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The Career Musician

The Career Musician

By: The Career Musician
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Learn the secrets of the music industry and how to build a lasting career!Copyright © 2015 Art Entertainment & Performing Arts Music
Episodes
  • #204 Do You Even Gig Bro? pt2

    #204 Do You Even Gig Bro? pt2
    Feb 25 2026
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    30 mins
  • #203 Do You Even Gig Bro? pt1

    #203 Do You Even Gig Bro? pt1
    Feb 19 2026
    NAMM 2026 Special – “Do You Even Gig, Bro?” (Part 1) On this special two-part series, the TCM Pro Team — Joel Meza, Emily Lauren, and myself — hit the floor of NAMM Show at the Anaheim Convention Center to ask some of the baddest players, creators, producers, and industry pros what gigging really means in 2026. Because at TCM, we don’t just talk about playing music… We talk about: 🎯 Getting the Gig 🔥 Keeping the Gig 🚀 Going Beyond the Gig 💼 And ultimately — Making Music Your Business This episode is raw, fast, funny, insightful, and full of gold nuggets from artists who are actually in the trenches. We chopped it up with: Stanley Randolph Eric Moore II Sean Sentdabeat Trevan Music Lington Mitch Gallagher Amayita Davy Nathan Eaddy Yasmine Azaiez J.J. Blair YAGKI Morganizm Knick Smith Sir Cory James Bobby Ross Avila The Mighty Giants Each one answered the question differently. Some talked about: Staying ready so you don’t have to get ready. The evolution of the modern working musician. Social media vs. stage time. Touring realities. Studio hustle. Faith, consistency, and relationships. Why reputation travels faster than talent. Across the board, a few Career Musician truths stood out: Your reputation is your résumé. Everything you do is an audition. Consistency > clout. Preparation creates opportunity. The gig isn’t just the stage — it’s the mindset. This wasn’t influencer fluff.This was real talk from real working pros. And that’s what TCM is about. NAMM is full of shiny objects. But behind every endorsement, booth demo, and viral clip… there’s a musician who had to: Grind. Practice. Network. Deliver. Stay humble. Stay savvy. In other words — live the ETHOS. Because methods change…Principles remain. If you’re serious about becoming a true Career Musician — not just a hobbyist, not just a content creator — but someone building a sustainable music career… Your backstage pass to community, coaching, accountability, and next-level strategy. 🔓 Join here:https://www.skool.com/tcm-green-room-3722/about If auditions are part of your path — whether live, studio, MD, touring, worship, corporate, or artist support… You NEED this: 🔥 Rockstar Audition Hacks – 3 Proven Steps to Landing Your Dream Gighttps://thecareermusician.com/audition/ Because remember… Everything you do is an audition. If this episode hit home: Share it with your band. Send it to your producer. Drop it in your musician group chat. Tag us. Let us know — Do YOU even gig, bro? This is The Career Musician. Where business meets music. Where we help you get the gig…Make sure you keep the gig…And eventually go beyond the gig…So you can build a sustainable career doing what you love. 🎙️ Let’s go. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    35 mins
  • #202 Art of the Pivot | Awards Show Shuffle

    #202 Art of the Pivot | Awards Show Shuffle
    Feb 3 2026
    Award season is here — and in this episode of The Career Musician, Nomad and the TCM Pro Team sit down for a post-show Green Room debrief after working an awards-show house band gig in the trenches. We kick things off with a real talk “post-Grammys” perspective: why awards can help your career (visibility, awareness, doors opening)… but why music will always remain opinion-based and subjective — and why no trophy should ever define your value as a working musician. 🎸 Grab the free 3-step Audition Guide: thecareermusician.com/audition Then we go full behind-the-curtain and unpack what actually happened on the show day: ✅ the prep… the advancing… the last-minute curveballs ✅ the playback chaos (sample rate drama + tech chain breakdowns) ✅ the “stop and restart” moment that felt like an eternity ✅ a surprise performance rescue where the house band had to jump in and save the set in real time ✅ and the most unexpected pivot of the night: getting told to “stretch the show” and jam with a full orchestra on the spot This isn’t just a story about an awards show. It’s a masterclass in what it really means to be a career musician: professionalism under pressure, adapting on the fly, and keeping the show moving no matter what. We’re joined by Michael "Ace" Baker, Front of House engineer and production pro, who breaks down what was happening from the mix position and why “plan A” isn’t enough when you’re dealing with live production. Ace’s notable credits include: FOH Engineer for Dream Theater (including their touring production) FOH for Sammy Hagar (including major touring runs) Longtime work with Joe Satriani (including the G3 Tour ) FOH history with Chickenfoot Working alongside guitar heroes like John Petrucci and Mike Mangini through touring worlds that overlap at the highest level Also in this episode... The “awards don’t define you” mindset — and why consistency + relationships beat headlines every time A real-world example of submit & omit / send it & forget it The Green Room format debut: how pros *actually* debrief after the show A reminder that rehearsal studios like CenterStaging are where the pros iron out the chaos before the spotlight hits Nomad also references his colleague and friend Harvey Mason Jr., who leads the The Recording Academy — Find Harvey’s episode in The Career Musician archive for an inside look at how the ecosystem really works here 👉 https://megaphone.link/PAN2101942231 🔥 TCM Pro Tip When the stakes are high and the clock is ticking, don’t just “hope it works.” Lock your fundamentals: Advance your assets early (tracks/video/stems) Never introduce mission-critical files at the last second Build redundancy (backups, alternate plans, human fallbacks) And most importantly: practice the mindset of the pivot Because in the real world… EVERYTHING YOU DO IS AN AUDITION!!! 🌟 Nail the Audition and Get the Gig! (Audition Secrets—Free Guide) → https://thecareermusician.com/audition/ 🎛 PA Rehearsal Studios Official Sponsor (L.A.) Get 20% OFF your next booking Use code NOMAD → https://parehearsalstudios.com/ 🎸 JamPlay Guitar Lessons (Free Trial) Sharpen your skills & stay inspired Use code NOMAD → https://jamplay.com/get-free-access?code=NOMAD Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 26 mins
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Some of the biggest names in the music biz are right here on this podcast...telling us exactly how they made it. I’m really impressed with the production quality and the hosts ability to deliver the information in such an understandable manner and develop a story arc while doing so.
Kudos, Nomad and thank you for this insightful free resource!

Amazingly comprehensive career advice for any musician seeking to go pro!

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