What skills are required to be a professional musician today

I have been thinking about this a great deal lately. The music industry has changed since I first started as a professional musician twenty years ago. Imagine what things will be like in twenty years time from now. I am optimistic.

When I started out the key skills were ability on an instrument, teaching skills, people skills and that was largely it. Thinking about what is required of me these days, I came up with this list (in no particular order):

1. playing the guitar
2. understanding a high level of music theory
3. strong sight-reading skill
4. extensive knowledge of many musical styles
5. ability to teach
6. video and audio production skills
7. knowledge of the latest equipment
8. writing skills
9. understanding of social media and openness to the constant changes in this area
10. ability to promote events
11. negotiation skills
12. learning to live with minimal sleep
13. events management
14. knowing how to play a second instrument (piano for me)
15. people skills (this is by no means last in terms of priority)

We can see that this list is substantial and in some ways overwhelming to think of what is required. However, many of these can be combined into manageable groups. That list would look something like (in no particular order):

1. promotion
2. musical skills
3. technology skills
4. people skills

Computers make learning most of these skills less challenging. If I need to know something I google it... or I visit YouTube to find a tutorial. This sharing of information makes life easier and more complicated in some ways. Still, I would not want to go back to the way things were. My first cellphone was a brick and hardly did anything useful compared to my iPhone.

If you have these skills that does not necessarily mean you will have a career in music. There are many more factors that combine to make a career but if you have these skills then you are in a very good position to do well in music. Good luck.

                                                                                Keep in touch:

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/nickgranny

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/nickgranvillemusic

... and you can download my latest album from:  nickgranville.bandcamp.com/album/home