What does it mean to have a career in music? It’s a highly competitive field, so how does a musician go about making a living? Only rare superstars make $10,000-$100,000 a show (or more).

The trope of the “starving artist” leads us to believe that musicians must sacrifice material well-being in order to find success: Unless your art is outstanding or your fortune is lucky, you will be struggling to get by. It’s important to underscore that this is not how most people approach a career in music.

The music industry ebbs and flows with culture and the economy. Few jobs related to it are categorized as “stable” (especially in an entertainment industry that’s still recovering from a pandemic). Therefore, the majority of musicians are freelancers. A musician who wears many hats finds many opportunities for work.

Unfortunately, a degree in music rarely leads to a reliable job straight out of college. More often than not, you will work in a variety of niche jobs related to music. Even if they are not your core passion, they will add up to a reasonable income.

There are so many music-related jobs.

There are the obvious ones. You could a performer, composer, arranger, songwriter, producer, DJ or session musician (instrumentalist- for-hire). You can work as an audio engineer for live concerts or in a studio. You could be a private teacher or professor, a conductor, an accompanist, a piano tuner, an instrument technician or an instrument craftsman.

Then there’s the business- heavy music jobs: artist managers, tour managers, booking agents (helps artists get gigs), talent buyers (helps a venue book artists), music publicists and licensing representatives (helps musicians get their music on TV). There’s venue managers, festival directors, tour bus drivers, stage managers and roadies—people who help load in music equipment from trucks to the venue.

You could even be a jingle writer, music therapist or a music store manager (shout-out Brightwood Music in Nederland!). As a producer, you can sell virtual instruments and pre-recorded “samples” online to be used by other musicians. In a live venue you can be a concert photographer, a lighting/laser/ pyrotechnic technician or even work security or bartend. Online, you could be a music blogger or critic. This is just the tip of the iceberg.

While any one of these jobs may not be outstanding money (unless you’re very good at it), if you add up a few of them you’re probably in a reliable situation. The music industry is a challenging one to crack into, so approach it from many angles! Network by talking to musicians and their friends. If the industry doesn’t have the job you want, create it yourself. There’s so many genres, schools, venues… go find the opportunities that await you! Ultimately, being a musician is not about the money. It’s about being involved in art and following your passion.

Jack Gaffney is a local musician and piano teacher. He can be reached at JackGaffney.com.