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Step 1
Network. Getting work as a musician is not an easy task if you’re an introvert. You might be able to build up a reputation over time, but until you get to that point, you’re going to have to get the word out. Go to shows, go to parties, talk to people. As with all industries, it’s who you know as much as how you play.
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Step 2
Print business cards and carry a CD showing your past work. Also create a website that acts as an electronic press kit (EPK), outlining past accomplishments along with music samples and mp3s.
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Step 3
Never refuse a gig. Even if you hate the music, having a broad range of samples works in your favor. It shows that you know how to adapt and that you’re easy to work with. Acting elitist about gigs can work against you. In the beginning, you can’t be too choosy. Eventually, the ideal situation is to be able to choose your gigs.
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Step 4
Broaden your musical horizons. If you play bass, learn to play guitar, keyboards or drums. This makes you seem like a more formidable musician and can really help with your musical chops. Practice often.
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Step 5
Work for free. Take any recording gig you can. It’s easy to make professional sounding recordings at home. If you play more than one instrument, you can do most, if not all, of the recording yourself, fattening your EPK.
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Step 6
Give an air of confidence, but not cockiness. As mentioned, people want to work with people they can get along with: a musician that doesn’t want to hog the spotlight and is happy being a backup session musician. The term “team player” seems overused, but it’s an important consideration for a backup musician.
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Step 7
Check out job boards. Craigslist is actually not a bad place to find composer work, normally a low-paying gig for a student film project, but it’s a start. There are many musician job boards online, such as Berkleemusic (see Resources below). Also go to musician forums to find new opportunities in your area (at Sputnik music, among others).
