• Making money in the music industry is both easy and difficult. That is, making money is easy---making much money is not. There are relatively easy ways to make money as a musician, though you might not make enough to live off of---just enough to keep your spirits up, and possibly help fund your artistic endeavors.
  
  

Play in Public

• An obvious choice for making money as a musician is to play in a public place. Set up on a subway platform or street corner with a hat or an open guitar case for collecting the donations of grateful passersby. It may not be enough to pay the rent, but this is by far the easiest method of making money with your music.
  
  

Create a Demo

• If you're seeking more prestigious venues, you need to record a demo album. This used to mean paying hefty fees to a recording studio that would record and cut your record, but modern technology has rendered that method near-obsolete. With computer programs, many of which are available for free, musicians can record, mix and burn their own demo CDs. Doing this alone won't make you any money, but a demo is a necessary.
  
  

Landing Gigs

• Making money with music means getting your name recognized, and a surefire way to accomplish this in your immediate area is playing gigs. This has the twofold benefit of earning you recognition and eventually earning you money.
  When you start out, you'll likely need to play for free at open mic nights or as an opening act for other musicians. Doing so, however, will open doors for you---if people think you're talented. When you become popular with crowds and clubs, you may find yourself landing paid gigs.
  
  

Utilize the Internet

• Selling your albums in your immediate area used to be the only way to sell your music, but the Internet has changed that forever. Use social networking sites to upload and host your music. Network with other established musicians to gain the attention of others. You may find yourself in a position to sell your music online, but as it is with playing live gigs, you'll likely be distributing your music for free long before people are willing to pay for it.