The psycology of the freelance drummer

nice words erskoman.

I'm not sure what I could really add to this, I am a fulltime player and all thru growing up never imagined doiong anything else even after getting married, having kids and the wife at times not happy with the 'lean' times and wanting me to get a day job.

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But my question is this: I have found it hard to deal with the whole psycology of getting and not getting gigs. I'm now 32 and have (without name-dropping) done some really nice work, but I am finding it hard not to analyse why I'm no longer playing with people I used to. it can be difficult to to rationalise why the phone can stop ringing for days.

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I look at the phone not ringing and look around to what the economy is doing, producers I once worked with, in order for them to get the work are now scaling down and sometimes just using loops to create pieces because the budget is just not what it used to be, especially on low budget TV gigs or commercials where they need the music yesterday.
I keep up with all people via email/phone maybe once a week or every other week just as a "hey how's it going' thing, keeps your name in their ear.
Having my own studio also affords me to work on my own stuff as erskoman talked about writing one's own, or starting a label, I have not gone that far, but have fantasized about it.
Being able to do sound on the side has opened a few doors when say the wedding/corporate work is lean, I'm still doing what I love to do, work with music, maybe I am not always playing, but I am being creative.
Kinda how I looked at it when I still lived home in LA< when I was not playing my time would be filled say as a production assistant at Dick Clark, or at the Burbank Ranch........at least I was not dreading having to go to 'work' at say CircleK to make ends meet.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ April 16, 2005 01:47 PM: Message edited by: Henry II ]</font>

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Originally posted by Dazzler:
I am busy with gigs at the moment and playing and recording with lots of different groups

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Wait, is this about getting lean periods or is it actually just about not working with certain bandleaders? Because if you're gigging and recording with lots of different people, then I don't see a problem here dazz. There are tons of drummers who don't have ANY work and you're working. It's all relative, because any drummer that might have replaced you is no doubt going through, has gone through, or will go through lean periods as well and wondering the same thing you're pondering right now. You must be doing something right if you're working lots right now. I reckon it's because you're good. [img]tongue.gif[/img]
I personally wouldn't get too paranoid worrying why a bandleader doesn't call you anymore. If you know in your heart that you did a good job for any of those guys and acted professionally and courteously, then whatever reason they haven't be booking you lately will be no slate on you or your drumming. And I'm sure one or two of those bandleaders will ring you out of the blue offering you work, and you'll realise that you're worrying over nothing. I do think you need to find a musical outlet where you can simply enjoy the music you want to play, outside of the money gigs. I think that would achieve what erskoman was saying about remembering why you started playing drums. Rekindle the love affair with music and feel inspired again. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Don't get me wrong, I don't mean to seem like a petulant kid Rudy, I just meant that when you have been playing and working at a certain level and working with top prdoducers/artists, then for that to stop or for the gigs to dwindle, you obviously question why. Surely your playing can't have gone down the pan to such a degree that it warrants those people not ringing you up for sessions/gigs, or is this just the nature of what we do and we just have to lump it?

Neither am I sugessting that I have elevated myself to such a degree that I will only take on high profile work and sod all the functions, I am a working drummer and it is OBVIOUS that the functions pay the mortgage. But it's worrying that being a drummer involves constant worry, self analysis and needing approval. I'm not 22 and straight out of college any more and I can't go on saying to myself 'things will get better, these things take time'. I won't except that as I have a very high standard for myself every time I sit behind the kit.

There is a reason that you get called to for film/tv sessions and good gigs, so why do these calls get more sporadic? Why do you see other drummers playing with people that you played with for example? I know that artists are constantly changing their line ups and band members and it is extremely rare that bands keep the same line up for years, but still, it makes you think and it is this thinking a worrying that I am exploring here.
It is left for us to battle internally with trying figure this out and thus, we are on a constant rollercoater of emotions and thoughts that I guess is our lot in life - we CHOSE to be a drummer!!

Oh well ..... it's back to working for Pizza Hut!!

[img]wink.gif[/img]

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Originally posted by Dazzler:
. . . I'm not 22 and straight out of college any more. . . .

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Maybe that's the reason you're not getting as many calls. (I'm not talking about the boy band marketing to teenage girls with an allowance issue. No one can see your hairline in a commercial or TV score gig). It's common in EVERY industry, not just music. The older and more experienced you are, the more money you want. Older executives get laid off to make room for 22 year olds out of college who enthusiastically work like dogs for for 70 hours a week for peanuts. Experienced pros don't. Just a thought.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ April 10, 2005 10:56 AM: Message edited by: Henry II ]</font>

Dazz-

Your a great player and that phone is gonna be ringing again soon! I still love listening to your big band samples that you put up some time ago.

I felt compelled to share a bit of my story and why I stopped getting calls. This is no implication on Dazz, but I thought it worthy for those who are reading along and are at a young age. When I was younger, I have shared on other threads that I was pretty arrogant and selfish. That led to me being quite the whiner. I know, or at least I am pretty sure, that I lost a gig or two because of that area of myself.

It is rare that people lose their gig because of talent. Most bands are willing to work with a guy that has a great attitude,fun to be around and professional, even though he may not be the hottest player. I know this on several levels, especially since I have to hire drummers for me! I play guitar in our Church band and need a sub once in a while to drum. My usual drummer, Isy Nieves, is great and he is only 14! The guy who subs for him that has all of the above, but does not play fantastic is going to get the gig and the call back. I have heard of more people losing gigs because they could not control some area of themselves. Drug abuse, alcoholism, primadonna, jerk, always late. I lost mine back in the day, purely because of my own lousy attitude. I complained and whined and was just basically a real jerk to be around.

It's been years now and ever since, I have been thankful for every opportunity, thanked the contractor who hired me, telling him how great a time I had. I have arrived earlier and stayed later, all because I don't want to lose another gig the way that I had before.

Again, Dazz, this is no implication towards you or your situation. I just felt it important food for thought for the guys to have before the phone stops ringing. Said better, the phone will inevitably stop ringing for various reasons. Don't let it be because you were an unprofessional jerk with a drumming chip on your shoulder!

Take Care All. Stay the course Dazz.
F.S.

Great posts, guys! Nice, Ersk!

True RM. Besides any or all the many variables mentioned, it can also come down to the "chemistry of personalities" & attitudes.

...or even, although one may laugh - it may sound ridic - "quirks"...[Seinfeld made himself gazillions off making a TV sitcom about "nothing" but peoples quitks.] Or...Has anyone ever said anything humorous [not too brash either!] when they were younger in a setting that they later found someone took offense to, being overly sensitive to or uptight, w/out evn knowing it? Something one thought was harmless & an ice-breaker, or to bring a little tension-breaking levity? I have a couple of times. [In here even!] Some folks have VERY thin-skin, or are overly politically correct [& I'm not talking about making gender or race/ethnic comments either, that's not professional or social]. I try to pick & choose my jokes more carefuilly now, & read the situation better now! Play it safe first...also, I try to never take my "bad day" or fears into the pro setting, unless otherwise inclined after a good while. Or religion or politics - but I'm sure you're not even speaking of these aspects...but, just little common sense life stuff nevertheless for all the participants here.

Or even something as ridiculous as the way one looks...or also even, does one show up looking unkempt [not you Dazz, just in general! ;cp]...I realize one prob wouldn't have gone too far like this in the first place, but it's just thoughts.

As it's often been said, it's often "feast or famine" when you're solely a working pro muso. There were threads long ago about this; such as the MENTAL-PSYCHE CHESS GAME of our career choices...with both our career AWA our own SELVES...it's as much or more that than the pressure of actually playing at a pro level itself [which is enough], AWA all the aspects that go with that. Folks have mentioned those books such as the game of tennis one...

I too am near my mid-30s & am in an "in-between" phase, which many if not all of us have experienced or have yet to...I too have given thought to "should I give this up?"...but when it was good, it was good, & when it's lean, well...you folks know. I've been touring for the much-better part of a decade for 1 "artist"...it was a nerving thing when I left. Fear, anxiety; I've been out of the local club scene for quite a while [grew out of it anyway for all the reasons any of you may have AW, as I did it constantly for a living for 11 yrs prior to that, w the occasional sporadic special event or corp function]...but after almost a decade of commitment, for me there rapidly became no evidence of "light" at the end of that "tunnel" [except apparently[?!] for those partic "artists"].

the important thing is to stay BUSY awa focused on your decisions...busy not necessarily meaning entirely music, but maybe a little more predominantly so.

This is a great thread, one of the best ever. & there have been many of those over the years I've been in here. Another reason why this is such a heady forum.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ April 10, 2005 02:30 PM: Message edited by: got_a_matchgrip? ]</font>

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Originally posted by Rudy_Ment:
. . . Dazzler, since you can't ring up bandleaders to ask them why you're not being booked . . .

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<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Why not? Of course he can, and I think he should.

Dazz, I would pick someone you trust to be candid with you. There may be something going on you don't know about. If there several people that you think will be up front with you, I'd ask them all. You have nothing to loose.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ April 10, 2005 01:48 PM: Message edited by: Henry II ]</font>

Good one, Henry. [img]cool.gif[/img]

This is such a good post for me to read right now... it couldn't have come at a better time for me. Seriously, this is a post that really matters, and as i said, this has given me wonderful insight and cured some of my fears while reading this, as in... it does happen and will happen to everyone at one time or another.

Thanks everyone for being so candid about this, esp Dazz... goes to show what a great forum this is [img]biggrin.gif[/img]