When envisioning the music industry, we are conditioned to picture just a few roles: the artist, their manager, the producer, and a couple other high-profile jobs. In reality, the music that we love passes through several hands—including creative, technical, and business-minded ones—before it hits our ears. If you want to work with music, these four behind-the-scenes jobs will make you a key player in the industry.
An audio engineer is the bridge between the creative and technical sides of music. In this role, you not only need to know what sounds good, but also how to make it sound that way in both concert settings and pre- and post-production during the record-making process. Plus, this in-demand job is very attainable; with a range of training options, including with an online electrical engineering master’s degree or a sound engineering degree, you can be working in the industry in just 19 months.
On the business side of the music industry, A&R is responsible for finding talent and bringing it into labels. But A&R does much more than that, too. According to A&R for Epic Records, Jon Tanners, in an interview for the blog Pigeons and Planes, his job also includes connecting the artist to the other creative who will contribute to their music. To make a long story short: This job is responsible for shaping the entire album.
The music industry wouldn’t function without tours—and tours wouldn’t function without booking agents. With connections to venues worldwide, booking agents match artists to the best concert locations in places around the globe, ensuring that musicians can achieve the exposure they need, while music fans can get their fix of live music.
Have you ever discovered a song from the soundtrack of a movie? You can thank music supervisors for that. This job requires special knowledge of the current musical landscape, as it includes finding and arranging placement of songs in different kinds of media, from radio to television, and of course, movies.
From finding the right venue for artists to play in to creating the best sound conditions within it, there are a number of important roles in making the music industry run. With these behind-the-scenes jobs, you don’t need to be front and center in order to be a real player.