TrumpetMaster - View Single Post

trickg · 09-30-2005, 08:50 AM

My first summer as an Army Bandsman I was in heaven - Every day brought new experiences and new places and I absolutely loved what I did for a living. I was playing music, improving as a player daily, and getting paid for it. Granted, much of the time it was marches and ceremonies, but even marches if played well can be enjoyable. My life was exceedingly simple back then; I would check the board the night before to see what time I needed to be at formation, and what uniform I had to wear and the next morning I would be where I needed to be when I needed to be there. Then I would get on the bus, get to the gig, play the gig, get back on the bus and come home, and most of the time, I had no clue where I had just been! I simply didn't care, and I was loving every minute of it.

One thing that never changes is that nothing ever stays the same. Had things stayed that way in that unit, it would have been great, but as time went on, some new members came into the unit who were much better solidiers than musicians (and some of them were in key leadership positions) and the focus of the job shifted from music to being a soldier.

However, I still loved what I was doing WHEN we were actually doing it - actually playing music and performing.

If things had stayed the same at either of the Army units I was in, I never would have left - sure, the day to day stuff could be tedious at times, but I alway loved playing shows - THAT for me was where the rubber hit the road, but eventually, I just couldn't deal with the Army aspect of it anymore so I left. There are times when I really regret that.

I guess the overall problem for me was that I was no longer getting paid to be a musician, I was getting paid to be a soldier; the Army always seems to have had a hard time reconciling being a musician while being a soldier.

To me, there is little that is as rewarding as playing good music with good musicians AND getting paid well for it. If I could find a way to make a living playing music where I could still meet my financial obligations, I'd stop being a DBA in a heartbeat and do it, and I envy those that can.

So, after a long ramble, I agree, it's great to get paid for playing music.

09-30-2005, 08:50 AM	#10 (permalink)
trickg Forte User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Glen Burnie, Maryland Posts: 2,054	My first summer as an Army Bandsman I was in heaven - Every day brought new experiences and new places and I absolutely loved what I did for a living. I was playing music, improving as a player daily, and getting paid for it. Granted, much of the time it was marches and ceremonies, but even marches if played well can be enjoyable. My life was exceedingly simple back then; I would check the board the night before to see what time I needed to be at formation, and what uniform I had to wear and the next morning I would be where I needed to be when I needed to be there. Then I would get on the bus, get to the gig, play the gig, get back on the bus and come home, and most of the time, I had no clue where I had just been! I simply didn't care, and I was loving every minute of it. One thing that never changes is that nothing ever stays the same. Had things stayed that way in that unit, it would have been great, but as time went on, some new members came into the unit who were much better solidiers than musicians (and some of them were in key leadership positions) and the focus of the job shifted from music to being a soldier. However, I still loved what I was doing WHEN we were actually doing it - actually playing music and performing. If things had stayed the same at either of the Army units I was in, I never would have left - sure, the day to day stuff could be tedious at times, but I alway loved playing shows - THAT for me was where the rubber hit the road, but eventually, I just couldn't deal with the Army aspect of it anymore so I left. There are times when I really regret that. I guess the overall problem for me was that I was no longer getting paid to be a musician, I was getting paid to be a soldier; the Army always seems to have had a hard time reconciling being a musician while being a soldier. To me, there is little that is as rewarding as playing good music with good musicians AND getting paid well for it. If I could find a way to make a living playing music where I could still meet my financial obligations, I'd stop being a DBA in a heartbeat and do it, and I envy those that can. So, after a long ramble, I agree, it's great to get paid for playing music. __________________ Patrick Gleason email me at: trickg1@hotmail.com "What we do in life echoes in eternity" "At my signal, unleash hell." - Maximus Decimus Meridius