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Session, or full time?

F

flowlikeocean

Feb 27, 2010
104
1
34
The Burbs, New York
#1
A little while ago, I was recommended by a friend to a local band. I ended up recording a few demos with them, and half of the bass for their first budgeted album (albeit a small budget, still a 3rd party financed album). We had a lot of fun, but I was still in highschool and couldn't go out gigging.

A little while ago, their current bassist left due to some interpersonal issues, and with a vacant bass spot, they called me up.

The problem is, I'm still in highschool, and I value my education. I do not see a feasible way to be a full time student and bassist for next year.

As of now, my options are:
1. Attend summer school, get enough credits to graduate early, and skip my senior year.
2. Stay in school, and miss an opportunity which may never be available as concretely as it is now.
3. Let them know I will do session work whenever possible, and that in the future, I may be available.

All three options have pros and cons, yet I'd like some info from seasoned bassists who know about the rigors of gigging for a major part of ones salary.

Ben
 
#2
Do you plan on going to college at all? If so, scholarships are usually only good for the year after you graduate, so consider that as well.

I'm all for graduating early. Truth be told, high school is so hyped up and while I had fun, I would have preferred to graduate early and just get on with my life.

If you really think gigging and touring could go somewhere, do summer school, graduate early, enroll in an online class at a local community college (English 101 is required for every major and is available online) and you should have plenty of free time as a part time student.
 
#3
To address your second point: (2. Stay in school, and miss an opportunity which may never be available as concretely as it is now.)

Your odds of MISSING an opportunity to meet, jam, and begin gigging with people who you might encounter during your upcoming year of school is as great or greater than the possibility that this band you are considering leaving school to play with will become your stepping stone to rockstar fame and fortune.

Seriously, there's about 1/100th of 1% chance that this 3rd party-financed band will ever make you rich and/or famous. (By third-party financing I assume you mean an indy recording, right?) The days of being able to make an adequate living in a non-famous gigging/touring band are long gone. Some of us could do that 30 - 40 years ago, but the financials of the music industry have all changed dramatically since then.

How does/do your parent(s) feel about this? He/she/they understand you, your capabilities, the potential of this band, etc. much better than do a bunch of anonymous strangers on an online forum.

Seriously, as an old guy (and a parent of adult children) it is unquestionably true that every time I went against my parents' advice it ended up being a no-win (neutral) outcome at best, and often quite worse than a no-win. And every time one of our children went against our advice, it also ended up being no-win at best.
 
#4
stay in school.. keep working your chops and building a body of work.

then get yourself a scholarship to a high music school, a or a good music program at a good state school.

then you'll have that nice music degree to help out when things get tough out on the road. ( like being music teacher at one of those a for mentioned schools.)
 
#6
Spencer! said:
I was gigging out 2 nights a week during my senior year in high school. What's the issue, are they trying to tour out-of-state?
Click to expand...

I did the same thing, while working a full time job as a grocery store manager and going to school from 7am-11am. I was also in the school's jazz band with a monthly performance.

However, not everybody is like you or me and can function like that. Given the opportunity (you couldn't get into summer school here unless you were repeating/making up classes that you failed - getting ahead was a no-go), I would have graduated early for sure.
 
#7
yeah, are they planning on hitting the road and touring??? if so, that makes things different. honestly, if it were me i'd graduate early, take that senior year and see as much of the world as you can. it will probably be the ONLY time in your life that you will have a chance to do it. if you can finance that by playing music then go for it. seriously, college will still be there when you get back. plus, a year off will give you time to think about what to study. i switched my major 3 times in 3 years beacuse i didnt know what i wanted to do. thusly, i ended up dropping out. i should have taken a couple of years in between high school and college, but my rents wouldn't let me.
 
#8
The only thing I'm worried about should I go would be financing college, and as it was said before, most scholarships are only available for about a year.

As of now, I think I'm gonna sacrifice my summer, but I still don't know whether or not I'll go. I think going to school for the next few years, getting some sort of a degree, would be better... there will always be more (probably better) bands.
 

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