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DIY Musician & Working with a Producer
By Gary MelvinIn these modern times, musicians have ample, low-cost resources at their disposal that allow us to write, record, distribute and promote our own music (often referred to as “Do It Yourself” or “DIY”). But is it always a good idea to do everything yourself? If you are looking to make your album sound as good as possible, when is it the right time to bring in a producer, and how does it work alongside the DIY model?
What does a producer do, and why might I need one?
The producer of an album is like the director of a film: it is his or her responsibility to oversee, and often interpret the creative material, bring out the best in the performers, and deliver it all in a cohesive final product that’s (hopefully) as good as it possibly can be. While there are many variations in the role that the producer can play, it’s fair to say in a general statement that the producer is an added member of the band who can maintain an outside perspective and help guide the performances.
ARTICLE
A Guide to Being a Successful Sideman
By Gary MelvinThere are many levels of sideman work, from playing in a small-town cover band to backing up Sting, and lots in between. But there are some general guidelines that apply to just about any sideman gig you can get, and hopefully keep.
1.) Become a Stylist
The best way to ensure that you can get work as a sideman is to be competent in several musical styles or genres. The short list is: rock, pop, jazz, blues, R&B. You can also choose to build on that list with some specialties, like country, classical or funk.
Chances are, you’ll end up working in only a couple main genres with an occasional gig in another, but you want to start out with this mantra in mind: my specialty is not having a specialty. This leaves you open for many types of gigs, and once you get going you can steer yourself towards the genres you prefer. Keep in mind, however, that having a long list of styles on your resume doesn’t amount to anything on the bandstand if you aren’t competent in them. It’s better to play 3 styles well than to claim to play 7 styles but play them poorly.
This leads us to our next topic…
