Musician Survival Strategies
Pandemic survival strategies for musicians
Times are tough if you are trying to make a living through music right now but there are ways you can keep yourself going without having to leave the house.
To say things have gotten completely weird in the last few weeks would be putting it mildly. The COVID-19 pandemic has put a third of the world’s population in self-isolation and forced people of all professions to think outside of the box to keep working.
This is especially true of working musicians who rely on gigs and sessions to pay the bills. If you are one of those, no doubt your current and future earnings have taken a major hit in the last few weeks, and you might be wondering how you’re going to cope.
We are working with different parameters and there are challenges still to be seen, but the brave musicians of the world have kept showing up for their craft even in the bleakest of times and they’ll do it again. We imagine you have already begun to think about your next steps but here are some suggestions to get you started as you navigate through this crazy but temporary world we are in.
Live feeds
Music is one of our greatest sources of comfort and healing and everybody is currently in of both. Go live on Facebook, YouTube or Instagram and play some crowd favorites for your social media followers.
Give lessons online (or take them)
Everyone has a lot more time on their hands. There are bound to be some folks who are taking this as an opportunity to finally start playing that guitar they’ve had hanging around for the last few years. Parents are looking for ways to keep their kids occupied and stimulated and that means we are likely to see an increase in children taking proper music lessons in a virtual setting.
Book an online benefit concert – for yourself
A lot of people need help right now and it can feel a bit presumptuous to ask for help, especially when so many people are busy trying to raise funds for the worthy causes that need our support in this difficult time. That being said, within your community, there are people that can and want to help artists. Furthermore, music is going to be crucial in getting us through this without totally losing our minds. We already witnessed the power of song in locked-down Italy, and other parts of the world, where well-loved melodies filled the air from the balconies of those in isolation.
Keep looking ahead
While composing, songwriting, teaching, and recording aren’t guaranteed to make you money immediately this cloud will eventually pass. Life will return to normal, and when it does, you could potentially have a whole new library of work at your disposal. There is an opportunity here to dive into the projects you’ve been putting off while working for hire has occupied the majority of your time. Think about the long-term possibilities that this moment of space and stillness provides and keep giving love to your dreams.
Learn guitar, be creative and follow your passion despite the pandemic! Currently the David Joel Guitar Studio is offering online lessons via Zoom, a cloud-based video conferencing platform during this trying time.