When you think “musician” there’s probably a certain image that immediately comes to mind. But the truth of the matter is that there are many types of musicians. And some musicians even belong to multiple categories. There are many types of careers one can pursue in music, and the industry keeps splitting up responsibilities to…
High quality MIDI files can help streamline your various music production efforts – be it creating covers of popular songs or incorporating virtual instruments in your own songs. They can even be great for karaoke! Not every producer or musician uses MIDI files or is even aware that they can. But yes, there are sites…
If you’re on your path to becoming a professional musician, chances as you’re eager to figure out your next steps. When people are looking for jobs, often the first place they look is qualifications – what schooling, skills, and/or experience they need to get into their chosen field. For reasons you’re about to discover, the…
As a musician with some experience (it could be five years, 10 years, 15 years or more), you’ve probably got a good handle on how much practice you need to put in before your various commitments (live performances, recording sessions, session gigs, etc.). Of course, at times it’s easy to get lazy. And, depending on…
When you go to see a show, all you see is musicians doing what they love to do: play their music for you. What you don’t see is all the work required to get there. Most musicians must work hard at cultivating a set of skills and qualities that allow them to succeed and thrive…
Many of those entering their 30s, 40s, 50s and even 60s will look ahead and wonder whether it’s still worth pursuing their passion, even if it’s something they’ve never attempted in their life. Young people are generally preoccupied with getting their educational credentials and finding a career they can sink their teeth into. As many…
Pianists have been populating concert halls, churches, bars, hotel lobbies and other performance venues for decades. If you’ve seen a pianist performing, and thought to yourself, “I could do that, I wonder how much it pays…” you are in luck. In this guide, we’ll discuss what pianists are making on a variety of gigs you…
So, you’re a professional musician. As many a musician has pointed out, that can mean different things to different people. It could mean that you’re getting paid for your services. It could mean that you make a full-time living on your music. And, it could even mean that you’re signed to a label and are…
Looking for a bass clarinet? You’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we’ll look at seven of the best bass clarinets for students, intermediates and professionals. If you’re ready to dig in, let’s get right to it. Best Bass Clarinets For Students At the beginner or student level, the most important factor tends…
There’s something glamorous about being a musician, isn’t there? Yet the road to fame and fortune is rarely easy, and if you aren’t prepared for what’s ahead, you could easily get knocked off course. Perseverance is important, but it’s not just about that – it’s also about knowing what steps to take to get to…
I’ve long felt that the term “professional musician” has a lot of pressure and expectation tied up in it. Many young musicians put a lot of pressure on themselves to be professional musicians who make all of their money playing music. This is one interpretation of being a professional musician (and it’s a nice place…
Being a session musician can be a lot of fun. You get to perform a lot of genres with different artists. You get to be in different studios and on different stages. You get to learn new songs, spend a lot of time with your instrument, and get paid for your passion work. But session…
Lately, I’ve been having lots of conversations with some of my close friends and band mates about how much time they spend working on their music and how it affects their perspective. These conversations stemmed from a talk with a band mate of mine who truly lives and breathes music. He practices and writes more…
As someone who works around musicians a lot, there are a few mistakes which I commonly see made. One of those mistakes is not getting professional band photos made up. Many instead opt for photos taken on their iPhone, or their mate’s consumer camera. While these often aren’t the worse quality images with today’s technology,…
This is part two of the musician’s guide to membership websites. For what a membership site is and why you should build one if you’re a musicians, record label, or music industry company, check out part one: How A Membership Site Can Bring Consistent Income For Music Industry Professionals. Once you’ve read that, have a…