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Professionalism
isn’t taught in a school’s music program. There are
no classes for professional behavior at some of the country’s
most respected music colleges. If you’re lucky, you might
have a private instructor who will teach you something about it.
That’s unfortunate, because your behavior with your fellow
bandmates and on the gig will have as much effect on your present
and future employment, if not more, than your playing.
So what is “professional” behavior? Strictly defined, the word means “of, related to, or conforming to the standards of an occupation, such as law, medicine, or engineering, that requires considerable training and specialized study.” Well, it’s possible to be a professional (in a word, “paid”) musician without years of “Specialized High-Intensity Training,” but in any case, the word carries a connotation of behavior. What kind of behavior? First, let’s talk about your behavior toward your band. Professional behavior is being on time for rehearsals and gigs. It’s having your technical ability sharp, and your music parts prepared and ready to go when needed. It’s listening to more than just yourself, being ready to give and take constructive criticism fairly, and for the purpose of making the whole band sound better. It’s about making sure you take care of your gear, so it’s in good shape and won’t fail when you need it. It’s about playing a requested song with as much heart and soul as you can, regardless of how you feel about the song (because it isn’t about you!). It’s about not grumbling, complaining, or otherwise revealing dissatisfaction in front of your audience. In short, you are supposed to be a positive part of the band equation. |
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How about behavior on the gig? You should treat sound engineers well, and realize that they’re responsible for how you sound up front. (This also assumes that you’ve made your instrument sound as good as you can, so that the engineer has a good sound source to work with.) Be courteous to house staff. Never play under the influence. Watch your language (this might not apply in all situations). If you play in a function band, stay friendly to the client and their guests, and be as accommodating as possible, even in the face of outright rudeness (drunken or sober). My hero in this field is my mainstay band’s leader, Bob Charest. This is a man who bends over backwards to ensure that his clients have a successful event, even if it means doing something that has nothing to do with music. He sweats the details. He shows up very early to set up the band. He works with the event coordinator. He removes variables and unknown factors as much as he can so there are no last-minute surprises. In short, the only thing people remember about the Bob Charest Band is that they had a great time and there were no problems.
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Do
I always succeed in my quest for Bob-like behavior? Not always,
but I do try like anything to be the best I can, because my behavior
reflects not only on me, but on the whole band. At a recent Charest
gig, a wedding reception, our professionalism was given a heavy
trial, as Bob worked hard before and during the reception to help
with a DVD slide show, some of us were treated with snide discourtesy
by a few stogie-chomping members of the “too-good-for-you
club,” and I was approached while playing mid-song by an
enthusiastic wedding guest who wanted to play drums along with
me. We all did our best, and the net result was that the client
was thrilled, everyone had a good time (including us), no one
had their cigars stolen, and a woman who wanted to play drums
her whole life got her chance. That’s what being professional
is all about.