If you are wanting to advance in your chosen careers in the music business, the first step is to choose a major. There are many different majors to choose from such as Marketing, Business Management, Music History, Music Theory, Music Production, Audio Engineering, and Music Marketing and Promotion. These are just a few of the common majors available but there are many others to explore. Master’s Degrees can be obtained in Business and Management, Music History, Music Theory, Music Production, Audio Engineering, and Music Marketing and Promotion.
Once you have decided on your major, there are several other important factors that must be considered. You will need to find an appropriate major or level to focus your career or advanced degrees. There are several possibilities including, Accounting, Finance, Criminal Justice, Education, English, Graphic Design, Health and Human Services, Law, Marketing, Social Sciences, and Social Service. There are many more online and on-campus programs offered that offer careers in music business program.
The next step is to determine your areas of interest and what you hope to accomplish by obtaining your diplomas. Careers in music business jobs begin with your education; there is no point to obtain one without a sound educational foundation. Some of the degrees you may want to consider include, Masters of Arts in Music (Mamus), Associates Degrees in Music (ADAM), and Bachelors Degrees in Music (Bhm). The higher your degrees, the more lucrative careers in music business jobs you will have.
Other careers in music business jobs revolve around being an artist manager/booking agent. An artist manager is a professional who helps promote and market an artist. A booking agent has the duty to shop venues for an artist and negotiate package deals for the artists. They also handle booking information for an artist such as their financial aid papers, visa information and any other miscellaneous issues. Booking agents have the final say when it comes to artist’s tour schedules.
Another career in music business jobs involves becoming a recording engineer or a music producer. A music producer uses sound equipment to put together a track and record it. Music producers can be found in both independently owned and signed record labels, though the majority of recording studios are now operated by major labels. In order to obtain careers in the music business, you must first have experience producing music or in the field of music production.
Musicians who want careers in the music business as a manager should consider developing a management style similar to the ones they learned in school. Students should select a mentor and learn as much about the business as possible. Learning about careers in the music business from a mentor will allow you to better understand what being a manager entails. A good manager will be involved with all aspects of a musician’s career, keeping them informed on important decisions and helping them grow as artists.
If you don’t plan to be a part of the music industry as an artist or manager, there are still other careers in the music business that you can explore. As a music performance or audio engineer, you will typically perform before an audience and professionally evaluate the sound quality of the performers. You may also be asked to run equipment and troubleshoot problems. This career involves working with professionals such as radio DJ’s and sound engineers.
A final career in music business is being a music agent or manager. If you like to meet and get to know new people in the business, becoming a music agent could be a great choice for you. To be successful as a music performance and audio engineer, you should also have a broad understanding of business etiquette, leadership and teambuilding. These traits will serve you well as a manager and agent.