Musicians, singers, and related workers play musical instruments, sing, compose or arrange music, or conduct groups in instrumental or vocal performances. They may perform solo or as part of a group. Musicians, singers, and related workers entertain live audiences in nightclubs, concert halls, and theaters; others perform in recording or production studios. Regardless of the setting, musicians, singers, and related workers spend considerable time practicing, alone and with their bands, orchestras, or other musical ensembles.
Musicians play one or more musical instruments. Many musicians learn to play several related instruments and can perform equally well in several musical styles. Instrumental musicians, for example, may play in a symphony orchestra, rock group, or jazz combo one night, appear in another ensemble the next, and work in a studio band the following day. Some play a variety of string, brass, woodwind, or percussion instruments or electronic synthesizers.
Singers interpret music and text, using their knowledge of voice production, melody, and harmony. They sing character parts or perform in their own individual style. Singers are often classified according to their voice range—soprano, contralto, tenor, baritone, or bass, for example—or by the type of music they sing, such as rock, pop, folk, opera, rap, or country.
Music directors and conductors conduct, direct, plan, and lead instrumental or vocal performances by musical groups, such as orchestras, choirs, and glee clubs. These leaders audition and select musicians, choose the music most appropriate for their talents and abilities, and direct rehearsals and performances. Choral directors lead choirs and glee clubs, sometimes working with a band or an orchestra conductor. Directors audition and select singers and lead them at rehearsals and performances to achieve harmony, rhythm, tempo, shading, and other desired musical effects.
Composers create original music such as symphonies, operas, sonatas, radio and television jingles, film scores, and popular songs. They transcribe ideas into musical notation, using harmony, rhythm, melody, and tonal structure. Although most composers and songwriters practice their craft on instruments and transcribe the notes with pen and paper, some use computer software to compose and edit their music.
Arrangers transcribe and adapt musical compositions to a particular style for orchestras, bands, choral groups, or individuals. Components of music—including tempo, volume, and the mix of instruments needed—are arranged to express the composer's message. While some arrangers write directly into a musical composition, others use computer software to make changes.
Work environment. Musicians typically perform at night and on weekends. They spend much additional time practicing or in rehearsal. Full-time musicians with long-term employment contracts, such as those with symphony orchestras or television and film production companies, enjoy steady work and less travel. Nightclub, solo, or recital musicians frequently travel to perform in a variety of local settings and may tour nationally or internationally. Because many musicians find only part-time or intermittent work, experiencing unemployment between engagements, they often supplement their income with other types of jobs. The stress of constantly looking for work leads many musicians to accept permanent, full-time jobs in other occupations, while working part time as musicians.
Most instrumental musicians work closely with a variety of other people, including their colleagues, agents, employers, sponsors, and audiences. Although they usually work indoors, some perform outdoors for parades, concerts, and festivals. In some nightclubs and restaurants, smoke and odors may be present and lighting and ventilation may be poor.
| 1. | Apply elements of music theory to create musical and tonal structures, including harmonies and melodies. |
| 2. | Use computers and synthesizers to compose, orchestrate, and arrange music. |
| 3. | Determine voices, instruments, harmonic structures, rhythms, tempos, and tone balances required to achieve the effects desired in a musical composition. |
| 4. | Experiment with different sounds, and types and pieces of music, using synthesizers and computers as necessary to test and evaluate ideas. |
| 5. | Write changes directly into compositions, or use computer software to make changes. |
| 6. | Transcribe ideas for musical compositions into musical notation, using instruments, pen and paper, or computers. |
| 7. | Guide musicians during rehearsals, performances, or recording sessions. |
| 8. | Score compositions so that they are consistent with instrumental and vocal capabilities such as ranges and keys, using knowledge of music theory. |
| 9. | Write musical scores for orchestras, bands, choral groups, or individual instrumentalists or vocalists, using knowledge of music theory and of instrumental and vocal capabilities. |
| 10. | Confer with producers and directors to define the nature and placement of film or television music. |
| 11. | Fill in details of orchestral sketches, such as adding vocal parts to scores. |
| 12. | Explore and develop musical ideas based on sources such as imagination or sounds in the environment. |
| 13. | Write music for commercial mediums, including advertising jingles or film soundtracks. |
| 14. | Transpose music from one voice or instrument to another to accommodate particular musicians. |
| 15. | Rewrite original musical scores in different musical styles by changing rhythms, harmonies, or tempos. |
| 16. | Study original pieces of music to become familiar with them prior to making any changes. |
| 17. | Arrange music composed by others, changing the music to achieve desired effects. |
| 18. | Accept commissions to create music for special occasions. |
| 19. | Study films or scripts to determine how musical scores can be used to create desired effects or moods. |
| 20. | Create original musical forms, or write within circumscribed musical forms such as sonatas, symphonies, or operas. |
| 21. | Collaborate with other colleagues, such as copyists, to complete final scores. |
| 22. | Copy parts from scores for individual performers. |
[Back to Top]