First lesson ever is a talk to a portfolio musician. A portfolio musician is always in the employ of different means rather than exclusively involved with a band.
The nice man we get talked by is a Bassist called Kev Sanders.
And so begins the talk about being a portfolio musician and what can be learned from it.
He says;
Focus and hard work are the constant in being a musician, like being an obsessive compulsive; why else would you push yourself so hard into such strange business?
Do it if you have to do it and you can't do anything else.
Opportunities arise by getting yourself around so you have to do it before you ever get to do it.
Theatre playing (pit musicians for musicals) is good for long term work, possibly the best.
Hotel work pays.
Cruise ship work pays.
Interpersonal skills will get you further than talent; be nice.
From the start you must make yourself know, poke your nose in and offer yourself, for free if need be.
Teaching fills is in the troths between the peaks of gig money. Teaching is guaranteed money as there are always people who want to learn music and private teaching is the most profitable form of teaching and requires no qualifications. Teachers have to be inspirational characters so to be a part time teacher means you are actually doing what you are teaching and will in turn inspire.
Session musicianship.
Gone are the days when you can just bus around London getting a gig. You will never ever get tab so forget it guitarists you lazy people. You are fallible and will not get it first time and for the most part there will never be time for you to do you master work, as a session musician you are one of many just in to do a job then get out. Like everything else you have to slowly nudge yourself into session work, now and then doing what the big boys don't want to do until you are up there with them.
Arranging and writing for people pays.
Sell your own stuff at gigs; CDs and stuff.
Do it if you want to, because you have to want to.
Don't do drugs. Being healthy will make you a better musician.
At the end of the day you have to be a good musician sure, but you have to work hard, for the rest of your life.
