How To Get Gigs (Now) As A Session Musician
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Written by Jaron Lewis
The life of a musician can be very hard. Some people were meant to be on the stage while others were meant to be behind the scenes where they help make the best music. For those who are creators or are looking for jobs before they make their big hit then you may want to consider being a session musician. The salary of a session musician could be what you need to make ends meet. They pay that they get may vary from one employer to the other. Some session musicians however can make up to $100,00 per year.
Here are a few tips and tricks to getting the best session gigs out there.
1. Advertise
No one will come and offer you a job if they do not already know you are a session musician. The best way to advertise yourself is to start with family or friends. Some who are in the music industry, if they know what you are doing, can help you to come up with the right connections and land yourself a job.
You can also advertise yourself online on sites such as craigslist. Some famous stars have been known to hire video actors and other support from the site.Other ways to advertise yourself online include the use of social media networking to get yourself noticed.
2. Be Easy To Work With
During the process of creating a song an artist is thinking in the creative sense. The artist may decide to switch things up or to scrap a whole stanza and come back with a whole new tune. If you want any hope to be called back then you must be willing to swallow that pill of humility that so often eludes most of us.
3. Move To The Session Areas
If you are serious about the job of a session musician then you need to be ready to live in the proximity of the areas where the recording labels are. Such areas include Nashville and L.A. Most of this areas where there is a high influx of artists who want to record their music means more jobs for the session musicians.
4. Local Labels
If you want to get session jobs then you need to follow the labels in your local area. Approach them and leave a few business cards to show them that you’re available. You should be ready to be called in at any time. Most labels support the local talent by hiring them as session musicians. If you are in a band inform the rest of the group that you are seeking extra income to avoid friction.
5. Portfolio
Create an online session musician portfolio. The portfolio is meant to show people the work that you have done and the skills that you possess. The skills set that you have could be the reason you are hired by a certain label.
You should be flexible and be able to play many instruments or work with different genres. If there is a genre that you are familiar with, then market yourself as an expert in the said area.
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