Career Guides

A comprehensive range of music career advice, case studies, contacts and a series of valuable ‘how-to’ features, all designed to assist musicians in developing their career within the music industry.

Guidance packs

Finance

Getting Funding

Learn where to look for funding your music business and useful organisations that can help.

Marketing and Promotion

From maximising opportunities of your online presence to taking advantage of ‘word of mouth’ recommendations and offline marketing.

Working Relationships

How to work with agents, managers and other players in the music industry and what you need to look out for.

Freelance Musicians' Pack

Advice on managing your work as a freelance musician.

Guide to Auditioning

A guide to preparing for an audition.

Professional Growth and Creativity

Musicians' Wellbeing Pack

Latest career features

Changing Mindsets: Prioritising Hearing Health in the Music Industry

In a special blog to mark World Hearing Day 2025, audiologist Matthew Allsop shares practical tips on how musicians can protect their ears, as well as the latest updates in hearing protection technology.

Published: 03 March 2025

Rapper Nate Ethan wearing a white sweatshirt, blue jeans and a white baseball cap.

Nate Ethan for LGBT+ History Month: "We Can Create a Music World that Truly Represents Everyone"

Nate Ethan Watson is a trailblazing artist and advocate, recognised by the BBC as the UK’s first transgender rapper. In this guest blog, he shares his experiences navigating the music industry and reflects on how it can be reshaped for the better.

Published: 24 February 2025

Utako Toyama singing and playing piano to a crowd, in front of a red curtain and flowers.

Utako Toyama for LGBT+ History Month: “Sharing Music from an LGBT+ Perspective Allows Others to Connect”

Utako is a multi-award-winning composer and MU member who promotes diversity, equality, and world peace through her music. In this guest blog, she discusses why visibility and allyship is important not just in the music industry, but for society as a whole.

Published: 17 February 2025

Musician Kat Browning holding a clarinet and smiling.

Katmuss for LGBT+ History Month: “The Community I Didn’t Know I Craved”

Katmuss, the resident bass clarinettist for Folk Clarinet Quartet, The Tradinettes, shares their experience of dealing with mental health issues and rediscovering a sense of community through the MU and its LGBT+ network.

Published: 10 February 2025

A musician singing into a microphone on stage.

ALIA for LGBT+ History Month: Representing Unity Within Diversity

In this blog for LGBT+ History Month, ALIA shares their experience as a queer independent musician and how the MU has supported their journey.

Published: 01 February 2025

Last chance to book

21 Mar 2025

Feldenkrais: Move Better, Feel Better, Perform Better

Free up your playing and singing using the Feldenkrais method, a sensory-motor learning system which looks at our mind and body holistically.

Online Member only

Last chance to book

Stacked rocks on the shore against a clear blue sky.

24 Mar 2025

Guided Meditation

An extremely efficient and powerful meditation practice, based on Ascension meditation techniques that are tailored to help musicians both in their professional and personal lives.

Online Member only

Last chance to book

Woman smiling while looking at a laptop screen.

25 Mar 2025

RSM Social Networking

Meet colleagues from across the music profession for an informal gathering over Zoom.

Online

This is not a hobby - it's our profession

No-one should feel guilty about turning down unpaid “opportunities". Have you been asked to work for no fee?

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This is not a hobby - it's our profession

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Popular searches

Career Guides

Guidance packs

Getting Funding

Marketing and Promotion

Working Relationships

Freelance Musicians' Pack

Guide to Auditioning

Professional Growth and Creativity

Musicians' Wellbeing Pack

Latest career features

Changing Mindsets: Prioritising Hearing Health in the Music Industry

Nate Ethan for LGBT+ History Month: "We Can Create a Music World that Truly Represents Everyone"

Utako Toyama for LGBT+ History Month: “Sharing Music from an LGBT+ Perspective Allows Others to Connect”

Katmuss for LGBT+ History Month: “The Community I Didn’t Know I Craved”

ALIA for LGBT+ History Month: Representing Unity Within Diversity

Upcoming events

Last chance to book

Feldenkrais: Move Better, Feel Better, Perform Better

Last chance to book

Guided Meditation

Last chance to book

RSM Social Networking

This is not a hobby - it's our profession