My last post was the first of three posts that address whether a jazz/commercial degree is marketable and what opportunities are available. While it is not the job of ANY educational institution to become a “trade school” with the goal of placing students into careers, I do feel strongly that jazz/commercial students have the possibility of landing in a career that is both financially and personally rewarding.
I want to elaborate even more about what musical skills directly translate to financial income. Here are some things that I think give a young musician an advantage in the working world:
PLAY WELL
ALWAYS give 100% whether it be in your own practice sessions, rehearsals with other players or gigs. Don’t be texting or zoning out but instead be focused, stay focused, and keep your head in the game at all times. Everyone makes some mistakes, but don’t make silly mistakes. Tune your instrument, tune your drums, and get a good sound every time you play. If something is challenging, practice it before the gig or rehearsal.
Prepare for the gig
This could mean many different things:
-know the music
-have the sheet music copied or on your iPad
-have extra drum sticks, an extra patch cable, or have a few reeds ready
-listen to the tunes that you are preparing to play
-know the chords and forms of the tunes
-have charts ready if you are the bandleader
-make a set list in advance
-be able to provide other musicians professional looking charts and recordings if they are playing your music
Expand your skills
Sax players: Don’t just be a sax player. Know tenor, alto, and bari sax but also know flute and clarinet. Maybe even know bass clarinet, alto flute, and piccolo.
Brass players: challenge your range in addition to working on your soloing.
Pianists: have knowledge and skill or organs and synths
Bass players: know electric and upright and the EQ/sounds associated with them
Know how to read sheet music well
Sight reading is a skill that will make you money.
Know how to play by ear
Improvising is expected on a lot of gigs—everything from club dates to Broadway shows to wedding bands to rock bands to cocktail gigs. Know when to play the killer chord subs that you learned in the practice rooms and when to just play simple and groove.
Know a lot of styles
Challenge yourself to listen to and know how to get the sound required on your instrument for various musical styles—jazz/swing but also Latin (son clave), reggae, hip hop, funk, etc. Figure out what do you need to do on your instrument to play across genres.
These skills will open up your world to playing in as many live music situations as possible, with as many people as possible, and with results that will provide income and opportunities for even more income. Music is a portfolio career so it is highly likely that your income will come from multiple sources, which is perfectly normal.
Just for fun, here is a video that I recorded with Marty Schwartz and the Vintage League All Stars: