What to do when your parents don’t get your passion for music & audio
Speaking to your parents about pursuing an education or career in professional music and audio can feel daunting. There are several concerns that may, in their minds, overshadow the true potential of working in an industry as creatively lucrative as music, sound design or live sound engineering. For example, your parents may be concerned about your career prospects, or whether a job in the industry will pay sufficiently over time. More crucially, they may be worried that an education in music may not be as socially acceptable as something more traditional like engineering and medicine.
These concerns are valid as, while music has always been a lucrative career, there has traditionally been both a shortage in institutes that teach production or engineering, and limited access to relevant tools and knowledge (for most people). However, the industry has changed considerably over the past 30 years, and we believe that with the right information and preparation, you can be equipped to explain to your parents the benefits and prospects of becoming a professional musician, producer or sound engineer.
The following toolkit has been designed to help you – the budding artist and/or sound engineer – communicate your interest and passion in a way that your parents may resonate with. The information provided is for reference only, but may be helpful when explaining to your parents just how passionate you are about music or sound:
Tip A: Understand How the Industry Works
In order to make a successful career in commercial music and audio, you’ll need to understand how the media and entertainment industry works:
- Organisations such as the ‘Indian Performing Rights Society’ (IPRS) and ‘Indian Music Industry’ (IMI) often publish reports about the Indian music & audio industry which give a good overview.
- The ‘International Federation of the Phonographic Industry’ (IFPI) and PricewaterHouse Coopers (PWC) publish research on the global media and music industry, and are good reference point to understand which markets are growing.
- News publishers such as ‘Rollingstone India’ and ‘SCORE Magazine’ also post quite frequently about the music industry and are good for additional reading.
Make sure to use these resources to find what areas you can work in and what skills are in-demand. These resources also tend to have good quantitative data (Revenue figures, market share, employment numbers, etc.) that give you a picture of trends in music consumption, creation and distribution, which will help you identify sectors (music genres, consumption formats, etc.) that are showing the most potential. Leveraging this data can help you paint a picture of growth that your parents or guardian will understand.
Tip B: Research Career Prospects
Research the job prospects, earning potential and career growth for the broad area of study you’re interested in and keep this information with you when speaking to your parents or guardian. For example, if you want to be an independent artist, do your research on the sources of income available to you, the kinds of work you could do (advertising jingles, film scoring, etc.) and the amount of money you could earn with a few years of experience (estimates at least). While not always accurate, sites such as ‘Glassdoor’ , ‘Payscale’ and ‘Indeed’ are good places to check for information on salaries and career avenues.
Tip C: Use Examples of Success
Use renowned professionals within the industry as examples to demonstrate that your chosen field is viable as a career. This will show your parent(s) or guardian(s) that at least some people before you have found success in the field of audio or music. For instance, if you want to be a live mixing engineer, find role models from within that space who have won accolades or worked with notable people on popular projects.
Make sure to explain not just what your role models have achieved but also how they got there. ‘LinkedIn’ is a great resource for this as people typically list their portfolios and accolades for prospective employers and clients. You might also have some luck searching through YouTube or music news websites like ‘Rollingstone’ and ‘SCORE’ Magazine.
Tip D: Have Clear Goals
Be clear about what you want. This applies both when you’re with yourself and with your parents. Having clear goals for your career will enable you to chart out a roadmap, in turn giving you the confidence to convey the same to your parent(s) or guardian(s). Your plan doesn’t need to be set in stone, but it should convey intent and a general sense of where you see yourself down the road. For clarity, try creating a 5-year plan for yourself.
Bonus Tip: Get Other People Involved
While you ultimately decide your career trajectory, this doesn’t mean you need to do everything alone. Having your parents speak to a career or academic counsellor (or even a practicing music producer or engineer!) is a great way to add credibility and authority to your career aspirations. Institutes like ours regularly interact with students and parents about careers in music, so are also equipped to address questions and concerns that parents usually have. In case you need more help, feel free to contact our team on +91 89563 52477 for some more advice.
Be Yourself & Showcase Your Passion
The tips we’ve provided should, at the least, make you a little more prepared to have that difficult conversation with mum and dad. That being said, there’s nothing more convincing than authenticity (trust us, as a brand we struggle with this too!) and so saying what you mean is going to, more often than not, convince your parent(s) or guardian(s) how much you really want to pursue your passion professionally. Good luck!
