PDF 
Vogt: First and foremost would be the ability to plan and think strategically in aspects as varied as career direction and personal finance. Try not to let things happen to you, but be proactive. Money management and organizational skills are huge and fly in the face of the stereotype most people have of musicians.
In addition, check your ego at the door. I shouldn’t have to say that, but needs to be said. No one’s that much of a rock star. Plus, nice guys seem to always work. Just ask Nathan East.
BMM: When it comes to gigs, there seem to be two schools of thought: Take every gig you can to build your experience and network; or be very selective and cultivate your music credentials and reputation. What are your thoughts on building a successful gigging resume?
Vogt: I think that’s actually a two-part answer. I grew up in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area and I took every gig I could while I was learning my craft: country, rock, top 40, soul, funk, oldies, lounge lizards, and country club gigs. You name it. I played it. By doing this, I learned many different job skills I could take back to any style. Trying to fake “Alley Cat” or “Cabaret” or having to read charts for a Bobby Darin or Frank Sinatra tribute (yes, those are real things I did) helped me to hear chord changes and sight read on the fly. Those are skills I use to this day as a full-time musician.
Being a versatile player keeps you working, especially if you’re gigging in a secondary market city. It’s hard to make a living as a metal bassist in Des Moines, but I’m sure there’s a guy there who does every gig and is considered the top tier bassist and he probably makes a good living doing lots of different types of work, as well as teaching.
- Sightread anything put in front of you? Work with a conductor?
- Play convincingly in any style? Do you enjoy any style?
- Get along with virtually anyone?
- Double on electric, upright, fretless, whatever?
- Can you do a jazz gig without a Real Book and a top 40/variety band gig with absolutely no rehearsal because you know hundreds of songs from the 1930s to Lady Ga Ga?
- Come up with a studio bass part ‘in 6 minutes that sounds like you’ve played it for 6 months?’ (to quote my good friend Bob Babbitt)”
This is your Job Skill List. Even if you only get five out of six, you’ll be on your way. Six out of six and I’ll be hoping I can get on your sub List someday!
John Kuhlman has written 4 articles in BMM.
Although John Kuhlman has been playing the bass for nearly 20 years, he strongly believes in the maxim: Sometimes a teacher. Always a student.
As a child of the 80s, John grew up idolizing more guitarists than bassists. As sacrilegious as it may seem, he was never a fan of Jaco Pastorius and felt his life as a bass musician was limited to walking bass lines and ZZ Top covers. After a few years playing the role of sideman with Top 40 cover bands and a jazz swing band, he put his beloved Fender Jazz bass back in its case and devoted his energies to the guitar and trying to make a living as a writer.
Fast forward several years and John stumbled across a video of Victor Wooten. After watching Wooten's rendition of "Amazing Grace" about 600 times, John picked his jaw up from the floor and pulled the Fender Jazz out of storage. He had finally heard and seen the Muse who showcased what magic could be done with four fat strings.
Today, John is a freelance bassist in Las Vegas, does a bit of teaching, and when not expanding his horizons to other styles of music, can be found outdoors breaking a sweat as an amateur triathlete.
Visit Online:
www.lasvegasbass.com
Very informative interview! I really like Roy’s practical approach to the whole thing.
Very Nice interview John,
It is always good to get the perspective of someone that had obviously figured thing out!
The list of six Skills is one to consider!
Keep up the good work!
After the above checklist is ticked off, then the understanding must be cultivated that what we do is more business than art (regardless of past teachings) and we must begin to package and promote our product, whether as a player or producer. The checklist above still won’t get you out of the bedroom if no one knows you posses those skills. Because we all have seen countless examples of people who don’t possess such skills nevertheless making a very good living, it is safe to say that business and networking skills are even more important that the artistic skills when it comes to bringing your instrument out of the bedroom and onto the stage, or into the studio.