Many of us have dreamed of being rock stars at some point, dedicating ourselves to our music with that image in the back of our heads. While it’s very possible to at least perform and find success in your local scene, paying the bills with this kind of performance is very different.
As with any type of art, those who manage to support themselves through concert performance and record sales are a fraction of the majority. Fortunately, those with a love of music have many other options to explore their love of making music via the internet. From established industries to modern streaming, there are a lot of options available, if you know where to look.
Building a Stepping Stone
Before setting out into the world of online work, you’ll need to ensure you have the right tools for the job. If you’re finding work online, the most important additions are those that translate your music into the digital space. This means the right recording equipment, tools, and environment. Acoustic panels are a must-have to combine with programs like Audacity or OBS Studio. A wide foundation of knowledge here will help you excel later.
For help in getting set up for your instruments of choice, don’t underestimate the use of AI. Artificial intelligence is making waves in the musical industry, inspiring tracks, guidance, and even assistance tools. It’s no substitute for human expertise, but if you’re the type who likes to work alone, then check out what AI offers to back you up.
Your Launching Pad
With your gear set, it’s time to move onto places to find work. One of the best parts about working online is how it grants you access to work far beyond local borders, so there’s always something available. Websites like Upwork and Freelancer can help in gaining experience as you become more comfortable with the process.
Once the tools and work become second nature, you can start upping your price, working on bigger projects, and specializing if something speaks to you. If you don’t know where to start, then a helpful approach can be to think about what goes into every piece of popular music you hear.
Potential Options
Before we get into the more typical areas, there are many untapped niches out there to explore. For example, you might never have thought of the audio used in the online gambling industry. This is a rapidly growing sector and the competition between platforms is so great that people turn to sites that compare new online casino platforms, based on their promotions, reputation and the range of slot games. The huge number of titles being developed means there is a requirement for original music there. New slot sites like Pub Casino and Bally Casino are adding to the market constantly.
This presents an opportunity, as hundreds of thousands of people visit these sites and play these games every day. If they what they hear, it’s brilliant exposure. Keeping an eye out for these kinds of opportunities could help you to get your name out there in a variety of industries built on interactive entertainment like video games too.
On a more performative level, there’s also potential to be found in content creation for services like YouTube and Twitch. YouTube can be great because new names are constantly finding their feet, and once they break out, they might want original music. If you’re following a growing YouTuber or streamer who gels with your style, contacting them for these opportunities might be worth a try.
Another popular route with online music is teaching. Teaching online can be extremely flexible, and while it can present additional challenges over teaching in-person, it’s still a viable career path. If you’re the type of person open to designing teaching plans and working with different time zones, teaching can be a fantastic pursuit.
You could also consider going into streaming or content creation yourself. Tutorials, building beats, and hosting jam sessions are all possible on streaming platforms with the right tech. This approach might be a little less reliable than other areas, it can also be one of the most rewarding in the long-term.
If you want to make work in music as a career, then you need to understand that nothing good comes without hard work. Finding the best match for you could take years, but that in itself provides an opportunity to learn. Music can be as much about the journey as it is the destination, where perseverance can be the ultimate weapon in any musician’s arsenal.
