How do you make $$ in the business, besides performing

My son and I were talking about the music business last night.

I have a day job and play in a band for fun and recreation, it's my golf. We play parties and a few bar gigs. I write a few tunes and have fun recording them

He is a business student and is in a couple of metal bands. He writes a few tunes and has fun recording them but he sees the remoteness of making it big as a performer in the music business but loves the "scene". It's sorta like making it in the NHL.

I guess I'm the practical father who wants to see his son succeed while doing it in a field he loves. (As Dane Cook jokingly says, why do you care about being late for work if you hate your job)

He's wondering about other $$ opportunities in the business. Maybe doing three or four things to make ends meet while persuing the "dream". Perhaps moving to a music business school

What kinds of music jobs do you guys and gals do?

Teach? Play? Sell instruments? Repair? recording etc., Sound, Managing, promoting? Performing

This might be an interesting thread, just to see what kind of options people have taken over their working lives

For the US citizens, enjoy your holiday today

I've done a bit of everything to help supplement my income and still do what I love. Barely out of high school and a week after dropping out of college I got a sales job at a local music chain. I was the only one who knew anything about pianos and digital keys, while everyone else knew about sheet music and guitars. I knew about all of those as well, but because I was good with the pianos I beefed up my commission checks quite a bit. Same time I played in a cover band once a week for a bit of scratch, and kept writing original material.

I finally got tired of sales, packed up and moved across the country to CO with a pretty lass. I worked for Starbucks and played in original bands, and taught guitar/bass lessons like I had during high school. When the girlie and I split, I came back to OH and did nothing for awhile. Took whatever job I could find for the short term, and kept on teaching lessons when I could.

Now through this whole time, I would record people whenever I could. I did a lot of singer/songwriter stuff, bands occasionally, as well as recording my own music. I discovered I really like doing it... hell, I like it better than playing live!

Now it's 4 years later, and I have three jobs... one working at a nicer restaurant (but I'm about done with that), one teaching guitar and bass lessons at a local music academy (link in sig) and producing records and demos on a local level. I also do some scoring work, so I've made some good contact with the local film school. I enjoy what I do (even the restaurant for the most part!) and while I don't make a fantastic living I get to do what I love. I don't have kids, a wife/GF and not much family time so I try to fill it up with my art.

It's the old joke:

Q: How do you make a million dollars in the music biz?

A: Start with two million!

If your son gets up to a higher echelon of bands that goes to even a regional or semi-national level, he can parlay that into a living if he's smart, works hard, and maintains a good reputation. A lot of guys like that have gone on to produce, work for labels, start academies, build instruments, etc etc. that go beyond performing. Baseball is an analogy I use: A good many of the major league baseball managers of winning teams were mediocre players themselves who didn't necessarily distinguish themselves in the bigs. Tony LaRussa us a good example. You don't have to make it to the top to make a good living in music.

...or you could get into starting a music store...new guitars and amps for the rest of your life!...maybe section off part of the store, make a digital studio out of it and offer the college kids in fullsail or whatever to come in and do the sound recording for small local bands at a reasonible price.

At least thats my plan. Skip the whole low income for life part and you would end up looking like Kieth Richards from playing in {censored}ty, smoky bars for life.

On the "artist" side of things the real money is made in owning the label and producing the acts. A very small percentage of the performers make much money and those that do only make it for a small amount of time. Now that's not counting the super groups like aerosmith, stones, kiss, etc. Those guys are set for life, but they also sold their soles to get to where they are.

I think with the change in music distribution and the whole indie craze these days there is big futures in grass roots labels. Something like Steve Vai's Favored Nations record label is a cool model IMO. Basically the musician is responsible for producing and recording the material, his label handles the distribution and marketing and there's a more even split among revenues. I like that model as it's lower risk for the owner, and more of a win-win for the artist.

Kerouac and mcsdude hit the main methods: Teaching, scoring for local agencies and broadcasters, producing other bands, and starting your own label or publishing company.

Side and studio work are also good ways to make $, but as that is 'performing', I didn't include it in the alternatives.

Thanks to all for your advice.

he could be a sound engineer, producer, a&r, or marketing. BUT he should just get a business degree if he can, it's waaay more versatile, if he wants to get into marketing or a&r. Producing and sound engineer will require a music industry or such degree. But the system as we know it is dying which=less jobs in those fields. I would say try and be a sound engineer or producer.

Get the BS in business or management...it's a bit more versatile than the BA and it's a little more favored than the BA.

Take the minimum courses needed in your major to get your degree...figure out how to get at least a few "kool" classes thrown in there. You should be able to get something music related.

Project management and General Computer/network classes are valuable...in fact, many companies are seeking out people with project management degrees...it is absolutely one of the most valuable skills that a person can have in an organization.

Oh ya, finance is a good business background too.

The majority of the kids I graduated with at U Miami with a music business degree aren't working in the music industry. If you REALLY want to get into the business side of things, why should I have to spend 70 credits on theory, composition, performance, conducting, etc? I think my time would have been better spent on a more "business" focused music business program. Sure I took some very specialized music business courses and got a minor in marketing and business admin, but just think if I could have taken 70 more business credits rather than orchestral conducting II and 4 keyboard classes.

Anyway, there are some schools out there offering music business programs focused much more on business rather than music. I believe USC has such a program (I got accepted but I wanted to stay on the Right Coast). But there are a ton of jobs out there in the music business that will offer you a wee bit more stability than an occasional scoring project or teaching lessons and whatnot.

i don't know about the states but in the UK you could be an engineer without having a degree or any qualifications whatsoever - you just need to be a good engineer and network like crazy. I know a first rate live engineer who has toured with Muse, Kasabian, and many others and trust me he's first class but he still only pulls in about $300 per day and it's a tough life especially if you have a family.

I also know a very well respected and connected tour manager who earns similar money - again you're away on tour constantly which is great for you, but not so great for the Mrs.