Same as others here, I was a working pro from the late 60's into the early 80's - never stopped playing, some paid rock gigs still, at church for 25+ years of my 50+ years as a bassist.
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Talkbass demographic check....
- Thread starter SamJ
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Same as others here, I was a working pro from the late 60's into the early 80's - never stopped playing, some paid rock gigs still, at church for 25+ years of my 50+ years as a bassist.
Yep, not currently a full time working musician, but much more than a hobbyist.
Always been a hobbyist I suppose. Made a little money in the 90's, but nothing substantial. Always had another job. My gear outweighs vastly my ability to play it, and the rental fee for our rehearsal space is chalked up in the expenses column. I haven't gigged since February of 2013. Current band has been together two years. We jam once a week if we don't have other things to do. Wouldn't trade it for anything.
I've been playing fulltime for the last 5 years as a Army Musician, its cool(I lost track of how many gigs/ceremonies I've played, but easily a few hundred a year, and most during the daytime... but I have to do "Army Stuff" as well(training, physical fitness, shooting, etc), and play percussion for marching band....but my primary focus is the bass, whether electric or upright...
ASATMAN is right though, it can turn into a "job" real quick, I count myself lucky I'm able to make my living with music, but it gets you real burned out quick(I had 5 gig's last week 3 this week)....plenty of guys/gals in my field lose all enjoyment of playing near the end of their careers, I really don't want this to happen to me!!
So i think for my sanity more than likely I'm gonna step back when my contract is up and go to strictly part time gigging, of course ill need some regular job, but I now crave some predictability in my life, doing gigs with a few days notice isn't very fun anymore....
Edit: P.S. Don't mean to sound like I'm complaining either BTW, its definitely *not* the same as being a freelance musician
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Throughout different times of my life i could have chose every answer you listed.
I agree. I certainly have had a few bands and band mates over the years but in the end most if not all of us were professionals in other careers. My intention is to see what level of professional musicians are here vs hobbiests.
About 5% to 7% of my annual income comes from music performance. So I picked "supplement a little bit."
I'm an amateur with years of experience. I've always been into music, playing violin at a young age, some guitar in my teens, singing in choirs through undergrad, and now bass after graduation. I'm a software engineer by day and grad student by night, so I don't have as much time as I'd like to break into the local scene as a gigging bassist, but I hope to get there someday!
I'm still 23, so I've got time...right?
I'm still 23, so I've got time...right?
Freekmagnet
Commercial User
I had to file a 1099 this year, so I am definitely in the working category. And seeing how I got laid off from my day job last year, the money I make from gigs definitely is supplementing my income significantly at this point. In fact, I'd go as far as saying it saved Christmas for me and my family last year.
I make a living playing. Recently got a morning job to supliment gig income. I voted the first option because I'm definitely still a full time musician before a working stiff.
I can totally relate, I was laid off for a year before I got my current gig, I lucked out and got in a tribute band where I made $200 a night with no real expenses (we all car pooled in BL's Rv), so I made enough to pay rent and survive, but it was scary if I didn't have shows on a weekend, so I donated plasma twice a week too....but it kept me and my wife(who has debilitating back problems and can't work)alive, music kinda saved me too I guess
wmhill
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I've been gigging for 30 years, currently playing about 100 gigs yearly......and the ca$h is a big part of my budget.
My music is definitely a drain on my income.
This, so I can't choose working musician.
At the same time I'm not comfortable choosing "hobbyist" either. I have a lot of hobbies and music does not feel like the rest. In today's society, music is more of an avocation than a vocation. I pretty much have to create or play music but I'm not good at finances, business, self-promoting - basically all the things that are necessary to be a modern self-sufficient musician.
Then there is subject matter. I tend to play music that I believe in artistically which seldom intersects with music that makes money. I imagine that holds true for many 'professionals' whose music I listen to on extreme metal stations or avant-garde jazz stations.
As Charles Ives said, if a composer "has a nice wife and some nice children, how can he let them starve on his dissonances?" Meaning that even though Ives is a famous composer he worked his way up through insurance companies as well. This let him finance his own new music performances where he felt free to laugh at audience members that left in disgust rather than worry about a paycheck.
So was Ives a professional or an amateur?
Used to be a full time musician
Back in the day. Just a hobbyist nowadays. I moved countries and I do something totally different for a living. No regrets, though.
Back in the day. Just a hobbyist nowadays. I moved countries and I do something totally different for a living. No regrets, though.
Working Country band -- play bar gigs every other weekend. As far as the IRS is concerned, this is a hobby, as expenses are shown to be greater than income over a three year period. When you look at the financials, you better be doing it because you love it.
Freekmagnet
Commercial User
Wow, that's some story.
I'm seeing my current situation as a kind of grand irony in a way; I never pictured myself as a middle aged musician, struggling from gig to gig in cover bands. I even went as far as dropping out of music altogether for several years, and pursued a more steady, day job oriented life. But, as fate would have it, here I am, a middle aged musician, struggling from gig to gig, playing bass for my supper.
Some would say I should take it as some sort of sign, but I'm not sure what kind of sign that would be.
I think you should separate the serious amateur versus the hobbyist personally. I might have a day job and w/e but music is the rest of my life and I fill my non-work days with as much playing as possible and I'm sure there are plenty of people like me.
