"Being a musician is not a job...it's a calling. We all have it in us to do great things. The world needs heroes. Even guitar heroes. Real ones. One's who sacrifice. One's who show that ordinary people are capable of doing extraordinary actions. This is important. Now go practice." Ron Zabrocki
Some kind words :
ELLIOTT RANDALL (Steely Dan, The Doobie Brothers, Asia, Loudon Wainwright III, Yoko Ono) : One *serious* guitarist
GEORGE MARINELLI Bruce Hornsby and the Range, Bonnie Raitt) : In my wildest dreams, I couldn’t even think of the things he plays
LOU VOLPE (Herbie Mann, Bette Midler, Judy Collins, Harry Chapin) : Great tone and feel
CHRIS ALLEN (Mission Control, Solo Project, Boston Guitar God) : Ron Z RULES!
LES JULY (Slash, k.d. Lang, Dr.Dre, Herbie Hancock) : Ron Z. IS the consumate professional and the only guitarist anyone would ever need, for ANY situation.
GODFREY TOWNSEND (John Entwistle, Alan Parsons, etc.) Ron is a regular Vai-Triani!
I am session guitarist from NY now living in CT.
I started playing at 6, sightreading right off the bat. That’s how I was taught, so I just believed everyone started that way! I could pretty much sight read anything within a few years, and that aided me in becoming a session guy later in life. I took lessons from anyone I could and was fortunate enough to have some wonderful instructors. I took some lessons with John Scofield, Joe Pass, and Alan DeMausse. Even though I wasn’t a jazz player at the time, and wanted to be a rock player, I just figured if I could learn some of the complexities of Jazz, I could incorporate that into my rock stuff. One of my few moments of illumination!
Many people ask how you get started in session work.
I was lucky. Geography, being in NY, and luck played a key role. I was in a band that also owned a studio, and I was asked to play a solo on a song for an R&B group that was recording at the studio. I guess I did OK, and was asked to do more. You are only as good as your last session, so I tried to always do my best, suggest parts when appropriate, and not be anything less than professional. Show up on time, have solid gear, be healthy, and be in the moment. (Quite zen that last part). Oh, and NO ATTITUDES!! The studio is stressful enough!
I’ve played many jingle sessions, and even now I not only play them but have written a few. I’ve “ghosted” for a few people that shall remain nameless, but they get the credit and I got the money! I’ve played sessions in every style, from pop to jazz. Won a Connecticut CMA award for best modern country recording. Most sessions are not for major artists, but for small label or indie artist’s. These I like the best. They are usually more casual and always alot of fun!
BTW, another question I get asked, is it necessary to sightread to be a session guy….
Well, yes and no. However, the ability to sightread enables you to accept work that others cannot! I’ve doubled bass parts, played classical pieces, and have the ability to write out harmony lines for my parts immediately instead of struggling to figure out a part.
These days, the sessions come in from all over and I never have to leave my studio! I have many clients from Nashville to Florida to California and even as far away as Italy and China! (Olympics anyone?)It’s not unusual to find my schedule balancing as many as 20 sessions or more per week! (The studio guitarist scene may not exist anymore, but the occupation certainly exists, especially if you own a killer home studio!)
As far as gear: here goes…my main guitars are a 1974 Strat, 2009 Highway One, Ibanez RG2550 and RG121. 1960 reissue Les Paul, Epiphone 335 Dot, Allan Holdsworth Ibanez Midi Guitar. I have many amps, but usualy use either my floor Pod XT, or my Johnson! (No jokes!!) Plus, I like to say I play the studio! Plugins and processors are my friends!
I use and LOVE NUENDO, Universal Audio Plugins, Mostly work on a PC. I do own a Mac and Pro Tools but have no love for either! I just use PT for transferring projects that come in right into Nuendo.
I’ve been doing this for many years. Now I am feeling the need for a change and have COMPLETEDa solo guitar project. My main reason is that, even though I get to play all the time, I am RARELY allowed to play the way I believe the part should be played. There’s alot of limited imagination out there! As you can imagine…it can be quite frustrating! Most often I hear the same complaint, and I QUOTE: “Sure, that’s some great playing, but who am I going to get to replay the part?” It feels like I have to cater to the lowest common denominator! I want to push the guitar into the spotlight and play as best as I can, but most just want simplicity. Guess I’ll have to learn how to play standing up again!
Ron
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