Now is the right time to become an American Federation of Musicians member. From ragtime to rap, from the early phonograph to today's digital recordings, the AFM has been there for its members. And now there are more benefits available to AFM members than ever before, including a multi-million dollar pension fund, excellent contract protection, instrument and travelers insurance, work referral programs and access to licensed booking agents to keep you working.
As an AFM member, you are part of a membership of more than 80,000 musicians. Experience has proven that collective activity on behalf of individuals with similar interests is the most effective way to achieve a goal. The AFM can negotiate agreements and administer contracts, procure valuable benefits and achieve legislative goals. A single musician has no such power.
The AFM has a proud history of managing change rather than being victimized by it. We find strength in adversity, and when the going gets tough, we get creative - all on your behalf.
Like the industry, the AFM is also changing and evolving, and its policies and programs will move in new directions dictated by its members. As a member, you will determine these directions through your interest and involvement. Your membership card will be your key to participation in governing your union, keeping it responsive to your needs and enabling it to serve you better. To become a member now, visit www.afm.org/join.
June 30, 2017
Anyone who has served on an orchestra or negotiations committee knows how much work is done behind the scenes to keep things running smoothly on stage. Regularly negotiated agreements deal with the endless details inherent in organizing large-scale performances and reflect the commitment of committee members and local officers to improve and update working conditions for the musicians in their organizations.
Read MoreJune 30, 2017
Dawn Hannay of Local 802 (New York City) practically grew up on the stage of the New York Philharmonic. Having joined at 23, in 1979, the violist was one of a handful of women performing with the orchestra at the time.
Read MoreJune 30, 2017
Service on an orchestra committee is both an honor and a responsibility. A functioning orchestra committee is an essential component of union democracy within a symphony orchestra.
Read MoreJune 30, 2017
Tascam DA-3000 is designed for stereo PCM/DSD recordings at high sampling frequencies.
Read MoreJune 30, 2017
Brilliant jazz guitar innovator John Abercrombie is known among jazz musicians as a composer of compelling, well-crafted tunes.
Read MoreJune 30, 2017
The Auralex MudGuard v2 Microphone Shield isolates mics, eliminating external noise bleed and filtering out external overtones.
Read MoreJune 30, 2017
The fourth International Federation of Musicians (FIM) International Orchestra Conference (IOC) was held May 11-14 in Montreal, Quebec. Musicians and managers from six continents gathered at the Delta Hotel for three days of intense discussions about the challenges faced and successes achieved by orchestras around the world.
Read MoreJune 30, 2017
Officers and members of Local 71 (Memphis, TN) are proud that their building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in May. According to an announcement from the director of the National Park Service, it was designated under Criterion A in the areas of Entertainment/Recreation and Ethnic Heritage: Black for its association with the “Memphis sound,” the Southern strain of soul music that entered into pop culture in the early 1960s.
Read MoreJune 30, 2017
The best way to learn to play a song on guitar is to watch someone else play it. Alfred’s Guitar Sessions series books center around detailed instructional video lessons that teach you how to play rock ’n’ roll’s greatest songs through step-by-step teaching.
Read MoreJune 30, 2017
Streaming is everywhere. It is on your smartphone, Apple watch, laptop, and any other device that connects to the Internet—including Wi-Fi in your car.
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