SHR4C007R~001 25100288 Assignment 1

by

Hebe Gabel 25100288

Watching Joan Jett on my dads TV when I was seven changed my perspective of music, careers, and ultimately answered the question of “what did I want to do when I grow up”. I wanted to be Joan Jett. Since then I have started a feminist punk band, WENCH!, together we have played Reading and Leeds festival, worked with BBC Introducing, BBC Radio 6, record label Warren Records, as well as a vast variety of venues, musicians and talented people expanding my knowledge on what the creative industries involve.

Within my experience coming from a background of live and studio bass work, I feel a career in session musicianship and live music work is the strongest and most creatively fulfilling route for my development as a musician.

  • What are the (academic and professional) qualifications and/or experience required to enter the profession?
  • The professional qualifications needed for the live music profession stems from knowledge, experience as well as a proficiency for working with people. As a day to day session musician, professional experience in recording studios, live stage work, sight reading as well as technical proficiency, are required. Experience in festivals, as well as a vast variety of bands and showcases will best support me in standing from the crowd, as it is a competitive industry.
  • Academic qualifications in the session music industry do not weigh as heavily as professional qualifications. This is due to the networking circle seen within the industry. In a blog from Last Minute Musician: “In the pop world, a record label isn’t going to ask you about your qualifications – they’re going to care about the quality of your songs” [1] There is no entry exam or set level of experience needed, however with the precedence of a music degree, alongside the technical knowledge from an academic background in music, academic qualifications can become a “shoe-in” into the session musician circuit.

[1] Last Minute Musicians (2014), Is A Degree In Music Worth It? Available at https://www.lastminutemusicians.com/how_to_get_gigs/is-a-degree-in-music-worth-it/  (Accessed 28.12.2025)

  • What knowledge, skills and personal qualities/attributes are needed for success within the profession?
  • The knowledge, skills, and personal attributes needed for success in session musician work, revolve around being able to work with people. As a musician, your working life orbits around sound techs, studio engineers, band members, managers, PR higher ups, and promoters. All of which, a healthy working relationship is vital.
  • As well as healthy working relationships, fluency in your instrument is key. Being able to pick up songs with short notice, improvise over lead sheets, and have some knowledge in tech and repairs in your instrument. In my case, I need to have a knowledge of how to fix bass and bass pedalboard problems quickly and efficiently, in the scenario something breaks during a tour or performance. This could be, knowing how to fix a broken bass, troubleshoot a broken pedalboard, or knowing how different amps and pre-amp DIs work for different venues.
  • In terms of personal qualities, you have to look at the bigger picture of how the music industry works, its not based on CVs and indeed applications, but instead on networking and who you know. To quote the independent society of musicians the question is posed, “what you want people to know about you”[2], which this question sums up the attidues and mindset when networking, be likeable, bring forward your musical skills and experience, and be someone they want to employ.

[2] Independent Society of Musicians (2025), Networking in the Music Sector, Available at https://www.lastminutemusicians.com/how_to_get_gigs/is-a-degree-in-music-worth-it/  , Accessed 30.12.2025

  • What are the duties and responsibilities of the profession – what does a typical day’s work involve?
  • The responsibilities and professional duties of working as a session and band musician, focuses on reliability. Weather this be learning repertoire for a concert, ensuring reliability with equipment, punctuality, and professionalism within a live gig setting, and ensuring you can be reliable person to trust in. when considering the idea of a “typical day” within a session musicians day, things rarely fall into continuity. A typical day could involve and 8-hour rehearsal, a day in the studio, a day of traveling or live performances.
  • What are the main financial and legal issues that impact on this profession?
  • one aspect about being a live session musician that poses an obvious challenge is the financial difficulties musicians experience in the modern age. As read from the musician’s article, “Being Skint, Musicians and Money” by Tonic Music, the uncertainty about if or when the next wedge will come leads to constant stress and hopelessness[3]. Such insights into how the world works through the navigational lens of a musician or creative, poses a challenging question for my own future; will I be able to earn enough money? And even at that, will I be able to have music as my main financial provider. As read from the Ditto article, 84% of UK independent artists can’t afford to tour in 2025[4], so the financial climate of session musicians is looking bleak. Financial struggles are often accompanied by legal struggles, such as copyright legalities, which can often pose expensive court cases if exploited. A case study on the expenses involved in a copyright court case is the blurred lines case with Pharrell Williams, Robin Thickle against Marvin Gaye, settling for a total payout of $4.98m[5]
    [3] Tonic Music, (2024), Being Skint, Musicians and Money, Available at https://www.tonicmusic.co.uk/post/afbl72 , Accessed 30.12.2025
    [4] Ditto Music (2025), 84% of UK independent artists can’t afford to tour in 2025, Available at https://press.dittomusic.com/84-of-uk-independent-artists-cant-afford-to-tour-in-2025 Accessed 30.12.2025
    [5] BBC News (2018), Blurred Lines: Robin Thickle and Pharrell Williams to pay $5m in final verdict, Available at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-46550714 , accessed 30.12.2025
  • What would the potential marketing and promotional aspects of this profession look like?
  • Marketing and promo become the backbone of any career in music, and can take places in many different forms, networking, pr campaigns, sticking up posters to radio play. And to achieve my goal of working in a live band, promotional work becomes a heavily weighted aspect.
    When thinking of case studies of music promotion and marketing, the Charlie XCX brat release stands out as pivotal moment, it became a cultural movement with neon green motifs, trends and dances, as well as an embodiment of the album’s ethos with the termed “brat summer”. This worldwide hype and momentum gained from the album pushed it into the 8th popular album of 2024[6] Charlie XCX can be seen as a genius of marketing and promotion from her album release, something that moving forward into a career in session music, I can bring forward and be inspired from.
    [6] Official Charts (2024), The Official biggest albums of 2024, Available at https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/the-official-biggest-albums-of-2024/ , accessed 30.12.2025
  • What are the intellectual and personal challenges presented by the profession and how might these be dealt with? 
  • An issue close to my heart, is the personal challenges presented by the music industry. As a woman, who has already built up a platform in music, I have repeatedly been exposed to and experienced the misogyny and ill treatment of women in this industry. Something I campaign for heavily within my work is ensuring workplaces are safe for women, and looking to the future of my career, I want to ensure that women’s safety within the music industry is at the forefront of my work. Campaigns I have experience in is GRRRit, a movement in the hull music scene designed to empower underrepresented groups, as well as striving for women’s safety in live music.
  • The current standards for the protection of female musicians under the current political climate needs to be reevaluated. To quote the UK Parliament report on, Misogyny In Music: On Repeat, “women in music still facing significant barriers, including unequal pay, ageism, and being the more likely to take on childcare duties.”[7] This quote details struggles and mistreatment, and one I am passionate about is the misogynistic ageism seen within the field of work. Young women, I myself fall into this category, are repeatedly patronized and mistreated on the prejudice of their age and gender. The perfect case study is Britney Spears publicized breakdown in 2007. At 25 years old, Spears had a breakdown as a result of the harassment of the press, and her privacy being exploited by those she worked for. This is a prime example of a young woman being exploited within her role in the music industry. Academic Sally Gross quotes a female artist and youth worker in her academic text: Women Working in the Music Business:
    “Being a minority and a woman who is self- managing often means that you’re not taken seriously and can often be belittled by both other artists and industry professionals (predominantly men). So, the effort it takes to shrug that off and keep your sanity and vision clear has been challenging and almost made me quit.” [8]
    I think what’s important to note about Gross’s quote is the seeming hopelessness women are facing. Therefore, when looking forward into my own career, as someone who is a young woman, I want to be able to push for change.
    [7] UK Parliament (2025), Misogyny In Music: On Repeat. Available at: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5901/cmselect/cmwomeq/573/report.html (Accessed 28.12.2025)
    [8] Gross, Sally (2022), Women Working in the music business, DOI: 10.4324/9781003150480-11
  • What career-progression/development opportunities are available within the profession?
  • I see myself progressing towards roles of a band manager, working up the musical pyramid to take on a leadership role. Experience working for bands woulds suitably equipt me for a role in a management position. Throughout my experience in my current band, I already feel passionately towards the role of a manager, and with the right guidance in a career in session musicianship, I can be equipped to fulfill that role.
  • When thinking of constructive manager within the music industry, I would want to take on the role of ensuring musicians safety and responsibility within a workplace. Something I am passionate about it striving for diversity, as well as making sure venues, studios, festivals and events are run as safety and with musicians well being at the forefront. I want to make change with the way live music works, safer venues for women, safer workplaces for minorities, and ensuring no one is discriminated, judged or treated differently because of who they are.

In conclusion, my career so far as a live bassist in band WENCH!, has adequately shown be and introduced me to a career in session musician, and live band playing. I see myself working in multiple bands, crossing genre and displaying a variety of musician attributes and talents. However, through research, word of mouth, and previous experiences, I understand the difficulties legally, financially and professionally that come with this job. Financial stability, and the idea of buying a house feels a million years away, and job security feels like a tightrope walk. However the future is looking up, as more and more creative industries are flourishing as the job market opens.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

[1] Last Minute Musicians (2014), Is A Degree In Music Worth It? Available at https://www.lastminutemusicians.com/how_to_get_gigs/is-a-degree-in-music-worth-it/  (Accessed 28.12.2025)

[2] Independent Society of Musicians (2025), Networking in the Music Sector, Available at https://www.lastminutemusicians.com/how_to_get_gigs/is-a-degree-in-music-worth-it/  , Accessed 30.12.2025

[3] Tonic Music, (2024), Being Skint, Musicians and Money, Available at https://www.tonicmusic.co.uk/post/afbl72 , Accessed 30.12.2025

[4] Ditto Music (2025), 84% of UK independent artists can’t afford to tour in 2025, Available at https://press.dittomusic.com/84-of-uk-independent-artists-cant-afford-to-tour-in-2025 Accessed 30.12.2025

[5] BBC News (2018), Blurred Lines: Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams to pay $5m in final verdict, Available at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-46550714 , accessed 30.12.2025

[6] Official Charts (2024), The Official biggest albums of 2024, Available at https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/the-official-biggest-albums-of-2024/ , accessed 30.12.2025

[7] UK Parliament (2025), Misogyny In Music: On Repeat. Available at: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5901/cmselect/cmwomeq/573/report.html (Accessed 28.12.2025)

[8] Gross, Sally (2022), Women Working in the music business, DOI: 10.4324/9781003150480-11