Sometimes I try to remember how I arrived at this point in my career as a musician and struggle to define when it even started. When did I become a professional musician? Was it when I got my first $20 weekly gig when I was 16, or when I told the IRS my occupation was Freelance Musician? Waking up every day and practicing guitar for work and not knowing how I got here... yeah, this is starting to feel a bit too much like a dream.
How does a musician find gigs?Regardless of whether you aspire to tour as a sideman, play in a symphony, work in a Broadway pit, compose for TV and film, teach private music lessons, or more likely doing some combination of all these jobs, there are two factors that will directly effect the frequency and quality of your work:
- Your skills as a musician.
- Your reputation and ability to network.
First, you have to be a superb musician. Period.
That said, the best jobs do not always go to the best musicians. Most gigs do not require insane technical chops or mastery of the melodic minor modes. They do, however, require timeliness, cooperation, preparedness, and professionalism.
Finally, you need to learn about the people that hire musicians make an asserted effort to connect with them. It's up to you to make the first inroads for your career.
Hone Your SkillsAt the risk of offending some of you, one of the reasons you might have trouble finding gigs is that you're just not good enough. Yet.
Music is a very competitive field with many factors outside our control. Our skill level is not one of them. Every outstanding musician went to great lengths to practice, practice, and practice some more. If you want to be a professional musician, practicing is your 9-5. Learn how to practice.
Growing up, I was fortunate to have a neighbor that played viola in the St. Louis Symphony. He outlined some of the basic skills I should start working on immediately:
- Ear training: Know what a minor chord sounds like compared to a diminished chord. Recognize the sound of every interval inside an octave. Learn the sound of music theory. Musicians communicate with these sounds, you must learn the language.
- Learn to read and write music. You don't have to be the best sight reader, but if you really want to make a living as a musician, you can't afford to turn down work because it involves written music.
- Finally, have a performance ready piece of music, that you can play by yourself, ready to go at all times. If you can't sound great on your own, you'll never sound great in a group.
That is some of the best advice I was ever given. I would have learned it eventually, but I'm thankful for being schooled early on, allowing me to internalize all of those skills.
In my experience, one of the best way to develop these skills is through transcription. Learn how to play exactly what the masters play. Teach yourself by ear, then write it down. Every great musician starts this way.
Honing these skills will help you learn new music faster.
To make a living as a musician, you'll probably have to start by spreading yourself across many different gigs. Your private students want to learn new songs every week, the singer/songwriter you accompany just wrote three new songs for the gig this weekend, and you have to learn three hours of cover songs to sub in a wedding band. It's a lot of work, but with practice, you'll be able to learn music quickly and efficiently.
Build Your Reputation & NetworkWhen I recently looked over the past two years on my gig calendar, I realized about 95% of the work I'd done can be traced back to my musician friends, either because they were already on the gig, or they recommended me.
In this regard, the best piece of advice I can give you is something you'd expect to hear from your mom:
Work hard, be a good person, and associate with other hard working, good people.
If you do this, you and your network of friends will get in on the ground floor of each others careers have a greater chance at becoming successful working musicians.
Reciprocation
My dad once told me that he would follow up interviews with a hand written note. People remember those kinds of gestures, and even if you haven't asked for anything in return, there's a good chance your thoughtfulness will be repaid.
This, he explained, is called reciprocation—the act of responding to a gesture with a similar gesture. People do this all the time without realizing it. We're all programmed to keep balance in our lives.
I transferred schools my junior year of college. Being the new guy on campus I wasn't getting very many calls for gigs, but I wanted to play. I set out to book as many gigs for myself as possible. I needed people to play with me, so I called the musicians I'd become friends with, paid them whatever I could, and helped us all get some more working experience.
Many of the musicians I was hiring were playing with other people as well. Gradually, the guys playing on my gigs recommended me to other musicians in town. The work I was creating for some was reciprocated through a job with somebody else.
Paying it Forward
This idea of reciprocation goes beyond the “I give you a gig, you give me a gig" scenario I just described. Musicians that have more established careers know the importance of helping each other out, and often pass work to younger players that they feel have earned a shot at more lucrative jobs.
Of course, these seasoned pros don't necessarily go looking for their proteges. You have to be proactive and reach out to musicians who are doing the kinds of jobs you want to do. There are a lot of ways to reach out: go to their gigs, ask to sit in, take a lesson from them, or simply offer to buy them coffee and talk shop.
In turn, pay it forward as you become more successful.
College Connections
The core of my network happens to be friends I met in college. It's been 10 years since I was a student, but I work regularly with musicians I met in college, including Brad Whiteley, the keyboardist in my trio, and Dave Hahn, my Musician Wages cohort.
If you're undecided about whether or not to study music in college, I interviewed several pro musicians that majored in music for another Musician Wages article called Advice On Using a Music Education. Each of them felt studying music in college gave them an advantage after school.
There's also a certain camaraderie felt among music alumni. I've worked with guys that went to the same school as I, but at a different time. Immediately, we've got some common ground.
Additionally, there's credibility associated with going to one school or another. It assures other musicians that you probably know what you're doing. It's a thin veil, though, lifted as soon as you start playing.
How to Really Use the Internet
As I mentioned, about 95% of my work comes from my network of friends. The other 5% comes from my internet presence or being at the right place at the right time.
A good internet presence is important for musicians, but only because it reinforces the networking you do offline.
People you meet should be able to quickly find you online by searching your name and maybe the instrument you play. Once they find your site, make it easy for them to contact you, buy your music, etc. All this is possible with a well optimized website.
Similarly, social networking sites are a great way to stay connected with people you meet on the scene. Drummer Jeremy Yaddaw wrote an article about Facebook networking for musicians that describes exactly what I'm talking about.
Who Hires Musicians?Let's take a look at some of the people and places that hire musicians. Click on a list item to skip ahead:
Music Venues
Public places that regularly book live music typically fall into one of two categories:
- Those that use live music to attract their clientele.
- Those that use live music to enhance the atmosphere of their establishment.
The Bitter End in New York, Hotel Cafe in LA, and The Basement in Nashville are all examples of places people go to when they want to hear live music. Since the music is the primary draw for customers, bookers or talent buyers are interested in artists that will fill their room with paying customers.
If you can sell tickets, you can make a lot of money.
Restaurants, wineries, and hotel lounges are the kinds of places that hire musicians as background music. These gigs often go to solo musicians or smaller groups that play niche styles. For example, a solo jazz guitarist could be a good fit for Sunday brunch, a string quartet would sound nice at a winery, or an accordionist playing traditional Tarantella would create the right atmosphere at an upscale Italian restaurant.
If you can play music that will enhance or add authenticity to an establishment's atmosphere, you should be able to find some work.
In both cases, you'll probably have to deal with a talent buyer, manager, bartender, or some other employee at the venues. While in college, I worked at both types of venues—a bar that booked bands six nights a week, and a restaurant that hired background musicians on the weekends. I learned what to do, and what not to do, if you want to be booked at these venues, and wrote another article called What I Learned Working at Venues.
Other Musicians
Booking your own gigs is great, but it's also a lot of work. Another way to land the same type of gig is to be hired by other musicians.
These are typically sideman jobs, that is, you are hired to be a supporting band member for another artist. Some of the best musicians in the world have lucrative careers recording and touring alongside popular artists.
Fellow musicians might also hire you to help with tasks they can't do themselves, such as transcribing, writing charts, or acting as their music director.
In my experience, the first musicians that are going to hire you will be your friends. As you perform more often and continue meeting and working with other musicians, your network will expand. When artists need to hire somebody for their band, they ask often their friends and band members for recommendations. If you've built a solid reputation, people will start recommending you.
Musician Wages has several articles on working as a sideman. To better understand the job, check out A Guide To Being a Successful Sideman.
Music Contractors/Music Directors
Music Contractors and Music Directors are two different jobs with different responsibilities, but because they're sometimes done by the same person, I'm grouping them together. Both jobs are management positions that oversee performing musicians.
Music Contractors, also called Music Supervisors in musical theatre, oversee the hiring of musicians for a particular gig. Even though the contractor does the hiring, he or she usually isn't directly involved with the music.
Music Directors are responsible for teaching the music to the performers. In many cases, the MD is also in the band.
Jobs with Music Directors on board typically enjoy bigger budgets, which means more pay to the musicians. The most lucrative jobs are very competitive. Contractors and MDs often act as a filter to find the right musicians for a job, and they usually start with people they know and trust.
Again, this comes down to being a great player and networking. If Contractors and MDs hear your name enough, eventually they will call you with a job. Of course, it doesn't hurt to reach out and let them know you are available.
Dave wrote a great series explaining how he became a Broadway musician, and discusses exactly how he reached out to music contractors, music directors, and everybody else that works with musicians on Broadway. If you haven't read that series, I highly recommend you check it out. Even if you don't want to play on Broadway, you'll find some vital information in his articles.
Music Producers
In the music industry, the music producer's job is to oversee the making, or production, of a recording. Originally, making a recording was simply (or not so simply) a matter of capturing a live performance in a studio. As technology progressed, multi-tracking and post-production sound manipulation broadened the role of the producer. Today, for better or worse, the technology needed to produce a modest recording is easily accessible to anybody with a couple thousand dollars.
One of the producer's roles is to hire musicians for recording sessions. They need musicians that can learn the music very quickly and nail their parts in few takes. Having a great ear, professional sound, excellent time feel, and the ability to sight read are all important skills for a studio musician.
The recording scene has been greatly decentralized with the rise of home studios. Now, wherever somebody is making an album, there is potential for studio work.
One problem is that most people with home studios are trying to make albums as inexpensively as possible, and cannot afford to hire session musicians. Sometimes, though, opportunities to work with young producers can turn into long term collaborations that will be valuable to your career down the road. It's important to know when to take an unpaid gig, but occasionally they can pay off in the long run.
It's also possible to work for producers without ever actually being in the same room as them. Virtual session musicians record their parts at home and send them to the producer online. For a thorough read on this topic, check out Scott Horton's How To Be a Studio Musician Without Leaving Home.
Finally, some of you may have dreams of working in high end studios and playing on pop stars hits. I hate to break it to you, but the days of storied groups of dedicated studio musicians like the Funk Brothers or Wrecking Crew are long gone. Session work at that level isn't as sustainable as it used to be, and won't be for the foreseeable future. It still exists but on a smaller scale, allowing fewer musicians to make a good living playing sessions exclusively.
TV/Film Professionals
Composing for TV and Film can generate a great income for musicians, but the industry has been changing over the last decade or so. Instead of in house composers and studio bands, much of the music you hear on TV and in the movies now either comes from a music library or is licensed directly from an artist or record label. Nonetheless, there is still good money for musicians in film and TV placements.
Ethan Stoller, who composes, produces, and edits music for TV and film, wrote about his career for Musician Wages. He offered a few pieces of advice for musicians interested in these jobs: Be prepared for the job you accept, be someone people want to work with, and connect with people in your local film making community.
Once again, hone your skills and network. Read his story and you'll see how his connections from high school turned into his big break.
Note: If you'd like to do this type of work but are not in proximity of film makers, you have to consider moving.
Churches
Churches, synagogues and other places of worship have always employed musicians. There is a wide variety of music in churches, from traditional and classical to contemporary rock, pop, and gospel.
Most churches employ at least one full time musician, such as an organist, who might also be responsible for all music related activities. In larger churches, there may be more full or part time musicians on staff to share these responsibilities.
In addition to their staff, churches often hire freelance musicians for holiday services, musicals performed by the youth, or sidemen for contemporary worship bands. Churches may also commission music by freelance composers.
Staff positions are typically hired by church leaders. For example, when my parents' church recently hired a new organist and music director, candidates met with the pastor and a congregational committee. When churches need to hire musicians for their staff, they'll likely post the positions on musician jobs boards, religious jobs boards, or in classified ads.
Freelance positions, on the other hand, are usually hired by the music director. It's possible she'll post the jobs in classified ads, but more likely that she'll look for musicians in the community, either through members of the congregation or by recommendation of other church music directors.
Schools
Schools, like churches, have several methods of employing musicians.
First, there's staff. Band, choir, and orchestra directors, and if the school has a large enough program (and budget) they might employ private instructors, accompanists, and other specialists. If you're interested in being a music teacher at a school, you'll need a degree in music education (bachelors at least, masters for higher education). Then you'll be able to apply for teaching positions as they open up.
Next there are contracted positions, for example, somebody hired to help instruct the drum line in a high school marching band. These are part time positions that aren't needed during the entire school year.
Finally, there are clinicians—professional musicians hired to teach a masterclass or give a lecture. These are basically freelance jobs that typically last a day or a week, less than the contracted positions.
Clinicians and contracted musicians are hired by a school's music teachers. To start finding this type of work, contact your old high school band director! Start with the people that already know you and try to learn who is hiring outside help for their programs.
In my opinion, musicians that are passionate about teaching make the best teachers. Education takes a lot of patience, planning, and expertise. Just because you're good at music does not mean you'll be good at teaching it to others.
The Military
Joining a military band isn't something most musicians consider when they first pick up an instrument. However, it can be a great gig with a salary, benefits, and plenty of playing opportunities. I've known a few musicians that joined a military band because they were struggling to make ends meet, and they ended up loving their military career.
Granted, this gig isn't for everyone, and I don't know enough about it to give you proper advice. Lucky for us, Staff Sergeant Joshua DiStefano, a pianist in the U.S. Army for 14 years, has been a regular contributor to Musician Wages. Read about Josh's experiences in The Life of an Army Band Musician.
Event Planners
Event planners are people or companies that organize and oversee upscale private parties, weddings, corporate events and other special occasions. Most of the time, these events include live music. Musicians call these jobs “club dates." Club dates are commonly high paying jobs, especially in large cities.
Because club dates and private events can pay so well, there are companies that operate multiple corporate party bands and event planners specifically to book these gigs. They hire musicians through auditions. If you'd like to play in one of these bands, contact corporate bands in your area and ask them for an audition.
Many times, however, the event planner usually deals directly with one musician acting as the music director, who in turn hires the rest of the band. When events only need a small group or soloist, the event planner might deal directly with the musician or group.
If you'd like to be hired directly by even planners, search the internet for “event planners" or “event planning" in your area. In a big enough city, you'll find anything from large companies to individuals offering event planning services. In all cases, event planners need a network of trusted vendors, including musicians, to do their jobs effectively.
Don't expect them to call you, though. Make first contact, explain what you can offer (type of ensemble, repertoire, etc), and tell them you're available immediately. If they don't have an event for you on their calendar, politely follow up every few months.
Regular People
Finally, there are plenty of jobs to be found from people outside the music and entertainment industries. Regular people hire musicians to teach private lessons, write a song for a special event, perform at their anniversary party, company holiday party, or a house concert.
How do these people find musicians? The internet, neighbors, churches, schools, local music venues, or anywhere musicians work.
I haven't looked at a Yellow Pages in years, but I'm pretty sure there wasn't much of a musician section like, say, plumbers or pest control. There aren't many directories people can use to find local musicians, so it's up to you to let people know you're available. By simply mentioning you do private events on a business card, your website, or postcards at your other gigs, you're making it easier for people to hire you.
Tying it All TogetherThis article is just the beginning; there are many links embedded throughout it that lead to words of wisdom by other musicians. Learn from every opportunity, strive to be a better musician, a good hang, and contribute to the musician community by helping others. Please feel free to share your tips in the comments below!
Good luck everyone, and happy gigging.
