Ryan Griffith Posted August 12, 2001 Share Posted August 12, 2001 Hey everyone, One of the things that's prevented me from really doing the music school thing is the fear that there'd be no work after I sank a bunch of bread into it. Now, I realize there's never any guarantee (I know plenty of friends who can't get work in their degree field, and it's not music), but show biz is something else. I'd love to get into the session/studio scene; I'm not really hung up on getting a band off the ground. But is there actually work out there, if you have the skills? As an unrelated side, I was a music major, playing trombone, at the local community college. I got tired of the back-biting & favoratism there... it was one of the reasons I switched majors. While that's always a pure joy to deal with, (ahh, the consummate professionalism!) it'd be well worth it to be able to pay my bills playing bass. ------------------ Regards, ~Griff Regards, ~Griff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnb Posted August 12, 2001 Share Posted August 12, 2001 Sounds like you have already made up your mind. Quit now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenLoy Posted August 12, 2001 Share Posted August 12, 2001 McGriff-- There is work out there...and it is possible to get it. Etching out a living solely as a musician is definately very, very hard work. There is work out there, and, after you pay your dues for a few years, you can find yourself making a pretty decent living. I live in NYC, and most guys I know who are successful pros are in their mid-30's and have been playing in and around the city since they were fresh out of school. They're not famous, but they make a decent living. A lot of them have their hands in a lot of different pies. For example, if a person plays trombone, he also might teach, play piano, do arranging, transcribing, music copying, etc. Like any freelance job, it's not without its shortcomings...you sometimes do gigs that you don't like (or hate) because the money is good, sometimes work dries up during certain parts of the year etc. I work a day job, but I know enough guys that don't that I definately know it's possible...and they mostly make decent bank: low to mid fifties a year. I think Ed and the other real pros should sound off on this... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted August 12, 2001 Share Posted August 12, 2001 First of all, music is not a career choice. In other words, it isn't something you can choose to do, it is something you have to do. If you have to think about whether you want to do it, then you probably don't really want to do it. Every pro I've ever known (and I've been playing professionally for 37 years) began playing gigs in high school. Some went to music school (while gigging) and some didn't. And nearly everybody I know when faced with the dilemma of how to make money, has found another musical solution and never even considered any other options. Music school will teach you a lot, but it is not a professional program like med school or law school where you are pretty much guaranteed a job when you finish. You are on your own when you graduate and are only as qualified as far as your ability to pass an audition. Studio/session work is not really a career track you can choose over being a gigging musician. You have to be a top notch gigging musician and excel in several styles before anyone will even take you seriously. Meanwhile, the studio scene has few openings. If you want a secure career, music is about the worse choice you could make. However, it is possible to actually make a living playing music, despite the jokes,"what do you call a musician without a girlfriend?""homeless". "what's the difference between a large pizza and a musician?""the pizza can feed a family of four". Personally, I am married, own a home, have a kid in college, in other words live a relatively middle class life and have done it all being a musician and being married to a musician. And I haven't played with anyone you've ever heard of. Many of my friends are in similar situations. If you want to play your instrument badly enough, you will find a way to do it. And if you want to play your instrument badly, keep your day job! Jeremy Cohen ------------------ http://www.jps.net/jeremy/basspage.html Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Friedland Posted August 13, 2001 Share Posted August 13, 2001 Well, I think Jeremy summed it up in my opinion! To answer your question in another way, where do you live? There may or may not be enough work in your town to support the lavish lifestyle of a professional freelance bassist! http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif Are there other working pros where you live? If not, will you relocate to where the gigs are? Bottom line is - if you have the skills to do the gig, and there's gigs to be filled, you're not a total jerk to be around and you have a car, you'll get work. ------------------ www.edfriedland.com www.edfriedland.com The Bass Whisperer Bass Whisperer TV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boom Posted August 13, 2001 Share Posted August 13, 2001 I am a pro living in San Diego and it is a weird way to make a living. No medical or denial, unsteady income, pay more taxes, on an opposite schedule from the rest of the world, and a blast! You've got to love it. I play with great musicians, meat famous people, and find myself in lots of cool situations I would never be in otherwise. I gig with at least two bands, teach 20 - 40 students a week, and do studio work when I can. If you want to do it you must be good, aggressive, and able to take financial hits from time to time. A back-up career is a good idea. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Griffith Posted August 13, 2001 Author Share Posted August 13, 2001 I appreciate the insight of you pros out there. To answer Ed, I live in Rochester, NY. Not exactly a huge metropolis, but there's music to be played. However, I doubt there's enough for me to put food on the table without a day job. And I'm definitely more than willing to relocate. As far as music not being a choice, I certainly understand that, as playing isn't a choice for me either. Whether I do it as a career or not, I'm going to keep playing. And being in the same town as Eastman means there's not exactly a shortage of teachers. Then again, most of them are probably exclusively upright players, and I can't quite afford one of those. Anyways, it was just something I was curious about, thanks ------------------ Regards, ~Griff Regards, ~Griff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ikestr Posted August 13, 2001 Share Posted August 13, 2001 Boom, nice to hear that someone in SD is making a living playing bass. I also live in SD. Email me back, lets keep in touch. Ike ihfifield@hotmail.com ...hertz down low.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zujo Posted August 13, 2001 Share Posted August 13, 2001 It has taken me over 10 years in LA to actually build me a decent salary from playing bass. These days I don't even think that being "just a bass player" will secure your future. Most of the cats I know have moved into Demo production and have their own studios. The work I do, gets to me by WOM, and my market seems to be mostly singer/songrwriters demos and showcases, as well as playing in local T40 bands. Asides from that, I do hold a a day job and write articles for a spanish music magazine and teach privately. I went to music school and no I don't think most of us that did go to school will ever get our money's worth in opportunities, but at least I know I am getting it back in personal satisfaction. To summarize yes there is WORK out there, now CAREERS are truly hard to come by.... "Word to your mother" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Friedland Posted August 14, 2001 Share Posted August 14, 2001 Zujo is right. You have to be diversified. My days of making it JUST fromgigs are long over. Either it was getting older and wanting more money, or I just got interested in other things. It's all music related though, gigs, teaching, writing, producing, arranging, even copyist for small things (no orchestral scores please!). Nowadays, I probably gig less than before. Tucson is not a hotbed of activity, and I've become very selective about what gigs I take. The other musical pursuits allow me this luxury, it wasn't always like that. No more corporate/wedding gigs from hell for me. I've learned my lesson, don't do gigs you can't tolerate, even for the money, it's not worth it in the long run. I just write about them now! http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif ------------------ www.edfriedland.com www.edfriedland.com The Bass Whisperer Bass Whisperer TV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badfish Posted August 17, 2001 Share Posted August 17, 2001 Who needs to eat when you play bass? http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif I think every one of us would love to get paid well doing the thing we love, but sometimes its not in the cards. Most of us here picked up the bass for different reasons but it was all for the love of music. Sure, I would love to make 50k a year playing bass, but the five hundred a month that I average is a nice supplement to my income and makes me feel like a MILLION. As with anything you need to be at it a while to make some decent coin, but if coin is what you are concentrating on then you never enjoy what you do (and possibly never improve any how). Have fun Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Friedland Posted August 18, 2001 Share Posted August 18, 2001 Craig is right, when you focus too much on the money, you can lose sight of the joy. That's one of the challenges of being a professional musician. Yes, you have to make your money by playing, but you have to remember that it's more than just a job. After a few years "in the trenches" it's easy to lose sight of that. Personally, that's why I'm glad I diversified, I wouldn't want to be stuck doing the same type of gigs I did 15 years ago. Branching out has made me find other ways to make money and still do what I love...music. ------------------ www.edfriedland.com www.edfriedland.com The Bass Whisperer Bass Whisperer TV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Friedland Posted August 18, 2001 Share Posted August 18, 2001 Craig is right, when you focus too much on the money, you can lose sight of the joy. That's one of the challenges of being a professional musician. Yes, you have to make your money by playing, but you have to remember that it's more than just a job. After a few years "in the trenches" it's easy to lose sight of that. Personally, that's why I'm glad I diversified, I wouldn't want to be stuck doing the same type of gigs I did 15 years ago. Branching out has made me find other ways to make money and still do what I love...music. ------------------ www.edfriedland.com www.edfriedland.com The Bass Whisperer Bass Whisperer TV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenLoy Posted August 21, 2001 Share Posted August 21, 2001 Ed wrote: Craig is right, when you focus too much on the money, you can lose sight of the joy. That's one of the challenges of being a professional musician. Yeah, I'm right in the middle of that right now...for two years I used to play with one good band that had LOTS of work, at least 3 nights a week, and when we got busy, as much as five or six nights. The gig wasn't union, but I was making decent bread and, with the amount of work we were doing, it was comfortable. The music was great (jump blues and swing), and the audiences were appreciative. I was loving it, even though I knew I was damn lucky to get the gig right after I got out of school. Then, due to, *ahem*, bad circumstances, the band folded, the band members all went their separate ways, and I found myself suddenly without any work in NYC, where competition for paying gigs is fierce and I'm just another green kid with a bass. Definately intimidating. I fell into a couple bands that were less-than-great, musically, but paid. I kind of felt trapped for a while... Occasionally since then I played musically satisfying gigs that either paid great or not at all (funny that it never fell in between on that one...), but for the most part it was depressing. Now lately I've bitten the bullet and spent my spare time working up a jazz/funk quartet of musicians I love to play with and have started to hustle to get some gigs around the NYC area. It's been daunting, but not discouraging...yet... Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger, YMMV. http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/smile.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deep Rumble Posted October 19, 2001 Share Posted October 19, 2001 I used to play the studio circut in LA quite a bit. ( as a trumpet player, before I took my bass playing seriously.) Starting out I played a lot of late night gigs in the studios when the studio rates were cheap. It was there that I discovered that you did not have to be a good anything to record...you just had to have money. I played some of the most awful nasty sounding music that anyone has ever had to endure. All the while telling the composer or producer that it was fine. I am sure that my gag reflex simply disappeared. This is the sort of this you have to do in order to make a living. A lot of boot licking as well. It almost stole the most precious thing about doing music. I ended up quiting music and staying out of it for almost 6 years. Now I play / write what I want. I play only the gigs I want to play at and I live a pretty normal life. My day job gives me the freedom to play music for the sheer joy of it. That is what I almost lost in my pursuit of a "music career". My advice, do what you love and if it makes money.. great !. If not, do what you have to in order to survive and keep doing what you love for the pleasure of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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