To become a successful musician in every sense and to make money from what you love, talent alone is not enough. It is important to be able to promote your art and find different channels of income. Let’s find out how you can make money with music and what you need to do so.
Where to start?
Universal formula for successful earnings does not exist. In the musical field it is important to consider many components and try different options. Without what exactly can not do without a musician who plans to monetize the products of his creative labor?
Perseverance and patience. Many famous musicians have gone a long way to being in demand and financial stability. It is believed that the average payback period for music projects is about 3-5 years. Therefore, if you are determined to make money from creating music, it is worth having patience and setting yourself up for work. Good and in-demand music. To create quality music content, it is important to constantly learn, improve your skills, invest in equipment, buy the necessary instruments and equipment. Audience. Finding your audience is one of every musician’s main goals. Listeners are the main source of income for a musician: they go to concerts, download tracks and buy albums. You can turn music from a hobby into an income, and for that you need to gather a certain number of devoted fans. It is they who will act as the main financial support. New acquaintances. The success of a musician largely depends on the ability to make acquaintances. The more contacts appear in the professional environment, the higher the probability of acquiring useful connections.
How a musician can make money online
Streaming
One of the options for earning money for those who make music is posting their compositions in streaming online services. Such platforms pay artists a certain amount of money per audition. The more people listen to your music, the more money you get.
You can post music on both Russian and foreign services. The most popular platforms include Deezer, Apple Music, TikTok, and Spotify.
The amount of earnings on streaming services varies depending on the listening format, number of subscribers, country and other factors. In addition to earning money, streaming is a fairly effective way to promote emerging artists. By streaming on social networks, your music can become really famous in a fairly short period of time.
Features of working with streaming services
Before a musician can start earning money from online services, you need to upload your music there. Many services can’t do it on their own – you’ll need the help of distributors. Distributors sign agreements with streaming services, transfer the money earned to artists, and take a certain commission for their services.
Various music labels like Sony, Universal and Warner can also upload music to online audio services. Sometimes labels select the most promising musicians and invest in their development. But they often take all the rights to the music and even the artist’s stage name.
Before downloading the tracks, you need to register on the distributor’s site, write down information about the authorship of the lyrics and music, and prepare a cover artwork in accordance with the technical requirements of the site. As a rule, files are uploaded to online platforms in WAV format. The track is uploaded to the platform after pre-moderation. Moderation takes a different amount of time on each platform.
Distributors do not take the copyright to the music, they only upload it to the streaming platform and offer various marketing services, such as moderating the band, promotion, and organizing promotional campaigns.
Tens of thousands of tracks are uploaded to streaming platforms every day. How not to get lost in this flow? Experienced artists and music marketing experts advise releasing new material regularly. After all, even getting on playlists made by stream editors is no guarantee of success. It’s important that audiences not only notice your work, but that they return to it regularly.
You can build an audience for your music projects in different ways: run an advertising strategy in social networks, arrange an original PR campaign, come up with your own merchandise. If you don’t have enough time or resources, you can sign a promotion contract with a distributor.
Experts advise you to put tracks on the platforms at least 2-3 days before the anticipated release. Then there will be time to moderation and elimination of defects, if any.
Audio Stacks and Sound Libraries
The process of creating various sounds is called sampling. Music tracks created in this way can be posted and sold on Russian or foreign audio storages. People buy music for video clips, advertising campaigns, computer game backgrounds, and other commercial purposes. Stacks pay authors for downloads and take their own commission, usually about 20%.
Besides, you can sell not only ready-made tracks, but also samples – sounds of an instrument, sound effects, noises. After the purchase, other musicians can legally use these so-called blanks in their compositions.
On special sites like soundeffectssearch.com it is best to upload to samples not one at a time, but whole libraries.
More on selling audio content
There are two other areas in the field of music creation, with which you can make money.
Beatmaking
The idea is to create rhythmic compositions in a certain style with the help of computer programs. And you can write not only the beats, but also make full-fledged arrangements and even record the voice parts.
It is important to have not just a good ear for music but a certain flair and a great sense of rhythm. The ability to play a musical instrument will help you to create more original tracks, which will be somewhat higher.
You can post your tracks on special platforms like beatmaker.tv, and promote yourself with the help of targeting in social networks.
Ghost-production
The meaning of this direction is the creation of full-fledged songs with lyrics, music, vocals. Such an idea of earning requires certain knowledge and skills. The necessary minimum is an understanding of musical notation, basic knowledge of DAW and the ability to rhyme words.
Very desirable to understand solfeggio and the principles of building sound compositions. Excellent erudition in the field of modern musical genres, as well as an understanding of rhythmic patterns in song lyrics and the ability to write complex rhymes would not hurt.
The main buyers of such content are:
Beginning singers who don’t know how or don’t want to create their own audio content. Experienced artists who don’t have time to create new musical compositions. People who want to dedicate a song to a loved one in honor of a milestone event.
Crowdfunding
Crowdfunding in the music industry is not yet too common, but it’s also an option worth considering. Especially for those musicians who have already managed to gather a certain audience around them.
Crowdfunding is a method of making money through donations. In return, musicians offer participants in the campaign or certain privileges: access to closed concerts, videos, gifts, and backstage. Donation projects help many emerging artists offset the cost of releasing an album and promoting themselves.
Live streaming and blogging
Live streaming of performances, rehearsals, or concerts is another good way for a musician to make money. On the network, you can not only broadcast your own compositions, but also to communicate with the audience and answer questions. In this case, the musician can make money with the help of donations from fans and on advertising.
If you have interesting musical ideas, share them on your own blog. The ideal solution would be to find your own niche with its further promotion. So, some musicians rely on music shows, some dilute audio content with gamification elements, combining tracks with original videos.
Music Therapy
There is such a concept as music therapy, and specialists practicing in this area are called music therapists. This field is interesting because it helps a person to adjust not only emotionally, but also physically.
Music therapists use sounds to improve the condition of people with health or developmental disabilities. Different musical instruments and vocal parts may be involved, and in some cases the specialist works on proper breathing and sound production – it all depends on the specific task at hand.
Music therapy helps with stress and stabilizes the psycho-emotional state. This area is at the intersection of music, pedagogy and psychology, and also has something of medicine in it. Musical exercises using special techniques engage different parts of the brain, allowing you to achieve your goals.
To become a music therapist and earn in this way, it is desirable to be able to play several musical instruments: wind, keyboard, percussion. It’s also great to have some initial pedagogical training and knowledge in the field of psychology.
Work to order
Creating commercial tracks and sound design can help you make extra money. Film studios, soccer clubs, event companies, cartoonists, and bloggers need soundtracks.
Popularity is:
- trailer music;
- advertising tracks and the dubbing of commercials;
- music for cartoons;
- corporate anthems;
- musical greetings.
This is an interesting niche, because you can create in absolutely any format, but at the same time create a product oriented towards a specific client. To work and develop in this field it is important to learn how to write music of different genres, to communicate a lot with people and to promote yourself as an author.
One of the in-demand areas could be writing songs to order for other artists. For little-known musicians this is a good start, an opportunity to show their creative abilities. You can sell songs to singers through social networks, as well as recording studios. Many studios accept the compositions of novice authors to then offer them to famous artists.
Social media and blogs
Through blogs and social networks, you can not only promote your musical product, but also attract an audience and subsequently receive additional income.
Through social networks, it is very good to promote your personal brand. And this applies to both solo performers and groups. Listeners love to watch the lives of interesting performers, so it is desirable to actively replenish the content on their pages: to publish stories, posts, make funny (or not so funny) videos, share information about themselves and their creativity.
In addition, this is a fairly successful way to announce the sale of merch, the release of a new track or album, future concerts, and much more. Successful publishers and pages are well monetized through advertising, but this requires a decent number of subscribers and a fairly untwisted profile.
Video lessons
The trend towards online learning and affected the music niche. Despite the fact that training in this segment has certain nuances, today many people are considering this format. Yes, in remote lessons there is no live contact between the teacher and the student, but there is always the possibility of studying with a teacher from any region or even country.
To recruit students, you can post information about yourself at various online venues. It is most convenient to hold classes via various video services, such as Skype or Zoom. In this way, you can earn from anywhere in the world where there is a stable Internet.
To get started, you will need a high-resolution webcam, as well as quality audio equipment. Good equipment will help to better monitor the actions of the student when it comes to learning a musical instrument, as well as pay attention to all the nuances of performance in the vocal training.
Selling the voice
Another opportunity to earn remotely for those who have a musical ear and a pleasant voice. Today, you can sell your own voice on web platforms. Such content is in demand for the voiceover of commercials, video content, and games. There are even entire voice-over marketplaces, such as Voice123.
Cosmetic brands, banks, IT companies, and clothing manufacturers need interesting voices. The first customers can be found at online freelancing sites, on social networks, on specialized resources for the sale of sound, and at microstock agencies.
To start looking for customers, you need to make several demo recordings. It is better to record your voice in different intonations and in several moods.
Recording podcasts
During the pandemic, the podcast audience grew substantially. Gradually, many famous personalities and brands started creating their own podcasts. If you have a story to tell, too, go for it! Episodic recordings of audio files will help you get your thoughts across to your listeners. You can also use podcasts to broadcast your own music, for example, by inserting it into the general framework of your narrative.
High-quality podcasts require equipment like stands, microphones, special programs for sound processing, and high-quality sound cards. You can’t do without advertising as well. In this case, targeting on social networks works well, as well as collaborations with famous bloggers and mutual PR.
How to make money from music offline
Live performances
For those just starting out on their musical journey, concerts are unlikely to be a major source of income. Rarely do little-known musicians manage to earn more than what is spent on organizing a performance. However it is still worth to perform, because it helps to improve your own skills, attract new listeners, communicate live with fans, and increase recognition of your musical brand.
Events and festivals
Another option, how to make money from music – is to perform at private events. Fees for performing at corporate parties, weddings, and meetings for many artists even exceed earnings from concert activities, and for some they become the main source of income.
Beginning singers should try to perform at public events in the city. This is quite a good opportunity to make a statement and show your creativity to many people.
Music competitions
Yes, participation in competitions sometimes requires certain costs – payment for accommodation, sewing costumes, entry fees. But it is usually a great way to prove yourself and attract attention, so you can start earning money by creating and selling music.
Battles and shows
Battle format has become especially popular in the music genre, such as rap. But it is quite possible to find an interesting solution in your genre niche, if only there were ideas. After all, reality shows are a fairly in-demand format that still continues to attract attention.
Third-party projects
To promote your project or get an opportunity to earn extra money, you can participate in various third-party projects. For example, join a band that is better known in music circles. This is a great option for advertising and self-development.
In this case, you can participate both in live performances and join various online projects. If you search, you will find interesting and promising options that can bring a very good result in the future.
Royalties
Any singer who creates audio compositions or lyrics for songs can register them as copyrights and receive royalties for their commercial use. There are nuances in copyright registration, but it is important to take care of this issue if you create and plan to make money from your own music.
Teaching
If you like to teach others and talk about music, it is worth to try himself in the teaching profession. You can give master classes playing musical instruments, teach vocals, mixing, arranging.
Selling music to companies and entertainment venues.
Anyone who has decided to make money from selling author’s music both online and offline, you can pay attention to the niche of creating sound accompaniment. Original music content is in demand in many entertainment venues: quest rooms, laser tag, augmented reality shows.
Music in such facilities plays in the background, enhancing the general entourage and creating the right atmosphere. The choice of musical themes depends on the characteristics of the specific project, but most often for such formats is in demand ambient and other similar areas.
Such projects are present in almost all major cities, and to agree with the owners of such institutions will be easier than to reach out to famous artists or filmmakers.
Renting a hall for rehearsals
Those who are good at music and feel at ease in the musical environment, it is worth considering related areas of income. For example, you can open your own rehearsal space and rent it out to other musicians. The problem of finding a suitable and equipped place where you can rehearse, relevant to many large cities.
When preparing the room it is important to take care of quality soundproofing. You’ll also need good acoustics, microphones and mixing desks. Guitars, a drum kit, lighting equipment will be useful.
Sessional freelancing
This option can be called a good part-time job for people with a musical education. Especially for those who are virtuoso at any musical instrument. Many sound directors, arrangers, sound-producers for their projects sometimes need solo saxophone, cello, piano parts. Good vocalists are also in demand.
Management and Marketing
A related type of earning for musicians that also has a place is working as a manager of a performer. This is not a bad option for those who have already accumulated some experience in the musical environment, but for some reason decided not to promote their own brand.
If you want, you can always figure out the intricacies of product management, thoroughly understand the intricacies of organizing concerts and performances and develop your skills in SMM and other ways of brand promotion.
Organizing your own events
It is quite a working option, but it suits musicians who are deeply enough immersed in the field of organization and know the specifics of working with different venues. Equally important is to have like-minded people and a certain circle of acquaintances. Also, no one has cancelled a strong concept and great ideas.
Organization of festivals, concerts or music tours requires the ability to make quick decisions, to react quickly in case of emergency situations and find a way out of them. If you have a set of necessary qualities, you may well consider this format of earning.
So, let’s summarize and see if it is possible to earn music? In order for your favorite music to bring income, it is worth setting yourself up for a long work and patience.
According to the stories of experienced musicians, to build an audience and “spin out” requires several years. But it does not mean that the musician will not earn anything. There are many options for monetizing music skills, it is important to find the most appropriate, comfortable for yourself solution. In this case, earnings can be made up of a variety of cash flows – royalties, income from streaming sites or video lessons, live performances or broadcasts.