Day Job Ideas for Musicians

Sure, you would like to make music your primary focus, but the hard facts are that most musicians don’t make much money, and need to spend lots on studio time and equipment to keep going. Here are a few ideas of what you can do that will give you enough time to pursue your music, while still not interfering with your writing too much.

MUSIC RELATED JOBS

If at all possible, you might try and find a music related line of work. Music equipment stores always need good staff members, and especially ones that are musicians themselves. Also, you most likely will have nights off, and that is important for gigging and rehearsals. You might also contact some of the local music schools and music stores that offer lessons, since many of these could use your expertise in teaching any instruments you know how to play. Check, too, into local studios and see if they could use even someone to answer the phone, and maybe they will offer you reduced studio time costs if you are an employee there. Many radio stations need interns, and these internships can lead to paying jobs eventually. You can get to meet many of the big bands this way, and maybe get a chance to slip one a demo and get your band some opening slots, or maybe even get some co writing gigs...stranger things have happened. Also, your main local venues often need help cleaning up after shows, and just picking up a little trash may get you free tickets and backstage passes so you can get a chance to meet some musicians that could help you with some advice or maybe even some good job leads. Never hurts to try. Some musicians make good money playing cover tunes in local party, bands, too, but this can really interfere with your original music career, so be careful of this trap...many labels refuse to take cover bands seriously.

Also, don’t forget to check out getting work with local music festivals and conventions. Many of these need help 12 months a year, and you can always just help out around festival time for reduced or free entrance to the festival…the panels and the chance to meet industry reps can pay off more that the paychecks.

NON MUSIC JOBS

Any job that pays well and leaves your evenings free is a great help. I find being self employed and running my own art business is great, since I can just hop off when I have gigs or find a great conference to attend. Many musicians come from the fields of engineering and computer science, but find that they don’t like gigging late at night because it means little sleep before dragging in to work the next day. I’d stay away from many retail jobs, because most of these require you to work evenings. Food service can pay well, too, and many musicians have gone this route, but avoid ones that require you to work dinner shift so it doesn’t interfere with gigs and rehearsals. Any job that gets you in good physical shape during daylight hours is good, too, since it will help keep your hands and body in good shape and thereby help your playing and singing. Try to avoid jobs, too, that aren’t understanding about your appearance if that is important for your act...if you really need long hair, don’t take jobs that require you to cut it off, and make sure that they are okay with giving you vacations when you request them. There are few things that are more career killing that the boss that tells you that either you forgo your vacation to help things out or get fired when you paid for your convention pass three months ago, and they don’t give refunds, and you miss a big important showcase.

Go To Page: 1 2