If you could, would you be a Pro player

[Rodders]

When I was a teenager absolutely that was my dream. Now I've come to realise that I appreciate a level of structure and certainty that I don't think that I could cope without. 

Add to that, limited attention span, perfectionism and not really being that chilled a lot of the time, not to mention my own physical issues, it would never have worked out. 

 

So I'm as active within my local music scene as I can whilst being married and working full time, its the best I can do.

[christhammer666]

if i made a comfy living from it and coul; pay my bills and have a little left over id do it in a heartbeat

[Baloney Balderdash]

If I had artistic freedom, yes.

 

I wouldn't want to be a pro bass player if it was at the expense of my artistic/creative freedom.

 

So, yes, if it was in the context of being in a democratic original band, where I loved the music we were making, where I largely had freedom to come up with and play my own bass lines, and having overall influence on the composition, and we were on a record company that gave us artistic/creative freedom, then yes.

 

To be honest though I'd much rather be able to make a living as a composer.

 

I have seriously pondered on making an attempt to get my foot in the door of being a film/television composer.

 

As it is currently though my mental health wouldn't allow me to live up to deadlines and to handle all the general stress involved, so think it'll have to remain a dream.

 

But yeah, I am really more of a composer kind of musician than an instrumentalist.

 

Don't get me wrong I think I am decent at playing both bass and guitar, but I am genuinely great at composing.

 

Edited February 15 by Baloney Balderdash

[knirirr]

In an ideal world I could retire from the day job and earn a bit of money on the side from gigs. But, as I only play jazz this is probably a fantasy.

Full time pro work would probably take the fun out of it.

[Linus27]

Along with getting signed as posted above, about 5 years ago, I was semi-pro from playing in a club band. I still kept my day job but I was also earning really good money from the band, enough to buy a decent German second hand car. However, to earn that amount of money was the work of doing between 100 and 123 gigs a year and if you think there's only 52 weekend's in the year, you can imagine how busy we were and how much time was put in travelling and being away from family.

 

As with the band that was signed, I absolutely loved it and have zero regrets and if family life quietens down, I wouldn't mind going back to it. In contrast to being in the signed band, it felt as if there was more responsibility on you to perform to a higher standard and conduct yourself in a much more professional manner. You were entertainers, a show band that had been hired in, paid a good wage and it was your responsibility to entertain to a certain standard. So making sure your suit was clean, shirts ironed, shoes were clean, your gear was all working and you were on time was essential. So in my head, I just kept telling myself, I'm just following in the footsteps of Jamerson, Babbitt, Scheff and the other club musicians from the 50's and 60's and it's my responsibility to do them proud as I follow in there footsteps. At one gig, I had some old guy come up to me and start talking about my basses and he seemed to know what he was talking about and he said to me, "you're the only person I've seen play the bassline to Elvis's Burning Love correctly". Turns out he was a session bassist back in the 60's and used to back a lot of the American artists when they came over to play the UK. When I got home after the gig, I'd put all earning in a little Irish tea tin and each month I'd pay it into the bank which kind of became a routine. These day, I'm just playing for fun and I still put money from gigs in that same tin but instead of paying it into the bank, I'd go to the local record shop and spend it on old Jazz records. It's like pocket money to buy sweets and is a really nice, warm feeling 😁

 

So two very different experiences of being pro where one was carving our own future, being more in control of our destiny, the record company working for us and having a very acute spotlight on us constantly. The other where we were hired entertainers, in more ways like a business and had expectations to deliver to a very high standard. What I liked about being signed was the freedom to be myself as bassist, perform and act how I wanted and write bass lines and craft songs from what was in me. What I liked about being in a club band was the feeling of being a entertainer, the responsibility of having to know your shit and play absolutely perfectly and seeing the dance floor rammed. Both amazing, both very different, both very hard work and I wouldn't change a thing.

Edited February 14 by Linus27

[NancyJohnson]

Never been pro, nearly signed to Polydor in the mid-80s but that fell through ('sorry lads, we're really only interested in your young, hot singer').  I do think of what might have been, but to be honest there's the niggle in the back of my head that only a tiny, tiny percentage of pro-players (or jobbing musicians) go on to make decent money and most wouldn't have anywhere near the level of lifestyle I have now.  Weigh in that I would never have met my wife etc.

 

Could I be a pro?  That's another question entirely.  About a year ago I joined a band that had what is colloquially referred to as having 'a known front man'.  I genuinely liked the guy, but a musician he was not; I honestly thought that association would somehow be a step up to better gigs, better circles of musicians, better riders and getting paid (being married, I had little interest in the prospect of being surrounded by loose women).  Even in his early 60s, he was still carrying the insane dream of making-it. 

 

If my experience is tantamount to being a working musician, then shove it really; the weekly Zoom calls analysing performance at the previous weekend's gigs were just awful, the little tantrums, the persistent tellings-off, lack of fun and endless repetition of the same fecking 13 songs were just nails in the coffin.  God knows what it would be like working with someone really famous.  George McFly punches would fly.

 

 

 

 

Edited February 14 by NancyJohnson
Clarification. Chubby finger syndrome.

[NancyJohnson]

12 minutes ago, Linus27 said:

As with the band that was signed...

 

Sorry, just looking to fast track an answer.  Who were you playing with?

[Japhet]

Nope. The couple of CD/Albums I played on were a painfully tedious affair. I've played with some amazing musicians, many of whom were an absolute pain in the derriere. Can't beat going out and having a bit of fun with some mates and coming home with a bit of cash in your pocket. 

[chris_b]

That's all I ever wanted to do. Playing bass was the one thing, only thing, I could imagine doing for the rest of my life. In the late 60's we had a chance of making  a "living", but now I'm no so sure. Most of the pro musicians I know are teaching or running their own non music related businesses.

 

The week I left school I joined a pro band. It was tough, see-sawing between everything and nothing. Trying to make it, then not making it. You have to be resilient to deal with the constant ups and downs but I never regretted that decision for one minute. Now I know, being "pro" is a frame of mind, and it never leaves you.

 

After 6 years of some success and a lot of failure, I finally jumped ship and joined the early days of the IT industry. That was almost as mad as some of the bands I played with.

[Linus27]

23 minutes ago, NancyJohnson said:

 

Sorry, just looking to fast track an answer.  Who were you playing with?

 

Here you go,

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inter_(band)

[Newfoundfreedom]

Nope. As part of my day job back in the UK I travelled all over the UK living in hotels for about 6 years. Not something I ever want to repeat. I can't imagine anything worse now than being dragged around on a bus from city to city and never being at home. 

 

Truth be told I can't even be arsed with gigging at all. Unless it's something local with an early start and early finish like a support slot or a nice afternoon party. I'm happy at home with my feet up.

 

I also can't imagine anything worse than being famous. I'll take the money. But you can keep the fame. 

[MacDaddy]

Get paid to do what I pay to do?

Off course!

I'd have to be earning enough to pay the bills though, and my times of kipping in the back of vans with the gear and other band members, are long gone.

[elcastillian]

1 hour ago, chris_b said:

That's all I ever wanted to do. Playing bass was the one thing, only thing, I could imagine doing for the rest of my life. In the late 60's we had a chance of making  a "living", but now I'm no so sure. Most of the pro musicians I know are teaching or running their own non music related businesses.

 

The week I left school I joined a pro band. It was tough, see-sawing between everything and nothing. Trying to make it, then not making it. You have to be resilient to deal with the constant ups and downs but I never regretted that decision for one minute. Now I know, being "pro" is a frame of mind, and it never leaves you.

 

After 6 years of some success and a lot of failure, I finally jumped ship and joined the early days of the IT industry. That was almost as mad as some of the bands I played with.

 

 

 

Mine's quite a similar story Chris, full time music was like the garden of Eden. Loved the playing part  but the apple and the serpents bit was tuff and far from glamorous.

 

Enjoyed the ever changing IT industry, (mostly before it was known as IT) but even staying qualified in an IT day job was as you say as mad as the music biz,

as one great company is gobbled up by a bigger fish.

 

Very happy to play at the weekend

 

[Crusoe]

I don't think I'd fancy being in a functions/wedding band. Session musician I might be able to do. If I were to be a pro it would have to be in an originals band.

[SH73]

I played quite a few amateur gigs as a teenager in a metal scene in 80's and 89's. Maybe in 80' and 90's, but now, no thanks. As mentioned above being a full time Vs famous? I would opt for the latter. Unfortunately, thanks to AI , I'd say good luck to everyone. It won't be long before you have a hologram band playing in pubs.  I can't wait to see one playing locally tbh. Can you imagine a drunk punter interacting with a hologram? 

[Gasman]

Hologram machine setup would far more expensive than an average pub band, no space anyway. Spilled beer in the holo projector might have some interesting effects...

[chris_b]

Most of the gigs I see are being run by fans, people who love live music and work very hard to run clubs and gigs.

 

Holograms might work in a pub environment but they won't be replacing live bands. The slow demise of the hospitality industry and noise issues with neighbours will have a more serious effect on the availability of live music.

[odysseus]

Nope. It's a hobby for me - something I do for fun. Relying on it for a living would kill it stone dead for me. Heard it all before, obvs. Fair play to anyone who give it a go, though! 

[dclaassen]

Played full time around the midwestern US many years ago. It was fun then, but would not be now.

[Bluewine]

9 hours ago, NancyJohnson said:

 

 

 

 I honestly thought that association would somehow be a step up to better gigs, better circles of musicians, better riders and getting paid .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even though I'm in a great band I occasionally struggle with " is the grass greener on the other side" syndrome.  Especially when I see the some of the top teir local cover bands playing the high end stages with high end production, great time slots and higher pay. I'll try to attach a link to the band I wanted yo audition for.

 

 

But I'm always told by my close friends

" Daryl, You already in the best band for you". And after I do my research on these bands I find that it's not all peaches and cream. 

 

First of all after they pay for sound and lights the individual members are making no more money than me. All their gigs are not high end and they don't always have large crowds.

 

At the end of the day if our 2024 summer schedule continues to fill up like it did this week I'll probably feel like a pro anyway. 

 

Daryl

Edited February 14 by Bluewine

[diskwave]

Did it for a bit back in the early 80's. Out every night basicaly watching ...'other people' enjoying themselves...For me it got real old real quick. However I got to play an amazing variety of music and met some great musicians.. some of which went on to have very succcessful careers... but you've really got to want that lifestyle....s'not easy.

[Mickeyboro]

15 hours ago, Bluewine said:

 

Even though I'm in a great band I occasionally struggle with " is the grass greener on the other side" syndrome.  Especially when I see the some of the top teir local cover bands playing the high end stages with high end production, great time slots and higher pay. I'll try to attach a link to the band I wanted yo audition for.

 

 

But I'm always told by my close friends

" Daryl, You already in the best band for you". And after I do my research on these bands I find that it's not all peaches and cream. 

 

First of all after they pay for sound and lights the individual members are making no more money than me. All their gigs are not high end and they don't always have large crowds.

 

At the end of the day if our 2024 summer schedule continues to fill up like it did this week I'll probably feel like a pro anyway. 

 

Daryl

I reckon you’re better off where you are too. She can sing, but he can’t….

[Bluewine]

3 hours ago, Mickeyboro said:

I reckon you’re better off where you are too. She can sing, but he can’t….

 

I caught there was a problem there too.

 

Daryl

[Bluewine]

11 hours ago, Mickeyboro said:

I reckon you’re better off where you are too. She can sing, but he can’t….

 

Interesting responses.  Nobody likes white shorts anymore ? Lol

 

Daryl

[Lozz196]

She’s good. He’s a good guitarist. Should sell his mic tho.