Playing music for a living sounds pretty glamorous, but it’s a lot like starting your own business. The hours are long, you need to stay creative, and you need to deal with incredibly tough competition.
If you’re trying to make a living as part of a rock band, as an acoustic performer or as any type of specialty musician, there are going to be months when it’s hard to pay the electric bill. Here are a few tips for making enough money to get by.
Make Sure You’re In The Right Place. You’ll never make a living as a musician if you’re in a town with a single bar and restaurant that will book you. If you play heavy metal and you live in a town full of honky tonk bars, you’re in the wrong place.
Do some research and find a city that will have plenty of opportunities. Some of my most successful musician friends ended up in Argentina and other exotic locations, while blues and country singers do fairly well in towns like Saint Louis and Louisville. If you’re ready to move to where the gigs are located, you can easily make a living as a musician as long as you’re ready to work and you’re reasonably good. Consider a move if you’re sure that you’re doing everything else right and there simply isn’t anywhere to get booked.
Do The Dinner Gigs. 3-4 hour long shows pay the best, because it isn’t every musician who can handle that type of long-form performance. If you’re capable of playing for 3-4 hours, you can make a lot of money-and get a few free meals-by calling local bars and restaurants and asking if they book dinner music.
Getting in the door can be tough. You may have to submit a demo tape to the manager and many restaurants will expect you to bring your own PA. Nevertheless, I’ve made anywhere from $100-300 at individual dinner gigs, not counting tips. It’s a great way to hone your chops and make some extra money. Be sure to play appropriate songs and stay in the background for these types of shows, as this will improve your chances of getting booked again.
Network At Open Mics. If you’re in a rut and you can’t find any gigs, try visiting open mic nights. They’re packed with friendly local musicians who can help you find something to do. Open mic nights are also a great way to get booked at a prestigious local bar or club, as your performance can be a great demonstration of your talents. Try talking to the bartender or the person who does the booking right after you play at an open mic and you might get booked easily.
Remember names at open mic nights and write down phone numbers. Help your fellow musicians from time to time and they’ll certainly help you back.
Look Into Related Fields. If you’re a talented jazz musician, you probably know already that giving lessons can pay a lot more than the average gig. Likewise, if you record your own music, you may be able to record other musicians for some extra cash. In some cities, you can even busk on the street for some extra cash. The key is to keep your options open. Don’t think of yourself as purely a performing musician. To make a living at music, you’ll have to be willing to record ads or give lessons every once in a while. Remember, if your work involves music, you’re a professional musician. Be proud and do what you need to do to pay your bills.
Have any other tips for working as a professional musician? Post below.