The "right answer" whatever that might be is a highly individual thing and is certainly effected by what your particular act is, if you sing or do not, etc.

For me, I've done as many as 428 and it was probably 20 too many. That year it seemed like I was not home nearly enough to suit my tastes.

Currently, somewhere in the 385-400 seems like plenty...

What works for everyone else?



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Bill in Dayton

Hi Bill,

If this were my only job, I'd probably be right in there with you. There certainly is the demand in my area. I am also a church music director whick is a half time position and I teach and serve as musical director of a senior theatre group at a community college. In addition to classroom time, I spend a lot of time scoring and recording soundtracks, ect. The last couple of years I've done around 300 gigs per year. This used to not bother me but lately I'm having some health issues so for next year I'm try to scale back some. Of course, I said that for this year also and I'm still at 300. I sure can't complain. Everything I do is something I love to do and it's my choice. How many other people get to do what they love and get paid for it? I think we have a great life.

Joe

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Songman55
Joe Ayala

Joe-

Yes, as we get older our engine doesn't run as well, does it, lol...

There's an act in my market that does over 500 jobs a year...They are criticized, so I've heard that they repeat the same show over and over again and that some of their shows are rather blase.

On one hand, that would be intense I suppose, but I think after a certain number, the quality has to be effected, don't you?



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Bill in Dayton

Much of this will depend upon your age and physical ability. Last year I provided 331 performances, said I would cut back this year, but because I have been filling in for guys in my area that had health issues, I'll probably exceed 350, which is way too many for this old man. Next year's book is nearly filled and I hope to hold the line at 250. As for those that I will likely be cutting out, I'll send them to Songman55 (Joe)--he's a lot younger than me!

Cheers,

Gary

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Travlin' Easy

Depends on how much they pay

When I was full time, I averaged 300, but less than 100 were the 1hr budget jobs (under $200). The bulk of the work was split between steady club dates and high paying private affairs. if all you do is senior centers .... better be prepared to do 400+ if you want to make any serious scratch.

Bill is right...depends on the kind of gigs.
I do back-to backs on Friday and Saturday. Then, I do an average of 4 during the week. some are 1 hour jobs for government offices, etc. Then, I spend all Friday and Saturday night in the studio doing film scores and other recording/producing projects. Show up shortly after 1 AM and work until about 8:00 AM. Don't know how to figure the time value of that, but it is work in the music field.

So, I play over 400 jobs, plus about 800 hours a year in the studio. I can do this because:
1. I don't watch sports, do home maintenance
(read that cut grass, change filters, etc.). That's all handled by people who are actually good at it. Rather pay, say $25.00 per hour to have something done right and use the time making $50-100 per hour doing something I actually know how to do.

2. I have a crew of folks who set-up and tear down. I show up. the equipment is on. I leave right after the job.

3. 100 nights (2 nights a week) are at one house job, where the equipment stays put all the time. 40 plus nights are at a country club where the B-3 stays.

This is how I've always worked, and making music is not what I do for most of my living.

For me, it's all about organization and getting soneone else to do the "heavy lifting"...eliminating or minimizing the "clutter" and concentrating on playing.

Been doing this schedule for 53 years (in February), with 9 weeks off-total. Last vacation for more than 1/2 day was in 1982.

Not close to slowing down.


Russ Lay


[This message has been edited by captain Russ (edited 09-27-2008).]

Since I'm no longer incentivized by money, I have found that one good, fun gig, once a week, playing the kind of music that I like, in the kind of setting that I like, is enough to satisfy my spiritual and musical needs. This, along with an extended rehearsal once every two weeks, is about the limit of what I feel comfortable with physically.

One advantage of playing jazz (or jazz-ish) music is that there is no pressure to 'keep 'um on the dance floor', requests are rare, and no one expects you to 'make it sound like the record'. Also, playing a single instrument like an organ allows you to concentrate on playing the song instead of pre-setting up the 'technology'. Playing with other musicians (with whom you are compatible) also makes for a less stressful gig and the occasional after-gig late-night meal is an opportunity for additional bonding with some of the people you like and enjoy most. It's amazing how everybody remembers every mistake everybody else made for the entire gig (but not his own ).

Of course this idyllic situation is not possible for a working pro unless they are working another full-time job, are retired, or married to Cindy McCain.

So, how many is the 'right' number? The number that you can do and still enjoy it.

Chas

Chas is right. My jazz jobs, and the ones I do with my trio...grandson on drums and son on bass) are the most fulfilling. that's about 100 a year. I could live with that.

R.

Where we play, almost every gig is 4 hours (sometimes 3 - once a month - 2 hours, but we work it so it pays almost the same as a 4 hour gig!).

3-4 gigs per week, practically 52 weeks a year so between 156-208 per year....lol