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Play for free, huh? Not cool!
- Thread starter DWBass
- Start date
I play for free. Others don’t. That’s cool!
Also, please see the paragraph I added to my previous reply. See also my post #99 for more info as to who I am and what I do. I wish you well, fellow bassist! 
This is the thread where all the buggy-whip salesmen are going to gather to bemoan the declining value of Layla covers in 2019.
this may be a snarky reply to my post at the bottom of the previous page, but there is truth in it,which is why I "Liked" it --
It is almost 2020 - 60s and 70s is now Golden Oldies, 90s is Classic Rock.....every year, the 60s/70s music crowd gets thinner and thinner except in retirement villas or clubs with an established older clientelle. Even at biker-oriented venues around my area, Stone Temple Pilots and Collective Soul has been going over better than SRV or Skynyrd........SRV and Rolling Stones are lost on younger generations...Want a successful busy night? Keep 20s and 30s girls in the club, and everybody stays...Playing tired old CCR and ZZ Top covers is not the way to do that....I can't tell you how many bands I know that don't have one song from the 21st Century (that's 19 years, folks)
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We would play for free, or tips and beer/food. We looked at it as practicing in public. We never practiced in private.....for some reason the guitar guy didn't want to.
Practicing in public let's you know how good you actually are:
If people don't leave you might be getting better.
If someone wants to hire you for a party then you are getting better.
If you get lots of tips share, the loot with the servers. If they-the servers-decline then you know they like you and you should come back.
This is how I approached the problem of playing for no money. It is a wonderful delusion don't you think?
Practicing in public let's you know how good you actually are:
If people don't leave you might be getting better.
If someone wants to hire you for a party then you are getting better.
If you get lots of tips share, the loot with the servers. If they-the servers-decline then you know they like you and you should come back.
This is how I approached the problem of playing for no money. It is a wonderful delusion don't you think?
Ok, here’s a serious question: I had never even heard of Ed Sheeran (sp?) until quite recently.
Heard a couple of his songs, saw a video... so I looked him up online. Ten years ago, NO one had heard of him, and now he’s worth half a billion, and is thinking of retiring (at 28), primarily through music.
So... why is his case radically different than all that has been propounded here as fundamental truths, spoken ex cathedra?
Heard a couple of his songs, saw a video... so I looked him up online. Ten years ago, NO one had heard of him, and now he’s worth half a billion, and is thinking of retiring (at 28), primarily through music.
So... why is his case radically different than all that has been propounded here as fundamental truths, spoken ex cathedra?
He was well on his way to success before he had a hit single in "A Team" but it was getting the opening slot on the tailor swift tour that propelled his career into superstardom. He was still sleeping on couches and playing for free (really playing anywhere someone would hear him) when he was given that opening gig.
He is his band. He has songwriting credits and that gives him far more revenue and a bigger cut of tour revenue. He's doing it smart, writes catchy tunes and was still lucky to hit it big.
Awww, gosh darn it, you're too nice to argue with!I play for free. Others don’t. That’s cool!
Awww, gosh darn it, you're too nice to argue with!
LOL!
Yeah, people that know me consider me to be one of those “nice guy” Richie Cunningham types. Oh well, if the shoe fits!
I really do respect (and fully understand) the very valid point you and others have made in this thread, which is, if the owner of the venue and his/her staff is raking in some bucks, it seems unfair (and perhaps even inappropriate) for the band members (who, while performing, are actually an extension of the venue staff) to not share in the wealth, at least to some degree. I totally get it! I guess I’m just one of those weird geekazoid types who ended up with such a lucrative career (much to my surprise) that I just wanna play music for the fun of it. That’s why I always relinquish my share of a paying gig to the other band members. I’ll admit though, the gear schlepping part of it isn’t all that much of a thrill! And at age 63, I’m not getting any stronger!
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So the dream is still a viable reality... just hard to achieve?
As I read the Wikipedia account, it seemed to me that there was some native talent, a whole lot of drive and determination, and, yes, a fair amount of luck.
But it seems it still can happen.
As I read the Wikipedia account, it seemed to me that there was some native talent, a whole lot of drive and determination, and, yes, a fair amount of luck.
But it seems it still can happen.
Ed Sheeran is quite popular. His hits have been played on Top 40 radio on heavy rotation over the the past 5 years or so....If you live in USA, perhaps tuning into current Top 40 radio from time to time would give you a different perspective....Im not sure how he fares in the UK or other countries
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".If you live in USA, perhaps tuning into current Top 40 radio from time to time would give you a different perspective...."
I know now that he has been popular for several years. I am not a "real musician" as most here seem to be. I just build the instruments. But my wife played a couple of his songs that she found online, and I really enjoyed them. And you are right, if I listened to top 40 radio, I would undoubtedly have heard him many times...but I just don't do that very often...sorry.
My only point was that the young fellow is 28...and, ten years ago was just getting out of high school, I guess. his debut album was eight years ago. I am very pleased for him, and I was sorry to read of the social-anxiety issues he is now experiencing. He seems to be a nice, down-to-earth young man, and I wish him the best.
There has been a great deal of opinion expressed on TB, that the glory days of music are all over, and that the world has been taken over by Disc-jockeys and Karaoke. He seemed to be a very positive counter-example, so I was curious as to what the specific differences were that made his experience different. It was a serious question, with no hidden agenda.
I know now that he has been popular for several years. I am not a "real musician" as most here seem to be. I just build the instruments. But my wife played a couple of his songs that she found online, and I really enjoyed them. And you are right, if I listened to top 40 radio, I would undoubtedly have heard him many times...but I just don't do that very often...sorry.
My only point was that the young fellow is 28...and, ten years ago was just getting out of high school, I guess. his debut album was eight years ago. I am very pleased for him, and I was sorry to read of the social-anxiety issues he is now experiencing. He seems to be a nice, down-to-earth young man, and I wish him the best.
There has been a great deal of opinion expressed on TB, that the glory days of music are all over, and that the world has been taken over by Disc-jockeys and Karaoke. He seemed to be a very positive counter-example, so I was curious as to what the specific differences were that made his experience different. It was a serious question, with no hidden agenda.
So, unless I have missed a few, what I have so far is that Mr. Sheeran’s experience is different because:
It is nice to see that it still can happen!
Come to think of it, the above principles apply in virtually every form of entrepreneurism... artisans, writers, musicians, inventors, etc. can all pretty much follow that pathway. And there are no guarantees, and never have been.
Thanks, all! That was enlightening.
- He is exceptional,
- He writes catchy music and lyrics,
- He is his band (not sure what that means...solo artist?)
- He “played it smart”,
- He started off playing for free anywhere he could get an audience,
- Slept on couches, etc as needed,
- (From Wikipedia) was writing music in his mid teens, and released his first EP at 19 or 20,
- Was lucky... very lucky.
- Got a break... maybe several breaks.
It is nice to see that it still can happen!
Come to think of it, the above principles apply in virtually every form of entrepreneurism... artisans, writers, musicians, inventors, etc. can all pretty much follow that pathway. And there are no guarantees, and never have been.
Thanks, all! That was enlightening.
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So does performing and getting paid for it.
CAREFUL. I got pounded for suggesting that people should know how to tune their instruments and learn the songs! We're not allowed to suggest even the most minimal standards - it makes snowflakes cry.
Rock solid advice. The singer/songwriter with a guitar never gets old no matter how old it gets.
A lot of mid-tier names have taken to doing “acoustic” and “intimate” (i.e. just them and maybe a second guitarist) shows to boost their earnings. What’s the point of doing a $2K show where you’re only netting $400 plus a lot of aggravation for yourself when you can do a solo act schlepping just a guitar to a small place for $500 and keep it all? And on top of that you get to really connect one on one with your audience and build up your super committed fan base.
If your songs are strong enough to stand on their own without needing a full band behind them, and you’re comfortable putting yourself out there without having a band as a safety net, I say go for it. The troubadour tradition is still alive and well.
The only catch is you have to be really good.
Personally, I thinks it’s rationalization. You can’t behave onstage like you would at a rehearsal e.g. stopping and starting, sitting down, pee breaks, arguing, etc.
it wasn't a snarky reply...i apologize if it came off that way.....Top 40 radio isn't what it used to be and I certainly can understand why many folks don't listen to it......but there are some gems that pop up here and there.....enough for me to be mindful, keep up with the times, and try to add into the sets
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