TromboneChat

Ok, I have learned how to use the poll options here in the forum...

Some play in many places of course, then answer what you consider is your main axe. I play a lot in many places but my main thing is to be a music teacher. But it seems to me I can not vote?

Leif

It should be an interesting result.

However, I feel there is one important slot missing: That of Semi Professional Freelance.

Agree with the semi-pro.  Also, under community band would be interesting to break that down to traditional band, jazz band, orchestra and pit band. 

Cheers
Jim

Even C. Lindberg could no longer click the "Soloist Full-Time" button nowadays. That probably will stay at zero.

Perhaps the poll should allow multiple answers since many people do several of the choices and that would serve the semi-professional freelanceers.

Unless by "semi-professional" you mean you are trading it for non-monetary considerations.

Yeah, multiple choices would be nice.  Of the choices left out was semi-pro, which a lot of us must have done, as well as education assistance, which I did at several points in my life.

Is there really such a thing as a full-time soloist?  Even C.L. did other things all along.

From about 1988 to 1997 he did nothing but tour as a soloist. His arrangements he did were only for himself. He started composing in 97 and conductingis his main job nowadays.

Multiple choices would lose track of the number of people voting, and without that there's no perspective.

Tough question for even the answers available, multiple or single.

A lot of semi-pros around here are in big bands, not that the money is great, but it keeps me in slide lube, some lessons and covers gas. I even bought a mute once. 

But I also play in a community band, help in a pro show occasionally, seek out subs in band/orchestra/big bands to play bass bone.

I could have picked any of the three leading categories, although calling the paid bands I play in, or get calls for, "professional" is a bit of a stretch. It's not that the folks playing in them do not meet "professional" standards, many of them are very competent and dedicated musicians ( I would still consider myself to be an "aspiring" pro). But, nobody in any of them is paying their bills with the little bits of money those bands generate. So, maybe "semi-pro" would be a better categorization.

I'm surprised there are so few music teachers/ music educators thus far. Seems like half of the good musicians I know IRL would be in that category.

Local rawk band (trumpet, trombone)
 
Sometimes small ensembles (tenor)
 
Occasionally the local wind symphony (bass, euphonium, tenor)
 
Once, the local symphony orchestra (bass)

I mostly play for fun, but sometimes I get paid, so what does that make me?  Just curious as to how someone like me is regarded by other players.

Quote from: jmtheob on Jul 01, 2016, 05:37AMI mostly play for fun, but sometimes I get paid, so what does that make me?  Just curious as to how someone like me is regarded by other players.

I've played your music.  You are a professional composer.

Quote from: BGuttman on Jul 01, 2016, 05:58AMI've played your music.  You are a professional composer.
True, but what kind of trombone player am I?  I guess I would call myselt 1% professional or something like that. 

Multiple Answers can correctly calculate the percentage for each choice if it divides the number of people selecting a choice by the number of people responding to the survey.

I don't know if our poll engine does that but that would be the correct behavior.


Percentages won't add up to 100, but we don't expect them to if multiple answers are permitted.

Today I could vote! Most of us do many things but Doug explained very well why I made the poll this way. Put what we feel is our main use of our trombone. Semi pro is not in my vocabulary. Either we are pro or not. I get paid sometimes but I'm not on a level to play in any pro ensemble around. So that's not making me a pro.

Everyone have to feel bye them self what is your daily or main use of our trombone. Or definition of words. Its always subjective. But i dont think every paid use of trombone make us per definition professional. I voted teacher for me because that's the main thing i do. I teach kids to play brass instruments. Composer are not an option since this is a trombone forum. But there is an options for composers or other aspects of music business that are interested in trombone.

Leif

I put "freelance" because that's where the plurality of my income comes from.

But I also teach arranging and composition in the jazz program at UCO... i put just as much effort into researching and preparing for that class as I do anything else, so I hope I can be considered an educator as well. I'm still new at it (4 years teaching in a college so far) and I find it to be the most challenging thing I've done so far with my life.

Most years composing and arranging is responsible for about a third of my income - things have slowed down this summer. I'm still writing ever day, and since the work has dried up I can focus on my own stuff with my big band.


No one musician (save the 1/10th of 1%) can make their income from one source anymore... it's the new economy, we've just been operating this way for a while.

Exactly Exzaclee, you should put freelance if that's what your main use or life with your trombone. I also write, arrange, conduct, play in school bands as a support, I carry speakers and help with PA. Play school concerts, play in church, play in community bands, even some very few professional orchestras. God knows what I dont do. But I cant play in the main big orchestras or bands. Nearly all professional player I know teach, but I think their main trombone life is professional playing even if their income is bigger in teaching. I dont see income as a main factor for professionalism.

Robert, I think Doug explained my intention. We all do lot of things, but the interesting thing is our main axe. If we should find the prosent use I believe practice would be the highest prosent.

No one in fulltime soloist yet?  I suspect it will be empty forever    All you young players....stop reading right now and go practice.....maybe one day.....

Leif

Quote from: jmtheob on Jul 01, 2016, 06:24AMTrue, but what kind of trombone player am I?  I guess I would call myselt 1% professional or something like that. 

I've never had the opportunity to play with you, although I met you briefly when you came to Hollis NH.

Quote from: BGuttman on Jul 01, 2016, 08:02AMI've never had the opportunity to play with you, although I met you briefly when you came to Hollis NH.

You haven't missed much.  I remember Hollis very well.  Anyone who lives in northeastern Massachusetts or southern New Hampshire should go hear the town band play!  Happy 4th.

Quote from: Doug Elliott on Jun 30, 2016, 09:24PMMultiple choices would lose track of the number of people voting, and without that there's no perspective.
I'm not sure about the capability of this forum's software, but this, in general, is not necessarily true.  Even if you don't keep track of the number of respondents, they can provide single or multiple answers and the data is still valid. Perhaps not as a percentage of a whole but certainly in a relative sense, which may even be more valuable here.  Of course more information can be gleamed if you do keep track, but still there is no need to limit responses.

But I digress.

I am a full time soloist, but the only one who gets to hear my solos are my wife and pets. Lately they have been getting really tired of the Grondahl.

I also play in a community band, a college wind ensemble, even though I don't go to the college, play lead in a community big band, lead a fairly decent brass quintet, and am on the sub list for 2 orchestras, one of which has never actually asked me to play and one which has used me once. I play most of the shows that call for trombone at our local community theater, which is actually just about my favorite type of playing, except for double show days. We did a run of Memphis in May that was a lot of fun. I used to play in a really good trombone choir, but the director got appointed head of the music department at his college and was too busy to lead it for the past 5 years. I am hoping he starts it back again sometime.

An equally interesting question might be why people play where they do. We all play, well, because like to.

But looking a little further, I play in a community band to play under a conductor who loves trombones and who also gives me the opportunity to play solos. I play in a Sinatra band because it's great to be in a band that is appreciated so much by the audience.

Quote from: MikeBMiller on Jul 01, 2016, 11:32AMI am a full time soloist, but the only one who gets to hear my solos are my wife and pets. Lately they have been getting really tired of the Grondahl.
Try Hindemith sonata for some month's. Haha

I believed it should be more in education and high school here? Maybe they are busy in the practice room?

Leif

I play in a community orchestra, semi professional big band (we get paid for some gigs and others are free), a community brass band, two community wind ensembles, and I usually do 2 or 3 pit shows a year.  I was in a jazz trombone ensemble regularly for a few years until 2009 when we broke up, but starting last year we've been getting back together for a few gigs here and there.  I'm glad we did because it's a really fun group.  One of the trombonists is an excellent composer so we play a lot of original charts.  The name of the group is Sliders. 

Quote from: Graham Martin on Jun 30, 2016, 04:55PMIt should be an interesting result.

However, I feel there is one important slot missing: That of Semi Professional Freelance.
I agree although I don't make a living at it, I do have some meager income from playing

Quote from: Graham Martin on Jun 30, 2016, 04:55PMIt should be an interesting result.

However, I feel there is one important slot missing: That of Semi Professional Freelance.
I agree although I don't make a living at it, I do have some meager income from playing