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A DAY IN THE LIFE
"Most sessions are booked 10 to 1, 2 to 5, or 6
to 9," explains Tammy Rogers. "If
you're booked for a 10, you show up before 10
and get your gear set up. Recording
demos, people are trying to squeeze five tracks
in three hours. On master sessions,
people usually take a lot more time getting the
sounds exactly right. The engineers are
making sure everything is going to tape exactly
right and that the sound quality is the
best you can get. The producer is making sure
the arrangement works and the tempo
is right. Time is spent figuring out parts for
different instruments. It can be a real cre-
ative time. It's not unusual for a musician to
have some input. It depends on the tone
that the producer and the artist set in the
studio; if they're open to getting the input
from the players, or if they say, `Here is what
we're going for; this is what we want.'
Most of the time it's a pretty relaxed
atmosphere."
"Demos can be a lot of fun. It's not as
stressful as making records, but you have to
work really quickly. That seems to amaze people
when they come to Nashville and
realize that musicians are used to walking in,
hearing a song, and immediately playing
it. We use the Nashville Numbers System so
there is nothing notated except the chord
changes and time fills. The parts are not
mapped out. Occasionally a lick will be
written out, but not very often. You have to be
lightning fast, otherwise you slow
down the whole session and that costs the
songwriter a lot of money. Then the pub-
lisher is screaming at them that their demos
cost $1200 apiece. You won't be hired
again."
When tracking, Harry Stinson arrives a half
hour before the session is scheduled
to start. "Drums require the most mikes and are
the first instrument checked, so I'm
there a little earlier than the other players.
I go in and make sure I'm comfortable and
clear with the engineer as to what I need. If I
need a line for a quick drag or whatever,
then we'll bang through the drums and make sure
everything sounds good. When the
session starts, you listen to the song and play
them down. You go back and do them
"Commit yourself to being the best and then
stand in line and wait your
turn. If your skills are far enough along when
your time comes, then
you'll move on to the next step, but you have
to be ready."--HS
Practice, practice, practice your instrument.
Learn to play more than one
instrument and/or become good at vocal harmony.
Take every opportu-
nity you can find to play with other musicians,
whether in clubs or just
jamming at someone's house. It teaches you how
to work with a lot of
different personalities and skills
levels.
CAREER
TIPS
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