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Double Bass Starting a life in Music

#22
Ray Parker said:
You have to want to play bad enough that you find a way to feed yourself with it. This includes everything, up to and including a day job. You also have to have realistic expections for your lifestyle. Music isn't a job, but a way of life. If you want a job you need to check out engineering or nursing or something.
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Funny you say this. That was exactly the thought process I went through, but instead of justifying a life in music, it convinced me to go to engineering school.

I'm currently a student of engineering in university, a choice I made over going to school for music. Like you say, music isn't a job, but a way of life. I feel that I live my life through music, but as a young person thinking about how I might support a family in 20 years, I don't need a way of life, I need a job.

I chose engineering school over music school because I'm pretty good at the skills required for both, but also want to pay the bills. Now, each day I must work to keep music in my life, because it is something I love. It's a strange struggle, but one that is worth making because of my love for music.

Does anyone think I made the right choice? Anyone in the same situation?
 
#24
Jeff Moote said:
I chose engineering school over music school because I'm pretty good at the skills required for both, but also want to pay the bills. Now, each day I must work to keep music in my life, because it is something I love. It's a strange struggle, but one that is worth making because of my love for music.

Does anyone think I made the right choice? Anyone in the same situation?
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I just decided not to major in music in college a few months ago. It was a hard decision, but I think that it'll work out fine. Plus, I didn't have to practice for college auditions.
 
#25
mdurell said:
I have recently left a 14 year career in the computer industry. I have walked away from a good paying (though stressful) gig to start learning double bass and go to school for Jazz Studies/performance. I have *NO* idea where I'll be in 3 months let alone in several years but I do know this is something I *have* to do. Who knows where it will lead me? And, yet, this is half the fun!
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I have a secure job in academia, I have my own home (paying off the mortgage), a car and a couple of other perks that come with a decent and regular salary. I've also been given the opportunity to complete a doctorate in biochemistry, but all I can think about is going back and doing a bachelors degree in music performance.

Jeff Moote said:
I chose engineering school over music school because I'm pretty good at the skills required for both, but also want to pay the bills. Now, each day I must work to keep music in my life, because it is something I love. It's a strange struggle, but one that is worth making because of my love for music.

Does anyone think I made the right choice? Anyone in the same situation?
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I agree with you and I think you made the right choice simply for the fact that you are doing what you felt was the best thing for you. It doesn't sound like you have any major regrets. Who knows if you had pursued music over engineering. The pathway of a musician is very unpredictable, especially when compared to the pathway of a prospective engineer. I made basically the same choice as you did, I went to university and graduated in the biomedical sciences and have a good secure job now.

I don't have any specific regrets over my decision, but dammit I just want to get back into music. I am working towards the opportunity to quit my job though.
 
#26
sorry to resurrect this old thread,

but i cant see why you cant keep a day job and play music ? well yeah, its hard to get an audition, but what do you expect ? wont it be a better feeling when you finally get the spot ? Lets say your an engineer or your a nurse or something of the like, I guess as an engineer in a firm or something, you might be able to take a break or a day off to go audition ? and if you get the spot, and your sure its a "safe" job, as in your there to stay, cause your comfortable with the section/conductor, the pieces you play etc, you might feel ready to quit your day job, you can also get a reputation in the orchestral/jazz scene when you join a symphony/jazz band. then you might get offers from different orchestras, or it might give you a boost when you audition for another orchestra/jazz band.
 
#27
I recently dropped out of engineering school at a top state university with a full ride to go to community college and essentially learn from the ground up everything there is to know about upright bass. One day... something clicked, and I just had to follow whatever it was inside me that was telling me to play. I played classical and flamenco guitar for about 9 years, never really taking it seriously because my teachers in middle and high school told me i would ruin my life in a career in music. But now that I have just earned my first weekly gig here at home with a trio, I feel like I couldn't have had it any other way. If I didn't pick up the bass and follow my dream, I felt that I would have looked back upon being a wimp for the rest of my life.
Sorry that I'm sortof rambling, but if you are called, you have to answer. Nothing is worse than regret.
 
#28
Wow. 48 auditions before you guys get a job?
Let me tell you more about myself. I graduated from the Colorado School of Mines back in the late 70's, going into the business and taking lessons on the side with Slew Paulson.
Bass for me is a hobby and I like to take auditions every now and then for fun-I also play a little competitive golf and tennis. What I'm getting at is that I did this all as a Black man in a White man's world.
Most of you are very young, quite bright I would imagine and are probably not going to make it-I consider that a shame as well as a sham-from bloated University classes run by careerist professors to rigged auditions.
I know what it costs to travel with a bass and stay overnight in a hotel-in addition to your University training (God help you guys or your parents if you are not on scholarship) you will spend 48 x $2,000 on auditions. That doesn't make a bit of sense since most of you won't make $50,000 IF YOU DO make it.
I'd say the average IQ here is around 120-130. You guys could be doctors, run hedge funds or working on new sources of energy-like what I'm doing now on the Colorado Oil Sands project. By the way it's not shale- it's marlstone and we are creating some BEAUTIFUL crude oil. In China, pebble-bed technology is going to put us to shame and soon.
Paul, I wish you luck and hope it won't take you 48 auditions. Maybe we'll all hear you play someday!
 
#30
I don't even know what college I'm going to. I'm still in the process of sending in applications and preparing for my auditions in the spring (Bottesini, scales, and a few etudes). I hope I can continue a life in music. My conductor said that I should persue music education so I can eat. It was funny but true. I'll get what I can when I can.

I'm taking the ACT this december. I'd take the SAT but I can't find away to sign up for it. I don't have a credit card to do it online and local schools don't carry the packets to sign up by mail. Here in the south all the schools only carry ACT stuff since thats what southern schools want. O, well we'll see.
 
#32
bassman1489 said:
mcnaire, what schools are you applying to?
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Lee, Georgia, Tennessee, Memphis, Vanderbelt, Curtis, Juilliard, and thats all for now. I'll also try and find some other suiters.

I if you guy's have any idea on other schools or audition rep. just let me know. So far all I've got to audition with is Bottesini Concerto No. 2 and Bottesini Reverie.

I'm really thinking of going to Lee for a year to get my footing and audition for Curtis and Juilliard.
 
#33
I don't know about all the other schools but for Curtis you will also need a movement of solo Bach, and for Juilliard you need two contrasting movements of a Baroque Sonata (NO CONCERTO), and a specific etude which they tell you.

Just go to the website of the schools and check the audition rep.
 
#34
sibass89 said:
I don't know about all the other schools but for Curtis you will also need a movement of solo Bach, and for Juilliard you need two contrasting movements of a Baroque Sonata (NO CONCERTO), and a specific etude which they tell you.

Just go to the website of the schools and check the audition rep.
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I've checked. Curtis sais Bach or a solo of choice which will probably be Reverie or Tarentella. And I'll start working on the Etudes in December.

I'm still trying to come up with some other things to play for the auditions. Do you have any suggestioins?
 
#36
NotACello said:
Orchestral rep: Beethoven 5, 9, mozart 35or 39, Brahms 1 or 2, for starters.
Seriously, where is your teacher to tell you these things?? You can't just show up to a college audition (curtis and juilliard, of all places!) and expect to only play a solo or two.
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Right now were working on Bottesini for a performance in December. We are talking about college and he really wants me to go to georgia. I will probably stay around in Chattanooga for Lee University (in clevelend TN) for a year before making the big auditions.
 
#37
mcnaire2004 said:
Right now were working on Bottesini for a performance in December. We are talking about college and he really wants me to go to georgia. I will probably stay around in Chattanooga for Lee University (in clevelend TN) for a year before making the big auditions.
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If you are majoring in Music Education, you are much better off going to a state school such as Georgia, Tennessee, or South Carolina (best music ed in the country).

Unless your grades are exceptional- you probably won't get in to UGA. I would seriously consider USC. They have a new bass professor and the string project which is the model for all string ed. in the country.

BTW- I am an alum of both of those schools. Milton is a great player and teacher at UGA. The new bass professor at USC is Craig Butterfield from UNT, and he is really good as well.

FWIW
BG
 
#38
This is a little off your topic and I don't mean to butt in, but if it is the SAT that you want or need to take, rather than the ACT, your school guidance counselor ought to help you get the registration packet to do that. If he or she can't or won't, you can call the College Board, which administers the SAT, at (866) 756-7346, and ask them what to do. That's a customer service number.

Here's a link to the College Board contact info:

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/contact.html

Good luck!
 
#39
I've been fortunate enough to have studied with great teachers and players. My best education has come in the 'real world'. No not under the warm fuzzy blanket of a conservatory setting.

I believe that about 95% of people who show up for auditions don't belong there in the first place. So I have to ask myself, like everyone of us who is preparing for whatever audition.
Which group am I in? The 95% or that 5%?

There was a masterclass at Rice University, in Houston, one time. We walked into a room with chairs arranged in a circle and Paul Ellison had everyone sit down. It was quiet as Paul comfortably took control of the room. He said "We're gonna talk about what your going to do to make a living." "Now if you want some kind of security they'd be glad to have you over there at the Computer Sciences school." The class went through and started naming off the different things you could do with the bass to make money. As the class came to a close Paul said that some of us will be very very 'fortunate' to get great jobs. The rest of us will have to utilize our skills and do everything we can and it will reflect in our pocket books.

I have gone back and forth many times since that masterclass. Even gone as far to not play for a year. Music is a personal thing, as this has been pointed out. There is no formula. And I cannot listen to this perfect intonation and perfect rhythm mumbo jumbo. These things are obvious. For me, it has come down to: How do I fit into this world of music, where is MY place?


(It is nice to be able to come to a nice website like this and share my thoughts and feelings, thank you.)
 
#40
pskelly, Thanks for the link.

I'll be auditioning for Lee University November 10th. I'll be playing Bottesini and scales. (Movement from Concerto and scales w/ site reading required) Right now on break for the schedual I have given myself to prepare in time. Hopefully In a year of being at Lee I'll be ready to audition for UGA, UTK, Curtis, Juilliard ect...

Filrich, I believe that we must make our own place in music. I'll do whatever I can to fit in (with music).
 

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