The 3 Best Ways to Make a Living as a Musician

It used to be that if you wanted to make a living as a musician you had to end up in a successful rock band or be exceptional enough to make it on an orchestra. In other words, a total longshot for most people.

However, things are different now and there are a lot of opportunities to make enough money as a musician that it can be a full-time income. You may not get rich but if you are looking for a way to get paid enough from your passion and talent to not need a traditional job then you’re in luck.

The internet has created the perfect conditions to be able to make a very good living with your music. It won’t exactly be easy to pull off, but with the right dedication and some tips as a guide then it is entirely possible. In this article, I will go over the basics to keep in mind to make this happen.

1 – Do a professional recording

Just like an artist wouldn’t get many commissions without a sample of their artwork, a musician needs to have a song that people can access to understand what you bring to the table. You should have a professional recording done of your best work that you can showcase to get gigs or even a job.

There are a lot of studios that you can contact about setting up some recording time. They can cost a bit but they will pay for themselves over time. Just make sure that you have your song on point so you don’t need a lot of time to record and engineer it.

You can find these studios all over the world. For instance, if you are in the Toronto area there is Cherry Beach Sound Recording Studio. Just do a quick Google search and you will be surprised at how many studios are in your area.

2 – Use the internet

The best way to get the word out there for whatever type of gig you are looking for is to have a presence all over the internet. For instance, you should have that professional recording uploaded to Soundcloud. With the link to your song on their platform, you can then take advantage of social media to get the word out there.

Use the platform that your target audience uses and hit it hard. For instance, Tik Tok is a good way to find young people that are looking for new bands or musicians like DJs to listen to.

You should make sure that people know what you are looking for when they find you online. Are you looking to perform at backyard parties? Then make sure that you frequently talk about that in your posts or videos.

3 – Teach others

Many struggling musicians offer lessons for extra money to support them while they try to make it big. Others actually thrive as a teacher and can be happy to do this for a living.

Whatever your motivation or plans for the future, you can use the internet to find students to give lessons to. If you want to make it into a business, then you can offer online lessons for a membership fee.

Doing online courses can be passive and allow you to make money while you pursue gigs or other opportunities.