The Freelance Musician By Glenn Steele ho performs most of the live mu- doable task. It takes money, time, and patience. THE FREELANCER’S BASIC sic heard throughout the U.S. and Many freelancers maintain active teaching INVENTORY other places in the world? Freelance studios and have additional part-time jobs in Wmusicians. A professional freelance order to supplement their income. musician is one who usually performs in a A freelance musician needs to own a large Drums variety of locations for a limited time and for number of instruments, mallets, sticks, stands, Drumset w/drums, stands, cymbals, cases. ” a fee. Performing examples include symphony holders, and specialty equipment. These should 6 concert snare drum (cable snares/multi- orchestras, opera, ballet, Broadway shows, jazz/ be gradually purchased as you progress through snares) w/stand big band or combo, rock band, avant-guard your education career. Elsewhere in this article Field drum w/stand ensemble, chamber orchestra, recording studio, I’ve provided a “minimum requirement” list Concert bass drum (14 x 28) w/folding drum corps, military bands, and many more. for instruments, mallets, and sticks, and a job stand Freelance musicians are the “heart and soul” checklist for reference. Freelancers often have 1 conga drum w/stand and “troops in the trenches” of most places to buy “uniforms” for different services, such as 1 pr. timbales w/stand where live music is performed. They are the a tuxedo and/or tails and a white dinner jacket musicians we hear on TV commercials and with the appropriate formal shirts, ties, cum- Cymbals/Gongs movie soundtracks, in restaurants, bars, and merbunds, and shoes. Special uniforms such as Suspended cymbals from drumset ” weddings, in addition to orchestras hired for colored shirts and slacks, or a striped Dixieland 1 pr. crash cymbals (18 ) ” local oratorios, operas, and Broadway shows. vest may be required for a particular group 1 Gong (tam tam), 26 w/stand Freelance gigs differ from full-time/yearly con- identity. tracted positions such as those found in major Freelancing requires many career skills in Accessories ” symphony orchestras, Broadway musicals, or addition to musical/performing skills. These 6 triangle ” ” military bands. Successful freelance percussion- include a responsible/disciplined work ethic, Tambourine (10 to 11 , double row ists have extensive experience on a wide variety time-management skills, networking, good jingles) of percussion instruments including snare communication and interpersonal relations, Castanets, mounted drum, timpani, drumset, accessories, and key- and a basic business sense. Some of the busi- Woodblock board percussion, as well as Latin percussion ness aspects of freelancing include: marketing 1 pr. maracas and other world percussion instruments. They (selling yourself ), keeping records of expenses, 1 pr. claves represent what the Ludwig Company called a filling out an IRS (U.S.) tax form that includes Temple blocks w/stand “total percussionist.” The freelance experience “Schedule C,” finding housing (location central is often the first professional playing experience to the performing venues), buying/renting a ve- Keyboard Percussion that music school graduates will have. hicle (or other transportation), paying for med- Orchestra bells (2 1/2 octave) Many professional musicians find that ical and life insurance, food costs (Bring your Xylophone (3 1/2 octave) the freelance environment is the most excit- own? Eat out? Be careful what you eat when Vibraphone ing and challenging experience a performer traveling; it can be expensive), buying/cleaning Marimba can have. The reasons for this include having uniforms (tuxedo, tails, etc.), buying/maintain- to be prepared to perform a wide variety of ing instruments, mallets, sticks, music, etc. A Timpani ” ” music in unfamiliar settings, with different ar- datebook, address/phone book, and business 1 pr. pedal (29 , 26 ), portable rays of instruments, different conductors and cards are a must. Many of these communica- musicians—all within a narrow timeframe. tion sources can now be done with a good cell Miscellaneous Sight-reading is an important and required phone or PDA. Drum stool (drumset, timpani) skill for success in this career. Some players It is good to do a cost/benefit analysis to Music stand have left symphony orchestras and returned to determine if you can afford to do a particu- Tray stand(s) freelancing because they found the orchestra lar job. It may not be worth renting a truck, Tray stand(s) top (padded) experience to be limiting in musical challenges. hauling a load of percussion instruments, and Trap case Freelancers get to perform with some of the driving three hours to play a four-hour job for Mallet/stick case (see page 33) most notable musicians, composers, artists, and $150.00! Hand truck celebrities on the scene. As a freelancer I’ve I’m a strong advocate of belonging to the had the chance to perform with such artists as Musician’s Union—the American Federation Luciano Pavorati, Tony Bennett, the Swingle of Musicians. I’ve moved 23 times in my life local. There are also different rates for traveling Singers, Joan Sutherland, Leonard Nimoy, Bar- and have belonged to five musicians’ locals (a groups such as touring shows. bara Walters, and Zubin Mehta, to name a few. “local” is the term for the geographical area General guidelines for different types of jobs Freelancing is often a seasonal business. In over which a particular union contact has ju- are as follows: Philadelphia, the “busy” seasons are October to risdiction). The union provides guidelines for (Taken from the Philadelphia American January 1, and March to July 4. You sometimes job descriptions, job security, wages, cartage Federation of Musicians, Local 77, Wage Scale have to take as much work as you can handle fees, per diem (daily living expenses), perfor- book, circa. 2004). while you can get it! Being able to make a liv- mance time, working conditions, and legal Club-date: 3–4 hrs. ing as a freelance musician is a complex but recourse. Contract specifics vary from local to Symphony Concert: 2–3 hrs. PERCUSSIVE NOTES 32 MARCH 2010 ing opportunity has been diminished by “top bling” is defined as playing more than one FREELANCE PERCUSSION MALLET/ 40” bands (bands that rehearse and simulate primary instrument (or instrument group, like STICK CASE the current pop songs), solo or duet groups that a drumset) per service. For percussion, rates can use “synthed” (synthesizer/drum machine) ac- vary by local but include: Sticks: 2 pr. drumset sticks, one w/nylon companiments, and DJs. I observed the most Doubling: 50% additional to regular wage. tip; 1 pr. concert sticks; 1pr. double end glaring (and insulting) example of this at a club Categories: drumset, timpani, keyboard per- sticks (wooden tip/felt tip); 1 pr. brushes; in one of the Las Vegas casinos. There was a cussion, Latin percussion. timbale sticks; cloth pouch for sticks. five-piece band playing with a drumset set up Cartage (examples): behind sound reflectors—with no drummer! 1. 2 timpani: $30.00; each additional drum, Mallets: 2 pr. bell (med.-hard, hard), 2 pr. A performer in an ensemble is referred to as $10.00 xylophone, 1 pr. med.-hard rubber mal- a “side-man/woman.” A contractor is the per- 2. Drumset: $15.00 lets, 1 pr. brass mallets, 2 pr. cord mallets son who hires you and provides the rehearsal, 3. Xylophone, vibraphone, small marimba: (med.-hard), 2 pr. cord mallets (hard), 2 pr. concert, and salary information. The contractor $15.00 ea. marimba mallets (medium), 1 pr. double is usually paid 50% in addition to the usual In the Philadelphia area there is a cadre of ended mallets (xyl./cord), cloth pouch for musician (side-man) fee. about 200 musicians. They usually function in mallets, 3 pr. timpani mallets (soft-med- When you play in a different local from either the classical music or the jazz/rock/com- hard). the one in which you are a member, you must mercial genre. Musicians sometimes work in pay the work dues for the job to that local. both genres but often cannot, simply because General Sticks/Mallets: 1 general pur- Contractors expect you to do the work and not the performances are concurrent. For example, pose bass drum mallet, 1 pr. bass drum bother them with too many details, although the classical and commercial performances roll mallets, 1 gong mallet, 1 pr. chime these may seriously affect your being able to take place at the same time but with different hammers, 1 set (3 pairs) triangle beaters function. They have many other musicians’ ensembles in different venues. If musicians (w/pouch), 1 guiro scraper. issues and venue technicalities to be dealing do work in both areas, and there is a schedule with in addition to percussion details. Contrac- conflict, they will send in a “double” or “sub” Miscellaneous: 2 triangle clips, pencils, tors can get “possessive” about their musicians. to cover their part. Most contractors frown on eraser, bass drum/cymbal attachment (for When they call you, they expect you to be this but some will allow it. “a due” [“with two,” both together] parts), available to them and say “yes.” If you repeat- In freelancing there is a hierarchy of musi- outdoor music clip, drumkey, earplugs, cel- edly turn down a contractor’s request, you will cians who are called to play in a certain order. lophane tape, manuscript paper, small tool be removed from his or her call list. As you progress successfully in the business kit (pliers, screwdrivers [Phillips and slot], The Musician’s Union regulations provide you move closer to the top of the “call list.” This small adjustable wrench, knife [“multi- fee rates for “doubling” and “cartage.” “Dou- means you have become a “first-call” freelancer.