As clarified by the internet, the term “freelance musician” are “professional musicians who specialize in performing ‘general business’ gigs” (Berklee College of Music, 2024) which includes “performing at events such as weddings and birthdays, playing on recordings in studios and making music available for use in adverts, films, TV and video games.” Technically speaking, the internet is correct. Freelance musicians interest me, particularly as their work consists of new tasks every day as well as having a job that is unique, which is what intrigues me the most. Additionally, in my opinion, freelance musicians have the greatest ability in the music industry, as they frequently turn up to a job having to sightread for the gig/client, as well as answering job opportunities quickly and efficiently. This is a profession I am looking to pursue as both a trombonist and pianist after I have graduated, as well as being a part-time private music teacher. In this assignment, I will discuss the qualifications and experience required to enter this profession, the knowledge, skills and attributes that are needed for success within the profession, the duties and responsibilities of the profession and the main financial and legal issues that impact this profession. In addition, the marketing and promotional aspects of a freelancer, the intellectual personal challenges of a freelance musician and the career progression opportunities that are available within this profession will be discussed to explore this area of the music industry.

For some, the idea that you must have a degree to become a freelance musician is incorrect. Freelance musicians do not necessarily need to have a degree to become successful in the music industry, for it is advisory for a musician to have a “degree perhaps when dealing with classical” (National Careers Service, 2012) genres. In addition, “you don’t necessarily have to have a degree to be successful” (Cope, 2024) in the field of a freelancer. An example of this can be examined when looking at trombonist Katy Jones (principal trombonist of the Halle orchestra and head of trombone at the Royal Northern College of Music) who first completed a pharmacy degree at the University of Manchester before becoming a successful freelancer and musician at both a leading British orchestra and music college. In theory, a “high level of musical skill and talent” (National Careers Service, 2012) is what is required in order enter the profession of being a freelance musician. In terms of experience, musicians who can quickly adapt to the fast-paced environment of the music industry would suit this job perfectly. Further, musicians who are thoroughly experienced in this field of work are typically more reliable attitude as they have adapted to the lively environment of being a freelancer as they have had a place in the music industry for a prolonged age. In addition, musicians who have experience of collaborating with famous artists would give the freelancer a higher appeal to others in the competitive environment of this industry. Two examples of this can be seen in the work of Carol Jarvis and Barnaby Dickinson, both world-renowned trombonists. Jarvis has freelanced with artists such as Rita Ora and Mancunian-based band Elbow; for this and additional work secured Jarvis’ place as an in demand and reliable trombonist. Additionally, she has played at the opening ceremony of the Invictus Games with Rita Ora and performed with Elbow at opening night of Manchester’s new co-op live arena. Further, Barnaby Dickinson has recently toured with Rick Astley, which further built up his status of being among the best trombonists in the country, alongside Carol Jarvis. Ultimately, these two trombonists are practical examples of musicians who have entered the profession of freelancing and matured into the environment well enough to build on their musical status and income.

The knowledge, skills and personal qualities and attributes that must be maintained by a freelancer are crucial for adapting into the industry. Factors such as strong communication skills, as stated by the Freelance Comer, are pivotal for “working with clients, bandmates and other contacts” (Thornton, 2022) as well as “freelance musicians need to turn up on time and ready to play.” (Thornton 2022) A musician turning up on time makes them reliable and leads to reputability. The significance of networking must not be undermined. By networking with fellow musicians, freelancers can gain contact and obtain effective communication with co-workers, which further increases the likelihood of more potential work. Freelancer’s should uptake a friendly attitude to fellow musicians, as this establishes bonds between musicians, creates a good reputation for them and will offer more jobs opportunities for the freelancer. Furthermore, as commented on by the Freelance Comer, freelancers must be aware of their financial position and income. The webpage states “if they’re self-employed, they need to ensure they’re earning a sustainable income whether it’s from performing, composing, licensing, self-publishing or other revenue” (Thornton, 2022). This information is certainly correct, as the field for freelance work is competitive and income can be problematic. It also mentions the dedication of a freelancer, stating that they should be “putting in the practice and work to constantly be prepared and at the top of their game” (Thornton, 2022). Ultimately, this is what makes sending invoices so crucial for a musician. I have freelanced, twice, when I networked with an amateur dramatic society and was asked to play the lead trombone part in the pit band for both “Guys and Dolls” and “Elf: The Musical.” I gained a seat in the pit band when I was asked by a teacher (who was the musical director) at the music service that I attended. Through networking, this job became available. The knowledge, skills and personal attributes are crucial to a freelance musician’s success – these factors are ultimately what I believe lead to a balanced income as well as gaining a compelling reputation across the industry. 

In terms of a musician’s duties and responsibilities, the Berklee website claims that a musician’s duty should include “marketing themselves, booking gigs, meetings with clients to discuss needs, updating social media and networking to develop a consistent base” (Berklee College of Music, 2024). Similar to the previous paragraph, a communicative and marketing lifestyle holds extreme significance to a freelancers income and position in this side of the industry. Due to the music industries high popularity, the field for these musicians has become competitive as work is at times hard to guarantee – for freelancers must abide to these responsibilities to secure money. Furthermore, the Towergate Insurance website mentions the significance of a freelancer’s own business. It states that “freelancers are responsible for running their business and for its success or failures” (Berklee College of Music, 2024) which is correct, for a freelancer is self-employed unless contacted by an agency or contractor. Self-employed responsibilities are crucial, as the musician would need to ensure that they would be paid directly by the client or the job that they had been contacted to work for. Additionally, freelance musicians are also responsible for their national insurance, any form of tax and any student loan money that needs to be returned. In terms of more financial responsibilities, there is no holiday, sick or maternity pay for a freelancer as they work for themselves as well as no guaranteed automatic pension for them when they have retired from work.

In terms of the financial and legal issues, there are several that impact a freelance musician’s lifestyle and income. For instance, there are several travel issues with problems such as car insurance, money for fuel, general travel costs and paying for parking. Travel insurance may also be required if a musician were to freelance abroad and uptake work in another country. In addition to this, freelance musicians may have problems with income, as money may be inconsistent due to the competitive nature of the music industry as well as issues with finding work itself. Furthermore, a freelancer must deal with damage, costs and repairs to any equipment they need while working. This does not come at a cheap cost, as money will often be spent more than earned, particularly due to issues with faulty equipment or damaged instruments. There was also the global pandemic ‘Covid 19’ that held severe impacts on freelance musicians. In fact, according to the “UK Music” webpage, the impact of Covid 19 “further exposed the need for increased financial aid for freelancers, who often fell through support gaps during restrictions” (UK Music, 2024). This evidence is true, as freelance musicians struggled to find any income, as gigs/venues had government-elected restrictions that imposed limitations on a freelance musicians work. This catastrophe led to a reduction in this field of work, as freelancers had to find new work to remain financially active, such as private online lessons.

The role of marketing and promotion is crucial to this profession, as it is the main aspect of a freelance musician’s income. Freelance musicians often have websites about themselves, which often consists of merchandise or perhaps advertisements for online lessons. An excellent example of this is Barnaby Dickinsons website about his role in the freelancing industry, as it advertises the release of his new trombone funk book, titled “The Modern Brass Player, volume 1” as well as links to his social media accounts. The webpage, in detail, also tells the viewer of who he has toured the globe with, such as Jaimie McCullum and Kylie Minogue – for it shows his musical status and reliability by touring with world-renowned musicians. Further, according to the” Music Jobs” website, “a well-maintained website and active social media profiles can increase visibility” (G, 2024). This statement is correct. Active social media profiles are crucial, as musicians “incorporate music videos, live performances or promotional videos” (McIntyre, 2023) – for this can be achieved on apps such as TikTok, Twitter (X) or Instagram. This would also build up a healthy reputation for the musician, as they will be considered active by a person who will offer them any potential work.

When examining the intellectual and personal challenges together with how these might be dealt with, there are several factors that should be taken into consideration. A way to prevent any challenges is using a calendar, for this assures if a musician is available for work and prevents any muddling up of rehearsals/gigs or accepting a job when in fact the freelancer is occupied with other work. A certain challenge is sickness or stress, as  accepting numerous amounts of work can lead to unnecessary stress and ill health. Evidently, musicians should remain stress free by not overworking and taking work that is manageable and well-paid. According to the MU Young Members Network, freelancers must consider the immediate effects of burn-out, for “it is the result of an unmanageable workload and a strong signal that something needs to change. It means that a musician’s mind is out of synchronization with their body – essentially, the musician has taken too much on and their body is putting on the breaks” (Embleton, 2024; Jones, 2024). Furthermore, freelancers should also understand the negative aftereffects of the competitive nature of the music industry.

Within the freelancing industry, the system of networking presents valuable opportunities to musicians. More significantly, no day is identical to its succeeder, for a freelancers work changes frequently – further providing more development opportunities. Some freelance work includes going on a domestic tour with a theatre company as part of the pit band, for instance. In fact, according to the UK Music website, “those who work as freelancers or the self-employed may do a wide range of roles, spanning from performers, composers, and producers to marketing experts, videographers, and publicists” (UK Music, 2024). An example of this can be examined in the work of trombonist Carol Jarvis, who tours with artists such as Elbow and Rita Ora, for she has become a reliable and exemplary player in the industry, for this has led to her gaining  an invaluable opportunity to tour with famous artists and orchestras. Freelancers often investigate contracts with an agency to increase the likelihood of opportunities for development – for this would almost certainly guarantee work for the musician.

Conclusively, I am beyond fascinated by freelancers as a typical day is different to the next. The work they complete has such variation to it – for it takes skill to be able to adjust to contrasting work that they have accepted to complete. Further, I believe that freelance musicians are admirable, as they regularly turn up to a job having to sightread for work, as well as often answering job opportunities quickly and sometimes without hesitation. The skills and attributes that a freelancer must undertake are vital for themselves to become successful in the music industry, as well being an exemplary player that has a strong reputation for both musical ability and communication.

Bibliography:

Berklee College of Music (2024) General Business Musician (Freelance Musician) Available online: https://www.berklee.edu/careers/roles/general-business-musician [Accessed 10/10/24].

National Careers Service (2012) Musician Available online:  https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/classicalmusician#:~:text=Whatever%20your%20musical%20genre%2C%20you,classical%20music [Accessed 10/10/24].

Cope, S. (2024) How to become a freelancer in 2024 – Upwork. Available online: https://www.upwork.com/resources/how-to-become-a-freelancer#:~:text=You%20don’t%20necessarily%20have,in%20skills%20that%20clients%20need [Accessed 10/10/24]

National Careers Service (2012) Musician Available online: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/classicalmusician#:~:text=Whatever%20your%20musical%20genre%2C%20you,classical%20music [Accessed 10/10/24]

Thornton, D. (2022) How to become a freelance musician – Freelance corner. Available online: https://freelancecorner.co.uk/how-to-become-a-freelance-musician/ [Accessed 10/10/24]

Thornton, D. (2022) How to become a freelance musician – Freelance corner. Available online: https://freelancecorner.co.uk/how-to-become-a-freelance-musician/ [Accessed 11/10/24]

Thornton, D. (2022) How to become a freelance musician – Freelance corner. Available online: https://freelancecorner.co.uk/how-to-become-a-freelance-musician/ [Accessed 11/10/24]

Thornton, D. (2022) How to become a freelance musician – Freelance corner. Available online: https://freelancecorner.co.uk/how-to-become-a-freelance-musician/ [Accessed 12/10/24]

Berklee College of Music (2024) General Business Musician (Freelance Musician) Available Online: https://www.berklee.edu/careers/roles/general-business-musician#:~:text=While%20performing%20is%20their%20primary,all%20come%20with%20the%20territory [Accessed 12/10/24].

Berklee College of Music (2024) General Business Musician (Freelance Musician) Available online: https://www.berklee.edu/careers/roles/general-business-musician#:~:text=While%20performing%20is%20their%20primary,all%20come%20with%20the%20territory [Accessed 13/10/24].

UK Music (2024) Freelancers & Self Employed Available online: https://www.ukmusic.org/policy-campaigns/freelancers-self-employed/ [Accessed 13/10/24].

G, T. (2024) Music Freelancer: How to market yourself, set rates, manage clients – Music Jobs. Available online: https://www.music-jobs.com/usa/article/news/music-freelancer-how-to-market-yourself-set-rates-manage-clients [Accessed 13/10/24]

McIntyre, H. (2023) Music Marketing Strategies for Artists – Careers in Music. Available online: https://www.careersinmusic.com/music-marketing/#:~:text=Videos%20or%20YouTube%20Links%20%E2%80%93%20Incorporate,they%20want%20to%20book%20you. [Accessed 14/10/24]

Embleton, T. (2024); Jones, B. (2024) A Young Freelancers Guide to Mental Health and the Music Industry (page 8) –  The Musicians’ Union. Available online: file:///C:/Users/tdave/Downloads/A-Young-Freelancers-Guide-to-Mental-Health-and-the-Music-Industry.pdf [Accessed 14/10/2024]

UK Music (2024) Freelancers & Self Employed Available online: https://www.ukmusic.org/policy-campaigns/freelancers-self-employed/ [Accessed 15/10/24].