The three main sources of income for musicians.
- Composing music
- Instructor
- Performance
Even if you compose music, you will not earn any income unless your work is performed; however, composers have historically been protected by a scarcity of works. Yet the deflation of music caused by AI will inevitably lead to a fall in the unit price of composition commissions. Incidentally, the planned inflation currently being pursued by major record labels is expected to collapse as a result of AI-generated tracks being uploaded en masse to subscription services.
Future sources of revenue
- Performance
- Instructor
In my view, composing will become a supplementary activity to performance and teaching.
It is difficult to imagine that commercial performances will cease to exist.
Lessons may specialise in vocal and instrumental performance in order to maintain student numbers.
To avoid becoming a victim of the Industrial Revolution
Have you ever heard the term ‘Luddite movement’ in history lessons? It refers to acts of vandalism carried out by skilled workers who lost their jobs during the Industrial Revolution.
Admittedly, you’re unlikely to see anyone storming into a data centre with dynamite, but on social media and elsewhere, we’re already seeing a trend towards people turning to live performances and education.
The need to sell
Protection afforded by the marketing strategies for commercial success, which are monopolised by major corporations. Recording using expensive equipment. The luxury of being able to devote all one’s time to music. These are the reasons why budding musicians yearn for a major label deal. However, the effectiveness of that marketing is crumbling due to streaming services. High-quality recordings can now be made using inexpensive software. AI support has also reduced the time required for music production.
So, what should I do, as someone who simply wants to make music?
I should focus on creating music that recreates that sense of fulfilment for me. There is no need for the arrogance of wanting to be recognised by anyone. It doesn’t matter whether anyone happens to discover me. It’s simply a matter of the phenomenon of connection occurring. There are already people who are concentrating on finding prompts to express themselves. As I love playing instruments more than anything else, I cannot use AI for composition until a template is released that allows me to use my playing technique as an AI prompt. But the noise of worrying about someone else’s tastes has disappeared.
…When I think about that, my days off become absolutely brilliant.