(March 5th, 2020, at The Tuning Fork, Auckland)
A long time ago, I briefly dated a multi-instrumentalist who played guitar, keys, steel, and fiddle in a Nashville touring band.
We weren’t a great fit romantically; he would mostly send me random late-night “U up?” texts after weeks of radio silence. Still, he did give me a piece of professional advice that really stuck with me and helped me build my career in Nashville.
He told me to be a “yes person” as a musician, someone who can say “yes” no matter what specific skill or sound is needed.
He advised making myself more hirable and setting myself apart from the crowd (a very big crowd of talented folks when it comes to Nashville) by adding as much to my musical toolkit as I could, aiming never to have to say “no” when someone asks me to play a style or cover a sound.
This advice is why I’ve worked so hard to become a dependable backing vocalist, developing my vocal range, tone, and control so I can cover well any part someone throws my way.
It’s also wisdom you can apply to your life as a session player, gigging musician, artist, or music teacher.
The “yes person” concept is not as simple as just playing both electric bass and upright bass - for example - though that’s definitely a good starting point.
It’s thinking about all the possible sounds someone might want you to create on your instrument/s and preparing for the eventuality before it comes up.
If you’re primarily a pizzicato player on upright bass, it’s spending time developing a beautiful bowed tone as well.
It’s learning to use a pick as well as fingers on electric bass or guitar.
It’s spending time building a pedal board and honing pedal blends.
It’s learning to improvise, at least well enough to cover a simple vamp section.
It’s understanding the nuances of any genre someone could call on you to reference.
It’s being able to sing backing vocals and then learning to manipulate your voice to create as many different sounds as possible, from belty twang to breathy pop.
It’s setting yourself up to be able to answer, can you bow? With, absolutely! Can you cover this harmony? With, definitely!
Other examples:
If you’re a cover band and someone requests a well-known song you don’t play yet, rather than brushing them off, maybe you thank them and add it to the set for your next gig.
If you’re a drummer and someone asks you to play a percussion instrument you don’t have, maybe look into adding it to your arsenal.
If someone asks you to sing backing vocals, but you don’t feel comfortable doing so, tell them you’ll be ready next time and start working on your voice.
If a student asks you to teach a style of music you’re not secure with, find a book or tutorial so you can try it next time.
The attitude of being a “yes person” is about continually stretching yourself and working hard to fill any gaps in your knowledge.
It’s keeping that fire for learning burning bright and not lazily accepting “good enough” in anything you do.
It’s taking the (hopefully rare!) times you absolutely must say “no” as an impossible-to-ignore opportunity to learn and grow.
The more you can say “yes” to other people, the more often they’ll say yes to you.
“Yes” to playing with you, hiring you, AND paying you ;)
Is all of that while sticking to one genre? At Berklee they told me that I had to pick a genre and if anyone asked me what I played, or wrote it had to be one genre. Otherwise you will never be a standout success. I'm sure they are right, but I'm happy being me.
Great, and most welcome advice - thank you, Vanessa!