A Day In The Life of a Freelance Musician
Are you a musician considering taking the leap to a freelance lifestyle? Or perhaps just curious as to what that even looks like? The word ‘freelance’ is often misunderstood as being synonymous with ‘self-employed’, however this is not always the case. A freelancer will usually have several streams of revenue, often comprising of both self-employed and employed work in equal measure. In this article, I aim to give an honest, unfiltered look at my day-to-day life as a freelancer, covering the work I do as a singer, vocal coach, and administrator, and explaining how I fill my time and generate work for myself on a weekly basis.
7am - Wake Up and Get Ready for the Day
This can vary day-to-day depending on workload (and whether I’ve had a late night!) but ideally I try to stick to a regularly schedule.
7:30am - Coffee
Very much a guilty pleasure, I find the morning ritual of making coffee to be relaxing, and it gives me the time to think about what I want to achieve for the day before I get down to work.
8am - Admin Work
This work varies considerably day-to-day - it could be following up with new clients, typing up lesson notes from the previous day, or working on my website to name just a few. Today, it’s editing a self-tape for an upcoming audition (and writing this article!).
11am - Singing Practice
It’s really important for me to keep my voice to good condition, both for performing and teaching. I aim to practice for at least 30 minutes every day, even if it’s just running through some warm-up exercises and stretches. Learning to sing is a marathon, not a sprint, and practicing little and often is a great way to strengthen your voice over time.
12pm - Go For a Walk
After being in my office for a few hours, I need to get some fresh air and clear my head. This gives me time to reflect on what I’ve managed to do so far, and reassess my plans for the afternoon if need be.
1pm - Lunch Break
In my lunch break, I try my best to switch off from work completely and have some downtime, whether that be watching some TV, listening to a podcast or chatting to a friend.
1:30pm - Employed Work
While freelancing is often associated with being self-employed, many freelancers also engage in part-time employed work to supplement their income or develop useful skills. I work part-time for a local church’s music department, and today will be typesetting a programme for an upcoming concert.
3pm - Teaching
This is by far the largest portion of my day today, but again this can vary hugely throughout the week. Today, I am teaching 1-to-1 singing lessons at a local music school, and will see around 8-10 students over the next few hours. This is one of my favourite parts of my working week - as well as the enjoyment I get from seeing my students succeed, this time also provides a social aspect to my day that I greatly appreciate.
7:30pm - Dinner & Relax
After a hard day’s work, I come home for dinner and a relaxing evening. On a rainy day like today, that entails brewing up some mulled cider and settling down for a film night!
If you are an early career musician looking for freelancing advice, or a current freelancer looking to connect, why not get in touch for a chat? I am always keen to meet fellow creatives, and will do my best to provide as much useful insight as I can.
Check out my Day in the Life reel below (@owenvocalcoach)
