Additional Topics
Spacious rooms in rehearsal facilities are generally rented for recording artists to use in the staging and rehearsing of live shows. Space might also be rented to audition new band members, or to stage a showcase or private performance. Most facilities also rent lockers where touring and studio musicians can store gear; provide cartage service, and rent back-line equipment. These managers oversee…
The designers formulate a concept for artists’ live performance and either create or oversee the design of the stage, lighting, special effects, and choreography. They are involved in song selection, the pace of the show, and the direction of the overall performance. To succeed, you should have a background in set or lighting design, or both, and the ability to create unique show presentati…
The front house engineer is the main sound engineer for live performances. These technicians gather all the sound information being played and sung on stage, and mix it to achieve optimal volumes and blends. That is the version the audience hears. To succeed, you should be well-versed in how to set up and operate sound equipment and have a basic understanding of music. You need an ear for pitch an…
These individuals are responsible for the overall direction and operation of the company. They contact talent, negotiate deals, oversee marketing and promotion strategy, and other details associated with promoting concerts and other events. To succeed, you need a strong knowledge of the touring and promotion aspects of the business; the ability to read a financial statement; marketing skills and s…
Promoters route tours, promote festivals, negotiate contracts, and arrange other details for music artists to perform outside the United States. “International touring is very detail oriented. If you forget one detail before an artist leaves, they're going to end up paying for it.” Learn a second or third language; foreign travel experience is an advantage. To succeed, you nee…
Road managers are responsible for making sure the touring artist is properly represented and that the performance runs smoothly from start to finish. Depending on the size of the tour, the road manager may also oversee travel arrangements and advancement of each performance date. Road managers also act as liaisons between the publicist and the media to ensure that artist interviews and other event…
These technicians ensure that all stringed instruments are in good repair and are on stage for the live performance. This includes electronic repairs, changing strings, and overall upkeep of the instruments. They also clean, polish, tune, and setup the stringed instruments on stage prior to each performance. They are available during the show to change broken strings and handle any other problems,…
A road musician is hired to travel with an artist and recreate the music on his album and other material as directed. To succeed, you should possess musicianship, a friendly and positive personality, and be dependable. “There is a lot of hurry up and wait, but you have to stay mentally prepared to play. I usually try and get a set list as early as I can and make my notes about what I want t…
Citing this material
Please include a link to this page if you have found this material useful for research or writing a related article. Content on this website is from high-quality, licensed material originally published in print form. You can always be sure you're reading unbiased, factual, and accurate information.
Highlight the text below, right-click, and select “copy”. Paste the link into your website, email, or any other HTML document.
User Comments