* Session/Studio musicians
A session musician (sometimes called a studio musician) is a musician who works for hire. You'll find session musicians working in all areas of music including TV, film, albums, demos, radio, live shows, teaching, etc. Session musicians are generally contractors working for a set rate. They get paid a contracted amount to come in, perform their parts and then leave. Session musicians don't normally receive any royalties from the projects they work on although that depends on the nature of the project or contractual arrangement. A session musician who helps an artist write a song is probably entitled to receive royalties under normal circumstances but again, it depends on what was agreed upon beforehand.
I would say most of the better session musicians have some sort of music degree or have studied music composition and performance. Generally they can sight read music and/or studio charts. These guys (and gals) tend to work in the shadows. One of the best movies I've ever seen that celebrates the life of the working studio musician is a movie called Standing the shadows of Motown. This movie celebrates the people behind all the hits of Motown Records during the 60's and 70's. Occasionally, session musicians rise to the top of the ladder and become household names (Tommy Tedesco, Larry Carlton, Dick Wagoner, Steve Hunter, Carol Kaye, Kenny Aronoff, Lee Sklar, Billy Preston and Steve Lukather all come to mind).
Under normal circumstances, the session musicians play exactly what they are told to play. They don't normally make up parts unless they are given free reign by the producer. Here at my level, hardly anything is actually "written out" except perhaps a simple lyric sheet with chord names. Usually an artist or producer will provide the session guys a rough demo recording, or simply hum the parts, and the session musicians are excepted to interpret the information as best they can and perhaps even add to, or embellish the songwriting process with their own ideas.
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. There are a lot of talented musicians out there but that doesn't necessarily make them good session musicians. Session musicians take direction very well. They aren't there to impose their own artistic will on the artist or producer. They are told what to play and they play it. They are paid to do this. I've seen so-called session musicians come in and immediately cop an attitude because they don't agree with the artistic decisions being made. I don't work with people like that nor would I ever recommend someone like that. I've been blessed to have worked with some of the finest talent in the Chicagoland area. I know who to call for any given situation.
The million dollar question is "how much do these guys charge?".
I can't speak for every session 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. Quite a few session guys will charge a flat rate per song - like $50/song or $100/song or something like that. Everything in life is negotiable. Just because you don't have a lot of money doesn't mean you can't get top notch talent.
Yes, it costs more to hire pro session guys but they get the job done quicker. You might find that dealing with local amateurs actually costs more in the long run. That's been my experience at least. Seasoned pros usually nail their parts in one or two takes and they 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.
What typically happens is someone will call me and ask me to recommend session musicians for an upcoming project. I will provide a list of names of people I've worked with in the past who I think would be a good fit for the project. My only goal here is to help you find musicians that will be able to play the parts and do it quickly and with excellent quality. Anyone I recommend I consider to be honest and dependable. I know they are honest and dependable because I've worked with them before. If they say they will be here at a particular time then rest assured they will be here ready to go.
I do not negotiate the prices that session musicians charge for their services. That is between you and them. I am not a middleman. I do not get a "finders fee" or any sort of kickback here. I want you to be clear on this so there's no confusion down the road. Whatever money you pay the session players goes right into their pockets. All I get out of this is my normal hourly studio rate when you book the session. If you intend to pay them by check, make sure they are cool with that. Don't assume anything. Ask ahead of time.
I would be wise about this and discuss schedules ahead of time. Keep in mind that there is always a possibility that something goes wrong or you can't finish that day for whatever reason. Make sure you know their upcoming availability since many session players are busy and booked out weeks in advance. Don't assume that you will get everything done in one day.
I don't guarantee that a session musician I recommend will deliver the goods. Yes I've worked with them before and I personally trust them but at the end of the day, whatever it is they do or play here is up to them. If you are unhappy with their conduct or performance, then let them know that right away. Let me know too so we can deal with the problem together.
Session musicians are working under the assumption that this is "work for hire". They are contractors. They are not here to be your drinking buddy or friend. They are here to get the job done, then pack up and get out. If you want to take them out to dinner or marry their sister or whatever after the session, that is up to you.
The door swings both ways. Treat session players with respect and they will most likely bend over backwards for you. Buy them a pizza and some pop. Let them take their smoke breaks every once in a while. Especially if you expect to ever work with them again.