Session musician
| Highest | $5,500 / mo · United States |
|---|---|
| Experience | 2–4 yrs |
| Degree | Required |
| First paycheck | 4 years of conservatoire study + several years of studio networking |
Pay in the destination countries
Monthly, in US dollars. Each country is an Imora admission package — open one for that route's fees, language requirement and deadline.
| Country | Monthly |
|---|---|
| United StatesTOEFL 80–100 · $10–70k | $5,500max |
| Hong KongIELTS 6.0–6.5 · HK–200k | $4,700 |
| SingaporeIELTS 6.5 · SGD 18–35k | $4,700 |
| United KingdomIELTS 6.0–7.0 · £11–38k | $4,700 |
| CanadaIELTS 6.0–6.5 · CAD 20–40k | $4,300 |
| AustraliaIELTS 6.0–6.5 · AUD 30–50k | $3,950 |
What does the day look like?
A session musician records instrumental parts for commercial records, film scores, television, video games, or commercials. Between 10% and 15% of working time is spent on preparation: checking gear, restringing instruments, packing cables and DI boxes, and commuting to studios. Another 20% to 25% is spent sight-reading sheet music, lead sheets, or Nashville Number System charts on the spot without prior rehearsals.
The tracking itself takes 25% to 35% of the day. Working under a producer or session contractor, you record multiple takes to a click track, add fills, improvise solos, and punch in to fix bars using Pro Tools, Logic Pro, and personal mixers like Hear Technologies Hear Back or Aviom. The remaining 25% to 35% is unglamorous administration: filing union B-4 report forms, invoicing clients, managing self-employment taxes, and networking. Work is booked in standard 3-hour union calls, with irregular hours, evening sessions, and weekend work being standard.
Where does this lead?
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