If you are like me then you love music and intend to make it the largest part of your life. Not all of us were creatively gifted enough to be musicians yet still have the passion for music and melody instilled permanently on the soul. The music business is a rapidly growing industry that offers dozens of rewarding careers to musicians and those less gifted in the musical arts.
The industry is continuously hiring many skilled positions. Needed is artist management, lyricists, composers, sound engineers, booking agents, publishers, concert promoters, public relations, lawyers, accountants, and many others. From roadie to executive label A&R you would be surprised at how many of these positions can start out at the entry or apprentice level.
Although the music business is a multi billion dollar industry, there is one thing however that I need to quickly impart to you; most of the money in the music industry is earned by a select few that are at the top of the game, and the rest of us work extremely hard, extremely long hours, for way less money. The pay off is loving your job and being able to work at something you are truly passionate about. If you are ambitious, creative, and tenacious then you stand a great chance of making it because those are the qualities most sought after. The truth of the matter is if you love what you do, and you are good at it, the financial pay off will eventually be there.
BREAK DOWN
This is just a very small sampling of some of the different careers you could choose in the industry. If you are serious about it there is a book you can buy called "101 Careers in the Music Business"
Songwriters
It all starts with the songwriters and composers, the ones who essentially create the music. Once their job is done the real work begins, and is supported by ever level of the business.
Below are some of the jobs you might come across in the music business. This certainly doesn't cover the broad spectrum but simply highlights some of the major career choices possible.
A & R Rep
A & R stands for "Artist and Repertoire" but actually means many different things. An A& R person is generally responsible for finding the musicians for the label to sign a record deal with, or finding the songs that are to be recorded. They are the finder of talent and the initial liaison between the artist and the record company executives.
Booking Agent
A Booking agent is the go between the artists and the clubs or concert venues, and generally books tours for the band. They are in charge of establishing relationships with venues all over the country where music is played. Booking agents don't usually come into the musical fold until an artist is popular enough to be in demand. They receive a percentage of the artist's payment from performing, so they typically work with larger acts that already have an established record deal.
Artist Manager
A manager's job is to promote the artist at all times to every source. There is usually a separate manager to handle business and financial affairs but an Artist Manager is responsible for a broad range of jobs such as scheduling, dealing with the record company, publishing deals, dealing with booking agents, endorsements, and all promotions. A Manager is usually paid anywhere between 15-25% of the artists total earnings but that is a varied and very negotiable percentage.
Tour Manager
When an artist goes out on tour, they will need a tour manager to keep track of them and make sure everything goes according to their itinerary. They are generally responsible for securing accommodations for the entire band and crew, make sure everyone arrives at the venue on time and ready for load in and sound check, getting the buses and equipment to each tour stop, setting up merchandise sales, and making sure that the artists Contract Rider is honored by each venue (catering, specifications, etc...) Tour manager is a job that requires a huge amount of patience and a love for traveling and living on a bus or in a van.
Record Producer
A record producer can wear many hats. Everything from paying for the actual studio time, making creative decisions, directing engineers and hired musicians, and staying within a budget. They are essentially responsible for the finished product of the album. They are often a huge part of the creative process and take part in deciding which songs appear and in what order they will stand on the record.
Engineer
The engineer is the studio tech who actually records the albums, dials everything in, sets up the microphone and equipment in the studio. It requires loads of patience and advanced education and technological knowledge. You have to be able to work with musicians that can sometimes be difficult, impatient, and even unknowledgeable of the process.
