If you or your student or anyone else you know is considering music as a profession, there are a number of good websites that give solid advice. Some are geared more to rock/pop/indie music; some are applicable to pretty much anything.
We’re all assuming there’s a certain amount of talent present, defined at MusicanWages.com as “a mix of natural aptitude, exhaustive training and years of practice that, when looked at objectively, distinguishes a musician as an expert.”
We’re all aware, however, that it takes a whole lot more than talent to succeed as a musician. It’s hard to accept this, but there comes a point where, as talent increases, luck is more important. As the general population in any one area (music, sports, business…) increases in talent and skill and knowledge, that of the individual is harder to distinguish.*
So what to do?
Develop good life skills and habits to help you succeed. From MusicianWages.com via Sketchbook: notes about music and the arts:
1. Punctuality. Being late isn’t cool – it’s unprofessional. If you’re always late, word will get out.
2. Sight-Reading. Musicians who can sight-read can save employers time (and money) if a song gets substituted at the last minutes. Sight-reading also deepens your knowledge of music and theory, plus it gives you an edge on your competition.
3. Sociability. Don’t be a jerk. You can be replaced.
4. Consistency. Make sure people who hire you always see you as positive and upbeat.
5. Flexibility …roll with the changes.
“If you’ve done everything you can to put yourself in a position to succeed, you should accept whatever results appear. Some days you’ll be lucky, and the results will exceed your expectations. Some days the results will be disappointing because of bad luck. The best plan will be to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and get ready to do it again tomorrow.“*
Robert Oliver, author of the Sketchbook blog, consistently posts excellent articles and advice about the industry. Check out his blog.
*Michael Mauboissin, The Paradox of Skill at changethis.com. (Thank you, Dave)
Image: I Like Pianos
Related articles
- Sight reading (sethgodin.typepad.com)
- Sight-reading – you know you love it……Three tips to have you sight-reading like a legend! (classicalguitarnstuff.com)
- Five Traits of a Professional Musician (MusicianWages.com)
How flattering, LaDona! Thanks so much for your kind words. And your point is well-made. Talent may get a musician noticed, but one needs a good combination of business, social, and musical skills to keep that attention focused.
So true! I’ve seen way too many talented people fall by the wayside. Thanks for your comments, Robert, and all your posts.
Great article! It’s so important to remember the luck factor. There’s a plethora of conservatoire-trained instrumentalists (particularly violinsits) out there, and a mere handful of jobs. The best and the luckiest will get them. If only talent were everything!
Even the violinists that do get jobs usually find it doesn’t pay well enough and end up supplementing the income. Not an easy business!
Are we speaking from experience about violinists?
Yep! I’m a violinist/violist, and am in university (had to restart completely after attending an American uni), so by this point I’ve dipped my toes into the industry a fair bit. We get hired out by the school to play in events, orchestras, etc., and it seems to be a pretty good taste of what awaits. Intimidating! But I guess no one does it because it’s ‘easy’!
Hi LaDona,
great article and thanks very much for the link to my post!
Nicole
PS – BTW, it’s Nicole from classicalguitarnstuff.com!