With so many great players on the scene today it's hard not to wonder-what makes a guitarist stand out and get the gig? Putting aside some of the obvious reasons-ability, style, or experience-an often overlooked, yet monumental aspect to consider is networking. Think of networking as the art of interpersonal communication with style. If you want to take your music to the masses or exist as an artist in some capacity, then networking will become your lifeline and it needs be taken extremely serious. It's an indispensable tool we as musicians-especially guitarists-must learn and perfect in order to "get out there". Every move you make, every phone call, email, gig, public appearance-the list goes on and on-has the potential to be a viable connection leading you to whatever the next step will be. Your network is no different than the Internet where you have logged on to read this article. It's a web of contacts, events, deals, images, favors, and relationships that interconnect with one another helping you to achieve your goal of rising to the plateau you set for yourself and- more importantly-making sure you stay there!

You can never consistently tell what direction your network will lead you and that's okay just as long as it's constantly moving you and your endeavors forward. There are so many facets to this art form that are essential to developing and maintaining a strong network. Below I've tried to harness the vast array of information associated with this central ritual and give you a condensed crash course on networking that includes some clever tips along the way. I also drew some parallels to some real-world scenarios from my career.

Interact - You need to be able to effectively communicate with anyone and everyone from all walks of life with a pizzazz that tattoos your image in their minds while staying in the confines of respectable behavior and not making a complete fool of yourself. In speaking with someone in any forum-face to face, by phone, email, etc.-don't be afraid to interject some humanness. If you're talking to someone from Ireland and you know a little something about Irish culture or have some knowledge of the homeland-drop it and see how quickly it relaxes your counterpart. Say "thank you" and mean it. Learn to speak clearly and with confidence and courtesy. For example, I was offered my first full endorsement with DiMarzio pickups on a random phone conversation about a repair with chief design engineer and Vice-President Steve Blucher, without his ever hearing a note or knowing who I was prior to that call. Being fully aware of Steve's significance in the industry and somehow surviving his intelligent, quick- witted demeanor, I stood my ground and spoke to him in a clear and concise manner while not being afraid to crack a joke myself here and there. I've been with the company for over six years now.

Connect - Absolutely always collect contact information from everyone you meet whether they're in the music business or not. You'd be surprised how important a good tailor becomes when you're in dire straits. Send Christmas cards. Get friendly with the office assistant. Never, ever underestimate or discount anyone because you never know who they will become or who they know. When I was walking out of a random jam session in a suburb of Boston called Jamaica Plains, I went through my normal ritual of collecting business cards from all the other players involved- people I'd only known by their first names. The bass player, Noah, was exceptional and I planned on staying in touch with him as we had a great time interacting both musically and socially. When I settled into the place I was staying later that night I went through the cards to enter the contact info into my Palm Pilot and that's where I noticed Noah's last name-Jarrett, son of Keith. Similar name recognition occurred with Nioka Workman (daughter of John Coltrane's bassist Reggie) and Graham Haynes (yup, son of Roy) whom I just recorded with on his debut CD for Ravi Coltrane's new label, RKM Music.

Gestures - Networking is largely based on deeds and favors and those actions take place on the premise they will be repaid in some way in the future. It's not to say you should take on a selfish gimme-gimme attitude; it's just that a system of favors going round and round makes your networking engine run at top speed. With that said, don't fall prey to waiting for someone to hook you up in order to extend them a favor-be proactive in every sense of the word. Be genuine in your giving and taking because we're all sensitive artists and we can all smell a f(l)ake like a dog can smell fear. In 1999 I was flipping through the National Guitar Workshop's brochure and I noticed that my former teacher and good friend David "Fuze" Fiucyznski was teaching as a featured artist during their Jazz Summit week in Connecticut. With Fuze car-less in Brooklyn and myself only an hour away from him in New Jersey I kicked into proactive mode and called Dave to offer him a ride to the gig. He quickly said yes and surprisingly made me an offer to teach alongside him as his equal partner. I'm now entering my sixth year at NGW and functioning as a featured seminar teacher. I also scored my first major publication in the form my 96-page instructional book, Jazz Lead Guitar Solos, through NGW's co-publishing agreement with Alfred publications.

Community - Sometimes your network is only as strong as what you contribute to it. If you get a call or a tip on a gig that you're not in the position to accept or just not the right person for the job, pass it along and recommend someone in your circle. Then, immediately drop that person a line giving them a heads up that it's coming their way, so they can be one step ahead of the game. And don't forget to tell them to mention your name! I recently recommended a student to sub for what would have been my first gig with shred-virtuoso Ron Thal in his alter-existence Bumblefoot. They loved the kid so much that I knew I couldn't stand in the way and I relinquished the gig, letting him have the full-time position which included touring all summer throughout Europe, Russia, and Japan. Consequently, Ron is now the new guitar player for Guns N' Roses … do you see where this going?

Maintenance Breeds Persistence - As you get on the network train and really get things moving you'll find yourself involved in a plethora of open conversations. Whenever possible, try to steer these types of scenarios towards email correspondence as it lets you review details and more accurately analyze progress. Be sure to make folders and sub-folders to organize these electronic dialogues. Check on them periodically and if a particular subject is lying dormant-extend a friendly hello reminding that person you're still out there, ready and able. After sending a transcription to Guitar One magazine auditioning for transcribing assignments, I was told I got the gig and that I would be called when they experienced overflow. My contact, Mike Mueller, was the managing editor at the time and I made sure I maintained an active and persistent email correspondence with him. They never had that overflow but a year later, he became the editor-in-chief and guess who was on his mind when they needed a new major educational writer? I'm currently working on my fourteenth issue that will include my interviews with Vernon Reid (of Living Colour) and John 5 (Marilyn Manson) and my monthly filming duties for the magazine's accompanying CD-ROM that puts my playing in front of 160,000 people across the globe every month.

If you're able to establish and maintain a healthy network, after a while you, the musician, become a walking entity-a self contained business. Successful businesses run on dependability, reliability, consistency, and (hopefully) honesty. Recommendations are the life force that feeds a network. Therefore you must at all costs stay true to your word and if you are recommended to someone, something, or someplace- it is your utmost responsibility to handle yourself and the situation appropriately to make good on that recommendation even if you end up not taking the gig. It may seem harsh and unfair but it only takes one blunder for the whole thing to come down like a professionally demolished high-rise apartment building. If it gets around that you're unreliable, difficult to work with, or chock-full-of-excuses then a red alert travels through other networks and it's hard to get back in the game. In this business, there are no fines from a governing body or reprimands from an appointed officer; your phone will just … stop … ringing.

Keep in mind this a brief overview of a very involved, crucial, and exciting part of being an urban guitarist who desires a chance to make a mark in any scene, style, or genre. These techniques along with many others helped me go from the kid in the Brick Township High School yearbook voted "Most Talented", to performing in various parts of the planet, recording on major and independent label releases, having compositions and recordings licensed in major media outlets, teaching at the most prolific music school in the world, writing, transcribing, and filming video demonstrations for the second largest guitar magazine in existence, and most importantly-having the privilege of playing stimulating music with some of the world's most highly regarded musicians.

Chris Buono is an Assistant Professor at the famed Berklee College of Music and a seminar instructor at the National Guitar Workshop. Active as a band leader and session player, Chris has appeared on national television, numerous major and independent releases, performed in most of the industry's major conventions as well as countless clubs and theatres across North America and Europe. Chris' most recent appearances on record include the upcoming Graham Haynes CD on Ravi Coltrane's new label, RKM, and his collaboration with Canadian guitarist Dave Martone for the upcoming Liquid Note Recordings shred compilation, The Alchemists, Volume 2.

As a music journalist, Chris is a regular contributor to Guitar One Magazine and Just Jazz Guitar Magazine. Look for more articles by Chris Buono in Guitar Sessions in the near future.

To learn more about Chris Buono and his music, please see his website at: www.chrisbuono.com