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Session work

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(@threegtrz)
Estimable Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 105
Topic starter  

How does one go about getting work in recording sessions? Not fame, but maybe a paycheck.


   
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(@kingpatzer)
Noble Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 2171
 

Get known by the producers and engineers.

Show up and talk with them. In smaller studios you might be able to get a "job" carting cables, or whatever. Your pay would be you get to be in the studio.

Get known by the local artists. Meet them at their gigs and be interested in them and what they're doing. Really get to know them. Try to parley those relationships into an invite to a studio to watch/listen/learn.

There can be a lot of networking involved in getting into the door for your first job. Once there, you basically have 1 shot to ever get called back. Relax and play your best. Do what you're asked. Don't go over the top. Don't try to steal the show. Do a solid, professional job. That will get you remembered. Key here is being easy to work with for both the producer and the engineer. If you make them happy, you'll be remembered and you'll get a call back, and you'll be on your way.

Another route is to get known through a gigging job as a capable backup, basically use the same networking process to achieve the same ends.

It is a business that is all about relationships, and there are very few second chances.

"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side." -- HST


   
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(@gnease)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5038
 

+1 on KP's advice. (Much repitition here for emphasis)

There is a rather large subculture of singer/songwriters in most areas. Insinuate yourself into that scene. Start as simply as being a good audience for the established acts, and also doing open mics yourself. If you are reasonably decent, you will create alliances and end up doing these with other locals -- just be careful with whom you become associated, as there are "tiers of talent," and you don't want to find yourself relegated to the lower levels that will always be the lower levels, either because of artistic limitations or lack of professional motivation (I do this for fun!). Hang out with the better talent, even if you don't play with them (yet). Invite them to your open mic performances. If they are worth knowing, they will show up to support you a fair percentage of the time. They want to advance their standings in the musical community, and nurturing new talent is one important aspect of this process. These musicians are always recording. Offer to help in any (reasonable) way -- but use common sense and don't become (always) a mere car service, and don't touch their instruments unless explicitly permitted or requested, and don't sit in the corner playing scales or ditties hoping to be noticed (really annoying), but pitch in setup/teardown or in any otherway to help them save studio time (that's $$!). As KP suggests, get known by the local studios, even if only hanging around at first to listen (invited by a performer or studio personnel). You can contact small recording studios and tell them you would like to hear or watch some of their work, as you are looking for a good small studio. These guys want to bring in new business and should be accommodating.

In all situations, don't be overly needy, a complete wallflower or a pest. Let them get to know your face and associate you with good performers, recording artists and recording pros who are -- and this is important -- respected for their talent and professionalism.

This takes time.

-=tension & release=-


   
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(@noteboat)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 4921
 

there are very few second chances.

Amen to that.

Recently I was at an 86th birthday party for a jazz pianist. Everybody's talking about dates they played, digging up old stories. The pianist asked if anybody knew a guitarist - a local guy in his 70s.

A bandleader (a sax player in his late 60s) had a strong opinion about him. He'll never hire the guitarist again. He apparently missed a key change on a session; they started the tune over, and he missed it again.

30 years ago.

In my experience, you do get a few 'second' chances - everybody makes a mistake, or plays a line the producer isn't happy with or wants to tweak a bit, so re-takes are common. But when you get a "do-over", it must be right - or at least much, much closer to what they want - if it isn't, it'll cost you jobs forever.

Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL


   
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(@corbind)
Noble Member
Joined: 22 years ago
Posts: 1735
 

Guess it's a pretty cold business trying to "make it" as a session musician.

"Nothing...can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts."


   
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(@kingpatzer)
Noble Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 2171
 

It's a great gig. I did a lot of session work in my teens. It's fun, but you have to be a good musician with good sight reading skills, personable, able to take direction well, and generally be ok with unpredictable hours.

But session work and pit gigs are two of the best money jobs for musicians who want to make money with music.

It's stiff competition so they can be picky and they don't have to put up with idiots.

On the other hand, not a lot of guitarists know how to read music at all, so they self select away from the job.

"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side." -- HST


   
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(@threegtrz)
Estimable Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 105
Topic starter  

Thanks for the responses.

I'm actually a middle-aged weekend warrior living far from any major metropolitan area. So any session work would involve getting to know the area Mom n' Pop operations.


   
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