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There are some unspoken truths and unwritten laws that every working<br />
professional musician should know. I’m here to speak them for you!<br />
1) Most of us enjoy a certain “looseness”, and we<br />
each arrive at that point in our own way. That<br />
said, getting wasted at a gig is really passé; and<br />
more to the point, it’s a great way to lose a gig.<br />
No one really cares what it is you enjoy or what<br />
you imbibe; Nevertheless, make sure you are<br />
not over the top and are always able to make<br />
the best decisions for your show on stage.<br />
2) Be prepared. If you get a gig, do your homework.<br />
A lot of pros do not want (or need) to<br />
rehearse, they can just read the material. They<br />
also don’t like when rehearsal turns into teaching<br />
the band the tunes. Unless you are in a<br />
writing session, you should know the tunes<br />
completely when you show up. This way rehearsal<br />
is quick and painless.<br />
3) Know your role. I have seen so many performances<br />
ruined by a guitarist soloing inappropriately<br />
during the vocals or a drummer<br />
throwing in licks that don’t fit the song. If you<br />
need to express yourself that way, learn to play<br />
jazz or fusion where that sort of thing can be a<br />
little more tolerable.<br />
4) Remember who writes your check. If you are in<br />
a band, and one person does all the work in<br />
terms of booking gigs, setting up rehearsals,<br />
and determining the direction of the music;<br />
then guess what - it's their band! This bandleader<br />
may not push the issue; they may allow<br />
you to have a lot of freedom but the bottom<br />
line is you work for them. Most bandleaders<br />
take a larger cut off the top of the band’s fee to<br />
cover the extra work they do; and that is perfectly<br />
acceptable. A lot of folks think they get to<br />
just show up, play and earn the same money as<br />
By Darryl Quesenberry<br />
the folks who actually make it happen; this is a<br />
mistaken assumption. If you want to be in a<br />
collective, then be sure to bring something<br />
besides your amazing talent to the table. If you<br />
are in a band with a definitive leader; someone<br />
who writes the songs and pays you to be there;<br />
then do what they ask whether you agree with<br />
it or not.<br />
5) It’s fun to sit in with a band. Sometimes, it is<br />
fun for the band to have you sit in, but you<br />
need to be considerate. It is rude to ask a band<br />
you do not know if you can sit in. Most bands<br />
feel the pressure and end up saying yes; usually<br />
to the detriment of the show. The truth is that<br />
they would rather not let you. If they know<br />
you, they might ask you to play; but if they<br />
don’t, you should just enjoy the show and get<br />
to know them afterwards. Amendment - you<br />
can usually ask your friends to sit in with their<br />
bands; but still you shouldn’t be offended if<br />
they say no.<br />
Most of these are simple common sense rules, but<br />
they sometimes get pushed aside by ego. Part of<br />
being a pro means having your ego in check. If you<br />
are always considerate, and well-prepared, you’ll<br />
be remembered by bands and asked to play more;<br />
and you’ll be asked up to sit in more frequently<br />
when the time is right. Peace be with you and gig<br />
smart!<br />
38 / BUZZ MAGAZINE NOV/DEC <strong>2016</strong>
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