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.
February 3, 2020
In this handbook supplemented with figures, diagrams, and music examples, historical performers will discover why temperaments are necessary and how they work, descriptions of a variety of temperaments, and their application on fretted instruments. This technical book provides downloadable audio tracks and other tools for fretted instrument players to achieve more stable consonances, colorful dissonances, […]
February 3, 2020
Pianist Victor Babin arranged and composed for various settings. His “Divertissement Aspenois,” a virtuosic tribute to clarinetist Reginald Kell, may have been inspired by hearing Kell play Stravinsky’s “Three Pieces at Aspen,”where they both performed. Babin, former director of the Aspen Music Festival and dean of the Cleveland Institute of Music, wrote this unaccompanied piece […]
February 3, 2020
Legends of the phoenix are found in stories from ancient Egypt and Greece: a sacred bird with brilliantly colored plumage and melodious call lives for typically 500 years, then dies in a nest of embers, only to be reborn among the flames. “Phoenix Rising” consists of two movements: I. Dying in Embers represents an old […]
Fender has launched its new lineup of electric guitars and basses, the American Ultra Series, which boasts all-new modern features, state-of-the-art craftsmanship, and nuanced design.
SonoTone has debuted its Vintage series of electric guitar and bass strings, made to reproduce the lush harmonic resonance and raw, responsive feel reminiscent of the guitar strings manufactured in the US during the 1950s and ’60s.
The Eargasm Slide earplugs offer adjustable volume control, three sizes and two different colors of eartips, and attenuation filters that use passive technology to provide sound reduction without any electronic components needed.
Designed to fit most Bb and A clarinet makes and models, the Micro ZIP Case features a micro-sized profile that allows you to sling it on or slip into a bag, a lightweight ABS scratch resistant shell that protects against shock and impact, retractable carrying handle, and a thickly padded shoulder strap.
Vandoren’s new Profile mouthpiece for classical saxophone features an elegant exterior design and tapered beak that allows for increased comfort and enhanced flexibility.
The Steinberg Padshop 2 is an updated, redesigned version of the original Padshop granular synthesizer.
The new Bass Ratio machine heads from Graph Tech Guitar Labs are each calibrated to a gear ratio, so each string feels and reacts the same to any tuning adjustment.