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The 'recession' - has it affected your workload?

MelodyMaker

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Fellow Brass Nuts and Mr. OG,

I've been discussing this topic quite frequently over the last few days with friends, but just wondered what the experiences of the brass fraternity were?

To those of you who are playing / teaching sax for a living, have you noticed any drop in work etc over the last few months (due to the current state of the economy / recession etc) ? Is the diary still full to the brim with gigs?

Wedding bookings are usually a good barometer for the next year's diary.
(though the disco threat is ever present)

Would be interested to hear of your experiences.

Is there still a North/South (leaving out greater London) divide?

I started off in the music business with nothing.
And after 35 years, I still have most of it left.

(Another classic for Mr. OG)
 
Yes!

Most of the playing I do has been theatre work, and having made hefty losses in 2009 honouring contracted gigs that didn't sell, the company now can't get the work in, despite ticket sales being slightly up in general, meaning my earnings are down in particular!

I haven't noticed much of a change in teaching levels, but since I'm freelance at that it's always been fairly up and down.

I do work with wedding bands, but not as a regular thing. I do know that the semi-pro big band that my wife plays with has had less wedding bookings, even though there've been lots of enquiries - it seems people weigh up the costs of 20 musicians then go for something smaller!

Nick
 
Still got plenty of gigs but the teaching has diminished somewhat - but that's a steady decline over the last 5 years or so, not just as a result of the current situation. It's probably partly my own fault. I haven't exactly been active in promoting myself.
 
It is a little harder in my area at present mainly because there are fewer venues than there were, when i started playing the working mens clubs were still in full swing and most pubs had live music this has changed dramatically, not just because of the recession, more so because of the entertainments licence (but that's another story)
however having played through the recession in the eighty's i think that people will want to forget all the crap for a few hours and start looking for live music and good bands.
 
Recession

Private teaching is probably about the best its ever been in the last 5 years, but school teaching is on the decline a bit so yes earnings are down.

Our big band normally goes out for about £400ish (15 to 20 players) but the gigs are really short, we go for £200 now.

Dave
 
People I know who usually have gigs 2-3 nights/week minimum are having trouble getting 1 gig per week. The REAL unemployment rate in the US is about 18%.
 

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