Making it as an original artist or session player are goals of many musicians and singers. Until a person achieves these ranks in the music business – how does a musician make a living? My students asked me this question for years and here’s the info. This article covers traditional instruments, as computer driven music is a topic for another article.
Since different instruments provide different functions in the music biz, e.g., soloing, playing accompaniment, etc., the gigs they get follow accordingly. Though I primarily cover the more popular instruments, many classical instruments will be mentioned. If you don’t know what these instruments are, or what they sound like, I suggest going to a library and checking out CD’s that describe and demonstrate them. There are also a number of excellent computer programs that do this if you’re set up for it.
The purpose of this article is to expose you to the types of gigs different instruments are used for. I mention how gigs are gotten, though complete information is covered in my “MUSICIANS’ HOW-TO SERIES.” Here are the usual calls:
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