Most musicians make a living through a series of gigs several times a week, such as performing live concerts. As the World Economic Forum noted, the COVID pandemic led to many gigs, sessions and lessons being canceled, which directly impacted musicians’ ability to generate income. While the pandemic has definitely lessened, many musicians are still forced to get creative with new ways to earn some revenue.
As an artist, there are several side jobs that complement your career in music. You can leverage your passion for determining the type of side gig you take on. It’s possible to work on some of them from home, saving you both time and money. You’re able to manage your time well, allowing you to have time to create while earning more income.
As you think of implementing your ideas, the goal is to avoid overworking yourself. Work smart by selecting gigs that facilitate efficient time management and studying the market to find a niche. The Gaudy Blog has some ideas you should consider.
Online Music Lessons
Most of us can credit our ability to play instruments to music teachers. As a musician, getting online teaching jobs can be easy. Such jobs allow you to make partial time commitments leaving you time to work on your career.
Although COVID restrictions have lessened and the world has gotten back to a semblance of normal, you may still find that your students would prefer to take online lessons. You can make this happen via Zoom, Skype, or Google Hangouts. Let your students know they can always record the sessions to review and practice later.
To get new clients, you can advertise yourself on social media platforms. Use your friends on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat to you spread the word online. And in terms of invoicing, you can save money by using a service that makes help free of charge. Professional invoices will make it easier for you to keep records, as well!
Offering Lessons on YouTube
YouTube offers musicians a platform to teach particular lessons. For instance, you can teach how to improve skills with an instrument or how to play specific music genres. The good thing about YouTube is that your lessons are beyond instruments. It offers you an opportunity to earn money from the knowledge you already have. Consider using the platform to promote your other side gigs, such as online classes or individual sessions.
You can also teach valuable information such as music theory. You can talk about different instruments and brands and offer reviews on them, or even analyze music from other artists. You can make your videos profitable through YouTube ads and sponsored posts.
Licensing Your Music Online
Musicbed explains that licensing music mainly involves consistently coming up with song collections for you to make passive income. With a home studio, it’s possible to earn a living licensing your music online. Numbers matter here, so you’ll need to improve your writing and recording skills to increase your output. To assist with speed, you can create some templates using recording software.
Ensure that the songs you write can get licensed and have a good mix. They should be firm throughout and have alluring transitions. When uploading the songs, use keywords that allow SEO. This will ensure your songs get displayed on search engines.
Conclusion
As you continue to grow as a musician, turning the gig into a small business is a great idea. It will provide you with a great source of revenue. Make sure to get a employer registration number, also known as an employer identification number (EIN). This not only establishes you as a business in the eyes of the IRS and the industry but also ensures the protection of your personal assets and even from identity theft.
Side gigs are not only profitable, they can assist you in expanding your fan base, refining your skills, and improving your appeal. Look to meaningful collaborations to really break ground in the industry and continue to grow as an artist.
The Gaudy Blog is a space where we can share our inner light in the form of our art, our writing, and where we can find inspiration in what others have created. If you have any questions or you’d like to collaborate, please reach out today!
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Author bio: Mary Shannon created SeniorsMeet.org along with her husband, Bob, to have a website that allows seniors to meet up and talk about topics that are relevant to their daily lives. They hope to build SeniorsMeet into a supportive community of like-minded seniors.
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