One of the most common dreams beginner guitar players have is becoming a famous musician. As time goes by, you might realize you are gravitating towards making music behind the scenes. One of the best ways to make a living doing something you love is by becoming a studio guitarist.
If you want to make your career as a studio musician lucrative, then you need to work on booking sessions consistently. Accomplishing this goal will require hard work and the ability to market your services to artists in the industry. Are you trying to become a successful studio guitarist? If so, check out the helpful tips in this article.
Work On Becoming Technically Proficient
Booking sessions with popular musicians will require you to become a master of your instrument. You need to realize that when artists hire studio musicians, they expect them to come in and play flawlessly. If you get a reputation for being prepared and technically proficient, landing new sessions will be much easier. Taking the time to take an objective look at how you play is the first step in identifying potential problems.
If you see that you have trouble playing scales or CAGED shapes, then working through these issues is crucial. One of the best things you can do to improve your skills is to invest in the cheat sheets offered by Fretboard Geek. With these cheat sheets, you can improve your playing in no time.
Being Musically Versatile is Important
Some newcomers to the world of session playing fail to realize just how many different music genres they might have to play. Being short-sided regarding the style of music you can play can get in the way of your success as a studio guitarist. Rather than only seeking out sessions in one musical genre, you need to expand your palette.
Honing your skills as a guitar player will be much easier if you are actually challenging yourself. Learning things like jazz theory can help you become a more well-rounded player. You need to realize that your success as a session player hinges on your ability to adapt to new styles of music. This is why you need to realize the importance of expanding your horizons.
The Right Gear Makes a Big Difference
Showcasing your abilities as a guitar player will be difficult if you have low-quality equipment. The last thing any artist wants is for the studio musicians they hire to play instruments that sound out of tune or unclear. Instead of skimping on the quality of your musical equipment, you need to spend money on great amps and guitars.
The type of guitar you use in a particular session will depend heavily on the style of music. This is why having guitars with single-coil and humbucker pickups is so important. If you want to provide the artist you are working for with unique sounds, you also need to realize the importance of great effects pedals.
By implementing the tips in this article, you can build a career as a session guitarist.