When it comes to being an active musician who gigs a lot, and most especially a musician who tours, it can be hard finding a day-job that actually allows you to take the time off that you need. Being able to actually support yourself through playing music is an extremely difficult task and a very unstable source of income. Yet trying to find a day-job that allows you the flexibility needed to constantly take time off (especially extended periods of time for touring) can be difficult. Here is a list of some of the best day jobs for gigging musicians.
Music Instructor
One of the best ways to make money as a musician is to teach lessons on the instrument(s) you play. By becoming a music instructor you can set your own schedule and the pay can be really good. For multi-instrumentalists this is a great gig because you can build a large clientele by offering lessons on multiple instruments. Even better, it is an amazing way to advance and hone your own skills. There are a few ways you can go about becoming a music instructor; you can seek out local shops who host instructors to teach at their shop or you can offer your services independently by hosting lessons at your house or doing lessons at the student's house. Unfortunately this isn't the most stable of jobs and students tend to cancel lessons, often, which can cut big into your expected income. One great thing is it isn't too hard to teach music lessons while also working another part-time job for stable income.
Average Pay - $30-$50/hr
Financial Stability - Low
Time Flexibility - High
Benefits Offered - None
Experience Needed - Knowledge of music theory, musical ability, and ability to teach/communicate ideas
Degree/Certificate Needed - No
Notes - You will need lots of patience, especially with younger kids
Food Industry
This is probably the most common job for musicians and other 'starving artists' types (painters, photographers, actors, etc). There are all types of jobs including dishwasher, cook, host, server, bartender, busser, caterer, bar-back, and probably even more than that but the main thing about it all is almost anyone can do it with no experience. Turnover in the food industry is high so a lot of restaurants are willing to work around musicians schedules to ensure they can fully staff their establishment. Pay can vary depending on the position you get, the type of restaurant, and where it's located but in my experience it is often higher on average for front-of-house workers (servers, hosts, bartenders), usually hovering around $10-$12/hr on average, as opposed to the back-of-house which gets about $8-$10/hr on average. FOH workers get most of their income from tips so their pay isn't as stable as BOH workers who see most pay through their hourly wages and usually doesn't see any tips. Be ready for long and tedious hours in this industry as well as being around lots of hot and sharp objects that can quickly end your ability to play your instrument properly.
Average Pay - $8-$12/hr
Financial Stability - Medium
Time Flexibility - Medium
Benefits Offered - Rarely
Experience Needed - No
Degree/Certificate Needed - No
Notes - High turnover
Temp Jobs
The whole concept of temporary jobs works perfectly for musicians because you don't have a full-time commitment for each job and can work around your schedule. Temp jobs were originally used as a way to get one's foot in the door in a new career but are now also used by people who do work that is seasonal or unstable, such as musicians. This article is a great source of information if you'd like to go this route. The jobs offered vary widely as well as the pay, usually ranging from $10-$30/hr depending on the field, and is utilized by almost every field of industry. Different temp agencies will work with different industries and you can usually find a wide array of agencies in every city but expect a small percentage of each paycheck to go to the agency. Some temp agencies even offer benefit programs and employee perks. You can also look through classifieds (print and online) or visit businesses during peak-months and see if they are looking for additional seasonal staff.
Average Pay - $10-$30/hr
Financial Stability - Medium
Time Flexibility - High
Benefits Offered - Sometimes
Experience Needed - Yes, but varies by field
Degree/Certificate Needed - Varies
Notes -
Freelance
Freelance work can vary, usually requires lots of experience, and is sometimes just as an unstable as trying to make a living as a musician, so even if you choose to freelance along with doing music you most likely will need another income source as well. The best examples of freelance work are Graphic Design, Videography, and Photography. You'll need to be very entrepreneurial to go this route and should understand how to sell yourself and your service. Pay varies per project and is often based on your experience, availability, quality of work, and competition in the area. If you are just building your portfolio then expect to give some great deals but be realistic about what you charge, most freelance work requires a lot of overhead expenses (often in the form of expensive equipment and software) so don't lowball yourself because you'll end up costing yourself money with little return.
Average Pay - Varies per project
Financial Stability - Low
Time Flexibility - High
Benefits Offered - No
Experience Needed - Yes
Degree/Certificate Needed - No but it would allow you to charge a higher fee
Notes - Usually requires an initial investment in expensive equipment and software.
Hired Musician
What I mean by a hired musician is a musician who is paid a steady wage to play their instrument. This is often in the form of being a studio musician but can also include live music as well. This is similar to freelance work in that you have to be somewhat entrepreneurial and build a network of contacts who hire musicians, selling yourself and your talent to build that network. Pay varies greatly from project to project and each job often requires you to have some equipment although being a gigging musician already it is likely you will have what you need, so overhead costs aren't that bad.
Average Pay - Varies per project
Financial Stability - Low
Time Flexibility - High
Benefits Offered - No
Experience Needed - Yes
Degree/Certificate Needed - No, but some projects may recommend it
Notes - An advanced knowledge of Music Theory will help you find more jobs
----------------------------
When it comes to finding a day-job as a musician there are a few things that will help you manage your work schedule and band schedule. First, decide on a specific time(s) each week in which you will practice, this way you can let your employer know these times aren't available for your work schedule. Secondly, make sure all shows are booked 2-3 months in advance. Most company policies require employees to put in time-off 2-3 weeks in advance, so by booking way ahead of time you allow your employer more than enough time to work around your schedule. Lastly, make a calendar of your own with all your work 'black-out' dates and those of your bandmates, that way it is a quick reference while booking shows to see what dates aren't doable.
One of the best ways to make money as a musician is to teach lessons on the instrument(s) you play. By becoming a music instructor you can set your own schedule and the pay can be really good. For multi-instrumentalists this is a great gig because you can build a large clientele by offering lessons on multiple instruments. Even better, it is an amazing way to advance and hone your own skills. There are a few ways you can go about becoming a music instructor; you can seek out local shops who host instructors to teach at their shop or you can offer your services independently by hosting lessons at your house or doing lessons at the student's house. Unfortunately this isn't the most stable of jobs and students tend to cancel lessons, often, which can cut big into your expected income. One great thing is it isn't too hard to teach music lessons while also working another part-time job for stable income.
Average Pay - $30-$50/hr
Financial Stability - Low
Time Flexibility - High
Benefits Offered - None
Experience Needed - Knowledge of music theory, musical ability, and ability to teach/communicate ideas
Degree/Certificate Needed - No
Notes - You will need lots of patience, especially with younger kids
Food Industry
This is probably the most common job for musicians and other 'starving artists' types (painters, photographers, actors, etc). There are all types of jobs including dishwasher, cook, host, server, bartender, busser, caterer, bar-back, and probably even more than that but the main thing about it all is almost anyone can do it with no experience. Turnover in the food industry is high so a lot of restaurants are willing to work around musicians schedules to ensure they can fully staff their establishment. Pay can vary depending on the position you get, the type of restaurant, and where it's located but in my experience it is often higher on average for front-of-house workers (servers, hosts, bartenders), usually hovering around $10-$12/hr on average, as opposed to the back-of-house which gets about $8-$10/hr on average. FOH workers get most of their income from tips so their pay isn't as stable as BOH workers who see most pay through their hourly wages and usually doesn't see any tips. Be ready for long and tedious hours in this industry as well as being around lots of hot and sharp objects that can quickly end your ability to play your instrument properly.Average Pay - $8-$12/hr
Financial Stability - Medium
Time Flexibility - Medium
Benefits Offered - Rarely
Experience Needed - No
Degree/Certificate Needed - No
Notes - High turnover
Temp Jobs
The whole concept of temporary jobs works perfectly for musicians because you don't have a full-time commitment for each job and can work around your schedule. Temp jobs were originally used as a way to get one's foot in the door in a new career but are now also used by people who do work that is seasonal or unstable, such as musicians. This article is a great source of information if you'd like to go this route. The jobs offered vary widely as well as the pay, usually ranging from $10-$30/hr depending on the field, and is utilized by almost every field of industry. Different temp agencies will work with different industries and you can usually find a wide array of agencies in every city but expect a small percentage of each paycheck to go to the agency. Some temp agencies even offer benefit programs and employee perks. You can also look through classifieds (print and online) or visit businesses during peak-months and see if they are looking for additional seasonal staff.
Average Pay - $10-$30/hr
Financial Stability - Medium
Time Flexibility - High
Benefits Offered - Sometimes
Experience Needed - Yes, but varies by field
Degree/Certificate Needed - Varies
Notes -
Freelance
Freelance work can vary, usually requires lots of experience, and is sometimes just as an unstable as trying to make a living as a musician, so even if you choose to freelance along with doing music you most likely will need another income source as well. The best examples of freelance work are Graphic Design, Videography, and Photography. You'll need to be very entrepreneurial to go this route and should understand how to sell yourself and your service. Pay varies per project and is often based on your experience, availability, quality of work, and competition in the area. If you are just building your portfolio then expect to give some great deals but be realistic about what you charge, most freelance work requires a lot of overhead expenses (often in the form of expensive equipment and software) so don't lowball yourself because you'll end up costing yourself money with little return.
Average Pay - Varies per project
Financial Stability - Low
Time Flexibility - High
Benefits Offered - No
Experience Needed - Yes
Degree/Certificate Needed - No but it would allow you to charge a higher fee
Notes - Usually requires an initial investment in expensive equipment and software.
Hired Musician
Average Pay - Varies per project
Financial Stability - Low
Time Flexibility - High
Benefits Offered - No
Experience Needed - Yes
Degree/Certificate Needed - No, but some projects may recommend it
Notes - An advanced knowledge of Music Theory will help you find more jobs
----------------------------
When it comes to finding a day-job as a musician there are a few things that will help you manage your work schedule and band schedule. First, decide on a specific time(s) each week in which you will practice, this way you can let your employer know these times aren't available for your work schedule. Secondly, make sure all shows are booked 2-3 months in advance. Most company policies require employees to put in time-off 2-3 weeks in advance, so by booking way ahead of time you allow your employer more than enough time to work around your schedule. Lastly, make a calendar of your own with all your work 'black-out' dates and those of your bandmates, that way it is a quick reference while booking shows to see what dates aren't doable.
