Making a living as a musician is tough & hard. And also, making a living in Indian sub continent, where pay scale is anyway less, it becomes an uphill battle for a musician to maintain financial stability. I've been in the music Industry for last 4 years as a Dj, Producer & Engineer.
And here are some ways to make money as a musician in India.
1. Produce or play session for other musicians: You can use your skillset to producer or play session for other artists. There are a lot of singer- songwriters looking for electronic producers and producing for them will not only help you earn some money, but also help you grow as a producer since you'll be exploring and working on a wide variety of music. If you're an Instrumentalist, you can play session for other artists and make some quick buck.
Follow your local musicians on Instagram and ask them if they need help with production or any instrument.
2. Make beats and put them out on a lease: With the release of Gully Boy, hip hop music in India has boomed. Lot of new rappers are getting professional work done and putting their songs out. You can use this wave and sell some of your beats to these rappers or put them on a lease. Follow your local rappers on social media or go to offline rap events and contact these rappers. Most of the rappers don't have a good budget, so you won't get paid good, but again, it's a good way to make some money from your productions.
3. Teach other musicians: Teaching is also a really good way to make money out of your skillset. It will not only help you earn good money, but will also let you have an insight of how much you know yourself. You can teach music production, mixing, djing or instruments. Let friends, family, and your followers on social media know that you're up for teaching and see if you can get some leads. You don't really need a fancy setup to get started. Just start with what you have and start taking one to one classes.
4. Work at a studio or set up a small recording studio: If you think you're good with DAW and know your way around, you can always apply to work at a studio. Learn the basics of recording and mixing and apply for an internship. You won't be getting paid enough initially, but in the long run you'll get decent income and you'll also learn a lot.
Alternatively, if you have a budget to set up a small studio, you can also start taking recording projects. Learn the basic from YouTube (Or follow Aurora's Instagram) and get started. Most Singers / Rappers can't afford professional studios so you'll work nice as a cheaper alternative.
5. Start performing at cafes & bars: Or else, start performing. Having the right contacts is essential for getting in the live scene. Try to explore and learn about your scene. See what all events are happening and who are coordinating these events ( You can read more about Indian music scene on our #knowyourscene blog series) . Follow them on social media platforms and build good relation with them. Once they know who you are, ask for gigs. It's a long process but once you get through it and you know your scene and people well, it will help you generate good money.
Hope this guide has helped you. Search #auroraguide for more such blogs. You can also follow Aurora on Instagram & Facebook for more such mini content. Also, join our Facebook group to be super up to date with what's happening in the scene.
Follow me here: Instagram.com/atmusmusic
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