Should You Accept Every Gig That Comes Your Way?
The "Rule Of Three" and why you might want to use it for every gig moving forward. It's a game-changing strategy every musician needs to know.
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Making a living as a full-time musician is no simple feat. It's more than just talent—it's about making intelligent decisions at the right moments. A guideline for many in the music business helps clarify those decisions: the 'Rule Of Three.'
So, what is this rule all about? It's not about mastering complex chords, mastering Swiss triplets, or mastering an album. It's a straightforward principle many musicians swear by to determine which opportunities to grab and which ones to pass up.
Think of it as a framework, a filter that can help you make sense of a sometimes chaotic industry. Making informed choices is half the battle. The rest is pure passion and talent.
Every musician has a repertoire of crazy gig stories they've collected over the years. Let me serenade you with a few.
About 25 years ago, I remember playing a gig at a dive bar in Jamaica Queens. Our first set started at 9 PM and ended at 3 AM after five half-hour sets. We played be-bop at 500MPH, and I could barely keep up, but I had lots of energy back then. The old ladies in the audience occasionally cast longing glances, perhaps hoping for some soulful blues instead of the relentless barrage of notes we were playing. As they took sips from their glasses of Chivas Regal, I almost heard them thinking, "When will these youngins play something I can snap my fingers to?"
Another crazy gig story came from a buddy who recounted an intense studio recording day, followed by a Broadway performance in the evening and then a late-night jazz session at a club—another thing I could probably do in my 20s but not in my advanced age.Â
Yet, the trophy for the 'Worst Gig In The World' goes to another colleague who played some bizarre gig that began at 11 PM and ended at 7 AM. More power to you, bro!
The Hustle and its Rewards
"A gig is a gig is a gig." It's a mantra you may have heard. And it might be sound advice for the newcomers. It may be a good idea for the young, starry-eyed musicians eager to get their name out. But the seasoned maestros may beg to differ. One may ask, "If you love music, why wouldn't you take every gig?" Well, there is more to being a professional than that, especially after a certain point in your career.Â
Flashback to 1993, NYC. Fresh-faced and raring to go, I'd play anywhere and anytime. This hunger saw me playing in three bands in the same venue in one night. The sheer thrill of transitioning from a soulful ballad with a singer-songwriter to the energetic beats of a fusion band, ending with a world music/hip-hop ensemble, was something else!
I was well-acquainted with the NYC musician hustle: survival jobs, jam sessions, and the nightly musical escapades. The city's rhythm was a demanding dance, but I kept pace. But time changes the tune.
Today, my tempo has shifted and slowed considerably. The marathon sessions of my youth are no longer appealing. Not because the passion has waned but because priorities evolve. There's family, there's rest, there's personal time. The very schedule I thrived on at 27 feels exhausting now.
Having invested years in relentless hustle and networking, I now enjoy the privilege of choice to a certain degree. I can't turn down everything just yet, but there are things I won't do because of what I may have to endure. I won't be taking a complete set of drums into midtown Manhattan to play a gig from 10 PM-2 AM for $100. That won't be happening anymore, but I used to do it. Even if I had to take just sticks, I wouldn't do it anymore, but I used to. It's how I met so many great musicians in this incredible city of New York.Â
Those initial years of saying 'yes' to everything gave me the freedom to say 'no.' If a musician's journey remains stagnant, it may be either out of contentment or a lack of ambition.
The 'Rule Of Three'
Now, the secret. Well, it's not a secret, but it's information everyone should know and use to minimize pain and suffering. It's a straightforward formula. Nowadays, I use the 'Rule Of Three' to decide if a gig is worth taking:
Is the music going to be fun to play?
Are the people you will work with cool to hang out with?
Is the money going to be good?
Now, defining "fun," "cool," and "good" is up to you. I have my standards, and you'll eventually have your own. The reality is, if you're striking out on two of the three of these, think twice about taking the gig. Use this as your compass, and you might spare yourself from some agonizing gigs.Â
But remember, some of the worst gigs can make for the best stories. You may eventually get to a point where, like me, you’re sitting around a table with your friends, reminiscing about your own crazy gigs. Just try and not to have too many sad stories to share!