Careers as a guitarist?

[ross0_1]

Hey guys first of all im new here so hi

and secondly is my question,

Im sure that music and the guitar is something i want to pursue as a career in the future so i am wondering what jobs are there for guitarists out there other than obviously playing in a band, teaching and session work? if there are any others? I'm 14 by the way. Your help will be very appreciated

Cheers guys x

[chauloko]

Well, if you educate yourself, you can do much more. Composing, arranging, teaching at a school, those are just a few.

[ShadyDave]

I've known a lot of guys over the years who have sought to either formulate a plan of advance for a career in music, or to try and further their own musical career through branching out.....and it's important to realise that the guys who make money doing what they love are both lucky, and in the minority......education DOES help but I've known degree-educated guitarists who work in other fields, and I've known players with a little education who actually achieved some measure of success.

Lets see:

Music Teacher - either private, at an Educational Institution, on a website, or all of the above. It's important to recognise that you can teach to a wide variety of players and levels of ability rather than simply aiming for Berklee.

Composing - a friend of mine works in this capacity for TV shows...but equally you can make jingles, theme tunes, movie scores or write pop hits for others to perform.......the list is almost endless.

Clinician - displaying a companies products to their best advantage is a respected field and many guys seem to do well in this capacity.

Session work - being able to read is a massive advantage, as is the ability to play competantly in a wide range of styles. Remember these days you are quite literally competing with players the world over so your standard needs to be accordingly high.

Band - self explanatory but don't expect to make much money unless you really do hit the "Big Time". This actually deserves a discussion of it's own with the merits of merchandising, paying to play, record deals, promotion, Internet Publications......it's a massive subject and nothing is certain.

Owning/working in Music Retail. It's an old and much-maligned profession but there are still opportunities...again, hotly contested because it's viewed as easy work and yet the amount of inept staff never ceases to amaze me.

[missmisstreater]

You can also get into the publishing side of music - Transcribing works for publication

think of guys like Wolf Marshal

And this logically leads to the role of Author, guys like Troy Stetina make good cash from their books

[Keelan]

I get around £50 a week for teaching kids at a local Youth Centre. Try volunteering at a Youth Centre for a while and see if you get a grant. That is how I did it, even though it's a small start!

[slong]

I think that there aren't much options for those who would want to pursue guitars as their primary career. Though it would be great if you could come close with a band, it is not something that will be sure or at least a stable one. I think that the next best option for you is to go out as an instructor or guitar tutee as some would say it.

But that sill depends on how good you are in imparting your knowledge above your ability to play.

[uiowagreeks]

Its not often you get to work at what you love,It's really very rare.
You know the rush of performing live on stage: the atmosphere of the club (or arena), the crunch of the instruments, the camaraderie among the bands, and hopefully the money you make. Well, when you can't be on stage, you can still capture that vibe working at Guitar Center.

You'll be surrounded by more gear than you ever thought imaginable-from the classic vintage pieces to the latest cutting-edge technology (and yes, we do encourage our customers to try them all out). You'll be assisting today's serious musicians and hottest professionals. Your music education will continue as you learn and are certified on all the "how-to's" via classes, seminars, and clinics presented not only by trained Guitar Center staff, but many of the industry's top instrument manufacturers. And if you've ever imagined the prospect of being responsible for an entire store, its crew, and millions of dollars worth of inventory, that dream could become a reality at Guitar Center.

Guitar Center, the nation's largest music instrument retailer, is growing and has sales, management and operations positions available for career-minded individuals in all our present and future locations. So if you have knowledge or passion for guitars, amps, drums, keyboards, music software, recording equipment or p.a. gear, this is your chance for a rewarding career in the music industry.

We offer great compensation, excellent benefits and a chance to work at what you love. This is not just a regular job, this is the coolest gig you can have off the stage!