A career in concert production is not only dynamic and fast-paced, it is also highly competitive. There are many people out there that dream of working in the music industry producing events. It is essential that you get the best training for concert production jobs to give you an edge over other candidates.

Training for concert touring jobs will not only prepare you for a career in concert tour production, but will also make finding concert tour employment much easier by networking with professionals in the industry. Consider the following when searching for training:

1. Get training for concert production jobs through traditional education.

2. Get real life experience in concert production.

3. Learn from the best by getting to know real professionals on concert tour jobs.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Take college accredited classes in concert production to snag a job

There are many options that come along with degree and certificate training for show production jobs. You can take only a few college courses to get certified as a concert producer, find a two-year program for an Associates in concert production or get a Bachelors degree.

I recommend: The Minnesota School of Business offers an online Bachelors degree program in Music Business and Management. Take courses from Spencer Systems to get fast and affordable training for concert production. Get an Associates degree in Music Industry at colleges across the nation like Mercy College.

Score an internship in concert production

Getting great internships is a valuable tool in following a career path in concert production. An internship provides hands-on training, networking opportunities and great experience to include on your resume.

I recommend: Search music industry internships listed at University of Dreams. Search for concert production internships at MyMusicJob.com.

Get training for a concert job by working at a concert venue

Get hands-on, on-the-job training for concert production jobs and learn about the process through observation by working for a local venue that brings in live music. Many professionals consider this more valuable than a traditional education. Large concerts will allow you to see how large shows function, but small venues will be much more intimate and will provide valuable opportunities to get involved in the concert production process directly.

I recommend: Get your foot in the door at concert venues, such as the House of Blues, where you can learn valuable concert production skills. Register with Music Jobs USA and stay on top of new music jobs in order to find the best on-the-job training.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Get valuable experience for concert jobs by volunteering with local bands and being willing to work for free.
• •  Be willing to work in any genre of music. Once you have experience, then you can be more selective in what music production jobs you take.

A career in concert production is exciting and dynamic. There are various ways to break into the business and work up towards a dream career. You can meet exciting and interesting people, have an influence on the community, be involved in the arts and have the potential to make a lot of money.

Innovation is a requirement for anyone looking to have a successful a career in arts and entertainment. Use the following guide to start the search for employment in concert production.

When looking for concert production jobs, you must:

1. Analyze personal skills to determine whether a job in concert production is right for you.
2. Cultivate your love for music, and have a passion for all types of music.
3. Network with everyone with any interest in music on any level.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Search for concert jobs in employment databases

Nowadays this is the place to look for and pursue jobs. There is database after database listing open jobs, and there are many that target entertainment and show production jobs specifically.

I recommend: Search for concert production jobs and concert tour jobs at Production Hub and Entertainment Careers. There are listings at Roadie Jobs as well.

Advertise your concert tour production services online on a freelance basis

Freelancing your talents can make a lot of money if you can find concert jobs regularly. There are many sites in which you can advertise your services on varying levels. Some websites charge a subscription but allow you space to put up a portfolio and detailed information about your company; others are less in depth but allow you to advertise for free.

I recommend: Sign up for an account at Touring Directory for free. Advertise your services for free on Craigslist in the areas you are willing to work in.

Find a permanent position with a concert production or event promotion company

A full-time position offers you the benefits of regular paychecks, insurance and union membership. You have the opportunity to work on large national events. Work as an art director at a park district or a manager of bar that plays live band music.

I recommend: Search job websites for entertianment jobs like Entertainment Jobs and ArtSearch.

Train for a music production job

Take classes, get an internship or get a degree to land concert production jobs. Training not only educates you in the basics, it provides the opportunity to meet people and make contacts. It may even help with job placement in music production jobs.

I recommend: Get an Associate of Science in Concert Production nationwide from Full Sail University to guarantee audio production jobs. Get music production jobs with certificates online from Berklee Music.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Get concert emplyment by working at a local concert venue or theatre box office that attracts concerts.
• •  Volunteer time to good local bands to get experience in concert tour jobs.
• •  Stay open-minded about being involved in all genres of music.

Like any other entertainment event, a concert production is not possible without a crew. The technical crew, or run crew, is the backbone of any show. The talent and skills of a crew is what will make or break a show by making things run smoothly behind the scenes.

Aside from the concert producer and business team, most concert employment consists of positions with the technical crew, which refers to everyone working during rehearsals and during shows except for the performers. To get the concert job done and make the show a success, it is important that the crew have the essential supplies for concert production jobs. Consider the following when stocking supplies:

1. For the safety of everyone music production jobs must be done using the proper supplies for their intended use, with no substitutions allowed.

2. Concert production is always fast-paced and intense, so always have supplies for concert touring jobs stockpiled in case some get lost or broken.

3. Make sure to dress appropriately for concert tour jobs; clothes need to be durable, easy to move in and sturdy.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find organization for stage management concert jobs

The stage manager organizes and manages all of the backstage processes, keeping the lines of communication open between the producer, the technicians, the designer and the crew members. The stage manager also sees that each show runs smoothly behind the scenes.

I recommend: Find supplies like planners and organizers for notes and contact information at Office Max, or buy a high-tech planner, like a Palm Pilto, at Best Buy. Stage managers can use Clear-Com headsets to easily communicate during the show.

Work a concert job on a lighting technical crew

The light crew will work before and during shows. They hang and wire lights before the show, focus lights during rehearsals, operate lights during the show and take lights down after the concert production is complete. There are a couple supplies that every lighting technician needs to complete their concert production job including an adjustable wrench with a safety harness and gloves.

I recommend: Find everything needed for working on a light crew at Stage Spot or Production Advantage, including hand tools, safety equipment and testers.

Get the supplies to work a music production job as a roadie

A road crew member often travels with the musicians, knowing the show inside and out by setting up and taking down each show. This is a highly physical job that will require supplies that make physical work and heavy lifting easier, like gloves, dolleys and steel-toed boots.

I recommend: Buy slings, gloves, hoisting equipment or anything to make road crew jobs easier from Peak Trading Corporation or RoadieTools.com.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Mark or label all supplies for concert production jobs clearly with a marker or colored gaft tape to avoid mix-ups, for quick clean-up and easy organization.
• •  When working concert production jobs, dress appropriately to accommodate everything you need to carry, such as a tool belt to hold tools or cargo pants so you can utilize the pockets.

Knowing concert production jobs key terms gives you an edge over competitors in the industry since it shows others that your production is important enough to you to put time and effort into it. It helps you communicate with clients and other professionals smoothly and effectively as you pull together your event.

Taking the time to learn concert production jobs key terms demonstrates to others in the field your dedication to the many facets of the trade. It also keeps you current with modern industry lingo and job offerings.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

American Federation of Musicians

The American Federation of Musicians, also known as AFM, is the union that determines minimum wage and work conditions for artists in America. It provides information on job opportunities for professional development.

I recommend: American Federation of Musicians offers information on its union policies and on jobs. Although it's a site asking members to join, much of its information is available to the general public free of charge.

Post production

Many concerts become available to the general public through filming or audio. Post production refers to the production phases following the actual performance. It includes editing and special effects, among other touch-ups done by qualified individuals or studios.

I recommend: Music Producer's Forum is a resource where producers and artists offer tips and share experiences, and it covers topics on jobs like audio post production.

Scheduling

This term refers to lining up places to perform, arranging publicity, hiring artists, planning rehearsal schedules and setting dates for an event. Performers may work with a person who offers scheduling for concert production, or they may outsource the work to a scheduling company.

I recommend: Oberlin offers a site dedicated to helping with scheduling for concert productions. It offers information on rehearsal setup, as well as hall reservations.

Negotiations

This term refers to dialogue between parties that produces an agreement for actions related to an event. Specialized lawyers work on this part of concert programming for large shows. The industry may refer to a person who specializes in this type of job as a negotiator.

I recommend: NowPublic offers information on producing music concerts successfully. It covers areas like negotiations.

Contracting

Artists and event planners negotiate contracting terms. There are organizations that specialize in this facet of concert production. This term refers to an agreement reached and signed by both parties declaring specified duties expected for an event.

I recommend: MusicContracts.com provides music contracts that you can download. Among the ones it offers is one for concert booking and production contracts.

Concert lighting

Concert lighting is an important job in concert production, since it provides fake illumination used to enhance performances with shadows and special lighting techniques. It includes colored lights and hazy effects.

I recommend: Northern State University provides information on lighting for concerts. It offers a deep look into the function of concert lighting and defines how performances use light direction.