What are some good day jobs for a musician?

Question

So I want to make a living in music, but if things get tough I'd like to have some other skill to help me support myself....something with flexible hours, doesn't require extensive eduation...that kinda thing...I've thought about CAD Drafting and web design, and I'm a good writer....are any of these on the right track? And what are some other good jobs that won't heavily interefere (and possbily help) with my career in music?

Answer 1

CAD drafting and web design would be flexible, since you'd be doing freelance work, but those jobs aren't exactly plentiful. And writing isn't exactly a good way to make a living, since jobs are very scarce and there are millions of unemployed writers competing for the few jobs that do exist (trust me -- I worked for years as a freelance writer). The trouble with jobs that offer lots of flexibility is that they tend not to pay very well. But if you were playing with a band, you'd only need evenings and weekends free to pursue music, so any job that had day hours would probably work for you.

I worked for five years as a new reporter while pursuing music, which wasn't ideal because part of my job involved attending evening meetings and covering events that took place weekends. But since then, I've had an ordinary day job (I'm a picture framer) that leaves evenings and weekends free. Some retail jobs are more flexible than others, but most don't leave time for even short tours. Some of my musical friends have worked in video editing, on road crews and even delivering pizzas. Basically, they do whatever they have to do to support their music.

As far as jobs that will help your career, that's a tall order. The only way to garner attention as a musician is to get out there and build a fan base. If you tended bar at a club that features live music, you'd probably have an easy time arranging bookings, but booking shows is pretty easy, anyway. If you've got an affinity for CAD drafting, that sounds worth exploring. It's a shame the job market is so brutal right now, since lots of otherwise good jobs no longer seem promising. But I'm sure whatever job you have, you'll make time for music. That hour per week playing in front of an appreciative audience makes the awfulness of any job worthwhile.
Source(s):
Guitarist/singer/songwriter for 20 years.