotionally toxic, and at times physically unsafe situations I've put myself into.
my current originals band makes decent enough money, it's a very supportive environment with good adult friendships and where we all get a chance to get our shine on musically in a way that's satisfying. we're not serious about trying to "make it" or make our primary livings from it. but we put on a good show, always have a good time doing it, and make enough on-the-books money that we maintain an LLC to keep the finances tidy.
my current originals band makes decent enough money, it's a very supportive environment with good adult friendships and where we all get a chance to get our shine on musically in a way that's satisfying. we're not serious about trying to "make it" or make our primary livings from it. but we put on a good show, always have a good time doing it, and make enough on-the-books money that we maintain an LLC to keep the finances tidy.
I put money without reading the question, then changed my answer afterwards. I'm a multi-intrumentalist, with multiple semipro rigs. There will NEVER be a point at my age when not running at a loss, and I'm OK with it. Will bass or drum for food, just point and I'll proly show up
