(from blog prompt 9)

Covid-19 has made life more difficult for everyone, especially those whose careers rely on live entertainment, such as musicians. While it is uncertain when in-person concert gigs will be an option for musicians to make a living and gain exposure, there are other options for musicians in the meantime. Luckily, live music is still a possibility with technology, and musicians can livestream their talents using applications such as Instagram, Facebook or Stage.It. Although it is not the ideal way to experience live music, livestreaming is one of the best ways for musicians to adapt to a socially distanced world.  Of course, live music isn’t the only medium for musicians to share and profit from their abilities. Musicians can still upload their tracks to Bandcamp, Spotify, and SoundCloud; Services which have implemented easier ways for listeners to support struggling musicians, such as Spotify’s “Artist Fundraising Pick” feature. However, musicians are not limited to selling music; They can find more creative ways to get income, such as selling merchandise. Musicians can take advantage of these strange times by working on their branding as a musician, practicing, and preparing for future concerts that will advance their career and compensate for the loss of income that Covid-19 has brought. There is never a time for a musician to stop learning new techniques and getting better; musicians could even learn a new instrument and expand their horizons that way. They could use some of their creativity to create a colorful website that showcases their abilities with an option to donate or buy tracks, or create a Patreon that gives listeners an option to support them if they already have a following. A website plus an active social media account could give musicians a fanbase and advance their online career, giving them a gateway to finding commission work. Online clients could ask musicians to record a particular song, play a written part, or anything else musicians offer on their website. In this technological age, it is beneficial for musicians to have an online presence in general, and Covid-19 has given them the unlikely opportunity to focus on that aspect of their career if they haven’t given it much prior thought. During these strange times, is important to remember that there is never a reason to give up, and even if a musician has to resort to delivering pizzas or working retail to survive, they will be successful in their musical endeavors as long as they stick to them.