Gigging/Bassing as your job

[Riouken]

How many of you here do bass as your job to earn a living? If so, what is it that you do?

How many of you simply gig with your band or solo for a living?

How are you finding it?

[SixnStones]

I'd be well impressed if anyone here was making a living of solo bass. I imagine a lot of ppl will be making money out of their band, but keeping a job as well. I'v made some money with my band, but am at school and don't really need to 'earn a living' as of yet

[Unproductive]

I was making a living working at a guitar store/teaching bass for quite a while. Bills started piling up, and I need money for a new car, so I had to look for more gainful employment.

[Aberrationbass]

i plan on going to uni then leaving and being a session bassist

[red_zeppelin]

you going to do music at uni? if so where, if you are in the uk.

[mastrrbasser]

I'm going To get a BA in music and sound recording. I want to work at a studio by day, and gig by night.

[red_zeppelin]

/\ sounds cool. How old are you and what do you have to do to get a BA.

[I play that funky music]

I would love to make it huge and play huge gigs. I dont think thats gonna happen though so Ill be happy just playing some small gigs on the weekends. But as of now Ive got nothing.

[super deluxe]

I wish! Sadly, I have to get a day job.

When I was in high school I made money by playing violin for $120 an hour. That was some sweeeeet deal, mostly for weddings and recordings and crap.

[edgebass5]

I have a day job, but I actually make enough from playing out these days that if I didn't have a truck payment and a student loan to pay off I could actually support myself by playing bass.

[mastrrbasser]

/\ sounds cool. How old are you and what do you have to do to get a BA.


I'm 17. I just have to take the classes in college and major in music. It's basically advanced music tech/theory, and whatnot.

[Bass_swede]

I got paid for a gig with my band once.. but that's it.. I play for fun but it would be really cool to get paid for it :):)

[Linkinbassist]

I'd love to get a gig, let alone be paid for it...

[mastrrbasser]

I'm in like three bands, but never gig. I'm happy just playing for now. I have a roof over my head, i work 30 or so hours a week, and can pay for gas/insurance with that. But after college i want to get out and gig. I never want to go mainstream. I would love to be a local legend. Play a bunch of large clubs like toads place and whatnot and be able to support myself with gigging and teaching bass, maybe working at a studio or something.

[pukeboy66]

well once i get my band started up i hope to be making a living off of playing a bass :)

[Led_Zeppelin678]

My parents are going to help me to pay for Berklee in a couple years, and I'm going to go with it from there.

[PaulSimonon]

Playing bass is the only thing that I get paid for doing, so I guess I do.


Pays bad though... 20$ a week for over 20 hrs of work. Lousy wages.

[Left Shoe]

i give bass lessons.i think im going to get another job working one or two days a week is kinda lame especially if i could make more money. i mean another one as in addition to not instead of

[sixner]

i wish i could... i do gigs on occasion (band is still workin things out) but once we get things rolling, we'll have a week long tour set up.....

-sixner

[Twizzler]

I would absoluetly love to be able to make a living off of playing bass, after all its one of the few things I seem to be good at. But unfortunately Kansas City isn't the most friendly place for musicians.

[MichaelGou]

ehhh all the money we make from gigs goes towards our band money fund which is around 700-800 form like 3-4 shows which is dumb cause id want that money

[:amaze:]

I think that I'd rather have a day job and have music as a hobby on the side.




:amaze:

[FunkMetalBass]

I work between 30 and 40 hours a week (on average) at each of my jobs, and I go to school, so I haven't had much time for a band. I kind of think it to be a good thing though. I spend a couple hours a night composing song on Guitar Pro. As long as I can stay away from my main band (whom I never accomplish anything with), I should be good.

[6stringslinger]

if i could make $100-$300 monthly playing bass(in a band) as a second job and make a CD one day and sell it on a site like CD baby or something and sell maybe 50-75 CD's a year i would consider that a success.

i would NEVER rely on music(performing + playing gigs) to survive off of. Teaching lessons in addition to playing live may be possible, well, i actually know a few people doing that but......health insurance and other benefits will be hard to achieve. As far as teaching in elementary and high schools this is probably where you find the majority(not all) people making a living off of music.

I have heard of some local bands in my area that have made $30,000 a year(split between 4-5 people) that would be great as a second job but in my area that means playing about 7 gigs a month in addition to some summer festivals that pay pay higher. Playing every weekend till 2am every weekend will take a toll on you that i am not willing to take. You might get laid a lot, but in the end it is still not worth it.........ok well it might be:lol: :lol:

One guy told me, (he may of been lying) that there are several women who simply give him the key thier hotel rooms and invite him over after he plays a gig, he is a bass player in a local band!!:naughty: :naughty:

[irishslappop]

I'd love to get a gig, let alone be paid for it...
:lol: same here.

[Led_Zeppelin678]

Unfortunately, my stoner bandmates keep getting us gigs without making sure we're getting paid...

[:amaze:]

Unfortunately, my stoner bandmates keep getting us gigs without making sure we're getting paid...

I'd be happy with the exposure, heh.



:amaze:

[Urban Rhythm]

you going to do music at uni? if so where, if you are in the uk.

I was at the ACM in Guildford last year :thumb:

[Urban Rhythm]

I kinda was last year until I moved. I was with a function which was a business so good money was guaranteed, atleast £100 a gig. Then my other 7 bands would be gigging and brining in a bit of cash each time and I'd be teaching now and then whenever I could fit it in. Was great, but never had time for anything else, any spare time would be for learning tracks for one of the 8 bands or sleeping. :amaze:

[Led_Zeppelin678]

I'd be happy with the exposure, heh.



:amaze:

Yeah, but we could've worked out deals for like 15 or 20 dollars a person and had some money from it, as well.

[Criss Frantic]

Once a drunk guy gave me $5 to play Maxwell Murder at a party we were playing at. Only paying gig my band's ever had :upset:

[red_zeppelin]

I was at the ACM in Guildford last year

thats cool, i live in godalming just up the road. I was thinking of going there after college. whats it like?

[Raiven]

Band is almost there but I'd love to get in a function band and do that on some weekend and evenings aswell as my part time job now.

[Urban Rhythm]

thats cool, i live in godalming just up the road. I was thinking of going there after college. whats it like?

Its wicked there mate. I only mentioned as I see Guildford on your location. :thumb:

[apacherosepeacock]

I'm going To get a BA in music and sound recording. I want to work at a studio by day, and gig by night.

mmmm i wouldn't count on being able to gig at night if your working in a studio --- you might find theres more to it than you think. (a lot more.... might want to speak to a few engineers at various levels if your serious about it, its surprisingly hard and badly paid)


as for jobs i work as a bassist usually once a week with this jazz band i set up (so i take the booking fee and my £14 an hour...which works out well for me :thumb: )

[red_zeppelin]

Its wicked there mate. I only mentioned as I see Guildford on your location.

have you finished, did you do a diploma year course thing? how good do you have to be? what kind of stuff do you do on it?
sorry about all the questions.
Cheers.

[Urban Rhythm]

have you finished, did you do a diploma year course thing? how good do you have to be? what kind of stuff do you do on it?
sorry about all the questions.
Cheers.

Yeah I did the Diploma Bass Course because I wasn't old enough for the Degree, so I skipped the Higher Diploma this year to do Degree next year. The standards vary on each course level, you get really rubbish players and some awesome players. Have a look at their application forms on http://www.acm.ac.uk to see what you think. You can go for a tour of the place aswell so you can ask all kinds of questions on that. I thought it was beneficial even though alot of it I already knew as the age range of playing the bass for that course is 1-2 years but I had been playing 8. But I still learned loads.

[mastrrbasser]

mmmm i wouldn't count on being able to gig at night if your working in a studio --- you might find theres more to it than you think. (a lot more.... might want to speak to a few engineers at various levels if your serious about it, its surprisingly hard and badly paid)


as for jobs i work as a bassist usually once a week with this jazz band i set up (so i take the booking fee and my £14 an hour...which works out well for me :thumb: )


I would rather be poor and love my job and have fun as an adult than be in a cubicle and want to throw a toaster in the bathtub every day. :lol:

I'll most likely teach bass, and gig. I was talking to my band director and she said that some friends she went to college with do freelance stuff. This guy she knows gigs till 2 am, sleeps in, then sits at his computer, and does freelance work for an advertising company. He is doing very well and not only supports himself, but also has spending money.

[PaulR]

My band made £15 last night from a gig.

But we don't have anything else lined up, so it's not really sustainable income haha.