I don’t know whether this is a common problem or not, but if someone has a bit of experience in this area I’d be really interesting to hear some advice.
I’m 22 years old and I’m a free agent straight out of university, working as a freelance musician. My main revenue stream is currently amazing. I transcribe music and turn it into sheet music. This allows me to travel as much as I need to, work as much as I like, and unlike most music jobs, it has a far more “free agents” kind of set up, in that it involves being at a computer at home for the bulk of it.
I love this job, and the lifestyle that goes with it, but even at my maximum capacity, it only covers about 80% of the amount I need to bring in every month. What I want is to pick up some kind of work that is similar in nature (home-based, relatively casual hours-wise) but also doesn’t compromise how I currently live with too many commitments. I don’t wanna get rid of everything I’ve worked for over the last year just because it’s falling slightly short, and curious if anyone has experienced something similar.
I would suggest that you look for opportunities within the field of audio and music. You already have these skills, and probably the equipment to deliver high quality files. I am thinking about editing podcasts, voice recording (and possibly background pads and voice-over for video), for corporate clients.
Doing the audio work at events and conferences could be another - not from home, but also not an everyday task. Check with a local businesses that rents AV gear if they have an opening.
It will not be the most exciting work, but you will learn a lot that will be transferable to your music career. “Wax on, wax off…”
Another thing to consider is how you can increase your prices to existing clients. Are you charging the going rate for what you do or are you leaving money on the table?
Good luck with finding something suitable, and thank you for choosing music as your career. It is not an easy path, but it makes the world a better place.
I think you’re right, something podcast-related would be the way to go if that’s an option. I’ve been keeping an eye out for something like that for a while but because that’s a very inter-personal field there’s not gonna just be an opening on a job-site. Nevertheless, I’d be super keen for something like that if it becomes available.
I like the idea of the audio work as well! As you said, something about it not being an everyday thing really appeals to me. I’ll definitely have a look around. I’m all for doing not-so-exciting work if I’m learning stuff or it gives me that little extra bit of freedom!
The money on the table is a bit of an issue, not gonna lie. The company I get work through do pay me about 10% bit less than most of their employees, but that’s because I’m the only person they’re giving a guaranteed workload to. So that does still work out as better for me. I think that because the money I make goes through like 3 middlemen (my employers, Paypal, and then the $-£ exchange rate) that’s probably where that missing percentage ends up. But there’s nothing that can really be done about that as far as I’m aware.
They think highly about your work so as to give you a steady stream of assignments, but in return they reduced your rate? So in return for you agreeing to reduce their risk of not having available talent when a client needs it, they paid themselves more. Maybe find another agency?
That does sound bad ostensibly, but the reason it works out is because prior to this agreement you’d run the risk of only getting like an order a week. Nowadays I have the guarantee of having a backlog to work through basically whenever I work, and I do a pretty standard work week at the minute. So a small percentage decrease in value of work for a way higher percentage of actual work to get done still makes sense for me on paper, but I can see why from the outside that seems outlandish. Or maybe I’ve just got Stockholm Syndrome
I’ve applied to other agencies just as a means of putting feelers out there but nothing’s come up as of yet.
I’m glad you like the music! There’s loads more coming out soon
FYI a local barista who works there weekends only has as his regular gig a low-paying yet highly personally rewarding job at a non-profit. The pay and tips at the high-end coffee shop helps him pay his bills (and gets him out of the house).
So, there are options but, especially with little at 22, you might be asking a little much for a no-compromise, stay-at-home, cas’ income opportunity with little oversight.
Yeah, I think that’s what I’m coming up against now. If this was a done thing, there would be options but seeing as there aren’t really, it is what it is
