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Mark's Diaries: The journey of becoming a pro player


markmcclelland
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Oops. Sorry guys. Looks like I got a bit ahead of myself there. Anne Marie, who's putting this together, sent me a message today about reading day 13 and getting ready to put it up. Looks like I misunderstood her. Hopefully it will go up today.

But guys, great to know you're looking out for it. Thanks a lot.

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[quote name='LewisK1975' timestamp='1452090658' post='2946272']
I think a fair number of people will have considered doing what you've done at some point in our lives Mark, I know I have - that's what makes this such an interesting read..
[/quote]

Lewis, it is so cool to hear that and I have heard similar thoughts to what you've said from quite a few people. It does make me feel a touch of responsibility and that in turn makes me go for more experiences to write about. And really, it has kept me going at times. It actually kept me going through day 13 of the Cost Blanca Diary. There was a moment there, and I know exactly when it was, when I thought, 'Oh man, this is so ....ed up. But wow, it will read well in the diary.' And it did. I looked back on it today and there was an absolutely huge reaction to just that one entry. I still can't quite bring myself to read it though.

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[quote name='mentalextra' timestamp='1451900424' post='2944316']


I'm guessing the definition of calling yourself 'pro' is the ability to earn your living from playing. But that depends on what your living costs are? What confuses me is that there are guys on this site who work in full time jobs while gigging a few times a week. Whereas there are also guys who describe themselves as 'pro' but sit home waiting for the phone to ring?
[/quote]

I think other people determine or decide if we're a pro or not.

I play for a living, however, personally I would not call myself a pro solely because I do it for a living.

Hell, there are some famous bass players I wouldn't call a pro.

Blue

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[quote name='blue' timestamp='1452129213' post='2946899']
I think other people determine or decide if we're a pro or not.

I play for a living, however, personally I would not call myself a pro solely because I do it for a living.

Hell, there are some famous bass players I wouldn't call a pro.

Blue
[/quote]

Hi Blue. I don't have an axe to grind here I am just interested by the notion that being 'pro' is so important to some people?

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Blue, great to see you on here. As to what you said, I have to very respectfully disagree. First off, if your attitude is professional, then you've decided to take that attitude. Therefore, you decide if you're professional or not.

But bottom line. If you get paid, you are professional. End of. No matter how good or bad you are. Also, if you don't get paid but think like a professional and take that in all that you do, then you're more likely to actually become professional. But yes. I get what you're saying about famous guys you wouldn't call pro because if X guy wasn't in Y band, would he be working as a bassist? In many cases, probably not. That's not the first time I've come across that. But still, he/she gets paid. So, profession? Bass player. Also, I think that no matter how good we get, there's always another ten levels to aspire to so there will always be that feeling of inadequacy or, 'Oh man, I'm still not pro yet.' Unless you are indeed Victor Wooten.

To quote American Beauty, 'In order to be a success, one must project an image of success at all times.'

Paraphrasing that. 'In order to become professional, one must project an image of professionalism at all times.'

Edited by markmcclelland
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Bloody hell Lewis. I just read day 13 back again for the first time since I wrote it. I had a few genuine shocks and a couple of laughs too. Guess I'd deleted parts of it from the memory bank.
Day fourteen and Costa Blanca comes to a climax with Madrid looming large.

Edited by markmcclelland
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I see that you are putting a Part 2 online, now that you are back in Madrid. Are you going to analyse lessons learnt from your adventures on the Costa Blanca, how you would do things differently if you were to do it again and how this is going to affect your future plans??

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[quote name='markmcclelland' timestamp='1452305627' post='2948810']
Bloody hell Lewis. I just read day 13 back again for the first time since I wrote it. I had a few genuine shocks and a couple of laughs too. Guess I'd deleted parts of it from the memory bank.
Day fourteen and Costa Blanca comes to a climax with Madrid looming large.
[/quote]
Yeah I bet you did Mark - looking forward to part 2!

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[quote name='peteb' timestamp='1452344587' post='2949062']
I see that you are putting a Part 2 online, now that you are back in Madrid. Are you going to analyse lessons learnt from your adventures on the Costa Blanca, how you would do things differently if you were to do it again and how this is going to affect your future plans??
[/quote]

Hey Pete

Thanks for checking in. First, yes, everything you suggested happened and future plans were indeed decided as a direct result of it. As I sit here now, what was last posted on Wordpress is about 18 months ago, July 2014. The diary is still continuing and is all there to be posted which is what's happening at the moment with that site. Until now, it's only been available on a paid subscription site. About two weeks ago, with prompting from a loyal reader, it finally went public and she's administering and editing the posts that go up there.

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[color=#292F33][font=Arial, sans-serif]
Up to day 17 in the diary of a wanabee pro bassist. Fresh back from Costa Blanca and now in Madrid looking at how the music scene works there.Or doesn't. Also checking out my prospects. It doesn't look good.[/font][/color][color=#292F33][font=Arial, sans-serif]
[url="http://marksdiaries.wordpress.com/"]marksdiaries.wordpress.com[/url][/font][/color]

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[quote name='mentalextra' timestamp='1452159172' post='2947006']
Hi Blue. I don't have an axe to grind here I am just interested by the notion that being 'pro' is so important to some people?
[/quote]

I'm not sure it is. I'm around enough working bass players, it's never a topic of discussion or interest.

Blue

Edited by blue
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[quote name='markmcclelland' timestamp='1452159211' post='2947008']
Blue, great to see you on here. As to what you said, I have to very respectfully disagree. First off, if your attitude is professional, then you've decided to take that attitude. Therefore, you decide if you're professional or not.

But bottom line. If you get paid, you are professional. End of. No matter how good or bad you are. Also, if you don't get paid but think like a professional and take that in all that you do, then you're more likely to actually become professional. But yes. I get what you're saying about famous guys you wouldn't call pro because if X guy wasn't in Y band, would he be working as a bassist? In many cases, probably not. That's not the first time I've come across that. But still, he/she gets paid. So, profession? Bass player. Also, I think that no matter how good we get, there's always another ten levels to aspire to so there will always be that feeling of inadequacy or, 'Oh man, I'm still not pro yet.' Unless you are indeed Victor Wooten.

To quote American Beauty, 'In order to be a success, one must project an image of success at all times.'

Paraphrasing that. 'In order to become professional, one must project an image of professionalism at all times.'
[/quote]

I agree to a degree. Am I a pro, I'll let others decide that. Do I have a pro attitude, yes, very much so.

Huge difference between being a pro and having a pro attitude.

Blue

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[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]"Huge difference between being a pro and having a pro attitude"[/font][/color]

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Agreed to that.[/font][/color]

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]I guess we only have to look at any one of a thousand footballers. Musicians too, I'm sure.[/font][/color]

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[color=#141823][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]
An extract from one of the latest entries. [/font][/color][color=#141823][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]
---[/font][/color]
[color=#141823][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]
The day kind of goes a bit wobbly when I check my email and there’s one from Paul. Actually, it’s from the owner of the business to him. It goes something like this: “We don’t need anyone in the warehouse but we are looking for someone to start in the office, doing the job similar to what you used to do."[/font][/color][color=#141823][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]
I call Paul and he says, ‘If you want it, the job’s 99 per cent yours.’[/font][/color][color=#141823][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]
I don’t see it at all. I get talking to Jenn about it and practically dismiss the idea. ‘What? There’s unemployment all over London and they have a basic office admin job and they’re thinking about taking on someone in Madrid who they’ve never met? Does that sound real to you?’ Of course not.[/font][/color][color=#141823][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]

[/font][/color]

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