Questions on hiring sessionists

[RoRK]

I'm interested in putting something together and need sessionists - guitarists (electric + acoustic), keyboards, drums + bass.

I would like to know how sessionists work. Do I provide them with sheet music or let them hear the stuff and talk it through with them?

And for solos, do they provide their own renditions or do they need something that I provide and if I provide it, does it have to be sheet music or simply a recording?

And what are their respective rates like?

Thanks in advance for any input.
RoRK

 

[soft]

best to work with a producer. this person will help you source for arranger, musician, sound engineer ....

just like when you renovate your house, you find a designer to work with. else you have to communicate lingo with the contractor.

 

[teraslasch]

depends on the sessionist, if u hire SSO players , they charge per song. and diff. instrument has diff rates (usually more ex than guitar players )

 

[RoRK]

Hi soft thanks for the reply. I was hoping to produce it myself. I've produced jingles and stuff like that in the past - though not frequently. I would work with the sound engineer before, during and after recording to get what I want. It's worked rather well thus far. For those sessions, I would hire an entire band or work on the stuff myself (with another musician/sound engineer to tidy up my poor timing).

But this trip is different in that I would like to work on a CD. But due to budget limitations, I'd like to work on it on a song-by-song basis. And the repertoire is a little varied (although it's guitar-oriented), so I can't get a single band, plus it may be too costly to do so - even for a single song.

Cheers
RoRK

 

[Paulo]

rates would differ individually, hire the player(s) that gets the job done. I believe there MAY be room for negotiation if its a 'personal' recording. (dealings usually kept hush-hush) not to spoil their commercial value, so to speak.

 

[RoRK]

Thanks for the reply Paulo. Ok. I hear you on the negotiation thingy.

The next important Q is whether I need to provide notation/sheet music or can do it from 'ear'. I suppose that most sessionsists prefer notation rather than spending time learning a song from 'ear'. What's your preference?

Cheers
RoRK

 

[ShredCow]

That would be entirely up to the people you hire for sessioning no? As in you specify to them the 2 options and they let you know.

 

[Paulo]

if u want quick, fast, totally you - prepare scores.

from my humble little commercial studio experience as a sessionist (10 years) i've been handed scores, chord charts and demo tapes.

personally, i've found impromptu to be very productive (bit more time consuming, very organic though) even better when u have the picture in mind, and the player translates your vision to track. i guess both producer and sessionist has to 'lock' creative horns and 'see the same pic'.

 

[RolandLim]

I can do session drums for $100 per song , just need the backing track/music to be done to a click track ( metronome )

You will receive all the drum tracks in 3 working days