>>33458680 (OP)
>touring musician, many friends in NYC scenes
>cousin works for famous publishing companies in NYC
The main skill you need is quality at speed. Meaning, you can knock out recordings for other artists in a short turnaround and understand the aesthetics of sound. It’s more profitable to be able to mimic sound-like Rhianna or 2LiveCrew or John Legend or whatever. The idea is that you can go from idea to finished product before buzz disappears.
Artists often have a chain of marketing they go through before you even hear their name. Music production tends to be a small part of this and you need to be affiliated with a label or have a significant portfolio. Additionally, you should have readymade tracks and beats to show to anyone you come across. It used to be Soundcloud but I haven’t been in the game since COVID.
Still, you need to be a one-stop shop. You should be proficient in all instruments. Piano and guitar are the bare minimum, but having bass, drums, percussion, and anything else makes you a godsend for overdubs.
One way my buddy would make money is have a one-stop shop to create good-sounding demos for open-micers. You simply introduce yourself, compliment them on their performance, kill it with a low stakes performance of your own, and then boom a session. Charge an affordable rate, like $50/hr. If you nail it in the first session, you’ll likely get more for an EP or an album. Word of mouth is big too
