The Industry Roles That Can Help You Support Yourself As A Musician
If you’re a working musician, then you likely don’t need anyone to tell you that it can be sometimes difficult to support yourself with the money that you make from gigging and selling your music, alone. This is especially true as the streaming model of online listening has become the new norm for how most people engage with the art form. However, rather than simply giving in, there are roles you can find that allow you to stay engaged, stay creative, and stay musical while still making some money on the side.
Music Production And Composition
If you have a powerful pen and a creative soul, but you don’t necessarily feel the need to perform all of your own music yourself, music production and composition can be a great way to earn some income. Whether you’re creating beats and instrumentals to sell or producing full tracks for other artists, filmmakers, and content creators, you can find the room to be as expressive as you need while making some money. Aside from producing music for musicians, there’s a great demand for those who can create sounds for ads, YouTube videos, podcasts, video games, and more. This can become even more sustainable if you have a home studio to work from.
Session Musician Work
Your skills with the instrument of your choice can help you make some money even when you’re not performing your own music. For instance, you can become a freelance musician, working in structured, professional settings with other musicians. Whether you’re recording guitar tracks for a singer-songwriter, playing keys for a commercial jingle, or adding vocals to a podcast intro, session work pays for your talent, without having to tour. With the rise of remote recording, it’s even easier to sell your session recording skills online, especially if you have access to a home office. All you need is the ability to consistently deliver quality results to a deadline, and you can enjoy a career that also helps you build more connections in the industry and expand your professional portfolio.
Audio Engineering And Mixing
Plenty of musicians develop the skills to ensure that their sounds are engineered to perfection. If you have a technical ear and don’t mind a more behind-the-scenes role, then there are plenty of musicians and creators who need clean, professional mixes but might not know how ot do it themselves. Having some technical experience or even certification in using tools like digital audio workstations can help you add some credibility to your ability to provide services like vocal tuning, mixing, mastering, or even live sound support. Good audio engineers are practically always in demand, whether you’re able to help people finalize their sounds from the comfort of your home or you can travel with them and provide the live support they need.
Teaching Music Lessons Online
One of the most tried and true side gigs for many a musician is teaching others how to play the instruments of their choice. However, while in-person lessons are still certainly a viable path, there has been an increase in people looking to learn through the internet as well. Learning how to teach music online can put you in the role of directly helping others grow as musicians. Aside from being a reliable way to make some money on the side, it can also be highly rewarding in a more spiritual and emotional sense to see others being to flourish under your direction. It does require you to be good at working closely with others, however, beyond just technical skill and understanding.
Influencing In The Music World
Nowadays, much of the online content we see and share comes directly from niche groups of influencers who can often serve as taste-makers and authority figures within their niches. In order to become an influencer in the music world, you don’t have to already be famous. Having a unique sense of creativity as well as the ability to sell people on your authenticity can be enough to start with; you just have to make sure that you’re able to post consistently. This can include things like tutorials on your methods of music creation, covers, songwriting breakdowns, as well as collaborations and interviews with other musicians.
Music Industry Services
The music industry is made up of more than musicians alone, and sometimes, being professionally involved even if you’re not performing can help you grow your network and lead to future potential opportunities. Even if it doesn’t, it can still see you making money in the industry that you love. Jobs in artist management, A&R scouting, playlist curation, or music PR offer steady pay and insight into the industry. You can also freelance as a press release writer, pitch manager, or social media strategist for other artists. A lot of musicians love music for more than just its artistic side, but as a business. Finding your place in a role like that could both bolster your own creative opportunities as well as pave a path for eventual career transition if you find you like it.
Music Streaming
Although it might seem like it’s connected to living as a music influencer (and indeed, many influencers stream), taking a full-time career as a music streamer is very much its own path. Streaming platforms like Twitch and YouTube Live are becoming increasingly popular ways for people to not only listen to the music that they love, but to engage with the people who play it. A lot of artists are able to get a following by playing their own music live on a consistent schedule, but there are also those who specialize in playing covers, especially video game music in more video game-focused online communities, or learning requests live on air.
Making money as a musician isn’t easy, not even when you start seeing real success and build a real audience. However, the tips above can help make it a little easier by finding ways that you can work in the industry beyond releasing and performing your own music.