Alternative Ways to Make Money as a Music Producer in 2024
- Michele
- 23 January 2024, Tuesday
Over recent years, music production has become much more accessible, allowing more people to become part of the music industry. At the same time, it has become increasingly difficult to earn money online — competition and AI tools are only two factors that make it challenging for producers to make a living. For this reason, we would like to explore alternative ways for music producers to make money in 2024.
1. Freelance copywriting for music blogs
While it is unclear whether writing gigs will survive the AI revolution, for now, they remain a potential source of income for those who want to look into them. Experienced music producers can get into freelance writing and contribute to music-related blogs and magazines. All you have to do is prepare some writing samples, send them to blogs you would like to write for, and see what happens!
2. Streaming royalties
Next to selling your beats and instrumentals on BeatStars or similar websites, you should also upload your music to Spotify, Apple Music, and other streaming platforms. This will allow you to earn money by collecting royalties each time someone listens to your song.
3. Offering courses live and online
Instead of keeping all your knowledge to yourself, you can share it with others and help them achieve their goals faster while also earning money. If you live in a city, you can teach people how to make beats and instrumentals with a DAW in person.
Alternatively, you can offer online courses and work with people regardless of where they are located. If you have a YouTube channel, you can also start monetizing your videos and offer further content on subscription platforms such as Patreon.
4. Sample packs and drum packs
Samples are popular among producers regardless of whether they are beginners or professionals. You can earn money by creating your own loops and samples and selling them to other artists. Make sure your sample pack is unique enough to stand out and make people want to purchase it. Similarly, you can get into sound design and create your own drum samples, including sound effects.
5. Monetize your other skills
Most of us have more than one skill that can be monetized. Music producers are often their own mixing engineers and mastering engineers, social media managers, or video editors. Skills like these are valuable and could be offered on platforms such as Fiverr. Make sure to also promote them on your socials, so people know what else you have to offer.
6. Do not limit yourself to one target audience
As a producer, you can use your beats and instrumentals in many different contexts. You can make music for commercials and brands, or work with independent filmmakers and YouTubers. Feel free to look into our article on how to sell a song to find out more about the process and details.
7. Sponsorships
If you already have a larger audience, brands and companies might be willing to sponsor you or send you free products in exchange for an ad on your page. Companies usually tend to reach out on their own, but you can also do your research and contact those that seem interesting to you.
8. Donations
While donations are not a reliable source of income, there is nothing wrong with asking for support from your community in times of need. Many people are willing to help when they like and appreciate you and your craft. Some good donation sites are gofundme or buymeacoffee.
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