Taking Music Seriously- Forging a Career
Did your family and friends support your passion in music up until the point when you decided that you wanted to make it your career? Everyone says that music is great for the brain, a healthy method of expression, and dub it as the universal language, however once you decide you want to make it your livelihood, it becomes a problem.
There’s a stigma around careers in music, much like what exists with every art including painting, sculpting, photography or alternative media. The idea of the “starving artist” is top of mind for most people, with a fun yet unsustainable lifestyle.
However, making your livelihood off of music doesn’t mean that you’ll be living in a tour van for the rest of your life and recording albums no one listens to. There are plenty of very professional and socially acceptable jobs which still allow to keep one foot in the music industry while having a stable income with which you can support a family if you choose to.
Music Teacher
Many see this as a “fall back option” for after they finish music at the university level. However, if you like sharing your passion for music as much as you do making or playing it, you might be the spark that ignites hundreds or thousands of new artists. Teaching gives you the flexibility to either work in a school board or institutions as a specialized educator, or teach privately out of your own home or studio. Many decide to do a blend of the two, teaching through a school and also teaching private lessons that allow for more in-depth tutoring of each student. Remember that teachers in general have good hours, a comfortable lifestyle, and many benefits.
Music Production
There are a lot of technical aspects surrounding music these days. Gone are the days of a simple piano playing and a technician recording the sound onto a record. Today there are hundreds of different things involved with recording and performing. From different types of microphones for different sounds, managing sound levels and qualities, mixing tracks to produce a new sound, and mastering the whole thing, there is a science behind this art. If you are serious about music being your life, yet the musician stereotype doesn’t appeal to you, take some classes at Montreal’s leading music production school. You’ll learn how to operate all the equipment and devices needed to make artists sound amazing.
Music Management
The music industry is a large one, and if you “make it”, you can count on living quite comfortably. When bands or individual musicians get to a certain level, they need help managing the business side of things while they focus on creating and mastering their music. If you have a knack for business and you like the idea of balancing multiple clients or focusing on big stars without having to invest into your own music, management might be a job for you. You’ll need to be skilled in communication, marketing, administration, bookkeeping and more. Though you won’t be destitute, the hours may be long and the work demanding. The results, however, can be exciting and worth all of the pain.
Though we aren’t dissuading you from following your dream of becoming the next Jimi Hendrix, if you are feeling the pressure of having a steady livelihood but don’t want to leave the “scene”, one of these music industry careers might be for you. While you continue investing time and passion into your own creativity, others can benefit from your other skills, creating a win-win situation that both you and your worried parents will be able to live with.
