4 answers
Charlotte
Student
Kingston, Oklahoma
1
Question
Asked
392 views
How viable is a music career ?
I'd love to follow my dreams, but I also want financial security. I feel I'd be miserable if I sacrificed my passion, but I've been often told that artistic careers aren't lucrative.
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4 answers
Steven Wright
Drummer
3
Answers
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Updated
Steven’s Answer
Being a career musician can be seen in two basic ways. Session work or as a touring musician.
The life of a touring musician is either being in a band that draws a crowd... every night and is marketable, or you market yourself out as an A-list player. To do the latter you will need previous pro experience with a solid reputation and a good network of fellow musicians. And then again life on the road is brutal, any way you look at it with lot of hurry up and wait, a lot of blacktop under your feet, runnin' on empty. With all that, it's either with a big-name act that has been at it for quite some time before they're even recognized by the industry suits. (Think how long the Beatles played before Brian Epstein "discovered" them. Even Taylor Swift started from the bottom with no recognition.) The other end is unknown bands touring small/medium venues hoping to hit it big someday. Most don't. The days of playing the hotel/motel circuit aren't as plentiful as they were 40 years ago. So, with the touring life it's either hit or miss. The important thing to know is you won't get paid minimum wage. Mostly a lot less if you count all the hours put into the gigs (travel, load in, set-up, play the gig, teardown and loadout). It's good to know that touring takes money. Fuel, equipment upkeep, food, rooms, vehicle maintenance, etc. It all takes money from the band's proceeds. If you are good managing money, you'll do well. If not, you most likely will go home broke.
If your goal is to play in a local band in the area where you live, you will no doubt need a second job. I know a lot of excellent players who are not session musicians nor do they care to tour with conviction. They work their regular jobs by day and play with passion at night. It can be a good life where you don't sacrifice your passion, but you still have financial security. It's a tough choice, I know, I've been there. So, follow your passion and keep one foot in reality.
Session work is quite different as you're not on the road away from family and friends. If you don't like traveling, that's a plus. But you will need to be in a location such as LA, Nashville, NYC, or other cities where the recording industry is abundant. To be an on-call professional session musician requires good reading skills, good ears, the will to accept criticism, the ability to make changes on the fly (some producers are tough) and so much more. Good equipment is a necessity, as is a good attitude and the ability to play music with conviction. Like the old saying goes; "Play it like you wrote it." Currently, session work is not as abundant as it was years ago, so you must always be on your A game. The better you are, the more work and more pocket change. Too many mistakes, a bad attitude, too cocky and you won't get the calls. It's that simple. A good reference would be The Wrecking Crew, a solid group of session players back in the 60's-70's and all the hits they made with a boatload of artists and groups. There are many books and videos about them that are well worth looking into. With sessions, the pay and conditions are more comfortable than the road, but again you must be an A player to get the gigs and be willing to relocate if necessary. Just remember there are already top musicians on that call list and you'll be working with them. As a side note, if you know a musician who does some sessions, ask if you can tag along and see how it's done. Just be like a fly on the wall and don't get in the way.
If you do decide to make a career as a musician, times will be feast or famine. In other words, times of work and times of no work. It would be wise to have an alternative or be willing to do odd-jobs, if/when the band isn't working with the freedom to go on tour when the next bus (or van with a trailer) leaves the parking lot. Best of luck.
The life of a touring musician is either being in a band that draws a crowd... every night and is marketable, or you market yourself out as an A-list player. To do the latter you will need previous pro experience with a solid reputation and a good network of fellow musicians. And then again life on the road is brutal, any way you look at it with lot of hurry up and wait, a lot of blacktop under your feet, runnin' on empty. With all that, it's either with a big-name act that has been at it for quite some time before they're even recognized by the industry suits. (Think how long the Beatles played before Brian Epstein "discovered" them. Even Taylor Swift started from the bottom with no recognition.) The other end is unknown bands touring small/medium venues hoping to hit it big someday. Most don't. The days of playing the hotel/motel circuit aren't as plentiful as they were 40 years ago. So, with the touring life it's either hit or miss. The important thing to know is you won't get paid minimum wage. Mostly a lot less if you count all the hours put into the gigs (travel, load in, set-up, play the gig, teardown and loadout). It's good to know that touring takes money. Fuel, equipment upkeep, food, rooms, vehicle maintenance, etc. It all takes money from the band's proceeds. If you are good managing money, you'll do well. If not, you most likely will go home broke.
If your goal is to play in a local band in the area where you live, you will no doubt need a second job. I know a lot of excellent players who are not session musicians nor do they care to tour with conviction. They work their regular jobs by day and play with passion at night. It can be a good life where you don't sacrifice your passion, but you still have financial security. It's a tough choice, I know, I've been there. So, follow your passion and keep one foot in reality.
Session work is quite different as you're not on the road away from family and friends. If you don't like traveling, that's a plus. But you will need to be in a location such as LA, Nashville, NYC, or other cities where the recording industry is abundant. To be an on-call professional session musician requires good reading skills, good ears, the will to accept criticism, the ability to make changes on the fly (some producers are tough) and so much more. Good equipment is a necessity, as is a good attitude and the ability to play music with conviction. Like the old saying goes; "Play it like you wrote it." Currently, session work is not as abundant as it was years ago, so you must always be on your A game. The better you are, the more work and more pocket change. Too many mistakes, a bad attitude, too cocky and you won't get the calls. It's that simple. A good reference would be The Wrecking Crew, a solid group of session players back in the 60's-70's and all the hits they made with a boatload of artists and groups. There are many books and videos about them that are well worth looking into. With sessions, the pay and conditions are more comfortable than the road, but again you must be an A player to get the gigs and be willing to relocate if necessary. Just remember there are already top musicians on that call list and you'll be working with them. As a side note, if you know a musician who does some sessions, ask if you can tag along and see how it's done. Just be like a fly on the wall and don't get in the way.
If you do decide to make a career as a musician, times will be feast or famine. In other words, times of work and times of no work. It would be wise to have an alternative or be willing to do odd-jobs, if/when the band isn't working with the freedom to go on tour when the next bus (or van with a trailer) leaves the parking lot. Best of luck.
Thank you so much, Steven!
Charlotte
Mina Soto
Songwriter | Podcast Host | Sales
1
Answer
Round Rock, Texas
Updated
Mina’s Answer
Hi Charlotte :) I've dealt with this throughout my adult life and used to struggle with the balance of "giving up" on a dream versus being financially stable. The answer is unique to you: It IS possible to attain whatever you want to do with music, and like anything comes with discipline. I have been able to keep my passion as a part of my life and outlet that gains me passive income while also having a day-job. One supports the other and I like to think of them as Infinity Signs. You don't have to love your day-job, but if you can find something that has purpose behind feeding your passion while paying your bills, it's a win win!
True, the industry is not what it used to be, but it doesn't mean you can't succeed. Perhaps your road is less traveled, perhaps you strike gold, perhaps the music leads you to something you didn't even expect creatively that sources income as fuel.
Keep consistent, play out, jam with other people, network, and post your music on a platform (soundcloud, spotify, youtube, etc.) and most importantly keep authenticity in whatever you pursue.
Hope this helps!
Make a pros/cons list IF you weren't pursuing music - this will help navigate towards what is important
Ask yourself what an ideal job to fuel your music would look like that wouldn't feel contstraining
Book a show once a month
True, the industry is not what it used to be, but it doesn't mean you can't succeed. Perhaps your road is less traveled, perhaps you strike gold, perhaps the music leads you to something you didn't even expect creatively that sources income as fuel.
Keep consistent, play out, jam with other people, network, and post your music on a platform (soundcloud, spotify, youtube, etc.) and most importantly keep authenticity in whatever you pursue.
Hope this helps!
Mina recommends the following next steps:
Thomas O'Shea
Music Producer, Composer, Live Sound Engineer, Musician
146
Answers
Madison, Wisconsin
Updated
Thomas’s Answer
I personally disagree with what's been said so far, so I wanted to give my two cents. First of all- of COURSE going into music is viable. It's a multi-billion dollar industry. You just have to learn how to play the industry to work for you. Now where I disagree with what's been said. Yes, it would be very hard to sustain yourself in the music industry if you just tour or just be a session musician or just teach. But here's the thing- no one does just one thing in the overall music industry. Seriously- at least the people making a lot of money? They have multiple streams of income. Jon Bellion, Ed Sheeran, Ryan Tedder, Bruno Mars, Sombr, NeYo, Pharrell Williams, Sia, and many many many other artists write songs for other artists. Some also produce.
If music is your passion, I say go for it. But go for it correctly. Learn the industry including music copyright law, how money moves, the differences between different deals, and read all contracts before signing anything. Branch out and do a bunch of things so that you have multiple possible streams of income. You will need to really put in the work, and it might feel like the right move is to give up but don't. The way you make it in the music industry is consistency. Make music every day, share what you make every day, post social media content every day, and release at least one song a month.
Some other things to think about. First off, being a musician is not the only way to make money in this industry. I've worked with people who never touch an instrument but are so interconnected with everything that they make their living in music behind the scenes. Second, the more things you're really good at, the easier it will be to find work. Let's take what I do as example. I'm a music producer, audio engineer (studio and live), songwriter, artist, educator, business owner, and a session and live musician. I work consistently both behind the scenes and as the main artist. Each thing I do is another opportunity to make money and is another thing that can be marketed while working on coming up in the industry. As long as you have SOMETHING you can do every day, then you have something that can make you money. If you go on a tour with an artist as a band musician and the tour ends? Go back to teaching, or producing, or writing music for sync. The most important thing in music is your personal brand and consistency so that people remember you and your brand.
The point I'm trying to make is to not go into this industry as a Debby Downer. Make mistakes- mistakes are human. Saying "too many mistakes is bad" is contradictory to playing like a human. If you're making mistakes and not LEARNING from those mistakes- THAT'S where issues will happen. Never stop learning, creating, and re-evaluating as you go.
"You need to get 'discovered' to make money." No. You don't. You need to build your own brand and promote yourself like a business. Think about it like this- if you have 500 loyal fans and you're selling vinyl or merch for $35. That's $17,500 every time you release an album. And what would happen if you told your 500 loyal fans to tell 5 friends about your music? That's 2,500 more potential fans.
"Good equipment is a necessity." No. it's not. I started out on an iPod. A producer by the name of Steve Lacy produced multiple Billboard charting songs, including a few of his solo songs, entirely on an iPhone 6. Vocals included. Again, just start and do the work. Share your work. And make content. If people like it, they'll continue to listen and support. As you go and as you make money, you can put money back into your career so that you can get better equipment but it truly doesn't matter what you use- it matters the quality of your music (which is dictated by your ear) and the strength of your brand (which is dictated by your social media and online presence).
If music is your passion, I say go for it. But go for it correctly. Learn the industry including music copyright law, how money moves, the differences between different deals, and read all contracts before signing anything. Branch out and do a bunch of things so that you have multiple possible streams of income. You will need to really put in the work, and it might feel like the right move is to give up but don't. The way you make it in the music industry is consistency. Make music every day, share what you make every day, post social media content every day, and release at least one song a month.
Some other things to think about. First off, being a musician is not the only way to make money in this industry. I've worked with people who never touch an instrument but are so interconnected with everything that they make their living in music behind the scenes. Second, the more things you're really good at, the easier it will be to find work. Let's take what I do as example. I'm a music producer, audio engineer (studio and live), songwriter, artist, educator, business owner, and a session and live musician. I work consistently both behind the scenes and as the main artist. Each thing I do is another opportunity to make money and is another thing that can be marketed while working on coming up in the industry. As long as you have SOMETHING you can do every day, then you have something that can make you money. If you go on a tour with an artist as a band musician and the tour ends? Go back to teaching, or producing, or writing music for sync. The most important thing in music is your personal brand and consistency so that people remember you and your brand.
The point I'm trying to make is to not go into this industry as a Debby Downer. Make mistakes- mistakes are human. Saying "too many mistakes is bad" is contradictory to playing like a human. If you're making mistakes and not LEARNING from those mistakes- THAT'S where issues will happen. Never stop learning, creating, and re-evaluating as you go.
"You need to get 'discovered' to make money." No. You don't. You need to build your own brand and promote yourself like a business. Think about it like this- if you have 500 loyal fans and you're selling vinyl or merch for $35. That's $17,500 every time you release an album. And what would happen if you told your 500 loyal fans to tell 5 friends about your music? That's 2,500 more potential fans.
"Good equipment is a necessity." No. it's not. I started out on an iPod. A producer by the name of Steve Lacy produced multiple Billboard charting songs, including a few of his solo songs, entirely on an iPhone 6. Vocals included. Again, just start and do the work. Share your work. And make content. If people like it, they'll continue to listen and support. As you go and as you make money, you can put money back into your career so that you can get better equipment but it truly doesn't matter what you use- it matters the quality of your music (which is dictated by your ear) and the strength of your brand (which is dictated by your social media and online presence).
John Graham
Music Producer
80
Answers
Bremerton, Washington
Updated
John’s Answer
Hi Charlotte!
I 100% agree with Steven's assessment, and while the prospects are bleak - you can still find satisfaction from your passion. You just probably won't be able to make a living with it, or at least not right away. If you Google 'How many musicians live on what they make from music?' You'll get some pretty sobering facts:
A small minority of musicians live solely on their music; a 2022 survey found 90% of independent musicians don't earn a full-time living from their music, and many rely on other income streams like teaching or part-time jobs.
Other data suggests that most musicians earn less than a living wage from music alone, often requiring multiple income streams like live performances, merchandise sales, and songwriting royalties to make ends meet. Many musicians report very low earnings from music.
For example, one survey found over half of musicians earned less than $1,000 in a year, with 61% of musicians' music-related income not covering living expenses.Income diversification is key: To make a living, musicians typically need multiple income streams. Common sources include:
Teaching music lessons
Live performances
Selling merchandise
Sync licensing for TV, movies, or video games
Songwriting and composition royalties
Streaming royalties are often not enough: Streaming can be a small part of a musician's income, as payout rates are often low and substantial income requires a massive number of streams.
Touring can be expensive: While touring is a major income source for many, the costs associated with it can be very high, sometimes leading to a net loss on performances.
So this means that for most musicians, music is a side hustle instead of a full-time job. While it is possible to make a living from music, it is a challenging path that requires significant work outside of creating music itself.
In my case, I started as a keyboardist/singer playing gigs with bands around Southern California - and it was enough to support me. But circumstances intervened and I wound up doing a full career in the Navy and just keeping my music alive as a side activity. Once I retired from the military, I got into recording and producing full time - but still needed an unrelated full time job to pay the bills - especially as I now had a family to support. It is my "passion" also, as you say, and a principal source of joy - and I can't imagine my life without it. But as an independent musician, producer, and audio engineer - with five albums, two EPs and over 75 singles (mostly covers and some originals) out there streaming, I definitely couldn't live off the royalties. But I love it.
You haven't said what aspect of music interests you. Are you a singer, instrumentalist? Are you interested in performing, touring, teaching, session work, songwriting, freelancing, producing, engineering? My recommendation is to find a main career that may or may not involve music - and then continue to develop whatever musical abilities that interest you as a supporting effort.
One other word about freelancing. There are many online services like SoundBetter, AirGigs, Fiverr, Upwork, Bark, Guru, Melody Nest, Flexjobs, Gigbucks, Solidgigs, etc., where you can try getting your abilities out there. Similar to the real world, a smaller percent of freelancers actually make a living on these platforms - and these platforms are home to some pretty talented folks. I know because as a producer, I hire them regularly. But it takes a lot of gigs to make a significant amount of money. For example, there is a singer from Ukraine named Liliia Kysil who's done around 3,000 gigs in the last five years on just one of those sites, at about $120/gig - so that's around $70K/year. But she's an exception.
Another thing you can do is to have fun getting experience while you're still in school. School bands, choirs, performing courses, as well as area talent competitions and music venues offer opportunities to show what you can do.
Lastly, I'd just like to say not to give up. Don't be discouraged by the long odds and the small percentage of successful people in the music business. Give yourself a chance and get out there and try your best.
Good luck on your journey - and have fun!
I 100% agree with Steven's assessment, and while the prospects are bleak - you can still find satisfaction from your passion. You just probably won't be able to make a living with it, or at least not right away. If you Google 'How many musicians live on what they make from music?' You'll get some pretty sobering facts:
A small minority of musicians live solely on their music; a 2022 survey found 90% of independent musicians don't earn a full-time living from their music, and many rely on other income streams like teaching or part-time jobs.
Other data suggests that most musicians earn less than a living wage from music alone, often requiring multiple income streams like live performances, merchandise sales, and songwriting royalties to make ends meet. Many musicians report very low earnings from music.
For example, one survey found over half of musicians earned less than $1,000 in a year, with 61% of musicians' music-related income not covering living expenses.Income diversification is key: To make a living, musicians typically need multiple income streams. Common sources include:
Teaching music lessons
Live performances
Selling merchandise
Sync licensing for TV, movies, or video games
Songwriting and composition royalties
Streaming royalties are often not enough: Streaming can be a small part of a musician's income, as payout rates are often low and substantial income requires a massive number of streams.
Touring can be expensive: While touring is a major income source for many, the costs associated with it can be very high, sometimes leading to a net loss on performances.
So this means that for most musicians, music is a side hustle instead of a full-time job. While it is possible to make a living from music, it is a challenging path that requires significant work outside of creating music itself.
In my case, I started as a keyboardist/singer playing gigs with bands around Southern California - and it was enough to support me. But circumstances intervened and I wound up doing a full career in the Navy and just keeping my music alive as a side activity. Once I retired from the military, I got into recording and producing full time - but still needed an unrelated full time job to pay the bills - especially as I now had a family to support. It is my "passion" also, as you say, and a principal source of joy - and I can't imagine my life without it. But as an independent musician, producer, and audio engineer - with five albums, two EPs and over 75 singles (mostly covers and some originals) out there streaming, I definitely couldn't live off the royalties. But I love it.
You haven't said what aspect of music interests you. Are you a singer, instrumentalist? Are you interested in performing, touring, teaching, session work, songwriting, freelancing, producing, engineering? My recommendation is to find a main career that may or may not involve music - and then continue to develop whatever musical abilities that interest you as a supporting effort.
One other word about freelancing. There are many online services like SoundBetter, AirGigs, Fiverr, Upwork, Bark, Guru, Melody Nest, Flexjobs, Gigbucks, Solidgigs, etc., where you can try getting your abilities out there. Similar to the real world, a smaller percent of freelancers actually make a living on these platforms - and these platforms are home to some pretty talented folks. I know because as a producer, I hire them regularly. But it takes a lot of gigs to make a significant amount of money. For example, there is a singer from Ukraine named Liliia Kysil who's done around 3,000 gigs in the last five years on just one of those sites, at about $120/gig - so that's around $70K/year. But she's an exception.
Another thing you can do is to have fun getting experience while you're still in school. School bands, choirs, performing courses, as well as area talent competitions and music venues offer opportunities to show what you can do.
Lastly, I'd just like to say not to give up. Don't be discouraged by the long odds and the small percentage of successful people in the music business. Give yourself a chance and get out there and try your best.
Good luck on your journey - and have fun!