what can you do with instruments to make money

xi Means To Make Coin
As a Musician

Mike Levitsky
Last updated on May 15, 2019

Learning to play an instrument can be a wonderfully rewarding experience on its own. You proceeds the satisfaction of learning a new skill, the ability to express yourself, and a great deal of other benefits, one of which is the ability to make money.

At a certain point in your musical journey, yous will larn enough cognition and skill to offset earning dorsum some of the money and time you accept put in.

Below I have created a list of 11 things I have done over the years to earn coin using my musical skills and knowledge. I tried to keep each suggestion brief so if you would like to know more well-nigh whatever one topic go out me a comment and I will write an commodity specific to that topic. I promise this list inspires yous to get out and earn a piffling extra cash doing something you love.

In no detail order, hither is the list of ideas on how to make coin as a musician:

Offering individual music lessons is a slap-up way to earn some extra money, it's also an astonishing way to speed up your own learning process. When you lot teach something to someone else it causes you lot to know it on a deeper level.

Education music lessons is something I have been doing since I was in high school. In fact, over the terminal 20 years, I can't think of a time when I did not have at to the lowest degree one educatee.

Having 1-5 students is the sweet spot if you also take a total-time chore or are in school. It'south not a huge time commitment, piece of cake to call back what each student is working on, and gives yous plenty extra money to really put a dent in something.

Educational activity is a great option if y'all are looking to make some actress fun money or saving up for your next piece of gear. If you work difficult at acquiring students, you tin even do this full time.

Look to make anywhere from $x-$200 per 60 minutes depending on your skill level and the area you lot live in. I typically charge $twenty per half 60 minutes; this is very much on the low side for my area and skill level, just I mostly teach friends and people from the church.

Then what practise you demand to get started?

You volition need to be able to play an instrument at a semi-proficient level. I'd say if yous accept been practicing your instrument for i-ii years you should be more than than capable of instruction the basics. Yous but have to be a trivial chip improve than the people you are teaching.

One time you are confident in your skills, you will need a place to teach.

Here y'all actually have three options:

In your own Abode

Pros

Cons

In the Homes of Students

Pros

Cons

At a Music Studio

Pros

Cons

Finally, y'all will need students. Your best choice to first is with the children of your friends and family. From at that place you can make a flyer or throw an add up on craigslist.

If you are interested in going deeper into the topic of teaching private music lessons, and how and where to become students; bank check out this commodity I wrote on how to make a living teaching music lessons. (Coming Soon)

Pros

Cons

Busking can be a lot of fun if you are a decent role player and if the crowds are friendly, It tin likewise be a real downer if you go heckled, or runoff. I tend to look at busking as a style to go paid to do. I don't mean you should go practice your scales on the street corner. Y'all will exist practicing a different set of skills: Entertaining, keeping the audience'southward attention, stage presence, confidence, and playing "that song" with free energy the 100th time you lot play it.

You really just need two things:

A populated area, preferably one where lots of dissimilar people pass by oft.
Exist able to play at to the lowest degree 15 mins worth of music before you repeat yourself. This should be enough of time equally long as people are not sitting down to watch y'all.

Depending on how large of a oversupply yous want to draw, you may need some kind of portable, battery-powered PA.

Where should you busk? Coach stops, railroad train stations, subways, parks, outdoor malls, free tourist attractions, beaches, farmers markets, and street corners of the earth.

PRO Tip: Be sure to await into your city's regulations when it comes to busking. Some cities require special permits in society to play music in public.

Pros

Cons

When I was in college, I had a jazz trio and these types of gigs were our bread and butter. We did pretty well with weddings and parties, but playing coffee shops, wineries, upscale restaurants, and corporate events were what kept the bills paid. You tin can pick up these types of gigs every bit a ring, or as a solo player. Corporations have parties all the time and they are always looking for bands.

The key to landing these gigs is: Being on time and super easy to piece of work with, you also have to be adept. If you tin build some practiced relationships, prove upwardly on time, be professional, and bring a real value to the client, you will become callbacks. We were able to play the aforementioned events and parties year after year considering we did all the aforementioned things.

Getting your foot in the door tin be the hard part. Outset by creating some kind of press package. It tin can be simple, a short bio of the band or person, CD or website with a sample of your playing, list of places you take played, and a toll breakdown. And then hit the streets, send emails, make phone calls, network! Getting gigs is tough, but worth it when you utilise them to build relationships.

Pros

Pay tin can exist adept
Feels absurd to exist in a studio
You volition accept a recording that lasts forever

Cons

Tough to find clients
Can be stressful - Time is money
y'all don't e'er get to play what you lot want

Session playing is i of the more hard suggestions on this list. In club to play sessions, you demand to accept a few things together.

First and foremost yous need to be easy to work with (are you noticing a theme here?). Playing sessions is all virtually giving the customer what they want, information technology's not about you or your "best" licks. Communication is cardinal.

Secondly, you lot need to accept your timing together. Most tracks these days are recorded with a click rail. If you can't play naturally with a click, yous are probably non going to take a great time trying to record with 1.

Thirdly, yous need to exist consequent, meaning you should exist able to play a groove or lick exactly the same a few times in a row. In the studio, you may accept to play a have several times, and it needs to be great every time.

Finally, you will need clients. This can be at a studio, or if yous have access to some bones recording equipment, you can just exercise tracks over the net. This is the hardest office; nearly of the studio work I have done came after someone heard me playing at a gig. Getting out and playing with people as much as possible will increment your chances of getting hired…If you are good and easy to work with.

Build and sell DIY Guitar Stompboxes

Pros

Actually fun for a certain kind of person
Artistic outlet
Return can be proficient if you lot can build fast

Cons

Can be dull
Requires some electronics cognition
May end upwards costing you money

Selling DIY guitar effects pedals was likewise something that I establish out about past accident. When I showtime got into stomp boxes I was newly married and was barely making ends meet. I actually wanted some furnishings pedals for my guitar, only knew I could not beget any. Then I discovered build your own clone, a website devoted to selling effects pedal kits. I learned that I could build my ain pedals for a fraction of the price of ownership a name brand pedal, and they sound just every bit good if not ameliorate. I did not know anything virtually electronics, simply I do beloved a good challenge. Afterward having built almost 25 pedals and selling a few I have learned a few things.

Building pedals is super fun if you like sitting in a chair for hours staring at tiny little numbers and burning your fingers on a soldering atomic number 26.
You volition build more pedals than you lot need, and so in the long run, you really don't salvage any money.
People will pay the same or more for a hand built boutique pedal.

Selling these pedals is non too hard. If you play enough gigs with them on your pedal board somewhen someone will offer you some coin for one.

Here are some BYOC Kits on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2paroOR

This Kit is manner cheaper but does not come with very good instructions: https://amzn.to/2MCQyiz

Here are a few of the Pedals I have made:

Instrument maintenance

The nearly obvious instrument under this category would be pianoforte. Pianos need special tools and skills to be tuned and worked on, but drums and guitars need regular maintenance as well. If you know how to modify heads or guitar strings, you lot might be able to pulsate up a picayune money.

Notice a local school or church and offering to change and tune all their drum heads. Run an add in the local paper offering to change guitar strings, you could go to their firm.

Work at a Music Store

This ane is pretty obvious, put in an application at Guitar Center, Sam Ash, or a local mom and pop store. Non the most glamorous job, simply it is a great place to run into musicians and perchance become yourself into a good band. You volition learn sales skills, people skills, and a lot near gear. If you work difficult you tin can work yourself up to a management position, or motility up to an private company, like Fender or Line6. I have several friends who took this track and at present piece of work for the companies of the products they used to sell.

Write Music

Music writing is a really creative manner to brand some money. The cool part almost writing is, once you have written a piece and ready a sales funnel it can make you money 24/vii. You can practise transcriptions of solos or classic pieces of music. Write original music for school bands, create a method book, or etudes and sell it online. The more yous write the better yous will become. I wrote a lot of music when I was a ring director. I could never discover stuff out there for the instrumentation that I was directing and so I but wrote it myself.

For all instruments I recommend Musescore, Information technology is free and does quite a bit

For drum note, you tin can't beat Aered, The creator allows you to pay what you think information technology is worth.

Worship leader / Church musician

I accept been both a worship leader and a paid church musician. This one simply works if you lot are a Christian, which I am then I have included it.

Many, many churches are looking for part-time worship leaders. Nearly of these churches volition be modest, 40-200 people. If y'all play guitar, or piano, and can sing well yous have a skillful chance of getting the position. Information technology will mean joining a new church and giving up some of the programs that a larger church building has to offer, but you lot will exist able to use your gifts to serve the Lord. You tin can cheque out websites like https://www.churchstaffing.com/ for churches in your area.

On the other side of this money are larger churches looking for musicians. A lot of larger churches pay the members of the band. Many times these jobs are non really advertised so they can be a little hard observe. I would advise checking out the larger local churches in your area and asking if they are looking for musicians. You can too ask to talk to the music pastor. If there are no positions open, at least give them your card or contact number, you lot may get a call if someone gets sick.

Also be sure to bank check out what the church believes and make sure y'all agree with their argument of organized religion. You don't just want to chase coin here, merely discover a way to serve the church and get compensated.

Start A Ring

Depending on the style of music you choose, this tin can be a long route before you make any money. Payment for bands is a strange animal.

I accept made the most money playing Jazz and top twoscore (encompass band) gigs.

Starting a jazz or a height forty band will give y'all access to playing: weddings, corporate events, restaurants, upscale parties etc. These types of gigs pay well. $xx-150 per hour, per person in the band.

Rock bands tend to not make money unless they make it pretty big. To start, most rock bands play at parties, bars, and pay to play at clubs. Once you get a big plenty following you tin can make money on ticket sales, and merch. Soon you will exist able to read my article on how to commencement a ring here.

Terminal thoughts

There are many more ways to earn money in the music industry, but these xi are the ones that I had the most success with. Leave a comment and allow me know how you are earning coin with your musical skills.

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Mike Levitsky

Mike is a Husband, Father, Pastor, and Musician. He is the owner, correspondent, and editor of Drumsandguitar.com.

drakestalich.blogspot.com

Source: https://drumsandguitar.com/lessons/make-money-as-a-musician/

what can you do with instruments to make money

xi Means To Make Coin
As a Musician