Musicians and Singers
Overview
Salary
Demand
Core Tasks
Technology Skills
Tools Used
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Top 10 Skills
Top 10 Abilities
Top 10 Work Activities
Detailed Work Activities
Majors
Interests
Top 10 Work Styles
Work Values
Related Careers
Overview
Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Experience
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Education
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Job Training
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Examples
These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, travel guides, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters, and medical assistants.
Play one or more musical instruments or sing. May perform on stage, for broadcasting, or for sound or video recording.
Hourly Salary
Hourly at 10th Percentile: $11.17
Hourly at 25th Percentile: $17.67
Median Hourly: $31.40
Hourly at 75th Percentile: $54.60
Hourly at 90th Percentile: $87.47
Demand
Core Tasks
Perform before live audiences in concerts, recitals, educational presentations, and other social gatherings.
Sing a cappella or with musical accompaniment.
Interpret or modify music, applying knowledge of harmony, melody, rhythm, and voice production to individualize presentations and maintain audience interest.
Specialize in playing a specific family of instruments or a particular type of music.
Observe choral leaders or prompters for cues or directions in vocal presentation.
Sing as a soloist or as a member of a vocal group.
Memorize musical selections and routines, or sing following printed text, musical notation, or customer instructions.
Play musical instruments as soloists, or as members or guest artists of musical groups such as orchestras, ensembles, or bands.
Sight-read musical parts during rehearsals.
Play from memory or by following scores.
Practice singing exercises and study with vocal coaches to develop voice and skills and to rehearse for upcoming roles.
Research particular roles to find out more about a character, or the time and place in which a piece is set.
Listen to recordings to master pieces or to maintain and improve skills.
Learn acting, dancing, and other skills required for dramatic singing roles.
Teach music for specific instruments.
Audition for orchestras, bands, or other musical groups.
Provide the musical background for live shows, such as ballets, operas, musical theatre, and cabarets.
Seek out and learn new music suitable for live performance or recording.
Make or participate in recordings in music studios.
Promote their own or their group's music by participating in media interviews and other activities.
Transpose music to alternate keys, or to fit individual styles or purposes.
Compose songs or create vocal arrangements.
Direct bands or orchestras.
Arrange and edit music to fit style and purpose.
Make or participate in recordings.
Improvise music during performances.
Collaborate with a manager or agent who handles administrative details, finds work, and negotiates contracts.
Compose original music, such as popular songs, symphonies, or sonatas.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Fine Arts
92%
Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
English Language
66%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Foreign Language
59%
Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
Communications and Media
54%
Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
Education and Training
52%
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Psychology
52%
Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
Customer and Personal Service
51%
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Administration and Management
48%
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Philosophy and Theology
48%
Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
History and Archeology
46%
Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
Top 10 Skills
Active Listening
68%
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking
63%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking
62%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Coordination
60%
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Judgment and Decision Making
60%
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Social Perceptiveness
60%
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Monitoring
59%
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Reading Comprehension
59%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Active Learning
57%
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Time Management
55%
Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Top 10 Abilities
Hearing Sensitivity
74%
The ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.
Oral Comprehension
72%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression
70%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Auditory Attention
68%
The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
Speech Clarity
68%
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Originality
64%
The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
Speech Recognition
64%
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Near Vision
63%
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Selective Attention
63%
The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Information Ordering
60%
The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Top 10 Work Activities
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
87%
Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
81%
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
80%
Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Thinking Creatively
80%
Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
Processing Information
78%
Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
Getting Information
75%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
74%
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People
69%
Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
69%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
68%
Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Detailed Work Activities
Perform music for the public.
Study details of musical compositions.
Practice athletic or artistic skills.
Train others on performance techniques.
Audition for roles.
Perform for recordings.
Promote products, activities, or organizations.
Conduct research to inform art, designs, or other work.
Create musical compositions, arrangements or scores.
Coordinate musical rehearsals or performances.
Coordinate logistics for productions or events.
Majors
Major
Interests
Artistic
98%
Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Enterprising
60%
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Social
34%
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Realistic
31%
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Investigative
17%
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Conventional
15%
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Top 10 Work Styles
Dependability
94%
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Attention to Detail
90%
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Cooperation
90%
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Persistence
87%
Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Achievement/Effort
86%
Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Self Control
86%
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Stress Tolerance
86%
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations.
Adaptability/Flexibility
84%
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Initiative
79%
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Social Orientation
78%
Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
Work Values
Relationships
81%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Achievement
77%
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Recognition
62%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Working Conditions
56%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Independence
48%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Support
29%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
