The stereotypical depictions of life as a musician generally falls at either extreme of the spectrum — rags or riches. However, musician Martin Backhausen advises there is a middle ground where a full life can be enjoyed using musical instruments as the tools of the trade. For some musicians, a career may be very focused and include only session work or touring, but for others, diversifying income streams can make it easier to sustain a career through various ups and downs.
Ways to Earn as a Musician
Session Work
For musicians with access to recording studios, there are frequent opportunities to network and navigate into work as a session artist. While many work on providing music for albums, there are also niche opportunities to record for commercials or samples. Local radio and television stations may periodically use the services of a musician to create custom sounds for ads or record original material for clients. Some session musicians also navigate to live performances or other opportunities in the recording studio, such as production or songwriting. The importance of networking and being open to new opportunities cannot be understated.
Music Lessons
Not every musician is ready to be a teacher, but for those with a solid understanding of music and an ability to relate it to others, providing music lessons on the side can be a long-term income stream easy to work in around other opportunities. Music stores and schools can be a source of new clients, Martin Backhausen advises. Some teachers find it helps to target a very specific market as well, such as highlighting lessons focused on a particular musical genre or tailored toward a group like adult learners. The best teachers may even find it makes sense to provide lessons online or sell an online course to meet the needs of consumers. The online music lesson world can be crowded, so having a specialty is key.
Gigs
Work at live shows doesn’t need to be a full-time commitment if it’s not a primary interest. Ensembles and bands frequently need backup musicians to fill in, and there are a variety of opportunities to find paid work. For example, most faith-based organizations maintain house musicians but also host traveling shows and musicians. Weddings, showers, and various parties may also want only a piano player or guitarist to provide ambient music during a meal or an event. Staying open-minded and being versatile is a great asset when shopping around and advertising for gigs, Martin Backhausen shares.
Gig Economy
The gig economy has also opened up opportunities for musicians to provide musical services for customers through venues like Fiverr. Many of these gigs include providing musical backgrounds for ads, stories, and other forms of digital media. Other creatives, such as authors, podcasters, and video producers, also use these platforms to help augment their own content creation efforts, according to Martin Backhausen.
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