Great Jobs For Musicians And Music Enthusiasts
When you think of careers in music, do you picture a singer, rock guitarist, DJ, or classically trained pianist? Work that involves performing definitely grabs the spotlight.
But not all music-related jobs require musical talent. Many jobs in the music industry involve doing essential tasks behind the scenes. So even if you’re not a performer, you can get into the music industry by aligning your skills and interests with other types of music careers.
The following list features good jobs for musicians as well as appealing jobs for people who may not have musical abilities but still want to work in this dynamic industry.
Build Your Entrepreneurial Mindset
To forge a new path, you have to be willing to take risks. Thats what entrepreneurs do. They take an idea and develop strategies that will allow them to make it a reality. The most successful use determination and drive to make their vision materialize. This means that youll need to learn to write a business plan. There are many free resources available online if you search music business plan. Remember, youll need to do your homework on this. The greatest idea will fail without the right planning.
Switch Your Mindset You Are An Entrepreneur
The music industry works differently than any other. In this field, opportunities are not as obvious and you must be proactive in taking the initiative, seizing chances when you see them. To be able to do so, you will need to gain a deep understanding of the music industry, the roles, the stakeholders, and the technology involved.
You will realize that the music industry is made up of much more than just music and, to be competitive, you will need to keep an eye on the latest trends and novelties.
Read Also: Journal Prompts For Career Exploration
Get Out There In Person
Life cannot be conducted from behind a keyboard. Music industry success can have a whole lot to do with who you know, and the people who can help you aren’t going to come over and ring your doorbell. Get out there in person and get to know some people who can open some doors for you.
Don’t be afraid to take chances and don’t be afraid of getting shot down. There’s nothing wrong with hearing “no” in the music business – in fact, you’d better get used to it. The bottom line is that if you don’t ask, you don’t get.
And don’t think because you live in some place way off the music map that there isn’t anyone you can meet. Start small. Put in a call to the booker at the one club in town. Hit up the music reviewer at the local paper. You are not alone, I promise you. Big networking events can be awesome, but nothing wrong with conquering your home court first.
Discovering Your Most True Self
Before you begin your journey, list your ideals and values. Always be true to who you are. Be distinctive because an artists music is driven by their authenticity. All the feelings and encounters that went into its creation are embodied in it. Even at the top of your career, you must maintain your authenticity.
Music that comes from the heart can connect with a listener. Even though it is simple only to create music for financial gain, this is a very limited perspective. Doing something just because it will sell is not a good idea.
You May Like: Strange Career Of Jim Crow Sparknotes
Essential Things You Need To Know To Start Your Music Career
Have you recently decided that you want to pursue your passion for music, but have no idea where to start? If youve been doing music as a hobby for a while now and you want to get more serious, youre in the right place.
In this blog, I cover all the major pieces and beginning steps you will need to think about when setting the foundation for your music career as an independent artist. Although this guide caters more towards performing artists, singer-songwriters, bands and rappers, I feel a lot of this can still apply to producers and instrumentalists as well.
Even if your end goal is to sign with a major music label, I think you still need to apply these steps. Just know that in the current climate of the music industry, thanks to the internet, you are no longer dependent on music labels to make a career in music, especially the majors. You have the freedom to do it yourself.
Signing to a label definitely has its benefits as they can provide resources, connections and expertise that allow you to focus more on the creative aspects. However, it may come at a cost that I dont think many artists want to pay, like them having ownership of your music. This topic could be for another blog, but just know the approach that I advocate for is a fully independent one where youre in control of every aspect of your career and creative output.
How To Become A Musician: Steps And Faqs
The Indeed Editorial Team comprises a diverse and talented team of writers, researchers and subject matter experts equipped with Indeed’s data and insights to deliver useful tips to help guide your career journey.
A career as a musician is something many people dream of. However, the actual steps it takes to become a successful musician require dedication and a commitment to honing your skills and making connections in the industry. In this article, we explore what a musician is, what they do, the different types of musicians, steps to take to become one and frequently asked questions about this career choice.
Also Check: Virginia Beach Technical And Career Education Center
Independent Or Record Label
The do-it-yourself method ensures that you have complete control over your music, your shows, and everything else. But this also means that it is a lot of work. You may find yourself answering more emails than writing or practicing music.
If you find yourself overwhelmed by the workload and are making enough money to hire someone, assemble a team who will help you out with your workload. They can be in charge of essential but seemingly inane things such as hotel bookings or travel itineraries.
Remember that it is a lot of work, but then again, nothing good in life comes easy.
If you feel like administrative work is taking a toll on you and you arent spending enough time on your craft, look for record labels that are willing to sign you on as an artist. Be careful when choosing a label. Read the fine print if you are offered a contract.
Being signed to a label often means that you will have to compromise on a lot of things. You will no longer have a say in a lot of the decision-making about your music and your image.
Do not blindly jump into a record deal, spend time researching and approaching labels whose philosophies align with yours.
A lot of smaller labels are often easier to work with because their rosters are small and they tend to give their artists a lot more attention than major ones who have celebrities on their rosters.
You Need An Online Presence
Speaking of social media and websites, youll need an online presence. If youre just starting out, choose 1 or 2 social media platforms where your fans participate the most. I also recommend getting a YouTube channel and posting videos there as well. In addition to social media and YouTube, it is highly recommended to have a website of your own. A website gives you more control over how your brand and identity is presented. While having a domain that you own, i.e. www.yourname.com can provide you with the most flexibility, authority, and credibility, it also comes at a price. Fortunately, there are free options to start with! Weebly, Wix, and even Square are free website builders that can offer you a corner on the web. Check out our post about creating a music website for free for more information.
But, if you do have a small budget, I recommend investing in your own domain. It makes you look more professional. Youll have more business tools at your disposal such as professional email and mailing list accompaniment, premium website features that give you even more flexibility, and complete control over your presentation. Take a look at our article, Create a Website for Less than $4 a Month for help setting up an affordable website for your music.
Recommended Reading: Best Career Coaching Certification Programs
Make A List Of Job Opportunities
Once you have an idea of the career type that will be the best fit for you, spend some time thinking about the type of work you see yourself doing, based on your interests, experience level, and training.
If youre going the freelance/portfolio career route, think about where youd like to live and what kind of work you could do there. Aim for a mix of performance, teaching, and administrative work, to start. Look up community music schools and colleges, music festivals, churches, and arts organizations and see if there are any job openings that interest you.
P.S. We talk about this in a lot more depth in Module 2 of The Musicpreneur Model.
If youre going the traditional/full-time career route, search for job openings in your field, perhaps with a symphony orchestra, at a college or K-12 school, or a church with a large music program. Consider where youd like to live and look for opportunities nearby.
Continue To Develop Your Skills
Keep refining your talents and skills. Whether its singing, rapping, or producing, keep practicing and learning. Never stop developing as an artist!
When I say you need to find time to practice no matter what, I really mean it! Although it might sound cliche, practice really does make everything perfect. Even if you are gifted, if you dont put the time and effort into improving your abilities, you wont get very far. For their live performances as well as to write better music together, bands need to regularly jam and practice. Even if you are a DJ, you should continue to refine and practice your transitions. Instrumental musicians can only improve by repeatedly performing their fundamental exercises.
Playing the same thing repeatedly might become monotonous. However, it will be simpler if you invest more time at the beginning of your music career or before you start your career in music. Your performance ability should be almost instinctual. Keep in mind that no one enjoys watching an artist stumble while playing on stage.
Read Also: Starting Over Career At 30
Determine Your Skills And Abilities
An honest assessment of your current strengths and weaknesses is necessary and useful. Record your practice sessions, talk to trusted mentors and peers, and truly listen to all the information that youre receiving. It may surprise you!
Do you have a skill or set of skills that makes you unique? Having a diversified skill set can also be beneficial. The more skills you have at your disposal, the more opportunities may come your way. How do you stand out from the crowd?
Artists’ And Performers’ Manager
Performers want to focus on their music. At the onset of their careers, they may have to juggle the business aspects themselves. But when they become more successful, most musicians are happy to hand off those administrative and management duties to a qualified professional.
Managers make business decisions and coordinate the logistics of performances and recordings. But that’s a pretty simple explanation for what can be a wide range of tasks, including scheduling, negotiating contracts, and even settling disputes between band members.
You become someone’s manager by learning as much as possible about how the music industry works and how to manage a business. Many aspiring managers start learning the ropes by getting internships at a record label. Once you have a solid base of understanding, you can approach performers that you feel have potential. Keeping an eye on your local music scene will help you identify opportunities.
Managers typically earn a percentage of what a new or emerging band or musical artist makes . That percentage is often lower for managers of established or better-known performers.
Read Also: Merrill Lynch Financial Advisor Career
Create An Outstanding Online Presence
These days, social media plays a significant role in our lives. In addition to being a fantastic live performer, an artist needs to have a carefully curated online presence that is relatable to their fans. Create accounts across all social media such as TikTok, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, etc. Post interesting videos related to your music and what inspires you. For example, read this guide to learn how to make your song go viral on TikTok. Discover the benefits of social media and be where your target audience is.
You should also have a clean and professional website. You can showcase and sell your albums on a website, post the dates of your events, engage with your fans, or just tell your story there. A website is like your online resume. I am sure you are asking yourself, can you just work with social media? Isnt it enough? It depends on what you plan to do, but from my experience, having a website is a huge plus. It increases your chances of being recognized and allows your audience to find all your news in one place. So, help your audience while also helping yourself.
How To Become A Musician
The following are steps you can take to pursue a career as a musician:
Pick an instrument. If you want to be the type of musician that plays musical instruments, you’ll need to select an instrument to learn and practice. If you’re unsure of what instrument you want to play, start with a more basic instrument such as the guitar or piano. Consider the type of music you want to play when choosing an instrument. For example, if you want to play jazz, you should select an instrument that is commonly used in this type of music. If you want to create music, choose an instrument that is easily compatible with a variety of music such as the guitar.
Take music lessons. A great way to begin a career as a musician is to start taking music lessons. It can be hard to learn a new skill on your own, so a music teacher will be able to guide you as you learn the fundamentals of playing and creating music.
Practice on a regular basis. One of the most important components of a career as a musician is regular practice. Even if you possess a natural talent for music, you should still practice singing or playing instruments regularly. Practice for at least 45 minutes each day and switch up the techniques and type of music you use when practicing.
Don’t give up. A career as a musician is much different from a career in other industries like finance or technology. It can take time to build yourself up as a musician and get noticed by others.
Related:
Also Check: How To Advance My Nursing Career
You Need A Way To Build A Fanbase
Now that you have music, promo pics and video, and an online presence figured out, its time to determine who your fanbase will be and how youll establish your following. This is where things can get quite expensive because it involves a significant amount of marketing and promotion. Without knowing what to do, it can be easy to fall into a trap of spending money with no real return on your investment.
Before trying paid options, there are tons of free options such as video marketing through YouTube, live streaming, networking online, blogging and partnering with influencers, utilizing email platforms, DMs and instant messaging, and more. The list goes on and on. For a more in-depth look at what you can do for free to market and promote your music online, check out this list.
If youre just starting out, youll need to invest a lot of time into building your base. The first thing is figuring out who your fans even are. Not everyone will like your music or resonate with you. To be effective, youll need to concentrate your efforts on the right people. For help identifying and targeting your ideal fans, fill out this Ideal Fan Profile Worksheet! After identifying who your fans are, now its time to build your following! Here are three things that helped me build a following from scratch:
Do you have a strategy to Build Your Fanbase?
> > > > > Building and maintaining an email list. I did tons of things to get subscribers on my mailing list:
Have A Professional Press Kit With Appropriate Photos
You do not have to look like a professional model in your photographs for your press pack. But photos are an essential item. Its the first thing that promoters, agents, and even your fans see, even before they have heard your music. Make sure your photos represent who you are as an artist. Do not use selfies. If you have photographer friends, ask them if they would like to do a shoot with you. In case you dont, use a timer on your phone or any other good quality camera. Let your photos reflect who you are. Have a theme that conveys your music through pictures.
Putting together a press kit or pack is important. Dont bore people with pages and pages. Keep your artist bio brief, to the point, and engaging. Your technical rider should be clear and practical. Also, unless you are The Rolling Stones, do not make unnecessary demands on your hospitality rider. The easier you are to work with, the more likely you are to get booked for gigs.
Also Check: Bank Of America Career Opportunities
