Getting Hired: Net Positive
Emerging artists often wonder what it takes to get hired for a gig. This is a complex and nuanced question that raises a number of questions in itself, but ultimately comes back to the principal of community.
Here is some advice from the team at Ivy Hill, where we share our thoughts on some of the more intangible aspects of getting hired as a professional musician - where “getting the gig” is about being a well rounded and altruistic human just as much as it is about the practical aspects of professional musicianship.
Net Good
There are a staggering amount of fantastic musicians in the world, what does it take to set yourself apart? At Ivy Hill, we think it all comes back to the concept of Net Positive. What are some ways you can achieve a Net Positive impact in the music world?
Being a Member of a Community
What does it mean to be part of a community in this digital age? For forward-thinking musicians this can take many different forms.
Being There : just as in the 1979 comedy of the same title, “being there” is about more than just being around, but being somewhere with intent. Showing up to your fellow musicians’ performances and events is ultra meaningful in the age of streaming television and unlimited access to information. There is simply, as of now, no substitute for your presence in a room or at a festival with your ears and heart open to the experience. Until science finds a way to project your hologram into a concert hall, going to a friend’s gig is a seemingly simple but deeply meaningful act, which brings us to our next point:
Building community: repeated visits to the same jam session or event series is all about deepening ties to the performers and community that the event represents. Even better, at a jam session, you have the chance to connect musically with the other musicians and form not just personal but musical bonds. You may find that jam sessions are one of the most effective ways to grow your network and meeting many new people.
In lieu of physical presence: supporting friends and peers via social media is an increasingly common and substantive way to stay connected in a time when people are increasing forming international friendships and using Facebook and Instagram to stay connected. Leaving a “like” or “love” on a musician’s post is a less immediate but still important way to show your support for music communities online. A fire emoji or heart never heart either!
Taking Care of the Music
Maestro John Clayton, the Grammy award-winning bassist for Diana Krall, among others, talks frequently about “taking care of the music.” He believes that if you are taking care of the music, that the music will take care of you. What does it mean to take care of the music? This is another complex question, but entails all the things that musicians know are important: spending time on your instrument, mentally rehearsing when you are away from your ax, and always pushing yourself as a listener and audience member. This could even be expanded to include important community functions such as running a jam session (and there are many great ones around the Bay Area!) or giving a voice to musicians through writing. Whichever means you employ to take care of the music, there’s no doubt that you will begin to see the tangible and intangible ways that it helps you on your path.
Net Positive
We’ve discussed the many ways that a musician can become part of the music world, whether it be attending events, supporting one another on social media, or digging deep on their instrument. While none of these things are guaranteed to get you a gig, per se, the consequences are meaningful and will put you in a position to help others succeed. Because when you help others, you are building goodwill, injecting energy into your community, and, ultimately, helping yourself to grow.