What does a session musician do?

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What is a Session Musician?

A session musician is either a singer or an instrumental performer that is usually not a permanent member of a band or ensemble, but is available to work at recording sessions, theatrical productions, film and television productions or live performances.

Session musicians may come in and play on just one song during a recording session, or they may join the band for the entire tour. They are expected to learn their parts quickly and be skilled in both ear training and sight reading. Versatility is key for a session musician as they often perform in a variety of different settings and are used in any situation where musical skills are needed on a short-term basis.

A session musician is either a singer or an instrumental performer that is usually not a permanent member of a band or ensemble, but is available to work at recording sessions, theatrical productions, film and television productions or live performances.

Are you suited to be a session musician?

Session musicians have distinct personalities. They tend to be artistic individuals, which means they’re creative, intuitive, sensitive, articulate, and expressive. They are unstructured, original, nonconforming, and innovative. Some of them are also investigative, meaning they’re intellectual, introspective, and inquisitive.

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Session Musicians are also known as:
Studio Musician Backing Musician