Gigs

[ArnoldGottlieb]

Yet again, a thread jumps off topic. Start another thread about how to learn bass and guitar on a tuba forum. Just saying, guys. hahaha. If you are looking to play gigs on the tuba, I do not see how learning the bass is going to help you. The OP is getting so much general advice, that it doesn't focus on what type of work you actually might want to acquire. Where are you and what do you want to do? I will echo some of the better advice about playing tuba gigs:

Get into the community of musicians that involve tuba... brass bands and concert bands, especially if you are new in town. Network with the best of those players. get a quintet together and try to get church gigs with it. find out who the top players are in the market and study with them and try to catch their leftovers.

Important: If someone asks you to play, say YES. Don't turn a gig down because your wife has a birthday party she wants you to attend, or you are watching a game with buds. If a contractor calls, say yes. The only reason to say no is if you are already BOOKED for another gig. Once you are worked into the scene, you can say no every once in a while.

Dont be afraid to buy lunch for people already in the scene and pick their brain!!!

While well meaning, I wouldn't advise taking a gig you are not qualified for. As far as bass playing, there are lots of tuba players who've never done an actual gig, their chance for learning what happens on an actual gig comes from being bass players, and sometimes people like it when you bring both. I still like Mel Bay book 1 and 2 for my electric bass students but I don't teach any more unless it's a favor to a friend so something better may have come out. As usual, your mileage may vary.
And, listen to the bloke and read between his lines. He said what I wanted to say but I read his post on the first page so I won't.
Peace.
ASG

[tubajoe]

Get out and play.

Concentrate on what you CAN do, and don't worry about what you can't do yet (that stuff will work itself out with time and experience) Don't listen to any negative advice about how hard anything is.

Be a good player, be a good person, and play EVERY gig like it is the best gig you've ever had.

[Tuba-G Bass]

Like David Richoux mentioned, my advice is to join the
local chapter of the American Federation of Musicians.
At least in my area, they act as a clearing house if a band
needs to fill a need. Also I have landed guest tuba gigs by
chatting with the members of the groups I am already in, sometimes
they are in other bands you are not,
it's the old network, network, network.

[TubaRay]

Get out and play.

Concentrate on what you CAN do, and don't worry about what you can't do yet (that stuff will work itself out with time and experience) Don't listen to any negative advice about how hard anything is.

Be a good player, be a good person, and play EVERY gig like it is the best gig you've ever had.

Wow! Oh, Wow! This is undoubtedly the best post I have read all year.

OK. Seriously, I couldn't agree more. I would still recommend your working on things to improve your playing, but getting in there and playing what you can is great advice.

[tubatooter1940]

The professional musicians who suggest learning more marketable skills are being practical.
If you want to get paid, you need to be the one who can be the most real help among many other applicants.
I define success as playing often and missing no meals.
Over the years I have taken up rhythm guitar, bass guitar, trumpet, trombone, lead and backup vocals as well as tuba.
In the twilight of my musical career, I own four P.A.systems I can use or rent out with my buds and I to run almost anybody's convention requirements or soundstages for music or political speeches. I also have access to D.J. and kareoke rigs.
I own a minivan, a lay-down, stand-up hand truck and so far my back is still strong enough to load in and out.
We are setting up a recording studio for our new tunes, voiceovers and commercials and for our friends to use.
A decent C.D. is required most places to avoid auditions and to get to talk to the guy who books acts.
I'm not the greatest musician around but I'm competent at what I do and can play tight music with almost anyone. Add the access to my assets and I get hired while young and handsome "Steve Stunning" Who plays only guitar and does not yet know 10,000 tunes by ear or how to get a grove going with any crowd and diverse musicians gets passed over.

[Matt G]

Bloke's advice is excellent as are many of the other mentions here.

A few things I would like to add:

You live in a fairly tough area to land jobs. You're more than likely going to have to drive to Orlando (most likely) or Daytona (less likely) to find work. In general Florida is a pretty tough area anymore to find paying gigs. Most of them will be related to religious events like weddings, bar mitzvahs, worship services, etc.

In addition to bass, I would (as recommended above) reiterate the idea of picking up trombone. I was working paying gigs in high school playing (bass) trombone. I was doing better with 10 hours a week of playing than peers were at 20-30 hour part time jobs. While I was far better on tuba (IMO), I was competent enough on bass trombone. I had made the regional bands and jazz band on ability (as I also did tuba) and that is how I kind of got my name out.

Also, my (here is were being in the right place at the right time pays off) high school band director booked a lot of gigs and knew a lot of area guys booking gigs. So there is a component of what you might call luck in securing jobs, but even a band director won't refer you or put you out in a gig where you are playing in front of thousands of people if you can't hack the book.

This are things I would do or have done:

-Join the union. You don't have to become a life member, but getting your name into the roster for a few years can't hurt.

-Get to know other tuba players (community bands, Tuba Xmas, etc.). Build a network, find the best player(s) and get some lessons.

-Get to know some good trumpet players. While this might sound tortuous, good trumpet players often "make the list" for the rest of the brass. I got a lot of jobs knowing a good trumpet player. Most of these were on bass bone, but they were usually good jobs.

-Get solid trombone chops. I had these, but you really do need to get trombone chops. It really is a matter of ratios. Orchestra Trombone:Tuba = 3:1. Worship services 3(2):1(0). Jazz bands 4(5):0(1). I can count on my hand how many times I needed a tuba for a jazz band gig. It is a legitimate double in some books, sometimes on an odd part (like 2nd or 3rd trombone), put part swapping is easy.

-Buy a sousaphone. Already mentioned above. A lot of paying gigs in Florida are parade gigs. Get a decent regular sized (i.e. no 20K) sousaphone or even better get a fiberglass sousaphone. This is also good for dixieland jobs. There are a lot of "assisted living facilities" and retirement areas that love to book dixieland groups.

-Take good "free" gigs. In this I mean gigs that might give you good exposure. I would turn down most free stuff, but a few that get you in front of the right folks might be necessary.

-Buy lots and lots of fake books. Know how to read chords and treble clef. Having a good ear and being able to play stuff by ear is a great thing. Silly stuff like playing "Happy Birthday" at the drop of the hat can earn a quintet an extra $100.

-Get involved with the local college. Sometimes you can get paid just to sit in on a semester concert. I did. Also, you can gain access to a potential library of music for short term use. Furthermore, you'd be surprised how many calls come into a lot of music departments looking for musicians for hire. If the school doesn't feel comfortable handing out a name of a student, they could easily refer you if the professor is unavailable.

[TubaCoopa]

WOW! Thanks for the overwhelming replies! This has turned out to be some really useful stuff. I also agree with those of you who recommend picking up the bass guitar. By sheer coincidence, I have learned to play it, and that is where the few previous gigs that I have played were with. Unfortunately, tuba players aren't in as much demand as rock bands or even other classical-style instrumentalists, so even as an unexperienced gig-player (giggist?) I also have to recommend learning several instruments.

[deputysgttuba]

Could Bloke elaborate on his choice of ca.$300 bass gig amp? I have a ca. 35yo Telstar bass that could hopefully be put back to work. If this is the wrong place for this response, please accept my apology.

[David Richoux]

Like David Richoux mentioned, my advice is to join the
local chapter of the American Federation of Musicians.
At least in my area, they act as a clearing house if a band
needs to fill a need. snip :mrgreen:

My experiences with the San Jose, SF and East Bay chapters of AFM have not been exactly great - a few low paying "Trust Fund" gigs here and there is about it. Mixed or Non-union bands seem to be getting the bulk of the work and the union does nothing to object. I finally dropped out of my Local a few years ago - they were much more interested in symphonic and a few big name rock players - not us "small-change schlubs" (and even the instrument insurance program was a joke.)

[ArnoldGottlieb]

Bass amps?
Used peavey combo's although they weigh too much. I also like the SWR Workingman's 12.