Anybody here do any session work?
- Thread starter SLuiCe
- Start date
bdbdbuck
New member
Back when I used to be good enough to do that kind of thing, my foot in the door was when I was doing my own demo at a small local studio. Just happened that I ended up doing a couple of sessions for a couple of nobodies. It was pretty cool though. Dude, just take a recording of your stuff and walk in the damn door.... you're good enough to do that! Tell them what you have in mind and leave some cards with your CD. Good luck.
bd
bd
Kramer
Well-known member
bdbdbuck said:
Even better,show up with your guitar and a combo amp(something easy to lug around)and ask the studio owner if he needs any guitar players for demos etc..if he says yes,ask him if you can play some solos and fills along to some raw backing tracks of some of the music he is currently working on.
A lot of guys get studio work by word of mouth about their playing and others get it when the owner of a studio happens upon them in a local club etc.
Are you in a small town or a Metropolis?
[edit to add]I bet Crawdad could give you some personal insight into the studio musician gig.I doubt he ever visits this forum though.
PM him.
SLuiCe
New member
BD Thanks for the confidnce vote and for sharing your experience!
Kramer, Al and I have been talking quite a bit via email about this and other things. We haven't got into details about studio work, but I do plan on picking his brain.
I live in Portland Maine, which in 2000 apparently had a population of 64,249. It is a city by all means, but certainly no NYC or Boston. Thanks for the suggestions about bringing gear along with me. I'll have both gear and a demo with me. Hopefully there is actually a need!
Cheers.
Kramer, Al and I have been talking quite a bit via email about this and other things. We haven't got into details about studio work, but I do plan on picking his brain.
I live in Portland Maine, which in 2000 apparently had a population of 64,249. It is a city by all means, but certainly no NYC or Boston. Thanks for the suggestions about bringing gear along with me. I'll have both gear and a demo with me. Hopefully there is actually a need!
Cheers.
powderfinger
New member
Offering up a free session to a producer or artist might allow you to build a couple relationships that payoff.......
i figure you'll be playing anyways, and the contacts made could be great and allow for paid work
i figure you'll be playing anyways, and the contacts made could be great and allow for paid work
mixmkr
we don't need rest!!
I'll tell you what I know...or think about session players. For one..nashville is a different market for session players and not what I would consider the norm.. But I mention nashville because the session players there (the A team) are top notch and basically are on ALL the records that require session players. Outsiders..take note... (in other words...find another city)
But...being a session player (especially on guitar) is probably going to be rough, unless you are very experienced in a wide variety of music...and I think being able to read GOOD is VERY important. Unless your ear is beyond great to not require reading. But, when a client comes in with a chart with a tune you've never heard, unless you can "wing it" without reading the chart somehow, expect to be up shit creek. If you are just looking to be the man with the "hot licks" for some group, expect that you'll be competing with the groups guitar player anyway, and in about 100% of the situations, they won't be looking for a session player anyway.
Myself, being from another decade, the session players I've been aquainted with and dealt with, did jingle work and stuff of that nature. Vocalist are MUCH more in demand. Someone that can sound PERFECT and sing: "oh..those burgers are better at Charlies cafe...."
Take a look at the talent in Boston. A zillion hot reading guitar players. However, most of them don't consider session work as viable music and pass it up. GREAT session players make GREAT money. So so session players never get hired.
That's been my experience.
Yeah...your CD is killer, your music is good...but can you play like Joe Pass, Chet Atkins, Van Halen, and a little of Metallica for those ESPN backdrops and maybe even a little bit of Muddy Waters with a sprinkle of Segovia on top?
Not to discourage...and certainly do the above suggestions, because without doing them, you'll never know. Plus...I've been wrong twice this year so far!!
I think "sticking" your foot in the door...rather than "getting" a foot in the door is going to have to be your route. Make things happen, not because you are good, but because you are saavy.
But...being a session player (especially on guitar) is probably going to be rough, unless you are very experienced in a wide variety of music...and I think being able to read GOOD is VERY important. Unless your ear is beyond great to not require reading. But, when a client comes in with a chart with a tune you've never heard, unless you can "wing it" without reading the chart somehow, expect to be up shit creek. If you are just looking to be the man with the "hot licks" for some group, expect that you'll be competing with the groups guitar player anyway, and in about 100% of the situations, they won't be looking for a session player anyway.
Myself, being from another decade, the session players I've been aquainted with and dealt with, did jingle work and stuff of that nature. Vocalist are MUCH more in demand. Someone that can sound PERFECT and sing: "oh..those burgers are better at Charlies cafe...."
Take a look at the talent in Boston. A zillion hot reading guitar players. However, most of them don't consider session work as viable music and pass it up. GREAT session players make GREAT money. So so session players never get hired.
That's been my experience.
Yeah...your CD is killer, your music is good...but can you play like Joe Pass, Chet Atkins, Van Halen, and a little of Metallica for those ESPN backdrops and maybe even a little bit of Muddy Waters with a sprinkle of Segovia on top?
Not to discourage...and certainly do the above suggestions, because without doing them, you'll never know. Plus...I've been wrong twice this year so far!!
I think "sticking" your foot in the door...rather than "getting" a foot in the door is going to have to be your route. Make things happen, not because you are good, but because you are saavy.
tanlith
King of the Wicker People
OK... just a suggestion:
I honestly believe that to get someone's attention you need to hit them where it really counts: Their pocket book
Face it: EVERY musician; studio etc wants to save as much $$$ as they can... soooo here's how I would do it:
Walk in (bold and proud) to a local studio and tell them outright you want to be on the board/list whatever of available session musicians... when they hrmmm and ummm about it tell em out right you'll do 2;3;5;10 (whatever you're comfortable with) sessions free... and they can feel free to charge the group hireing you whatever they want... see how fast they pass your demo around after that... you're only condition is you want the standard mention in the album's credits...
Of course they might not take you seriously at first, but you need to maintain the confidence level high; look em in the eye and tell em out right "Try me... you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Three (or whatever) sessions at no cost to you whatsoever. If you like my work keep me on your list and pass me some work. If not, I move on quietly... no harm no foul."
Believe me this sort of thing works way better then one would think. In fact it's exactly how I got my Network Admin contract with Ford Motor Company... I heard a rumer that they were having some major problems with connectivity within one of their Windsor plants so I basicly walked in and said I can fix it. They gave me the usual "We can't hire companies not approved by our corporate office " etc... so I said... "You hire consultants all the time. Hire me on ans a consultant, I'll fix this problem for you then you can decide weather or not you want to keep me around... and I'll do this one for free."
Next thing I know I got a 5yr term contract as a consultant with them at 120k/yr...
Anyhow... it's just an idea...
- Tanlith -
I honestly believe that to get someone's attention you need to hit them where it really counts: Their pocket book
Face it: EVERY musician; studio etc wants to save as much $$$ as they can... soooo here's how I would do it:
Walk in (bold and proud) to a local studio and tell them outright you want to be on the board/list whatever of available session musicians... when they hrmmm and ummm about it tell em out right you'll do 2;3;5;10 (whatever you're comfortable with) sessions free... and they can feel free to charge the group hireing you whatever they want... see how fast they pass your demo around after that... you're only condition is you want the standard mention in the album's credits...
Of course they might not take you seriously at first, but you need to maintain the confidence level high; look em in the eye and tell em out right "Try me... you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Three (or whatever) sessions at no cost to you whatsoever. If you like my work keep me on your list and pass me some work. If not, I move on quietly... no harm no foul."
Believe me this sort of thing works way better then one would think. In fact it's exactly how I got my Network Admin contract with Ford Motor Company... I heard a rumer that they were having some major problems with connectivity within one of their Windsor plants so I basicly walked in and said I can fix it. They gave me the usual "We can't hire companies not approved by our corporate office " etc... so I said... "You hire consultants all the time. Hire me on ans a consultant, I'll fix this problem for you then you can decide weather or not you want to keep me around... and I'll do this one for free."
Next thing I know I got a 5yr term contract as a consultant with them at 120k/yr...
Anyhow... it's just an idea...
- Tanlith -
KingstonRock
PC load letter?
wow tanlith, i have to say, that is a pimp move! 
Eric
Eric
tanlith
King of the Wicker People
KingstonRock said:wow tanlith, i have to say, that is a pimp move!
Eric
I guess y'all can call me "Pimp Daddy T"
Should have seen what happened when they decided to terminate the contract a year early... I swear I can't phathom how these accountants function. Seems they have a limit on "head count" per department... and when they did their last downsizing they had to cut a head from the dept... so... the contractor goes first. But I had negotiated in such a way that they have to buy my contract out by paying the remainder of the time left in full @ a standard 40hr week... so I ended up getting 11 months pay as severence... plus I went on Unemployment... went back to school and got a bunch of Certs and a degree... (all of which the government paid for - I qualified for a program called Profiles - they send you back for retraining in your own field if you are out of work for 4 or more months without gaining employment - Guess I forgot to tell them I wasn't looking... hehehehe)
--- Sould I feel guilty? Not when I look at how much I paid in taxes while I was working I figure in about 5mo I'll be looking to pimp myself out again.
- Tanlith -
SLuiCe
New member
Lots of good advice here. I've recently quit my building job because it's sucking the life clean outa me (not because I have delusions of muscial grandeur). I am however looking at several possible sources of music-related incomes to supplement whatever else I can find that doesn't drive me mad. I'm not looking to make a ton of money in session work by any means. I would just like the experience. If I could make a few bucks, than great. I'm certainly not looking to make a career off it.
I appreciate the advice, all of which seems pretty sound to me. Offer some sample work...take it from there. Makes sense. Thanks!
I appreciate the advice, all of which seems pretty sound to me. Offer some sample work...take it from there. Makes sense. Thanks!
crawdad
Dammit, Jim, Shut Up!
SluiCe--I used to do occasional sessions, but almost all of them were calls I got from having a reputation from live work or previous studio work. Its been two years since I have done anything for anyone else as a hired guitar player.
So why? Most people have moved into the home studio environment and would rather try to play it themselves, even if they suck. Also, records are just not made like they used to be made. In Detroit, the acts that record are mostly self-contained. There are very few artists that have deep bank accounts to pay session guys. Sad, but true.
A better bet for you would be to do demo sessions for songwriters in your area--do the whole recording for them. Bring the business to your place. This would simply require networking with songwriters you find at open mic nights, or writers nights in your area. Offer them a flat rate per song. You know enough about recording to pull this off with a quality final product.
Mixmkr is mostly right. There is a group of musicians there, though, that never play on master sessions--only demo's. They make a little less than what a master session pays, but I have talked to some that do as many as fifteen sessions a week. The bad news is--thats Nashville, not Portland.
Still, I would send every studio in town a demo of your singing and playing. The important thing is to make yourself known and to develop contacts. You never know what contacts others have or what business relationships you might strike up in the process. Somebody needs and wants your services but you have to hit a bunch of sources to find out who that is. Networking could land you a live gig, a studio session, an artist deal or maybe even an engineering opportunity. Or it might open up other doors. The important thing is to open every door that you can find and make people aware of who you are and what you can do.
So why? Most people have moved into the home studio environment and would rather try to play it themselves, even if they suck. Also, records are just not made like they used to be made. In Detroit, the acts that record are mostly self-contained. There are very few artists that have deep bank accounts to pay session guys. Sad, but true.
A better bet for you would be to do demo sessions for songwriters in your area--do the whole recording for them. Bring the business to your place. This would simply require networking with songwriters you find at open mic nights, or writers nights in your area. Offer them a flat rate per song. You know enough about recording to pull this off with a quality final product.
Mixmkr is mostly right. There is a group of musicians there, though, that never play on master sessions--only demo's. They make a little less than what a master session pays, but I have talked to some that do as many as fifteen sessions a week. The bad news is--thats Nashville, not Portland.
Still, I would send every studio in town a demo of your singing and playing. The important thing is to make yourself known and to develop contacts. You never know what contacts others have or what business relationships you might strike up in the process. Somebody needs and wants your services but you have to hit a bunch of sources to find out who that is. Networking could land you a live gig, a studio session, an artist deal or maybe even an engineering opportunity. Or it might open up other doors. The important thing is to open every door that you can find and make people aware of who you are and what you can do.
Dom Franco
New member
Mostly by sitting in with bands....
When ever I play live, the other musicians like what they hear, (I can play Pedal Steel and Dobro very well!) So I usually get recording gigs from that.
Back when I lived in Phoenix AZ, I went around to several studios and let them play and sample some of my previous recording work. They called me in a few weeks later and I was on their list of studio cats.
Cool! But not enough steady money to quit my day job...
Dom Franco
When ever I play live, the other musicians like what they hear, (I can play Pedal Steel and Dobro very well!) So I usually get recording gigs from that.
Back when I lived in Phoenix AZ, I went around to several studios and let them play and sample some of my previous recording work. They called me in a few weeks later and I was on their list of studio cats.
Cool! But not enough steady money to quit my day job...
Dom Franco
SLuiCe
New member
Yea, thanks a ton guys. I certainly wouldn't want to make a career out of session stuff, even if it was commonplace. What I'd like to gain from session work, if I could even get any, is studio experience. But like Crawdad pointed out, we're moving into the DIY days. And I'm pretty happy just doing this recording stuff from my house too.
Thanks for helping me bounce ideas around fellas!
Tom
Thanks for helping me bounce ideas around fellas!
Tom
Most of my session work dried up. Between sequencing, home studios, samples, etc there is not as much call for studio cats.
I think showing up with a demo tape and offering to do a few sessions at no cost couldn't hurt. Obviously you need the chops to back it up (you need to play almost every style and be able to get a sound together very quickly). Reading chops are a must.
You may have to be persistent (without being pushy). Perhaps send out a brief letter before you show up, and a thank you letter after your first meeting. This is business, and showing you have business savy (and are dependable & easy to get along with) are just as important as chops.
As my session work dried up I started to market myself (and my home studio to songwriters (or to singers who needed a demo to get session work). While my drum chops are 1st call, my keyboard/guitar chops are not - but they are good enough to put a basic demo together for a songwriter.
I think showing up with a demo tape and offering to do a few sessions at no cost couldn't hurt. Obviously you need the chops to back it up (you need to play almost every style and be able to get a sound together very quickly). Reading chops are a must.
You may have to be persistent (without being pushy). Perhaps send out a brief letter before you show up, and a thank you letter after your first meeting. This is business, and showing you have business savy (and are dependable & easy to get along with) are just as important as chops.
As my session work dried up I started to market myself (and my home studio to songwriters (or to singers who needed a demo to get session work). While my drum chops are 1st call, my keyboard/guitar chops are not - but they are good enough to put a basic demo together for a songwriter.