what backup degree is most applicable to a career in the music industry?

The only back up degrees that could have overlap with being a musician would be music teaching, business (working at a record label), sales (e-commerce like Sweetwater), or manufacturing (making the instrument like Vic Firth).

Outside of those its literally any job that's gives you the best combination of free time and money.
 
And there lies the rub.
I taught a Novell networking class back in the day at a CC,$35/hr.
No bennies.
A lot of colleges use TA's which get a stipend and tuition as pay.
The folks at UC Santa Cruz were barely making poverty wages and struck to get an increase.
I knew a lot of PHD's that were barely getting by.
Colleges use it as a racket.
The folks they give tenure to don't teach,but publish.
Motto at the UC's are publish or perish.

Yup, I was a part-time (working MORE than full-time hours) for 4 years, but I put in my time b/c I wanted to be full-time and gained the necessary experience to do so. I love my job! Since I work at a CC, I don't have to publish, but I do teach a lot! :)
 
Remember PT3407, whatever you decide to take in collage, known one can take it away from you. Plus you can build on if you want to. 😊
 
Electronics Engineer, get a day job and design guitar pedals at night. If you do a good job, your guitarist bandmates will owe you their shirts.
 
The live sound guy in my area tells me that he is working Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday sometime double gigs and we pay him at least USA $ 200. All you need to do that is a PA system.
 
And there lies the rub.
I taught a Novell networking class back in the day at a CC,$35/hr.
No bennies.
A lot of colleges use TA's which get a stipend and tuition as pay.
The folks at UC Santa Cruz were barely making poverty wages and struck to get an increase.
I knew a lot of PHD's that were barely getting by.
Colleges use it as a racket.
The folks they give tenure to don't teach,but publish.
Motto at the UC's are publish or perish.
Teaching college used to be a path for people who were smart but less motivated. However, recently there are no Visa caps(at least in the US). The rumor has it that its nearly impossible to get funding for any sort of research now, because though they can and do let in as many H1B's for academia as they want, the research budget for most institutions has not increased appreciably. So, yeah I would avoid it. You could become a trucker, make more money and have more free time, with a window office where you can listen to the radio.
 
The problem with a back up job that makes any significant amount of money, is that its going to take appreciable amounts of time and effort, leaving little left over. People don't waltz into any of these fields(Law, Science, Engineering etc), they are all a PITA just to get in the door, most of them demand excess of 40 hours a week in time. Its sad because we are supposedly living in a technology Eden of sorts, but in practice the amount of time spent working has been increasing consistently for years and is at about 50hrs per week. This kind of thing barely leaves most people with time to go to a show, much less time to have a hobby like playing drums.
 
Teaching college used to be a path for people who were smart but less motivated. However, recently there are no Visa caps(at least in the US). The rumor has it that its nearly impossible to get funding for any sort of research now, because though they can and do let in as many H1B's for academia as they want, the research budget for most institutions has not increased appreciably. So, yeah I would avoid it. You could become a trucker, make more money and have more free time, with a window office where you can listen to the radio.
Right on.
I deal with the h1b on the other level of companies like Apple,HP and such use them to exert salary pressure.
Bret Weinstein has a brother that taught at Harvard and used the h1B to get almost free TA's.
PhD's are a dime a dozen.
 
The problem with a back up job that makes any significant amount of money, is that its going to take appreciable amounts of time and effort, leaving little left over. People don't waltz into any of these fields(Law, Science, Engineering etc), they are all a PITA just to get in the door, most of them demand excess of 40 hours a week in time. Its sad because we are supposedly living in a technology Eden of sorts, but in practice the amount of time spent working has been increasing consistently for years and is at about 50hrs per week. This kind of thing barely leaves most people with time to go to a show, much less time to have a hobby like playing drums.

I have a EE and did on site installation around the US. In this field you can rack up the money if you like the living on the road. My first year out was around $125,000. Good money but after three to four years being out 90% you burn out. Long hours 12-16 hours days. I did bank a lot of money in those years. I received a living allowance, $125 a night away from home plus bonuses it all adds up. Down side being a way from home and no life. But if you watch your money you can retire in 15-20 years
 
The problem with a back up job that makes any significant amount of money, is that its going to take appreciable amounts of time and effort, leaving little left over. People don't waltz into any of these fields(Law, Science, Engineering etc), they are all a PITA just to get in the door, most of them demand excess of 40 hours a week in time. Its sad because we are supposedly living in a technology Eden of sorts, but in practice the amount of time spent working has been increasing consistently for years and is at about 50hrs per week. This kind of thing barely leaves most people with time to go to a show, much less time to have a hobby like playing drums.

just like being a professional musician!!!
 
I have a degree in Business Administration with a focus in Finance. I later got a 2nd focus in Accounting.

I thought it would be useful for when my band sold millions of records to understand record company statements.

I figured worse comes to worse, I could get a job working for a record company or music instrument manufacturer.

But without selling millions 1st, it's kind of useless.

First off, millions of people have a business degree. They are a dime a dozen. Just look at job hiring ads, and you'll see job after job that requires a business degree but only pay $15/hr.

If/when a great job does open up, you're just one of hundreds of applicants. And then you're up against those for whom this isn't a 2nd choice, who have tons of experience because they interned at this and that place, working 12-14 hour days 6-7 days a week.

Most financial and accounting companies that are willing to hire people with little to no experience want an extreme commitment and don't offer much in pay. And they get away with it because there is always a steady stream of people with business degrees.

Law: Now, this is good advice. Every transaction in music usually has an agreement for contract, and all have to reviewed by a lawyer. Music business lawyers can make really good money and keep a foot in the music business.


The downside if getting a law degree takes an incredible commitment. First you need a degree just to qualify for law school. Then you have to have to test to qualify for post graduate school. Then you need to be accepted into law school. Then you finally get around to studying law. So between college (4 years) and law school (3 years) you’re looking at being in school for 7 years. And that’s if you focus. If you’re just doing this part time in between gigs, now you’re talking longer.

If I had to do it all over again I think I would have skipped college and gone to a trade school and learned everything I could about being an electrician.

Every music rehearsal venue, live venue, and recording studio needs electricity, and a knowledge of how to keep circuits and loads balance. You can’t just plug in a bunch of amps, lights, and computer equipment into a wall, or else you’ll blow a circuit.

Designing/building studios/venues is an option.

Every large touring band needs someone on staff who understands the electrical loads, balancing and grounding.

Large band tour riders all specify electrical needs. All those lights, lasers, sound equipment, amps, etc, need not just power, but a proper balance of power.

The whole Van Halen green MM’s story came from the band testing to see if the venue read the rider for the electrical needs of the band.

Watch the Iron Maiden documentary, and when the band is on the road in different countries, particularly outside the US and Western Europe, having enough power and enough balanced power comes up as a concern of the road crew.

The scene in “Almost Famous” where one of the band members gets shocked because the stage wasn’t properly grounded comes from a real concern that road crews have to take into account.

And if none of that sounds appealing, a music city like Los Angeles has millions of old homes with old electrical components that need repair. There is always a need for qualified labor. I know a guy who is a brilliant guitar player and supports himself as a self-employed electrician. I hired him to wire my 1st studio and then again for some other work. There is no shortage of need for an electrician for residential work.

The bigger paying union jobs are hard to get, but that’s not keeping a foot in the music business anyway, so that’s not a concern.
When I was 16-ish I was an assistant Journeyman electrician - Drum Eat Drum has good points, somethings to consider: you have to crawl around attics and crawl spaces when you're working on those old houses. Electricity is DANGEROUS. You will no doubt always have a job.

Skip ahead, I went back to college and got a degree in computers. This turned out to be very helpful, it didn't go in the path I thought, but it sure has helped with my music, recording, e-drums, making CD's, websites, etc.. There is no point these days in getting a job, in HTML/web design, since there are lots of sites/programs that do that now. Getting a job on the back end, program the stuff the users doesn't see is better choice - but I'll tell you computer/tech jobs have become a dime a dozen, pay is crap, and billions of people trying for one slot.

If you are at all inclined I would think graphic artistry would be a great place to head. I only know it from the "I need a design, help me." aspect, I'm not a graphic artist nor do I play one on TV.
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There are connections all over the place.

I was to pick one it would probably be journalism, but what you really want is a general set of business skills. It sort of depends a bit on where you live and that specific environment.

I know a couple of guys that run online music stores.

I have another friend who never made it as a musician himself, but he's always worked in the business be it for venues, studios, promoters etc...

For me the choice was easy as I enjoy teaching as much as I do playing. Ended in a really troubling way, but that has nothing to do with the type of gig, it's about narcisissm and corruption, so I still love teaching. If I wasn't so burned out I'd probably start my own school.

When I was a full time musician I spent pretty much all week on the phone and all weekend in the back of a bus. Move up one tier it my be different, but also much the same. The teaching gig gave access to lots of useful gear I didn't need to own myself as well as being able to think art instead of making money when I did play. If it did work out I probably wouldn't be completely unknown at this point, at least in the jazz crowd, because there were plans. Really up to lawyers and judges now.
 
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