Career in Music
You’re always humming the latest tunes. Frequenting clubs and concerts blogging about your favorite groups, fixing up old guitars, or writing songs in your head.
The music bug’s bitten you hard.
Music is one of the most profound human achievements and serves as a universal sound that can create emotions and express feelings. Music also soothes the mind. There is rarely anybody who would say that music had not touched in some way at some time in their lives. True, the prime significance of music lies in its unison with inner chords of our life, creating a harmony that often translates us from the immediate din and bustle of life to a state of relaxation and enjoyment.
A person considering a career in music should have a genuine love for music, a musical sense, which means a sense of time and rhythm, besides versatility, creative ability, and also stage confidence.
Music is a hugely diverse industry, with the position for skilled musicians spanning areas ranging from producing and mixing to performance and orchestration.
Just as there is a wide variety of forms in music like classical, folk, jazz, pop, fusion, etc. there are also a variety of opportunities in this field. Besides becoming a performer (vocal or instrumental) or a teacher, one can be a composer/songwriter, music publisher, music journalist, Disc jockeys/video jockeys, music therapist, artist manager, and so on in the music industry.
Educational Qualification for a Career in Music
For such a field there is no specific qualification required to enter into this field. However to take up a course in this subject the basic requirement is 10+2.
| Sr. No. | Courses Offered | Duration of the course |
| 1 | Certificate Course | 1 year |
| 2 | Bachelor Course | 3 years |
| 3 | Diploma Course | 2 years |
| 4 | Post Graduate Course | 2 years |
Some of the known professional courses in Music are:
- Arts (Hons) Music
- Arts (Visual Art/Music/Dance and Drama)
- Arts Music
- Arts in Tabla
- Fine Arts in Sitar
- Fine Arts in Tabla
- Certificate Course in Music
- Certificate Course in Music and Dance
- Certificate Course in Music Appreciation and Music
- Diploma in Music
- Diploma in Tabla
- Diploma in Sitar
- A. in Music
- Phil in Music
- D in Music
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Career in Music – Can you turn that into a rewarding career? Yes, if you’re willing to work at it and choose an appropriate niche. There are scores of different jobs in the music industry. Some popular ones are summarized below. See if any of them strikes a chord with you.
A&R Coordinator/Representative
A&R reps typically work for record labels. In addition to managing and developing current talent, A&Rs also find new artists to work with and sign to the label. This process includes scouting out talent, reviewing demos, negotiating contracts, and helping artists make career decisions once they’ve signed on with the label. A postsecondary degree in music, merchandising, business, communications, or marketing is typically required.
Composer/Song Writer
That catchy earworm from a commercial you heard the other day? Melodies and lyrics don’t write themselves (not yet, anyway). Someone has to compose the music and write the accompanying words. A music composer is responsible for creating that tune. Think Elton John and long-time lyricist partner Bernie Taupin. Music composers should have the training and possibly a degree in music. Lyric writers benefit from a degree in literature or creative writing.
DJ For Clubs
Are you into throwing down a dope set using mixers and turntables? At nightclubs, you’d not only control the music, but you’re also part of it! In-depth knowledge of danceable tunes is essential. Impeccable rhythm and beat are too. Make a name for yourself and create a loyal following. Best be adept with digital technology as well.
Music Festival and Concert Organizer
An incredible amount of unseen effort goes into arranging music events. Booking the talent. Ordering sound equipment. Renting a venue. Marketing the performers and selling tickets. Providing security. Vending merchandise. Maybe you could be part of those processes.
Music Therapist
It is said that “music soothes the savage breast.” Not only that, but it’s proven to aid with psychological health. It’s no coincidence that evidence of musical rituals dates back thousands of years. Music therapists involve their clients in activities that engage the senses, build new skills, and foster well-being. Due to the universal nature of music, this type of therapy is often used with patients that have trouble communicating in a conventional way, such as young children or those with learning disabilities. A psychology-related degree is usually needed, often at the Masters’s level.
Record Label Entrepreneur
Corporate music can become stifling for some. With ambition, financial backing, and enough contacts, you could start your own label. As with any start-up, hours are long and risk of failure high. Hopefully, you have a background in business and connections to talent, producers, studio facilities, marketers, and media-types.
Writer/Journalist – Music Scene
The music industry generates media coverage. Consider TV shows like Entertainment Tonight and magazines such as Rolling Stone. They need writers (and researchers) who gather the latest news, do in-depth stories on recording artists, editorialize on musical trends and social relevancy. Can your fingers play a laptop keyboard like Beethoven’s did a piano? Producing written masterpieces means studying journalism or writing. Staying close to the scene is mandatory.
Musician/Performance Artist
The music industry relies on performers. Singing trios just starting. Grizzled rock band guitarists. Concert pianists. Soloists and ensembles.
Years of music lessons and practice are the baseline. Lifelong dedication to improving your craft and building your reputation from scratch. Even with all that sacrifice, just a fraction of hopefuls makes it.
Instrumentalist
The title ‘instrumentalist’ is an all-encompassing term for a musician who plays one or more musical instruments. Where they play is practically limitless, and instrumentalists can be found in orchestras, bands, or as solo artists. They may also be primarily a touring artist and perform across the country and throughout the world, or they may be located in a primary location, such as a major city’s symphony. Job tasks may also include teaching others how to play via music lessons. Those who want to play in a formal orchestra or other extremely competitive group benefit from a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a music-related field.
Career in Music – WHAT DO RELATED OCCUPATIONS MAKE?
Music isn’t the only career that provides an opportunity for freedom of expression or enjoyment of the arts. Below are several occupations related to music that might intrigue those who have musical talent and creativity, but may not want to work directly in music.
For those interested in a career related to music, understanding the requirements of education and training, as well as the expected salary and projected growth of the field, can help them choose which path to take. The following is a sampling of various music-related professions.
- Craft Artist
- Multimedia Artist and Animator
- Film and Video Editor
- Postsecondary Music Teacher
- Announcer
- Librarian
- Actor
- Recreational Therapist
Career in Music: The Top Colleges Of Music
- Swarnabhoomi Academy Music- http://sam.org.in/
- Calcutta School of Music- https://www.calmusic.org/
- Yale School of Music- https://music.yale.edu/
- Madras Music Academy- https://musicacademymadras.in/
- Delhi School of Music- http://www.delhischoolofmusic.net/
- The Royal Academy of Music- https://www.ram.ac.uk/
- Indiana University – The Jacobs School of Music- https://music.indiana.edu/
Career in Music: Future of the Music Industry
The music business is in the midst of a growth period. With total revenues increased 10 percent in 2018 to $4.6 billion and streaming making up whopping three-quarters of revenue, the industry is healthy albeit putting most of its eggs in the streaming technology basket. In 2019, the “biz” doesn’t look that much different than it did years ago. Sure, most of the dedicated music retail is dead and gone and physical music sales are only a fraction of what they used to be, but we still have major labels, A&Rs, release dates, worldwide tours, recording contracts, record industry executives.
But what will all of this look like in 10 years? 2029 is sure to bring about change in music just as time brings change to other industries. Look what’s happening with the car business now around autonomous vehicles and the beginning stages of driving becoming a thing of the past. We took a look into our crystal ball to highlight some of the ways the music industry will change in 10 years.
- Physicals will be dead…completely.
- An Influx Of Hip-Hop Artist Residences
- Record Labels Will Be A Thing of The Past
- Hit Songs Will Have Even More Staying Power
- Automation Will Be Used In The Song Creation Process
- New Genres Will Emerge
- Augmented Reality Will Be a ‘New Format’ for the Music Business
- There Is “Substantial” Opportunity for Growth in the Music Market – But Streaming Services Must Think Hard About Differentiation
- “Storytelling” Will Become Even More Essential for Artists to Stand Out From the Crowd
India, as a country has always had a rich cultural base and music, has played an important role in establishing it as a nation with a heritage to boast of. Whether it is the famous Tansen, in the Akbar’s court as we read of in the history books or the popular A.R. Rahman whose cassettes and CDs we come across at every music store, the song composition scene in India has vastly changed over the ages. It is here that we have seen music greats like Pandit Ravi Shankar and Bhimsen Joshi and it is here that names like Khayyam and R.D. Burman have flourished.
We hope this is going to be helpful if you are planning to pursue a career in music. For more guidance, feel free to connect with us and provide your feedback as well, so that we can also improve in the future.
