A Drummer’s Guide To...

161 - (are you) Pro Gig Ready?

👀 Are you ready for a pro gig?

🧐 Are you ready for that audition?

😳 Are you ready to tour?

😵‍💫 Are you ready for recording sessions?

🎙 Musicians! If you want to know if you’re ready to get on a pro gig then check out my podcast episode A Drummer's Guide To… (Are You) Pro Gig Ready?

💪 Here’s how I get as ready as possible for a gig, tour or session, and I’ll never feel 100%, but here’s my process:

1️⃣ Learn the material

2️⃣ Research past performances for live work (if they exist)

3️⃣ Ask about the mechanics of the gig, like how the gig runs, what it entails, any peripheral skills you may need, and find out any important information

4️⃣ Do the work! Record yourself and listen back (of course!), film yourself and watch back (if applicable), get those peripheral skills up to scratch

5️⃣ Get your fitness levels up, especially if you’re heading on the road, and try to maintain it whilst on the road. Callisthenics is a great shout on that front 💪

🎧 If you’d like to delve further into how to be ready for a pro gig, then check out my podcast episode A Drummer's Guide To... (are you) Pro Gig Ready?

👀 and if you’d like to lift the curtain further on all the other things it takes to be a professional musician, aside from playing your instrument, then look for A Drummer's Guide To... on all good podcasting platforms and youtube

---If you'd like early access to future podcast episodes, join the patreon: https://www.patreon.com/emilydrums---

#ADrummersGuideTo #Podcast #promusicians #musicianproblems #musiciansofig #sessionmusician #musicianlifestyle #sessiondrummer #musiceducation #musicianslife #behindthescenes #musicindustry #professionalmusician #drummer #drums #drumming #lessons #drumlesson #drumlessons #remoterecording #homestudio #remotesession #productivity #ama #askmeanything

160 - Common (mis)Beliefs

Is what you believe holding you back?

Are you a musician that has certain beliefs about yourself or others and what you should be doing to move your career forward?

Ellusive I know, well in my podcast episode A Drummer's Guide To... Common (Mis)Beliefs I address topics that seem to be coming up again and again in my one on one coaching sessions, and let me tell you, they’re not only not serving my students, they’re actually undermining them and creating unnecessary barriers in moving themselves forward, and I’d like to share them with you too.

The three most common I seem to be coming across are:

‘If I could be as good as ‘that person’ then I can have a successful career’

‘If I just keep posting consistently on social media, then musicians and artists will be reaching out to me left, right and Chelsea’

‘I don’t want to play other musician’s parts, I just want to play what I want to play!’

If any of those statements resonate with you on any level (and I apologise if you’re uncomfortable right now) then maybe it would be worth watching or listening to A Drummer's Guide To... Common (mis)Conceptions.

And if you want to lift the curtain further on all the other things it takes to be a professional musician, aside from playing your instrument, then look for A Drummer's Guide To... on YouTube and all good podcasting platforms.

159 - Saying No

😵‍💫 How good are you at saying no?

😬 Are you a musician that feels they have to say yes to everything, leading to overwhelm, burnout and just generally bad mental health?

🫵 If the answer is yes, then my podcast episode A Drummer's Guide To... Saying No might be for you

🙋‍♀️ Personally, saying no is something I struggled with for DECADES! I just couldn’t say no to things through mainly fear of missing an opportunity, so I guess FOMAO!

💪 As I progressed, I realised i can’t do all the things, I’m just one person, so it became more about saying yes to the RIGHT things that would move the needle in terms of skills, exposure, or just paying my bills!

🧐 These days, I look for certain markers that inform me as to whether I’ve said yes too much, and taken on more than I can handle, and I take action on that.

🚨 Then it becomes about looking at what I’m doing, and asking myself:

1️⃣ Is this serving my overall goals in life?

2️⃣ Is this moving the needle towards where I want to go? Am I gaining new skills? Is this a new group of people? etc

3️⃣ Is there another less intense way I can get a similar result?

🎙️ If you want to learn more about not just when to say no, but HOW to say no, and lift the curtain further on all the other things it takes to be a professional musician, aside from playing your instrument, then search for A Drummer's Guide To... on all good podcasting platforms and youtube

---If you'd like early access to future podcast episodes, join the patreon: https://www.patreon.com/emilydrums---

 

#ADrummersGuideTo #Podcast #promusicians #musicianproblems #musiciansofig #sessionmusician #musicianlifestyle #sessiondrummer #musiceducation #musicianslife #behindthescenes #musicindustry #professionalmusician #drummer #drums #drumming #lessons #drumlesson #drumlessons #remoterecording #homestudio #remotesession #productivity #ama #askmeanything

158 - Professional Musician Myths

😩 I can’t be a professional musician because…

🤔 What’s the end of that sentence for you?

🎙 If you have a solid belief that something is holding you back from being a professional musician, then my podcast episode, A Drummer's Guide To... Professional Musician Myths is for you!

🙅‍♀️ I debunk some of the most common (mis)beliefs I come across with my students and give you evidence for why they just aren’t true! Here are some of the most common:

1️⃣ You have to be a flashy player with lots of chops.

❌ Absolutely NOT! As a session musician we are there to provide a service to the artist, their music and their fans, and the parts need to played, not overplayed and ruined!

2️⃣ You can only take on gigs firmly within your wheelhouse of skills.

❌ Nah. Whilst it’s great to lean into your strengths, it’s also important to always be pushing your boundaries and taking on a gig that is slightly on the edge of your comfort zone can make you grow in ways you may not have felt possible. That’s my experience at least!

3️⃣ You need expensive flashy gear.

❌ Absolutely not! The only thing you need are the tools to get the job done! Just get enough to get started and then build from there. The way you utilise the tools you have is waaaaayyyy more important! My rule is: Start with the end in mind.

4️⃣ Looking to others for what is possible.

❌ Everyone has their own biases, unhelpful beliefs, helpful beliefs, experiences, etc etc etc that govern what they believe is possible, but don’t take that on as your own experience.

Develop your own compass to not only work out where you want to be, but be very cautious about other people’s reasons for telling you if something is/isn’t possible (they may be positive, i.e trying to protect you) and seek out those that have successfully done what you’re trying to do and ask about their experience…

Just always know it’s their experience, and use it if it serves you to create your own.

🎧 If you want to learn more about these myths and lift the curtain further on all the other things it takes to be a professional musician, aside from playing your instrument, then look for A Drummer's Guide To... on all good podcasting platforms and youtube

---If you'd like early access to future podcast episodes, join the patreon: https://www.patreon.com/emilydrums---

#ADrummersGuideTo #Podcast #promusicians #musicianproblems #musiciansofig #sessionmusician #musicianlifestyle #sessiondrummer #musiceducation #musicianslife #behindthescenes #musicindustry #professionalmusician #drummer #drums #drumming #lessons #drumlesson #drumlessons #remoterecording #homestudio #remotesession #productivity #ama #askmeanything

157 - Mistakes

😱 If you’re a musician who hates making mistakes, then this is for you!

😬 Are a musician who is feeling paralysed by the fear that you might make a mistake?

🫣 Or do you feel you may ruin the reputation you’ve built if you’re not perfect 100% of the time?

🙋‍♀️ If you do feel like this, you are not alone!!! 🎧 Check out my podcast episode, A Drummer's Guide To... Mistakes

😳 The fear of making a mistake informed so many of my life decisions in both a positive and negative way throughout my life.

🥺 I thought by making a mistake I would be letting myself and everyone around me down, it would make me unprofessional, and I would get thrown off gigs INSTANTLY!

😵‍💫 Not a great headspace to be in, and also can you imagine how tense I felt all the time!!! Not a great vibe to be bringing to the stage, rehearsal room, studio or on tour!

😌 It was only when I realised that mistakes were not only inevitable, they were necessary in creating moments of connection with those around me, and bringing more depth and honesty to my playing 🫶

🎙️ If you’d like to hear more about my experiences with making mistakes, then check out my podcast episode, A Drummer's Guide To... Mistakes

🎧 And if you want to lift the curtain further on all the other things it takes to be a professional musician, aside from playing your instrument, then look for A Drummer's Guide To... on all good podcasting platforms and youtube

🙏 Thank you to Mike Tuppen for inspiring this episode 🙏

---If you'd like early access to future podcast episodes, join the patreon: https://www.patreon.com/emilydrums---

#ADrummersGuideTo #Podcast #promusicians #musicianproblems #musiciansofig #sessionmusician #musicianlifestyle #sessiondrummer #musiceducation #musicianslife #behindthescenes #musicindustry #professionalmusician #drummer #drums #drumming #lessons #drumlesson #drumlessons #remoterecording #homestudio #remotesession #productivity #ama #askmeanything

156 - Being Sick As A Session Musician

📣 Calling all sick musicians!

 

🫣 No I’m not talking about awesome musicians - you can be awesome too, but I want to share what I do when I’m ill as a session musician!!!

 

🎧 Listen to my episode A Drummer's Guide To... Being Sick As A Session Musician

 

😱 So on the road is the worst version of events - not only are you a victim to the schedule, you’re around people that you desperately don’t want to get ill, but chances are you’re in close quarters!!! It’s a nightmare!!

 

👀 So what do I do?

 

✏️ Firstly I isolate myself as much as I physically can, and on every tour I do, I have my own ‘pharmacy’ with various medications that can help me deal with any issues for the 2 hours I need to be on stage, and the other 22 hours, I rest, I sleep, I hydrate, and literally cross my fingers it passes quickly without infecting anyone else!

 

🙈 If I’m home, weirdly it often is harder because I won’t LET myself rest! What a ‘mare! So I try to do ONLY what is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY and then rest every other minute I can - I’m rubbish at this, I know I am, I’ve literally just come off the back of being a bit sick and it being drawn out much longer than it probably needed to be because I didn’t just stop! I know, I know, nightmare!

 

💰 The other component to this that I think is important is to have a financial buffer, so some sort of savings that if you had no work whatsoever, you could survive. This is beneficial way past just being sick and allows for the inevitable fluctuation in this creative world.

 

🎧 If you want to learn more about being sick (as strange as that sounds!) and lift the curtain further on all the other things it takes to be a professional musician, aside from playing your instrument, then look for A Drummer's Guide To... on all good podcasting platforms and youtube

155 - Optimising Instagram For More Gigs

📣 Musicians! Is this the REAL reason your Instagram might not be hitting the way you want it to?

👀 Are you a musician finding it hard to use Instagram as a tool for getting work, getting more gigs, recording sessions and ESPECIALLY at a professional level?

🎧 If you're struggling then check out my newest episode A Drummer's Guide To... Optimising Instagram For More Gigs

💪 Personally it’s only when I worked out that social media was actually an empowering platform to showcase myself exactly how I wanted to that I got really inspired about it!

 

🧐 I got really specific about the kind of drummer I was, wanted to be and the kinds of gigs I wanted to be on, and then tailored my Instagram to suit my perfect follower that I’d like to hire me, and I still do that to this day! I leverage my bio, pinned posts and stories to allow people to get to know me, and resonate with more weirdos like me that I will then (hopefully) get to work with!

 

🎧 If you want to learn more about optimising your own Instagram for more work, and lift the curtain further on all the other things it takes to be a professional musician, aside from playing your instrument, then search for A Drummer's Guide To... on all good podcasting platforms and youtube

154 - Balancing Creativity Day-to-Day

📣 Musicians, if you want to balance your creative aspirations with your day to day duties, then this is for you

🤨 Are you someone who is finding it hard to balance your need for creative growth and daily responsibilities?

🎧 Join me on this week's podcast episode - A Drummer's Guide To...Balancing Day-to-Day Creativity

⏳ Personally I’ve managed to bring an emphasis on creative growth into my life by carving out little pockets of time to allow myself to be creative as ‘waiting for creativity to strike’ is a little too elusive for me. I find by doing this also brings contrast and so when I feel inspired whilst doing something else, I can work towards my next ‘slot’ as it were and get excited about it.

🎙️ If you want to learn more about balancing creative growth and day to day responsibilities, and lift the curtain further on all the other things it takes to be a professional musician, aside from playing your instrument, then search for A Drummer's Guide To...Balancing Day-to-Day Creativity on all good podcasting platforms and youtube

153 - Performance Anxiety

• 🚨 Musicians, if you want to destroy your performance anxiety, then this is for you!
  
  😖 If you’re finding yourself side of stage, with knots in your stomach, worrying that everyone will be judging you, and that you will be ‘found out’ as an imposter, you are not alone!
  
  🙋‍♀️ I’ve experienced all these things in some way or another, and as it turns out, so have other listeners of my podcast A Drummer’s Guide To...
  
  👀 Personally the way I tackle performance anxiety is by noticing what is causing it, e.g. I will notice I’m imagining the scenario I’m about to go into and ‘see’ people around me judging me, thinking ‘what is she doing here?’ ‘she’s not good enough’ and fun things like that.
  
  🥊 I combat it by then visualising the exact opposite, with people glad to see me, vibing with what I’m doing, and me doing a great job!
  
  🙄 That’s just one way my personal performance anxiety shows up and how I tackle it.
  
  📻 In my latest podcast episode A Drummer’s Guide To… Performance Anxiety I also go into how anxiety presents as fear of making mistakes, feeling I should be better, or feeling judged and being scrutinised by others.
  
  👉 If you want to learn more about how I deal with Performance Anxiety and lift the curtain further on all the other things it takes to be a professional musician, aside from playing your instrument, then search for A Drummer’s Guide To... on all good podcasting platforms and youtube
  
  #performanceanxiety #sessionmusician #professionalmusician #mindset #visualization

152 - Uncomfortable Truths

🚨 Is avoidance of pain keeping you from success? 🚨

🙈 There’s a common misconception that I’ve seen flying around that if you do everything ‘right’ you’ll breeze into being a pro, and stay there as long as you stay consistent.

❌ Nope ❌

😖 It’s HARD - I don’t know any session musician that hasn’t gone through feelings of doubt, imposter syndrome, not feeling good enough, and then losing gigs, not getting auditions, and feeling embarrassed and humiliated. It’s part of the job, it’s part of life.

🤔💭 You should expect all these things and rather than being so afraid of them that it paralyses you out of making the hard moves, know that it’s going to be hard either way, so you may as well take your shot, and keep taking the shots until it’s normalised.

☝️So here are my top tips for facing these uncomfortable truths…

😥 When bad things happen (and they will happen!) face them head on. Whether it was a shortfall in skill, or a mismatch of personalities, or any other type of epic fail, take responsibility.

Ask yourself:

1️⃣ what was my role in this?

2️⃣ what I can do to mitigate this every happening again?

3️⃣ what positives can I take from the situation?

🥵 To say this is confronting is putting it so mildly that Nando’s don’t even have a sauce to illustrate it!

🧌 However, ignoring it, creates a much bigger problem in the long term, making monsters you’ll become terrified of, guarding the door to opportunities that could be perfect for you in every way!

🎙 I’ll share with you the most confronting moments for me in this week’s episode, A Drummer’s Guide To... Uncomfortable Truths

#sessionmusician #musicianmindset #professionalmusician #acceptance #ADrummersGuideTo #Podcast #promusicians #musicianproblems #musiciansofig #sessionmusician #musicianlifestyle #sessiondrummer #musiceducation #musicianslife #behindthescenes #musicindustry #professionalmusician #drummer #drums #drumming #lessons #drumlesson #drumlessons #remoterecording #homestudio #remotesession #productivity #ama #askmeanything