lowdown

Ok ARGH, I have been posting at the same time as you, I see what you are getting at. Garry

[quote name='jakesbass' post='337797' date='Nov 26 2008, 10:25 PM']I've made a living from playing bass for over 20 yrs, I do teach (very few private students now though) but who wouldn't when there are no gigs on a monday morning. I have a mortgage, 3 kids, an annual holiday etc etc. I am never skint. I don't earn a fortune but both me and the misses are musicians (she was at home for 10 yrs with the kids though I was sole breadwinner) and we do fine. I regularly get paid over £250 a gig and I do sessions and lots of functions. I usually have 150 plus gigs a year. and I've never been out of work. Aargh I know it may look like it doesn't work for you, maybe you have an attitude that makes you a less desirable proposition than musicians that do make money.. I have a diary full of colleagues just like me, ranging from skint to wealthy... It is not only how you see it mate so please don't call me a liar by proxy ok.[/quote] +1 on that.. 30 years i have been at it, never had a job other than full time Muso. Done alright, infact still doing alright. Run a family , Most of the full time Musos i know are the same. Theres more to being a full timer than being in a Rock band with a contract, if thats what you want. Never seems to amaze me the amount of pro bashing that goes on here. Walk around the West End £40/50 k a year no problem. If you wanna call me liar over that one - check the union rates. Cause you dont know these dudes, dont mean they dont exist. Garry

Hey looking4bass, Sorry that was me who sent you to the other Post. You seem to be hanging here a lot, Why dont you chop up the Guitar, And become a Born again Bassist. It will be much easier to find a Guitarist, Just take a random post code and address, Then knock on the bedroom door. Wholla...one on the end of the bed... Millions of them.. Good hunting Garry

[quote name='birdy' post='335908' date='Nov 24 2008, 10:44 PM']I know that generally basschat is a very helpful community but (call me cynical) I would imagine that there isn't that much of this type of work around and that anyone who is doing it will be pretty protective of it so as to not lose their work. As you say these internet sessions sound great so I think there would be a queue for doing this. Steve[/quote] Building up contacts ..Same as any business. There is more of that type of work around than you can imagine. [Because of low budgets] Just listen to the hundreds of Digital broadcast stations around on Tv. All that music has to come from somewhere. Mostly library and productions companies. But in amongst all the programmed tracks there is usually at least one live instrument. It sort of gives it more of a live feel [ some say Debatable ] Put a live Violin or Cello on top of a programmed String arrangement, it helps a lot. Live Sax etc... So the work is out there. Of course there is still the regular Studio sessions going on for a lot of things. A Jazz thing dont really work programmed [Swing i mean] You can do a good Orchestral mock up - but it aint gonna sound like the real thing. I cant see a James Bond Film Theme working from someones Bedroom using Logic or whatever. If you want to make contacts, you are better of pitching at composers rather than Other Bassists, [ for Internet sessions ] Try googling Library / production co's..100's of them. Every man and his dog has some sort of Studio now days, so not as hard as you may think. I have been a full time Muso for over 30 years, so have built up quite a few contacts, along with quite a few other Basschatters ,i should imagine. Its all about Budgets...Music is always bottom of the list these days. I am not talking about promoting New Girl singers and turns etc, But general production Music. [ Call me cynical ] seems to be the phrase on this post. If you dont know many commercial Airline pilots.... It dont mean that there is not many commercial flights. Garry

PPL is a must... Just remember, If you shove a MU contract under someones nose. Thats just a minimum fee... They might find that more attractive And that aint always good..might be less... From my experiance i am not sure they have a contract For Internet sessions with clients overseas.Still a grey area. Gigs and shows yes. Garry

[quote name='BassBod' post='334962' date='Nov 23 2008, 04:18 PM']On the other side, one of my projects recently used a very well respected US player for a few tracks - something like £300 in total, using paypal. I was surprised he agreed to do it for so little, but I guess it didn't take him too long![/quote] Would that be Dean Parks ? A friend of mine used him a few times, And was very surprised at the very reasonable fees he charged. Garry

[quote name='thebeat' post='334038' date='Nov 21 2008, 06:40 PM']Big Country...Come Up Screaming[/quote] Just done a gig with the drummer, Mark Brzizicki... He can play a bit.. Garry

[quote name='bilbo230763' post='333862' date='Nov 21 2008, 02:28 PM']Dave Grusin - West Side Story (replacing a lost gem)[/quote] Man this is just so good Its been getting a real good bashing of late. Garry

[quote name='CHRISDABASS' date='Nov 23 2008, 10:12 AM' post='334738'] so back to the question! how much do you get paid for session work? Is this a blanket question, or just advise for the project you are doing? Union rate in the Uk for 3 hour session.including all the extras is under £150.00 [ Just Bass gtr only] Goes up if the session runs over. Then again depends on what it is being used for, Broadcast / cds / Dvds etc. Then there is Tv Rates, another thing all together. There is no real guidline for internet sessions with MU as far as i know. But a call to them, someone might be of help. I do work For a Composers Collective in LA using Tinternet with FileZilla FTP . They send me a guide track, [no Bass] and a JPEG with notation or chords, or a bit of both. About 2 or 3 a month, not much really. But i get $100.00 a track. paid into my Paypal account about a month later. With the way the pound is at the moment, thats just over £65.00. I just send them back one 24 bit mono track. What ever you do, make sure you agree the fee before you do any work. Garry

[quote name='OldGit' post='334432' date='Nov 22 2008, 02:48 PM'][gtrits teeth] Lady in Red, Pino's genius almost eradicates the sight of those eyebrows [ungrits teeth] [/quote] F**k, that man is so ugly... So ugly infact, the You tube clip looks like something from Spitting images. Just as well Pino saved the day. Garry

[quote name='jinks' post='333960' date='Nov 21 2008, 04:31 PM']Live on outskirts of southampton, hampshire. and for convenience prefer somebody who lives in a 20 mile radius.[/quote] Forget my Pm.. URM... See this is an Edited post from last week. All rather Confusing.. Garry

You have PM. Garry

uumm... I will show my A**e in Woolworths if 1 week after the first Basschatter to buy one, Then turns up in Basses for sale... 'Feeler' 'Testing the water' FS/FT .... Garry

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='332837' date='Nov 20 2008, 03:20 AM']It's the amateur musicians you should trust. [/quote] Not sure that would work if you were a fixer putting a band or Orchestra together for...erm.. A session for a James Bond Theme... Or a commercial Airline pilot called in sick and said.. 'Dont worry my next door neighbour Dave the postman will cover me, He has done a lIttle bit on his PC flight sim' Other than that, i think i know what you are saying... Garry

[quote name='LWTAIT' post='332558' date='Nov 19 2008, 07:11 PM']i have to write a bass solo for superstition by stevie wonder and just don't know where to begin. and i cant just make it up on the spot .[/quote] Funny how things have changed. I thought soloing...'was making it up on the spot', as you say. Oh well.... Garry

[quote name='Sean' post='329753' date='Nov 15 2008, 05:58 PM'][url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNP9OuwCVJs"]Here's[/url] an easy one: Miles Davis doing Time After Time, surely this is accessible to anyone? Enjoy [/quote] I was at the Festival Hall gig [ The end of this tour on you tube ] It was a great gig...Darryl Jones on Bass and John Scofield on Geeetar,Al Foster on Kit. I was surrounded by a load of old pub Jazz Trumpet honkers expecting to see miles Do a bop Gig. It was all groove stuff, no bop.. Man the moaning did not stop for the full two hours.. I ran out of cotton through stitching my sides up. Garry

[quote name='budget bassist' post='329387' date='Nov 14 2008, 08:18 PM']They're quite personal bits of kit if you think about it and it requires a bit more thought than say an ipod or an amp to sell one.[/quote] I agree... But take a look in Basses for sale.. Buy a Bass one week...'Its the best Bass i have ever played..' Next week its for sale...'i cant get on with a five..' Buys a Jazz Bass the week after.. The following week...'Testing the water' I fancy a Musicman...' Jazz FS/FT' The next week.. Then notices a guy on You tube getting a decent sound from a P bass. 'Feeler' Musicman F/S or will trade for a P bass. Blah blah blah. That dont seem Personal to me...Just GAS..which is fine. But murder trying to do business with all that going on. Garry

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='329104' date='Nov 14 2008, 01:56 PM']You are, but... have you got nowt else to do? [/quote] Of course you are right. But then again i think thats what the OP means about.... 'Feeler...Testing the water'... Garry

[quote name='Sibob' post='328889' date='Nov 14 2008, 09:36 AM']Glad others are catching on! I've been into Bona for a good few years now, ever since Reverence came out! A beautiful musician and a stunning human being! A genuine inspiration, not just for my bass playing, but just how to generally 'be'.[/quote] +100 Took the words right out of my mouth... Garry

I have used Black label 45-135 for years. Never had a problem with them. I do get a 50% deal on them..so i suppose i am going to like them.. The thing with strings , is you will try different makes and then you end up with what YOU like, Regardless what others say. One wimps stgs on a girlie no action Bass is going to sound Different on a Bass with an action like a crossbow played by action man. So £££'s and gauges down the road you will get there... Garry

[quote name='The Funk' post='327808' date='Nov 12 2008, 06:03 PM']That song is so hard to play well. I've never played a good version - only train wrecks.[/quote] Yer cos its a Blues tune really.Well Ray Charles version was. 1930's tune originally. I hate it when you get some old fat bald tenor Sax player in some dindgy back street pub honking all over it. In the name of Jazz Garry

I have depped on ships quite a bit... I dont any more..the dosh is nowhere..! Forget sums of 8k..that aint gonna happen. [especially if an agent is involved] As someone else said.They will have all manner of undersellers chipping for well less than half that. 8 day cruise cant be going anywhere exotic, unless they are flying you out & back. To be honest if your band does about 3/4 functions over xmas including new years eve [In the UK] You will get more...and be at home Xmas day. A couple of years back MU min rates where under £300.00 pw per man. And most Cruise lines take no notice of that. P & O used to be the best payers. Paying port manning/overtime/travel to and from port/holiday pay etc.. But all that changed about 4/5 years ago. It was worth doing 2 week stints then... Aint no more.Unless you are a single guy with no ties of any kind. And no work. If you want i can PM you someones number, Who is in the thick of cruise ships... He will give you the rundown on wages. Garry