What professional situations do people read in?

[BassChuck]

You get loads of money for church gigs?

Ask, and it will be given. But many defer to the 'rewards in heaven' options.

 

[Jhengsman]

You get loads of money for church gigs?

Depending upon the size of the church and the number of volunteer members they have access to you can make $$$ for Sunday services and rehearsal one day a week. How many Sunday jazz brunches are there compared to churches who pay their music ministries?

 

[stedtale]

I've had to read in these situations:

Big Band
Orchestra (but only UB)
Theater/Pit Orchestra
Some top 40 stuff
Some session work

It's better to be able to read and not use it than to not be able to take a gig because you can't.

 

[Russell L]

At church gigs always change the sign on the tip jar from "Tips" to "Love Offering."

 

[Phil Smith]

You get loads of money for church gigs?

Church gigs pay and many of them don't require reading.

 

[Jhengsman]

Church gigs pay and many of them don't require reading.

I would have though most of them would not require reading. Then secondarily the special Christmas and Easter showcases when bigger orchestras are brought in reading becomes necessary.

 

[Hapa]

You get loads of money for church gigs?

Church gigs are very consistent, well paying, great environment, second only to union gigs. Everyone is usually really nice, gigs are done early in the day, coffee is usually around, and the ministry is almost always paying attention to the music. In the bigger church's where music get a little more rambunctious and people dance, miles of smiles.
To answer the OP I find that reading is most found in orchestra/ pit orchestra, Broadway or anything with syncopated dance, what remains of jingles, and big band jazz. I read the most with my students in Middle school- high school that were in the school band. As a matter of fact, that was the best to keep my reading chops up since I don't need to read that much. It has been mentioned before that top 40 bands or real book gigs for Jazz is the most intensive as it gets really and for the most part its not sight reading, mainly charts. The last time I had to sight read for a gig was in the studio for an added syncopation from the drummer (I know, the drummer right?) who couldn't tell us the notes. When I had a union gig we had 140 tunes on call, a lot of x-mas songs that have specific parts for bass (boring as heck) with choir voicings on top. Any improvisation is a NO NO, you stick out like a sore thumb. Think of the bass line for Silent Night...anything but whole and half notes is not right.

Reading music is like having condoms and guns. Its better to have it in your back pocket and not use it, vs. needing it and not having it.
Learn to read

 

[dlargent]

200 bucks a week for 52 weeks a year is a typical church gig around here. I know guys (who read of course) who play as many as 3 per week. That's about as much money as a full time job no ? And with six days a week to twiddle yer thumbs

 

[miltslackford]

I think I'm having an epiphany!

Thanks to everybody for great and informative responses.

 

[Scot]

You get loads of money for church gigs?

I've done a good handful of paying church gigs that require reading. Some of them were situations where they were bringing in special guest artists with charts and needed to be able to do the service with very little rehearsals. If the regular bassist can't read they will bring in a hired gun for these types of services.

 

[Scot]

If you can read and play eventually you will come across some reading gigs. They will find you.

 

[Spaldo]

Ok.

So I'm getting -

Fully reading:
Big bands
Theatre/show gigs
Cruise ships
Large function bands

Reading bits and bobs but mainly charts:
Jazz ensembles

the more reading you can do 'on the fly' the better. it's a great way to get your sight reading together...I'm playing with a smokin' big band at the mo' and they're constantly throwing new charts in my face and counting off straight away. i love it

 

[isthimus]

i always feel stuck with this one.

i rarely "need" to read/sightread, and even though im fascinated by therory, have done grd 7 ABRSM theory etc and can point at a note and say "F#", "G7 chord", "minor third" or w/e, i still find it very hard to read a piece for playing; normally i write my own parts, improv or learn by ear, depending on whats needed. which is fine.

but i would love to be able to sightread, especially since i was forced to passup a gig in a jazz ensemble recently cause i jus couldnt sightread the parts. so given that i cant do sightreading gigs cause i cant sightread, and i cant sightread beyond only just passable because i never "need" to, what do i do? find a teacher? find any old sheet music and just dive in? buy a book?

 

[boethius]

Community or local theatre. I double, so some are pure arco gigs, but some of the more pizz-based gigs I play the electric. There are also certain scores that are all electric, like we did JC Superstar, and Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who. Fun gigs that can pay, but require reading. The score from the Wizard of Oz was mostly arco, and the bass section was absolutely huge...about 300 pages. Local orchestras too, but those are mostly arco.

 

[basspirate777]

Ditto on the theatre gig--I just got hired out to play EB for a local h.s. production. ...a hundred pages of easy reading and a decent payday.

I have been taking a break from school and gigging, doing this production gave me a good occasion to read besides the daily practice regimen.