well if you do a cruise ship gig, i can tell you one thing for sure...if you want to be in a ship's house band, knowing how to read is a must. you don't have to be the greatest player on earth, but reading is a must.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
The Career.
- Thread starter ihs0y
- Start date
Ok, I'll try my hand at it:
Two very important requirements for making a decent living in music are diversity and the ability to tolerate bull***t. It's very important to note that the bull***t I'm talking about comes not only from others but from within as well.
I once had the first but never really had much success with the last. Bull***t makes me sad and angry. It also drains my ambition. Life is too short to go around sad and angry all the time: I'd rather be happy.
Therefore I've concluded that while I have an aptitude for music and enjoy certain aspects of making music with other people, being in the music business may not have been the best choice for me.
FWIW, Thomas Wictor's interview with Scott Thunes (In Cold Sweat) is interesting to me. Not that I draw a bunch of parallels between Scott and myself, but he is another example of a musician who's personality was not suited to the circumstances he found himself in.
BTW, I just finished a 4 month ship contract. Made $700 a week in a trio w/ singer playing standards. It's a harder gig to get...you have to have an established band to get one. I understand that it is possible to get pay raises up to $900-$1000 per week. Takes a while though.
"real" job?
I think Phatbass is referring to perseverance in the face of hardship, which is also a necessary attribute of a career musician. However I believe this line of thinking has played a significant role in where I am today. (YMMV, natch.)
"real" job?
I guess I should have said "sensible straight job with regular pay, health benefits, etc."
Being too dumb 'n' stubborn to quit means, for me, that I'm not making a fortune, but I at least have a house with no mortgage to show for it
a very important thing is to be able to adapt. its true that dj's and stuff are getting a lot of gigs nowadays, so me and a synth player and a drum machine 
started to play drum 'n' bass and house-ish stuff. it gets gigs, so i won't complain. 
but make sure you have a backup plan. maybe getting a degree into music production or something like that is a better idea and you can keep playing at the same time.
started to play drum 'n' bass and house-ish stuff. it gets gigs, so i won't complain. but make sure you have a backup plan. maybe getting a degree into music production or something like that is a better idea and you can keep playing at the same time.
Think about, while 700$ a week for a gig that includes shelter and food is a pretty good gig, that's 35K a year without benefits. For a single guy without a house payment it's a great gig, married guy, couple of kids and a house, the wife better have a pretty good gig too. And that is a close to top of the line working musicians gig. How many cruise ship gigs are there in the country anyway?
I do agree with Jimmy's comment about reading. My lack of reading skills, has certainly cost me some gigs. One of the most prolific local players I know who makes a good living at it (James Simonson) is an excellent reader. But another very good local player (Mike Harrington) who has played with some major acts sent me this video on face book yesterday. It is certainly timely for this thread.
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=416962381595
Bassdroid, where do you play? Have I seen you? Did you hang out at LDS any back in the day?
My son and his wife are both full time professional musicians. He's a percussionist and she's a singer dancer. They both have degrees in music performance, work hard, and are pretty talented (one thing I've learned is that there are many, many talented people out there). They've done cruise ships for years, fairs, amusement parks, clubs, you name it. My son teaches high school drum line every summer.
The moral of the story is that they barely have two nickels to rub together. They don't have health insurance and owning a home seems nearly unattainable. So are they happy doing something they love? When they're on stage, often yes. But when you're off stage and trying to decide how to pay your bills or wonder how you'll ever afford a family or home it can be pretty depressing.
Not trying to paint a bleak picture but it's a tough business.
The moral of the story is that they barely have two nickels to rub together. They don't have health insurance and owning a home seems nearly unattainable. So are they happy doing something they love? When they're on stage, often yes. But when you're off stage and trying to decide how to pay your bills or wonder how you'll ever afford a family or home it can be pretty depressing.
Not trying to paint a bleak picture but it's a tough business.
This is all interesting to look at, real stories from people who are not Jaco or Ryan Martinie. Good stuff for me to hear, I just am finishing school for Automotive Repair, but am considering a second degree in some part of music. Performing would be my favorite choice, but the most out of reach. I wonder though, are there any successful musicians on here who do live purely off their band, and make awesome money doing it? I know, those are loose terms. But I basically am just curious about what the other small percentage has to say.
Career? this is rock n roll! I don't like musicians who are trying to make a living or gain an education or over analyze. Play tunes if you make it great ride it out if you don't keep playin tunes until you die.
to the OP
the key to the answer lies in your goals. I met this one guy who is basically a bum, travels around with his acoustic guitar and plays for tips and at open mics, occasionally getting the opening gigs, or sitting in playing electric with some bands----he is about 30 years old, has a beat up car, paid for, rents "weekly" in the towns he's in...no bills, no family, and he is one of the happiest guys I've ever met. He considers his life complete and successful.
Then, there's the bunch of musicians who, by the time they reach 40 have day jobs, in debt with bills, a family and the responsibilities that go along with it but STILL are happy with their band they get to practice once a week and gig once a month.
Determine your goals, find the path that will let you achieve your goals, and do it !
You are so very very young, that your path will change a few times before you have to "settle down" if that's what you choose.
If you are a Rock musician, go for it while young........you can always change genres when you get older and less marketable. Just remember that this is a VOLITILE industry and a back up plan (like an Associate Degree or a Trade Skill) is a great idea.
If you have the chance someday, and like Jazz at all....go to Europe or Japan....you'd be surprised how many gigs you can get.
the key to the answer lies in your goals. I met this one guy who is basically a bum, travels around with his acoustic guitar and plays for tips and at open mics, occasionally getting the opening gigs, or sitting in playing electric with some bands----he is about 30 years old, has a beat up car, paid for, rents "weekly" in the towns he's in...no bills, no family, and he is one of the happiest guys I've ever met. He considers his life complete and successful.
Then, there's the bunch of musicians who, by the time they reach 40 have day jobs, in debt with bills, a family and the responsibilities that go along with it but STILL are happy with their band they get to practice once a week and gig once a month.
Determine your goals, find the path that will let you achieve your goals, and do it !
You are so very very young, that your path will change a few times before you have to "settle down" if that's what you choose.
If you are a Rock musician, go for it while young........you can always change genres when you get older and less marketable. Just remember that this is a VOLITILE industry and a back up plan (like an Associate Degree or a Trade Skill) is a great idea.
If you have the chance someday, and like Jazz at all....go to Europe or Japan....you'd be surprised how many gigs you can get.
In the immortal words of Cindi Lauper (quoting her dad), "the more ya loin, the more ya oin".
It sounds better with the Bronx accent.
It sounds better with the Bronx accent.
okcrum
in your chest
Ah'm a'bettin' that was a troll.
I met a guy today who makes a pretty good living on the southwest casino tour, with an 80s tribute hair band. The guys all wear spandex and wigs. They're all 25-35. Whatever you say, at least it's steady work.
