How To Become an Instant Session Player That's in Demand

Carl Verheyen, one of the most in demand Session Players                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Whether you're just a local, regional or national player you can become a session guy who's a go to guy as well. You can be a session player and not even realize it by doing a few things in this article, and give you the resume you need to get better paying live and studio work.



Most players think you need to audition or be discovered by agents or label scouts and A & R weasels to get session work that pays big to keep you cash flush. First of all think of the type of music you play mainly and go with that. Don't try and be a session lad doing 3 or 4 types of music. You'll go in too many directions and end up doing nothing. You won't be focused.

If you play Blues and Country stick to those two. But start with just one type of music for doing session work.

If you go out to local jams sessions and see blues bands at these jams and know they use hired guns from time to time, talk to them about their music and ask them questions about it. Don't talk about your blues playing.

Offer to interview them to learn more about their work. Ask them what kind of music they play even though you know they're bluesmen. Their blues may be a little different than yours. You may be more of a blues rocker and they play mainly country blues, and you want to learn all you can about the music they play.

Ask them what kind of guitars and amp rig they use along with strings and effects or other equipment such as mic's. This will give you much insight into their music and how you should approach sessions with them. Even ask their bass player and drummer how they play and their equipment they play to learn more on how to play their music.

Also,how they play with each other and how a second guitar player plays with this band. Listen to them and play in accordance to their feel,tempo,phrasing and texturing is very vital. Write up some articles and interviews from the interviews you conduct with them and continue going out to their jams and gigs and buy their CDs. And watch their shows and if they let you, their practices.

By creating value for them that will plant a seed in their minds that you're not just a player who wants paid work and you're helping their band. You may be a great player but you still need to practice jam and learn from other musicians besides your band. And you might just get regular session work if you follow the steps I've outlined. And if you do get session work with that country blues band, before you can play sessions your way, create value for them with interviews and articles and media help, along with still doing articles that teach other musicians by creating value for this band you want session work with.

And like usual you need to jam with different bands in the blues and country sector to get the feel you need to play like a real roots session guy. Learn all you can so you can be an in demand session player that many other bands who play blues will want to pay you well for what you do. In a live or studio environment.

Follow Your Bass Instincts--When Being A Bass Session Player--Why?--Here's Why

Yeah,okay, lets say you've done what Ive said in earlier articles on Bass Session playing--and played bass sessions of music you don't like just to get a resume, experience as a sideman in the studio, and live to get a paycheck.

 Most of you won't do what I say because you think you better than me. Has that gotten you anywhere being an in-demand bass session sideman? Fuck no!

 Very few play the sessions they want or have their own band playing their own music--so they don't have to be a session guy. So the one's who actually follow what I say and that being less than 1%, fantastic! Here's what to do if you get approached for doing bass session work with band's who's music you love and are a rabid fan of. Play your way, not theirs.

 They might have you play cold with the band on a track, or they might have you listen to a track they already did, and play to that to fill in where the bass track would be. First of all, if they say they want you to play their way, walk away from the project. What? you said you have a lot of experience and maybe your own band to boot. You're making money.

If you're the bassist they want--and said to play it their way, why?

 You're there to give a track what it needs. An element of your style, not what they want. Something most players can't do. As well, figure out what type of bass axe--strings--amp and effects if needed
 will fit the bill, not for the band but the song. You're not there for the band but for the song and the fans. Not marketing bullshit. 

Another thing is, play the music you love. That has to come out of you.  

If your influences are bass players like Jaco, Sarzo, Burton or Tony Phillips or Flea, study them and play to their music and do the music you want. Yeah, some of their taste will come out of your playing, but keep it the way you play. And stop doing sessions for bands who's music you don't like. 
If you can swing it financially not to have to do them. 

It's so critical to think about doing session work on music you like and being a fan of their music. You will be able to give the session what it needs if you're a fan in the crowd, not if you hate the music or can do it blindfolded. Study the greats of bass, play sessions you want and be true to your music,not someone else's. 



If you need assistance on what kinds of bass sessions you should do, email me at:mdgrove@rock.com

Bottom Feeder Series for Bass Players

Picture of Session Bass Player Chris Chaney


Bass Playing—Should you use a Pick for Studio and Live Work?

By Mark Grove




The answer to that is double-edged, and we’ll address that here today in our latest Canadian Bass Player article for Bottom-Feeders. Keeping the bottom together with your fingers in a studio session is easier depending on your hand dexterity and building up your hands and fingers to take the punishment of playing Bass. I think if any Bass Bottom Feeder uses these tips just a little, you'll come out ahead as an in demand Bass Session guy, and play the kind of music you want to play.



It’s also a lack of noise in a studio session that keeps you pick free, and players not having to crank their amps and rack equipment to drown out a crowd. But playing situations both studio and live are something you have to get used to. Just because you have a great feel playing live with a pick, doesn’t mean that studio session work without a pick will be a breeze.

http://www.butterflypicks.com

Often, a lot of live bass players don’t have the right feel for studio session playing. It doesn’t work as easily as all that. A huge percentage of big players used hired guns for Bass studio work. We’ll talk about live and studio work with and without a pick, and the little nuances when it comes to Bass playing.



First question is, do you really need a pick for studio session work? For the most part you don’t need to because of the work environment. What I mean by that is most session Bass players are known for their texture and feel on certain albums as a sideman.



As well, it’s a matter of an ability to hear what the other players in a session need for a track—and literally get into that head space and being in the pocket with the right tone. When a band needs you to play with a pick—it is usually having to change from Round Wound to Flat Wound bass strings, and a little less on the bass tone, and jacking the treble. This creates a cleaner bass tone as a result.



I think most bass session players wouldn’t, including those bass axe-men who read this, hate having to play with a pick or fingers when they don’t want to for heavier material.



Live work with your Fingers:

Yeah right. If you play heavy music you better have flat-wounds and Humbuckers up the Wahzoo. Along with that some Mesa-Engineering 600 watters would be nice to cut through. Nah!



Even if you have top of the line amps and bass guitars live, you still need to cut through the Lead guitar and drums. But chances are you still need a pick to produce the string and tone attack you need to cut through.




But it’s tougher than you think to get used to using a pick and the right attack on those Flatties, and produce some nice fat chords that are in the pocket. Mainly, it’s a matter of a pick that feels good between your thumb and forefinger, and getting used to using a pick.


Butterfly picks are great for bass players who like a fatter or thinner pick. Using both a Pick and doing it finger style will help you adapt to both live and session work, and become a more talented Bass Player that gets more work when your band is off the road.

http://www.butterflypicks.com