How to Be a Professional Musician: Tips That Apply to Any Career

Music is an unconventional professional realm.

You work with artists, which can sometimes be a wild card when it comes to the types of people you're bound to run into. Some would consider that part of the joy—especially since, in most cases, you'll meet plenty of truly wonderful people along the way. But with such a wide range of personalities—and it being a less traditional career path—there are still certain pieces of professional advice that absolutely apply. Today, I want to share a few things I’ve learned over the years that don’t just apply to music, but to almost any profession.

Be reliable.

The term “reliable” can mean many different things depending on the field, but generally speaking, there are common bullet points that overlap (many of which are mentioned later in this article). Music directors, bandleaders, or fellow musicians don’t want to be asking:

“Will they show up?”

“Will they be on time?”

“Will their equipment work?”

“Will they be focused and ready to go?”

Nobody wants to worry about whether you’re showing up, in what state, or if you’ll be able to carry the weight expected of you as part of the team. The situation I strive for is simple: I want them to forget I’m even there. I know—doesn’t sound right, but hear me out. I want to show up, greet everyone with a smile, and then fade into the background because I run self-sufficient. On time, gear ready, prepared, and rehearsed. To me, that’s the most ideal situation for any musician.

Be on time. Always.

This isn’t just a clever play on words—you obviously need to play in time, too. But seriously, being on time feels like a lost art. Too many people don’t take it seriously, and I’ve seen it become a career breaker. I’ve watched musicians show up late to a gig and get replaced.

Here’s the truth: People are more likely to hire a less skilled musician who is always on time than a more talented one who is chronically late.

Be prepared.

This one, personally, puts the fear of God in me. One of my biggest fears is arriving at a gig unprepared. Now, this can mean a lot of things. The most obvious: the music. As impressive as it might feel to walk into a gig without having read the charts or even listened to the tunes, here’s the harsh reality: nobody cares. No one will be more impressed by your “winging it” than if you just showed up prepared—knowing the program and having a plan to serve the music at the highest level. Understand the harmony. Know what the music is trying to communicate.Come prepared to create something beautiful. Learn the solos—even if they aren’t yours. Why? Because you never know when someone will drop out or when a tech issue will put you in the spotlight.

Now another aspect of being prepared that is more common is not having the gear. Let’s address the elephant in the room right off the bat: yes, gear is expensive. Sometimes very expensive. And I get it—it’s a real, relatable barrier. I won’t get too deep into navigating that (blog post coming soon 👀), but it still needs to be said: Showing up to a gig without the right gear is a waste of everyone’s time—including your own. As a musician, your job is not just to play the notes on the page, but to deliver a sound. If your instrument is broken, in poor condition, or not gig-ready—it’s a problem. Even if you’ve got top-tier strings, cables, and pedals… if it’s all going through a $30 pawn shop amp, what do you think it’s going to sound like? Sound only goes as far as the weakest link.

One more part of being prepared is to expect the unexpected. Extra strings. Backups of the charts. Gaff tape. Tools. Backup guitar. Backup cables. It’s better to have it and not use it than the other way around. Expect the unexpected and you'll never be surprised. I’m not sure who originally said this, but I heard it once in an episiode of Scrubs. Always stuck with me.

Be easy to work with.

Simple advice—but some of the most important. Think about that one co-worker you genuinely enjoyed being around. Maybe it was a desk mate, a teammate, or someone you only saw on lunch breaks—but they made the workday better. Now apply that to music. When you do something you love—whether as a career or hobby—it’s that much better when the people around you are enjoyable to work with. But here’s the thing: this is easier said than done. Especially in music, where personalities can be big, difficult, or downright combative—it’s hard to be the bigger person sometimes. But at the end of the day, you control three things: What you do, what you say, and how you react. Keep it positive. Because no matter how talented you are, if you’re difficult to work with—you won’t get the call.

Be ready to wear multiple hats.

This isn’t a requirement, but it’s something that pays off big time. Being able to offer more to the team makes you more valuable—and more likely to be the first call for the next gig. You don’t have to be a gear tech, bandleader, and utility player all in one…But if you can be? You’ll go further—and faster—than most of your colleagues.

Look the part.

There’s a saying: “Dress for the job you want, not the job you have.” That applies here. Especially as a guitarist, it’s easy to show up in jeans and a t-shirt—that’s kind of the stereotype. But if you’re doing this professionally, appearance matters. Sometimes, underdressing can actually make you stand out—in a bad way. You know what’s timeless? Shirt and tie, Leather shoes. Clean, intentional presentation. Obviously, some gigs have dress codes. I’ve done gigs where the instruction was literally “wear a t-shirt.” But in the absence of a specific request? Dress professionally. Be taken professionally.

Stay grounded and always learning.

Confidence in your work is important—it shows that you believe in what you do and stand behind your playing. But there’s a fine line between confidence and arrogance. People tend to respond better to humility. The kind of humility that says, “I’m always open to learning something new.” Stay teachable. Accept feedback. Keep a student’s mindset. This mindset will help your career—but more importantly, it’ll help you grow as a musician.

While this post is written from a musician’s perspective, these lessons are universal. You’ll run into all kinds of personalities in any profession, but with a strong foundation of professionalism, you’ll be able to navigate those challenges—and set a better standard for others around you. It’s true—music can be a wild card.

But the goal is always the same: Create a fruitful, enjoyable experience. For yourself, and for everyone around you.