by Author mgrmusic

Published on

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Choosing Music as a Career Path?

If  you frequent this website then you're probably considering choosing music as a potential career path, right? Rightfully so. Working in the music industry is a very fun and rewarding career but it's a constant hussle. Don't enter into this career goal with the aim of a nice easy going job. If you're ready to work, the rewards are waiting for you to grab with both hands. What does a musician in 2019 do to earn their keep? Let's take a look.

  • Gigging with a Wedding/Function Band - This is one of the best ways to make a good, steady level of income as a musician. Private hire gigs often pay very well and while they do involve a lot of travelling and some long days, the rewards are great. The other plus is that the musicians in these circles are often very, very talented so you'll be playing alongside the best players around. After all, if the client is paying big bucks, the band has to be on form!
  • Starting a Cover Band for Pub Gigs - If you want to earn money gigging but don't want to do private hire, or you want something a little more casual, why not start up a band and get onto your local pub cover circuit. The rates of pay are often lower than private hire gigs, but you can still earn a good income stream with regular gigging in these circuits. Speak to other bands on the local scene and find out about the local rates, many towns and cities have a "standard rate" that most pubs and clubs will pay for a band.
  • Session Work - If you want to tour  the world or play in the studio all day but maintain your general sence of a quiet life then session work could be the one for you. Imagine playing to 20,000 people then going to your local supermarket without anyone stopping you for selfies. Session musicians are the unsung heroes of the business and regularly back the biggest names in the industry without anyone ever knowing who they are. This is a very tight knit community so you'll have to work hard to get into this line of work. Reputation is everything, if you work hard and you're seen to work hard you'll do just fine.
  • Teaching - Many musicians start their own teaching business, or link up with a local music shop/agency offering a similar service. You can share  your knowledge of your instrument with a range of students and get paid for it. Teaching is not only rewarding, but when you run your own business you have the flexibility to juggle it with other aspects of your musicial life. Many musicians who play with bands often teach on the side as another income stream. There is always a demand to learn a musicial skill from guitar lessons to singing lessons to drum lessons, you won't be short of work.
  • Writing Music - There are many avenues available online to write music for other artists or commercial enterprises. With the advancements in home studio technology you could be writing and recording tracks at home which then get sent to artists or companies to use for TV, radio, advertising and more. This is a fantastic way to make extra money but this is not a guarenteed income stream as it relies on what you send being up to the standard they need and work in this field can come in bursts rather than on a steady basis but, if you have that big hit..... who knows what could happen!
  • Selling Your Own Music - This should be titled "Living the dream" because we all want to be stood on that stage with the fans screaming our name. Imagine making a living with your own music. This is possible but this is certainly the career path that invovles you having a very clear mindset that the money might not arrive right away. Online distribution platforms now allow you to sell music directly to your fans and you keep 100% of the profits, which negates the old record label model when you give out a substantial portion of your income in return for a record deal. If you can build yourself a dedicated fan base then self distribution of music and merchandice can be a great way to earn a living.