I'm an "advanced beginner" on the Gussow scale. I'm a "2. I want to perform, but I haven’t done it yet." on this thread.
It's not that I want to perform as much as I want to feel comfortable enough to step out and perform with others or to even pick up my harps and play during a friendly gathering (party, picnic, etc.) In fact, I haven't played in front of anyone aside from my wife and kids and a good friend who plays guitar and lets me stomp all over his playing now and then.
I think it's mostly a confidence thing. I think I know enough and sound good enough to play a couple of tunes for family and friends but nobody's asked and I haven't the confidence to just break a harp out for no reason and jam. Stupid, isn't it?
---------- "Take out your false teeth, momma, I want to suck on your gums."-P. Wolf
7. I’m in a band, and we gig for money several times a month. (Weekend Warrior)
Yes...but I am in more than one band plus I've been asked to do paid recording sessions, I've done numerous lessons, I have been asked to do “Harp Blow Offs,” etc.
I have no desire to make the majority of my income from playing music, although I clear pretty good money for what I do. My day job (currently on paternity leave) is very stable, nets me a very fair income, and currently has great hours. I've had the opportunity to "tour" regional and have passed because of 1.) family 2.) great day job 3.) I like having money, lol.
There are a number of people making a living as a "pro" musician, such as the guitarist and keyboardist in my band, who make about the same with music as I do (including items outside of gigging). Man are they broke, though. ----------
I'm a six. We occasionally do gigs and in the summer we do lots of local festivals. It's nice to play out and even get some extra spending money. I wouldn't want to do this for a living, though, I like the idea of being able to afford the things I want so I can enjoy them instead of struggling to get them and then worrying about all the bills at the same time.
Same as Jaymcc, I play just for my own entertainment. Probably not so entertaining for others just yet. Someday I know I'll be good enough to play for an audience. ---------- I used to be young and foolish. Now I'm not so young.
I falter between advanced beginner and advanced intermediate. Takes much repetition for things to stick. Dropped on my head by my brother a few times to many growing up and I'm not consistant with the wood shedding.
The talents there just not the work ethic :)
Adams latest lessons have helped with my focus.
I'm a solid #2....... there's a bathroom joke in there somewhere. Harmonica is my fiber? ---------- Rob
I'm a 2 playing blues (beginning intermediate on Adam's scale) with aspirations of a 3 and 4, but a few years ago I was a 7 (minus the money) playing praise & worship music. ---------- Ozark Rich __________ ##########
#11 - Legend in your own mind. Came here thinking you were pretty good but quickly became humble realizing you were just below average. Playing in a band, some private party gigs, getting paid sometimes, sometimes getting stiffed but still having fun and enjoying yourself.
That's me ;-) ---------- "Keep it in your mouth" - XHarp
I'm about number 10 minus the living off music right now. I was a hohner endorsee for 10 years, lived off music for about 20-25 years, and have been asked to perform on many sessions. The most notable was when Robbie Robertson of The Band asked me to play on the soundtrack to the movie The Color of Money starring Paul Newman and Tom Cruise. Clapton played on the soundtrack too. I declined when Robbie insisted I come out to rehearse the songs. I said no to playing harp on the asleep at the wheel tribute to bob wills for the same reason. People have told me I should have done it to open doors. I said the only door that would open would be ones of the same nature because when I spoke of spontobeat, those doors where padlocked to me.
Trying to convince the music business of spontobeat got too frustrating and I finally realized it was time to quit. I have been courted by major labels to record a regular album where I would write songs, sing and blow harp, with a cracker jack band behind me. Roger slovine, then the head of BMI Nashville, took me up there a couple times to meet the top songwriters. He said I had great ideas but they needed to be buffed up and honed to a hit song format. Then he would take me to the major labels, and guaranteed me a major record deal if I signed with BMI. I would record the record, tour it, and do the routine that everyone else does. that is cool if it floats your boat. I would rather bag groceries at walmart than be in such a scene - playing music with the top gear, gigs, musicians, and not doing a dam thing of interest to me. A real living hell! They told me when I got tired of trying to create a nitch for spontobeat, to call them, I never did call them. I went to college in austin, got my masters in Special education, in California and have been teaching special education in the public schools since 1994. I now have the $ to control my musicial universe and don't regert one second. I will be able to retire in 7 years with a livable pension and I love my work. If it someday comes around to me, I am ready to roll, and if not, I am fine doing my life as is. I see myself living out the end of my life touring, playing good rooms/festivals, around the country in a bus with my wife and dogs. The music business is one of the most conservative ones out there. They retread on the same old stuff and call it new. 99.99999999999999% of any genere is just a retread of what has sold already. Just try doing something different and you will feel the cold shoulder from the corner bar to the big labels.
Over the past 15 years or so, I have retreated from actively trying to make money playing. I still love playing live when I am hired for me and take gigs, students, when people seek me out. I am having a blast living in my studio and teaching myself how to record music and doing my 1 man band. I am off to it as soon as I finish this post. ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " No one can control anyone, but anyone can let someone control them"
Oh Jaymcc,i totally relate to your post here, i am just like you, i want to play for more than just my wife and kid but no matter how often i go out with a harp in my pocket and determination in my heart my nerve always goes and the harp stays hidden away. The thing is if i had a geetar slung across my back it would invite interest and the subject of my playing would arise, but no one knows what i have lurking in my trousers( except a thousand turkish whores! fnar fnar)so the opertunity never arises, i suppose we will just have to pluck up the courage to pull the damn thing out and do it!
Last Edited by on May 12, 2010 2:03 PM
None of the above apply, I'v been in lots of bands since 1966, sometimes got paid, recorded a little, never liked the music BUSINESS, but always loved the blues. Always seem to end up playing 5 or 6 gigs a year even though I'm impossible to get along with and don't like musicians much. I was going to a private blues party jam regularly, but haven't gone for three weeks. Had my own band for a while in the 90's, I was the boss we did everything my way, we sounded the best of any band I'd ever been in. Got real drunk one night and fired them all, which led to a physical confrontation with the bass player in my front yard.
I admire people with the dedication to be professional musicians because it's the only way to make a living that's worse than teaching. (economically) Although I hope this might make you chuckle and even I am smiling it's all nearly true. JD
Last Edited by on May 12, 2010 6:12 PM
Gee, just about every one in our Harmonica CLub qualifies as a 6. We play in public once a month or more. We get paid $10 a head about 4 times a year. hmmmmmmmmmmm..... Maybe $10 doesn't count as being paid.
Last Edited by on May 12, 2010 3:02 PM
@Geordie/Old Dog: Right on! One of these days I'll just take the harp out and jam something out. Hopefully nobody will tell me to put it away! LOL ---------- "Take out your false teeth, momma, I want to suck on your gums."-P. Wolf
JDH: I went from playing full time to teaching and I have disagree with you. Teaching is a great job. I work with impoverished developmentally delayed high school students (and a bunch of regular education impoverished students that help out) and I have watched many a young persons life change for the better. Their is nothing more rewarding than passing some good hope and love onto the future generations. Music is a good thing too, but for me at least, is pretty insignificant compared to teaching. Walter ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " No one can control anyone, but anyone can let someone control them"
Walter, I have nothing but respect for educators and the very highest for those with the patience to work with the learning disabled. Beleive me I think you who do that are truly the saints of our society. I have many relatives that are teachers, many friends that are teachers, and my nieghbors are teachers also. I just think that you are all grossly underpaid for the contribution you make to society, and more so today than ever.
I also admire guys like you, that have worked so hard at music and made the sacrifices that many of us pussed out on. I decided early on that I wanted shiny motorcycles, my own home, a comfortable bed, and to eat steak and lobster rather than pursue art or music as a way of making a living. that's what I was saying, if it wasn't clear, I apologize. I type with my tongue in my cheek a lot, it doesn't read well in type. Regards, JD
Last Edited by on May 12, 2010 4:00 PM
JDH: thanks for the clarification. I know how easy this form of communication can get misunderstood. I took no offense. I feel like I am paid pretty darn good. Living hand to mouth from ages 16-40 taught me alot about how a dollar spends. With a regular salary, benefits, and a retirement coming my way, I feel more that adaquately paid. I only work 185 days a year and have great hours, and vacations. I never have pursued money. I have passionaltely followed my soul through life. I guess if money turned it on, I would be rich :-) Thanks for the compliment about teaching. I enjoy working with street kids. I feel like I am healing my own upbringing everday.
Yesterday I broke up 2 boys basically assualting a girl. It got pretty intense and one of the boys got arrested. My street days pay off in the environment I work in. It is a very primative culture. Long story short, the girl (who swore up and down they all were only playing) and one of the boys came up to me today and appologized with tears in their eyes. I told them thank you and explained I can not walk past people assualting one another. That makes for an unsafe place to be. They really touched my heart. Things like this happen many times a day - the heart touching- and thankfully not the physical stuff :-) Life is good.
Hell, now I have a lot of toys like my recording studio, 5 great guitars, and all my harps work right. Plus I have health insurance. These are things I never had when playing full time. Usually my harps were bad, and replacing them was a bittersweet thing because they would just go flat again sooner than later. I feel for the guys my age and older still doing it full time. They don't have any health insurance, retirement, and usually live day to day. Take care. Walter ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " No one can control anyone, but anyone can let someone control them"
Walter, seems as though you and I have a couple of things in common beside harmonica and guitar, please don't get the impression that I got rich or that money is central in my life. I just knew, and I know that you know well, as you've said, life as a working musician is a constant struggle. I had other people depending on me, and I like comfort. As I've gotten older I enjoy some of the things money will buy. But there are many things more imporatnt as you know. And I'm not a rich man.
The other thing is that you love music, but obviously you don't like the way the music "business" works. That's always repelled me. When I first read how you walked away from offers from major labels on the condidtion that you would "play the game", I sent a friend a link to your website with a note saying this guy is my new hero. Honest, I did, about three weeks ago. hats off to you, and BTW I like your music too, JD
thanks JDH! That touched me. Saying no to those opportunities was not hard. It was a knee jerk reaction that I had. I always trust that. Music/my life is too sacred to me to prostitute it. I don't judge others that do this, it just isn't in my vocabulary. I hope we meet someday and spread some love on your side of the world for me! Walter ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " No one can control anyone, but anyone can let someone control them"
I never thought of it that way Tuckster. I am pretty eccentric I am told and my students are as or more than me or any musicians I worked with. Those musicians trained me well! Walter ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year. " No one can control anyone, but anyone can let someone control them"
Yes, jestfully that's what I said, but of course I was joking. I did once receive an African Grey as a gift of gratitude from a purely sexual relationship, but that was when you were still in grammer school. At 59 I'm not too much of a threat. But come to think of it the little ACD was a gift from a girlfriend too so yeah, Buddha ya got me I'm a ho. Or at least a man of questionable morals. JD
4. I regularly perform at blues jams or open mics.
A i perform at 2 local jams every chance i get have been now for 24 months or more,
now getting some Flatering comments with patrons trying to put a Handle on my vocal style manerism and playing style,
5. I’m in a band, but we haven’t had any paying gigs.
A I play Harp my Bro Plays Dobro slide he is Whitecloude?? it's along story,together we are Nastycloud, i have only just recently got him out Backing me up at jams and we always get welcomed back so thats always good??
6. I’m in a band, and we occasionally gig for money.
A I'm in our Club www.hunterharps.com group The Harphoons .
we play nuresing homes for Scones with real strawberry jam and cream with some nice english tea, and do local festivals when asked for a small fee,
What level are you?
Yo thats me Im a Pro i will prostitute my self for any one any time any where i will even do it in dangerouse places in strange positions if asked and the price is right?????
"Buddha ya got me I'm a ho. Or at least a man of questionable morals. JD "
you have to have questionable morals if you're going to be a musician.
I would be a man whore if I could. Are ya kidding? That would be the best job in the world. Have I ever mentioned that my current bassist is the man responsible for all of those cheesy porno grooves? heh heh talk about twisted.
---------- "The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are." - Joseph Campbell
Last Edited by on May 12, 2010 9:17 PM
I'm a 7 or an 8. I don't make most of my money PLAYING music, but BlowsMeAway Productions is part of "the music business" and that IS my income. As far as the band goes, I play harp, but I am the lead singer and I play sax too. Harp is a only part of it. As a harp player, maybe I'm a 6 - who knows. ---------- /Greg
Initially my answer was going to be "I can be anything you want me to be for the right price", but feared I'd be starting something I may not want to finish
Last Edited by on May 12, 2010 11:24 PM
