Making Money as a Musician

There is a lot of competition in the music business after many of the same dollars that you are. However, most of them don't institute the business basics it takes to develop their career, so fortunately for you, they're not serious competition. This is true in many careers, but it especially rings true with musicians, because there is some kind of monetary stigmata attached to art, often resulting in ignorance in the business end of things.

The way I see it is that you have two choices. The first is to hope that you hit the lottery by landing a great agent that helps you produce a number one hit, then you rocket to the top of the ionosphere floating back down to land on easy street. Excuse me, number one out of how many?

It's at the this failure of such a rise, that many throw down the guitar & microphone. When many reach the realization that the above scenario is probably never going to happen, they drop out of the music scene, failing to see the value in the second choice.

Choice number two is this. Keep at your music skills as diligently as possible, but honor them by becoming proficient enough with business to get gigs on your own.

Do you have what it takes to talk to a club owner? You've got a mouth right? We know, or at least assume your ego is big enough. After all your going to be on stage in front of crowds. If you can't ask for your own job opportunities, maybe your in the wrong biz. Think about it.

Good, your still here, let's move on.

Do you have enough material to present a set(s)?

If so, is what you've got entertaining enough? Are you sure? Double check because a lot of great musicians aren't that entertaining. Especially many new bands that don't do any, or enough covers to get an unfamiliar crowd engaged in audience participation. This is the kiss of death for so many starting bands and singers. There's a musical phenomenon that dictates that most songs, even those by well known artists, need to grow on an audience. So what do you have if not some strong covers to offer? Is the crowd going to go ballistic right off the bat for all of your original material? Again we run into the wishing to win the lottery scenario. There's nothing wrong with that, as long as you don't mind starving until the masses are enlightened enough to visit you with sold out halls.

More likely, is the opportunity to make good money playing popular cover songs with your own gems mixed in like a spice. Not only is this the surest way to be a crowd pleaser, but your own material will stand out all that much more, and if it's any good, you'll be able to work more originals into your sets as you develop a following. Then, the only covers you'll have to do will be the ones that you enjoy doing.

So you have to ask yourself is it more important to be famous, or is it more important to gig out?

And of course, since we know how hard work and diligence are rewarded in the real world, your chances of now getting to choice one mentioned earlier are much better when you follow the principles of choice number two.

Good luck and Peace
Auctionwally