Zildjian Interview with Keith Carlock talking about Going Pro

Keith gives advice about going Pro and what are the challenges with going Pro.

Here is a transcript of the video:
My advice for becoming a professional musician would be to really study the music and what makes what music you like but I would certainly recommend checking out many different styles of music and really getting inside of what makes it work and what makes it sound good and why is this grooving, and learning how to emulate what you hear, is the first step. But then taking it further and developing your own style and your own sound with the way that you tune and the gear you choose to play and the way you put your ideas together. You know I always had my favorite players growing up but I would just take things form each one and try to make it a little different. Even my technique, I studied the Moeller Technique, but I tried to change it around a little bit to my own way of using that concept, which became a more finger oriented stye of playing; more open handed, which changed the sound of the kit when I played it. So technique does have a lot to do with the sound you get, so that's something to develop. But the whole process is trying to find something unique, and that gets people talking, it creates a buzz about you. And people say you gotta check this out, something's a little different about this or just got a really great feel. Because really what its all about is having a really good feel on the kit that's infectious and people want to have to their music and the ideas. So yeah I think the playing should speak for itself but then there's the business side of things, you gotta have a good business sense, always be prepared for the gig that your called to do, really know the music. And just go in there an nail it.

[joecoleman]

Nice video:
1. Study your genre, and others
2. Develop your own unique style (technique, tuning, etc.)
3. Be business savvy - prepare and nail it.

[liamvg]

This guy on speed or something? He's got massive black circles under his eyes.