Advice to Future Musicians and Music Majors

Now that I am on vacation, I was asked to speak to a group of high school students about life as a professional musician and also what it took be to a music major in college.  It made me reflect back on my own experience and also the last several years of being a musical director and working with musicians from all over the world.  Here ten pieces of advice for anyone thinking about majoring in music or pursuing music as a career:

• Learn to read music as fluently as possible.  Music is a language and it is impossible to communicate professionally if you are not fluent in that language.   I know professional musicians who are able to earn a living and they don't read, but they admit they have been limited because of that fact.  In certain situations, like becoming a music major or certain professional settings such as an orchestra, learning to read is simply not an option, it is a fundamental requirement.  The most successful musicians I have worked with are great readers.  Having good ears is important as well, but being able to read sheet music gives common ground to all the musicians in the room.  I have worked with musicians who could not speak English and I could not speak their native language and we got by without a problem through the language of music.
• Play as much as you can and gain experience in as many genres as possible.  Audition for bands, find other musicians and play together.  Look for community groups (theater, orchestra, etc.) because those will help as well in the future.  When I was studying classical percussion, I was taught to be very particular about the sound I was creating; that drive continues to help me whenever I play drumset because I am more aware of the sound I am producing around the set.  When I was in high school I joined a reading band (meaning a band that rehearses but doesn't gig) that met once a week in the basement of an orthodontist's house.  For most of the time I was the youngest person there and one of the few that was pursuing music as a profession.  I didn't make any money from it since we didn't gig, but I did gain a lot of experience.  We read through 10-15 different charts each week and there are still times, 20 years later, that I am familiar with a song because of that band.
• Actively listen to as much music as possible. I hate when people ask me what is my favorite kind of music or who is my favorite artist because I don't really have an answer.  They assume that because I am a musician that it is easy to name one, but I think it is because I am a musician that it becomes impossible to chose one.  When I was in 8th grade, my band director gave me recordings of great drummers and that completely changed the way I looked at a drumset.  The first recording she gave me was Dave Weckl's solo album, "Masterplan," and I literally wore out the cassette tape from playing it so much.  That one little effort from my band director pushed me to find more good music.  I went from being a passive listener to being an active listener trying to break down the playing styles of world-class drummers.  Don't just throw on music in the background; instead, listen and analyze what it is you are hearing.  Listening to music kind of fills up this musical reserve that we all have and then we draw from it every time we play.  Learning to transcribe is a valuable skill.  I don't mean playing it back note for note, but I am a better funk drummer because I listened to David Garibaldi and Tower of Power and I am a better rock drummer because I listened to John Bonham and Led Zeppelin and so on.
• Learn how to practice.  Ok, this sound obvious, but it isn't always a skill that advanced younger musicians develop.  The problem lies in the fact that natural talent can only take a musician so far; eventually they will hit a wall.  Now when they hit that wall is different for each individual, some in high school, some in college, and some out in the working world.  But it will happen and if the musician hasn't learned how to practice at an earlier age then it will spell disaster.  Even if the music you are currently playing is easy for you, continue to develop the skills of how to practice because at some point they will be needed.
• Find information.  We live in a world inundated with information.  It's both a blessing and curse.   I wish I had access to so much information when I first started learning to play drums.  Must be nice to be able to pull up any drummer through a YouTube video.  But all of that information is nothing if we don't know how to use it.  I can't read a medical textbook and call myself a doctor just like I can't read a drum method book and call myself a professional drummer.  Find a private teacher, somebody who can guide you through books.  Plus, unless you are recording every single practice session, you need somebody to listen to and evaluate your progress.  Seek out people who are experts at what they do and have more experience than you.  I have been incredibly fortunate to be able to watch a lot of amazing drummers perform at shows, clinics, and conventions.  9 times out of 10, those famous musicians that younger musicians idolize are actually really nice people who remember what it was like to be starting out.  Chances are they will take a moment to answer questions.  Find professionally gigging musicians in your hometown and find out how they do what they do.
• Don't be afraid to try something new.  I remember being absolutely terrified of Latin styles when I was younger.  The independence required made me not even want to try.  It just seemed like something I wasn't meant to do!  Same goes when I enrolled in a basic jazz improvisation class and I had to play piano, an instrument I never had played before.  But I learned so much in both of those experiences and I am so glad I didn't let my fear stop me.  When I was in high school, I broke my foot which meant I couldn't play drumset, even though I was enrolled in my school's jazz band.  I took the opportunity to learn more about hand drums and starting playing congas when it fit.  Again, that drive to create a good tone made me think more critically about the sound I created on the set with sticks.
• Push Yourself.  You never know your true potential until you push yourself to your limits.  This is true about music and life in general.  How far can you run?  You never know until you run until you can't run any more.  I remember growing up in Cincinnati and thinking I would attend a local college because it was close to home and it was familiar.  But luckily my band director encouraged me to visit other programs and it turned out that I found a great music school at the University of North Texas.  The music school and percussion program greatly shaped me to what I am as a musician and I am so thankful that I made the decision to go there.  The program is demanding and it was never easy.  There are so many excellent musicians and it takes constant practice for lessons and rehearsals, but it all made me a better musician and a better person.
• Set goals and know what it is you are working towards.  This can always change as you are growing and developing as a musician, but continue to set goals and go after them.  Imagine just getting into your car and driving without any particular destination in mind.  Doesn't sound very efficient, right?  Same thing for wanting a particular career path but not setting goals on how to get there.  Goals don't have to be these lofty things that sound great but are next to impossible to reach.  You can have those as well, but make sure you have goals that you can reach; they can even be on the way to those bigger goals.  Going back to the driving metaphor, if you are taking a cross-country road trip from New York to Los Angeles, those aren't the only points on the map.  Instead, there are place in between, the points along the drive to make sure you are going to end up exactly where you want in the end.
• Learn when to take a break.  It is easy to get burnt out in music or in any career really.  Set aside time for other things.  Take up a hobby, and it is better if that hobby is something completely unrelated.  If you are a performance major and your hobbies include arranging music, listening to music, and attending music concerts, that's not really ever taking a break from music.  Instead, learn how to paint or write, watch a movie, attend a sporting event, or spend time with friends discussing things that aren't music.  Make friends that are outside of your professional or college major.  For me, my break is in getting out and visiting places, especially with my wife.  I like to take photos.  I also enjoy keeping up with my favorite sports teams and watching in person when I can.  Knowing when to get away is important.  There are times when spending more time practicing or more time writing starts to become counterproductive and a waste of your time and energy.  Instead, know when to walk away for a bit and take a breather.  That way when you go back to it, you come back refreshed and maybe with a different perspective.
• Always remember that music is a business.  Yes, it can be a fun and rewarding business, but it is still a business.  Return phone calls, emails, and texts and be professional.  Do not be late and have a good attitude while you are there.  The music world is a small one and word travels fast, both good and bad, so just because you think you will never play with a particular musician again, you never know who that person knows.  And just as with any other kind of job, there are probably little parts that you may not enjoy (paperwork, driving, setting up and tearing down equipment), but don't blow them off just because you don't enjoy it because it will come back to bite you later.  Whenever a bandleader is hiring, they will chose people they enjoy playing with, which may or may not be the most talented people.  Music is about interaction and collaboration on stage, in the studio, or wherever the music is happening, so don't make it a miserable experience for the other musicians.

This list is not meant to be an all-inclusive list, but just as a bit of advice.  Feel free to comment at the bottom and add your own pieces of advice!

Requirements of an Orchestra Musician

In my last post, I covered some basics about the musicians in the ship's orchestra.  This post will be my top requirements/attributes in order to be successful as a member of the group.

The Requirements.  I often get asked what it would take to work as a musician in the orchestra.  There are some specifics for each instrument that I will get into for later posts, but this is a general overview for all musicians in the orchestra.  This is not meant to be an all-inclusive list, but just a broad starting point.  I have to also say that this list goes beyond the obvious of playing your specific instrument (and doubles for woodwind players) at a professional level with professional tone and be able to play the necessary ranges.

Sometimes you have to be a really good reader (or mind-reader)
to make sense of some of the really bad charts.
Good luck to Jake, trying to figure out the lead trumpet chart.

1) Be a good reader.  This group works almost 100% from reading charts and it is one of the, if not the most, important parts of the gig.  Not only to be a good reader, but to be a good sightreader.  As I mentioned before with guest entertainer shows, the orchestra usually has only 60-90 minutes to rehearse a one hour show, so you basically read through it once and you might get the chance to go over some tricky transitions or train wrecks but that's about it.  The production shows are all charted as well and a new musician will get to run it one time straight down before performing it for real in front of the guests.  And there are not usually rehearsals for big band sets, so the musicians must be able to sightread the charts.  The guests don't care that the arrangement of In the Mood in the orchestra's big band book is in a different key than the original, they want the band to read it correctly and make it sound like the song that they know.

Since reading is such an important part of the gig, it's also an important part of the audition process (I will get to more on the audition process in another post).  There are many great players out there who freeze up when you put a chart on the stand.  I'm not saying that those people aren't great musicians, it just means that this isn't the gig for them.  Like most things in life, it's like a giant puzzle and you just have to see where the pieces fit best.  The musicians who have great ears and play well but don't read do have a place, even on a ship, and I will get to that during a later post.

One big band or cocktail set may run through
a variety of different ballroom styles.

2) Have a broad musical knowledge.  I'm not saying you have to be an expert in every single genre, but be able to know the basics about the most common styles.  Because the orchestra sometimes works as a jazz/dance band, it is good to know the basic Latin ballroom styles as well.  While playing in the orchestra, I've had to play samba, bossa nova, cha-cha, rhumba, mambo, songo all in the "Latin" styles as well as all the various sub-jazz genres, classical, country, and also pop/contemporary.  One day you might be playing a tribute to Celine Dion and the next might be Motown, and then the next might be a Latin-style show.  Again, you don't have to be an expert in all, but know a little bit to be able to cover.  It also pays to load up you listening library so you can study if need be.  Be able to play stylistically correct in as many genres as possible, know the correct articulations, the overall feel of the genre, etc.  Some people call it the "jack of all trades, master of none" but it kinds of holds true.

In addition to having a broad background, it is also useful to be able to solo on at least a basic level.  I'm not saying you will have to take 20 choruses of Giant Steps, but at least be able to cover yourself with basic changes.  As a drummer I hate soloing, it's one of my least favorite parts of the gig, and when I am MD I get the magical power not to have to do it.  But there have been times when I had to take an open drum solo in front of over 1,000 in the theater and it was a part of my job and I did it with a smile.  There is nothing worse in a Big Band set when a musician gets called to solo on a chorus and they look like a deer caught in the headlights.  I've worked with some players with more of a classical background that just flat out do not solo.  On some ships you might actually be able to get away with it, but on others you might not last more than a couple of weeks before getting a return ticket home.  Better safe than sorry and soloing is like anything else, it just takes practice.  And with the technology available today, there is no excuse not to be able to practice the skill.  Get some Aebersold play alongs, go on YouTube...

3) Be a team player.  While I mentioned the routine playing venues, sometimes you might have to do something of those.  The Cruise Director is responsible to put together the best entertainment they can for guests and sometimes they will try new things.  I have played sets that I didn't always enjoy playing, but it wasn't my job to question it.  I've played next to the pool while at sea and watched everyone's sheet music fly away.  I've had to sit at the dock next to the ship and play as guests were returning to the ship (even if they never noticed that there was a live band playing).  I guarantee there will be times when the musicians are asked to do something outside of their normal duties and it's usually best to just be a team player, suck it up, and do it.  Sometimes because of busy schedules the musicians might have to have a rehearsal in the morning, or they might have to come back to the ship early and give up some port time.  But in the end, musicians are there to work and there is a job to do.

The dreaded parade!  My djembe is being blocked from view.
Is my hat on straight?

Sometimes there is a tendency for people on a ship to say "that's not in my contract" or "I didn't go to music school for this."  Well, maybe not, but you took the gig and you also take your salary every 2 weeks without.  Plus when you are on a ship in the middle of the ocean it's not like you can just walk away so easily.  I'll give you an example, on the first ship I worked on there was a weekly parade and it included the musicians from the orchestra.  There was no actual playing, instead the musicians had to dress it very brightly colored costumes and dance around like fools up and down the ship.  I absolutely hated everything about that parade.  But it wasn't my job to question why I was there, my job was to put on the costume and do my job.  Of course I didn't get a bachelor's degree in music to pretend to play in a silly parade, but that wasn't the point.  What got me through those parades was the fact that the guests loved it.  It was one of their first experiences onboard and the ship was family friendly and it was fun seeing the smiles on the faces of the children.

Most of the musicians on my first ship.
I can count at least 9 countries represented off the top of my head.

4) Be open minded.  Musicians playing on ships come from all over the world and in one orchestra I was in, we had 7 different countries represented in the 9 members.  Needless so say, with all of the backgrounds there can be different interpretations and musical ideas on the bandstand.  Ultimately it's up to the Musical Director, but sometimes by being open minded you can resolve little issues without having to involve them.  And remember that you don't always have to be right.  Learning how to "smile and nod" can go a long way.

Being on a ship in general is like a mini, floating United Nations.  It is a melting pot of different religions, cultures, and languages.  On a typical cruise, there will be over 40 nationalities represented in the crew onboard.  There is a tendency not to always understand each other at first.  On my first ship I worked with a lot of Americans onboard so I didn't notice it as much.  But then I went to a ship based in Europe and I worked with more British musicians.  I worked with an MD that would always ask me, "Are you alright?"  In the US you usually only get asked that question if it looks like you are not doing so well.  I kept wondering to myself if I looked sick or something.  I am so grateful to have worked on a ship because it allowed me to experience so many different cultures and I can get a glimpse into many different places around the world without even having to go there.  And my rule for everyone is that you don't always have to like each other, but you must respect each other.  It is nearly impossible to like every single person you work with, especially on a ship with over 800 crew members.  But you are expected to show a basic level of respect.

The ship is active 24 hours a day and rules help keep it safe.

5) Be able to follow rules.  This is not just a music-related requirement.  While being on a luxury cruise ship is not the same as being on a military ship, it is similar in that there are a lot of rules to follow.  For some people, this gets to be a little overbearing, but there is a need for it all.  The reason is almost always for everyone's safety onboard.  It's not your job to decide which rules to follow, it's your job to follow them.  Yes, at times it may seem overbearing, but to work on a ship you must in general be a rule follower and not a rule breaker.

Believe it or not, this goes against the attitudes of a lot of musicians I know, which means this is not a gig for everyone.  No, you cannot wear sandals into the crew mess (dining room).  Yes, you have to wear a uniform when you are in a public area.  And yes, in some ports there might be a curfew for the crew.  It's not your job to determine whether the rules are right or wrong, it is only your job to follow them.  As I said, most of the rules are in place to ensure everyone's safety.  If you happen to be one of those anti-establishment, stick-it-to-the-man kind of people, then working on a ship is definitely not for you.


This by no means includes everything but it gives a general outline.  There is a lot more general and instrument-specific information that will take more posts to go through.  For my next post I will discuss the audition process and the decision of whether or not to get an agent to get employment on a ship.