I play sleigh bells in a German speed-reggae band. Recently re-picked up the tissue and comb but primarily use minor keys so it sounds a little 'down'. Great to know there are a lot of other musicians on this board!
Musicians check in here. If you play, tell us about it!
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I keep my e cig on the table beside the.mixer. I was smoking cigars again but had to give them up. I have had trouble finding e liquid that doesn't make.me cough. Allergic to artificial sweeteners and I think everyone uses it now. Just found a local guy has some that is smooth so back on the e cig hard. My.lungs are thanking me too lol.
Put up a video our sound clip of the band Dan never heard speed reggae
Put up a video our sound clip of the band Dan never heard speed reggae
Would love to but our lead singer is in federal prison for the next 3-5 years (corporate frottage offense)
As soon as we find his replacement I'll try to get something up on YT.
I've GOT to remember to visit here more. It's always fascinating to read all your backgrounds (and current playing). I'm still playing here, just home recording, thinking maybe I'll embarrass myself in a couple of days or so and put up some links for y'all. Right now, my 2 year old Washburn is giving me major agita. Seems on a recent string change I pressed the bridge pin of the G string in too far. Hard to get it out, and if I do manage that, I'm thinking the hole may be widened too much. Was thinking of taking it in to a shop, but I've been out of the game for so long I don't have any contacts anymore and thus don't know what shop to trust. I'm just afraid they're gonna tell me "oh, yeah, you need a whole new bridge structure here". So, I haven't been playing the acoustic (although truth be told, this Washburn sounds great even without a G
). But...I know I've gotta get it fixed up. Still playing electric tho, but it's not really the same.
Keep playin', keep happy all!
). But...I know I've gotta get it fixed up. Still playing electric tho, but it's not really the same. Keep playin', keep happy all!
I use frets.com for all my guitar tricks and truss adjustments etc. FRETS.COM is a good write up on removing bridge pins...
I put power pins on my fender acoustic and am going to put them on my taylor. highly recommend them. makes acoustic string changes a breeze. I see they make a bridge pin puller too hehe. I use end cutters and cloths.
I put power pins on my fender acoustic and am going to put them on my taylor. highly recommend them. makes acoustic string changes a breeze. I see they make a bridge pin puller too hehe. I use end cutters and cloths.
I gained back my upper register when I quit smoking and started vaping. My voice is deep anyway, so I haven't noticed loss there. I was a backup singer who did 5 or 6 lead vocals per night. People said they liked my singing, but I'd rather be a lead player who does lots of fills and solos inside the music. It was always a chore to keep my mind on the lyrics and still have to do the guitar fills.
We did one or two free gigs a year. One was for mentally challenged children and the other was a similar gig. We didn't audition and we didn't do freebies. Our demo CD was enough to give people an idea as to what we sounded like. Most of our gigs came from people in the crowd we played for. We'd pass out cards and post a picture with a phone number on it in a couple of spots where people could see it coming in the venue.
I don't know what the going rate is nowadays for a gig. When I quit gigging around 1985 we were getting $500 to $1000 a night for 5 members and $3000 for New Years Eve. It should be three times that now.
According to this link, we were doing really well back then.
Average Income of a Musician
I've GOT to remember to visit here more. It's always fascinating to read all your backgrounds (and current playing). I'm still playing here, just home recording, thinking maybe I'll embarrass myself in a couple of days or so and put up some links for y'all. Right now, my 2 year old Washburn is giving me major agita. Seems on a recent string change I pressed the bridge pin of the G string in too far. Hard to get it out, and if I do manage that, I'm thinking the hole may be widened too much. Was thinking of taking it in to a shop, but I've been out of the game for so long I don't have any contacts anymore and thus don't know what shop to trust. I'm just afraid they're gonna tell me "oh, yeah, you need a whole new bridge structure here". So, I haven't been playing the acoustic (although truth be told, this Washburn sounds great even without a G
Keep playin', keep happy all!
Most string winders have a notch in the part that fits over the tuning key that also pulls bridge pins with a lever action. If that's not enough, then StewMac sells a dedicated bridge pin puller.
Snapz Bridge Pin Puller | stewmac.com
I still remember how hard it was to learn to sing and play at the same time. I have great respect for those who make it look easy. I never wanted to be a lead singer, but I did enjoy singing harmonies - I love harmonies! Early Alice In Chains - wow, now those are some harmonies!
I sang harmony on most of the tunes we did. There were four of us who sang lead and backup at various times. I didn't mind singing backup. That was in my comfort zone along with doing all the guitar solos and fills. It's always strange to hear yourself solo on a recording until you get used to it. After we started doing some studio work I became comfortable hearing my own voice on tape.
I'm happy doing backup singing with a few lead solos here and there.
I consider myself a singer that accompanies himself with a lot of different instruments.
The pay now sucks. In the 80s we made way more than now. Most every musician I know has to have a "normal" job to supplement the income. I'd love to be able to do this for a living but I'd have to be steady 5 days a week. Week after week. I just don't know of enough venues to do that. Travelling adds more expenses. You have to get creative. I am just working out the art work for my cd and will sell those. Looking at merchandise too. A pack of rolling papers with my name and pic etc etc. That is the way of this industry now
The pay now sucks. In the 80s we made way more than now. Most every musician I know has to have a "normal" job to supplement the income. I'd love to be able to do this for a living but I'd have to be steady 5 days a week. Week after week. I just don't know of enough venues to do that. Travelling adds more expenses. You have to get creative. I am just working out the art work for my cd and will sell those. Looking at merchandise too. A pack of rolling papers with my name and pic etc etc. That is the way of this industry now
Yeah, it's all changed since the 70s and 80s. There was once a time when a career could be created just playing 3 nights a week with a trio or small group. When I played, I had a career job that paid well enough to live comfortably without supplementing it. My band money bought a boat, motor and trailer, paid for vacations and car payments, and generally elevated my lifestyle. Most years it added 10K +/- to my annual income and generated a lot of enjoyment as a weekend musician. It was a hobby with profit that got me out of the house on weekends.
I remember a time in the late 1960s when small bars with bands paid about $600 to $900 per week to the band leader, who then paid his or her musicians. That's the description of starving artists, although $100 a week then was a starter paycheck for most businesses. The band leader (who did the booking) would generally take 30% and split the rest with the players. That left the musicians $100 to $150 a week and they were happy. There were a LOT of trios and 4 piece groups back then!
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I am happy to make 200 over the weekend now and some goodies comped into the case. I have had days I came home with under $50 though and 15 at least goes back into gas... there aren't many that bad though, but it happens
I know you guys have heard of "pay to play" but this might make you giggle (or groan)...
Mid-90s... recently formed band, 1st gig was at one of those shady places that runs 4 bands a night through. They charged $5/head at the door, asked patrons which band they were there to see, and put a tick mark by the band's name. At the end of the night, the bands got $3 for each tick mark. I took a friend of mine and paid her way in. She of course named our band for the "tick mark".
End of the night.. we got $3. Then the drummer was whining about how he didn't have money for gas. Even though his day job paid 3X what mine did, and I drove nearly 2X as far to get to the gig, I gave him the $3. So I guess "I paid to play" - $5. LOL.
If it wasn't for some of the wonderful music fans I met along the way (some that became lifelong REAL friends) I would have quit this business a whole lot sooner than I did.
Mid-90s... recently formed band, 1st gig was at one of those shady places that runs 4 bands a night through. They charged $5/head at the door, asked patrons which band they were there to see, and put a tick mark by the band's name. At the end of the night, the bands got $3 for each tick mark. I took a friend of mine and paid her way in. She of course named our band for the "tick mark".
End of the night.. we got $3. Then the drummer was whining about how he didn't have money for gas. Even though his day job paid 3X what mine did, and I drove nearly 2X as far to get to the gig, I gave him the $3. So I guess "I paid to play" - $5. LOL.
If it wasn't for some of the wonderful music fans I met along the way (some that became lifelong REAL friends) I would have quit this business a whole lot sooner than I did.
$3? sorry but bahahaha. I played for 4 hrs and got $8 in tips. that was the worst for me so far... I did play that coffee shop for tips only plus dinner and drinks for my lady and myself. we just had to kill a few hrs after the morning market and it was close. did ok. I am going to go back and do it again.
60 miles one way to the gig in a V8 explorer. 60 miles one way to rehearsal once a week...
Ya gotta love to play!
The paltry gig pay goes to the beer fund.
Ya gotta love to play!
The paltry gig pay goes to the beer fund.
We had 3500 folks in the audience at the Rockwall(TX) concert by the lake Jul 16.
Didn't run anybody off. The audience demanded an encore.
I don't have any edited video yet.
Here's a bad (crappy overdriven camcorder mic) recording of a wounded veterans benefit:
The edits and transitions are cheesy. That's what happens when you let a guitar-boy do it.
The mains sounded great. Excellent sound crew.
Note the Leslie 122 house left behind the keyboards...
Didn't run anybody off. The audience demanded an encore.
I don't have any edited video yet.
Here's a bad (crappy overdriven camcorder mic) recording of a wounded veterans benefit:
The edits and transitions are cheesy. That's what happens when you let a guitar-boy do it.
The mains sounded great. Excellent sound crew.
Note the Leslie 122 house left behind the keyboards...
This has nothing to do with anything except that it's badass.
I was in a Kansas tribute for a while.... then it fell apart.
Yeah, we even had a monster violinist.
This stuff ain't easy:
I was in a Kansas tribute for a while.... then it fell apart.
Yeah, we even had a monster violinist.
This stuff ain't easy:
Kansas was a phenomenal band. Of course I dig any rock band with prominent keys, but these guys had an abundance of talent and creativity. Love 'em!
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