Allen Hinds’ story starts in Auburn, Alabama. After winning a Guitar Player Magazine scholarship, he borrowed money, headed west, and built a career in the real world of working music—Hollywood in the ’80s, countless sessions and tours, music written for others, and work featured in film/TV (including Source Music). After graduating from the Guitar Institute of Technology (now Musicians Institute), he was hired immediately and has remained on the faculty ever since.
This career-building workshop is a practical look at what it takes to become—and stay—a working professional musician. Allen focuses on the creative skills that get you hired (improvisation, composition, and finding your voice) and the professional habits that keep you working in studios, on stages, and on the road.
What You’ll Get:
• Being a sideman — what the job really is, and what bandleaders and MDs listen for
• How to get gigs — auditions, networking, reputation, and becoming “the call”
• Composition + improvisation — building a personal voice that still serves the song
• Studio vs. live work — expectations, preparation, and how to deliver under pressure
• Theory that matters — the knowledge that makes you faster, clearer, and more versatile
• Working with others — collaboration, communication, and professionalism that gets you re-hired
If you’re serious about building a sustainable music career, this is a session you’ll leave with pages of notes—and a clearer plan.
No cost to attend; festival wristband required.
Limited seating.
