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Playing as a career

#61
Yea, I started my music career a bit later than my brother Danny. He has had a trumpet in his hands since the age of 9. I wanted until I was finishing up my degree in preparation for retirement. I needed a blow off class and I saw the college offer Jazz Bass. I got ahold of the department and told hem I know nothing about but it was something I thought would go unfulfilled on my bucket list. Not a problem. I started from scratch and after two semesters I was playing in a band and have been busy since. I ended up taking 4 semesters of Jazz Bass before graduating. Now, we are talking about a full semester in a class that would last an hour at least and not uncommon to be in there for 2. Tuition assistance picked up 90% of the tab. What a bargain and did it ever jump start a dream I had. I was still active duty at the time as well.
 
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#64
BazzTard said:
have you HEARD the stuff army bands play? You would HAVE to play that shite for 20 years, with no chance of playing things YOU want to play, ever.
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I can see your line of thinking and playing something for 20 years would get a bit repetitive, more so if you don't like the tunes. These musicians who audition and make the service bands are not just talented and creative but also have a desire to serve their country. So playing a tune that really isn't liked isn't tops on the their lists. They see themselves having greater purpose. Once you make a service band you don't play for just that main band. Let me use my brother who played in the Air Force Band of the West. He did play in the concert band but also in different branches of that band that played different genres of music as well. The service band musicians don't become robotic and are banned from playing any other music that's issued either. Off duty you have time, flexibility and resources to create, compose and arrange with the only limiting factor is you. You see to these cats get two important needs fulfilled. They get the fulfillment of playing music for a living and they get the fulfillment of serving their country. With being able to play for a living like that they can continue to give full attention to honing their craft because really you never stop being a student of your instrument. They are able to commit to that craft with a clear mind because they know they themselves are taken care of as well as their families. I know many....many... musicians that have played several gigs they didn't like just to keep the lights on.

For all you members who have served.......thank you for your service.
 
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#65
BazzTard said:
have you HEARD the stuff army bands play? You would HAVE to play that shite for 20 years, with no chance of playing things YOU want to play, ever.
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So you're in Australia and can speak of what US Army bands play? More disinformation. Another person with zero understanding of US service bands offering another unqualified (and grossly inaccurate) opinion.
 
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#66
RSey716 said:
He did play in the concert band but also in different branches of that band that played different genres of music as well. The service band musicians don't become robotic and are banned from playing any other music that's issued either. Off duty you have time, flexibility and resources to create, compose and arrange with the only limiting factor is you. You see to these cats get two important needs fulfilled. They get the fulfillment of playing music for a living and they get the fulfillment of serving their country. With being able to play for a living like that they can continue to give full attention to honing their craft because really you never stop being a student of your instrument.
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All this is WELL stated. The music selections aren't as rigid as one imagines.... It's not all marches!

During my time I've had to be ready to play electric bass, upright bass (with and without the bow); play in ANY style (country, show tunes, classical, rock, jazz, etc) at any time, sometimes in a single show. The other instrumentalist have similar demands. Sax an clarinet players generally double. Trumpet players might play in a jazz band one week and a brass quartet the next.

There are also the guys who write arrangements who use their band as a test bed for ideas. That's on-the-job creativity and flexibility.

And of course we are part of a greater team that serves the country.
 
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#67
John Coltrane, Bill Watrous, Billy Cobham were all military musicians. Did you look at the clips I attached? Yes we did marches but we also did Chicago, Asia, Beatles, AC/DC. You name it we did it. The bands also tour schools doing PR work. Do you think for 1 minute they would put a march band in there.

I was in Sydney with the 7th flt band and was playing in a rock band on the pier for the visitors

Oh. And randy brecker was asking if the armed forces school of music was hiring. Sound like we just did mitary music? Not a chance
 
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#69
I used to hang out with the guys in Pers-4014 (the guys that get all the auditions and resumes) when I worked on the other side of the office divider from them at the navy personnel command, and you wouldn't believe how experienced some of the guys were that were sending in applications...the credentials and credits some of the applicants had were nothing short of amazing...it was pretty eye opening, but after hearing the off duty bands of all the musicians in the shop, I wasn't all that surprised...they were all awesome on their instruments and very well-versed in anything you put in front of them...if you were to find an exception, they could read well enough that you probably wouldn't know the difference...being very well rounded and having the ability to read is a huge step...
 
#70
I did almost 12 years as a USN bassist from the 80s-90s, between the SOM and getting out to a unit band I think it's an excellent musical experience especially if you're just cutting your teeth as a young musician. From big bands to jazz combos to rock gigs and ceremonial band, you do it all. You can play with world class cats (I was stationed for years with 'Iron Mike Bogart' lead trumpet of TOP just one of many examples), but you can also get mixed in with others that may not share the same level of musicianship. Personally I think everyone should do an enlistment in the military no matter what your career is. As far as making it a career, there's lots of pros and cons I won't get into, but it is definitely a great musical experience at least for a few years. And if you do it - get stationed overseas and see the world, you may never leave :)
 
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#71
There is one point on which your orchestra instructor is not correct. The lifetime medical coverage is not really available like it once was. And, you can even be sure what is promised now will be availabled in 20 or so years from now. I would check in to that.
It would be a great way to make music your career and get paid for it. You don't have to decide now whether you stay in for 20 or not. You usually inlist for 4 years at a time.
 
#72
Gravedigger Dav said:
There is one point on which your orchestra instructor is not correct. The lifetime medical coverage is not really available like it once was. And, you can even be sure what is promised now will be availabled in 20 or so years from now. I would check in to that.
It would be a great way to make music your career and get paid for it. You don't have to decide now whether you stay in for 20 or not. You usually inlist for 4 years at a time.
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Well, yes and no. There's still lifetime coverage, but it's not the same as it used to be. Still a valuable benefit, though.
 
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#74
Nick Thorpe said:
I asked about it and he said I could audition before I enlist, and even have a mock/preliminary audition before I tie myself down to anything.
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That's good as long as you keep in mind that they can change their mind at any time and stick a rifle in your hands and tell you to go kill somebody. When you join the military they own you and can change your orders whenever they want; you have zero negotiating power.
 
#75
ggunn said:
That's good as long as you keep in mind that they can change their mind at any time and stick a rifle in your hands and tell you to go kill somebody. When you join the military they own you and can change your orders whenever they want; you have zero negotiating power.
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Oh great, more uninformed replies from people who don't understand what they're talking about. You are sadly misinformed, and (as I've said before in this thread) that doesn't help. Please stop.
 
#76
Pacman said:
Oh great, more uninformed replies from people who don't understand what they're talking about. You are sadly misinformed, and (as I've said before in this thread) that doesn't help. Please stop.
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I'm not misinformed, though I will admit that my information comes from the many friends of mine who were in the military during the Vietnam era. I concede that things may be different now that the draft is no longer an issue and we are in "peacetime".
 
#77
ggunn said:
I'm not misinformed, though I will admit that my information comes from the many friends of mine who were in the military during the Vietnam era. I concede that things may be different now that the draft is no longer an issue and we are in "peacetime".
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Using 40 year old information to make a statement definitely qualifies as being misinformed.
 
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