Want a music career ?
Music is a form of divine energy which has the power of unifying the entire world with love. It is one of the most expressed forms of communication of humanity which is free from all geographical boundaries, race, caste and colour. If you extend your observation, you will notice that not only humans like it but the entire animal kingdom enjoys music in the same way. So, music is everywhere.Although everyone likes music, there are very few people who are blessed enough to create and pursue a music career in it. If music is an important part of your life, think about making a career in it. You can find below the top 25 careers in music world. But before making a decision of making a career in the music field, I want you to go through the below points. If your mind and body are ready to accept the following challenges, then only proceed forward to make a career in music.
The challenges or obstacles you will face in music career :
- You should be stubborn or serious enough towards your music career so that not anyone and not even you can deviate you from pursuing it.
- You should make up your mind that you are ready to face any situation(it refers to rejections, bullying, financial) to make a career in music.
- 95% of your family, relatives or friends will either don’t support you or make fun of your career choice.
- Making a career in music is not easy. It needs a lot of hard work, determination and patience.
- Never stop practicing. You can skip your meal one day but don’t skip practice.
When you think of a career in music, you might start with the performers who are centre stage like Singer, Instrumentalist, Stage Coordinator etc. But when you pull back the curtain, you’ll find people with an array of music business jobs and careers that help make performances possible.There’s more to a career in music than just performance.The more versatile you are, the more opportunities you will have to work in the music business.
Before jumping into the list of career options, you must understand the magnitude of the industry in which you are planning to make a career. For that i will put some facts and figures in the next section which will broaden your knowledge and boost your confidence in choosing this career.
Understanding the Music Industry
Music is a vast industry filled with enormous opportunities for musicians with positions ranging from producing and mixing to performance and orchestration. According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) report of the year 2014, the total music sales were worth $15 billion.
Indian Music Industry, the 2nd largest music industry in the world is largely dominated by Indian film soundtracks which account for nearly 80% of the country’s music revenue, followed by Indi-pop. As of 2017 report, 216 million Indians use music streaming services such as YouTube, Hungama, Gaana, and Saavn. T-Series has the world’s most-subscribed and most-viewed YouTube channel.
Important steps to become successful musician
Join music classes at early age
Kids have great learning and observation power. Being a parent, if you see any music spark in your toddler, enroll them into private music class and encourage them to take part in music competitions. Years of practicing and lessons may have felt like a chore at the time, but they serve students well in their future endeavors.
Practice brings perfection
“ If you don’t practice, you don’t deserve to win – Andre Agassi”
The theory of 10,000-hour rule popularised by Malcolm Gladwell states that it takes 10,000 hours to truly master a talent, and music falls into this framework. Musicians who perform in front of the crowd to adore fans know how much they have pushed themselves through seasons of monotony and continued perfecting their art. Practice is the only key to success. So practice, practice and practice.
Complete a Music Degree Course
Frankly speaking, completing a music degree course does not guarantee you success in music career. Then why am I asking you to get a music degree?
Even if a degree isn’t required, there are components of music composition and performance that may not be learned simply through practice and lessons. Music theory helps to understand the technicalities required to create new music and make you aware how music is formed.
The other benefit of getting a music degree is getting a job as a music teacher. If you want a job as a music teacher in school or college, then you must have a music degree with talent.
Expose your talent and build your confidence
Sometimes, we don’t expose our talent fearing being criticised and failing. Never hesitate to bring out your talent in front of others. Sometimes you may get appreciation and some other times people will make fun of you but that’s ok. All these are part of your journey for a successful career. YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, Twitch are some of the famous video sharing platforms where you can share your talent video and get big exposure among people.
List of top 25 careers in music world
When someone talks about a career in music, the first thought that floats inside our head is that a music career will make you famous and will give you a glamorous life. But a musician isn’t the only career option in the field of music. You can find almost anything from managing a musical tour to teaching kids. Find the list of top music career opportunities and follow your passion.
Singer
Singer is the most glamorous career in the music field. He/she is the first face who gets public attention when there is a performance or music release.
As a Singer, you have to make your voice stand out, keep vocal abilities strong, and should learn lessons efficiently. You have to do Riyaz regularly to maintain your voice.
Learning a musical instrument and honing dance skills can be an advantage for you, as a singer. Being adaptable, perseverant, passionate about music and handling uncertain situations can make you a successful singer/musician.
Opportunities : In India, the opportunities for playback singers are huge. You can sing in films ,TV Serials, Jingles in different languages and do national and international shows.
Skills Required :
- Good Voice quality
- Sense of time and rhythm
- Stage Confidence and ability of audience interaction
- Versatility
Earning : 5k to 30 Lac (varies with talent)
Instrumentalist
The title ‘instrumentalist’ is an all-encompassing term for a musician who plays one or more musical instruments.
If you want to become a professional instrument player, you should know how to play an instrument proficiently. You have to be experienced in playing in more than one musical genre and also instrumentalists perform in a variety of settings.
Opportunities : There are a lot of opportunities for instrumentalists like performing live in front of audiences, recording music in studio, performing as part of an orchestra, in social events and gatherings. Job tasks may also include teaching others how to play via music lessons.
Skills Required :
- Proficient in playing instrument
- Creative
- Hardworking
Earning : 5k to 5 Lac
DJ
A DJ is a person who mixes one record with another and creates music that makes people dance. A DJ provides the soundtrack to the party at bars, nightclubs, concert venues, parties, raves, and music festivals.
DJs bring parties to life, using their mastery of music and beats to entertain crowds.
Working local gigs, you’ll be able to add your personal touch to the music and excite audiences with tunes they can dance to all night long. You will enjoy the events where you work and also get a chance to meet new people and connect with others who share your love of the art.
Opportunities : A DJ works most frequently with Promoters, Bookers, Talent Buyers, Club Managers, other DJs and his or her Manager.
Skills Required :
- Creative
- Expertise in Beats making, mixing and mastering
Earning : 5k to 50k
Music Composer
Music Composers write music and compose tunes that contain no lyrics, or collaborate with lyricists to produce a finished song. They must have understanding about various instruments, masterful understanding of music theory and technical capabilities to capture.
Opportunities : They conduct orchestras, compose soundtracks for films,TV and video games, write songs for commercials, produce records, and teach juniors about various musical styles, genres and how it can be blended together into a finished work that can be passed on to the actual performers.
Skills Required :
- Master in music theory
- Highly creative
- Knowledge of multiple instruments
- Technical expertise in capturing composition
Earning : 5k to 10 crore ( Varies with talent )
Songwriter/ Lyricist
Lyricists or songwriters are someone who puts his thoughts together in words to express different types of emotions, situations or stories.
They are a huge part of the music-making process. Each song tells a story, and the charm of words can make the song No. 1 hit.
Getting a break in this career is not an easy task. But if you have a knack for poetry, you should consider becoming a lyricist for a musician, sharing your own stories and experiences.
Am I a Songwriter or Lyricist ?
Many people outside the music business use these terms interchangeably, but there’s one key difference. Lyricist is an individual who writes lyrics in his or her notebook but doesn’t write the accompanying music whereas Songwriters write lyrics AND music( here music means basic tune of the song ).
Opportunities : They work closely with music publishers, record companies, producers, and other production or recording groups.
Skills Required :
- Dedication and practice to master writing effective lyrics
- Creative Writing
- Music knowledge
Earning : 1k to 15 lakh per song
Recording Engineer (sound engineer or audio engineer)
When you have passion for music but parents force you to take engineering. In that case, this career is best for you.
Recording Engineers records, manipulates and rearranges sound and also they are responsible for making a song or album sound awesome.
The main challenge of Recording Engineers is making new types of sounds which can be used in songs or films.
To become a good Recording Engineer, you should have good knowledge on analog and digital audio, compressors, microphones and signal flow.
Opportunities : They typically work with or as music producers, movie sound editors, musical composers or song arrangers. They can also work for television or concert production companies.
They manage the artistic and technical aspects of the recording session.They are also responsible for organizing recording sessions and repairing any technical problems when they arise.
Skills Required :
- Good knowledge on analog and digital audio, compressors, microphones and signal flow.
- Practical knowledge of Music software like Ableton, Logic Pro, FL Studio, CuBase etc
- Creativity in sound manipulation
Earning : 30k to 1 Lac
Session Musician
A session musician is usually highly skilled at playing one or more instruments who plays as a backing instrumentalist for another artist or band on a short-term basis.
A session musician comes on board to play a musical instrument for a specified period of time—in the studio or on stage—but is not a permanent part of the band.
These specialists may play for one song during a recording session, or they may join a band or artist for an entire tour.
Opportunities : Session musicians are hired to play a musical instrument for a certain period of time in a recording studio, on stage performance or they may join a band or artist for the entire tour.
Beyond working as back artists in the record industry, session musicians may also be hired to play music for commercial jingles, TV, film, radio, and streaming platforms.
Skills Required :
- Expert in playing one or more instruments
Earning : 5k to 1 Lac
Music Teacher
Music teachers nurture the musicians of tomorrow and inspire them to follow the passion for music. This is an incredible way to give back to your community, help students develop their talents and teach them the fundamentals of music.
There are various ways of teaching music. You could teach music at a school, a music shop or teach independently as a private
instructor. Music teaching includes Singing training and instrument training. In case of singing training, you can teach music theory along with various singing techniques and how to do proper Riyaz at home. If you like encouraging people, sharing knowledge, and practicing patients, a career teaching music could be right for you.
Opportunities : Music Teacher at school, college, a music shop or private music instructor
Skills Required :
- Music degree for teacher at school , college or University (B.A in Music, M.A in music, Ph.D in music)
- Good knowledge on music theory
- Command on your voice ( for singing teacher)
- Expertise in instrument ( For instrument teacher )
Earning : 5k to 1 lac
Jingle Writer
Jingle Writer is someone who creates catchy, memorable tunes and lyrics for TV or radio commercials.
The job of Jingle Writers is very challenging as they have to create a highly memorable melody and slogan to convey a positive impression of a particular product or service. Sometimes, when they directly work with clients, they are given a very strict timeline to
complete Jingle. For Jingle Writers, advancement comes through working with more prestigious music houses and landing composing gigs with big name brands. In turn, this means more money for the Jingle Writer and a better chance of being called up for the company’s next commercial. Generally Jingle writers directly work with Ad Agency. Some work as freelancers, deciding their own work schedules and which assignments to take; however, steady work is not a guarantee.
Opportunities : Working with Ad Agencies
Skills Required :
- Good knowledge of music theory, composition and songwriting
- Technical expertise on music software like LogicPro, Ableton
- Hardworking
Earning : 5k to 5 lac
Music journalist
Music journalism is one of the top five careers in the field of music where individuals write about music and music business. This career suits best for the individual who is passionate for music, stays informed on all the latest news and releases and is willing to devote your time and energy to developing your writing skills. With a lot of hard work, patience and positive attitude, you can realise your dream of turning music appreciation into your career.
There are several challenges in becoming a music journalist. Its a 24*7 jobs where you will have to keep yourself always updated from whatever things are happening in the music industry. Add to that performance culture, dominated by evening and late night events, you should be able to handle late nights, early mornings, and quick deadlines. Also you should be capable enough to find the depth information about the various music news and create an effective article out of it.
Opportunities :
- Work in newspaper agency
- Start your your own music blog
- Take interview of musicians and publish on your blog or youtube channel
Skills Required :
- Immense love and knowledge of music
- Great writing skills
- Hardworking (24*7 attentive)
- Good communication (In case of taking interviews)
Earning : 10k to 1 lac
Music franchise owner
You can explore the entrepreneurial side of music by becoming a music franchise owner. Music franchises range from instrument repairs for school or professional bands, to academics where young children can learn or perfect singing talent, and music store business opportunities where the latest music as well as the
classics in every genre are sold. You can channel your passion by promoting your love of the art and support for the industry.
There are various music franchises in the market, like School of Rock, a program designed to guide students through their musical journeys, and Music Go Round, an outlet that offers affordable equipment for musicians. When you take any music franchise, there is a TO-DO list of that franchise which you have to complete which may include paper works, infrastructure, budget and so on.
Opportunities :
- Opening music store
- Starting a music school
- Music instruments repair shop
Requirement :
- Infrastructure
- Budget
- Business experience
Skills Required :
- Business experience
- repairing skills
Earning : not fixed
Music Librarian
A music librarian is someone who has a good understanding of music history and music theory, and can also read music. Aptitude and training in both music and librarianship are necessary.
The traditional responsibilities of librarians are at the heart of most music librarians’ activities: organising, cataloging, and maintaining collections; providing instruction in use of the library; answering
reference inquiries; selecting music, books, journals, recordings, microforms, and sometimes manuscripts and other rare materials for acquisition.
Now if music librarians work in college or university, they may be given other responsibilities. For example, they may plan exhibits and concerts, and collaborate with other institutions in organising
lectures, classes, or other public programs. Also librarians often order or rent the music needed by students performing ensembles-orchestra, band, opera workshop, and chamber groups.
Opportunities : Job in music library
Skills Required :
- A bachelor’s degree in library science or a music-related field is generally needed, followed by a master’s degree[ MLIS (master’s of library and information studies) ] in library science.
- knowledge/interest in areas of music other than classical (jazz, popular, world).
- understanding of music history and music theory
Earning : 11,300 INR (lowest) to 33,300 INR (highest)
Session Singer
A session singer is a person hired by an artist or team to record either a demo for an artist or label and/or backing vocals on a track. They are usually given instructions on how to perform the piece with little to no creative input.
Session singing is highly technical and requires a great deal of flexibility. It also requires being very quick in the studio. It can be
beneficial to be a specialist or have great versatility.
Opportunities : They work both behind the mic and as a Vocal Contractor, securing singing talent for commercials, albums, TV, and films. On a film, Session Singers work with the Composer, the Vocal Contractor, and the other members of the choir (Thirty to forty Singers is an average choir call, sometimes less).
Skills Required :
- Good Voice quality
- Sense of time and rhythm
- Versatility
- Hardworking and punctual
Earning : 5k to 20k (per session)
Mastering Engineer
Mastering engineers is someone who uses his technical expertise and superb ears to make final changes to a recorded piece of music before it gets released for people. They are required to learn mastering techniques and skills that enable them polish and enhance tracks that form a song or an album to sound great played from any source – whether it’s an iPod or a large speaker system.
Mastering engineers are also very good critiques because they are aware of the quality of sound the music should be at and so, therefore, are in a great position to help both the producer and music artist deliver the best sounding audio as possible.
Being Mastering Engineer you should be able to perform these tasks :
- Applies EQ, stereo imaging & limiting including final compression to the audio.
- Balances the audio.
- Chases the fade in and fade out in such a way that the digital silence is perfect
- Processes every song in an album separately such that the volume of every song contained in the album is level.
- Makes the required adjustments to the format that make the audio playable on all media
- Removes glitches or clicks that may have happened during the audio recording
- Adjusts “spreads”: Spread is a term used to describe the time gap between songs.
- Burns final master to send to the relevant client ready for mass production and distribution
Opportunities : They get jobs in recording studios and can work as freelancer Mastering Engineer. These days music production, song making are not limited to professional music studios, people are making music at their home in their own comfort. The Internet has opened a bigger market for all talents, you can provide your mastering services to these music aspirants online and can earn good money.
Skills Required :
- Technical expertise in mastering raw audio
- Good knowledge of music
- Creative and hardworking
Earning : average 40 lac /year
Mixing Engineer
Sound mixing is an act of balancing audio from individual tracks in a mix to make it sound good when played together. Mixing is the process of adjusting & combining all the individual tracks into a stereo or multichannel format.
The main job of a Mixing engineer is to take audio of several instruments into audio editing software and balance their volume,
frequencies, dynamics and spatial placement. This balancing is done in such a way that instruments should not sound too loud or too soft.
The sound of instruments should not cover each other’s frequency spectrum. Compression, delay, reverb, and other effects can be added to each track as per the need to get the desired tones for the instruments. Adding these effects is solely based upon the skills of the music producer as well as the need.
Opportunities : 80% of the sound to raw audio comes through mixing and then 20% added through mastering.
Skills Required :
- Technical expertise in any audio software like LogicPro, FL Studio
- Understanding of music theory
- Experience in editing audio
Earning : 4 lac/yr
Music Arranger
Let’s understand what music arranger means in simple words?
Suppose you just created a new song with lyrics and tune in your mind or written on a paper. Now you show your idea to a music producer or your band and everyone loves it, then you call in a Music Arranger to help you craft your idea into a completed piece.
A music arranger can add different instruments, they can alter the tempo and key or change the time signature altogether. The music that an arranger works on may either be an original or an already existing music piece.
Remixes or remakes of a song are another way of taking an original song and recreating it into a different arrangement. That is what a music arranger does.
Opportunities : Jobs in Music studio. You can start your own music studio.
Skills Required :
- Should know to play multiple instruments
- Good grasp of music theory, ability to read and write music
- Ability to Carry out a Client’s Vision
- Strong background in orchestration, harmony, and composition
- Be original, creative, and adaptive
Earning : 4 lac/yr
Artist Manager
Artist management is one of the most demanding jobs in the music business. An artist manager is someone who manages the day to day business dealings on behalf of an artist or band and helps them in their career growth.
No doubt that the artist or band is incharge of creating the art and usually has an overall vision for the project, but it is the manager .
who makes the plan and executes it. Artists or bands do not take any action without consulting their managers because he handles all the matters of artists or bands with others like agents, lawyers, publicists, business managers, promoters, labels, etc.
Opportunities : All kind of management jobs in music industry
Skills Required :
- Management and leadership
- Organising multiple moving parts between musicians, publishers, and booking agents
Earning : 10 – 50 percent of artist’s earnings
Tour Manager
Tour Manager is one of the most important members of an artist and its team when artists are on tour for their performance. He/she makes things run smoothly for the entire team member.
He handles every plan and requirements of transportation, accommodation, scheduling, and finances of the tour. A Tour Manager needs to be always self motivated and take the entire
responsibilities of the team to make the tour successful.
Opportunities : Tour Manager job with Music Band, Orchestra, Singer
Skills Required :
- Proper knowledge about the working style of Music Industry
- Must know logistics, accounting principles, and daily scheduling management
- Dedication and commitment towards team
Earning : 3-4 lac/year
Recording Studio Manager
Recording Studio Manager is someone who is responsible from maintenance of the recording studio to recording an album. Also handles all the bookings and financial matters of the studio.
Recording Studio Managers work alongside Recording Engineers and Record Producers, as well as with Recording Groups, Singers, Session Musicians and Session Singers, plus any other artists or
record label execs involved in the process of creating an album.
Opportunities : Job in music studio
Skills Required :
- Management capabilities
- Good communications
- Knowledge about logistics, accounting principles, and daily scheduling management
Earning : 8.5 Lac/year
Promotion Managers
Promotion manager’s task is to pitch new tracks, records, and artists to radio stations across the country, securing radio airplay and growing the audience for the label’s releases.
To do so, promotion managers cultivate a broad network of connections with music directors (MDs) and program directors (PDs) at key radio stations across their territory, which may consist
of a small geographical region or a cluster of high-profile national stations.
Opportunities : Jobs in radio stations and other music-related businesses. An experienced promotion manager might become the director of promotions at the label, overseeing a team of managers and staffers.
Skills Required :
- Good communication
- Leadership and marketing
- Ability to speak persuasively about music
- A strong knowledge of and appreciation for radio as a medium, and persistence.
Earning : ( 2.6 – 3.0 ) lac/year
Booking Agent
Booking agents facilitate a lot of the logistics around live performances, including securing concert venues, negotiating deals, arranging technical equipment, and hospitality.
They work closely with management (of the artists and the venues) and event promoters and determine what an artist’s touring schedule will look like.
Opportunities : Job in music industry. Also work in event promotion and administrative roles lead to understanding the foundational elements of booking shows.
Skills Required :
- Degree in music management, marketing, or accounting
- Knowledge about contract negotiation, copyright law, sales, marketing, and event planning
Earning : 10-15% of a show
Music Publicist
A music publicist is someone who works closely with media outlets, marketers, and venues. Publicists ensure that their musicians’ concerts, releases, and announcements are covered by the media in a way that feeds positively into their public perception while increasing awareness of the artist.
Also, It can be tough to break through to journalists in a media landscape that is increasingly cutting staff and eliminating outlets that cover music. This role is more than just PR—it’s about selling a story, building a network, managing a reputation, and staying ahead of the game.
Opportunities : Jobs in Music company, various music labels
Skills Required :
- Good communication and marketing knowledge
- basics of public relations strategy and human interaction
Earning : (10 – 80)k per month
Music Video Director
Music video directors walk a fine line between expressing their artistic vision and satisfying clients, which requires a nuanced blend of conviction and adaptability.There’s a lot of technical knowledge that goes into producing a video, so directors should be prepared for some hard work.
After the popularity of YouTube, Facebook, TikTok and other video
sharing platforms, many aspiring musicians need a Music Video Director for making music videos.
Steps to become Music Video Director
- Learn the basics of film-making with photography
- Purchase suitable equipment for filming and learn it thoroughly
- Produce amateur music videos with your friends
- Study different genres of music video and do experiments
- Shoot amateur music videos for local bands
- Learn video editing software and polish your editing skills
- Enter prominent video competitions to build your reputation and get more offers
Opportunities : Freelancer Music video director, Job in music company
Skills Required :
- Artistic ability
- creativity
- leadership
- time-management and communication skills
ability to use video recording equipment and editing software
Earning : 3 lac/year
Musical therapist
Music Therapy is an allied health profession in which music is used in several ways to cure illness.
A Music therapist works with clients suffering from different problems like mental, emotional or physical. After assessing the strengths and needs of the patient, the qualified music therapist provides the indicated treatment including creating, singing,
moving to, and/or listening to music.
For instance, they may work with individuals that suffer from illness or disorders such as:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Grief
- Abuse
- PTSD
- Schizophrenia
- Cognitive Issues
- Social Angst
- Autism
- Strokes
- Alzheimer’s
- Dementia
- Chronic Pain
- Heart Disease
- Cancer
- Seizure Disorders
Opportunities : Music Therapists work in medical hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, mental health facilities, rehabilitation facilities, senior centres, and retirement homes. They also work as volunteers or salaried in certain institutions.
Skills Required :
- Educational degree in music therapy (Bachelor, Master, Doctoral)
- Knowledge of music theory
- Music therapists should consider becoming certified recreational therapists. In order to become certified, individuals must complete 480 hours of supervised work experience. They can then take the certification examination given by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification.
Earning : 10k to 25k (per month)
Voice Therapist
Voice Therapists apply therapy to cure individuals suffering from voice or speech disorder. They help the people having speech and language problems and who are lacking in fluency. Speech therapists are also called as speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and speech pathologists.
They also work with older people who lost their ability to
communicate because of medical reasons such as accidents, strokes, removal of the larynx, etc.
Opportunities : You can work as a doctor and as other jobs in India as well as outside of india. You can work in the given sectors such as clinics, district disabilities rehabilitation centers, rural health centers, speech and hearing centers, etc. Diploma/Certificate Courses required to get a job in this field.
Skills Required :
- Scientific Aptitude
- Strong Interpersonal Skills
- Good Communication Skills
- Compassionate nature
- Keen observation skills
- Ability to work effectively in teams
Earning : 3 – 5 lac/year
Hope you liked the above list of music careers. Let me know the music career you choose to pursue and why in the comment.
All the best for your career !