As a musician or songwriter, you already know how hard it can be to make money as an artist. It takes a lot of grit, hard work and patience before you get your big break and are famous enough for the money to roll in passively. Before then you will have to be creative with how you make money. Here are a few ways you could consider to get some of that income heading your way.
1. Play Multiple Gigs
This is one of the most basic but powerful ways to make money as a musician. The thing about gigs, however, is that there is usually some kind of an inverse relationship between the amount that the gig pays and the attendance. The gigs that pay very well tend to have smaller audiences while those that pay less tend to have the largest audiences and, therefore, offer the largest exposure.
If you want your music to reach a large audience, there is no harm in taking less pay every so often to get to expand your audience. Granted, it isn’t a very easy decision, and it requires an unwavering faith that things will work out in the end. However, with time, it can work out. It might even help to hire a booking agent that will get you the most impactful gigs for your career.
2. Do Voice-overs
In case you have a home studio or access to a professional studio, you can do voice-over work to make money as a musician. Record your vocals and see what you can do with them. The key here is to think outside the box. Rather than just sing, think about what else you can use your voice for. If you’re a good singer, there’s a good chance your voice will be great for speaking as well, and your voice control might help to convey the right emotions when you’re reading.
Voice-over artists can earn in a wide range; with the lowest paid getting a few tens of dollars while the highest paid gets thousands of dollars. To help you get good jobs consider applying for voice-over gigs online.
3. Teach Music
Teaching music is not only a good way to earn money as a musician, but also to learn and understand your craft even better. The most effective way to learn anything is to teach it. Whatever your area of strength, there is very likely someone out there who would benefit from learning it.
You can find students to teach on various sites online, including places like Craigslist. You can also use social media to leverage your networks to find people that would like to learn music.
4. Blog About Music
If you’re savvy about the latest happenings in the world of music, then you can consider blogging about it and keeping your readers constantly in the know. The key to being a successful blogger is picking a highly specialized niche and making sure you are better at it than anyone else. In time, you will grow a following and can then explore ways to monetize it through such things as banner ads or affiliate marketing.
5. Sell Your Music Online
This is the most direct way to make money out of your music. Luckily, there are plenty of music websites where you can sell your music, including iTunes and Spotify. This route is best used when you have already developed a significant following using other platforms, and they are willing to pay for your music.
