A lot of people would like to get a career in music. It is a wide industry with lots of different options available. You don’t have to be a singer or instrument player to get a job in this industry. This is why you could, for instance, choose to go to audio engineering school instead. Whichever career or degree you end up choosing, however, you have to work hard if you want to be a professional in the music industry. Let’s take a look at some of the possible job options out there.
Careers in the Music Industry
- Music producer, which is probably the highest paying career. You take charge of everything to do with the creation of music, including editing and mixing.
- Artist manager, which is about ensuring the artist remains creative and current.
- Sound engineer, which means you will be present during concerts and recording sessions, making sure the sound and voice effects are perfect. Your role is to make sure the acoustics are just right.
- Musician, which means you will actually perform in front of audiences and in studios. This is possibly the most competitive of all the roles in the music industry, and the one that requires the greatest amount of luck to actually get involved in.
How to Choose a Career in the Music Industry
Becoming a professional in this industry has to be a stepped approach:
- What are your personal strengths and weaknesses? Are you talented in an instrument or vocals, do you write, can you mix and edit, etc?
- Get to know the right people. The music industry is all about who you know, and people need to get to know you. Visit functions and don’t be afraid to use contacts.
- Unfortunately, you are not (yet) in a position where you can be picky. If you’re offered a job, take it, even if you think you should earn more. You have to start small and work your way up from there.
- Sell whatever you can. You won’t get in with a huge label straight away. Try to make your own CDs and sell them online, for instance.
- Get a degree. You need to educate yourself into the field of music, as well as build on whatever talent you already have. There are lots of degrees relevant in the music industry, so you can learn about something you truly love as well.
If you really dream about becoming a professional in the world of music, you have to be ready to work hard. Although you should set your dreams high, you may need to set your expectations low for a while. Even the greatest musicians of all times had to start somewhere. Nirvana, for instance, was just a group of friends playing in a garage for a while, and even The Beatles were turned down many times before they broke through and really became famous.