After earning a music degree, Brandon Shaw was forced to answer the question, "Now what?" As a bass player who doesn't write original music, the path to a music career seemed unclear for him (for me? This feels weird to write in third person). Then Brandon discovered the world of Freelance Musicians... yeah, this is weird, how bout I just talk normal?What's up. It's me, Brandon, the guy that wrote the book you're reading about. If you're like me, you've studied music, you love it, and you'd like to make a career out of it, but you don't know where to start. Maybe you've read some other music business books but they don't really apply to what you do as a musician because you don't write music and you aren't trying to be an artist. If that's the case, THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU!In this book I explore the world of Freelance Musicians. I break down everything I've learned over the past 10+ years, plus I interview 10 musicians who do a wide variety of things under the umbrella of music. We dive into the specifics of their work, their advice, and their lives. They may not be household names, but they're everywhere: musicians making an honest living by doing something that they love. The musicians interviewed in this book have worked with people like Mariah Carey, Andy Grammer, Idina Menzel, Macklemore, Aloe Blacc, St. Vincent, Avicci, Adam Lambert, Nik West, Jason Mraz, Adam Lambert, Gavin DeGraw, Fifth Harmony, Colbie Caillat, Cody Simpson, Daredevil on Netflix, Michael Buble, Kanye West, Kurt Elling, Conan, Hillary Duff, P!nk, and more!"From beginner to seasoned pro, Startup Musician has something for everyone. This is the practical advice you need to take your career to the next level. With a perfect blend of humor and education, Startup Musician is easy to pick up and hard to put down. Highly recommended!"- David Maemone (Keys - Gavin DeGraw, Fifth Harmony)"There's no guide on how to build a successful career in music. However Brandon's practically and knack in explaining the process is about as close as you'll get to a guide."- Eman (Drums - Andy Grammer, Cody Simpson)"Brandon has a very unique way on combining humor with a passion for inspiring this generation of musicians and the next. I've found this book to be very insightful, informative and entertaining."- Markay Fairley (Keys - Nas)"This book touches on not only practical gig things, but also the musician's mindset. we are NOT the gig that we play and the attention we get by ASSOCIATION from that gig is not who we really are when the big lights turn off. The old boss said it best.....BE HUMBLE!" - John Whitt (Keys - Kendrick Lamar, Miguel)"Brandon's writing is knowledgeable, practical and hilarious, but what's most impressive is who Brandon is: a full time musician (bassist, DJ, music director, writer etc...), husband, father and friend. Take a week out of your life to learn from someone who's living the dream."-David Brunelle (Guitar - JJ Lin, Fifth Harmony)
About the Author: I'm a freelance musician. A Startup Musician, if you will. I play upright, electric, and synth bass. I'm also a Music Director and do everything that goes along with that. I also DJ. I also write, like when I wrote this book. I get to play a lot of different music with lots of different people. It's pretty great. Some people I've played with include Loa Greyson, Tommy Walker, Ethan Bortnick, Crystal Lewis, Teryn Re Big Band, Quadron, The Angeles Chorale, Jacq Becker, Ry Bradley, Downbeat LA, Faith Shaw, Scott Ryan, Soultones, Jen Oikawa Trio, Sara Pumphrey, and The Los Angeles Collaboration. You've probably never heard of most of those, right? Perfect. I'm someone who isn't a household name, but gets the incredible privilege of making music for a living. I've been very fortunate to play music in Italy, Germany, South Korea, Austria, Canada, Switzerland, Russia and all over the United States. Ooh, and I was on PBS. Ooh and KCRW here in LA. I teach private lessons individually and as an adjunct teacher at Citrus College. I've also taught at multiple summer music camps, and have run camps with some other excellent musicians. Besides freelancing, teaching, and Startup Musician, I also get to make music with my wonderful wife who is a singer songwriter.