Well I gave it my best shot

[peteb]

Hardly a sham. The OP has had a year improving his playing and making contacts, as well as acquiring pro quality gear. All of this will put him in good stead for future musical endeavours. 

Very few non-famous musicians make 100% of their living from purely playing music these days and many of those who do live on a combination of beans on toast and fresh air. Start teaching, find an income stream you can freelance at and generally embrace the gig economy whilst furthering your musical career. 

I've just joined a tribute band and we have had a fair bit of contact with the main band. Their bass player even has a second career (as a freelance photographer) when he isn't doing music based gigs. 

Edited February 5, 2019 by peteb

[gareth]

IMHO being a hobby bassist is the way to go

its all I've ever done and I've never envied any of the pro musos I've known, none of them ever earnt more than I did when I added up my day job and gig fees

so I would get a job or start a self employment but keep gigging as a hobby bassist

You said "Got a small pay off from the ex so she could keep everything and help ease my way into whatever awaited."

why is it always the guy that gets screwed

a mate of mine thinks as a sex we should toughen up especially on breakup 

I certainly think any bloke with assets needs to think about protecting them - pre nuptials, trusts, etc

Edited February 5, 2019 by gareth

[SICbass]

I earn a living from playing. I‘m no great shakes as a player and rarely play music I would choose to. I‘m not complaining, but....

Don‘t be so hard on yourself and listen to all the very good advice being given here.

All the best 👍 Paul.

[goingdownslow]

20 hours ago, KiOgon said:

As one door closes another opens

I had a Ford Escort that was like that.

[Unknown_User]

All things pass, but don't forget that you just "lived the dream" for a whole 13 months!  From what you said you acquired a load of awesome bass gear, improved your skills no end, made new friends, spent a gap year out of the rat race and got to a point where people know what you're about and want to ask you back.  I type this sat in the same office for the past 14.5 years bored off my cake.  I'm massively jealous. 

I hear you that you had to go through a bad time to get you to that point, but wow.  You've done something amazing out of that adversity and you'll always have what you gained in the past 13 months of your life that no one can take away from you.

There's no sham in needing to eat.  If you take that same motivation you had in joining bands, replying to ads, etc., along with the contacts you've made and skills you've learned, into the next 13 months then you never know where you may end up a year from now.  You could make a few bob teaching, being a sound guy at a local venue or theatre and still bring in the odd £50 playing bass at the weekend.  So what if that means doing deliveries or working behind a supermarket checkout somewhere?  The reality is you will still get to do what you love, but you just have to do something else as well to pay for it.  It doesn't make you any less of a musician.

Good luck mate and be proud of what you've done.

20 hours ago, Painy said:

Incidentally, nobody ever went to watch a movie about Bruce Wayne the billionaire businessman with a little side-story about his hobby as a masked vigilante. They go to watch Batman (who happens use his day job as a CEO to fund his amazing superhero exploits). 

Superb posting!

[ahpook]

On 04/02/2019 at 20:53, stewblack said:

But it was a sham.

Just to echo what others have said....it wasn't a sham, it sounds like a very enjoyable sabbatical,  and quite possibly a much-needed one after a pretty rough time.

I'm envious....I wish I'd decided to give it a proper bash, but never have..I regret that, but some time down the road you'll be looking back and with no regrets and a lot of good memories.

Edited February 6, 2019 by ahpook

[pbasspecial]

Here is how I see it:

OP went from one extreme to the other.  

1. You worked hard with little music to

2. All Music and no work.  

However, Happiness lies in the middle way (Buddha).  Find full time or part time work that you could enjoy or at worst tolerate and the rest of the time build up your music career/hobby having a firm foundation on which to build from.  The less intense pressure you put on yourself, the greater probability you will achieve your goals.  

[KevB]

20 hours ago, peteb said:

Hardly a sham. The OP has had a year improving his playing and making contacts, as well as acquiring pro quality gear. All of this will put him in good stead for future musical endeavours. 

Very few non-famous musicians make 100% of their living from purely playing music these days and many of those who do live on a combination of beans on toast and fresh air. Start teaching, find an income stream you can freelance at and generally embrace the gig economy whilst furthering your musical career. 

I've just joined a tribute band and we have had a fair bit of contact with the main band. Their bass player even has a second career (as a freelance photographer) when he isn't doing music based gigs. 

Spot on Pete, I think a lot of people would be surprised at the number of what they would consider 'real pros' have in fact got day jobs or some sort of second career. And the rest are mostly skint!

[stewblack]

I've just come back after a couple of days trying to get my head straight. Or straighter at least. Absolutely overwhelmed by the responses here. Thank you all so much. Those  prone to depression will understand how difficult it can be to climb back from any disappointment large or small, those who haven't suffered still took the time to respond with positivity and love.

I am humbled and grateful, thank you all.

[stewblack]

On 05/02/2019 at 08:20, Sibob said:

Did you ever teach bass/music?

Si

I have one student right now, she swaps singing lessons for bass but it's something I really enjoy.

[Bluewine]

I'm right behind the OP, we use to gig 2-3 times a week, now once a month is the standard. Less places to play and the band has been together for 14 years and members are moving on and not as interested in gigging.

Blue

[Mastodon2]

When even members of big bands with record deals have day jobs, for a lone bassist to survive primarily on gigging would be very hard. Misha Mansoor of awful metal act Periphery admits that his income from the band (music sales and tour income) only just breaks even and he has to find actual money to live on from other sources. If someone on his level can't live on music alone then I wouldn't feel bad about not being able to do it yourself. 

 

Getting a job will be good for you though, it will certainly help your mental health. 

[stewblack]

Thanks in no small part to the encouragement and good sense on this thread I am buggering on regardless. In fact I just applied to 2 more bands, one for a dep job the other asking for a pro bassist.

So thank you all again. 

[Teebs]

DO IT!

Good luck stewblack 🍀

[Steve Browning]

Good for you. I bottled it when my full time gig came to an end and I got a real job(!).

The very and hope it all works out.

[louisthebass]

Really admire your courage to do what you did in the face of adversity, and I feel you can take a lot of positives from that. Too many in this life do things that they have no passion for, and you decided not to do that. I wish I'd had the courage to do what you did, so fair play to you.

As others have said, you made contacts while you were doing music as a career, and there's no harm in getting back in touch with as many as you can to help you along the way. You'll be surprised how many people are out there to give you a helping hand.