Musician hired to perform in recording sessions or live performances
A
session musician
(also known as
studio musician
or
backing musician
) is a
musician
hired to perform in a
recording session
or a
live performance
. The term
sideman
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 a
musical ensemble
or band.
Many session musicians specialize in playing common
rhythm section
instruments such as
guitar
,
piano
,
bass
, or
drums
. Others are specialists, and play
brass
,
woodwinds
, and
strings
.
Many session musicians play multiple instruments, which lets them play in a wider range of musical situations, genres and styles. Examples of "doubling" include
double bass
and
electric bass
,
acoustic guitar
and
mandolin
,
piano
and
accordion
, 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 provide
backing tracks
for other musicians for recording sessions and live performances; recording music for
advertising
, film, television, and
theatre
.
In the 2000s, the terms "session musician" and "studio musician" are synonymous, though in past decades, "studio musician" meant a musician associated with a single
record company
,
recording studio
or
entertainment agency
.
[2]
Session musicians rarely achieve mainstream fame in their own right as
soloists
or
bandleaders
. However, top session musicians are well known within the
music industry
, and some have become publicly recognized, such as
the Wrecking Crew
, the
Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section
[3]
and
The Funk Brothers
who worked with
Motown Records
.
Approaches
[
edit
]
Session musicians may play in a wide range of genres or specialize in a specific genre (e.g.,
country music
or
jazz
). Some session musicians with a classical music background may focus on
film 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 length of session and breaks). The length of employment may be as short as a single day, in the case of a recording a brief demo song, or as long as several weeks, if an album or film score is being recorded.
The remuneration terms are often set out by musicians' associations and unions. 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 film/television recording. While the film/television rates may be lower, there may also be
residual 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 professional-tier instruments that are well-maintained. In some cases, larger or heavier instruments may be provided by the recording studio, such as a
grand piano
or
Hammond organ
and
Leslie 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-mounted
synth modules
and connect them to the studio's
MIDI controller
stage piano
. Similarly, if the studio has a selection of well-known
bass amplifiers
and speaker cabinets, a bass player may only have to bring basses and
effect 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 do
sight-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 read
Nashville 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 the
R&B
style if they are asked to improvise a solo in an R&B song. Similarly, a bass player asked to improvise a
walking bassline
in a
rockabilly
song needs to know the stock lines and cliches 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 from
bandleaders
,
music directors
, and
music producers
; and having good musical taste in regards to choices with
musical ornaments
and
musical phrasing
.
History
[
edit
]
| This section
needs expansion
. You can help by
adding to it
.
(
July 2020
)
|
1950s?1960s
[
edit
]
During the 1950s and 1960s, session players were usually active in local recording scenes concentrated in places such as
Los Angeles
,
New York City
,
Nashville
,
Memphis
,
Detroit
, and
Muscle Shoals
.
[4]
[5]
[6]
Each local scene had its circle of "A-list" session musicians, such as
The Nashville A-Team
that played on numerous country and rock hits of the era, the two groups of musicians in Memphis, both
the Memphis Boys
and the musicians who backed
Stax/Volt
recordings, and
the Funk Brothers
in Detroit, who played on many
Motown
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]
Studio band
[
edit
]
A
studio band
is a
musical ensemble
that is in the employ of a
recording 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 such
Booker T. & the M.G.'s
. The benefit of having a regular group, an approach which typified
Southern soul
, is that the group has much more experience playing together, which enables them to get a better sense of ensemble.
Notable groups
[
edit
]
- Studio musicians who recorded during the
Nashville sound
era. Their contributions began in the 1950s with artists such as
Elvis Presley
. The original A-Team includes bassist
Bob Moore
; guitarists
Grady Martin
,
Hank Garland
, Ray Edenton, and
Harold Bradley
; drummer
Buddy Harman
; pianists
Floyd Cramer
and
Hargus "Pig" Robbins
; fiddler
Tommy Jackson
; steel guitarist
Pete Drake
; harmonicist
Charlie McCoy
; saxophonist
Boots Randolph
; and vocal groups
The Jordanaires
and The
Anita Kerr Singers
. Cramer, McCoy and Randolph, along with later A-Teamer and producer
Chet Atkins
, would later emerge as part of
Hee Haw
's
Million Dollar Band
in the 1980s.
- The house band at
Stax records
in
Memphis
during the 1960s and 1970s, playing behind
Otis Redding
,
Eddie Floyd
,
Sam and Dave
,
Isaac Hayes
,
The Staple Singers
, and others. MGs guitarist
Steve Cropper
co-wrote many of Redding's hits and the MGs produced albums and hit singles such as "
Green Onions
" in their own right while being the house band at Stax.
- Prolific, established studio musicians based in Los Angeles, among which bassist
Carol Kaye
stands out as one of the rare female instrumentalists. They have recorded many songs and albums since the 1960s.
- A vocal session group closely associated with the Wrecking Crew and appeared as backing vocalists on many of the Crew's recordings, including TV and movie themes and radio and television commercials.
- An all-female vocal group featuring
Darlene Love
which was closely associated with the Wrecking Crew and with
Phil Spector
, appearing as backing vocalists on many of their recordings. From 1964 to 1966, they were featured vocalists on the weekly rock' n' roll television program
Shindig!
- Session musicians who backed many
Motown Records
recordings from the late 1950s to the early 1970s as well as a few non-Motown recordings, notably on
Jackie Wilson
's "
(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher
".
- An all-female trio of backing vocalists who backed many
Motown Records
artists from the late 1950s to the early 1970s as well as a few non-Motown artists, including
Jackie Wilson
,
Betty Everett
, and
John Lee Hooker
. Closely associated with the Funk Brothers.
- Session musicians who served as
American Sound Studio
's house band. They backed such artists as
Aretha Franklin
,
Elvis Presley
,
Wilson Pickett
,
Joe Tex
,
Neil Diamond
, and
Dusty Springfield
, among others.
- A Los Angeles singer/songwriter scene associated with the
Troubadour
nightclub and
Laurel Canyon
in the late 1960s to mid-1970s was supported by musicians
Russ Kunkel
,
Danny Kortchmar
,
Leland Sklar
and
Craig Doerge
. This session combo, nicknamed "the Section" or "the Mafia", backed many musicians, among others:
Carole King
,
James Taylor
,
Jackson Browne
,
Warren Zevon
,
Kris Kristofferson
and
David Crosby
.
- A group comprising
Barry Beckett
,
Roger Hawkins
,
David Hood
, and
Jimmy Johnson
, also known as the Swampers, became known for the "Muscle Shoals Sound". Many of the recordings done in the
Memphis
area, which included
Muscle Shoals, Alabama
, used
The Memphis Horns
in their arrangements.
- MFSB
(Philadelphia, 1970s)
- MFSB
("Mother Father Sister Brother") was a group of
soul music
studio musicians based in
Philadelphia
at the
Sigma Sound Studios
; they later went on to become a name-brand instrumental group, and their best known hit was "
TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia)
", better known as the theme from
Soul Train
.
- A vocal group commissioned to provide vocals for Mayoham Music, formed by husband and wife
Al Ham
and Mary Mayo (the latter of whom was also a member of the group). The group is best known for their jingles and television news themes. "
I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony)
", originally composed as a jingle for
Coca-Cola
, became a surprise hit and the source of the group's recording name, as the Coca-Cola commercial featured singers on a hillside.
The New Seekers
would have an even larger hit with the same song. Their best-known news theme was "
Move Closer to Your World
", associated with
Capital Cities Communications
'
Action News
local news format.
- Session musicians who backed many
Salsoul Records
recordings from 1974 to 1982. Under their own name, they recorded and released several hit singles and albums between 1975 and 1982.
- Session musicians who served as the house band at
Compass Point Studios
.
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"Hal Blaine Biography"
.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
.
Archived
from the original on 18 September 2015
. Retrieved
10 August
2015
.
- ^
McDonald, H. (2019). What is a session musician? The balance careers.
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/what-is-a-session-musician-2460709
Archived
2020-02-23 at the
Wayback Machine
- ^
Westergaard, Sean.
"The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section: Artist Biography"
.
AllMusic
.
Archived
from the original on July 3, 2019
. Retrieved
July 7,
2019
.
- ^
Savona, Anthony (2005).
Console Confessions: The Great Music Producers in Their Own Words
(First ed.). San Francisico, CA: Backbeat Books. pp. 36?38.
ISBN
978-0-87930-860-5
.
Archived
from the original on 2021-08-31
. Retrieved
2020-10-20
.
- ^
a
b
Source A:
"The Nashville "A" Team"
.
Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum
. Archived from
the original
on January 26, 2016
. Retrieved
January 20,
2016
.
Source B:
"Motown Sound: Funk Brothers"
.
Motown Museum
.
Archived
from the original on January 28, 2016
. Retrieved
January 20,
2016
.
Source C:
Brown, Mick (October 25, 2013).
"Deep Soul: How Muscle Shoals Became Music's Most Unlikely Hit Factory"
.
The Telegraph
.
Archived
from the original on January 2, 2016
. Retrieved
January 20,
2016
.
- ^
Hartman, Kent
(2012).
The Wrecking Crew: The Inside Story of Rock and Roll's Best-Kept Secret
(1st ed.). Thomas Dunne Books. pp.
2?5, 110, 175?176
.
ISBN
978-0-312-61974-9
.
- ^
"Recording studios ? Why Can Recordings Made in the e.g. 1960s Sound Good in 2011?"
. NAIM. Archived from
the original
on February 25, 2017
. Retrieved
January 20,
2016
.
- ^
a
b
Andrews, Evan (July 1, 2011).
"Top 10 Session Musicians and Studio Bands"
. Toptenz.net.
Archived
from the original on August 31, 2021
. Retrieved
January 21,
2016
.
- ^
"The Byrds: Who Played What?"
. JazzWax. September 4, 2012.
Archived
from the original on January 10, 2016
. Retrieved
January 21,
2016
.
- ^
Farber, Jim (March 9, 2015).
"The Wrecking Crew Documentary Profiles the Secret Players Behind Many 1960s and '70s Rock Hits"
.
Daily News
. New York.
Archived
from the original on February 22, 2016
. Retrieved
January 21,
2016
.
- ^
Laurier, Joanne (November 14, 2015).
"The Wrecking Crew: The "Secret Star-Making Machine" of 1960s Pop Music"
.
World Socialist Website
.
Archived
from the original on January 28, 2016
. Retrieved
January 21,
2016
.