Top 10 Remote Music Jobs

The digital age and remote work after Covid19 has radically transformed the music industry, changing the way music is performed and created. Currently, musicians have more opportunities than ever to work remotely in a variety of roles. In this article, we will explore the top 10 remote music jobs that are reshaping how music professionals build their careers.

Online music lessons

Private lessons have been the go-to way for musicians to make a living since the days of Bach. However, modern video conferencing technologies have eliminated the need for music lessons to be done in-person.

The great thing about online music lessons is that you don’t need to be a virtuoso. If you’ve been playing long enough, there’s surely someone out there who can learn from you.

Music lessons can be a lucrative career, with some teachers charging up to $50 per hour. Guitar and piano lessons are the most popular sectors, but teaching a less common instrument helps you stay niched and have a leg up on the competition.

While this job needs less technical proficiency, you need great teaching skills to keep your students growing and excited.

Session musician

Did you play in a band while you were in high school? Do you have years of experience performing in studio settings? Being a session musician might be the right fit for you. Hiring local talent can be risky for artists and producers, leading to a recent surge in demand for talented remote session musicians.

Typically, you’ll be sent a sample of the song and then asked to record an accompanying track. This job can be tricky for newcomers as it requires you to be extremely versatile with your styles and adapt to the client’s needs. Furthermore, you need to own a personal studio and high-quality recording equipment to land top clients.

Song writing

Writing songs for other artists has been a popular remote job for as long as music has existed. Typically, songwriters create demos and pitch them to artists or labels.

But that only scratches the surface of songwriting. There’s a huge market for writing jingles and intros/outros for corporate use. This field is more newcomer-friendly as well, since the work is clearly defined and you don’t need connections or a reputation to submit a pitch. Also - working on a song is suited well for those working remotely - as it gives you plenty of space and quiet to work on that perfect song.

Mixing and mastering

Mixing and mastering is the art that separates professional music productions from regular recordings. A mixing engineer compiles the various tracks in a song and utilises panning, equalising and a variety of special effects to give it a polished sound, matching the genre and style that's needed.

As a remote audio engineer, you’ll likely receive a set of stems from your client, to edit, mix and master. Mixing engineers typically specialise in genres such as rock, EDM, Hip-Hop, RnB etc. It's best to start building a portfolio from various mixing & mastering projects, and trying many varities of styles and genres in the beginning! Special effects and mixing for other media such as TV, movie, etc is also a great industry to grow in, but it's highly genre and industry specific.

Soundtrack composer

You’re probably thinking this job is best left to folks like Hans Zimmer, but soundtrack composition is not limited to Hollywood. Think about all the other forms of media that use background music: Video games, ads, YouTube videos; the possibilities are endless.

A good soundtrack can set the tone for a piece of media. You need to have a great understanding of conveying emotions through music and orchestral dynamics to excel in this job.

DJ sets and mashups

If you are someone who likes making mixtapes for fun, this is a great little niche to make some money from your skills. Freelancing platforms like Fiverr and Upwork have made it possible for people to order custom mixes and playlists which they can use for their parties, workouts, and everything else in between.

However, you should keep in mind that prices for this service are at the lower end compared to other remote music jobs. As a full time DJ, you will still need to supplement your income with in-person gigs.

A&R Representative

A&R stands for Artists and Repertoire. An A&R professional typically works for a record label to discover new talents, sign them to the label, and guide them through their careers.

Working remotely as an A&R representative means that you will primarily focus on finding up-and-coming talents for the label to reach out to. Working in A&R can be a heavy responsibility as you will be held responsible for the artist’s success or failure.

Music journalism

One way to use your expertise as a musician is to write about it. Blogs, magazines, and other publications are always on the lookout for new contributors. The more experience you have as a musician, the more valuable your insights become.

Typically, music journalists find consistent work by reviewing new albums or concerts. However, instructional articles, top-10s and opinion pieces are also in high demand.

Beatmaker

A beatmaker creates and sells beats for other artists to use on their tracks. Typically, your client will specify a genre or an artist they want to emulate. Beatmakers typically work in the R&B/Hip-Hop/Rap space, so this job is ideal for musicians who enjoy these genres.

Being a remote beatmaker can be a tricky job as communication is key for this type of project. Be prepared to do quite a few revisions and minor edits to perfectly capture your client’s vision.

Music transcription

Music transcription is a remote job that is best suited for classically trained musicians. A client will send you either a song they’ve heard or an original composition. Your job is to convert the recording into sheet music for either a single instrument or a band/orchestra.

In this job, it's important to consider the client’s skill level as well as their creative requirements. you might have to simplify the piece or add ornaments to make it sound better.  

Whether you're a seasoned professional or an amateur trying to make a name for themself, these 10 positions are perfect opportunities to kick off your remote music career!
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We also have an in-depth articles that will help you land a job in the music industry! Find out in our blog page.

The number of opportunities may surprise you, and you won’t need to be an expert concert pianist to succeed. If you're considering a path in the music industry, take the first steps and follow your dreams! Read The Beginner's Guide to Working in Music for you to get started!