When it comes to session musicians, there are plenty out there that are good at what they do.

And we all know there's a difference in an amateur and a pro. Before diving into that, it’s important to acknowledge that the word “amateur” doesn’t necessarily denote a poor musician. Technically speaking, anyone who isn’t a professional is considered an amateur. A musical prodigy with amazing talent is still an amateur if he/she decided to do something else with their professional lives.

But for those amateur session musicians who do want to make it big with their love of music, you have to take it up to the next level to hit pro status. There are certain attributes that separate the pros from the amateurs, and <a href="http://blog.sonicbids.com/5-musical-attributes-that-separate-pro-session-musicians-from-amateurs" target="_blank">Sonicbids Blog</a> is looking to share the secret with an article that tells us just what those attributes are.

If you were expecting some sort of underhanded or obscure secret to carry you to fame, you’ll be disappointed to learn that these qualities aren’t anything like that. In fact, most of it is stuff you would expect pro musicians to be capable of in the first place, but sometimes knowing exactly what they are helps you make sure you can get them down pat before heading out for fame and glory.

The first attribute mentioned is your control and feel for time. This means having complete command over your ability to play in accordance with rhythm, though not always directly on the beat. You should be able to play ahead or behind of beats as well, and on command from a producer. Sounds like common knowledge, but like most simple concepts, it’s probably difficult to master.

The second attribute is something you would think obvious in any situation: bring the right gear! Obviously you should always show up to a session with the instruments the producer wants to hear, or you might as well be throwing your shot down the drain. When it’s up to you to please someone paying your rate, it’s always good practice to try and give them exactly what they want.

When you think of attack, it probably isn’t in relation to music. But attack is a very important quality of pro session musicians, and the third attribute detailed in the article. You may never be able to change the acoustic nature of one of your instruments, but your control over the force you play notes with can widen the array of sounds you can produce, and knowing how to do that with finesse is a big plus for any musician.

Following that, there is something that I personally think is the most important, and that’s being able to emulate genre standards. Producers will often ask for particular styles of music or emulation of popular musicians, so being able to provide that to them is very important.

But, maybe the most important thing of all is to make sure you get your takes done right quickly and efficiently every single time. A producer is paying you by the hour, so if you aren’t providing what he wants, and in a timely manner, chances are he’ll drop you for someone else. And if you’re aiming to be a pro session musician, that’s probably what you need to remember above everything else here!