For many guitarists, a career in music means playing for a band or becoming a solo artist. But not everyone who plays the guitar may want to be in the limelight. Being a guitarist means possessing a set of versatile skills that go beyond mounting the stage. If you want to earn money from those skills, several avenues are available, even if you are not interested in joining a band. So, are you considering turning your love for guitars into a professional career path? Here are three opportunities worth considering.
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Help restore mental health through music therapy
A music therapist uses music within a therapeutic environment to help people cope with mental health issues, emotional challenges, or even physical illness. Recent studies show that over 25,434 US music therapists are currently employed. As a guitarist, you can lead group sessions with soothing compositions or create personalized music experiences for those who need it. Music therapy plays a crucial role in facilitating healing through the power of music. This opportunity is worth considering if you love making a difference in people’s lives. Plus, it’s quite well-paying, as the US salary ranges between $38,000 and $84,000 annually.
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Take part in short-term projects as a session guitarist
Being a session guitarist is a wonderful opportunity if you’re looking for short-term projects to work on and earn a living. A session guitarist is a paid musician who provides a record or live guitar performance for different projects on a short-term basis. The opportunities here are as many as the number of projects that need music in the background. For example, you can contribute to background music in movies, jingles, studio albums, or any other project that needs a guitarist’s input. A session guitarist isn’t necessarily a permanent crew member, even though you may have to join a temporary band to work on some projects. But some session guitarists can also work alone. For instance, you can work as a guitarist playing video game music. You can find loads of helpful materials from experienced professionals if this is an opportunity you want to consider. A session guitarist can make as much as $52,000 annually.
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Join the world of technology as a music software developer
Another career path worth considering if you’re a guitarist has to do with developing software for music. A music software developer specializes in creating software applications and online tools designed specifically for the music industry. This career path is growing rapidly thanks to improvements in the world of technology. If you love programming or coding, this is a massive opportunity to help bridge the gap between music and technology and make a good living. You can create and market guitar apps of your own and work on developing music software, virtual guitars, and other virtual musical instruments, among other exciting opportunities. You can work independently or lend your skills to a software company as a session or studio guitarist. A music software developer can make as much as $124,000 annually.
