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Asession musician (also known asstudio musician orbacking musician) is amusician hired to perform in arecording session or alive performance. The termsideman is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a recording artist on a tour. Session musicians are usually not permanent or official members of amusical ensemble or band.
Many session musicians specialize in playing commonrhythm section instruments such asguitar,piano,bass, ordrums. Others are specialists, and playbrass,woodwinds, andstrings. Many session musicians play multiple instruments, which lets them play in a wider range of musical situations, genres, and styles. Examples of "doubling" includedouble bass andelectric bass,acoustic guitar andmandolin,piano andaccordion, and saxophone and other woodwind instruments.
Session musicians are used when musical skills are needed on a short-term basis. Typically, session musicians are used by recording studios to providebacking tracks for other musicians for recording sessions and live performances, recording music foradvertising, film, television, andtheatre.
In the 2000s, the terms "session musician" and "studio musician" were synonymous, though in past decades, "studio musician" meant a musician associated with a singlerecord company,recording studio orentertainment agency.[2]
Session musicians rarely achieve mainstream fame in their own right assoloists orbandleaders. However, top session musicians are well-known within themusic industry. Some have become publicly recognized, such asthe Wrecking Crew, theMuscle Shoals Rhythm Section[3] andThe Funk Brothers who worked withMotown Records.
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Session musicians may play in a wide range of genres or specialize in a specific genre (e.g.,country music orjazz). Some session musicians with a classical music background may focus onfilm score recordings. Even within a specific genre specialization, there may be even more focused sub-specializations. For example, a sub-specialization within trumpet session players is "high note specialist."
The working schedule for session musicians often depends on the terms set out by musicians' unions or associations, as these organizations typically set out rules on performance schedules (e.g., regarding the length of sessions and breaks). The length of employment may be as short as a single day, in the case of recording a brief demo song, or as long as several weeks if an album or film score is being recorded.
Musicians' associations and unions often set out the remuneration terms. Some musicians may get the minimum scale rate set out by the union. Heavily in-demand session musicians may earn much more. The union rates may vary based on whether it is a music recording versus a film/television recording. While the film/television rates may be lower, there may also beresidual payments to compensate them for reruns, DVD sales, streaming usage, and so on.
Session musicians often have to bring their own instruments, such as in the case of guitar, bass, woodwinds, and brass. It is expected that studio musicians will have well-maintained professional-tier instruments. In some cases, larger or heavier instruments may be provided by the recording studio, such as agrand piano orHammond organ andLeslie speaker. In certain cases, a session musicians may bring some instruments or musical gear and use them with larger instruments that are provided by the studio, such as a synthesizer player, who might bring rack-mountedsynth modules and connect them to the studio'sMIDI controllerstage piano. Similarly, if the studio has a selection of well-knownbass amplifiers, and speaker cabinets, a bass player may only have to bring bass guitars andeffect units.
The requirement to read different types of music notation,improvise and/or "play by ear" varies according to the type of recording session and the genres of music being performed. Classical musicians and many jazz and popular music musicians are expected to read music notation and dosight-reading. In jazz, rock, and many popular music genres, performers may be expected to read chord charts and improvise accompaniment and solos. In country music, performers may be expected to readNashville Number System charts and improvise accompaniment and solos. In many traditional and folk music styles, performers are expected to be able to play by ear.
Session musicians need a nuanced sense of the playing styles and idioms used in different genres. For example, a sax player who mainly plays jazz needs to know theR&B style if they are asked to improvise a solo in an R&B song. Similarly, a bass player asked to improvise awalking bassline in arockabilly song needs to know the stock lines andclichés used in this genre.
Regardless of the styles of music session musicians play, some qualities are universal: punctuality in arriving at the session; rhythmic and intonation precision; ability to play with good ensemble and excellent blending with the other performers; willingness to take direction frombandleaders,music directors, andmusic producers; and having good musical taste in regards to choices withmusical ornaments andmusical phrasing.
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During the 1950s and 1960s, session players were usually active in local recording scenes concentrated in places such asLos Angeles,New York City,Nashville,Memphis,Detroit, andMuscle Shoals.[4][5][6] Each local scene had its circle of "A-list" session musicians, such asThe Nashville A-Team that played on numerous country and rock hits of the era, the two groups of musicians in Memphis, boththe Memphis Boys and the musicians who backedStax/Volt recordings, andthe Funk Brothers in Detroit, who played on manyMotown recordings.[5]
At the time, multi-tracking equipment, though common, was less elaborate, and instrumental backing tracks were often recorded "hot" with an ensemble playing live in the studio.[7] Musicians had to be available "on call" when producers needed a part to fill a last-minute time slot.[8] In the 1960s, Los Angeles was considered the top recording destination in the United States — consequently studios were constantly booked around the clock, and session time was highly sought after and expensive.[9] Songs had to be recorded quickly in the fewest possible takes.[10] In this environment, Los Angeles producers and record executives had little patience for needless expense or wasted time and depended on the service of reliable standby musicians who could be counted on to record in a variety of styles with minimal practice or takes, and deliver hits on short order.[8][11]
Astudio band is amusical ensemble that is in the employ of arecording studio for the purpose of accompanying recording artists who are customers of the studio. The use of studio bands was more common during the 1960s with groups suchBooker T. & the M.G.'s. The benefit of having a regular group, an approach which typifiedSouthern soul, is that the group has much more experience playing together, which enables them to get a better sense of ensemble.
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