Before you “make it big” as a musician, you’ll probably have to have another job to pay the bills. Some people prefer to have a completely unrelated job. There can be benefits of working a desk job or doing something mindless. Then, you can come home and focus on your passion.

But you can make money from your talents as a musician before or even if you never become famous. And there are so many benefits besides the money:

You’ll be doing something you love
You'll stay in practice, and
You'll connect with fellow musicians or others who can help you take your music career to the next level.

Read on for ideas on how to make those Washingtons (and maybe even Jacksons):

Busking:

Ever wondered what it’s called when people play in subway stations with their guitar cases open? Busking! Busking is a great way to make money and get comfortable playing for crowds. You also get to engage with fans. You never know who you’ll meet!

You can search online to see where you can busk, and whether you need a permit (You don’t in LA, but you do in Santa Monica). Make sure that you have a tip jar. You can also give out promotional items (stickers, buttons, and other small things) and suggest a donation amount. Be careful about actually selling merch, though, because you do need a permit for that in most places.

Don't disregard Busking! If you treat it like a 9-5 and find the right places, you can make a good amount each day.

Gigging:

Many working musicians play shows at local bars or restaurants. There are a few different ways of getting paid for gigs. You aren’t going to be able to charge a ton at first. But if you work at building relationships and pulling in crowds, you can make a pretty penny!

One way to get paid to gig is a “door split deal.” In this arrangement, your pay depends on the number of people who attend the event. You might get anywhere from 50%-80% of the door fee. If you’re starting out, it might be towards the lesser end.

Another way to get paid is through a guaranteed deal. It’s exactly what it sounds like. You make a flat fee, regardless of who shows up. Don’t expect this as a beginner! No matter what, when you gig, don’t forget to set up a merch table and a tip jar to boost your earnings and market yourself!

Hospitality:

As a singer or musician, there are nightlife options for you. Piano bars are on the rise and you can make great money. If you’re an extrovert and enjoy staying up late, this option could be for you. You can make good money from tips alone.

Cabaret bars are another option. If you’re a singer, this could be a good flexible income that can actually pay your bills. Half waiting tables, half performance—it’s like having a standing gig, plus a shift meal!

Cruise ships have the same core entertainment for their entire season. You’ll get to perform for thousands of people, and different people each month. You’ll also get to socialize. You won’t be able to perform your own songs, though, and you’ll have to be comfortable getting a little cheesy.

Sell Stuff

Merch, merch, merch! Even when you do make it big, this will be a major part of your income. Partner with an artist to make a logo, and then put it on anything that represents your brand.

Stickers, T-shirts, guitar picks, the possibilities are endless. You can sell at gigs, and at local shops. If you aren’t selling merch, you are missing out on a great income stream.

You should also make CDs. After a gig, they’re a great tangible way for people to access your music. Many of us still drive cars with CD players (because we haven’t made it big yet). If anything, they will drive people to search for your music on a streaming site, so double money!

Once you paid for high-quality album production, the costs are low. And CDs allow for album art, liner notes, and pictures of you so you can make a lasting impression. You can sell them at gigs, but also to music stores. If you want to get into music stores, start with smaller, local stores, and talk to the buyers. You can sell on commission—meaning you split the percentage of sales with the store.

Streaming Your Music:

Remember that streaming sites like Spotify and Apple music pay you royalties. If you’re able to live off of your royalties, you’d be what some consider “making it big.” But before that—it can be a nice side income stream if it’s combined with some other work.

You have to market your music, though, if you want to get paid. And there are costs associated with actually getting your music streamed. You have to go through a music distribution site like CDbaby, and your royalties don’t all go to your pocket. Even big pop stars make less off of streaming than they did on actual album sales.

This isn’t the most lucrative way to make money, but you need to do it as a musician, anyway, and a little money never hurts!

Monetize on Youtube:

How much money does Youtube pay? That depends. It’s definitely not much unless you have a large following. But like with streaming, this could be a good incentive to up your social media game and promote yourself.

Not all content is eligible for monetization, but YouTube lays it all out, and you can even test it to make sure. How to make money on YouTube:

Ads: If the content is all yours (no covers) and it passes all the other guidelines, ads will pop up on your Youtube video. You’ll get revenue from it. Beware, though, because ads can be a deterrent for people to actually watch your content.
Channel memberships: If you have enough of a following, you can have membership levels for your channel. Again, this might deter some people, so you want to have some stuff available for free too.
Merch: If you’re eligible, you can actually sell branded merch on Youtube… who knew?!
Super Chat: Do you have some superfans that would pay to chat with you? Woohoo! Turn on Super Chat.
YouTube Premium: You don’t have to do anything for this one! Anyone who has YouTube Premium and watches your eligible content pays you. You get a tiny part of their subscription price.

Donations & Crowdfunding:

If you have a website or Youtube channel, many people will want to donate to you. Patreon is a great site for people who just need general donations. People can subscribe to support you, or make a one-time donation.

Crowdfunding is for when you need to fund a project. If you need cash to produce some songs, make a music video, or some other major project, this could be a good option. Kickstarter, and Gofundme are great options.

You will need to market these efforts on social media. Don’t view it as asking for a hand out. People who appreciate your art recognize that it doesn’t pay right away. If they donate, they see value in what you do.

Make Money Doing What You Love:

Some of these strategies can pay all your bills, (maybe not the weekly eyelash extensions). Others can be a nice passive income stream once you’ve set it up. Mix and match for the best results!

Sources:

Busking in Los Angeles: Everything You Need To Know: Tuneupandtravel.com

How a Door Split Deal With a Promoter Works: thebalancecareers.com

Spotify and Apple Music Should Become Record Labels so Musicians can Make a Fair Living: cnbc.com

Choose How you Want to Monetize:support.google.com

How to make money as a musician before you make it big