ARTICLE
Innovation & Inspiration for Musicians
By Craig PiloFor every instrument, there could be 1 million great players out there in the world, but who is actually creating anything? I’m not a music critic, but it doesn’t take a professional to asses that we are obsessed with duplicating and replicating what has come before us rather than creating anything new. I’m a loud proponent of “stealing and incorporating,” but I think the incorporating part gets overlooked and then we’re left with just stealing. After all, stealing and incorporating is a great way to achieve an attractive sound, but then you have to make it your sound. Are there any patterns of notes left for us to create or discover?
ARTICLE
Traveling as a Musician
By Craig PiloAny gig or show that is not local will involve traveling. Whether you are traveling by car, plane, bus, or train, a few simple guidelines can make the process a lot smoother for everyone. I’ve assembled a few suggestions centered around common sense that may provide some insight for people on their first endeavor. For starters, be prepared to take care of yourself first, and then worry about everything else second. Make sure you have your own gear in working order and personal items packed and ready to go. Anything you forget will probably inconvenience someone else on the road. Poor planning on your part should not constitute an emergency for someone else.
ARTICLE
Just Play
By Craig PiloSound familiar? Maybe it’s an excerpt from something your high school band director told you when you were asking too many questions, or talking to the person sitting next to you when you should be making changes to your music. It was probably prefaced by “SHUT UP and just play!” or something to that effect. Maybe it’s something a music director told you when you were sitting in a pit asking about what voicing to use or which mallets to play on a marimba. Maybe it’s something you heard when you didn’t know the changes or form to a tune someone called on a particular gig or jam session. Maybe it’s something you told your drummer or guitarist about one of your tunes. Or maybe it’s just something we should all think about a little more carefully here in modern times. Wait… what? Is this just another voice ringing in my head (bad memories from marching band?) or is there something here that holds the key to what we are all trying to do?
If you are determined to be a playing, working musician in addition to or instead of being a composer, here’s an ounce of some truth: marketing, personality, great music, networking, and web presence is vital; but nothing is as important as getting out there and doing what you do: playing.
ARTICLE
The Next Level – Getting Started As a Musician, Part 2
By Craig PiloYou’re out of the gate with your music career and now you are trying to get to “The Next Level”. You’ve established yourself in one circle or another and you’ve come to realize that you deserve more money, recognition, and better gigs than you are getting now.
For starters, let’s refer back to my first article on “Getting Started”. The first 3 issues need to be revisited. Honest Assessment, Gather Information, and Set Reasonable Goals. Whether you are a part time musician looking to become a full time musician or you are a full time musician seeking to increase your gig schedule, we need to establish what constitutes “The Next Level” since it’s quite different for all of us. Steps for getting to the next level are not a secret but they are uncomfortable and difficult to implement. There is no substitute for hard work and perseverance. Very similar to getting started in the music business, there is also no single answer for getting to the next level. Are you ready for “The Next Level?” Assess your situation, gather some information, set a few goals and read on!
ARTICLE
Getting Started as a Musician
By Craig PiloYou are in one of 3 scenarios:
1. You are in your teens or twenties and you’ve decided college or working full time is not for you and you want to be a musician and break onto the scene.
2. You’ve just graduated music school with a degree in music and you want to break onto the scene as a musician.
3. You are in your 30’s, 40’s, 50’s or 60’s and you have always wanted to be a musician. You’ve decided now is the time to break onto the scene.
The question I get most often in lessons or at clinics is, “How do I get a gig?”
This is a million dollar question. No matter what your proficiency level or age, this is an answer everyone wants to know and as soon as I find the answer, I will write an article titled, “I have the answer on how to get started and how to get a gig.” In the meantime, I’m happy to share a few suggestions that I’ve learned through personal and professional experience about getting started. This is by no means, an all inclusive list and it comes with no guarantees.
