What does it take to be capable of being a studio musician?

[alexthecheese]

Apart from an obscene amount of natural talent and more practise than you could possibly imagine?

It would be a dream of mine to be a studio musician (yes, you may scoff, I'll let you just this once), but what do you need to know in order to be capable of playing with the best?

I'm fairly competent on the guitar, but would like to become a musician rather than just a hack guitarist.

 

[alexthecheese]

What about sight reading music, would you expect that to be a key factor in considering a musician for the part? It seems to make sense to me. I’m far from great but it’s something I’m learning at the moment with the help of my tutor.

I keep thinking that seeing as I put so much time into practising I might as well do it properly, with a loose aim for it all.

 

[alexthecheese]

I think you'd have to be exceptionally lucky or incredibly good to get very far as a 'session musician' without being able to read manuscript, and I say that having worked as one for a while.

arty

Care to share your experiences of it with us?