...in the music industry as a freelance musician is versatility. We all know what the word versatility means, but what does it mean to you as a musician? Since I'm familiar with the trumpet, let's take a look at what I think it means to be a versatile, working trumpet player.
1. Are you a good sight reader?
2. Can you be convincing in a multitude of stylistic situations? (brass quartet/ quintets, pit orchestras, wedding cover bands, small jazz groups, big bands (lead and ride chairs), improvising fanfares, latin bands, rock bands, backing up a vocalist, playing in church, etc...
3. Do you know a lot of music? This can be standard cover band material (My Girl, Sir Duke for example), jazz standards, hymns, tunes like Hava Nagila (the song that the Hora is danced too), Happy Birthday, Auld Lang Syne, The Star Spangled Banner, The Eyes of Texas (if you live in TX), etc.
4. Can you make it happen in the studio when the red light comes on? We all deal with nerves but at some point you have to learn how to produce when it's time. Time is money.
5. Can you compose/arrange/transcribe?
6. Can you transpose on the spot? What about from a hymnal?
7. Are you a competent, effective private lessons teacher?
8. Do you know how to go about booking music for various events? (weddings, parties, clubs)
9. Do you have the chops to make it through a 4 hour wedding band gig or a 4 hour jazz gig?
And perhaps the most important...
10. Are you a likeable human being that shows up to the gig looking pressed, not under the influence and ON TIME???
Some of these apply to all instruments where others pertain just to trumpet playing, but I think you get the point. There are many more I'm sure, but these 10 points have been the most important to me. What do you think??
More to come...
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