Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About us
Don't miss these
Davey Johnstone and Elton John are back-to-back as they perform live, with Johnstone playing his Captain Fantastic Les Paul Custom
Artists Davey Johnstone on the making of Elton John’s 1975 masterpiece, Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy
Man playing Roland TD716 electronic drum set in a studio
Electronic Drums Best electronic drum sets 2025: Top picks for every playing level and budget, tested by drummers – plus video and audio demos
Sennheiser in ear monitors on a lit up dj controller
Studio Monitors Best budget in-ear monitors 2025: My pick of cheap in-ears for every type of musician
Hal Blaine
Drummers Read our classic interview with Wrecking Crew legend Hal Blaine
Electronic drum set pioneers: Neil Peart
Electronic Drums 11 trailblazing players who raised the bar for electronic and hybrid drumming
View from behind a drum kit on stage
Drummers 11 live mistakes every drummer makes
10 people drummers will encounter at gigs
Drummers The 10 people drummers will inevitably encounter when playing a gig
Drummers When British rock drumming ruled the world
Danny Carey
Drummers 6 of the most inspirational drummers of all time
Chad Smith watches a busker playing RHCP
Artists “Who wants to tell him?” Busking drummer unknowingly performs Chili Peppers song in front of Chad Smith
Drums The easy guide to recording drums: kit tips, mic placement and setting up your DAW
Paul Gilbert
Recording Four big-name guitarists spill their recording secrets
Nicholas Petricca (WALK THE MOON) and Bryce Vine at Anti Social Camp NYC 2025
Artists PinkPantheress, Billy Bragg, Jamie Cullum and more to spill hitmaking secrets at Anti Social Camp
Drum Recording Techniques
Drums How the rules of drum recording were shaped over decades of trial and error
DarWin
Artists “Most pop music is rubbish now”: Legendary drummer Simon Phillips on producing supergroup DarWin
More
  • Radiohead's secret code
  • Blackbird
  • Spooky samples - free
  • 95k+ free music samples
  • Captain Fantastic
  1. Tutorials
  2. Drum Lessons & Tutorials

Session Drumming Month: Networking

News
By Rich Chamberlain published 13 April 2011

Steve Barney, Dean Butterworth and more on getting your name out there

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Session Month: Networking

Session Month: Networking

It’s not what you know, it’s who you know. Or is it? How much importance do some of the session world’s top stars place on networking? As part of Session Month we sat them down and asked them.

Page 1 of 6
Page 1 of 6
Session Month: Networking

Session Month: Networking

“I’ve found word of mouth is the strongest way to get work … if you do a good job and you’re a cool to be around, people remember you and want you back. Never forget, when you’re employed by an artist, record company or manager you are your own representative. Keep all your email addresses and telephone numbers backed up. Use the power of the internet to promote yourself.”

Page 2 of 6
Page 2 of 6
Session Month: Networking

Session Month: Networking

"One tip for networking is to try not to be something your not, i.e be yourself. And also make sure you do make a conscious effort to talk to people and get yourself out there.”

Page 3 of 6
Page 3 of 6
Session Month: Networking

Session Month: Networking

“Always staying in touch with other players and producers is very important.Business is about building relationships. That how the dots connect and can take you to the next level.”

Page 4 of 6
Page 4 of 6
Session Month: Networking

Session Month: Networking

Networking is important. There’s also a margin where you don’t over do it. If you’re hassling people all the time, it’s not the way to do it. You need to be patient and the gigs will come to you if you do a good job and people like you. The whole session thing is about meeting the right people though so you have to have the interaction skills as well to meet different people and put yourself across in the best way possible.”

Page 5 of 6
Page 5 of 6
Session Month: Networking

Session Month: Networking

"Networking should be very high on your agenda. Nobody is going to book you if they don't know you exist! Getting out to shows and meeting people is key. Become friends with other drummers as well. We do help each other out and it's nice to involve your musical friends in projects.”

For more session hints, tips and secrets pick up the latest issue of Rhythm and check out our online Session Month.

Page 6 of 6
Page 6 of 6
Rich Chamberlain
Rich Chamberlain

Rich is a teacher, one time Rhythm staff writer and experienced freelance journalist who has interviewed countless revered musicians, engineers, producers and stars for the our world-leading music making portfolio, including such titles as Rhythm, Total Guitar, Guitarist, Guitar World, and MusicRadar. His victims include such luminaries as Ice T, Mark Guilani and Jamie Oliver (the drumming one).

Read more
Hal Blaine
Read our classic interview with Wrecking Crew legend Hal Blaine
 
 
Electronic drum set pioneers: Neil Peart
11 trailblazing players who raised the bar for electronic and hybrid drumming
 
 
View from behind a drum kit on stage
11 live mistakes every drummer makes
 
 
10 people drummers will encounter at gigs
The 10 people drummers will inevitably encounter when playing a gig
 
 
When British rock drumming ruled the world
 
 
Danny Carey
6 of the most inspirational drummers of all time
 
 
Latest in Drum Lessons & Tutorials
Overhead shot of electronic drum set plugged into a laptop running a VST
“At certain points in music history it became fashionable to place accents on certain beats”: How to score a drum part
 
 
Man in white t-shirt playing a Roland electronic drum set
10 common electronic drum set issues and how to troubleshoot them
 
 
Side profile of a person playing a drum kit
13 easy drum songs every beginner should learn
 
 
Millenium Drums Legendary Drumbook
“An extremely well-thought-out and all-encompassing piece of drum education”: Millenium Drums Legendary Drumbook review
 
 
Chad Smith
Chad Smith just destroyed the Wu-Tang Clan in his latest drum tuition video
 
 
Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater
“I’m sorry I ruined your song!”: Mike Portnoy hears Taylor Swift's Shake It Off for the first time and plays along... with surprising results
 
 
Latest in News
Lily Allen
"OK, let’s have some backstory”: The group songwriting sessions that yielded Lily Allen’s West End Girl
 
 
Neal Schon
“I love John McLaughlin’s stuff. I admire real musicians”: Journey guitarist Neal Schon on the players who inspire him
 
 
Charli XCX and John Cale
"It made me cry”: Charli XCX on how she ended up collaborating with the Velvet Underground’s John Cale
 
 
Deals of the week
MusicRadar deals of the week: The early Black Friday sales continue at Guitar Center, Sweetwater, Musician's Friend, Reverb and more
 
 
sessiondock
Struggling to keep track of your DAW projects? This free app can help
 
 
LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 12: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Drake performs live on stage during day two of Wireless Festival 2025 at Finsbury Park on July 12, 2025 in London, England. Drake is headlining an unprecedented all three nights of Wireless Festival. (Photo by Simone Joyner/Getty Images for ABA)
Drake’s live sound engineer on why he has to be at the top of his game from first song to last
 
 

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...