4. Collaborate Frequently
As a music student, collaborations offer a bevy of potential resource. Not only do you get to interact and establish genuine relationships with other musicians, you are provided the option to participate in so many unique events at your school.
Additionally, the collaborations you make in college can last you a lifetime.
I’m not trying to plug anything (since this was four years ago), but you can check out a collaboration I did in college here as an example.
As you can see from the scene, there aren’t just many musicians that I collaborated with – there are dancers, a visual artist, a lighting designer, a live board operator, cameramen, stage crew, and even behind the scenes people that made it all come together. I am still good friends with many of these people, and consider them as exceptionally important people in my contacts list.
When you collaborate, you provide yourself with the opportunity to make friends with high-level musicians like yourself. Additionally, you can become acquainted with people in all sorts of artistic fields; multi-disciplinary and multi-media collaborations can be some of the most exciting collaborations you will ever have.
Knowing more people in your field and in related disciplines translates to being a more resourceful musician. And the best part is, you don’t even have to spend a dime collaborating, especially in college.
3. Post Exciting Videos On YouTube and Sign Up for Their Advertising Program So You Can Make Money
Now here’s a great way to make some money without even having to spend money.
A lot of people don’t think you can make a lot of money on YouTube. Now I don’t have too much experience doing this myself, but apparently, at least half of the people on this Business Insider list of the richest YouTube stars make a six or seven-digit living on making live commentary on video games.
These people don’t make or sell video games. They just talk about them on YouTube.
How do they make so much money?
Simple: they partner up in YouTube’s advertising program. Just about anyone with a YouTube channel can join. They then make more videos and market their videos and gain subscribers until they can live off of YouTube’s advertising program. Pretty ingenious I say.
The real question here, then, is can you make a six or seven-digit living off of YouTube with your music?
My feeling about this is that it can’t hurt to try. I wouldn’t quit all of your other income-generating activities and dedicate your life to YouTube, but I absolutely encourage you to post exciting videos of your playing and see if you can build a following on YouTube.
An example of a classically-trained musician already making huge waves on YouTube who is really amazing is this crossover violinist, Charles Yang. His videos provide a close-up view of the many angles of his playing; this well-executed strategy makes the viewing audience feel as if they are seeing Charles play in person, and it helps establish a good human connection between video and observer.
Of course you don’t have to make such flashy videos, but it couldn’t hurt.
Now talk about a ramen noodle budget way to increase your success and resourcefulness – a large following on YouTube could mean great things for your career, in and out of any associated advertising program.