Quality or Quantity of Gigs?

[bluewine]

Quality gigs around here are so far and few between that if you want to play at all it's going to have to be quatity in the small bars and dives.

I think this is reality for more bands than we think.

There's no shame in playing dive bars, not from where I'm sitting.

Blue

 

[JumboJack]

Quality. I would rather play to a large, appreciative crowd then a smoky dive bar that in most cases could care less who is making the music.

 

[elgecko]

...as much as I prefer quality gigs, I do enjoy theater gigs. It's a treat to cram 10 paying services in the span of two weeks.

 

[bluewine]

And money should really be lower on your list, I've found out that it can be bad motivator and very misleading.

"I play bass guitar for people that pay me money"

Blue

 

[bluewine]

Quality. I would rather play to a large, appreciative crowd then a smoky dive bar that in most cases could care less who is making the music.

Interesting, well we're smoke free in WI and our bar crowds are attentive and appreciative.

Blue

 

[Bass_Pounder]

I think this is reality for more bands than we think.

There's no shame in playing dive bars, not from where I'm sitting.

Blue

No shame at all..........

Been there, done that.

However, when the opportunity does present itself for the quality gigs, it is very easy to put the dive bars in the rearview.

 

[brenner182]

I like to drink. So quantity. All the free beer. Some of the dollars. I win.

 

[bluewine]

Reality, we all end up back in bars if your in it for the long haul.

It's where rock & roll started and where it will end.

Blue

 

[RattleSnack]

"I play bass guitar for people that pay me money"
Blue

I play because it is fun for me and audience, and creative, and satisfies my ego. Money just compensates for my time and effort.
If money is only thing you care about, drop the music. There are much faster and easier ways to earn it.

 

[hdracer]

In a perfect world we would all have more quality gigs then we have time to play them.


But in the real world that I live in that isn't going to happen if I want to play more then once or twice a year.

I'll take $50, a few drinks and a packed dive bar having fun then having a band practice on Saturday night or nothing to do and sitting on the couch anytime.

 

[bluewine]

I play because it is fun for me and audience, and creative, and satisfies my ego. Money just compensates for my time and effort.
If money is only thing you care about, drop the music. There are much faster and easier ways to earn it.

I love it, just means I charge for it.

Blue

 

[Passinwind]

J Would you rather play once a month with a great band of good people, or every weekend with a mediocre band of people you are indifferent towards?

So, if given a choice, quality or quantity?

Quality, game over. Once a month with killer players sounds perfect to me, actually.

 

[bluewine]

Money just compensates for my time and effort.

I think that means you play bass guitar for people that pay you money.

Blue

 

[bluewine]

In some ways quality has a lot to do with how I play on any given night more than where I'm playing or what I'm paid.

Blue

 

[Crazyeelboy]

Both, because most often it is possible.
Casual relaxed gig with covers band twice a week, and twice a month big gig with originals band. Why? Because regular playing gets you in shape, and those rarer quality gigs keep you motivated.
And money should really be lower on your list, I've found out that it can be bad motivator and very misleading.

I tend to agree - nothing whips a band into shape like continual gigging, so for the sake of development of the band and new material, quantity is good. But once the band and the material is developed, it is quality all the way!

That said, opinions clearly vary on what constitutes a quality gig.

 

[RattleSnack]

I think that means you play bass guitar for people that pay you money.
Blue

True, but oversimplified. If your first (or god forbid) only reason is for dough, bad choice of profession. If it is low on your list, you can choose better bands (even though they get less money), more fun gigs that pay less, you can work pro bono when needed, you can be better professional, make better carier choices. Money, as main motivator, takes you wrong ways.

I love it, just means I charge for it.
Blue

Thats cool with me, I do that to. Great, isnt it? Geting paid for having fun

 

[Peepaleep]

Give me twice a week at $200 a pop and I would be a very happy man.

 

[bluewine]

I tend to agree - nothing whips a band into shape like continual gigging, so for the sake of development of the band and new material, quantity is good. But once the band and the material is developed, it is quality all the way!

That said, opinions clearly vary on what constitutes a quality gig.

Good point, what is a quality gig?

An off night for the band at the " Enormo Dome ( Spinal Tap) getting paid big bucks. Or is it the night your band is on fire with the crowd with you all the way in a small packed $400.00 gig in a dive bar?

Blue

 

[Marginal Tom]

I voted for "carrots" because I thought the question was slanted toward quality. Realistically, how many bands currently playing $400 a night bar gigs are offered $1,600 gigs once a month? Most of us would be thrilled to have one in our lifetimes.

 

[Pacman]

That's kind of the thing, isn't it? $100 a man gigs are kind of like free gigs. When you gig for free, you get more free gigs. When you gig for $100, you've set your market value.