Career Archives
Am I Too Old To Start a Career as a Session Bassist?
Q: I’m 58 and a semi-pro bassist (I have a day job but have gigged for the past 30+ years and consider myself a very good player). I wanted to ask your thoughts on me trying to focus on becoming a session musician. I’m semi-retired and have a lot more time on my hands but have less interest in trying...
What To Practice When You Don’t Have Gigs
Q: My question to you is this: what do you do when you’re not playing with a group and have no gigs on the horizon, particularly what to practice? Without a set of songs or even a style to give the context of what the bass should be playing, I find myself grasping for inspiration on what to practice. Also,...
Location, Location, Location. Does it Matter for a Pro Musician?
Q: Having read previous columns, I noticed that you’ve lived all over the US. I was wondering if you’d found that developing a music career was any more beneficial in one place than another. I live in Edinburgh, Scotland, and get the impression from a lot of musicians and friends that Glasgow, Scotland or London, England would be a better...
Making It: How To Go From Wanting A Career As An Artist To Having One
“We aren’t going to sugar coat it. Having a career as a musician will not be easy.” That’s how Making It: How To Go From Wanting A Career As An Artist To Having One begins. This is certainly a book about hard work, and one that lays out the steps for modern musicians to find the path to “making it”....