Question How many play music full-time? Day gig?

[bradfordws]

I'm just curious how many of you actually play music for a living, and if not, what's the day gig all about? I personally have not been fortunate enough to play music for a living. Oh, yeah, I wanted to, but the long story short is that I got married too young and really didn't put enough effort into it. I know what it takes now that I'm older and wiser - shouldn't have gotten married; (ended up divorced anyway); should have taken my parent's offer to send me to BIT (and I live in L.A. already!); and then focused on the goal for as long as it would have taken. I'm not even talking about being a rock star - just a working cat doing sessions and all kinds of stuff. I watch American Idol and see that Ricky Minor and think - I could have done that! I even tried to get jobs with large music manufacturers, but found out that it's about as hard as being a full-time musician. I did work for a major road case company for many years and attended NAMM shows and all that, but was never able to land that "dream day gig" with an instrument manufacturer. So, now music is THE main "hobby" and I buy and sell way too many basses every year. I hope I don't end up with a collection the size of John Entwistle's! Oh, and now I'm a regional manager for a local company in the food business and I play on weekends - I have a disco band, a live karaoke band and an original pop rock band. That's my story and I look forward to hearing some other stories from you guys.

 

[Smakbass]

I dont do it for a living......I do a fair amount of gigs though...I did play full time when I was younger.

My day gig is I am the Purchasing/operations manager of a fastener company so basically I bring fasteners in from primarily Asia, and manage all the distribution to our other 5 warehouses across Canada.

I am also a partner in a recording studio, and have a few things going on in the US.

 

[Sweat]

I wish I played for a living, but alas I am a piss poor guitar player who only started trying to play a few years ago, way late in life since I am turning 48 next week, but it is my only hobby now and I find great enjoment in the fact i am trying.

I can relate to the buying and selling I do that quite often, but at least I get to ty new gear, guess just part of the hobby

I currently am a system application engineer designing and programming building automation control systems, sounds fun hey, not

 

[Colin]

I played professionally for 9 years averaging 4-5 nights. It was a great experience but by the end of it I was tried of it. The other problem I found was getting bank managers to take you seriously, try getting a house loan when you're a muso... very hard. Good luck with it and make sure you set realistic goals to achieve them.

 

[oli@bass]

I live to play. I play to live.

But I don't play for a living.

 

[Ed x TWWK]

I wouldn't call it a living, but I tour 6-8 months out of the year. When I'm home I build high-end surge protectors and work at the Gap. I've also been taking online courses while touring, and its been working out pretty well. Not too bad for being 19 haha.

Www.myspace.com/theworldweknew

P.s.
I'm also going into the studio this week with the new Stingray HH, plugged it in through my rig today for the first time, and it sounded perfect.

 

[Aussie Mark]

Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending how you look at it, my day job pays way better than if I were gigging 6 nights a week, so at this stage of my life with two rug rats under 3 years of age I'm strictly a weekend warrior. That said, I'm getting some great gigs at the moment as a hired help fill-in bass player.

 

[Russel]

I'm pretty plugged in, most days.

Spend 5 mornings a week plus tues-fri playing my big horn. (tuba) saturdays in October, band competetions.

Spend an hour a day in jazz lab playing bass, and time not spent working on homework is usually spent practicing or at the seldom jazz lab gigs.


You could say that music is a large part of my life, yes.

Last year's marching show if you're interested in this sort of thing:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1xusI-QPj0&feature=related"]YouTube - Man vs. Machine; State Championship Performance[/ame]

Indoor world(bass):
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVAJlQj0Rus&feature=user"]YouTube - Cellular Nation - World[/ame]

...complete with tempo problems.

 

[Rano Bass]

I've been playing for a living for the last 12 years, so i consider myself a full time musician

But i'm starting to considere a second career mostly for credit and insurance issues

 

[bradfordws]

Cool. I though I'd get more responses than this, but that's cool - maybe it's too personal of a question. I always ask musicians what their status is because it's interesting to find out what we're all doing or have done. Like when I go to NAMM show EVERY YEAR, I ask people I meet what they're doing musically or otherwise. Just yesterday, I was at a food industry trade show and this guy was talking about how his son had been playing pro baseball (didn't get a name), but now he has to get a "real" job because he got an inury or whatever. So, sports are similar in that the gig will only last for a certain amount of time, then you have to do something else. Most bands only last a few years and if you're good enough, you can go solo, but that usally only applies to lead singer types. I'm no longer chasing any kind of music career dream gig. I didn't do the right stuff when I was 20-something, and now I'm 40-something, so it's going to remain a hobby.

 

[Psychicpet]

I'm currently in the process of quitting my "day gig" to then have teaching and gigging and being Mr. Mom as my job in about 4 more days!!

 

[koogie2k]

My old day gig involved working for the government. But, I am out of the business now.
I do personal security sometimes and consult on other times.

I do play in a band.....my new one....we have a show this Saturday...lol.

I never really had time between the ages of 17 - 37 to play music enough to be decent enough to be in a band. But, I do put in the practice now and realize I am not that bad.....not JP or Dave LaRue great either. I can hold my own for what it's worth.

 

[TNT]

Koog,

Any "free" tickets to the show???

 

[jaylegroove]

I'm lucky enough to play music for a living, and earn enough for my family's needs. I play 2 to 5 gigs a week, and when I don't gig I generally teach bass.

 

[RobertB]

I am an architect by day, rocker on the weekends. We've played over 120 shows this year ...

I didn't realize there'd been so many weekends this year.

 

[AnthonyD]

Currently planning to do music full time, once retirement from the current full-time gig comes along...

 

[pedullamvp5]

I play music full-time for a living. I feel very blessed to be able to live out my passion. Living here in Branson, MO. is vey laid back, and beauiful. Being a tourist town, with over 7 million visitors, I get to play to 100k -125k people a year. I am the bass player & band leader for a 50's music show. (50's At The Hop) Be Blessed......! Randy

 

[Hellboy]

Playing music full time as a touring musician is hard work. I used to do that full time and have toured quite many countries around Europe as well as Canada and USA several times. Now these days I run a recording studio and produce jingles and albums and I do play quite alot of bass as a freelance musician. And I do a tour every once and awhile but not 8 months a year as I did before.

I used to be in a top 40/cover band for some time but I won´t do that again. Gets as boring as working in a music instrument store after awhile and I find that type of work takes my inspiration away.

//J

 

[Caca de Kick]

Huh, I wish.....

Just keep banging away at Bar-Bands 101. I do only original projects, and certainly love the band I've had for the last 8yrs. Every now and then I get to jump in and do sessions for other local artists, which I absolutely enjoy...but yes certainly wish I could do this full time.
At least I have far more opportunities here in Seattle than in the sleepy coastal town in Cali that I'm originally from, where there were no clubs that played bands anymore, let alone original music.

My day gig is in diesel fuel systems repair and performance. It's always a busy industry, but it's a go-nowhere kind of job.

 

[pbass2go]

Been fixing airplanes since I was 18. The hours and shifts rotate days/nights etc...
Never had time to just gig which worked out with the kids and all. (remember when our parents said they do all this for us?)
I get a fill in gig with a local group when my scheduled allows.
It's also nice to have musican friends with day jobs to jam with.