Does working fully remote in the music industry help or hinder you career? What are the pros & cons?

Whether you’re a performer, producer, or composer, hundreds of remote work opportunities are at your fingertips. In this article, we'll explore the pros and cons of working in remote music jobs - have you thought through all of these points? Most importantly are you the type of person suited to remote work? Let's dive in.

Pros

Flexibility

Having a fixed work schedule can be nice, but life has a habit of disrupting routines, and we all work at different paces (night owls vs early birds for example). Working in a remote job gives you the flexibility to set your own hours and take breaks as you see fit. For many artists, this degree of freedom can produce an immense boost in both creativity and productivity.

Also, working regular office hours forces you to neglect personal projects and opportunities in your music career - such as touring or part-time gigs. With a remote job you're more likely able to explore these options, try new things, and diversify your income streams.

Global Exposure

The great thing about freelancing and the gig economy is that it has created a global marketplace without borders. While previously you would have been lucky to meet a client outside your state, you can now connect with brands, companies ,and team-mates anywhere in the world.

In addition to expanding your income opportunities, global exposure can also contribute to your growth. You'll come across various musical styles and have the chance to work on a more diverse range of projects than with a regular job. Negotiating and collaborating with clients from diverse backgrounds will teach you more about your service than any training can.

Creative freedom

Working with producers, managers, supervisors, and all the other levels of the corporate hierarchy can be suffocating at times. A remote job helps you avoid micromanagement and office politics. You’ll have the freedom to do your best work with minimal guidance.

Working as a freelancer is even more liberating as you get to choose what you want to work on. Your only point of contact is the client, giving you far more control over the project’s creative direction. Some people thrive under this situation, others not so much.

Work from anywhere

For many years, traveling has been one of the greatest challenges of working in the music industry. It’s great when you’re in your 20s, but relocating to where the record labels are or traveling to another city for a recording session is not very practical when you’re married with kids.

Most remote music jobs can be done from the comfort of your own home, meaning you will not have to spend time away from your family. With a decent home setup, you can avoid the hassle of renting studios and wasting time on the road.

Cons

Unstable income

The greatest benefit of having a regular job is the stability. You get a guaranteed paycheck every month, there are benefits such as health insurance, and you cannot be fired overnight. However, remote jobs typically classify you as a freelancer or independent contractor as opposed to an employee. This can bring all sorts of additional work on your end, such as filing your taxes, sorting our health insurance and other requirements as a freelancer.

You'll also likely always be on the lookout for new projects, ensuring you don't keep all your eggs in one basket. This lack of stability also means that you need to invest in maintaining a larger emergency fund to handle unexpected expenses. If you're the type of person who finds this lack of stability stressful, it may be better to look for more in-person jobs that are more stable.

Competitive market

With workers from literally 'anywhere in the world' entering the market, competition for remote music jobs has become very intense in recent years. If you’re just starting out, you might find that you need to settle for a lower fee to stay competitive whilst building a strong portfolio to stand out from the competition.

The process of pitching for work can also be challenging since clients receive hundreds of offers per day. You’ll need to stretch your creativity to its limits just to be noticed. Most musicians quit their remote work journey simply because of the difficulty of landing their first job.

Investing in a workspace and equipment

Escaping the office is great and all, but your clients are still going to expect professional quality work. Performers who work remotely must invest in expensive recording equipment and in some cases, a dedicated home studio.

You need to be able to offer this standard of work from day one, so putting off the purchase until your career takes off is not an option. This initial investment is the primary risk of a remote music career, as your home setup will be useless if you switch back to a regular job.

Isolation and lack of networking opportunities

It's hard to deny the positive effect of being surrounded by other artists while you work on a project. While remote jobs expose you to more diverse clients, you’ll mostly be working alone as opposed to a collaborative environment.

The other drawback of isolation is that you lose the opportunity to network with your peers. We all know that success in the music industry is built on connections, and building those relationships through remote work can be incredibly difficult.

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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!