5 easy steps to start making money playing your instrument

You can make a lot of money in your city if you have the ability and the knowledge. Playing a musical instrument is a valuable skill that took time to learn. Why not let all the time you put into it pay off? These tips will help you get started and get enough gigs to get started for real.

1. Know your instrument like the back of your hand

Obviously this is the most important step, I hope most of you reading this are already at that level. It is very important to master the instrument to be able to play new things without practicing. Improvisation and riff playing on the spot is very important when you and your band get requests at a party or start playing with some guys you don’t usually play with. That brings me to the next point.

2. Connect with the musicians around you

You should take every opportunity you get to play with other musicians. Don’t worry about how much they pay you, if at all. I work in a restaurant and after work I used to improvise for hours with the waiters and chefs. In the attic of the restaurant we had drums, bass and guitar ready to play whatever. I’m a saxophonist, so from time to time I would bring my sax to improvise and have fun, but when they had no one to play bass or drums, I would intervene in a piece of any kind. By playing with everyone, you can make connections for future concerts. If any of the guys she used to play with at the restaurant needed someone to sit down and play sax at night in a bar, they’d know who to call. Also, when you need another player to play at night, you will have a long list of contacts who would love to play with you.

3. Take on any gig, even if you think it doesn’t pay well enough

This is an important tip when you start out. A low-paying job can be frustrating at first, but it’s an opportunity to meet people and land other gigs. If you have a business card ready to hand out when people come up and ask you about your band, you can make your name known. When people need a band to play at their party, they will know who to call.

4. Be versatile

The more styles of music you can play, the more concerts you will get. If you play with a blues band and love to play restaurants, bars, clubs, and coffee shops, you may want to branch out and play venues that you normally couldn’t. I’ve played everywhere from weddings to coffee shops and while it’s a huge difference, weddings are usually a much better way to make money than restaurants and bars.

5. Improve your credibility

One trick my mother taught me was to make sure managers know that their customers like you in restaurants and bars. If people keep coming up to you and saying how great you are, just tell them to tell the manager. When the manager hears all the praise people are giving the band that night, he will make sure to hire him again.

If you follow this advice, you will play more often, have fun, and definitely make money. If you have any other tips that you would like to share with other musicians, please post them in the comment section.