This is a pretty good article from Sound on Sound you might like:

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/oct98/a ... music.html

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

Guitar Player has been running an article at the back of it mags called Session Stories and I quite enjoy reading about that side of the music business.

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Tune Low, Play Hard & Floor it!

I really admire session musicians,they can be a slightly arrogant bunch at times but usually have the talent to back it up.
From what I've seen of studios and engineers and producers,etc. here in Nashville,it can be a scary environment,and laid back world much at the same time.
I couldn't hack it,just ain't good enough.

From the first post link :

"For playing on a jingle (media advert) the rate ranges between £88.50 and £115.95, depending on what uses are bought out by the producer (radio only, or combined TV/radio/film, although this doesn't include the Internet which, as in many areas of the industry, is proving to be a nightmare when it comes to copyright protection)."

The writer fails to mention 'royalties' which are negotiable.

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

To this day, This is my favorite session player that started his own gig and it couldn't be stopped, even after he was gone. RIP Duane! You'll never be forgotten! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZBG9H3v ... FCE673ED8B

Thanks for the link to that interview....not bad singing for his little bro. either,I've always thought.
A friend who knew both Duane and Bobby Whitlock told me that whenever Duane was at the studio,people would hang around just waiting to hear him play,because they knew that at some point he would play a solo that would leave them with their chins on the floor,and they were never disapointed.
I wish I could have been there.

I got into session work through a local charity who had excess money and decided to build a 'small studio'.
This 'small studio' actually became, through lack of knowledge on the behalf of the directors, the best equipped studio around here for a while.

My mate at the time worked for the charity and was given the job of setting it up and running the studio so asked if I would come in as a session player since I play a few instruments and, logistically, it was easier to get in one guy to do backing for the folks who had songs to record rather than find a band. PLus I was a helluva lot cheaper than the 'real' musicians.

I have been really lucky in that I fell into it as I was nowhere near good enough to do it when I actually started, but as the studio and its reputation has grown over the years I have met many session guys/girls and learned sooooo much.

Yep, they are a weird bunch sometimes but they are far less 'attatched' to the music they play so it is really laid back atmosphere when there are a few of you together jamming on a track.

I do more on the other side of the 'window' now, tech work, some recording now but generally I arrange the music as we can afford the proper guys now but I do still get work in small gigs and we get folks in through the charity who are just 'creative' and have written tunes but don't necessarily play anything so I will work with them to give them the feel for studios and work out the backings, melodies and structures of their songs.

I know it's not 'straight' session work but I get paid to play and work with vulnerable, expressive and often amazing people.

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speak slowly I'm a drummer too!!

And I proudly lack a stick or a kazoo up my arse...........

I used to like to read Tommy Tedesco's column in GP back when
it was worth reading.

The Wrecking Crew was an amazing group of talent, IMO.

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

No way...even if I was good enough...can't imagine having to come up with the goods every single time...talk about pressure

T2

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What time is it? It's Fender Time.

My sister is a session musician in New York City and she makes around $2,000 a week.

She records and performs for radio,television,movies,plays and even some video games. It's her career,not a weekend at a bowling alley playing cover songs kind of thing. The American Federation of Musicians (Local 802--NYC) work out the wage scale and she gets paid for playing music. You have to be real good as the previous poster mentioned. Get it right the first time,every time or you won't be called back for more work.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTrs6xsdG6c