Why do you even need a session guitarist? It's 2022 and there are a whole heap of high quality guitar VS instruments available to load into your DAW and get 'playing' guitar straight away without the need to involve an actual guitarist! Think Native Instruments 'Session Guitarist', ViR Instruments 'Electri6ity' and Heavyocity 'Scoring Guitars 2'. If you don't want that level of detail and expression you can access really versatile sample packs suited to almost any genre some of which are even given away for free such as these loop packs here. These may get you exactly what you want for your current track and that might be all you need - it's a very cost effective solution but it's ultimately nearly always a compromise - you're settling for a less unique guitar track than what you would get when working with a session guitarist... You miss out on those magical collaborative moments, where two minds are better together than they are individually. Having another perspective in the writing process can work wonders for creating something original. People become specialists for a reason - drawing on these high level skill sets will make a huge difference to your music. Yes you can use your imagination and creativity to make the VSTs and loops as unique as possible but you are still way more limited than if you were to work with a specialist in their instrument such as myself. Even the Rza now records with session musicians and have you seen what that guy can do with a sample? With a session musician you can get control over all the musical elements in more depth, the dynamics, the articulation, the feel and soul put into the notes themselves. As a session guitarist I can offer way more variation in performances which in turn makes your music more expressive and meaningful. The result? Your music sounds more unique and stands out above all the noise and heavily saturated market of people using the same VSTs and samples!
Should you use a local guitarist? Benefits:
Live collaboration is like no other in terms of excitement, the energy that bounces between musicians in the same room is unique.
You may already have a network of local musicians that you are familiar with and know you can rely on.
Something also has to be said for getting instant results - you've been working in your studio so you already have the files recorded into your DAW without the need for waiting on a file transfer.
Drawbacks:
Working in the studio generating ideas can take a lot of time, especially if time is taken out of your day while the parts are written.
You could be working on something completely different while those parts are created.
Working with local musicians means you're not accessing the vast amount of global talent with fresh perspectives and alternative influences that could make a big impact on your music.
There is of course also the cost of studio time, working local means using your studio time for the guitars to be written, recorded and edited. Why an online guitarist? Benefits:
Working with remote session musicians is cost effective and time efficient. A good online session guitarist should be proficient in the studio meaning the guitar tracks you receive are recorded in high quality, edited accurately and processed appropriately, saving you a heap of time and energy for other things.
You can be working on something else whilst the guitar tracking is happening.
Working with people from other areas and countries can also give you a new perspective, and you have more musicians to choose from!
Drawbacks:
Working remotely is only effective if good communication is present, its so important to make sure the musician you are working with truly understands the feel and tone that you need.
They won't have you to bounce off in their studio so the more pointers you give them ahead the better.
If communication isn't clear the project may need many revisions to get the desire outcome – a lot of online musicians offer limited to no revisions so it's definitely making those notes, sheets and scores as detailed as possible to get your vision across.
What does an online guitarist offer? In reality when you hire an online session musician you are hiring multiple people, making your life easier, faster and cheaper. A remote online musician is operating also as a producer, editor and engineer. If you were to hire a studio you may have to pay for a recording engineer familiar with tracking guitars, increasing the cost of the guitar recording. A good online guitarist covers all this and saves you the editing time. You can organise yourself better leaving your schedule free. How to find the right one? Finding the right online guitarist will depend on a few elements. How soon is your project deadline? Some guitarists can respond and work quicker than others. What genre of music are you working in and what skills therefore does that guitarist require? If you're producing Neo Soul you want the playing style and tone to complement this as much as possible. What experience will they have that will benefit the project? A musicians' variety and depth of musical experience will have a big impact on the outcome of the composition and recording. Alternatively do you require someone to play an already written part exactly rather than needing their creative input? Answering these questions should put you on the right track of finding the right one.
What do I offer? As a guitarist I am a very expressive player and have much experience performing, composing and recording with the guitar. I have a talent for writing memorable hook lines and melodies that set a mood. Equally I love to paint a picture with sonic texture or find the guitar solo that lifts your music to the next dimension. I'm used to working online and know the importance of clear communication so we can realise your vision like we would if working together in the same space. I have the skills to record, edit and pre produce your guitar tracks to a high level. I'm also here to make sure your music is how you want it so i have an open revision policy. Still got some questions or want to get in touch about working together? Contact me here
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