Re: playing harp professionally

["Knapton" <sunday@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

This is my story.
I'm an Australian living in New Zealand. Been playing harp for 25yrs now,
and played in numerous bands and line-ups, also done a bit of band
management.
Ok, the fastest way I know for a new 'professional' harp player to get a
start....is to sing. I'd like a dollar (with a few zeros after it), for the
number of times I've been asked by bands if I sing. No I'm not a singer, I
play harmonica.
If I did sing, I probably would've played in more bands and maybe had a more
diverse musical direction. Who knows.
Early in the piece, I 'sat in' with this pub rock band (I was totally
green).....well, I really stuffed that tune....no mic control (let alone
technique!)....no idea about stage communication....oh, did I mention
feedback. Yeh, a real distaster. Anyway, afterwards the lead singer, who was
half cut and very weatherbeaten from late nights, told me this, "It dosen't
matter how many bands you leave, or get sacked, or they fall apart, or
whatever....get straight back into another band, straight away". I've taken
that advise and its served me well.
Over the last 6yrs I've taken up lap steel guitar. It compliments the harp
and gives the band diversity. (its an easy transition from harp to learning
lap steel....bending notes, adding color, fills etc). I own a PA, have
learn't to be a reluctent backing vocalist and can get bookings. When the
band gets paid, I feel I've carried my weight. Ask yourself, what you're
contributing to your band?  What are you getting out of it?
Today, I consider myself a good musician and band member.
Even with all the hard late nights, stuffed back from lugging gear, trying
to come down after a gig so you can sleep (like now 2am), band politics,
tight arse venue managers, etc etc.....Music still keeps my soul young!
Hope this helps
Pete Knapton


- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Jason Paul Stolaruk" <stolaruk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: 30 October 2003 6:37 PM
Subject: playing harp professionally




Hey all.  Let me give you a little background info on myself.  My name is
Jason, I'm 24 years old and have been playing blues harp since about 15 or
16.
I hail from just outside Detroit, Michigan, but for the last year I've been
living and teaching English in Japan.  I'll be here for about another 1,
maybe
2 years, after which my plans are to return to Michigan and?c well, I don't
exactly know yet!  But for years now I've been throwing around the idea of
playing harp (and blues) professionally.  I think I am/could be musically
good
enough, and I'm starting to seriously consider it, but the problem is that I
have next to know idea about how to start a career as a musician and how to
make it work.  I'm too ignorant about what being a professional is REALLY
like
to decide whether it is right for me.  For years I've been seeing live blues
around Detroit and I've been playing at the local jam sessions, thereby
making
a handful of semi-pro and pro musician friends; unfortunately I have lost
touch
with most of them due to the circumstances, and even so our past
conversations
were often about the music itself and musicianship, NOT the professional
side
of the JOB.
So, here are my questions:
- -In a nutshell, how does one start a career as a musician=blues harp player?
What are some things I should expect (things that most people don't?)
- -Other than musical talent, what qualities tend to make a person a good
professional musician?
I'm sure one could write a book in answer to the above questions, which
leads
me to wonder if someone could recommend a book on the subject, or other
resources?  (I would like to talk to someone in person, but unfortunately I
have no musician friends in Japan and things are a lot different over here
anyway...)
Thanks for any help/hints/tips!
- -jason




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