Musician hired to perform in recording sessions or live performances

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Session musician</span>

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Session musician

<p><b>Session musicians</b>, <b>studio musicians</b>, or <b>backing musicians</b> are musicians hired to perform in <a href="/en/Recording_session" title="Recording session" class="mw-redirect wl">recording sessions</a> or live performances. The term <a href="/en/Sideman" title="Sideman" class="wl">sideman</a> is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a recording artist on a tour. Session musicians are usually not permanent or official members of a <a href="/en/Musical_ensemble" title="Musical ensemble" class="wl">musical ensemble</a> or band. They work behind the scenes and rarely achieve individual fame in their own right as <a href="/en/Solo_(music)" title="Solo (music)" class="wl">soloists</a> or <a href="/en/Bandleader" title="Bandleader" class="wl">bandleaders</a>. However, top session musicians are well known within the <a href="/en/Music_industry" title="Music industry" class="wl">music industry</a>, and some have become publicly recognized, such as <a href="/en/The_Wrecking_Crew_(music)" title="The Wrecking Crew (music)" class="wl">the Wrecking Crew</a>, the <a href="/en/Muscle_Shoals_Rhythm_Section" title="Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section" class="wl">Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section</a><span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-allmusicbio_2-0"><a href="#cite_note-allmusicbio-2" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 2;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[2]</span></a></span> and <a href="/en/The_Funk_Brothers" title="The Funk Brothers" class="wl">The Funk Brothers</a> who worked with <a href="/en/Motown_Records" title="Motown Records" class="mw-redirect wl">Motown Records</a>.</p>

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<figure class="mw-default-size wiki-thumb"><a href="/en/File:Hal_Blaine_in_1995.jpg" class="mw-file-description image media-thumb" data-hash="File:Hal_Blaine_in_1995.jpg"><img loading="lazy" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/Hal_Blaine_in_1995.jpg/220px-Hal_Blaine_in_1995.jpg" decoding="async" data-file-width="450" data-file-height="327" data-file-type="bitmap" height="160" width="220" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/Hal_Blaine_in_1995.jpg/330px-Hal_Blaine_in_1995.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/Hal_Blaine_in_1995.jpg/440px-Hal_Blaine_in_1995.jpg 2x" alt="Hal_Blaine_in_1995.jpg"></a><figcaption>Session musician <a href="/en/Hal_Blaine" title="Hal Blaine" class="wl">Hal Blaine</a> (pictured in 1995) is widely regarded as one of the most prolific drummers in rock and roll history, having "certainly played on more hit records than any drummer in the rock era".<span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-1"><a href="#cite_note-1" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 1;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[1]</span></a></span></figcaption></figure>

<p>Many session musicians specialize in playing common <a href="/en/Rhythm_section" title="Rhythm section" class="wl">rhythm section</a> instruments such as <a href="/en/Guitar" title="Guitar" class="wl">guitar</a>, <a href="/en/Piano" title="Piano" class="wl">piano</a>, <a href="/en/Electric_bass" title="Electric bass" class="mw-redirect wl">bass</a>, or <a href="/en/Drum_kit" title="Drum kit" class="wl">drums</a>. Others are specialists, and play <a href="/en/Brass_instrument" title="Brass instrument" class="wl">brass</a>, <a href="/en/Woodwind_instrument" title="Woodwind instrument" class="wl">woodwinds</a>, and <a href="/en/String_instrument" title="String instrument" class="wl">strings</a>. 
Many session musicians play multiple instruments, which lets them play in a wider range of musical situations, genres and styles. Examples of "doubling" include <a href="/en/Double_bass" title="Double bass" class="wl">double bass</a> and <a href="/en/Electric_bass" title="Electric bass" class="mw-redirect wl">electric bass</a>, <a href="/en/Acoustic_guitar" title="Acoustic guitar" class="wl">acoustic guitar</a> and <a href="/en/Mandolin" title="Mandolin" class="wl">mandolin</a>, <a href="/en/Piano" title="Piano" class="wl">piano</a> and <a href="/en/Accordion" title="Accordion" class="wl">accordion</a>, and saxophone and other woodwind instruments.</p>

<p>Session musicians are used when musical skills are needed on a short-term basis. Typically session musicians are used by recording studios to provide <a href="/en/Backing_track" title="Backing track" class="wl">backing tracks</a> for other musicians for recording sessions and live performances; recording music for <a href="/en/Advertising" title="Advertising" class="wl">advertising</a>, film, television, and <a href="/en/Theatre" title="Theatre" class="wl">theatre</a>. In the 2000s, the terms "session musician" and "studio musician" are synonymous, though in past decades, "studio musician" meant a musician associated with a single <a href="/en/Record_label" title="Record label" class="wl">record company</a>, <a href="/en/Recording_studio" title="Recording studio" class="wl">recording studio</a> or <a href="/en/Talent_agent" title="Talent agent" class="wl">entertainment agency</a>.<span class="mw-ref reference" id="cite_ref-3"><a href="#cite_note-3" style="counter-reset: mw-Ref 3;"><span class="mw-reflink-text">[3]</span></a></span></p>



Session musicians, studio musicians, or backing musicians are musicians hired to perform in recording sessions or live performances. The term sideman is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a recording artist on a tour. Session musicians are usually not permanent or official members of a musical ensemble or band. They work behind the scenes and rarely achieve individual fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders. However, top session musicians are well known within the music industry, and some have become publicly recognized, such as the Wrecking Crew, the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section and The Funk Brothers who worked with Motown Records. Many session musicians specialize in playing common rhythm section instruments such as guitar, piano, bass, or drums. Others are specialists, and play brass, woodwinds, and strings. 
Many session musicians play multiple instruments, which lets them play in a wider range of musical situations, genres and styles. Examples of "doubling" include double bass and electric bass, acoustic guitar and mandolin, piano and accordion, and saxophone and other woodwind instruments. Session musicians are used when musical skills are needed on a short-term basis. Typically session musicians are used by recording studios to provide backing tracks for other musicians for recording sessions and live performances; recording music for advertising, film, television, and theatre. In the 2000s, the terms "session musician" and "studio musician" are synonymous, though in past decades, "studio musician" meant a musician associated with a single record company, recording studio or entertainment agency. 