What to Know Before Choosing a Career in Music

What to Know Before Choosing a Career in MusicWhat to Know Before Choosing a Career in MusicIf you love music and know you want to make it your job, the hardest part might not be committing to going for it but choosing your perfect music career. There are tons of different ways you can get involved in music and lots of different music jobs you can do. This guide should help you narrow down your list a little and figure out which part of the music business suits you best. Below youll find some common music careers and the pros and cons for each that you should consider before making the leap. Youll also find links to more information about each career. The Pros of Running a Record Label Running a record label, you never have to work with music you dont love or a band that drives you crazy.You can get a hand in every step of the process, from choosing the releases, picking a release date, planning the promotion, working on tours, and so on. The Cons of Running a Record Label Re quires an upfront investment. Someone has to pay for that first release.It can be a very long time before you make any money - just as you get to have a hand in every part of a release, you often have to pay for most of those part, so juggling cash flow is a challenge.Requires good organizational skill, and you must be able to self-motivate. The Pros of Working for a Label Learning the ropes of record labels without taking any of the financial risks yourself.A chance to sample different aspects of the music industry, to help you figure out where your strengths are.The pay may not always be great, depending on the size of the label, but its still better than footing the bill yourself. The Cons of Working for a Label You dont get to pick the music, so you may not love every album youre working on.At larger record labels, you could essentially end up doing office work instead of working closely with music. The Pros of Being a Music Manager As a music manager, you get to hav e involvement in every aspect of a bands career, and thus, you get a hand in many different parts of the music business.You get to work with music you love. The Cons of Being a Music Manager If you work independently for up and coming bands, payday can be a long way off - and you may have to spend some money up front.Band/manager relationships can get dicey.Can be very stressful - managers shoulder a lot of responsibility, and when things go wrong (and they will), youre in the crosshairs.Requires organization, self-motivation, and you have to be willing to speak up and ask for the things you want. The Pros of Being a Music Promoter Being a music promoter is the perfect job if you love live musicPulling off a great show is thrillingYou get to work with bands you love.Can pay well, depending on what kinds of shows youre doing. The Cons of Being a Music Promoter If you work independently, in small venues and with smaller bands, can cost you a fortune - breaking even can be a good night.Tons of responsibility - show day can be very stressful.Can be one of the most thankless jobs in music. To some bands - if the show is good yay us If the show is bad boo youPromo is hard work, and it could all be for now - you cant MAKE anyone write about the show or come to the gig. The Pros of Being a Music werber Another good job for people who love live music.Gives you the chance to work with managers, bands, promoters, and labels.Lets you have a hand in putting shows together without being on the front lines like promoters. The Cons of Being a Music Agent Can be hard to break into - it can take a long time to get established as an agent.Unless you get lucky and get a job at an agency right off the bat, you may have to work for little to no money while youre building a name for yourself.Requires good organizational skills - there are lots of moving parts when youre booking a tour.When a band is on tour, youre on call. The Pros of Being a Music Distributor Get to hear all of the new releases before anyone else and are always the first to know when new albums are coming out.Get to work closely with record labels and record stores.Can be a reliable paycheck. The Cons of Being a Music Distributor Often have to sell releases that you dont likeSome jobs at distribution companies can go far from the music - packing up boxes, dealing with freight companies, etc.Unless you have deep pockets, not a job for someone who wants to run their own music-related business.Can be stressful - labels miss release dates, stores dont pay on time, and so on. The Pros of Being a Sound Engineer Get to take part in the excitement of live showsMay get to go on tour with bandsGreat for people who like the technical side of music The Cons of Being a Sound Engineer Pay can vary greatly, depending on what kind of shows you are doingYoull need to roll with the punches of working on the best sound desks to the worst and still make it sound goodLike promo tion can be a bit thankless. If the band sounds great, theyll congratulate themselves. If the band sounds bad, they like to blame the sound engineer. (Well, not EVERY band, of course, but it happens often.) The Pros of Being in Music PR Get to closely with the mediaYou get to see the payoff for your work quickly when something youre promoting gets reviewed or played on the radio.Can pay well. The Cons of Being in Music PR Very hard work - just getting people to answer your phone calls is a job in itself, and it can take a long time to build up media contactsSometimes, despite your best efforts, you cant generate any buzz for a record, which puts you in the crosshairs of the band/labelLots of repetitive work - calling X, Y, and Z for the 100th time, re-sending promos youve already sent, and so on.