|
Q:
Although I am not a professional musician, playing instrumental guitar
has been my hobby for the past 10 years. At this point I have decided
to change my career and become a musician or at least do something
close to music (like production). I am 32 right now. How realistic
would it be applying for Berklee and changing career at this age? -
from Gregory
A: This
depends entirely on your level of commitment. If I were you I would
ask yourself these two questions before you decide to go ahead. 1) Are
you prepared to go on a one way journey and not know where you are
going? 2) Are you willing to accept you will never get there? If you
can answer these questions with a yes then I think it's worth it.
Otherwise, don't lose the day job.
Q: I was
wondering what type of jobs you may have held before becoming a
professional musician...did you ever work in any other fields? - from
Angela
A: At
thirteen I was working on a ferry in Surrey, England opening the locks
and selling postcards to the pensioners. I loved that job. At sixteen
I worked in a paint factory in Argentina which was very hard work but
fun. At nineteen I worked as a chauffer for the Argentine consulate in
London. Trouble is I didn't know my way around London. Nor did they. I
would later turn up to my restaurant gigs at night wearing my suit.
This is the last normal job I had.
Q: I
consider myself a 'pro-to-be'. Even with 4 CDs with my band, being
'well-known', having had deals with Sony and BMG, etc... In such a
small country, the reality is the economy doesn't allow one calling
yourself a 'pro' because it's hard to get the bills paid with just
music. What would you advice is more important: work to get a label or
distribution, or work to get a manager or agent? I know you've worked
with both Indie and Major, I'm not even considering a major, but if
you have any advice or comments as to managers/labels in this case of
instrumental music, really thanks. I'm considering relocating to some
part of Europe (perhaps Barcelona, Paris, or so) in September for a
few months. I will be playing as support for a singer and will try and
get new things done. This will most likely open some doors. Would you
advise to go and 'study' somewhere? Or more of doing street stuff..
going out and meeting people and musicians and managers? - from
Federico
A: I can
understand your frustration. I never like to advise anyone to go away
from their home to find success because it doesn't really work like
that. However, I do know many Americans who have moved to LA or NY to
further their careers and it has worked for them simply because there
is more action in bigger cities. I also know English people who have
moved to London. I would never advise you to leave such a beautiful
country as yours but if you are serious about moving forward I don't
see many options. I don't know how old you are but I think the best
way for you to get out there might be to go to music college in USA or
England. In USA I would say Berklee College of Music would be perfect
for you in many ways. In UK I would say either Leeds College of Music
or Guildhall College of Music. Going to study might also help the
immigration problem. Being in College will give you a chance not only
to develop your skills further but to make many contacts with people
who are after the same goals. I am still working with musicians I met
when I was in college.
Q: I guess
this isn't so much a musical question as it is a musical business
question. I just read in "Billboard" magazine that The Pretenders are
going to release a boxed CD set in March that will include, among many
other things, the track Hold a Candle to This. The announcement
describes this as "an alternate version" so I'm uncertain as to
whether you played on this particular version or not. Assuming for the
moment that it is indeed one of your tracks with them, my question is,
do you receive any royalties/ compensation for this? I don't mean for
this to be a personal question regarding your finances; I'm just
curious as to how these arrangements work in general. Do you only
receive payments when you co-authored a song (ala Shape of My Heart)?
or are recordings of performances included as well. I suspect that
many budding musicians trying to get a professional gig, in this era
of file sharing and illegal downloads, might be interested in your
take on this topic. - from Stephen
A: As a
session player you are not entitled to any royalties. Royalties are
for the artist. Publishing is for the writer/composers. As
instrumentalists we make huge contributions to songs and sometimes
come up with a "hook" that can really make a song. But this is what we
do and what we are paid for. The songs are written and the artist has
the contract. All we do is make the song and the artists shine.
However, there is now an agency that picks up fees for us depending on
how much air play is involved. So if it's a hit we get paid more. This
is called PPL in UK. There are similar agencies around the world that
do the same. This has only been going a few years.
Q: How
long does it usually take between finishing a new album and the time
it hits the store shelves? - from Angela
A: This is
entirely dependent on what kind of deal the record is under. It's all
down to the distributors. But the label hires the distributors. The
label needs to have a good idea of where to distribute which can be
tricky sometimes. It's a question of knowing or having a feel of where
your market may be. It's pointless just stacking a bunch of albums on
a shelf if the people who go there are unlikely to be interested. In
my case, and with this album I imagine my label will be somewhat
selective. But the real answer to your
question is that the stores are now online. Record stores will be
obsolete in a few years. If I were a pop act I would be worried. But I
am not. I just make music I like and don't have high expectations for
myself or any label. Just one sale would make me happy. Some acts are
disappointed if they only sell a million.
Q: I was
wondering when you play bass do you usually play with effects or do
you play straight from the amp. - from Carlo
A: I don't
play bass really. If I do I just go into the desk. Mostly I play
keyboard bass as on all the Fourth Wall demos so far.
Q: Do you
ever feel that the world is your home? What I mean by that is, since
you travel on tour so often and seem to be away from home so much and
visit so many cities and countries that you have been to so many times
before, I was wondering if all of these places seem like a second,
third, fourth, etc. home to you? I'm sure you have your favourite
cities and favourite hangout places in each place, so I can't help but
think that you "live" in each of these places temporarily. So, out of
curiosity, do you feel this way? Do you miss home? Family? and the
domestic relations of being stationary? - from Dave
A: This is
a really good question. Sometimes I feel more like a stranger when I
am at home (if I have been away a lot). The thing about travelling is
one gets used to the way a hotel works. One gets used to communicating
with strangers on a daily basis. One gets used to speaking different
languages even if it's just simple phrases. One gets used to
countries' respective customs. One gets used to finding ones' was
around. Eventually this becomes the norm so I would have to say,
because I am travel so much, being away is being at home. Sad but
true. There are no cities in particular.
Q: I'm
from Uruguay, have you ever been in my country? - from Martin
A: I have
been to Uruguay a few times. As a kid I used to go to Punte del Este
and sometimes we went to La Coronilla. Fantastic beaches and really
cool people. I went there with Sting in 1990. I was born in Argentina
so I understand the culture there better than most people in UK and
US.
Q: Have
you learned any lessons or philosophical insights from playing chess?
Has playing chess had any impact on your music? - from Amy
A: I must
admit I am a chess addict. I play every day. I think there are many
similarities with chess and music. The main one being the use of
structure. How one arrives at a certain point requires some skill,
creativity, theory, guts and above all instinct. But the one
fundamental difference is that one form is constructive and the other
destructive. What I mean is the goal as a musician is to create
something beautiful. The goal in chess is to create something
beautiful and then to destroy it (your opponent) with some venom.
Scary stuff.
Q: I've
read a number of articles recently focusing on hearing in today's day
and age, and with devices such as iPods and other music players many
people are at risk for hearing loss. While this may not be a huge
source of concern for most people, how do you deal with it as a
musician? Your career depends on your hearing almost as much as your
skill with the guitar. Do you wear any sort of protection during the
extended periods of time on tour with Sting? - from Gordan
A: This is
a good point although it doesn't apply to me because I am not fussy
(touch wood) about my hearing. I accept the fact that some of my high
end has gone, courtesy of Vinne Colaiuta and Manu Katche's cymbals
being only feet away for years. Perhaps I should start considering
taking steps to avoid injury. Thanks for bringing this up.
Q: What
motivates you now as an accomplished, successful musician? - from
Donal
A: What
motivates me is the quest for learning as much as I can which never
ends. Learning a new Bach piece, discovering a new album, coming up
with new ideas are some of the things that motivate me.
Q: How
does copyright work with classical pieces composed way back, that you
(or anyone else for that matter) arrange, and release commercially? -
from Garry
A: The
rule with publishing is that they are public domain if the composer
has been dead for 75 years or more unless the families own the
composers' estate (like with Eric Satie). The way it is worded (and
is) on an album is to credit oneself as 'arranger' which is usually
split with the producer, artist and string arranger.
More miscellany >>
More questions >> |