Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Eric Darken Interview

Eric Darken's percussion has been a part of hundreds of recordings over the last few decades.   A model of a successful freelance musician, the Nashville session great took a few moments recently to answer a few questions:

Mark: What is your background / training as a percussionist?

Eric: I started out playing drum set at the age of twelve. I played timpani and mallets in high school. I attended Brevard College in North Carolina and studied with Mario Gaetano who was a wonderful orchestral percussionist and educator. He really got me started into the whole orchestral percussion world. After a two year degree, I transferred to Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, OK. There I studied with Roy Smith who was the principal percussionist for the Tulsa Philharmonic. At ORU, I was asked to be a part of the Richard Roberts "live" TV show which aired five days a week. This was a great experience because it taught me how to sightread and perform charts very quickly. We would rehearse a few songs for the show and then tape "live" an hour later. This was not only a wonderful experience, but quite an education.

How about name dropping some artists with Eric Darken percussion on their recordings?

I have had the opportunity over the years to record for a variety of artists and bands. Steven Curtis Chapman, Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Gaither Vocal Band, Taylor Swift, Bob Seger, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood, Bon Jovi

You've been involved in a variety of aspects of the music business. In addition to playing percussion, what else have you done in your career?

I started out years ago copying music for various music arrangers. It was a lot of hard work and long hours but I learned a lot by doing it. Over the years, I have composed music for TV and film and continue to do so as time permits. You can hear some of my music on such television shows as Dateline, 20/20, NFL Films, National Geographic, and Fox Sports.

How has your work as a percussionist changed / evolved over the course of your career?

I'm always trying to learn and grow as a musician and by doing so that includes keeping up with the electronic world as well. Years ago, I began recording projects of my own in my studio and that has moved into people sending me their tracks to play on . I'm constantly trying to stay up to date with the latest recording and software gear. I do the same with my acoustic percussion as well. My set up incorporates both acoustic and electronic options. I use samples and can create original loops in the studio as needed. On any given day or song, I can incorporate all types of percussion, some electronics and even some drum set parts if needed. By having my own studio, it forced me to not only keep up with things percussion-wise but also recording as well. There is always something to learn!

I'm sure that there are many times in the studio (or preparing for a live event) when there is no written chart. What is your method for creating a percussion part?

I don't have a formula per se when there is no written part. I try to communicate with the artist or producer on what he or she might like or what they want to accomplish with percussion. A lot of times, a producer will give specific instructions or often times, they will just tell me to "do my thing." I try to listen to the "big picture" with a track. If there is a lot of motion going on within the track then I might adjust what I do from a shaker or hand drum part. I tend to try to blend into what the drums are doing and not stick out in any way...even if there are a bunch of different parts! Ultimately, I would like to believe that what I bring to a track is inspired by God.

Eric uses Meinl Percussion, Paiste Cymbals, Mike Balter Mallets, Remo Heads, and the Trash Kat Drum from ThunderEcho Drums.

Monday, March 19, 2012

The Right Threads

Your clothes talk about you before you ever open your mouth. 
What are you trying to say?

  • Wearing the right clothes can help get you hired AND keep you hired. 
  • If you are asked to meet a potential employer, dress on the "up side" for the event.  
  • Being a musician does not give you a license to wear just anything and expect to get hired just because you can shred on your instrument. 
  • Some bands are going for a "look" and doing some research can help you make the right impression.  
  • No one will accuse you of being a "sellout" for wearing decent shoes.
  • If you are told to wear something of a certain color to a gig and you don't own that, you have two choices: Buy or borrow the item   or   Turn down the gig.   Wearing the wrong thing can lead to NEVER getting hired by that person again (or being fired upon arrival).
  • If they say tux, they don't mean a black sport coat and black pants.  They mean a TUXEDO.  Get one if you are going to work in the music world where a tux is often the default choice.
  • If they say long black dress...Long means LONG.
  • Don't dress like a bum for rehearsals if you don't really (REALLY) know the situation.
  • If you are a guy, invest in a dark suit.  Sooner or later you'll need it for a gig, meeting, or funeral.
  • Before you leave for the gig, take a look in the mirror and ask if you'd hire that person.

Monday, March 12, 2012

Own Gear / Get Gigs

Investing in instruments and gear can pay off in getting engagements.  If the contractor calls with a job that requires the player to "double" on bass clarinet and you don't have access to one...goodbye to that gig!  In most cases, people want to hire players who own the instruments rather than paying for the musician AND the extra expense of renting  an instrument. 

It was great to have use of the university's piccolo while you were a student but maybe now it's time to have one of your own so that you can reply, "Sure, I have a piccolo.  What time is the rehearsal?"   If you are an electric guitarist and you do not own an acoustic...c'mon.

Remember:  There might be tax advantages to investing in a bari sax or flugelhorn...probably not with the big screen T.V.

Also, owning instruments and gear can provide an extra stream of income from renting items when you are not using them yourself.

Monday, February 20, 2012

Owes Me List

As a self employed / independent contractor / freelance musician, you prefer to get the check right after you play the last note of the gig.  That is not always the case.  Institutions (schools, churches, colleges, prisons, etc...) sometimes cannot pay until the performance is over, the paperwork is filed, and the bureaucracy cuts the check. 

It can take a while.  

You need a system in place to keep up with those jobs with the missing dollars.   Don't trust your memory.  It doesn't need to be that elaborate.   A spiral notebook dedicated to keeping a log of the unpaid work or a running list on a computer file can do the trick of managing your outstanding gig loot.  

(I call that file on my PC..."The Owes Me List."

Monday, January 30, 2012

You Need An "Act"

Early in my freelance career, I figured out that my gig-getting potential would increase if I had an "act" to sell instead of trying to find work as only a sideman---for someone else's act.  

Your act can be just you as a soloist or an ensemble that you establish and lead (chamber group, rock band, jazz combo, folk duo, etc...).  

With an act, you can contact agents, festivals, concert series, event planners, and more...rather than waiting for the sideman call.  As the leader of the act, you should pay yourself more than the sidemen.

You need an act...or more than one.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Music Think Tank & Hypebot



It's so important to keep up with trends in the music business.   Music Think Tank (www.musicthinktank.com) and Hypebot (www.hypebot.com) are two of the blogs that I follow.   Check 'em out for innovations and ideas that can help you on your "music to money" journey.  

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Onesheet

There's a service that can pull a variety of your social media sites together into one neat package.   You can send potential clients one URL and they can view a selected video, scope out your tweets from Twitter, read your bio, click a link to your website, watch some of your You Tube videos, and more.  (It updates automatically...WOW!)

It's FREE.  (Okay, there is a upgrade available for a fee but you can get going at NO cost.)  

The service is ONESHEET. 
Check out mine at www.onesheet.com/MarkSheltonPerc

Get your own at www.onesheet.com !

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Get It In Writing

Always get the gig details in writing.  If all parties involved are real professionals, no one should object to setting the basics of the engagement in a fixed form. 
Disputes can be avoided, details clarified, and relationships maintained by making sure that presenter and performer have the same information.  

This fixed form can be be a formal contract (I use the less intimidating term, performance agreement.) or a simple email spelling out the who, what, when, where, and HOW MUCH.   In addition to those basics, you might include things such as set up time, number of breaks, and permission to sell merchandise.

Avoid too many details.  Do not overwhelm your client with minutia.  People like simple.
I have toured for over seven weeks for a well known agency with only a ONE PAGE contract.

Bring the performance agreement to the gig.



The weakest ink is better than the strongest memory. 
Chinese proverb