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Topic: Got a question for you.................... |
Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 23 Aug 2012 4:48 pm |
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When I was growing up (I'll admit that was decades ago!) if a musician played one instrument on the band stand.......he was worth so much.
If he played two or more instruments on the band stand, he was worth appreciably more and got paid more money for the gig.
Now adays, some guys are dragging g'tars, mandolins and banjers onto the band stand and situating them in a circle around their pedal steel, somewhat like a trophy room.
Is this for MORE PAY? Or, is this to acquire more attention? |
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Chris LeDrew
From:
Canada
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Posted 23 Aug 2012 5:19 pm
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There is definitely no extra pay in a live environment. Why should there be? You're only playing one instrument at a time. It's to retain value on the gig. Often the steel guitar is only on a select number of tunes during a show, and if you can make yourself otherwise useful on the songs where it's not featured, your chances of getting/retaining a gig are much better. Most steel players play another instrument anyway. Why not bring your talents to the table if needed?
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Jackson Steel Guitars
Web: www.chrisledrew.com |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Larry Bressington
From:
Nebraska
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Posted 23 Aug 2012 8:29 pm
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There can be. 
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A.K.A Chappy. |
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Billy Tonnesen
From:
R.I.P., Buena Park, California
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Posted 23 Aug 2012 8:29 pm
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Back in the Heyday of Musician's Union Local 47 there was a higher scale for "Doubling", playing more than one main instrument. I think this was more for Studio, recording, and Movie Musicians. This didn't seem to trickle down to the Honkytonks.
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Sacramento Western Swing Society Hall of Fame, 1992 |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 23 Aug 2012 8:30 pm
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Aw come on Jim. A banjo "contributing musically"??
Just kidding guys. I believe that is the reason along with
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Often the steel guitar is only on a select number of tunes during a show, and if you can make yourself otherwise useful on the songs where it's not featured, your chances of getting/retaining a gig are much better. Most steel players play another instrument anyway. Why not bring your talents to the table if needed? |
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Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting. |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Stuart Legg
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Posted 23 Aug 2012 8:45 pm
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| It's kind of like the stacking law in uninsured motorist. If you bring more than one without any one asking they pay you one time. But if they ask you to bring more than one then that's stacking and they should pay you for each. |
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Bo Legg
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Posted 23 Aug 2012 9:01 pm
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Stuart are you saying if you play more than one instrument on a gig you'd be better off selling Auto Insurance?  |
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Stuart Legg
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Posted 23 Aug 2012 9:07 pm
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| In your case Bo yes. I've heard you play |
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Tracy Sheehan
From:
Fort Worth, Texas, USA
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Posted 24 Aug 2012 12:12 am Re:
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I may have told this before as i have slept since then. I started on Piano and violin about the age of 9 or 10. After starting to play fiddle for a living and later taking up steel and it became my main instrument. After i could play steel full time in a band i quit telling anyone i knew how to play fiddle.
It bacame a pain in the neck (I raised that up some)switching over and changing the amp settings. And no i didn't get paid extra. Band leaders came to expect me to play both fiddle and steel. After retiring and selling my steels i went back to violin playing for my self as i love classicial violin. I did take a couple of week end jobs playing fiddle but quit. Was impossible to play on key or sould on key with a fiddle when the musicans did not tune together but depended on tuners. Not easy now but i always liked learning something beter than playing the same old same old over and over.And if i get off key my little dog doesn't even notice. Tracy |
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Paul King
From:
Gainesville, Texas, USA
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Posted 24 Aug 2012 2:27 am
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| I know of some who do it for show. There are just some people who have egos and want to be seen. While I admire someone who can play a variety of instruments I see no need to bring five or six to a gig. I know a man who took two kick drums to gigs even though one did not have a pedal hooked to it. It was just show for him even though he was a nice guy. I would hate to play that many instruments and not get paid extra for having the ability to do do. I always wanted to have fun but be a asset to the band. |
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Steve Benson
From:
Massachusetts, USA
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Posted 24 Aug 2012 5:02 am Hmmm
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Well. I started on Bass. Then switched to mandolin. then I added a lap steel while dreaming of a Pedal Steel. After I got a pedal steel I got a GeorgeBoards stealth for Mr Boards himself(best buy of my life 8str E6). I added a 4 string Mandolin along the way for rock and other stuff. Then for some gigs a Reso. I have an electric Sitar as well (not the fake guitar thing the real deal). It's more work (tuning load in and out etc..) but It has gotten me sessions/gigs.
For me it's about options. I can create a range of pan-american sounds from the Island where it all started to very modern /ambient/rock country that the kids love. I'm in Boston where steel is from another planet.
Just played a wedding in VT and there were some folks from HI. They loved the blend of old style on a tune or two. I do get paid the same as other great players I work with but I get more work over all. I just finished my 10th session this year. The pro studio where it was done loved my non trad sound. Calls have been coming in for more. Gotta eat.
BTW Ray always enjoy your thoughts and ideas. Love the JB website and you sound great on youtube.
Keep'em coming.
Best
Steve
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Carter-Magnum S10. Georgeboards S-8 Stealth. Chandler Lap. Peavey Powerslide. Bunch of mandolins. Sitar. Oud. All that and a bag of chips. |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 24 Aug 2012 5:51 am
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I went to see k.d. lang the other night, as Joshua Grange, a member here, is in her band.
Josh played baritone guitar, slide guitar (an SG), Tele, 6 string banjo, steel guitar and pedal steel guitar (Emmons), as well as singing harmonies, and he did all superbly.
Several other members of the band also played other instruments, including the keyboard player, who played guitar and banjo in addition to piano, B-3 and a Nord Lead.
Would Josh do all this if he wasn't a professional in this particular situation? Probably not, but it definitely bodes well for all the work he gets and will get.
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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Larry Behm
From:
Mt Angel, Or 97362
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Posted 24 Aug 2012 7:12 am
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In Cross Country (Portland) we did everything we could to make each song sound like the record. Fiddle, mandolin, banjo, keyboard, steel, guitar etc, it was all about the song.
Larry Behm
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'70 D10 Black fatback Emmons PP, Hilton VP, BJS bars, Boss GE-7 for Dobro effect, Zoom MS50G, Stereo Steel amp, Telonics 15” speaker.
Phone: 971-219-8533 |
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Dave Grafe
From:
Hudson River Valley NY
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Posted 24 Aug 2012 8:17 am
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| FYI if you are working a union call you still get paid extra for each instrument that you bring and play, sometimes the percussionists make out like bandits! |
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Frank James Pracher
From:
Michigan, USA
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Posted 24 Aug 2012 9:03 am
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The guy I am playing with uses a loop station, so he often plays acoustic guitar, bass and percusion all on the same song. He does most of the singing too. I play lap steel or electric guitar(no looping). For what it's worth we split the money right down the middle.
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"Don't be mad honey, but I bought another one" |
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Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 24 Aug 2012 9:55 am The reason behind my initial question I guess was...........
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I was just thinking........
The guy that lugs in four or five different instruments to play......for no extra income..... primarily to feed his/her ego......and/or afraid to demand what his talents are really worth.......
isn't that undermining the truly talented bloke that
is otherwise deserving of the additional UNION PAY SCALE for 'doubling' on his very expensive musical instrument, not to mention his decades of upgrading his musical skills?
I'm not advocating that anyone should or must join the AFM....but their rules certainly are beneficial for the individual musician if reasonably observed/practiced. I always liked the one where 'thou shalt not participate in a public jam session'.........which after all, primarily benefits the club owners EXCLUSIVELY and at no cost to the club.
We encountered that after the ROCK & ROLL era!
Club owners were explaining that there was no need for them to pay four or five guys $75.00 each per four hour night when they could get 5-10 guys to play Rock & Roll for five hours for only $100.00.
Have not some of our musical 'friends' shot all of us in the foot for their own personal glory? |
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