How much can you really make playing sessions in Nashville?

There are a few different ways we get paid. Broadly, these are from union sessions ("on the card"), indie sessions ("off the card"), royalties, and special payments. Let's check out each of these scenarios, including the scale wages for each kind of session, such as masters. Enjoy!

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0:00 This channel is all about creating hooks.
1:29 A cool song I was working on recently
2:26 Why is this SO cool?
5:31 Course coming soon!
5:44 SO, how do session players get paid?
7:29 Nashville runs on a 10/2/6 session schedule
11:22 This is what a union time card looks like
13:11 Every session has a session “leader”
15:30 Let’s talk recording scales and payment
23:38 the AFMSAGAFTRA fund
27:18 Special Payments
Please SUBSCRIBE, and thanks for hanging out!

[TomCPlus]

"Tools for the Creative Guitarist" is exactly what I come here to learn, and I'm pretty sure I want to buy in when your course is released. You've already elevated my playing just by being a good influence, a player I listen to carefully and try to break down what I'm hearing. [I know others love to hear about and talk about the gear . . . it's the sound and the player input that I'm trying to soak up here.] Our non-professional band tries to look and sound professional. Appreciate your help so far. 🎸

[benthomasguitar]

So interesting to get a peek behind the Nashville recording curtain. Thanks for sharing and your constant honesty!

[OurBackwoodsHomestead]

I moved to Nashville in 1990 worked as an entertainer for Opryland Talent Agency until TNN and Opryland closed in 1997.
Played all the main places in Nashville met a lot of great players over my 30 years.
Rates haven't really changed too much since then. But having the internet has really been good for and helped in creating income for me.
I don't play out much anymore but I built a small studio in 2005 & a new studio in 2017.
I mainly do demos & records for songwriters, artist & VoiceOvers.
Flying tracks has made it easier to record tracks and send all over the world.
Good video and info!
You can make a living in Nashville if your willing to put in the effort.

[ZEETAL]

As a time limited (business owner, husband, father) hobby musician (church/home recordings) this kinda exposes how much a studio musician has to do in order to make money. While there are exceptions, you make it sound like the majority of studio musicians are going to work a lot to make a lot of money like any other career.
I think many of us think that if you’re a studio musician in Nashville, you make bank. This is a great video, makes a lot of us respect what you do and keep up the good work!

[buzzfretwear]

This is quickly becoming one of my very favorite YT channels. Love the way you provide really interesting content with great playing, tones, and tips. Many thanks Justin!

[BlugubriousMusic]

First off, man... this is insightful. If someone wanted to try and move in this direction, might be the most informative thing on Youtube. Also, I feel like you buried the lede a little with your closing seconds. You are getting paid for your thousands of hours honing your craft. I am a former gigging guy turned glorified enthusiast. I keep saying your (you guys, Buk, you, Pierce, etc) ability to execute - when it counts - is the super power. To make a 'part' in heat of battle, being watched, with the clock ticking is amazing to me. Great vid and you guys deserve every penny... and probably more. No need to respond here.

[edwardgordon]

Love your shares, man. Great insider info and very interesting to learn more of the goings on in Music City

[edtaylor]

Hands down best YT channel for musicians/guitarists. Thank you Justin.

[RobertFairweatherMusic]

That was an eye opener. Thank you for sharing!

[Suire]

Thank you for that insight. I like your analogy of being like a plumber. We are skilled laborers for sure. somewhere in the 1970s I made a left turn and did not go into music full time. I'm not any better off and I still crave playing.

[waywardspirit]

I am a union electrician with 40 years of experience. (and am also a guitar player, for fun). Sounds like you and I make around the same per year. Even though I love my job, I think I would love your job more. :)

Great info man. Keep on rockin.

[xx-evsq]

Very interesting/informative. Being a hobbiest guitar player who recently moved to the nashville area, and being friends with guys who are friends with studio guys, as well as someone following session guys YT channels, its interesting to see what goes on with the business from a working persons perspective

[damirzanne]

I spent 20 years playing clubs and recording sessions around Nashville, I feel sorry for the guys trying to make living playing music in Nashville

[THEItchybruddah]

Justin, I’m a retired Tv/Film guy that basically functioned as a one-man band. Or, you could think of it as a musical veal fattening pen with Logic. Thus, I was a unicorn of sorts due to the fact that I was a corporate employee for a multi national. This makes me think no one who knew me in my rock rat daze would’ve dreamed I would eventually have health insurance and a home.

I often wondered how the “math” was happening in the 615 up here in the 865. (Tho I still have many dear friends down there you probably know and work with.) I was lucky enough to be sent down to function as producer and have some stuff tracked on occasion. They were fantastic experiences and everyone was TOTALLY pro.

Thanks again for pulling back another veil on how the machine is really run. You folks kickazz.

[mikegrisafi]

I must admit I was firmly in the "b2" camp. But the explaination of the #1 as coming from the major 3rd of the 6Dom7 chord makes a lot of sense. For some reason many theorists shy away from flattening or sharpening the root of the key.

I do love the movement that chord can bring though. Very popular in some older jazz standards (along with the b2...im sorry, #1 dim7 substitution)

Great content as always Justin

[markjohnson]

As a teenager in junior high school, I used to dream of doing session work. Kudos to you that you made your dream work. It is very insightful, the information that you have shared with us. Thank you very much, and may your career stay successful

[tommayo]

Dunno what that progression is called, but man Justin that IS compelling. I’ve rewound and listened to it a few times and will do so again and again.

[scottshand]

Very, very informative and interesting Justin. I heartily applaud all of the session musicians like yourself who really are the makers of the music, thank you and I will be tuning into this channel more to explore what I find to be really fascinating. Peace to you and yours.

[BankloftBass]

Of all the similar videos that have been popping up lately about how musicians make, this is the most insightful and well done I've seen so far. As a canadian session musician, we often think and or wonder if the grass is greener south of the border. Based on this and albeit even only for Nashville, being that it's still a bigger market, yep, you guys have it better by a fair margin. Great work and thanks for the awesome content.

[rossatlan]

Justin thanks for being so super candid and honest... you can hear this in your music! :)