Bringing in extra income

[DavidMPires]

As credit crunch goes, Im looking to increase my income, and instead of working a lot more hours, and get a job behind a counter, and get under law wages, Ive decided that the best way to increase my income is to get more gigs, Well thats not really possible with my current band we play about twice a month, earn decent money, but most of the guys is not willing to leave home more often than twice a month.

 

So what kind of bands should I go for? Should I just go for anything that pays good money, not thinking of what kind of music it is?

Im happy to gig about 8 times a month, not so happy to do eight rehearsals a month. So far in my current band we have two sometimes three rehearsals a month and that suits me just fine. Also with more rehearsals comes more expenditure by having to pay for the place plus petrol etc.

 

Am I thinking straight or should I just give up the idea all together and get a job at mcdonalds?

 

[Bottom End]

Is it possible you could find some smaller gigs, like backing up a guitarist or keyboardist at a small club? I'm not sure what style of music you play, but it's a thought.

 

Are you in a part of England that lends itself to "for hire" sessions. My cousin is a multi-instrumentalist based near NYC, and while he's not famous, he's on-call quite a bit.

 

Last, there's nothing wrong with working for an honest wage if it allows you to keep playing music. IF part-time wages will get you by, and allow you to play gigs, nothing wrong with it, IMO. I have no idea what the employment situation is where you are, but you might be able to do something outside the 9-5 full time office job. Itinerant jobs like housepainting offer the chance to work long hours until the job is finished, for example.

 

Good luck to you. I'll admit that the idea of starving for my art didn't appeal to me, that's why I play for fun, and not for my daily bread.

[DavidMPires]

No I'm not planning to quit my current 9-5 job, I was thinking of either get a second job or a second decent paid gig.

 

This would be only until i finish my qualifications and start to look for a better paid job.

[Cthulhu Fhtagn]

Of course, I'm referencing bassed on what is happening in Eastern Washington.

 

Smaller bands, smaller venues. Out here, if they go live music over a DJ, they like the smaller bands; duos and trios mostly. They need less pay than a larger band. There are lots of wineries out this way and smooth jazz is very popular. I don't know what fares well in the pubs - find our what the local pubs are looking for in entertainment and grab a keys and a vocalist. Being a bassist make it a little difficult since that can be simultated on an arranger, but if you can, a vocalist and a keys and/or guitar might be perfect - not much gear to lug about, fast set up and tear-down, split the kitty two or three ways.

[Phil W]

I've been after this for years so if you find the secret, David, let me know. Cover gigs pay if they have the right agent and repertoire but they're not a hige source of income. Man, you should try supporting three people on one teaching salary in central London!

 

The duo thing is a good idea but you have to organise it yourself and decide on a repertoire which will sell to that kind of client.

 

The most profitable gigs are the function band sets. Your networking has to be good as you have to know the right people: there are hundreds of good bassists competing with you for these gigs. You have to be verstatile and you have to be able to read. That's playing for corporate clients where mostly they dont listen to the music that much, it just has to project the right company image. These gigs are very hard to find. One option is to get to know a bassplayer who does these things regualrly and try to get to dep.

 

You don't have to worry about rehearsing. In my experience the amount of rehearsal bands do is in inverse proportion to the money they earn (excepting the big names). Guys at a function gig will have to read a badly written chart on the fly and keep their ears open.

 

My option is to have about a half-dozen projects I work with and try to take other stuff along the way as a bass for hire.

 

My other advice would be to keep track of all your music related expenses for tax purposes.

 

It ain't easy. And if someone had the secret to juicy, great paying fun gigs, they probably wouldn't post it on an internet forum!

[Chewbubba]

Man, you should try supporting three people on one teaching salary in central London!

 

Or how about 4 in Arkansas?

 

Also, Dave, as I'm sure you've read/heard over the last few years, being able to play more than one instrument (I'm thinking keyboard-bass) will increase your stock and the make the idea of adding you to a band more attractive.

[Cthulhu Fhtagn]

It ain't easy. And if someone had the secret to juicy, great paying fun gigs, they probably wouldn't post it on an internet forum!

 

I do. And for a mere $50US/hr, I will be more than happy to share the secrets of getting better, higher paying, fun gigs. Just call the "800" number at the bottom of your screen and I will ship to you "Frank M.'s Secrets of Getting Better, Higher Paying and Fun Gigs." And if you act right now, I will be willing to throw in my "Frank M.'s Secrets of Playing Pentatonic Minors Over Everything" so all your bass lines will sound the same regardless of what genre of music you're playing abousolutely free. You just pay shipping and handling! But you have to call in the next thirty minutes. Call NOW!

 

800-BIG-SCAM

[DavidMPires]

Thanks guys.

 

I'm not a day dreamer, and I think i know what's going on in London sort of.

We make a couple hundred pounds a month each with our gigs, and I was looking for another one like that.

I'm not looking to be a hired gun, because

1st-i'm not good enough.

2nd-i don't have the free time

3rd-i live outside london and you need to be able to get from a place to other in a blink of an eye.

 

I spoke to a guy who has a covers band and wants to play some pubs i'm awaiting to hear his stuf and then see if it's worth to drive there.

 

 

 

 

[Phil W]

Pity there is no option of just playing more gigs with the one band? That's decent money.

 

Maybe the option of a second covers band is a good one. Covers are mostly easy to learn and they are what most audiences want to hear. Most of my covers gigs are outside London and it seems the biggest covers market ia around the M25 - in the outskirts around London.

 

Maybe research what the market is for musical styles in the area near where you live and start a band tailored for those audiences. The difficulty with starting your own covers band though is in having the PA and transporting it. It's easier to join someone else's.

 

Developing the ability to carry off backing vocals is another potential asset you might consider. I'm a lousy singer but I've had to do bv's a lot recently. In most cover bands the bv's are very important. I'm even going to take some singing lessons next month.

[Phil W]

Why does your current band rehearse so much? Are they adding new repertoire? You might want to think of increasing your gig:rehearsal ratio if you're free time is limited. If they're only willing to gig twice a month do they need to rehearse so much?

With the potential second band, I think you need to consider this ratio carefully.

[DavidMPires]

I've considered the backing vocals Phil, i think that would be a plus. and I play about 60 tracks with my current band and I know that some of the songs would be common to most bands, like valerie, mustang sally, stuck in the middle etc...

[DavidMPires]

Why does your current band rehearse so much? Are they adding new repertoire? You might want to think of increasing your gig:rehearsal ratio if you're free time is limited. If they're only willing to gig twice a month do they need to rehearse so much?

With the potential second band, I think you need to consider this ratio carefully.

 

Many reasons, one some of the band members will forget the songs if we don't practice and then we will sound baggy. Secondly we are constantly adding new stuff.

 

I'd love not to practice and just gig.

[Bottom End]

Many reasons, one some of the band members will forget the songs if we don't practice and then we will sound baggy. Secondly we are constantly adding new stuff.

 

How many songs does the band have down cold?

[Davo-London]

No answers just doubts. But you could think carefully about what type of functions you do, what pays the best and then advertise for that market. If, say the wedding market is your thing, then there are a lot of websites dedicated to arranging weddings and catering etc and these can include bands for hire.

 

Davo

[DavidMPires]

Many reasons, one some of the band members will forget the songs if we don't practice and then we will sound baggy. Secondly we are constantly adding new stuff.

 

How many songs does the band have down cold?

 

About 40.

[Wally Malone]

Help in finding gigs that pay "big bucks".

 

http://musicbooksplus.com/bhow-find-gigs-that-bucks-dvdb-p-4360.html

 

 

Wally

[tucsonbassplayer]

I don't know if this is a good answer for your area but I started playing with a Church Band. And I am not a Christian! The schedule works out because they rehearse on Tuesday night and play on Sundays. My cover band gigs never interfere with that! And they pay good, about $75.00 an hour. And don't say your not good enough, these Christian Pop Tunes are easier that any rock tunes you are learning.

[TimR]

Many reasons, one some of the band members will forget the songs if we don't practice and then we will sound baggy. Secondly we are constantly adding new stuff.

 

I'd love not to practice and just gig.

 

edit: "one some of the band members think they will forget the songs if we don't practice"

 

I think the secret is just to get more gigs, even getting on the pub circuit where you play 2x45s twice every week, you can rotate your set and use it as your practice. You can get about £250 a night for the band so better than a kick in the teeth, turn up and play, pack down and go home, easy money, no arriving ridiculously early and leaving ridiculously late. Play what you want.

 

Get someone to score out and decide the format for the new tunes then just have a practice once a month to introduce new stuff that everyone has worked on at home.

 

The problem arises when some of the band will only play big paying gigs and don't want to be out two nights a week. If you rehearse on a weekday, just find a few pubs doing live music that night.

[Rocky McDougall]

Here in my area, the only good money comes in from Corporate gigs. I have a friend who has a 8 piece band, they play at conventions,corporate parties and some weddings, 2-4 times a month. Their minimum charge is $3,500.00 per evening. The band members make a minimum of $350 each. The secret is in getting the bookings.

Rocky

[Tom Capasso]

I don't want to turn you from getting more work as a musician. Others, especially those in the UK, have spoken to that.

 

You bought a house this year, and the economy isn't going great so you need some money. Consider all of the things you might do to make more. Think about what skills you might have that you could use - especially skills that aren't only 9-5 office things (since you already have that covered).

 

The one thing I know about you is that you're multi-lingual. Can you use that in any way? Translating (written or spoken)? Teaching Portuguese?

 

You may have other skills as well (that we don't know about).

It's true that any honest work is OK. Be open to lots of possibilities (though I wouldn't be fast about fast food).

 

Tom

[jeremy c]

You could buy and sell musical gear and make money.

 

Don't take the example of the typical member of this forum. The typical member of this forum buys gear at a high price and sells it at a low price. (I will not mention any names.)

 

One of my friends turns over a lot of gear and seems to do pretty well at it.

[davio]

I, also, have a friend who turns over music gear for profit. He used to haunt this forum a few years ago and I believe he lives somewhere in Jeremy's neck of the woods now.

[Bottom End]

I don't want to turn you from getting more work as a musician. Others, especially those in the UK, have spoken to that.

 

You bought a house this year, and the economy isn't going great so you need some money. Consider all of the things you might do to make more. Think about what skills you might have that you could use - especially skills that aren't only 9-5 office things (since you already have that covered).

 

The one thing I know about you is that you're multi-lingual. Can you use that in any way? Translating (written or spoken)? Teaching Portuguese?

 

You may have other skills as well (that we don't know about).

It's true that any honest work is OK. Be open to lots of possibilities (though I wouldn't be fast about fast food).

 

Tom

Tom's got a good idea. If you can do it, translators can make very good money, AND often work on their own schedule to meet a deadline. I having attended a few seminars on this field as I transition from one career to the next. Businesses don't often have in-house translators, they contract it out. You'd be surprised at just how much is avaailable, I had a colleague who made a few $100 translating the 1 page instruction manuals that come with electronic devices. If you can speak it the language as well, you could be on-call to translate in legal proceedings as well.

[jeremy c]

One of the guys I perform with is doing pretty well doing translation work for the immigrant community from Israel.

 

He's got the Hebrew module that goes with Microsoft Word and can switch back and forth easily.

 

The interesting things about that is that English reads from left to right, Hebrew reads from right to left and the two alphabets have very little relation to each other.

 

English to Portuguese and back wouldn't be such a big deal.

 

In the state where I was born and grew up, Rhode Island, there are very large numbers of Portuguese-speakers who could use translation services. My dad's next-door neighbor are very nice people who always bake cookies for us when we visit, but we have a lot of trouble communicating with them because they don't understand very much English. The only Portuguese I know are the song titles of bossa novas and sambas and the word, obrigado.

[DavidMPires]

Thank alot for your advice guys.

The translation idea is a very good one, i'm going to investigate if you need some sort of qualification in order to be able to translate.

Sometimes I do overlook the fact that I can speak more than one language, it's time to make some money with it.

I guess that getting another gig is more likely to give me more expenses than bringing more cash.

 

See how it goes

[Phil W]

tucsonbassplayer: paid church gigs are a lot rarer over here - church attendance is a lot lower in Europe except for in the Black majority churches. The church I attend struggles to afford an organist.

 

Tom: great idea! I have known a few Japanese both here and in the States (both musicians and otherwise) who've earned money translating for business customers.

 

Currently I'm working with a Turkish singer who makes a living (or part of one) translating for the Turkish community. The issue you might face (apart from qualifications?) is that the Portuguese community needing translation would mostly be based in Lambeth and similar areas of London - not near you - so perhaps some kind of business translation would suit better that you could do by email or phone.

[Eric VB]

Someone brought up duos/trios and someone else asked about multi-instrumentalism. (Sorry, David, I don't remember. Do you play anything other than electric bass guitar? Even URB?)

 

When my cover band formed, the goal was to only play 2x a month on average. And we have found by trial and error that weekday nights just aren't good for us. That leaves plenty of time for me to find other projects.

 

I'm trying to get an acoustic duo started. But I'll be playing guitar and mandolin; no bass. And singing lead on half the songs. That's 2x45 or about 30 songs. Not easy if you haven't done it before! But once you do you can take that with you anywhere. In addition to being more attractive due to lower price I hope we can play different venues, like restaurants during the dinner hour on weekdays. If it works out then the only limit will be how much time we're willing to gig.

 

As was said, cover bands make money. An established originals band might be able to make money but the only offers I've seen are for 3-4 rehearsals a week (!) and 1x45 gigs (after everyone is up to speed) that only pay 1/4th what a 4x45 cover band would make. More work, less money. But it can be worth it on a satisfaction scale if you're into the music.

 

You might be able to pick up some dep (sub) work. Just advertise and network your butt off. I don't see why you'd need to worry about getting from one gig to the next.

 

How do you feel about teaching bass? More students = more money.

 

Studio work. I'd think there'd be more opportunities in London than here. Don't know until you try, right?

 

If you're going to improve your BGVs you may as well try lead vocals, too. In addition to possibly landing a singing gig you might be able to branch out into karaoke host or something, too. But, yeah, adding vocals opens more doors.

[SteveC]

Don't take the example of the typical member of this forum. The typical member of this forum buys gear at a high price and sells it at a low price. (I will not mention any names.)

 

Hey, I've been really good lately. As a matter of fact, the economy has gone down the toilet since I settled for my current bass and amp.