Drumming for a Living

[sidereal]

I'm about to lose my day job at the end of the year. the economy being the way it is, I think I'm going to just not get another job and see how far I can get playing drums for a while.

 

Currently I make about $1,300-1,500 / month gigging (live shows). Trying to decide if I should put an additional cover band together to handle extra nights and push the monthy income to about 2K / month. That's hardly a living wage, but enough to get by for 4-6 months. not married, no kids.

 

Thing is, I could use the time to really sell myself and try to get some paying session work going and see if inertia can take over and enable me to do this for an actual living. San Fran isn't the biggest market in the world for session work, but there's a lot of broadcast stuff, jingle work, and some studio stuff available.

 

I guess I'm wondering what advice you pros have for breaking into this kind of thing? Should I be putting a demo reel together? Calling around radio stations? Studios? Any avenues of opportunity you suggest I hit up, and what's the best way to approach it? btw, I can read music a bit, but I can't sight read. Will that be a problem?

 

Thanks...

[mrthirsty]

Try getting into cruise ship work, it pays about $500 US a week and all your room and board is free. Contracts last from 4 to 6 months and on the average you only have to work 22hrs a week(depending on the line) with 1 day off. The type of bands that do these ships vary from calypso, ballroom, cocktail, showband(doing country, rock, 50's& 60's and disco), and orchestra(you have to be a good sight reader and work with a click to land this position), but all and all it's a great gig to save some money, meet people, and travel. As far as studio work goes, it mostly is contracted to small group of players who have proven time and time again they can get the job done and also aren't about to give up their availability to do these sessions by heading out on the road(unless it's more money) so the turnover is slow, it is however not immpossible getting into this line of work. I'd suggest going to a studio in your area and asking the staff if you could sit in and watch a session providing there are no objections, that way you would get a first hand look at what is expected for this kind of work(you may be suprised!!) and plus you might get to know and ask advice from people who hire and run these sessions, it's a long shot but it's worth a try( the worst they can say is no right??) The last suggestion is try and land some work with a full time road band, a good site to join is www.musicianscontact.com it's $45 but it might be worth it for you seeing as most of the ads are for bands based in California.

 

Good luck, I hope things work out for you!

 

[ 11-17-2001: Message edited by: mrthirsty ]

[felix stein]

I was a pro for about a year and I was constantly broke. I've known a couple of pros and to me they were regarded a little better than bums. Now one of the girl drummers in town got the Kid Rock gig and she is doing great ("client" in my studio played a long time with her)...but I'm sure it is not all hearts and roses at the top either.

 

I don't know side, being a pro drummer with no other income is rough. Most of them have teaching gigs at colleges and are pretty well educated. I could have went that route, but I hate dealing with shitty runny nose brats

 

If I was in your shoes, I would look for another day job in your journalism career and play at nights. Then you will still have money to buy cool drum and recording stuff. Maybe have some benefits and have money to take chicks out. And you will still enjoy it! That is the most important thing.

Doing anything for 8 hours aday turns it into a job.

 

just my 2 cents

 

love

felix

[DrummerCafe]

Well, let me first say that I would disagree with MrThirsty regarding the cruise ship idea ... and here's why. Sure, you can make some money, but you are completely removing yourself from networking with other players back home. Out of sight, out of mind. Since you are already working steady, I would ADD to your schedule and NOT remove yourself from it by hopping on a ship. Remember, you won't be on the ship forever. Touring players have a similar problem; work after the tour.

 

You'll have to be a great sight reader and have all the styles down for sure ... but that should be every professional's mandate no matter what gig it is.

 

 

I think you would be better to try and network more around town. Your idea about starting a second band is good, but not unless you have the time to put it together. With the end of the year fast approaching, I wouldn't think you would have much time to put something together. After New Year's Eve, most bands (in most cities) see a steep drop off in work. I'm assuming you were thinking of a cover band for parties. You're not going to make much money playing clubs, and most of those book a month in advance.

 

Radio stations? Don't know why you would want to do that; can you elaborate?

 

It's been my experience that you are wasting your time contacting studios; you need to contact PRODUCERS! On occasion, a studio has recommended me or called me in for a producer or project that they are working on ... but that's rare. Some studios have in-house producers ... so in that case, contacting them would be a great idea. I recently got a call for a session ... from a studio, but the studio was a producer of jingles. To be more specific, the studio called me because they needed a percussionist ... and a fellow drummer recommended me to them. Incidentally, the session was last Wednesday for a Nokia spot; just hours before my flight was to leave for PASIC. I got the call the night before, booked it, and was in and out in less than an hour, collected my money. Sweet!

 

Now on that session, I didn't have to read only because it was a 30 second spot and the producer had already made a rough mix of what he wanted me to play. I made my own chart, which was nothing more than the form of the tune.

 

We had this discussion (argument) before, but I say it again anyway; you MUST get your reading chops in order if you want to be a session drummer. There was a session once where the bass player couldn't read ... at all ... and he was fired on the spot. He was an incredible player and did a lot of session work around town, but when it came time to read ... he failed miserably. If you can find a niche in the studio where they NEVER will make you read ... that's great. But the real life story is ... you never know what may be expected from you. This is why you've got to have it together; reading, chops, styles, etc. For a free-lance or session player ... it's a MUST ... IF you want to succeed at it. That bass player put a HUGE gash in his career by not being able to read. The word has gotten out, and only a few producers use him.

 

I have to disagree with calling studios and trying to hang out. They're not stupid, the studio will know full well what you are up to ... and it will more than likely not be smiled upon. You need to build relationship FIRST before you start trying to bust a move; it's like a courtship. The studio is not going to jeopardize their relationship with the client by letting some unknown guy (you) hang out in the control room. If you are invited, that's one thing, but to place yourself there while someone else is fronting the bill, not to mention trying to be creative, is just wrong. If I don't like people (even my wife) walking in and watching me practice, I certainly don't want someone I don't know hanging out at the studio while I cut my project. It's an intimate time for most artists and producers, so strangers should not be presumptuous to think hanging is okay. Maybe it's just me, but I think it's tacky to ask. I DO recommend that you call the studios and let them know what it is that you do. Let them invite you! But again, you need to contact PRODUCERS! You do need a demo tape/CD of your work, however, 99% of unsolicited materials wind up in the trash and are never heard.

 

So my recommendation is to make some calls, as you mentioned, contact other players ... especially those who are doing what you want to be doing. Establish relationships and network. You can't rush things; be patient ... but persistent. Each town has it's own vibe so figure out what your's is like.

 

I'm thinking of relocating to Nashville, so I asked DJ and other professionals in the area what is expected. Just talking and asking questions is a form of networking.

 

[ 11-19-2001: Message edited by: Bartman ]

[felix stein]

"The Love Boat, promises something for everyone...The Love Boat...."

 

You can brush up on all yur burning foxtrot, tango and waltz grooves.

 

"Tiny Bubbles"

 

I love my Trans Am and condo too much to sell out. If I'm gonna "make it" as a drummer-I'd just assume hit it big doing my own thing. Which is next to impossible. And I hate people telling me how to play...yeah I romance the idea, but to me the music biz just isn't that glamorous...I think it's a dirty sleezy low paying biz actually. Being a first call studio cat with their own hot jazz band wouldn't be bad but sometimes you have to come to realize your talent and connections and the points where they coincide. I like bartman's idea of giving it time...it takes lots of time to start your own biz, cause that is what you are doing. Unfortunately you have to eat 3 times a day (unless you are Steve or Ian). I would keep cash flow while you expand your drumming career.

[sidereal]

Good advice guys... thanks.

 

Good reality check too. I guess I'd have to invest a great deal of time re-learning how to read (haven't had to, being a mostly live player in rock/pop/funk bands).

 

I'm booked to do a session with a producer and record label owner. He's recording a Best of SF CD of various bands on the label... sort of a freebee sampler. I'm not charging him since he's a friend and I recognize the need to get my name out there. maybe this will help.

 

I am fairly well-connected to more big-name producers. I guess I should contact them and maybe just innocently ask the question "so how does one get gigs as a freelancer?" and see if any of them take the bait. if not, I'll at least get additional advice.

 

Incidentally, here's a bit of a story that I'm reminded of. I'm a writer as my day gig and I was doing a story on one of the top producer/engineers in NYC. So I'm out to dinner at a cajun restaurant with him and a guitarist friend of mine from college calls me on the cell phone and drops by since he knew I was in town. So he sits down at the table, and learns that this guy I'm with is a music producer. So my friend, who has just arrived in Manhattan from living in Colorado, says "so how does one get a freelance guitar career going in New York." The producer says "well, actually, after we finish here, I'm going back to work on a session and we need some guitar playing on it. care to come by and give it a shot?" my eyes go wide and get even wider as my friend replies "well, tonight I'm going to this show down at the Blue Note where I'm meeting some people." I was shocked. There was his opportunity and he blew it.

[DrummerCafe]

Originally posted by sidereal:

The producer says "well, actually, after we finish here, I'm going back to work on a session and we need some guitar playing on it. care to come by and give it a shot?" my eyes go wide and get even wider as my friend replies "well, tonight I'm going to this show down at the Blue Note where I'm meeting some people." I was shocked. There was his opportunity and he blew it.

 

Oh ... my ... God ... you're friend is a I.D.I.O.T. IDIOT.

I'd have to slap that boy upside the head, from now to eternity, if I EVER heard him whine about not getting gigs!

 

I've been trying to get more jingle work here in Dallas, so when I got the call for the NOKIA session the night before, 17 hours before my flight left ... I MADE it happen. It was a little tight being that I needed to pack and all ... plus working it out with my wife's schedule on such short notice. But I told myself (and my wife) that I NEED this session, I MUST do this session ... I WILL do this session. Don't get me wrong, I have priorities, but I knew I needed to do whatever it took to get my foot in the door with this NEW producer.

[mrthirsty]

Whatever Bart!

[DrummerCafe]

Originally posted by mrthirsty:

Whatever Bart!

 

Hey, don't take my comments personally. I think all your advice was good ... I just disagreed with some of your comments in this particular situation. It's only my opinion based on my experience. I'm sure others, including yourself, have there own opinions based upon their experience with this topic.

 

I've been doing this "making a living in music" for over 20 years now ... and I've attempted some of the things you suggested. I disagreed because, out of the dozen plus cities I've lived in during my career, I found what works and doesn't work for me ... hence my opinion.

 

Peace.

[felix stein]

Oh, Bartman-

I just wanted to give you a congrats for landing your Nokia session-since nobody else did.

 

Good 4 U- good things come to good people...I believe that.

[DrummerCafe]

Thanks Felix, hopefully there will be more to follow.