| Here is the golden rule of being a successful studio | | | | *THIS IS ANOTHER RULE THAT YOU MUST BEAR |
| musician. You can choose to heed it or you can | | | | IN MIND. THE ARTIST MAY HAVE TERRIBLE |
| choose to ignore it. I'll tell you this though, if you choose | | | | COMMUNICATION SKILLS BUT YOU ARE STILL |
| to ignore this rule it won't really matter how great you | | | | REQUIRED TO HAVE THEM!* |
| are. | | | | You're going to run into artists that have a lot of |
| *YOU MUST BE A PERSON THAT GETS ALONG | | | | attitude. It's inevitable and just a matter of time. A |
| WELL WITH OTHERS AND BRINGS POSITIVE | | | | couple of buddies of mine were doing a gig with |
| ENERGY TO A SESSION AND THE PEOPLE | | | | Kenny G and they walked into the rehearsal and |
| INVOLVED IN A SESSION. YOU MUST BE AN | | | | there's Kenny standing there with his saxophone |
| ENABLER!* | | | | playing away doing his circular breathing thing while he's |
| I kid you not that all else is secondary. You can have | | | | meeting all the players! Circular breathing technique |
| all the chops and talent in the world but if you're | | | | allows you to continuously play without stopping. So |
| disruptive, egotistical, arrogant, reactionary and if you | | | | he's standing there blasting away on his horn while |
| generally diminish the flow and the energy in the room | | | | shaking hands with these guys. And apparently that |
| then you should start looking for another career! | | | | was just the beginning of the attitude! At one point he |
| The best session musicians are a hybrid of talent, tools | | | | yells at the drummer, "Drummer here's your tempo!" |
| and great people skills. A studio setting is most often a | | | | So there are times when you have to steel yourself |
| tense environment to start with. You have players | | | | against the negative vibes. You truly put on your game |
| who are on edge usually working with new material | | | | face in these moments. |
| and unknown elements. The same is often the case | | | | But back to a studio setting, artists still are the boss. |
| for the artist, producer and engineer. There's often a | | | | The artist is always right in the end! It's their product |
| lot of money at stake and time is always of the | | | | and they are footing the bill. This is a rule that you have |
| essence. The best session players are aware of the | | | | to internalize. |
| dynamic in the room at all times and are consistently | | | | You never want to disrupt the forward motion of a |
| working together with the artist, players and production | | | | session and the creative atmosphere! |
| staff to bring the most positive energy to the creative | | | | The artist or producer may also ask you to change or |
| process. | | | | adjust your part or go in a completely different |
| Not only the above but this is also key. | | | | direction. You may completely disagree! I know of one |
| *THE BEST STUDIO MUSICIANS DIFFUSE | | | | session player who actually started debating with the |
| NEGATIVE ENERGY* | | | | producer about the merits of his change. What a |
| If something negative occurs or is introduced they will | | | | terrible mistake. His overbearing position was the end |
| dissipate it through their communication skills. This | | | | for him. |
| results in a 'righting of the ship' so to speak. | | | | The other thing to remember is that session players |
| This is not some airy fairy psycho babble. This key | | | | and producers are always a tight knit group of people! |
| element is often overlooked by very great players | | | | You can go to any city or music center and the |
| who suddenly find that they're no longer being called | | | | people that do the bulk of the session work are a |
| for sessions. It happens all the time that musicians who | | | | relatively small group of professionals. It literally only |
| may have great ability have completely overlooked | | | | takes one infraction of the sort I've been talking about |
| the importance of human relations within the | | | | for it to be over for you. And on the same token good |
| profession. I know of great players directly in my circle | | | | news travels quickly. Producers are intensively aware |
| where this has been the outcome for them and the | | | | of a musicians' ability to interact with artists and their |
| situation was entirely created by them. | | | | handling of difficult communicative situations. A |
| One situation that often arises and tests a player's | | | | musician who can deftly handle these relational |
| patience, humility and communication skills is one where | | | | situations and retain the positive energy in the room as |
| the client doesn't like what you're doing and says so in | | | | well as bring their A game to the table as a player are |
| front of the players and staff, in a sense putting you | | | | gold to producers and good news travels! |
| on the hot seat. Their intention may not be to do that | | | | But remember, an experienced producer will go with |
| at all! It can be very testing as to how to respond in a | | | | someone of slightly lesser talent but who has the ALL |
| way that disarms the situation yet still retains the | | | | elements necessary! People skills are absolutely the |
| confidence in the eventual outcome and continues the | | | | key essential! |
| forward motion and good vibes of a session. | | | | |