Home studio musician: online lessons and recording

Beginner and intermediate students (or their parents) wanting online lessons, independent artists, podcasters, video makers and small businesses needing music, and listeners or licensing platforms for your own releases.

An hourly or per-lesson fee for teaching, often sold in monthly packages, a fee per session or per track for custom recorded parts, and small, variable income from streaming, downloads and music licensing.

• Skilled playing or singing
• Explaining technique clearly to learners
• Basic recording and editing software
• Working to a client's brief
• Online self-promotion

• Be clear in writing about who owns the recording and rights to what you create for clients
• Register with a performing rights organization such as SOCAN if you write original music, and check how it works for you
• Check whether your municipality requires a home-based business licence
• If you teach children, parents may ask for a police or vulnerable sector check, so look into how to get one locally
• Have a clear cancellation and payment policy for lessons
• Recording and streaming income can be slow to build and very uneven, so keep expectations modest

Estimates typically run around $500 to $2,500 to start, depending on the instruments, recording gear and software you already own. Also check whether your municipality requires a home-based business licence.

Be clear in writing about who owns recordings and rights for client work. Check whether to register with a performing rights organization such as SOCAN for original music, and look into police or vulnerable sector checks if you teach children.

Estimated monthly revenue is typically around $100 to $1,500, depending on student numbers, recording clients and releases. Recording and streaming income can be slow to build and very uneven, so keep expectations modest.