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Top 10 Gig Dos

1. Leave at a time that would make you 45 minutes to an hour early given typical traffic. (Brandon Mason)
2. Bring extra strings. You'll probably never need it, but if you do there's no other alternative. (Paul Cannon)
3. Be a good communicator. Respond to emails/phone calls in a timely manner. Personnel managers will love you. (Mike White)
4. Do take a moment to really feel thankful for any gig you have been offered and for the hard work you did that got you to this point. This will put you in a good mindset and help to set you up for success. (Heather Miller Lardin)
5. Nail the part every gig. (Jeremy Baguyos)
6. Be Prepared. Be Punctual. Be Polite. (Peter Tambroni)
7. Treat every gig with the same level of respect, ask all of your questions before you say yes, have a great time and make sure everyone knows you had a great time. (Douglas Mapp)
8. Listen to everyone playing, including yourself. (Eugene Ciccone)
9. Do follow the 'chain of command' - if you're playing with a section and have a question, ask the the next bassist or principal bassist.(Peter Tambroni)
10. If you are asked for recommendations, always mention the best you know. Recommending lesser players to make yourself look good will usually backfire for obvious reasons. (Ron Wasserman)

Top 10 Gig Don'ts

1. Don't complain about the gig. You agreed to it. (Adam Booker)
2. Don't show up late to rehearsal with a cup of coffee in your hand. (Jerry Fuller)
3. Don't show off. Don't play all of your flashiest riffs during setup and between songs to try to impress people. (Nathan Elmer Ives)
4. Don't be a drag. (Douglas Mapp)
5. Don't turn down a gig you already agreed to in order to do a "better" gig. (Conrad Cornelison)
6. Don't ever believe that there are other things that can compensate for not nailing the part. (Jeremy Baguyos)
7. Don't just raise your hand and ask the conductor questions. (Peter Tambroni)
8. Don't take a gig you don't want (if you can afford that, of course; I know not everyone can). (Chantal Incandela)
9. Don't tell the contractor you will get back to them as to whether you can make it, and then when you realize you can't make it, neglect to get back to them.(Ron Wasserman)
10. Do not ask questions that show how "smart" you are. (Douglas Mapp)

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