Helpful Tips for Starting Out as a Session Musician

If you’re a musician, you have most likely experienced dismissal in your time.

Have you ever had your serious plans of a career in music labelled as a hobby by someone? Or even worse, had a different career choice politely suggested to you? While the unsolicited advice might come from a place of well meaning, it is a bit annoying isn’t it?

The most annoying part is though, that in spite of your stubbornness you can’t shake the feeling that they might have a point.

When you look at the upper echelons of the musical pyramid, there isn’t a lot of room at the top, and there’s the common thought that money is scarce below those dizzying heights. You could say it’s on par with the dreams:likelihood ratio of becoming a Premier League Footballer.

This isn’t to say that it’s impossible to become a world famous artist with a tour bus per band member and a pocketful of rehab vouchers; but what if a successful music career didn’t have to involve magazine covers and red carpets?

If fame is the ultimate goal for you - fair enough, but you’ll rely on a lot of luck as well as talent and hard work. (sometimes you don’t even need to be that talented, but that’s a debate for another time.)

If the goal is to carve a sustainable career from playing music, then the path of a session musician might be for you. When done right, session musicianship can be very rewarding. It involves meeting new artists, playing different genres and pushing your boundaries as a musician.

You will work in a more supportive role to the artist who has hired you. Creative input is required in some cases, but you might also just be needed to play pre-written parts; and play them well for that matter.

Types of session musician work:

The two main types of session work are in live performance and studio recording.

With live performance, you’ll be hired to perform with an artist or band on shows, tours and video shoots. A lot of live session musicians play in function cover bands too, as the pay rate is usually good and a great way to stay in practice.

With studio recording work, you’ll be hired to record parts for a song. You may be given free rein to come up with your own part, or the songwriter/producer might direct you on what to play.

Getting work as a session musician:

It might sound like an ideal career. But how do you actually get work as a session musician?

With the sheer amount of music that is recorded and performed on a daily basis, the demand for good session musicians is high; making it a potentially lucrative career. So if you’re just starting out, here are a few tips that could be useful!

Market yourself: With self employment making up over 70% of the music industry, it helps to acquire the tools to essentially be your own business. This includes having your own social media pages (Instagram Reels & Tik Tok are heavily utilised by musicians at the moment), having an online portfolio of recorded and performing work, printing business cards and networking with potential clients are just a few ways to showcase yourself for work.
Learn, learn, learn: Earning gradings in your instrument, or working on your ear ability can help you pick up songs faster and ultimately make you a more able (and hireable) musician.
Learn a number of instruments: Good multi-instrumentalists can be in high demand. It means you can offer more to the session, which results in more work for you!
Learn a unique instrument: They say that you are never six feet from a guitarist, but how many Theremin specialists do you know of? There’ll be a need for one somewhere, with more opportunity to stand out in a less saturated market.
Prepare for auditions: As a session musician you can expect to audition quite a lot, especially if there is plenty of interest in the role. To prepare effectively, learn all that you can about the artist, and rehearse the parts to a point where they feel like second nature.
Move to a busy musical environment: Living in a vibrant city or town with plenty of venues and studios can make work opportunities more readily available with less travel involved.
Dress for the role: You may also be hired as a visual element, so it’s important to dress to suit the artist and band. Sometimes it’ll be quite casual, or there may be an assigned outfit or dress code. Make sure you know what you’re getting into before you’re presented with a glow in the dark one-piece.
Sign up to Aux for a database of potential clients!: Aux offers access to an ever-growing community of artists, labels, managers and other contacts across every sector of the music industry. Make an account to discover and connect with potential clients while showcasing your work as a session musician - all in one place!

Photo by Simon Weisser / Unsplash

Maintaining work as a session musician:

Once you’ve found work, maintaining the work is another thing. Just like in any profession, serving the clients needs is essential, and this is what will get you hired again and again:

Be on time: This is pretty much a given in any working environment, and despite the laid back stereotypes associated with musicians, they really don’t like waiting around. Arrive consistently at the pre-agreed time and your proven reliability will go a long way in earning you more work.
Be professional: Mike Joyce of The Smiths infamously turned up to his audition under the influence of magic mushrooms. While he managed to get accepted into the band in spite of this, it's an approach that will likely do you no favours. Be sure to turn up prepared for the role, meet who you’ll be working with and turn your focus to what needs to be done. At the end of the day, you’re being trusted to contribute to the work of another artist, and they’re relying on a professional to do the job properly.
Play to the style: While your complex triplet drum fills are very impressive - are they really needed in a heartfelt country-pop ballad? Serving the song is essential, and sometimes this could mean bringing it back to basics. If the artist gives the nod for creative flair then go ahead, but remember that the artist on show is the main focus.
Practice, practice practice: Once you’ve learned a part, take the time to master the phrasing, dynamics and rhythmical nuances to perfect your playing. Again, rehearse until the parts feel second nature!
Gear Maintenance: Your instrument and gear are your tools for the job. Like a carpenter wouldn’t use a blunt handsaw, it’s important to keep them in good condition. Bring spare strings, leads, cleaning tools and anything else to prevent any form of malfunction.
Ask clients to provide testimonials: If a session goes well, ask if the client will provide a testimonial to your work. This isn’t to massage your ego, but to further your portfolio and help improve your employability. Word of mouth is a huge marketing factor, and sharing approval from fellow musicians is a great way to achieve it. Why not return the favour by providing a testimonial for another session musician or artist you’ve worked with?

Payment:

Photo by Colin Watts / Unsplash

When it comes to payment as a self employed session musician, it can be difficult to set out your rates and earn what you feel you deserve. Charge too much and you might scare clients away, charge too little and you’ll sell yourself short. Here are a few things that can maximise your income without affecting your workload:

Know your worth and provide your fee accordingly: With your fees, there is a lot to bear in mind such as travel, hours and overnight expenses. Keep track of and include all of these costs in your invoice. The nature of the job may affect the payment rates too. For example, if you are hired to play a live show, you’ll likely be paid a flat fee for that show. However the rehearsal time leading up to the show may not pay. Clarify and agree upon these details before saying yes.
Know that some artists might not be in a position to pay you: For example, an artist might be starting out with no real budget. This is a tough one, but if the experience seems good, especially as a start up session musician yourself - go with your gut. If the money isn’t there, but you enjoy the music and the people that you work with, invest your time if you feel it’s worth it. Helping out a promising artist in their formative years can have its rewards in the long run.
Sign up for Performance Rights (PPL): Good news. It is possible to earn royalties as a session musician! Register with the PPL as a performer to collect royalties on a recording of a song that you are involved in. Your entitlement to these royalties can vary due to how much creative input you have. This is to be agreed amongst the hiring artist/label and you as a session musician. However, as history has proven, things can get complicated when it comes to splitting royalties. It could be recommended to seek financial consultancy in some cases, especially if a song in question is selling well.

Some tips and realities if you’re just starting out…

Of course you can’t just expect to become a full time session musician overnight. It is a business that takes time to build on, and in spite of the potential earnings, the money will be scarce at first. Here are a couple more things to bear in mind alongside building your career as a session musician.

Be patient and committed: As your contact list will likely be pretty small at first, you can expect the work to be varied and infrequent. Use the dry spells to your advantage by furthering your playing skills or working on your portfolio. The busier your schedule gets, the less time you’ll have for this, so utilise it!
Support your career with flexible income on the side: While it might take time to build your career, your living costs aren’t gonna wait for you. During this time, it’s wise to balance your work with other sources of income on the side. Flexible part time retail or barista work can help to make up the extra rent, without taking up all of your time. If you have any other skills that you could utilise on a freelance basis (writing, graphic design, event promoting etc) then these are great flexible ways to earn income too.

This is by no means an exhaustive list to guarantee work as a session musician, but they are a few tips that I’ve picked up in my relatively short time working with musicians myself. If you’re reading this as a start-up session musician, I hope it helps!

Check out the Aux Guide for more tips and services designed to help your career in the music industry.