General Music Chat

When you 1st join here, the forum asks if you are a "studio musician".. I assumed that meant a professional full-time studio musician. I said "no", although I have recorded in a studio or 2 before. Has anybody else wondered about this question.. ?

I think that means are you currentky for hire. In the old days when I was playing music full time in clubs. I supplimented my income by getting on the books in various studios they would call me and for $40.00 dollars an hour I would play whatever they wanted me to. I made some good money too. 4 or 5 sessions a week plus playing Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I was making a living playing music.

Sweet! Maybe I should change my answer to "yes".

Though it would not apply to me either way, I just assumed it was as J wrote.
To be a "studio" musician would mean you are affiliated with a studio under some form of contract to play for hire.
$40.00 / Hr is nothing to sneeze at. But I was under the impression that studio musicians were better compensated.
Then I suppose it depends on the studio, and for whom you play.

When you 1st join here, the forum asks if you are a "studio musician".. I assumed that meant a professional full-time studio musician. I said "no", although I have recorded in a studio or 2 before. Has anybody else wondered about this question.. ?

think about it like this ZXYZ:

there are some musicains who work for a label or studio and are there primarily to record tracks for people like Pop stars or country stars.
They are attached to a studio or label more than an artist or band.

Z if you have to ask a question like that then I doubt you qualify as a session musician.

I think that means that youve been paid to play on a session. That doesnt mean beer in your buddies garage studio.

I think that means that youve been paid to play on a session. That doesnt mean beer in your buddies garage studio.

Some people get paid to play on recording sessions and then go buy beer with the money. I just cut out the middle man.

I dunno if I said yes, but I should have. I have worked in the studio, & am willing to do so in the future, so yeah, I'd say yes to that...guess I'll look at that soon, when I have time...

I've gone into the studio with my band and we did a fairly professional job of it, but that doesn't make me a studio musician.
I've added musical parts to other peoples music that they recorded in my studio and got paid for it, but my studio isn't a professional studio, so, once again, that doesn't make me a studio musician.
In other words, I think a studio musician is a person who is hired to play on someone else's works on a semi-regular basis, in a professional studio atmosphere.

I have played on sessions thru the years myself. Got paid a few times, but I dont consider myself a studio musician. I still play in a friends studio when he needs a guitar lick on folks he is recording. Ussually I will record an idea or a hook and then the original band comes back and copys it and records over my version. Still playing a little here and there is all that matters to me.

That doesnt mean beer in your buddies garage studio.

LOL- good one JW

I think a studio musician is a person who is hired to play on someone else's works on a semi-regular basis, in a professional studio atmosphere

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Thanks y'all. That's sort of what I figured. The question "Studio Musician?" though could mean have you ever recorded in a pro studio, I wondered.
I was involved in a "pro" studio project once in Nashville. Was a real nice place. 24 tracks, 2" tape machine, booths, drum-room, etc. I think they charged $200 an hour normally but we got it for free a couple of nights 'cause our drummer knew the sound engineer. It was a great experience, one I'll never forget.

Actually, in rethinking this, I've come to the conclusion that if you can't sight-read, you prolly aren't studio musician material. A true studio musician doesn't "wing it," but follows orders written by the composer, just like a symphony musician.

I don't sight-read. Guess I'm not one...

Being able to sight read probably helps Philby but it's not a criteria to being a studio musician in my view. To me, a studio musician is someone who ONLY plays in the studio and doesn't perform live. I believe the more modern term is session player. The drummer on my recordings is such a musician; he will do recording sessions but that's it.

Dude, that sounds DULL.

George, I'm inclined to agree with you, that's why I enjoy both worlds. But there are plenty musicians like that; XTC hasn't played live in 25 years because Andy Partridge has acute stage fright. Hasn't stopped him from putting out some great music over the years.