* Session Musicians
Every once in a while someone will call me and offer their services as a session musician. Or someone will ask me to recommend session musicians for an upcoming project. Just for the record, I don't recommend anyone unless I've worked with them before or seen them in action. There are a lot of talented musicians out there but that doesn't necessarily make them good session musicians.
I can't begin to tell you what a sublime experience it is to work with seasoned professionals. Studio cats play with such finesse and style that the songs practically mix themselves.
Top-notch session pros share the following common traits:
1) They can play man. They know their way around an instrument. They understand what good tone is and how to achieve it. They play with amazing technique and their meter (timing) is excellent.
2) They work quickly. They don't mess around. They come in, set up and get down to it.
3) They come prepared for any contingency. Strings? Check. Spare batteries? Check. Picks, tuner, cables, screwdriver? Check, check, check & check.
4) Session pros nail their parts in one or two takes. They can interpret just about anything you put in front of them - including humming the parts :-)
5) They take direction very well. They don't cop an attitude and they don't try to force their own artistic vision on you. They conduct themselves like the professionals they really are. Just being around them provokes musical inspiration.
The million dollar question is "how much do these guys charge"? Well, I can't speak for every musician out there but generally speaking, you should budget somewhere between $50-$100/hour per person. That's just a ballpark figure based on past experience. Some charge more, some charge less but with the studio scene being as soft as it is right now, I'm sure you can get a good deal if you negotiate. Quite a few will charge per song - like $50/song or something like that. \
I don't get involved in negotiating deals between my clients and the session musicians. I derive nothing from this transaction other than hopefully, some studio bookings, which is how I choose to make my living. I don't charge a "finders fee" or anything like that (although sometimes I think I should). My only desire is to match the right musicians so my clients can achieve their goals. If you're uncomfortable dealing directly with session musicians, let me know and I will help you negotiate a suitable rate.
Local amateurs charge less but they are less experienced and less dependable (generally speaking). You need to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of dealing with seasoned pros vs. local amateurs. Your budget and your needs will determine which way to go. It costs more to hire pro session guys but they get the job done quicker. You might find out that dealing with local amateurs actually costs more in the long run. That's been my experience at least. As I mentioned before, the seasoned pros play with such finesse that the songs practically mix themselves. So not only do you save some time during the tracking phase, you'll probably save time during mixdown too.