Anyone here a pro bass player?

[Spoonman]

Sorry if this question has been asked somewhere else, but here goes..

I'm trying to get going as a pro bass player. I'm in my final year of uni doing music at the moment so I'm trying to get afloat with something soon. I've got some stuff going on; for one thing I play with a singer-songwriter who I think has a lot of potential (was signed with RCA, but recently split - long story..), but not often does it earn me money.

Basically I just wondered if anyone has a steady income from playing bass? And if anyone cares to share, what kind of stuff do they do, how did they get it started? Any help would be really appreciated!

Thanks,
Phil

[acidbass]

I'm not a pro bass player but I did do it for a living for a year or so - will send you a PM later buddy!

[Bilbo]

Jakesbass is a pro and there are several others.

Me? I eat.

[waynepunkdude]

[quote name='bilbo230763' post='637058' date='Oct 26 2009, 04:43 PM']Jakesbass is a pro and there are several others.

Me? I eat. [/quote]


Carrots apparently.

[crez5150]

Weddings mate.....

[Gareth Hughes]

I've been stubbornly making a living playing bass for 11 years now. I'll send you a PM later - Monday's are my weekend so I've just finished mowing me lawn and cleaning the driveway. Rock n' roll, wha?!?!

Anyway - my nugget of advice is in the first line there - stubbornly. Brute force and ignorance can really take you a long way.

[Doddy]

I'm a Professional player.

I got started by initially playing gigs with a bunch of older players straight after I left
school.It put me out there and I started to get referals and recommendations for other gigs.
11 years later,and I've never had to take a day job.

How are your reading chops? There are a lot of gigs around that are only available to
readers.
I've found that being versatile makes a huge difference. Going from a high profile gig to
a small blues club may not be glamorous but do you bring the same attitude to both gigs? You should.
You can try your luck with one band,but what happens when it falls through?
Know hundreds of tunes in different styles,that way you can dep easily.
Playing Upright helps too-not every gig requires electric.

There are also a bunch of non musical requirement like reliability,attitude,image,transport etc.

[doctor_of_the_bass]

[quote name='Gareth Hughes' post='637076' date='Oct 26 2009, 06:03 PM']I've been stubbornly making a living playing bass for 11 years now. I'll send you a PM later - Monday's are my weekend so I've just finished mowing me lawn and cleaning the driveway. Rock n' roll, wha?!?!

Anyway - my nugget of advice is in the first line there - stubbornly. Brute force and ignorance can really take you a long way.[/quote]

I've been full time for the last 8 years and strangely enough Monday is my day off too! Today was kind of strange in that I've been over to the recording studio to help produce 5 tracks for my mate's band and then nipped over to my sister's salon to have whats left of me hair cut!

I do a lot of teaching, gig with around 4 bands, do deps, do theatre shows and the odd session (no, they are not strange!) - so I suppose the playing side of things augments the teaching most of the time but I still class myself as a professional bassist as I have no other income. It has been discussed before I'm sure but the most important quality as a player is to be versatile. There are many more and I'm sure many answers will be forthcoming!

Nick

[dudewheresmybass]

i'm full time too.

when i'm not gigging/ recording/ writing, i'm teaching.

the key thing for me has been the networking side of things - these are the avenues for people to put you forward as a player / dep / sessioneer.

great chops, reading, and image help to open avenues too. as has been said before dogged determination can take you far !

PS. monday's my day off too!

Edited October 26, 2009 by dudewheresmybass

[attackbass]

Hey,

I would consider myself a pro bass player.

I agree with the guy above. Determination, getting to know a lot of people in musical circles, versatility, taste, fingers in pies etc

For example I play in a signed 'Rock' band but I also contribute to my main wage from the band when i have free time by playing upright dinner jazz gigs, ska covers band, session recordings for singer/songwriters etc - Some things might not be the coolester or most glamorous of gigs, but they bring in the cash that keeps you going. The last session thing I did was in North California with a UK singer songwriter doing an album produced by sylvia massey and michael c ross. so you end up in some pretty cool situations!


You've got to take the rough with the smooth, there are alwasy ups and downs in the industry!

[beerdragon]

SteveK is in Manfred Manns EarthBand i think.

[doctor_of_the_bass]

Perhaps we should open a Monday Drop-In Centre for pro players, we can discuss gardening and hair styles!

Heheh!

Just to add to what Doddy and Attackbass have said, treat every gig as the most high profile job you'll ever do - yes, that might seem like a crazy statement doing a £50 one night stand pub gig but you never know whos in there watching you! Depping is a good way forward; I'm now Mike Berry's main dep (for the legendary Alan Jones) - I've got a gig with him in London in November at a showbiz party; the Bee Gees are going to be there, so you never know - someone might see me play and say `blimey, he's a bit tasty*'...this could lead onto more work etc.

Nick

* they would be absolutely correct of course. Don't put yourself down, I'm a very good bass player and if I were not, I'd be back in the office writing online help systems!

[largo]

So, anybody been Bass Player for a high profile band. I mean playing in front of 3,000+ fans night on night?

[Gareth Hughes]

[i]OK - strap in and get comfy - I'm on a roll. I was going to PM this but here you go for everyone's reading pleasure. Don't hold me responsible if you get fired. (actually, I've been fired from quite a few gigs - not the worst thing that can happen to you)[/i].

A balance of brass neck and a controllable ego are a good asset. You need to be able to put yourself forward for a gig, but not come across like 'I'm bloody amazing, me - why haven't you booked me already'. I've known guys to do that - finding out from the guy who booked me and not them . In other words - hustle, but don't be a hustler.

Without raising the debate of 'can you be a professional musician without reading music', I would 100% advocate learning to read. Love it or hate it, the undeniable fact is you can get reading gets if you can read. And vice versa.

This leads to another factor - playing for a living more often than not can mean playing styles of music you wouldn't listen to and don't like. Here's my take - does a plummer care what style of toilet he has to install or what the bathroom looks like? Of course not. He has a skill like a professional musician has a skill.

Like someone said about me once - I can play 1-5 in all sorts of styles.

The point is to do the best job possible. Of course it can get frustrating playing a style of music you loathe, but that's where being a professional comes in. You're being hired to play a style of music, not create it like an artist.

Be reliable - and that means more than just showing up on time. It means that if I call you to cover a gig for me and you're not already booked, I won't hear 'Ah, I planned on sitting in with the girlfriend' or 'I don't feel like heading out tonight', 'It's a bit far', blah blah blah. There's nothing more frustrating than having someone call you looking for work and then when you call to offer them work, they couldn't be bothered.

It also means respecting what you've agreed to do. I've found out second hand that a guy I've booked to cover me has booked someone else to cover him because he got a better offer. Sure he's entitled to do what he wants, but then I have a bandleader calling me saying - who did you book? and that hurts my position.

Reliable also means learning the material backwards and forwards. On Saturday night there I just played with a well known Irish trad group, filling in for their regular bassist, to a festival audience. I don't play trad AT ALL but that didn't matter - I learnt their set and got the best compliment possible - 'we didn't have to think about what you were playing, you fit right in.'

You also have to keep yourself in check - and not just for yourself. Take the £300 gig one night, and then take the £80 gig the next night - if for no other reason than to show folks you're not above doing lesser paid gigs. Some folks think that once you get well paid gigs that you'll no longer take lesser paid gigs. Pure nonsense. The 'lesser' paid gigs happen more often than the better paid ones.

Also, get out there and show your face. It's happened too many times when I take a three week tour and then someone thinks I'm away for three months so never thought to call me. On one gig years ago in Dublin a guy asked me if I had come down just for this one gig. I'd been living there four years and this guy thought I lived a hundred miles away. He'd have never thought to call me for a gig based on that perception.

Anyway - that's my tuppence worth. Get out there, call the guys who have the type of gigs you'd like to do and let them know you're up for covering for them if they ever need a dep. Then learn their gigs. Record their gig somehow and learn it - be prepared to get a call to cover him/her tomorrow night, or tonight!!!! It happens.

Edited October 26, 2009 by Gareth Hughes

[lowdown]

Pretty much what has been said above.
Good chops, good sight reading chops [although many get by without this - but will open other avenues]
good lugs, know plenty of tunes,Versatility.
discipline,great attitude,polite networking,and no hustling.
And a passport.

And contrary to what some think, you can run a family, go on holidays,
Eat and own a property [or two]


Garry

[Kiwi]

[quote name='largo' post='637149' date='Oct 26 2009, 06:21 PM']So, anybody been Bass Player for a high profile band. I mean playing in front of 3,000+ fans night on night?[/quote]
Yes, there are a few members but they tend to be a little busy (touring) so don't post much unless they have gear to sell and they also have tended to be discouraged by people slagging them off. A couple have had it coming, but more often than not I think the crit has been pretty unfair in the past.

BTW anyone remember Jimmy Sims from the Bass Centre years ago? He's just started touring with Mika and was on the Letterman show last week. The boy done good.

I've also invited Nick Fyffe and Randy Hope-Taylor to drop by and say hi, I know they browse but haven't signed up yet.

[Gareth Hughes]

I remember Jimmy Sims - he was always really good to me anytime I was in London and dropped in to the Bass Centre, and it's not like he knew me to be doing me any favours. Bought my Micro-Synth and X-Citer from him. Good to hear he's on the Mika gig. Nick Owen's a top bloke too.

[Kiwi]

[quote name='Gareth Hughes' post='637249' date='Oct 26 2009, 07:45 PM']Good to hear he's on the Mika gig. Nick Owen's a top bloke too.[/quote]
Yeah considering last time we went out for a drink he'd just made the decision to become a touring pro and had stage fright to deal with, I'm just thrilled for him. It took a while for him to get established but he managed to bag a gig backing The Saturdays and now has picked up Mika so I'm really pleased for him. Even if Mika makes him dress up like Two Face.

Nick's been on here selling stuff recently as well.

[Spoonman]

Thanks guys this is all really useful and encouraging stuff to know.

One thing that was on my mind was, does anyone ever go to any jam nights anywhere? Are they worth while? Where are good places to go if they are?

Cheers for all the info..

[Gareth Hughes]

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='637254' date='Oct 26 2009, 07:51 PM']Even if Mika makes him dress up like Two Face. [/quote]

Yeah, and he has to play 'Big Girls' too, tho I'll bet it sounds better than the version I play with the wedding band I gig with

[Lew-Bass]

[quote name='Crazykiwi' post='637243' date='Oct 26 2009, 07:37 PM']Yes, [b]there are a few members[/b] but they tend to be a little busy (touring) so don't post much unless they have gear to sell and they also have tended to be discouraged by people slagging them off. A couple have had it coming, but more often than not I think the crit has been pretty unfair in the past.

BTW anyone remember Jimmy Sims from the Bass Centre years ago? He's just started touring with Mika and was on the Letterman show last week. The boy done good.

I've also invited Nick Fyffe and Randy Hope-Taylor to drop by and say hi, I know they browse but haven't signed up yet.[/quote]

Who are they, if you don't mind me asking?

[Gareth Hughes]

[quote name='Spoonman' post='637255' date='Oct 26 2009, 07:53 PM']Thanks guys this is all really useful and encouraging stuff to know.

One thing that was on my mind was, does anyone ever go to any jam nights anywhere? Are they worth while? Where are good places to go if they are?

Cheers for all the info..[/quote]

I don't, but only as there aren't any here. But a great gig is one a friend of mine runs several times a year. About 10-12 singer/songwriters and a house band. Band at one end of the room, singers round the edges, audience in the middle. Fun part is NO PRAC -there's a running order of who sings, and everyone joins in as they feel, so that means figuring out the tune as it happens in front of the audience. Even more fun is trying to figure out how to get 15 or so people, who have never played together before, to end at the same time in a musical fashion. That's where you learn the strength of a good rhythm section.

[Spoonman]

That sounds cool Gareth! I realise now it might help if you knew the area I'm in - Guildford at the mo, so London area basically. Maybe there's something similar that goes on in London..

[fatgoogle]

Can i ask
for people who have become pro musicians, and those who did study music, did you study performance or theory. Did you come to it later in life or as soon as you left collage. And how did you get out there?

[doctor_of_the_bass]

[quote name='fatgoogle' post='637334' date='Oct 26 2009, 09:54 PM']Can i ask
for people who have become pro musicians, and those who did study music, did you study performance or theory. Did you come to it later in life or as soon as you left collage. And how did you get out there?[/quote]

I'm completely self-taught - I spent my teenage years playing by ear although I did learn the names of all the notes on the fretboard when I started in '82 aged 11 - that stood me in good stead when I played in orchestra at school doing various musical projects (could read chord charts). When I was 16, I was the `saturday boy' in my local Music Village shop (now Digital Village) and I used to get many guys coming in there asking me for lessons. I used to turn them away as I had very little theory knowledge, but then, a couple of years later, I thought, `hang on, this might be a good idea' to teach as I'd be teaching myself at the same time, so I spent some time going through various books etc and then, I started teaching part-time.

In 2001 I came to the end of my tether working for a software company - our original parent company sold us off to a competitor and it was hell working with them - perhaps that had to be the case in order for me to be here now as a pro etc. My Grandad (Geordie) passed away at that time and that really made me decide to leave and try to make a go of music full-time - it was very tough at first but if you put out the right energies you then attract what you need! One of the Music Village customers, a musical director called Steve Hession rang me completely out of the blue and offered me the bass job in his function band and not only that, all the work he was involved in at the local professional theatre - which I've been involved with since turning pro. Problem was, at that time, I couldn't read so again, I was literally dropped right in at the deep end and although I'm not a brilliant reader, I can do it well enough now and having a good ear has helped me no end.

I fully agree with all points put forward thus far... be a good person to work with and listen to others and make sure you have good reliable gear, including all the small stuff such as leads etc.

Nick