Building your music career might not be the easiest thing to do. It is a business. And you need to be very creative if you want to become a part of it. There are a lot of musicians on the street. Some of them get desperate and quit music for nine-to-five-job. Have you ever had the same idea? Indeed, it can guarantee you a stable income. But will you feel good about yourself?
Let’s face it, there is a chance you will never be as famous as Nick Jonas or Jimi Hendrix. But it doesn’t mean you can’t make a living from your music! If you are really passionate about playing music or singing, you will always have a job — people all around the world LOVE music. So, the chances that you will find your fans are pretty high.
There are different ways to make money as a musician. Check this ultimate guide:
Become a Youtube star
Starting a Youtube channel is a great way to find your very first fans! That’s how Justin Bieber was discovered. He didn’t have a good microphone or a professional camera at that time. His mom recorded the video of him singing in the living room. And it worked! He got the fame he deserved.
Of course, you need more than just one video. You should make videos at least twice per week and share it on different social platforms. That’s how people can find you.
You can start with playing cover songs. If you work hard enough, you will be able to monetize your videos and make some serious money. Later on, you can start touring and meet your fans in different cities!
Another option is to create youtube lessons for people who want to learn singing or playing musical instruments.
Play Live
There are so many events where you can play! Create the website, Instagram profile or Facebook page to promote your music band or solo playing. Feel free to join the sites for musicians such as MsMusic. You can play at weddings (and it is always good money), birthday parties, festivals, and office parties.
Bars and club owners are always looking for musicians who can attract even more visitors. If you are not used to playing live, you can perform on Monday and Tuesday nights for a start. First of all, not so many musicians want these slow nights. It increases your chances to get hired and establish your reputation. Secondly, it is better to practice with twenty people in the room in the very beginning. Later on, you will feel more comfortable to perform in front of hundreds and thousands of people.
A cruise ship is another great place where you can play live even twice a day. That’s how Josh Greenberg started his career after he graduated from music school.
Sell your songs
Maybe Beyonce will not knock on your door to buy your song, but a lot of other people will. Video games and advertising companies, theatres, social media influencers need talented musicians who can write music. Someone should write songs for commercials, and it could be you! Once again, you will need to create a platform to promote your work. How will the world know you are composing music if you don’t tell anyone?
You can also put your music on Spotify. For this purpose use an artist aggregator, so you can keep 100% of your royalties. In this case, you will only need to pay a fee to the aggregator service. The good thing is that you will be paid for free streaming of your songs. So, ask your relatives and friends to listen to your music on Spotify and make some money!
Another option is selling your songs through music stores and different digital apps. As an artist, you can sell your music to iTunes, Amazon Music, Google Play, Band Camp. It is a common practice, so don’t worry if you are only a beginner in the music industry. There are also a lot of music production sales sites where you can sell your instrumental music. Check First dub,Beat stars and My Flash Store.
Believe in yourself and keep going! Remember – your music makes the world a better place!