Today we’d like to introduce you to Paul Edelman.
Paul, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I actually started on the piano at age 9. I only took lessons for about 2 years but never really got into it. I think that was due to the fact that my instructor was an old lady and only wanted to teach ragtime songs (which I didn’t care much for). I eventually told my parents that I wanted to quit piano. They agreed to let me stop as long as I picked a different instrument. I begged them to let me play the drums, but they quickly shot that down. I can’t really blame them; who would want all that noise in their home?!? After seeing my friends play guitar in the school rock band (and all the attention they got from the girls), I decided to go with guitar. Shallow, I know, but it’s the truth!
I quickly fell in love with the guitar. I just remember playing it all summer long and got a lot better in the first few months. After that, I just never really put it down. I had some amazing teachers along the way (specifically Jim Gleason and Brian Pardo) who I credit with showing me music, the guitar, how to be a teacher, and how to be a good person. If it wasn’t for them, I really wouldn’t be doing this.
I went to college in Denver, CO, for music and then spent an additional 5 years after college teaching and gigging around town. After a total of 9 years in Denver, I had a desire to work with bigger artists and in studios, so in September 2017, I moved to LA.
Since I’ve been here, I’ve grown my teaching studio, recorded on a lot of songs, played with a bunch of artists, and gone on tour. I definitely still feel like I’m working towards something bigger in my career, but I feel like I’m in the right city and on the right path!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Ha! It has definitely not been smooth. I don’t even know if it’s a “road” that I’m on. It feels more like getting dragged through and bounced around an amorphous space with no direction and no end. But in all seriousness, I’ve been very fortunate to have the support of my family (which isn’t always the case for some of my peers).
For me, the biggest struggle has been to find my identity. What pocket in the music industry can I carve out for myself that’s both lucrative and fulfilling? Since I have a lot of interests within music (teaching, playing, writing, producing, etc.), my idea of what I want to do and where I focus my time and energy has shifted many times. This can make it hard to build something substantial over time.
There’s also a looming stress about being a freelancer. Will all my work disappear next year? Next month? How long can I keep up “the grind”? I’d like to have a family one day, and I’d like to be able to make enough money to support them and give them a nice life.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a freelance musician, so I tend to wear many hats. Most of what I do falls under 1 of 3 categories…
1) Music Teacher – I teach private guitar/bass/music production lessons. I really enjoy this because it’s fun to watch people grow on their instrument and see the excitement on their face when they accomplish something they’ve been working on. It also keeps me on my toes because it requires me to learn a bunch of songs (including genres of music I might not listen to on my own).
2) Session Musician – I do in-person and remote recording for people’s artist projects. I LOVE being in the studio and taking time with an artist to craft parts that make their song come to life. It feels like you’re in a room with a few other people staring at a (mostly) blank canvas, and you all get to decide how to finish the painting. It’s fun because there’s a big social aspect to it, as well as problem-solving and (of course) creativity.
3) Gigging Musician – It’s fun to get out and actually PLAY for people! Especially when there are other high-level musicians and an engaged audience. I’ve been fortunate to play with some really talented people in really cool places. I’m not a “woo-woo” person, but live music has a healing power, and there’s nothing like being a part of the band providing that for a room full of people!
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
My love for interacting with people! I feel like I can connect with just about anyone. As a teacher, that lets people trust that they can be vulnerable and make mistake after mistake while learning with me. In a recording session setting, it means that an artist can feel comfortable sharing a personal song that maybe isn’t quite finished and not feel judged. On a gig, it means being a good hang! There’s a lot of downtime on some gigs, and it helps to be friends with the other musicians.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.pauledelmanmusic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pauledelmanmusic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pauledelmanmusic
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-edelman-19a8b95b/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/pedelmanmusic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO_r1HHEwlmLzU6iGtERz3g
Image Credits
Jason Fenmore
Eliza Miller
Photographer Alex Gordon
