This article is an addendum to the 5-part series How I Became a Broadway Musician.

2011 was a prosperous year for my career, as it marked not only the first time I played as a musician on Broadway, but also the first time I acquired my own chair on a Broadway show.

What does it mean to have a “chair”?

Having my own “chair” on Broadway means that I have a full time job on a show. I have 3 subs that I can call to play for me on my days off (the union contract allows Broadway musicians to sub out up to 50% of the shows in any month), but the position is mine. A chair on a Broadway show is a difficult thing to get, and I’m incredibly fortunate to have one.

Acquiring a chair on Broadway is a different process for keyboard players, conductors and MDs than it is for instrumentalists. If you are an instrumentalist, being hired for a chair is a little more straight forward, and (perhaps) even more difficult. When a show is ready to hire an orchestra for a new show, the music department and producers hire a music contractor to handle the hiring and personnel issues. Big name contractors in the Broadway scene include John Miller, Michael Keller, Howie Joines, “Red” Press and others.

But don’t call the contractors if you want a job. You’ll never get a job that way. The contractors are under enormous pressure to hire not just the best of the best, but also to hire orchestras that will work well together in the cramped, underground chambers of New York’s Broadway pits. As such, it’s very unlikely that they will hire someone who has not already proven that they can be successful in this situation. The contractors will want to hire someone that has already played in Broadway pits – either someone who has had their own chair before or has subbed regularly (and successfully) on Broadway for a long time. So the best way to get your name in front of a contractor is to sub regularly on the other shows that they contract.

Straight from the source

Another thing I want to add, and I know this is counterintuitive, is this: if you want to be a Broadway instrumentalist I recommend against emphasizing your theatre experience to the people in the scene. Whether its true or not, Broadway music is largely seen as a derivative art form among the Broadway musician community. Look at shows like Jersey Boys, Million Dollar Quartet, In the Heights – these shows showcase rock n roll, country, hip hop and salsa – none of which originated on Broadway.

The last thing you want to say, therefore, is that you learned to play R’n'B by playing a summerstock version of Dream Girls. Broadway wants authentic players that have learned music styles from the source, not from itself. If you want to get into the Broadway scene, I advise emphasizing your close-to-source experience in addition to (or more than) your theatre experience.

Keyboard chairs

Back to keyboard players and conductors. The Broadway scene for keyboard players is a lot more robust than it is for other instrumentalists. There are many more job opportunities for pianists – playing auditions, accompanying classes and lessons, vocal coaching, vocal directing, music directing, etc. And then the are jobs than often come from these jobs – arranging, copying, orchestrating, sequencing, programming, conducting, etc. There is a rich scene in the Broadway community for smart, talented and resourceful pianists.

And for that reason, the keyboard spots on Broadway shows often sprout from this scene – as it did for me. In my case, I was working my way through the standard jobs – first as an audition accompanist, then as a classroom accompanist, then as a copyist for new shows, then as a keyboard programmer for new shows – and in the process I made friends with other keyboard players.

Specifically, I made friends with Jeff, who I mentioned before in the 5-part series. If you read the series, you may remember that Jeff gave me my first subbing opportunity on his show.

Jeff is very good at his job and in high demand inside our scene. He is in such high demand, in fact, that he can’t possible do all of the opportunities that come his way. Such was the case when he was asked to be the assistant music director for the workshop of a new musical in the summer of 2010. The show was a revival with (as yet) no Broadway plans, and the workshop was 4 weeks long.

Jeff was busy with other projects and was unable to commit a full 4 weeks to the workshop. The management asked him for a recommendation, and he gave them my name and a few others.

Workshops

Eventually I got the job. I worked on two workshops for the show, mostly performing as a copyist for the score and the pianist for dance rehearsals. A year later the show picked up a celebrity star and a Broadway run was announced.

Because I proved myself valuable during the workshops, and because of the dedication I showed to the team, the conductor asked me to be his associate conductor and pianist for the Broadway run. And that’s how I became the associate conductor to a Broadway show.

I should note, however, how incredibly lucky and unlikely my story is. There are hundreds of new shows being workshopped in New York every year and the vast majority of them do not make it to Broadway. It’s almost impossible to guess which ones will and won’t make it and the workshops often pay poorly and require a huge amount of work for the music teams. Yet music directors like myself almost always say yes to the job – because you never know if the next one is going to make it all the way to the top and take you with it.

You can see, of course, how lucky I am to have this job.

Interested in playing on Broadway?

If you are interested in working in the Broadway scene in New York City, my advice is to move to NYC and get as involved in the scene as you can. Ask people like me out for coffee, ask a lot of questions and do a lot of listening. Make (authentic) friendships and do your best on every single gig. If you re humble and help others as much as you can, you’ll soon find that people will help you as well. As you’re working your way into the scene try to find a source of income that gives you some stability but does not interfere with your goals.

If you are a music director, be sure to join the Theatre Music Directors Facebook group and get involved in their discussions in a positive way. There a many, many wonderful keyboard players from around the world in that group, and they give wonderful advice.

Best of luck!

With one fluid motion he pulled off his shirt and threw it down behind him. This act in and of itself impressed me, because it was a snug fitting, button up (plaid) T-shirt, and all but the top button were fastened.

“You wanna fight?!” he demanded, fists quaking eager to remove my teeth.

Why he thought being bare-chested would lead to anything more than pointy nipples was beyond me. It was the end of October and damn cold.

As the adrenaline coursed through my system I had several thoughts:

1. He was bigger than me.

2. He was drunk.

3. He was much angrier than I was.

No, I don’t want to fight.

“You wanna fight?!” The half-naked drunk screamed at my friend.

“Nobody wants to fight. We heard a woman screaming and wanted to make sure everything was okay.”

“That’s my F*cking girlfriend, and this is my F*cking country, so F*ck Off!”

There was about 10 of us and 10 of them (not including the screaming girlfriend). This would not end well.

Ahhh, the joys of being awake at 4am.

——

Photo by Martin Labbe

The band had been rehearsing for the Cork Jazz Festival for the past 6 weeks. The SHAPE band would play six gigs in total. Three for the Nato Jazz Orchestra (the flagship band of this organization) and one each for the Jazz Combo (run by yours truly) the Rock Band, and the Piano Trio.

It was our 1st major jazz festival in over a year and everybody wanted to make a good showing. The bands were running like well-oiled machines. Squeezing in extra rehearsals where they could find time. Hand picking songs that we hoped would go over with an Irish audience. I threw a U2 cover into my set. Everybody worked up their 70 minute sets and got ready to rock.

And rock we did.

The crowd loved every show. The smaller groups were an excellent contrast to the big band jazz of the Nato Jazz Orchestra. People followed the band from gig to gig. By the last couple shows, it was standing room only. Just getting to the bar took 20 minutes. I fulfilled one of my personal goals of playing original music at a major European Jazz-fest.

And when we weren’t playing, we were cruising around Cork. Ireland deserves its title “Emerald Isle” I have never seen a greener place. It looks like a postcard. Against my better judgement I kissed (no tongue) the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle. Saw some great musicians playing around town. Cork is a refuge for live music. That city has a stage in every bar!

And the people were warm and friendly. Always willing to share a story and a pint. And as long as they didn’t use too much slang we could understand each other just fine. Wonderful, wonderful folks.

Myself and the other members of the band expected to drink much Guinness, but instead fell in love with Murphy’s Irish Stout. A delicious beer brewed in Cork. Not to mention eating like kings. All of our meals were provided by the hotel, and they were spectacular.

So, you may be wondering what’s the point of this blog? Maybe I’m just sharing a story of a cool gig over a couple of pints with some friends. This is true, But it’s also true that I wouldn’t have had this story to share if I hadn’t enlisted in the Army band.

Oh, I imagine I could have found a belligerent, half-naked drunk or two without too much trouble. But an all-expenses-paid (and still getting a regular paycheck on top of that!) trip to Ireland, may have been harder to come by.

And what of the fateful night in question? That took such a sour turn following a great gig, bar hopping, fish and chips out of butcher paper and the long walk back to our hotel?

Somehow we diffused the situation. Which still amazes me, since that guy REALLY wanted to fight. After a little while the police showed up, and saved that girl from what was shaping up to be some serious domestic violence. And all of us (the band) retired to our respective hotel rooms to settle our stomachs, reflect on the evening, and prepare to do it all again the next day.

It takes a bit of time to get your wedding band off the ground, but for me it was an obvious choice–starting up a professional gigging band, such as a wedding band, offers a better guarantee of regular income than you might have with your original music.

Why do most musicians start or join wedding bands? The money. Unlike an original band, you don’t have to worry about how many people are coming through the door or how well you promoted the show. Once a wedding band has established itself it can have gigs booked a year out, all with guaranteed money.

And the money is good! As a wedding band you can expect to charge anything from $1250 upwards per show. Even in times of economic downturn there are still a lot of people willing to spend big money making their special day a memorable experience.

To run your own wedding band, you need to think of it as a business enterprise that will need a little bit of time and money invested up front before it pays off. It is, however, a rewarding career choice both in terms of the money and the people you meet. Finishing a night’s work knowing that you’ve helped make someone’s big day an especially memorable experience is rewarding in itself.

This article aims to help you set up your own wedding band and give you advice on how to run it as a successful, rewarding business.

Step 1: Putting together the band.

Like any band it is important you have a group of people that you work well with together musically but what is hugely important in this field is having a group of professional minded people that can look and act the part and not jeopardise future bookings (see 5 Traits of a Professional Musician).

All of you will be representing the band on and off stage so having a group of people that look and act accordingly is key to your success. From my experience the two biggest pitfalls that wedding bands face are having someone that feels they are above manual work or having members that you would be worried about talking to wedding guests.

As well as being able to play well together it is worth considering how each member can contribute outside of their duties as a musician. Think about what everyone can bring to the table to cut down paying additional crew – is someone in the band quite business minded? Do you have a marketing wizard that could make your self-promotion stand out? Can someone act as a sound engineer? Do you have enough drivers/cars or someone with a van? Without these, the journey ahead will be a lot harder if not impossible.

You will be expected to be a self contained unit so can’t rely on crew that a venue might ordinarily provide. It will make all of your jobs a lot easier if everyone pitches in on unloading gear and setting up.

The best wedding band jobs I’ve had in are when everyone contributes in their own unique ways and gets along. Having a group of people you actually like spending time with is important and avoiding infighting can be the difference between this being a rewarding lifestyle career and another day at the office.

Step 2: What will you need?

Equipment

One of the biggest problems you will face on setting up a wedding band is having the capital to get all of the equipment you’ll need to go out and gig. One solution to this is going out and playing some bars as a cover band when you’ve got a set together and using some of this money to fund it. Not everyone has the money up-front to cover these costs and if you want to avoid using a credit card / loan this is a good solution that will mean you won’t have to worry about debt before you’ve even started.

As a basic set-up you will need professional quality instruments and gear, a PA system capable of handling large venues and enough lighting to make sure you’re well lit when a venue doesn’t have these facilities.

Often the places you play aren’t designed for bands or will be located far away from any music hardware stores so remember to bring a spare of everything you can and plenty of power extension cables and multi-sockets with a decent fuse on them in case there aren’t sufficient power supplies at the venue.

Think about your set up as a mobile stage that can be easily transportable and can set up in as minimal time as possible. In this line of work I have played venues from teepee’s to large scale halls and often you won’t know what to expect until you arrive so it really doesn’t hurt to be over prepared.

A lot of venues (especially at corporate events or though booking agents) will want to know that all of your electrical equipment has undergone all of the necessary safety checks and that you are covered for public liability insurance so it’s best to get this sorted as soon as possible to avoid losing bookings.

Dress

Depending on what sort of music you are playing and how you want to put yourselves across as a band this will differ in each wedding band but it is important to dress right for the gig. Just look smart and try to look like you all belong together.

You will be expected to look the part and it is your choice whether you choose to go for matching outfits or try to fit into a visual theme. It is important that you are dressed formally but set yourselves apart from wedding guests/waiting staff.

A lot of wedding bands opt for matching colour themes, but there is no rule of thumb. Check out what other bands are wearing and think about bands that stand out in your mind for how they look (Temptations, Bruno Mars etc…).

Picking a visual theme that works for your band can make all the difference, especially on agency sites where people are browsing a variety of groups.

Step 3: Coming up with a repertoire.

Choosing your repertoire will depend on what sort of band you want to be. There are a huge variety of bands that people book for weddings such as jazz trio’s, big bands, pop covers.. so it is up to you to decide whether to want to cover a niche market or try to cater for everyone.

Unless your wedding band is playing a specific genre and you feel that your set will meet the expectations of this you are going to want to try and cover all of the bases. Most wedding bands will have a style that they play in but try to keep everyone happy. There will be a broad age range so it helps to have a few from each popular genre – 60′s, 70′s, 80′s, disco,some light rock classics and try to throw in a few recent chart hits for the kids!

You will be booked largely on the basis of what type of music you play so be careful to monitor which songs go down well with crowds and consider learning songs that are popularly requested.

If you’re largely out of touch with pop music, try asking a younger friend/relative or keep an eye on the charts for songs you think your band could do a good job of.

What some bands do is offer the client a song request of their choice if booked far enough in advance. This can be really useful for first dances or for songs that hold a sentiment to the newly weds and can make quite an impact if played right and make it all the more memorable for the client.

When it comes to learning the songs it is rare that the band will follow charts so being able to improvise and have a good rapport with the rest of your band will make your lives a lot easier and cut down on practice time. Considering how many songs you’ll need to learn, especially in the first few months before you’ve got a set, you’ll probably want to spend as little time in practice room as possible.

Successful, well functioning wedding bands I have been in in the past have discussed songs together, picked a key that works best for the singer and then learnt the songs in our own time. Practice time can then be spent productively once everyone knows the songs and is largely time to try out putting songs into medleys or adding exciting motifs to the music to make the show memorable.

If you have a prominent musical director type in the band they might have their own ideas for arrangements and each band will play songs in a unique style to themselves as you are trying to make a wide spectrum of music sound good with one set-up.

Some bands choose to learn songs exactly as they are on record while others favour fitting them into medley’s with other songs or doing their own thing with them. How you decide to approach this will affect the product you’re trying to sell, as some bands rely on authentic and true-to-record versions as a unique selling point.

It is unlikely that you are going to be passionate about every song you play so it might help to try leaving your personal feelings towards music at the door. By the hundredth time you’ve played any song you will feel relatively indifferent to it but it is important from the audience perspective that it looks like you’re enjoying every moment like it’s your favourite song.

Step 4: Booking gigs.

First and foremost, when you’re up and running and ready to get gigs, you need to think about booking from the perspective of somebody planning a wedding.. typically the bride. While I often pick up weddings from playing bars and club nights, many brides-to-be don’t want to dedicate a lot of their time to watching different bands as they have a lot of other things to think about and entertainment might not be on the top of their list of priorities.

You might consider paying money for advertising in wedding magazines, websites or wedding planning phone app’s. Some of these will cost you so are worth waiting for later down the line when you have the dollar to fork out.

There are booking agents that you can audition for / apply for but from personal experience these are not to be relied upon for consistent work. They will also take a generous commission and you may find that it is better to think of these as a way to fill the occasional date rather than use them as a long term solution.

Wedding expo’s are another route to take although again, will depend on some money up front to be there. This can take a few different forms from playing occasional slots during the day to sitting at a table with a display talking to potential customers. This is where a full on charm offensive can be of utmost importance and often serves as a fantastic opportunity to network with other wedding related businesses who may choose to promote your wedding band through their own work (e.g.- recommending your band in bridal wear shops or putting a link to you on their website in return for the same).

This is a huge industry to itself though, and while it will cost you to be there it is a rare opportunity for a captive audience of wedding planners to take an interest so use each second you’re there to push yourself and chat with people. Even if you don’t get as many bookings as you’d hope for it will help you get into the mindset of your client and understand what people are looking for in a band.

Having a strong online presence is important as many people will do the majority of their wedding planning online. So get yourself a website made, don’t overwhelm the viewer with information just tell them what package you offer, what sort of music you play and try to provide some pictures/audio clips of you playing, any other media is an added bonus.

Equally, social networking sites and free ad sites can be a useful tool for directing people towards your band. There are plenty of sites out there that will advertise on your behalf for little to no money so try and be creative when you’re writing the description for your band to make you stand out.

You should try and get a testimonial from each gig you play and put these on your website and it is useful for clients to see whether paying customers feel that they got their moneys worth.

Generally, wedding bands are booked far in advance of the day itself so when you start out you shouldn’t expect to be playing any high paying gigs for a while. It is important to manage your diary effectively and plan up to 2 years in advance but putting in the time will pay off in the future. Use this time to play more immediate gigs, it will help strengthen you as a band and make sure you’re well practiced in a live scenario before you’re asking for serious money.

Step 5: Managing the business.

While there are obvious benefits to playing music that people already know and love and a decent wage at the end of a night, it’s important to remember that like any other business you are going to need to give it a lot of attention to keep bookings coming in.

Be prepared

When you have some gigs booked, there are a few things to think about and plan ahead to make sure the day goes smoothly. Think about how long will it take to get to the gig and when you are going to be able to set up and sound check. You might be left with a tight schedule to do this if guests are arriving early or the venue is being used earlier in the day so don’t turn up a few hours before you’re due to go on and expect that people can work around you.

It’s worth taking into consideration that there are also additional things to budget for like new gear, food costs and transport costs.. all of these things mount up so try and keep some money in the bank if you can and always try to keep some money free in case of emergency. If an expensive piece of equipment breaks down you will need to be able to cover hiring gear if you aren’t otherwise able to borrow any.

When you are negotiating a price with the client it is best to have a clear price structure in mind beforehand; often people will try to get away with charging as much as possible and the client will smell the BS a mile away.. look at how much other people are charging for what you’re offering and try to give a fair price for what you offer.

Offering a range of packages to suit the clients needs

As well as the wedding band itself, you might want to consider offering a range of different packages in different price ranges; these can include:

• Offering a DJ service in addition to a band – often the client will want to book the evening’s entertainment in one package rather than pay for a band and a DJ separately so if this is something you can provide then it’s seriously worth considering. Even if it’s just a laptop with a good range of music some people will be more than happy with this, just be honest about what you’re offering up front.
• Incentives for booking early – this will help to encourage clients not to hold off until the last minute and secure you bookings for the future.
• An acoustic set for reception/meal – this can be a really nice extra touch if you want to provide some light dining music before your main set and can make you a talking point before the evening begins

Setting aside a marketing budget and using it wisely

To be more efficient with your marketing budget it’s best to keep track in the first year of how you’re getting each booking which will help you determine what is the most effective way that works for you. You can analyse this in your second year and help you plan a more focussed strategy with minimum waste.

One way to do this is by keeping a spreadsheet so that you have a clear record of what’s working for you and what you could spend less on in the future. It’s all about figuring out what works for you best but once you have a more refined strategy you will find it this a lot easier.

Conclusion

Playing in a wedding band is all about delivering a great experience for the client. It is natural for a lot of wedding band musicians to feel like they are selling their soul a bit by playing cheesy pop covers but you are aiming to provide an evenings entertainment that will cater for as many people in the room as possible.

Keeping your ego in check is important as well, as nobody wants to hear a rip-roaring guitar solo and the focus is going to be very much on the bride and groom. It’s not to say that you can’t stand out or offer something truly memorable but bear there are limits (http://youtu.be/KaZdQtwkQfg) so do what you are paid to do.

Word travels fast in this businesses and it is often the case that when someone is getting married, they will have friends doing the same before too long. Making a good impression at one gig can lead to further bookings so it is important, even if you’re just playing a bar, to look like you’re having the time of your life. Reputation is everything.

Finally, I’d say that the most important tool you can have in playing in a wedding band is a good attitude. Try to approach the band from a customer perspective and find creative ways to showcase what you do. Being a solid, exciting band that people will remember is important but you will find that the relationships you build by being a professional and reliable character will go a long way to ensuring your success.

And smile, always smile. It’s their special day.

But in so many other ways it feels like an entirely different lifetime.

September 10th, 2001. Norfolk, VA.

For the past two months I’d been hanging with 25 other band soldiers learning how to be Staff Sergeants. We were learning how to run and rehearse our own group, how to be drum majors, how to conduct a military ceremony, and of course, taking more private lessons. Basically the next level up of Army music school.

It was great. The group was pretty tight. We’d go clubbing, go to the beach, go to Dairy Queen for ice cream (this was a very frequent stop) or just hang out drinking beers. Throw in some informal jam sessions and you’ve got my summer. Not too shabby.

As Sept 11th was approaching I’d been preparing the class for the day off. You see, I’ve been celebrating 9/11 my whole life. It’s my birthday.

“Don’t worry, I have connections. ” I’d said, “We’re getting the day off.”

Little had I known, my prediction was about to become a grim reality. By lunchtime the next day the towers had fallen and the pentagon was burning. Flight 93 had come down and all training on the base was suspended. We were told to stay on the post and remain vigilant. The rest of the day we huddled around the television unable to comprehend what had happened or why.

So here I am ten years later, beginning the downward spiral towards 40 and reflecting on the last decade.

I’m no longer a swinging single. Settled down with a family. This is a vast improvement over my previous life.

My body aches these days for no reason other than being alive. Some mornings just getting out of bed is a challenge. The gray hairs on my head seem to be gaining more ground everyday.

I’m a better player/composer then I was 10 years ago. Although I could’ve been far better, if I’d practiced every day… but I didn’t. It would come in phases. I’d be working towards an event, or playing with a new band. But other times I’d lose focus and find other, and far less productive, activities to keep myself busy. Life has a habit of getting in the way.

Some other changes are a direct result of 9/11.

These changes, however, were not instantaneous. After the attacks, I was just as pissed off as the rest of the country. I wanted heads to roll. I was anxious for our “High-SpeedSuper-Badasses” to go over there and flatten the entire area. And I carried that rage for a long time. But vengeance is not a healthy emotion. And I don’t have the energy to live with hate for ten years. Not to say I wasn’t excited when we caught Saddam (I was only a few miles from the hole they dragged him out of), or that it didn’t please me to hear that Osama is out of the picture… permanently.

Most of my changes came from being deployed. It is a life changing experience, both good and bad. Sometimes it’s strange for me to try to explain it, because unless you’ve been Over There you’re just not going to understand. This is not a criticism. It’s a fact. A good analogy is becoming a parent. When you first bring home that tiny, little person and you realize that you are completely and utterly responsible for everything that happens to her – the time babysitting your sister’s kids and multiple screenings of “Look Who’s Talking” go right out the window. Some things just have to be lived through.

I am more patriotic now. Not in a “my country is better than yours” kind of way, which has always struck me as really arrogant. More in a quiet unassuming way. Appreciating the sacrifices, tenacity and unwavering resilience of my fellow Americans, past and present.

My feelings towards the Army Band have changed. Before it was just a job – a fun way to pay bills while I figured out “what to do when I grew up”. Now I see it as a valuable service. Something far greater than me and my day-to-day happenings.

Legacy, tradition and brotherhood are words that tend to sound clichéd and antiquated. Soundbites tossed around by politicians to sway the vote. But that doesn’t mean they don’t ring true. Not only to the Band, or even the Army. But the military as a whole.

It’s very humbling to realize that you’re following in footsteps that have been laid down since the beginning of civilization. Citizens coming together to defend their homes, fight for their independence, or liberate their neighbors from oppression.

I feel a kinship with other Bandsmen. I meet Army Band Veterans from Vietnam and I can relate to their stories. As I’m sure they can relate to mine. I can share a beer with a retired Marine in a run down V.F.W. and understand where he’s coming from. I now know why my grandfather always watched War movies and the History channel. The desert (or the jungle, etc.) stays with you.

Ten years ago my life was one dimensional. I could describe myself in a single word: Musician. The past decade has brought perspective and depth. Suffering and change are valuable teachers. I can no longer encapsulate myself with a single word. And that, I think, is a good thing.

Versatility

The first requirement of this action and reaction is versatility. If you refuse to develop a wide set of musical skills, adaptation will be difficult.

There is a famous story coming out of the Depression in which a street vendor was selling boxes of apples. Sales were going well but supplies were running low. As the last apple was sold, the enterprising vendor calming looked at his empty boxes and quickly fashioned a new sign “Boxes for Sale!”.

Work in the music business goes in and out of favor. It’s not the musician’s fault – just the realities of supply and demand. That supply and demand shifts with the wind. It doesn’t happen because the musicians want it or will it to happen. It happens because of society and commerce and in many cases because of other peoples’ greed.

It’s not unlike horse and buggy makers, a thriving industry… until the car came along.

Recording musicians didn’t want or anticipate that the recording industry would fall apart. I didn’t expect that the show places I worked at would be sold to make room for a super market and for the world headquarters of an automobile maker. But these things happened and we all had to adapt to the reality. It wasn’t a time to moan and whimper about our fate and our bad luck. It was a time for action.

Develop Your Skills

Take stock of your skills and interests. If the musical skill you’ve developed is based on sight reading classical music, develop improvisational skills. If you’ve always played rock or country, develop a set of jazz skills. Most people shy away from what they don’t know. Don’t fear the unknown. Embrace it. There are teachers available to help you with every skill you may need. Don’t let pride stop you from seeking help.

Remember that music is a business as well as an art. Marketing should always be part of your daily work. Too many musicians expect the phone to ring. In reality, you have to make it ring. Expand your contacts and your network.

Think Outside the Box

Consider the work possibilities that the music business offers. Stardom is not the only alternative. In fact, it’s the least probable alternative. You need the skills to explore the alternatives but you also need the mind set and the attitude. Think of each area, each field as an interesting challenge, Maybe you can learn something from a new field or opportunity that you have ignored in the past, Not only does that give you new opportunities for work, it also expands your skills and opportunities as a teacher. All of these alternatives are beneficial to the expansion of your career. They also remove fear and stagnation – not to mention a lack of income.

Playing, teaching, writing, arranging and producing are the large headings. Within each of these areas, there are many alternatives.

Playing can include clubs, concerts, session and show work, weddings, tribute and commercial bands, solo performances etc. The music styles are wide as well. Consider rock, classical, reggae, ethnic, country, bluegrass. jazz, blues etc. The list goes on and on.

Teaching runs the gamut from private teaching on your own to formal teaching in a school. There are opportunities in music stores, on line teaching using Skype and any other way you can share your knowledge with students. Don’t fail to consider the age range alternatives. Kids do not represent the only or the best market. There has never been a larger base of seniors in this country.

Writing and arranging provides a wide range of activities. Writing, arranging and producing songs, jingles, scores for film, television themes, multimedia and computer games are some of the many options. Don’t forget that writing can also include developing educational books and methods for students of all ages, levels and musical styles.

Be Ready For the Next Challenge

Always be ready to try the next challenge whether you think you’re ready or not. It’s also important to be willing to leave a situation if it does not contribute to your advancement or if you no longer enjoy the work.

It takes a certain amount of courage to leave something that makes money. It’s important to be able to switch gears and find the next situation that will take you forward on your journey. When you make one of these changes, you do have to consider the financial ramifications. At the very least, you need to replace what you’ve lost. The degree to which this can be a long term or short term decision is based on your financial obligations. If you’re living on a generous trust fund, it’s less of an issue.

As my student, Michael Sembello (mega writer, guitarist, singer and producer) told me not that long ago – “Rome has finally fallen and we once again have control thanks to the internet”.

I don’t know how much control we have but it’s the only game in town!

Before we get started, I must mention this: all of my knowledge for being a Disney cast member is from the Florida park, but I believe the process is very close, if not identical, to the processes at the other four parks around the world. The parks even advertise openings from the same website.

Types of musician jobs at Walt Disney World

There are two kinds of musicians that work at Walt Disney World: contracted groups, and in-house cast members. Cast members then get broken down into full-time and seasonal musicians. Subs, like me, are considered seasonal musicians. Usually, it’s for employees that work only during busier times of the year. This is where subs are classified, however. I guess it makes sense to classify subs here, as they only work when called on, anyway.

Cast Member Musicians

The in-house jobs, where musicians are considered actual employees of Walt Disney World, are the cast members. These jobs are the more ongoing ensembles at Disney, where an actual budget is set-aside for them in particular. The musicians have full benefits and pension, as per the collective bargaining agreement with the Local 389 musician’s union.

The jobs that are included would be bands like:

• The Main Street Philharmonic - a kind of marching brass jazz band in the Magic Kingdom.
• Oktoberfest Musikanten - a German polka band at Epcot’s Germany pavilion.
• Mo’Rockin - a Moroccan fusion ensemble at the Moroccan pavilion in Epcot.
• Mulch, Sweat, and Shears - which is a rock band at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
• Disney’s Grand Floridian Society Orchestra (my sub position) – which is a six piece jazz band, which plays early to mid 20th century period jazz at the Grand Floridian Hotel in the lobby. It’s kind of reminiscent of a cruise ship’s “big band” sets.
• Disney’s Polynesian Hotel’s Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show Band - which, as the name implies, is the Hawaiian band that plays the music for the dinner show.

There is even a number of lounge pianists and harpists around the property as solo acts.

There are many more ensembles in the Florida park; these are just a few examples. As far as the cast member jobs, these are some of the older groups that have stood the test of time. Some of these bands work five days a week, and some work seven, using a second group of musicians that work two days a week. Some of these seven-day ensembles have a “two day band” and a “five day band,” and others have different schedules for each musician, so the band is pretty much the same all week, with a few differences in the personnel from day to day. The two-day musicians are usually the first call subs for the five-day guys.

It is the cast member jobs that I will be concentrating on, as they are what I’m most knowledgeable on, and what Disney is most interested in.

Contracted Jobs

Some jobs, like the ones around Downtown Disney, Pleasure Island, the annual Food and Wine Festival, or even a small handful of groups inside the parks, are brought in on a temporary contract. They are not Disney employees, and don’t have all of the same benefits. They are usually hired when Disney has a special need for a themed band, and they use the contracted musicians sparingly.

For contracted gigs, Disney contracts already established bands and acts that have put in the effort themselves for the rehearsals, costumes, equipment and anything else that goes into their show. In short, you are ready to play, and need minimal interaction with the venue; you’re pretty much pointed to the stage, shown where the electrical outlets are, and left to do what you do best.
Some examples of contracted jobs around Disney are:

• The British Revolution – which is a 60s style rock band playing in the UK section of Epcot. I believe the name actually reflects the show, and not the band’s name, which may be something different. I have seen the same show with a different band in the last year, so I assume the bands are rotated in and out. This band is one of the few examples of the contractors performing inside of one of the theme parks.
• Nova Era – which is a classical/fusion group that uses 18th century period costumes and electric string instruments. They perform in Downtown Disney.
• Don Soledad Trio – which is a rumba flamenco group that occasionally performs at Pleasure Island or during Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival. Don’s group is an example of a contracted job that is hired on an as-needed basis. They do not work regularly, like the above two groups.

What instruments are needed?

Here’s a list of cast member bands from the top of my head. There may be more, and these may change as time goes on and park interests change. Take these as a guide to know where to start when looking into your instrument at Disney. Most of these groups can be searched on YouTube to see what their gig is all about:

Violin:
Mariachi Cobre
Mo’Rockin’ (electric violin)

Flute:
Spirit of America Fife and Drum Corps (fife spots, of course)

Saxophone:
Fantasy Woodwind Society (Sax quartet)
Grand Floridian Society Orchestra

Trumpet:
Grand Floridian Society Orchestra
Main Street Philharmonic
Oktoberfest Musikanten

Tombone:
Grand Floridian Society Orchestra
Main Street Philharmonic

Tuba:
Grand Floridian Society Orchestra (can replace bass)
Main Street Philharmonic
The Notorious Banjo Brothers and Bob
Oktoberfest Musikanten (tuba/bass double)

Bass:
Grand Floridian Society Orchestra
Off Kilter (Celtic Rock Band at Epcot)
Mariachi Cobre (Guitarron)
Mo’Rockin’
Mulch, Sweat, and Shears
Oktoberfest Musikanten (tuba/bass double)
Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show

Drums/Percussion:
Grand Floridian Society Orchestra
Off Kilter (Celtic rock band at Epcot)
Oktoberfest Musikanten
Main Street Philharmonic
Matsuriza (Japanese taiko drumming at Epcot)
Mo’Rockin’ (Zen Drum and hand percussion spots)
Mulch, Sweat, and Shears
Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show
Spirit of America Fife and Drum Corps

Guitar:
Off Kilter (Celtic rock band at Epcot)
Oktoberfest Musikanten
Mariachi Cobre (also vihuela spots)
Mulch, Sweat, and Shears
The Notorious Banjo Brothers and Bob (banjo also, of course)
Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show

Accordion:
Oktoberfest Musikanten
The Ziti Sisters (female comedy troupe)

Piano/Keys:
Casey’s Corner Pianist (ragtime pianist at Magic Kingdom)
Grand Floridian Society Orchestra
Grand Floridian Lounge Pianist
Off Kilter (Celtic rock band at Epcot)
Mo’Rockin’
Mulch, Sweat, and Shears
Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show

Harp:
Dinner Music at Grand Floridian

Orchestral spots:
There is one seasonal gig worth mentioning: Disney’s Candlelight Processional. It’s a Christmas concert that happens during November-December at Epcot. A full orchestra is hired, and is compiled of seasonal musicians making up some of the best orchestral players in the Orlando area. If you didn’t see your instrument above, and are classically trained, you may find yourself suited for this annual gig.

What are the jobs like?

The job at Disney varies greatly depending on the ensemble. For instance, the Hawaiian band at the Polynesian Hotel plays two shows per night, five days per week, which is divided into three sets. The Grand Floridian Society Orchestra plays four sets daily during the late afternoon to evening. Most of the bands around the parks have multiple show times, which are usually 30-45 minute sets performed on regular intervals throughout the day. Costumes are usually made to go with the show; Hawaiian shirts, or tuxes, or minutemen uniforms, etc. Yes, the German band wears lederhosen.

There are few indoor jobs, such as the Grand Floridian Orchestra and the German band, which are considered the “best” jobs for the simple fact that they are indoors. One of the reasons Walt Disney chose this area of the U.S. was because of the relatively mild weather year round. However, the summers in Florida aren’t much cooler than the rest of the eastern seaboard, with highs still being very close, if not over, 100 degrees, with very high humidity. This can easily take its toll if you didn’t grow up in this climate. It also can still experience highs below freezing during the winter seasons. This is why indoor jobs are considered more desirable, but the outdoor jobs are given consideration to this fact, which is why sets are shorter throughout the day.

The way the music is learned also varies. There’s one group, the Grand Floridian Society Orchestra, where the job is strictly reading on the gig, with no rehearsals. One or two ensembles have charts, but they must be memorized before performing. There are also many ensembles where the music is learned from recordings, and put together through rehearsal. These groups have no printed music. Some of these bands allow you to make your own charts and read them at the beginning, and some require memorization.

Even the times vary. Some groups start as early as the parks first open, and the hotel bands seem to play the latest, usually striking the stage at around 10pm. The contracted musicians that play in Downtown Disney, Pleasure Island, or on Disney Boardwalk, play even later than that.

As much as the physical aspects of the job vary, the musical aspect is very similar. Each musician is highly skilled. Some of the musicians have come from bands such as Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, Maynard Ferguson’s big band, and one was even the busiest New York bassist in the mid-20th century, recording with all the heavies then, and performing at the legendary Copa Cabana. It’s both humbling and exciting to play along with such high-class musicians.

Perks

Pay works slightly differently between the contracted and cast jobs. Contracted jobs are paid per job. There are three kinds of cast members: full time, part time, and seasonal.

Cast members are typically paid 8 hours per day at the parks, and also paying into pension and benefits. Rehearsals, when scheduled, are also paid. Orlando Local 389 has a collective bargaining agreement, which represents all musicians working at Disney, whether they are a part of the union or not (Florida is a right-to-work state, meaning you don’t have to be in a union to work a job). The local has a close relationship with Disney and they both work together and get along great. The starting pay at Disney is very competitive, which tends to bring in the best talent to desire these jobs.

Some of the other perks include:

• Pension for all cast member musicians
• Full health benefits for full-time musicians
• 20% discounts to merchandise
• Varying discounts with most sit-down restaurants on property (this is my favorite perk). After lots of experimenting, I’m starting to see the pattern. If you’re waited on, you probably get a discount. They range anywhere from 10% on up. There’s a nice little hidden southern-style buffet in Fort Wilderness that has great food, and with the discount, came to under $15 per person. It’s my favorite place for the combination of price and taste, even if it is out of the way of everything.
• Discounts at participating surrounding businesses, including restaurants, hotels, retail stores, etc.
• Free park admission. All cast members get this. In addition, each year, you can get in three people or less six times. This resets every January. You also get a couple of comp tickets each year. I believe this perk changes with your employment status with the company and the time you have been with them.

For any discount, it never hurts to ask. If you can’t get a discount at a certain place to eat (pattern I’ve noticed: if there’s a counter for you to order from, the answer is probably “no”), they already know most cast members are going to try, and they apologetically tell you it won’t work. I even sat down at a Pizza Hut just outside of the property, mentioned I was a cast member, and was given 10% off.

For the record, alcohol is full price for everyone.

How does one actually get hired at Disney?

First of all, keep checking the audition calendar. Vacancies and open call auditions are posted there.

There are 104 regular musical positions around Walt Disney World in Florida. The most common way one is hired for a Disney job is through auditions. Five times a year, there are “open call” auditions. The main purpose of these auditions is to find talent for the sub lists around the parks, and to hear local bands looking to be contracted. Each musician or group is scheduled through the union, and given 15 minutes to show the audition panel what he or she can do. The president of Local 389 is present at all auditions as an observer. According to Mike Avila, the Union President, “these auditions last about 15 minutes per individual and I call them ‘the friendliest auditions on the planet.’” If the musician is competent, and there is a need for his or her abilities, they will begin the hiring process.

When there is a vacancy for a specific position, such as a musician leaving, or Disney creating a new musical act, the auditions are much like the open call, with a few differences. If the vacancy is with an existing group, you actually play with the band for which you’re auditioning. These auditions are the most fun. I’ve done a few of them. I auditioned for lead trombone with the Main Street Philharmonic, and the audition was mostly reading down two charts, and performing them with this band. Talk about high energy. With the Hawaiian band, the guitarist explained the tune as fast as he could, then the drummer counted us off.

Usually, when there’s a vacancy, Disney auditions for that spot as full-time, and also auditions every other spot for sub players. For instance, the Hawaiian audition I was at was actually for a new steel guitar player, but I came to audition bass, and there were ukulele players, guitarists, and drummers at the audition, as well.

When invited to these auditions, you are encouraged to watch the group for which you are auditioning and come prepared to show the company why you are the right person for the job.

As for fairness, the president of the union told me this:

“In my 12 years as President of the Local, I have observed Disney auditions to be very fair. Contrary to popular belief, the company does not go into auditions already knowing who will get the job. I have heard so many people say this over the years, however, as one of the individuals who sits on the panel (as an observer for the union only), I can say that it is just not true. Disney has an impeccable record for hiring the person who ‘won the audition’.”

Okay, they liked you. Now what?

Before this is explained, I need to mention this: I’m not sure how other Disney parks around the world are, but Walt Disney World is in a very large, vast, out-of-the way piece of land. Don’t make any other plans the days you mean to go out to Walt Disney World. Everything there takes plenty of time, especially traveling. And the most important thing is to give yourself plenty of time when going there. Make sure your punctuality is fine. I tend to show up as early as I possibly can when I need to do something at Disney. I live only about 20 miles from the exit I need to get off for my job, but give myself well over an hour driving time. And depending on what job you have, you may have a lot of walking, a lot of connecting bus rides after parking, costume changes, or anything else that can take plenty of time.

Once you’re hired to be a Disney cast member musician, you must first go through the process that each employee on property goes through. First, you have a full security background check, fingerprinting, the works. This can take a few hours. Once you’ve passed, you’re given a date to a training day at Disney University. It’s basically just an eight-hour class about some of the rules, how certain things work, and little games that help you learn. It’s not a bad day, and you’re getting paid your musician wage to do this day, which is not bad at all. This is why Disney doesn’t hire a lot of people as subs, because they have to pay each just to be able to sub. So it costs them money to have subs not working all the time.

Once you’re finished there, you’re given your nametag, your ID card, and sent on your way to your gig. You then speak with your bandleader about the job.

How did I get my job?

My situation came about a little differently. I couldn’t make an open call audition, and didn’t want to wait two months for the next one to come around. So, I had a special audition set up with the talent director. I played all four of my instruments for her, and at the end of my audition, she told me where she thought I would fit best as a sub: The Grand Floridian Society Orchestra. Not only that, but the great thing here was, since it was not in any of the theme parks, I could swing by and talk to the bandleader personally without having to pay an admission. So I did just that. I visited about once a month for about six months, and they finally made the call to have me statused as a bass sub with this band. Persistence does pay off! I’m even renting the bandleader’s guesthouse now, too, so it even worked out better!

Now that I have a company ID, I can go into the parks and discuss subbing with other bands. Some are interested, some aren’t sure I will be useful with their already full sub list. But we’ll see.

There you have it. Much of this information is very hard to come by unless you have a good friend in the company. I had to learn this as I went along at Disney. So, if you’re interested, keep an eye on auditions, do your homework, and good luck!

In recent months, several of my students have moved interstate and some requested that I teach them online.

I was hesitant because, as a singing and piano teacher, I wasn’t really sure how I was going to make this move, especially for singing, because it is so interactive and personal.

Now I’m ready to experiment and I thought it would be interesting to have some company.

So please join me as I detail the steps I have taken to set up my Skype teaching business and please feel free to benefit from my mistakes or copy the methods which worked!

Step 1

Set Up Your Teaching Business

If you haven’t already set up your teaching business please read this article as it goes into great detail and outlines what you need to have in place before you take the next step of launching yourself worldwide as an internet teacher.

I also recommend you have a substantial amount of one to one teaching practice before you commence Skype teaching, as you will need your experience to help cover the distance which may be caused by giving Skype lessons.

Step 2

Install Skype and Other Software Programmes You May Need

Installing Skype is a very easy thing to do.

Go to http://www.skype.com/intl/en-us/get-skype/ and simply follow the instructions for download on your computer.

I have decided to make use of some other programmes to give value for money and help me self assess.

These are:

• Ecamm recorder, available at http://www.ecamm.com.  This software isn’t expensive but it enables you to record both sides of the Skype conversation on video or just voice call.  You can edit the recording as well.

  My idea is to send a copy of the lesson to the student so they can review it if they want to.  Also, I thought it would be a good way for me to assess my own teaching.  But please make sure your student is aware that this process is in place and give them the option to refuse recording.

• As I am teaching singing, I have to think about the delay live accompaniment may cause, so I am sending my students backing tracks they can sing to that are in their key as well. This means I need to have a recording facility, which can produce tracks that will convert into downloadable MP3 format as they will be sent to the student via email prior to the lesson.

  Your student needs to have the facility to open these files and play them back or record them onto disk as well.

Step 3

You will need to be able to receive payment for the lessons you give.

The simple way to do this is with Paypal.

On their website, they have some different options for merchant services.

I chose the easiest, quickest and least complicated one, which was to email requests for payment.

Students can pay by direct deposit or credit cards when using this service and I request that payment is made prior to the lesson.

If you decide you would like to advertise your services on other websites and blogs, you could think about setting up a Clickbank account at www.clickbank.com .

This is a affiliate programme market place which means that people will advertise and sell your product (your lessons) for a percentage of each sale.

Clickbank manages the funds for you, the affiliate marketers and your students.  It is a more complex way of doing things but something you may wish to consider.

Step 4

Set Up Your Teaching Studio

In just a few seconds of meeting people or walking into a room, we make value judgements, therefore, it is important that your studio looks professional and tidy (as well as yourself) when you are teaching.

You need to take into consideration the view that your student is getting, so make sure your camera is angled and adjusted to give the clearest picture for demonstration and also make sure you have good lighting in your studio.

I rearranged my studio to suit Skype teaching and it has actually turned out to be much better for all my teaching and learning needs now.

Here is a view, in case you are curious.

Step 5

Get Your Paper Work In Order

As mentioned in Greg Arney’s article on setting up your teaching business, you need to have decided on your Terms and Conditions of teaching.

However, you need to consider other situations when teaching online.

What will your policies be on:

• Payment – How much?  When to receive payment?  Refunds?  How will students pay?
• Cancellation – How much notice should you receive?  Will you reschedule lessons?
• Technical interruptions -  What will you do if this happens during a lesson?
• Equipment – What software and hardware should your students have in order to interact successfully in skype lessons?

I have composed a Terms and Conditions document, which is emailed to students prior to lessons and which they then type their name on and email back to me.  This acts as an acceptance of the terms and conditions stated, so both parties are clear on what to expect.

When payment is received, I am informed by Paypal and I then send students another email confirming receipt of funds as well as their lesson time and date.

It is highly important you make sure you are aware of time differences and take these into consideration when booking appointments.

Step 6

Teach Your Lesson

I have discovered that teaching online requires creative thinking and some different approaches to normal lesson delivery because of some restrictions caused by the technology.

• Skype is unable to transfer simultaneous audio

  Surprisingly, there is little delay when communicating on Skype.  I thought this was a great thing because I could then accompany my student until I discovered …

  When there is audio coming from both parties, Skype is unable to transfer both signals clearly at the same time, which means each of you experience cutting out.   Such a shame!!!

  However, here are some suggestions for combating this problem:

  1. Email accompaniment tracks

     You will have to make sure your student then burns these tracks onto a CD and plays them from a source outside the computer.

     This is because the tracks tend to be too loud when they are coming from the computer onto Skype and you can’t hear your student clearly enough.

  2. Consider different teaching strategies

     There are many strategies you can employ in your teaching so you don’t have to use play-along or accompaniment.  You can focus more on technical aspects, mentoring and sound production and get students to demonstrate their work in home recordings or play-along in subsequent lessons, when they are playing with a backing track.

• Introduction and check student set-up

I would suggest you set up a Skype meeting with your student before you teach your first lesson with them.  This will:

1. Help your student feel more comfortable

   Many people are shy and especially first-time students.  Introducing yourself to them on Skype will help break the ice so that your first lesson will run more smoothly.

2. Check the student’s set-up

   You will need to check that your student has set up Skype correctly and everything is in working order.

   You both need to direct each other so that the camera is positioned to get a clear picture on both sides, and also make sure the student has received any resources you want them to use.

   If you are using written resources, they too will have to be sent to the student as when you hold up writing to the camera, it has a mirror effect.  It’s hard enough to begin reading music, let alone backwards!

Step 7

Self Assessment

Self-assessment of your teaching practice through reflective work is necessary if you want to engage in a high quality standard of teaching.

Teaching on Skype will take some adjustment of the way you normally deliver your material.  Your first couple of lessons could be challenging but with some problem-solving you will be able to work it out.

You will also have to consider whether moving your business online is going to be worthwhile as there is a little more work and organisation involved.

However, I feel that once you have made a routine of preparing, emailing and having standard contracts and stationery set up, it could definitely be a worthwhile practice.

I am going to give it a go for a while with a few students.

And so, in conclusion:

The disadvantages of teaching online for you are:

• You will have to organise and think about your teaching practice in a different way to cater to this format.
• It may be a little more work and be a little uncomfortable to begin with.

The benefits of online teaching for you are:

• You can become an international teacher and expand your student base.
• You can teach at odd hours if you want to.
• You can become a trail-blazer in a field which will, no doubt, become more popular in future!  And
• If you are smart, discover a new niche market because…

Some of the benefits for students are:

• They don’t need to leave the comfort of their own home or office!

This would be attractive to people who:

• clock up a lot of time working and don’t have time for to go to a lesson,
• people in isolated areas without access to music teachers,
• people who find travel difficult or who have limited access to transport, and
• carers or parents who can’t leave their premises for very long.

Some disadvantages of learning online are:

• The student misses out on some of the personal energy created in a real-life meeting, however, as they get to know you, this shouldn’t be a problem.
• They will have to be more active in helping their lesson to run smoothly, making sure their set-up is in place and they have all resources at hand but I also see this as an advantage as it helps the student learn to be independent and resourceful which are qualities needed to pursue music.

I hope you’ve found this helpful and I’d love to hear about any feedback you may have.  So, please leave a comment below and good luck!

This is the season of chilled beer and barbecued hot dogs, where grown men lounge in kiddie pools while small children launch bottle rockets at each other. Freedom and apple pie scent the air, while the Stars and Stripes fly proudly over many a green lawn. Hearts burst with pride over all things American, and people flock down to the local recruiter’s office hoping to meet Uncle Sam himself. In this spirit of patriotism, brotherhood, buffalo wings and “The Wal-Mart” I bring to you:

“Josh’s Super Deluxe All-American Top Ten List of People Who Should Definitely NOT Join the Army Band”

When I volunteered to write for MusicianWages.com I had one goal. To help interested folks make an informed decision before enlisting. Part of that goal involves steering away people who would not fit, and would make themselves (and everyone around them) miserable, by joining. This list is dedicated to you.

10. Drug Addicts.

Addict is a strong word, maybe I should have said “folks who enjoy inhaling from time to time, and don’t plan on quitting”. You may think this is obvious, but I was recently reading comments on a blog about cruise ship musicians (cruise ships like the military require drug tests) and was amazed at people’s questions. ie; “My friends and I all like to smoke marijuana, what happens if we fail the drug test?” or “I haven’t smoked pot in 6 days, do you think I’ll pass the test?”

Without divulging too much personal history, I’ll just say I understand the allure of certain illegal recreational activities. But if you want this gig (or any other that does drug testing) you need to ask yourself one question; What’s more important, getting high or getting the gig? If you’d rather go get stoned, the Army Band is not going to be a good fit.

9. Folks who fear exercise.

You will exercise… daily. If your idea of an “epic workout” involves struggling for breath after eating an entire pizza from the fetal position, you will not like this job. Now I’m not saying you need to be a fitness monster who climbs mountains and runs marathons. But you do need to be prepared for a moderate amount of fitness. And there is plenty of exercise in Basic Training. So if you are allergic to breaking a sweat, don’t join.

8. People who hate authority.

This is the Army. No matter how high on the food chain you go, there will always be someone higher up, telling you what to do. All the way up to the President, and he gets bossed around by the tax payers. In fact, if you can’t handle being told what to do you may have a difficult time with most non-Army jobs as well. Maybe… you should get a dog, grab your guitar and go play under the bridge.

7. People who want to be in the Army just to tell others what to do.

The polar opposite of number 8. The truth is (as much as I hate to admit it) you’ll probably be okay, but I find people like you utterly exhausting. Besides, I think one or two of you may have already snuck in… groan.

6. Elitist musical snobs.

If you’re too good to play country, or only want to play 4 hand marimba solos, or feel that anything other than 2oth century woodwind literature is beneath you. This is not your dream gig.

Being passionate about something is great. You will probably find some like-minded individuals. Or maybe you’ll introduce some friends to a style they were unfamiliar with. But the truth is you will play many different things. You may not like all of them.

Throughout US and Iraq I heard “Play some Skynyrd!” at practically every gig. Here in Europe they go crazy for “In the Mood”. So we play them all. And you will play your fair share of marches. If this sounds like a nightmare, don’t join.

5. People with a sense of entitlement.

Maybe you did mow Alanis Morissette’s grass when you were younger, or your dad’s neighbor’s dog did write a song that’s in “The Real Book”. It doesn’t matter here, we all start on equal footing. And the biggest culprits, I’m sorry to say, are my fellow college grads. I’ve known many great musicians over the course of my life. Many were formally trained with degrees, and many were not. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a big advocate for furthering your education. But if your playing and knowledge can’t speak for itself, nobody will care if you have 3 Ph.D’s. And if you start waving your degrees in people’s faces to explain why you deserve more money, better treatment, and less BS than everybody else, you’ll just get under everyone’s skin.

And please, whatever you do, don’t try to explain to me why you shouldn’t have to deploy. You will instantly lose my attention and my respect. We’re a big team in this field, and everybody needs to do their share.

4. People who can’t leave home.

I grew up in a suburb of L.A. Many of the folks I went to school with are still there, trapped in some kind of invisible bubble. And there’s nothing wrong with that (LA is a serious city). But being in the Army is not bubble living. We move. If the end of your rainbow is the end of your street, you will not like this job. Every couple years (depending on how long you stay in) you will pack up and go somewhere new. Sometimes it will be better than where you’re coming from… and sometimes it won’t. But one thing is for certain, you’re going. So if you have an elderly relative to look after, or you just bought a new house and are looking to put down roots, maybe this isn’t the right job for you.

3. Lazy people who need to make a living and are content being mediocre musicians.

When I joined about 15 years ago there were a good number of seasoned band Soldiers with this mindset. They would just drink coffee, not practice and count the days until they could start drawing their retirement checks. Thankfully over the last decade-and-a-half most of these folks have been weeded out. The caliber of musician has risen, and a lot of great music is being made throughout the field. If you’re lazy and find the Army appealing because you won’t get fired, that’s fine, the Army could always use more truck drivers. Just don’t join the band.

Which leads us into number 2.

2. People who really want to be Infantrymen/Truck drivers/Tankers/etc.

I have nothing against any of the aforementioned jobs. If that’s what you’re into, go for it (although I imagine most readers of this site do not fit into this category). But please don’t join the band if you really want to be a combat medic. I don’t want to hear about how we should be spending more time in the field, or why we really need to do combatives.

I want to play music with my friends. That’s why I joined. If you’d rather be jumping in the mud than learning a new chord progression, the mud is waiting. Splash away.

And Josh’s number 1 type of folks who absolutely should not join the Army Band are:

1. Societal Misfits or as I like to call them… A**holes.

This is a small field. Nobody wants to work with a jerk. There’s a good chance if you sign up we’ll serve together. And if not with me, you’ll certainly end up with someone I know. We’re more than just coworkers, we’re friends. It’s like a big family. We eat, sleep, work, party and relax together (for a solid year if you deploy, minus the partying). We all need to get along.

So there you go. If you find yourself identifying with seven out of ten of these categories, maybe you should look elsewhere for employment.

I love my job. And I feel extremely fortunate to have found a way to make a living doing what I love. But the Army Band is not for everyone, and this blog is a testament to that.

Now if you’ll excuse me, there’s a can of spray cheese and a 6 pack of Budweiser with my name on it. “U-S-A, U-S-A!”

I held a variety of “regular” jobs before joining the Army Band. Everything from selling flowers on the corner to being the errand boy for an animation company. Some I liked (movie theater) some I didn’t (food service). But they all had one thing in common:

I never advanced.

I spent an entire summer slaving away at Baskins-Robbins coated in ice cream and hot fudge on training wages – an evil tool used by some companies to keep them from paying minimum wage.

Training wages – groan. I mean, I’m sure I wasn’t the first guy to leave the bananas out of the banana split.

To be fair, I had no interest in being promoted. I never intended to stay at any of these jobs. And most lasted no more than a summer.

Things changed when I joined the Army. I knew I was committed for at least 3 years, so I figured I’d try to move up the ladder a bit. I also had good supervisors that saw potential in me and helped steer me down the right path.

I started my career as a Specialist. This a standard for anybody joining the band these days – from “Ms. two P.H.D.s” to “Mr. barely got my G.E.D.” if you join the band, you’ll start as a specialist.

A specialist in the Army is not that bad. You’re an E4. This means there are 3 levels of people below you. You get paid a little more and receive a little more respect.

Unfortunately in the band field, a specialist is the bottom of the food chain. If you’re tired of being the guy cleaning toilets at the end of the day, you’ll have to move up.

Promotion up to Sergeant and Staff Sergeant (E5 and E6) are very much under your control. It’s based on a points system. The guy with the most points gets promoted. Period.

First you’ll have to get dressed up and appear before a promotion board. They’ll ask you questions about various Army topics. If you seem to know what you’re talking about, they will recommend you for promotion. Confidence is key. Deep into my first promotion board, I was asked for the date of a significant event in Army history. After about 5 seconds of fruitless brain-straining I answered with conviction; “A long time ago, Sergeant Major.”

Now all you need are points.

How does one get these points? A variety of ways. You will get points for your level of civilian education (those college degrees can help you here, no points for the G.E.D…. sorry). You will get points for your military education (truck driving school, combat life saver school, etc.). Deployments will earn you points, medals and awards earn points, being a great shot with a rifle on the range, scoring well on your Physical Fitness test all earn points. Your points are totalled up and the race is on.

The points for Sergeant are lower than for Staff Sergeant. After you make Sergeant your points do not reset. You just keep adding to them and working towards the next level. But you will have to attend another promotion board.

As each month rolls around the Army will decide they need so many new Sergeants in the Band. Let’s say it’s 5 for this month. They will then take the 5 promotable specialists with that have most points.

You may be saying this process doesn’t seem particularly musical. You’re right. It’s not.

But you are only competing against other band folks. And you can get points for music in round about ways – I received my first medal for arranging Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir” for Concert Band. Which in turn gave me promotion points. And most importantly, if you can’t play your way out of a paper bag, your supervisors will probably have absolutely no interest in sending you to the promotion board to begin with. So keep practicing!

As you move higher (E7 – E9) the system changes. Promotions are now selected by a centralized board once a year. You submit your records, along with a current photo and cross your fingers. Of course, the more you’ve done the better you’ll look.

It can be a very frustrating process. The list of chosen soldiers comes out once a year, and you’re either on it or you’re not. There’s no information on how close or faraway you may have been from being selected. Sometimes a list of guidelines will come out saying what the board was looking for, but there is no guarantee that they will be interested in the same things next year.

Two months ago the list came out, and I was selected to be promoted to Sergeant First Class (E7). This was (and still is) very exciting news! As for why it happened this year and not previously, I cannot say.

Perhaps it was the way florescent lights of the photo studio danced across my head. Illuminating my short-cut hair like sparkly gray pixie dust. Giving me that seasoned “old soldier” look that’s all the rage these days.

What does it take for someone to be a music director?

To be a theatre music director you need to know what drama is all about, and you need to know what music is all about.

Lots of people in theatre don’t understand music, the nitty gritty of how music looks, and they get quite scared about that. I think one of your jobs is to be able to put people at their ease about that. You have to say, “look, we’re looking at a 18-piece orchestra, we can make that change, but not like that.” Sometimes you do have to explain that.

Here is a case in point. When I was first talked to about We Will Rock You the producer said: “All the music exists, so we don’t need an orchestrator or vocal arrangement.” I said: “So where does it exist?” “Well, its’ on cds.”

So you have to say: “Look, say we get the show up and running in London with people who can work from their heads, but what if the show goes abroad and we can’t be there? How are you going to transmit exactly what the show is gonna be?” You have to take them down the path of understanding.

Enjoyment is also really important. If you are up on the podium, or in front of your piano, and you look like you’re not enjoying yourself, that will transmit to whoever you’re working with.

Do you prefer to be a piano conductor or a standing conductor?

They are very different things. In my early career, I really liked to have the keyboard in front of me, and get into the playing of the piece.

The first time I stood up in front of an orchestra was when I was the associate music director for La Cage aux Folles. After I conducted the orchestra for the 1st time, a brilliant saxophone player, John Franchi said: “You did a really good job. You were completely clear, we all understood everything you were doing. But just answer this question. You know the beginning part of the song “Masquerade,” how did you subdivide that into 28?!!”

Because my hand was shaking and the tempo was very slow, his joke was that it looked like if I had subdivided it into 28 (laughs)!

And when you play the piano, people can’t see you shaking!

That’s not true! For the Queen Jubilee concert in 2002, we did four songs from We Will Rock You with the full cast. I was playing the piano and conducting, and just before the big moment, the camera was right over me, and you can see very clearly my fingers absolutely shaking, just as I’m playing!

What is the difference between a music director and a music supervisor?

Being a supervisor is like being the music director, but once the show opens you leave and let the show happen, just like the director and the choreographer do. The music director needs to conduct the show every night, while the music supervisor sets up the show and gently goes off into the background.

Does the music director loose some of his authority when there is a music supervisor?

Yes, I suppose he does. I try to empower the music director and to give him or her responsibility, but sometimes there are some decisions where the music supervisor has got to go “it’s gonna be like this.” If you’re in that rehearsal together, the supervisor is the head.

How should a music director handle difficult personalities?

I think you should always treat people as equally as you can. If you treat people how you would want to be treated if you were in that position, then usually you’ll do ok. You have to respect people’s sensibilities and where they’re coming from. When somebody continually gets something wrong, try to figure out what it is that’s so hard.

You also have to be able to diffuse a situation. I think I’ve lost my temper maybe three times in my career, and two of those times in the first couple of years!

I’ve seen some music directors absolutely shouting to people and being unpleasant. I don’t think it gets them anywhere. Personally I prefer to have people working and performing with me because they enjoy it, not because they’re frightened.

What do you think are some common mistakes that young music directors make?

I think the biggest mistake is thinking that they’re really important. Of course music and being a music director is an important thing, but I think a lot of young music directors think that when they’re called a music director, it gives them importance, and it doesn’t. Because like any other position of authority, any respect you get is earned, it isn’t automatic.

Part of being young is having an idealism and a drive, to want to make things exactly right. I think a lot of young music directors find it difficult to compromise. That’s one of the things they have to be careful of.

What do you know now that you wish you knew when you first got started?

The one aspect of music directing that isn’t talked about very much is how important it is to be a communicator and to be a receiver; to understand that you might have an absolute view of how music goes and how it should be, but musical theatre is a completely collaborative process.

If you think that music is more important than anything else, you’re wrong. Music is as equally important as the lyrics and the book.

In which ways has your music directing changed over the years?

As you get older, you are more able to see a bigger picture. If someone makes a mistake and you’re younger, you will want to go over that mistake and make sure that doesn’t happen again. As you get older, if you’re dealing with experienced musicians and they make a mistake in rehearsal, you don’t make a big thing about it. Maybe you just have some kind of eye contact with them, and then let them make the decisions as to whether they want to do it again.

Obviously you never stop learning, and you also learn from people much younger than you lots of time as well. One of the nice compliments I’ve had from a number of people is “you’re just the same as you were Mike,” which is a nice thing. I’m always amazed at the quality of the musicians and of the actors that I work with. I’m lucky, and I sometimes pinch myself and go “have I really been doing this since 1979?”

Any last thoughts?

Real life is more important, it’s not a matter of life and death. I know if a show has not been received as well as you wanted it to be, or if things are going badly in a show, it feels like that. But you have to go: “This isn’t real life. I’m doing something that 90% of the people in the world don’t get to do, and I’m in that lucky 10%.”