If you're a musician, producer, or songwriter looking for top-notch session players to add to your tracks, there's no need to limit your search to only local musicians. With the internet, you can connect with world-class session players from anywhere in the world. Here's what you need to know about hiring remote session players.
What is a remote session player?
A remote session player is a specialised form of musician. They specialise in creating high-quality recordings and compositions that are performed remotely, which means they don't have to be physically present with their musicians in the same room. Remote session players use their skills and knowledge of recorded audio to collaborate with musicians, producers and other creatives from a distance and utilise the latest technologies to produce high-quality tracks from all around the world.
Remote sessions are not only convenient but also provide musicians with musicians of various backgrounds and sonic perspectives, giving opportunities for musicians to work outside of traditional spaces and in non-conventional ways.
What are the benefits of hiring one
Hiring remote session musicians is a great way to add greater variety to your recordings. Not only can you gain access to skills and styles from around the world, but remote session musicians are also cost effective. You’ll save time and money on travel costs and production costs associated with an artist coming in for a single project, giving you more budget to play with.
Another bonus is the remote nature of these sessions – so live tracking or remote vocal recording options are available no matter where you are or the remote musician is.
The possibilities are greater than ever before and hiring remote session musicians will open up other areas of creativity.
How to find the right person for the job
If you are looking for the right musician to join your musical group, there are several ways to go about it. Start by creating a list of the skills and attributes that you feel are important for the musician to have—relevant experience, familiarity with your genre, the capability to learn new material quickly, etc.
Next, let people in your network know that you’re seeking someone. You can also look within relevant artist communities or organisations and advertise or post manually with job descriptions.
Lastly, take some time to interview potential players to ensure they’ll be a good fit; having an informal jam session is always great fun as well!
Association with supportive peers is just as important as being a great musician if you want everyone in your band to work together well—so make sure you surround yourself with individuals who have a similar understanding and appreciation of music.
How to make working with a remote session player easy and efficient
Working with a remote session player can seem daunting, especially if it’s your first time. However, taking the time to properly plan out your project and make sure you have the right equipment can help ensure an efficient and successful working experience.
Start off by communicating all of your project goals to the remote session player in advance so they know what they’re walking into. Ensure that both players are receiving proper clear audio quality and video as well, if applicable. Having a steady internet connection is also key for tight collaboration – wireline or fiberoptic lines are the most reliable options.
Oftentimes downloading specialised audio software can work great for recording remote music sessions too!
Finally, be flexible - collaborate and discuss solutions together so both parties can enjoy an easy and fruitful digital-session experience!
5 tips for those who have never hired a remote session player before
Hiring a remote session player can give your music the edge it needs to stand out in the crowd, but if you have never done it before you may be feeling intimidated. Don't worry! Hiring a session player remotely is actually very simple and straightforward. Here are five tips to get you started:
- Make sure that the person you hire understands what exactly you are looking for in a performance and has experience playing the required parts on their instrument.
- Compare different session players and their rates before making your decision.
- Provide clear audio clips of the specific tracks so that the session player can familiarise themselves with them.
- Establish clear communication beforehand so that everyone is on the same page regarding when to record, how long it will take, and any other logistics.
- Ensure that both parties agree upon payment and copyright agreements before beginning the project. With these five tips under your belt, hiring a remote session player should be easy peasy!
Whether you’re a producer who wants to add extra tracks or instruments to your recordings, or a bandleader looking for somebody to fill in for an absent member, working with a remote session player can be a great solution. And with the tips we’ve shared in this post, it’s easy to find and work with the right person for the job.
If you’ve got any comments or tips of your own about working with remote session players, please share them in the comments below – we’d love to hear from you!