CONTINUED: Top five most promising careers in music for non-musicians

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1) Music publisher

You wouldn’t know it from the obnoxious groans of the big record labels, but there is actually a lot of money still being made from the sale of music. It’s just not flowing so well to the “old guard” anymore. But it is flowing.

Hatschek says, “It’s very interesting that as the record companies themselves (the people that stamp out CDs and sell them) have been declining, the music publishing industry (the people that control permissions to use songs) has actually been blossoming. And they have record profits.”

As I stated previously, this is why understanding copyright is so crucial—even in the age of digital piracy. “The money, clearly, is in publishing,” says Snyder. “You, as a non-musician, need to understand how copyright works because that is the source of all revenue—it all comes from the song.”

Music publishers market their “catalogs” (collections of tunes in different categories) to companies (like ad agencies) and all kinds of other professionals and organizations (like filmmakers and orchestras) that need music for their projects. Because the publishers own some or all of the rights to the songs they market (depending on what they’ve negotiated with the artists), they’re able to command good fees for the use of that music.

Today, there is plenty of room for new independent music publishers to promote artists that might have struggled to generate a big audience before. For example, The Shins grew popular in large measure because their music was used on the hit television show The OC. And plenty of other artists have attracted large audiences after their music was played in a commercial or film.

But there are also career opportunities with established music publishing companies. “People that know and understand how copyright conventions work, how copyright laws and restrictions work, are going to be in tremendous demand now and going forward,” Hatschek says. “So it’s not that the music industry is dying off; it’s just that the way music has been shared and exchanged and commodified is dying off. The publishers are doing swimmingly.”

Get serious about it

If there’s just one thing I’ve taken away from talking to music industry veterans with the combined, hands-on experience of several decades, it’s that anyone that wants a career in music—of any sort—better have the willingness to study the ins and outs of the business and then get out, meet people and acquire practical experience.

“Read a book,” urges Snyder. “It’s amazing that the people who want this are so averse to reading. So they’re not actually being honest with themselves. If you can’t be honest about it, and you’re not a hard worker, then you’re not going to be successful.” He also says, “The kids that want to compete have to understand that the door is wide open; in fact, there is no door, just an open field, and you can run in it. But why zigzag? Why not find a destination that you want to run to, instead of running aimlessly?”

Hatschek adds that book knowledge of the industry and you’re intended occupation is just the starting point. “Because the theory alone will not give you any sort of job security in tomorrow’s entertainment world,” he says. “You’re going to have to know that, but that isn’t going to be what makes the difference. The difference is your interpersonal skills, your experiences and your relationships.” It’s about being able to help solve problems, to collaborate and work independently when required. Without these “soft skills,” you won’t have much chance of working on the most exciting projects.

One way to get your foot in the door, along with some real-world experience while you’re learning, is to volunteer your time for people that are already in the business. “Even if you’re making coffee or just taking tickets, it’s how you meet people and find out what they do,” Hatschek says. “That’s really an invaluable way. A lot of times a student will do that and say, ‘Wow, I didn’t know it was so much work. I want to do something different.’”

He also stresses that you shouldn’t limit the scope of your education. Simply learning how to do very specific routines and practical skills for a narrow occupation may not be enough. “Go to a school that’s going to challenge you. And don’t underestimate the value of taking classes that seem unrelated,” Hatschek says. “Close to 50 percent of the world’s population by 2025 is going to be residing in India and China. So if you’re in the entertainment business, half the world’s potential audience is from a different culture. If you don’t know anything about it, you’re at a disadvantage.”

Subjects as seemingly unrelated to the music business as philosophy, literature and the humanities can give you the communication and critical thinking skills—and a wider understanding of the world—to help you adapt within an industry that will keep changing. “If you go back to the time of Michelangelo or Beethoven, the same human concerns and issues that were driving a lot of the conversations are still human issues today,” says Hatschek. “Although things can be different, there’s some really basic common threads that are the same in almost every human endeavor. It’s helpful to have that perception.”

The bottom line is this: the music business is not imploding. There are still some great career options in music for people that have the right mindset and determination—especially non-musicians.

But you need to take the business seriously. “People make the mistake of, ‘Oh, it’s the entertainment industry, man. I can just get tattoos and body piercings and hang out with cool people,’” Hatschek says. “But at the end of the day, if you want to get a paycheck, you have to provide value.”