What does a Television Band Member do?
Live bands are a vibrant part of live television shows, playing background music for sketches, accompanying guest performers, and entertaining the audience during commercial breaks. For professional musicians, membership in a show's house band provides many elusive and coveted perks, including a steady paycheck, employer benefits, and a significant career boost. with a band meeting, during which the group maps out and rehearses the day's musical tasks, and also records any pieces that won't be played live.
At a Glance
Television band members are typically established performers with exceptional sight-reading, stylistic versatility, preparation, reliability, and studio or live-broadcast experience. Musicians often build toward the work through session playing, touring, orchestra or ensemble positions, auditions, referrals, and relationships with music directors and contractors. Television experience can lead to additional broadcast, recording, arranging, composing, or music-directing opportunities.
Turnover is low and jobs are unlikely to be posted publicly. As such, it's crucial for aspiring television band members to network with bandleaders and music directors beforehand—as well as develop an industry reputation for musical versatility and professionalism—in order to land these rare and competitive jobs.
- Deep instrumental proficiency
- Sight reading
- Accompaniment
- Highly prepared, good time management
- Collaboration
- Flexibility
Television band members are skilled, flexible, and reliable. They are consummate professionals, never arriving late or unprepared and possessing a keen understanding of when to relax and goof off and when that behavior should be turned off.
Television bands work roughly 10 months per year, the entirety of a network television taping season. Band members enjoy a reliable paycheck, consistent hours, access to television industry events and parties, the opportunity to play with a group of master musicians, and the absence of touring woes like late nights and gear hauling.
