Mark Nichols repairs a range of instruments. (Image via nicholsfiveanddimemusic.com)
We all know that making a living from music is extremely difficult. Many people, however, fail to realize just how broad the music industry is. There are so many different career options that you could pursue to make a sustainable living while still being involved in a multitude of performance endeavors.
Lots of material has been published online about all the different options you have. You could make a living as an audio engineer, record producer, or manager for other bands. But there are many other great jobs that don't get talked about very often that might be a better fit for your personal lifestyle. Here are four interesting music career options that you might not have thought of before.
1. Music journalist
Average salary: $15,000-$30,000+ (reputable music journalists can easily earn $70,000 – or more)
Are you a great writer? Do you keep up with contemporary artists, and constantly hunt for new music? Music journalism is a great field for any musician who meets those criteria.
These days, most music/arts journalists write for various blogs. As a music journalist, you could be writing record reviews, concert reviews, music industry news, advice columns, interviews, and much more. The work is extremely varied, and it really keeps you on your toes. You also get to make a lot of wonderful connections, and over time, you can build strong relationships with artists, publicists, managers, promoters, or any other industry people that you work with on a frequent basis. Plus, you can work from anywhere (including while on tour).
Getting into music journalism requires good taste, strong writing skills, an understanding of music, and an ear for new talent. No formal college education is necessary, though it can certainly help you build your writing and reporting skills (especially if you work for the college paper), and you'll be able to present yourself as a strong candidate from the get-go if you studied journalism or a similar field. A great way to get started is by creating your own music blog. From there, you can get in touch with other small blogs and see if they'd let you write for them, and then work your way up from there.
2. Instrument repair technician
Average salary: $25,000-$100,000+
This is a great job for anybody who loves spending quality time with cool instruments. If you love figuring out how things work and have a knack for working with wood, metal, and electronics, you might do well as an instrument repair person.
There will always be a need for skilled instrument repair technicians. If you have the talent and the training, you're almost guaranteed to get work. You'll spend your time fixing wood and metal damage, replacing parts, soldering electronic equipment, and cleaning/adjusting instruments. Many instrument technicians work out of music stores, but the best ones can often open their own shop. By learning how to do repair work, you'll also be able to work on your own instruments, saving you a ton of money down the road.
There are many technical schools that offer programs in instrument repair. Following the training period, you'll generally need to apprentice with an experienced luthier for a few years before striking out for a job. You also need to have a great ear and a love for playing instruments of all kinds.
3. Music therapist
Average salary: $20,000-$135,000
Do you love helping people? Do you want to help others through your music? Are you a multi-instrumentalist? A music therapist gets to spend all day helping others through the healing power of music.
Music has been used as a tool for healing for centuries. Music therapy started to become an organized field of medicine in the 1940s, when the first college programs were started at Michigan Stage University and University of Kansas. Today, music therapy involves many different procedures based on the need of the patient. These could include composing or writing songs, dancing to music, singing, learning an instrument, and more. Music therapists may have their own private practices, or they might work out of a hospital, college, or senior center.
To get started in music therapy, you need at least a bachelor's degree (graduate and doctoral programs are also available). At some point during your study program, you'll also need to do an internship in the field, as well as pass a certification test. The qualifications can be a little hardcore, but the work is so rewarding!
4. Ethnomusicologist
Average salary: $30,000-$90,000+
If you're an academic at heart and have a deep love of world music, traveling, and discovery, you might do well as an ethnomusicologist. This can be an especially enlightening career path for composers or any other writers who would like to expand their horizons with some ethnic influence.
Most ethnomusicologists work out of universities, lecturing and teaching while they conduct their own research projects. They travel all over, doing research and trying to understand how and why music is used in cultures around the globe. Many pick up instruments that are native to the country they are studying to further immerse themselves in the culture. Thus, many ethnomusicologists end up being extremely talented musicians and multi-instrumentalists, in addition to being incredibly smart and well-informed about the world.
Though the payoff is worth it, the road to becoming an ethnomusicologist is extremely rigorous, as one needs to be very academically minded. Most people wanting to get into the field get their PhDs in order to get onto a tenured track at a university. Even with high-level schooling, positions at universities open up pretty rarely, and there are always a lot of applicants. But if you work hard to make yourself stand out and manage to nail a position, you'll be on a stable salary and won't have to worry about selling CDs to make ends meet ever again.
Dylan Welsh, a native of Seattle, Washington, grew up cutting his teeth in various club bands around the Northwest. Seeking a more diverse and challenging environment, he attended Berklee College of Music with hopes of gaining new perspectives and finding his own voice. Though music is what he does best, writing and journalism are other passions that he has kindled throughout his academic life.
