Few people in music do just one thing. Most sustainable careers combine several income streams and roles, and skills learned as a producer open doors far beyond releasing your own records. This chapter maps the territory.
Creative roles
- Producer - shapes recordings creatively and technically, from the song to the final mix. Paid in fees, royalties (points) or both.
- Songwriter and topliner - writes songs for artists and for sync. Paid through publishing royalties.
- Artist - releases music and performs under their own name.
- Composer for media - film, television, advertising, games and production music.
- Sound designer - creates sounds for music, games, film, apps, products and installations.
- Session musician and vocalist - performs on others' recordings, live or remotely.
- Remixer - reworks tracks for labels and artists.
- DJ - performs, curates and often produces.
Technical roles
- Recording engineer - captures performances in the studio.
- Mix engineer - balances and shapes multitrack recordings into a finished mix.
- Mastering engineer - prepares final mixes for release.
- Live sound engineer - front-of-house and monitors.
- Broadcast and post-production audio - TV, film and podcasts.
- Game audio implementation - integrating music and sound into games.
Business roles
- A&R - finds and develops artists and songs for labels and publishers.
- Artist manager - guides an artist's career.
- Booking agent - books live shows.
- Music supervisor - selects and licenses music for screen.
- Label, publishing and distribution staff - marketing, sync, royalties, legal, digital.
- Promoter - puts on live events.
- PR and radio plugging.
Education and content
- Teaching - private tuition, schools, colleges and academies.
- Online content - tutorials, courses, sample packs, presets and community.
Portfolio careers
Most professionals build a portfolio: a producer who mixes for others, teaches, sells sample packs and writes for sync; a songwriter who performs and runs workshops. A portfolio spreads risk and builds skills and contacts across the industry.
Getting started
- Get good - and keep getting better.
- Finish and release work - a body of finished work is your calling card.
- Build relationships - most work comes through people you know.
- Be reliable - meeting deadlines and being easy to work with matters as much as talent.
- Understand the business - contracts, royalties and rights.
- Assist and intern - working alongside professionals is how many careers begin.
Do this now
- List every music role above that interests you and the skills each requires.
- Pick three and research one person working in each - how did they start?
- Write down the income streams you could realistically build in the next year.