Musicians and Singers

Musicians and Singers

Musicians in bands may play clubs and bars while they gain enough fans to get a recording contract or representation by an agent.

Musicians and singers play instruments or sing for live audiences and in recording studios. They perform in a variety of styles, such as classical, jazz, opera, hip-hop, or rock.

Duties

Musicians and singers typically do the following:

·         Perform music for live audiences and recordings

·         Audition for positions in orchestras, choruses, bands, and other types of music groups

·         Practice playing instruments or singing to improve their technique

·         Rehearse to prepare for performances

·         Find locations for performances or concerts

·         Travel, sometimes great distances, to performance venues

·         Promote their careers by maintaining a website or social media presence or doing photo shoots and interviews

Musicians play one or more instruments. To make themselves more marketable, many musicians become proficient in multiple musical instruments or styles.

Musicians play in bands, orchestras, or small groups. Those in bands may play at weddings, private parties, clubs, or bars while they try to build enough fans to get a recording contract or representation by an agent. Some musicians work as a part of a large group of musicians who must work and practice together, such as an orchestra. A few musicians become section leaders, who may be responsible for assigning parts to other musicians or leading rehearsals.

Others musicians are “session” musicians, who specialize in playing backup for a singer or band leader during recording sessions and live performances.

Singers perform vocal music in a variety of styles. Some specialize in a particular vocal style, such as opera or jazz; others perform in a variety of musical genres. Singers, particularly those who specialize in opera or classical music, may perform in different languages, such as French or Italian. Opera singers act out a story by singing instead of speaking the dialogue.

Some singers become background singers, providing vocals to harmonize or support a lead singer.

Musicians interested in performing popular music typically find jobs by attending auditions or arranging their own performances. They may seek representation by an agent who will help them find jobs and performance opportunities.

In some cases, musicians and singers write their own music to record and perform. For more information about careers in songwriting, see the profile on music directors and composers.

Some musicians and singers give private music lessons to children and adults.

Others with a background in music may teach music in schools, but they typically need a bachelor’s degree so as to qualify to teach. See the profiles on kindergarten and elementary school teachers, middle school teachers, and high school teachers.

Work Environment

Musicians and singers

Some musicians and singers spend time in recording studios.

They perform in settings such as concert halls, arenas, and clubs. They often work for religious organizations and performing arts companies.

Musicians and singers may spend a lot of time traveling between performances. Some spend time in recording studios. There are many jobs in cities that have a high concentration of entertainment activities.

Musicians and singers who give recitals or perform in nightclubs travel frequently and may tour nationally or internationally.

Many musicians and singers find only part-time or intermittent work, however, and have long periods of unemployment between jobs. The stress of constantly looking for work leads many to accept permanent full-time jobs in other occupations while working part time as a musician or singer.

·         The industries employing musicians and singers include:

·         Religious, grant making, civic, professional, and similar organizations       

·         Performing arts companies

·         Educational services; state, local, and private      

    

Work Schedules

Rehearsals and recording sessions are commonly held during business hours, but live performances are most often at night and on weekends.

How to Become a Musician or Singer

To work as a classical musician or singer, a bachelor’s degree in music theory or music performance is generally required.

There are no postsecondary education requirements for musicians or singers interested in performing popular music; however, many performers of classical music and opera have at least a bachelor’s degree.

Education

There are no postsecondary education requirements for those interested in performing popular music. Many musicians and singers of classical music and opera have a bachelor’s degree in music theory or performance. To be accepted into one of these programs, applicants are typically required to submit recordings or audition in person, and sometimes must do both. Undergraduate music programs teach students about music history and styles and teach methods for improving their instrumental and vocal technique and musical expression.

Some musicians and singers choose to continue their education by pursuing a master’s degree in fine arts or music.

Important Qualities

Dedication. Auditioning for jobs can be a frustrating process because it may take many different auditions to get hired. Musicians and singers need determination and dedication to continue to audition after receiving many rejections.

Discipline. Talent is not enough for most musicians and singers to find employment in this field. They must constantly practice and rehearse to improve their technique, style, and performances.

Interpersonal skills. Musicians and singers need to work well with a variety of people, such as agents, music producers, conductors, and other musicians. Good people skills are helpful in building good working relationships.

Musical talent. Professional musicians or singers must have superior musical abilities.

Physical stamina. Musicians and singers who play in concerts or in nightclubs and those who tour must be able to endure frequent travel and irregular performance schedules.

Promotional skills. Musicians and singers need to promote their performances through local communities, word of mouth, and social media platforms. Good self-promotional skills are helpful in building a fan base.

Training

Musicians and singers need extensive and prolonged learning and practice to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to interpret music at a professional level. They typically begin singing or learning to play an instrument by taking lessons and classes when they are children. In addition, they must practice often to develop their talent and technique.

Musicians and singers interested in classical music may seek additional training through music camps and fellowships. These programs provide participants with classes, lessons, and performance opportunities. Sometimes these programs are associated with professional orchestras and may lead to a permanent spot in that orchestra.

Advancement

As with other occupations in which people perform, advancement for musicians and singers means becoming better known, finding work more easily, and earning more money for each performance. Successful musicians and singers often rely on agents or managers to find them jobs, negotiate contracts, and develop their career

Dancers and Choreographers           Dancers and choreographers express ideas and stories, using dance. There are many types of dance such as ballet, tango, modern dance, tap, and jazz.  

High School Teachers            High school teachers help prepare students for life after graduation. They teach academic lessons and various skills that students will need to attend college and to enter the job market.          
                

Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers     Kindergarten and elementary school teachers prepare younger students for future schooling by teaching them basic subjects such as math and reading. Bachelor’s degree    

Middle School Teachers        Middle school teachers educate students, typically in sixth through eighth grades. Middle school teachers help students build on the fundamentals they learned in elementary school and prepare them for the more difficult curriculum they will face in high school.

                       

Music Directors and Composers      Music directors (also called conductors) lead orchestras and other musical groups during performances and recording sessions. Composers write and arrange original music in a variety of musical styles.  

Postsecondary Teachers       Postsecondary teachers instruct students in a wide variety of academic and vocational subjects beyond the high school level. They also conduct research and publish scholarly papers and books.   

Producers and Directors       Producers and directors create motion pictures, television shows, live theater, and other performing arts productions. They interpret a writer’s script to entertain or inform an audience.  Bachelor’s degree

 

Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers, and Tapers

Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers, and Tapers 

Drywallers work with many different types of tools.

Drywall and ceiling tile installers hang wallboards to walls and ceilings and install ceiling tile inside buildings. Tapers prepare the wallboards for painting, using tape and other materials. Many workers do both installing and taping.

Duties

Drywall installers typically do the following:

•  Review design plans to minimize the number of cuts and waste of wallboard
•  Measure the locations of electrical outlets, plumbing, and windows
•  Cut drywall to the right size, using utility knives and power saws
•   Fasten drywall panels to interior wall studs, using nails or screws
• Trim and smooth rough edges so that boards join evenly

Ceiling tile installers typically do the following:

• Measure ceiling tile to match blueprints or drawings
•   Nail, screw, or clip in supports
• Put tiles or sheets of shock-absorbing materials on and into ceilings 
• Keep the tile in place with cement adhesive, nails, screws, or clips

Tapers typically do the following:

•  Prepare wall surfaces (wallboard) by patching nail holes
•  Apply tape and use sealing compound to cover joints between wallboards
• Apply additional coats of sealing compound to create an even surface
• Sand all joints and holes to a smooth, seamless finish

Installers also are called framers or hangers. Tapers also are called finishers. Ceiling tile installers sometimes are called acoustical carpenters because they work with tiles that block sound. In addition to performing new installation, many installers and tapers do repair work by fixing damaged drywall and replacing ceiling tile.

Once wallboards are hung, workers use increasingly wider trowels to spread multiple coats of spackle over cracks, indentations, and any remaining imperfections. Some workers may use a mechanical applicator, a tool that spreads sealing compound on the wall joint while dispensing and setting tape at the same time.

To work on ceilings, installers and tapers may use mechanical lifts or stand on stilts, ladders, or scaffolds.

Work Environment

Drywallers often stand on scaffolding to hang drywall.

A good number of drywall and ceiling tile installers and tapers are self-employed.

Drywall and ceiling tile installers and tapers work indoors. As in many other construction trades, the work is physically demanding. Workers spend most of the day standing, bending, or stretching, and they often must lift and maneuver heavy, oversized wallboards. To work on ceilings, installers and tapers must stand on stilts, ladders, or scaffolds.

Because the work is dusty, irritating the skin, eyes, and lungs, workers must wear protective masks, goggles, and gloves. Common injuries include falls from ladders or stilts, cuts from sharp tools, and muscle strains from lifting heavy materials.

Work Schedules

Most drywall and ceiling tile installers and tapers work full time.

Self-employed installers and tapers may be able to set their own schedule.

How to Become a Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installer, or Taper

New drywallers typically learn their job by working with more experienced workers.

Although most drywall and ceiling tile installers and tapers learn their trade on the job, some learn through an apprenticeship.

Education

Although there are no education requirements to become a drywaller, high school math and general shop courses are considered useful.

Training

Most drywall and ceiling tile installers and tapers learn their trade on the job by helping more experienced workers and gradually being given more duties. They start by carrying materials and cleaning up, and then learn to use the tools of the trade. They also learn to measure, cut, and install or apply materials. Employers usually provide some on-the-job training, lasting up to 12 months.

A few drywall and ceiling tile installers and tapers learn their trade through a 3- or 4-year apprenticeship. For each year of the program, apprentices must have at least 144 hours of related technical work and 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training. During training, apprentices learn construction basics related to blueprint reading, mathematics, building code requirements, and safety and first-aid practices.

After completing an apprenticeship program, installers and tapers are considered journey workers and may perform duties on their own.

The basic qualifications for entering such a program are as follows:

·         Minimum age of 18

·         High school education or equivalent

·         Physically able to perform the work

Important Qualities

Math skills. Drywall and ceiling tile installers and tapers use basic math skills on every job. For example, they must be able to estimate the quantity of materials needed and measure accurately when cutting panels.

Physical stamina. Because installers and tapers constantly lift and move heavy materials into place, workers should be in good physical shape.

Physical strength. Standard drywall sheets can weigh 50 to 100 pounds. Drywall and ceiling tile installers often must lift heavy panels over their heads to secure onto the ceiling.

Similar Occupation

Brickmasons, Blockmasons, and Stonemasons:                 Brickmasons, blockmasons, and stonemasons (or, simply, masons) use bricks, concrete blocks, and atural and man-made stones to build fences, walkways, walls, and other structures.  

Carpenters:                        Carpenters construct and repair building frameworks and structures—such as stairways, doorframes, partitions, and rafters—made from wood and other materials. They also may install kitchen cabinets, siding, and drywall.     

Construction Laborers and Helpers:        Construction laborers and helpers perform many basic tasks that require physical labor on construction sites.        

Painters, Construction and Maintenance:            Painters apply paint, stain, and coatings to walls, buildings, bridges, and other structures.             

Tile and Marble Setters:               Tile and marble setters apply hard tile and marble to walls, floors, and other surfaces.

Diagnostic Medical Sonographers

What Diagnostic Medical Sonographers Do

Echoes are sent to the ultrasound machine, which processes them and displays them as images.

Diagnostic medical sonographers use special imaging equipment that directs sound waves into a patient’s body (in a procedure commonly known as an ultrasound, sonogram, or echo cardiogram) to assess and diagnose various medical conditions.

Duties

Diagnostic medical sonographers typically do the following:

• Prepare patients for procedures by taking a patient’s history and answering any questions about the procedure
• Prepare and maintain imaging equipment
• Apply a gel to aid the sound waves’ ability to show the inside of the body
• Operate equipment to get diagnostic images of areas in the patient’s body
• Analyze the images to check for quality and adequate coverage of the area needed for diagnosis
• Recognize the difference between normal and abnormal images
• Analyze images to provide preliminary findings for physicians
• Record findings and keep track of patients’ records

Diagnostic ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to produce images of the inside of the body. The sonographer presses an instrument called an ultrasound transducer to the parts of the patient’s body that are being examined. The transducer emits pulses of sound that bounce back, causing echoes. The echoes are then sent to the ultrasound machine, which processes them and displays them as images.

Diagnostic medical sonographers specialize in different parts of the body. The following are examples of specific types of sonographers:

Abdominal sonographers specialize in imaging a patient’s abdominal cavity and nearby organs, such as the kidney, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, or spleen.

Breast sonographers specialize in imaging a patient’s breast tissues. Sonography aids mammography in the detection of breast cancer.  Breast sonography is also used to track tumors in breast cancer patients.

Musculoskeletal sonographers specialize in imaging muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints.

Neurosonographers specialize in imaging a patient’s nervous system, including the brain.

Obstetric and gynecologic sonographers specialize in imaging the female reproductive system. Many pregnant women receive ultrasounds to track the baby's growth and health.

Cardiovascular and vascular technologists use sonography to assist physicians in diagnosing problems with a patient’s heart, arteries and veins.

Work Environment

Diagnostic medical sonographers must understand how to operate complex machinery.

Diagnostic medical sonographers work in healthcare facilities such as  hospitals, physician’s offices , medical and diagnostic laboratories: 

·         Hospitals; state, local, and private

·         Offices of physicians

·         Medical and diagnostic laboratories

·         Outpatient care centers

Diagnostic medical sonographers do most of their work at diagnostic imaging machines in dimly lit rooms, but they may also perform procedures at patients' bedsides. Sonographers may be on their feet for long periods and may need to lift or turn patients who are disabled.

Work Schedules

Most diagnostic medical sonographers work full time. Because imaging is sometimes needed in emergencies, sonographers sometimes work evenings, weekends, or overnight.

How to Become a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer

Diagnostic medical sonographers must work closely with patients.

Diagnostic medical sonographers need formal education, such as an associate’s degree or a postsecondary certificate. Many employers also require professional certification.

Education

Colleges and universities offer both associate’s and bachelor’s degree programs in sonography.. Employers prefer a degree or certificate from an accredited institute or hospital program. The accredited programs usually follow a specific course of study and include clinical training. These programs also include courses in medical terminology and interpreting sonographic images. Most programs are divided into the specialized fields that correspond to the relevant certification exams, such as abdominal sonography or breast sonography.

High school students who are interested in diagnostic medical sonography should take courses in anatomy, physiology, and mathematics.

Licenses and Certification

Most employers prefer to hire sonographers who have professional certification. A sonographer can get certification by graduating from an accredited program and passing an exam. Most exams relate to the specialty that the sonographer is most interested in—for example, an exam to be become certified in abdominal sonography. A few states require diagnostic medical sonographers to be licensed. Typically, professional certification is required for licensure; other requirements vary. Sonographers must take continuing education to keep their certification current.

Important Qualities

Detail oriented. Diagnostic medical sonographers must follow precise instructions to obtain the images needed to diagnose and treat the patient. They also must pay attention to the screen while scanning a patient's body because the cues that contrast healthy areas with unhealthy ones may be subtle.

Hand-eye coordination. To get quality images, diagnostic medical sonographers must be able to move equipment on the patient’s body in response to what they see on the screen.

Interpersonal skills. Diagnostic medical sonographers must work closely with patients. Sometimes patients are in extreme pain or mental stress, and the sonographer must get cooperation from the patient to create usable images.

Stamina. Diagnostic medical sonographers work on their feet for long periods and must be able to lift and move patients who need assistance.

Technical skills. Diagnostic medical sonographers must understand how to operate complex machinery and computerized instruments.