What is a studio session musician? How does that differ from a touring musician, or online session musicians?
We will answer those questions in this article, and also tell you how to find a studio session musician who is qualified and who can blend in and provide you with outstanding background music. And, in Nashville, one of the very best studio session musicians you can find is Kip Allen, Drum Workshop Artist.
Call Kip when the very best drummer is needed for your next professional gig.
What is a studio session musician?
The key word when discussing a studio session musician is “session.” That generally signifies a musician who is not part of the regular band or orchestra, someone who is needed, will be paid session pay, and then move on to the next gig. A session sax player may come in for one song recording. A renowned session acoustic guitarist may come in do help with an entire CD. Or a session drummer may help out with one particular genre of song which they specialize in.
The other distinguishing word is “studio,” as in a studio recording and not a live gig. A studio session musician, by definition, is someone who works on recordings, in a studio, on an “as need” basis.
How does that differ from an online session musician?
The only difference between a studio session musician and online session musicians is the location. An online session musician will have a particular sheet of music sent to him, either hard copy or an online recording, and then that musician will add their instrument to the recording using highly-sophisticated mixing programs. They may, or may not, ever see the other musicians features in the recording.
Where can you find the best studio session musician available?
Studio session musicians are rather common in the music industry, and they are quite easy to find around any music community in any medium-to-large city. Just ask around the music scene and you’ll get recommendations.
However, finding the best of the best, if that is what your recording calls for, will most likely require going outside of your city, reaching out to some of the larger markets, like Nashville, to find those session musicians who have the chops to handle the duties when the best is needed.
Please note, the top tier of session musicians pick and choose which projects they will work on. Their reputation is at stake, and working for an unknown performer, or entertainer, is not what they do. It takes some serious connections to acquire the really good studio session musicians.
What will you pay for a studio session musician?
It is impossible to answer that question. The range of pay is broad, anywhere from a hundred bucks to thousands. It depends on your city, your music scene, and how much you are willing to pay.
A final word about Kip Allen
Are you looking for the best studio session drummer? In Nashville, when that question is asked, one of the first names mentioned is Kip Allen, drummer, songwriter, and producer. Call Kip when only the best is good enough for your recording.
