Business Tips

Strategies that helped me (and still do) along the way

Practice
The number one rule for me is to practice on my instrument as often as possible! I can't stress this enough. No matter how much progress I make, something always needs work. And when practicing, I budget my rehearsal time so that many different techniques are dealt with. I've found that two hours of practice divided up among several musical ideas is far more effective than four hours of "jamming".
Once I begin practicing, I maintain a steady focus on the topic at hand. Keeping the mind from wandering while practicing is a must--for that is the only way to insure proper biofeedback and to correct mistakes. In other words, try to avoid practicing while watching TV or engaging in other mindless activities!

Recording Sessions
Being able to lock with a click is paramount to a drummer's success in the studio. For me, this is seemingly more important than my creative musical input as a drummer, and the reason is that the producer already knows what he wants to hear out of me musically, so my job is to do just that--and do it in perfect time.
Next on the list is making the track really feel good. It's one thing to be able to lock with a click, but it's still another to make it really sit in the pocket just right. This is one of the main problems with drum machines--they are perfect in time, but not necessarily in groove.
One more idea here--remember that the artist, or producer, or even the engineer (who ever is ultimately producing the project) is always right! No matter how much I may not agree with what I'm being told to play, I must remember that it is their vision, not mine. If you remember this one idea above all the rest, you'll enjoy long lasting success in the session scene.

Personal Skills
In the business of music, it's not about what you know, it's more about who you know. Being great on your instrument is definitely a plus, and it may help you retain your success once you've achieved it, but it won't get you there all by itself. You have to go out and play for people. Meet other musicians--talk to them. Ask questions. Surround yourself with people who are going places--the same places you'd like to be.
Be of good cheer--nobody likes a party pooper. I've seen many talented musicians lose gigs--or not get called back--because of their bad attitudes. Conversely, I've seen guys who aren't necessarily the best at their instrument get some hefty gigs because they were easy to work with. Producers in the industry like to get a "family" of people to work with, and it almost always goes back to how comfortable the producer is with the musician as to whether or not the two of them will work together-- not necessarily how good the musician is on his or her instrument.

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