A person who has musical talent may want to consider one of the many musician jobs available, though he or she should be aware that these jobs are often difficult to obtain and do not always pay well. The musician is likely to have to start with low-paying jobs and work up from there. Musician jobs may include performance jobs such as becoming a member of a touring band, or recording jobs such as becoming a session musician or even a sound recording engineer. Musicians may also find jobs within the community, such as becoming an organ player at a local church.
Session musician jobs are a great way to get into the industry and perform with a wide range of other performers across different genres. This type of musician will be available to record tracks for albums being recorded by other musicians. A session guitarist, for example, may work with a singer or band that needs a guitar part but does not have a guitarist in the ensemble. The session guitarist will write and record the guitar track instead, thereby providing the band or vocalist with the necessary instrument fill. Session musician jobs allow a musician to network with other musicians and form important relationships while getting paid on a steady basis.
One of the most common musician jobs is that of a music instructor or teacher. A musician may choose to enter the education field, which will require some specific certifications if a teacher intends to teach in a school. If the musician intends to offer music instruction on an independent basis, certification is usually not required. A musician teaching in a school is likely to work with several students at once, often instructing them in the playing and musical theory behind a variety of instruments. An independent teacher may work with only one or two students at a time, offering more private and intensive instruction.
A performance musician performs music live in front of audiences. This is perhaps the least stable of all musician jobs, as a steady income is not guaranteed and it is likely that the musician will need to do a fair amount of traveling to reach different audiences. A musician may choose to go on tour, which means he or she will travel across a country or even the world to play in front of different audiences every night.
