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Musicians and Singers Occupation Detailed Description

Musicians and Singers career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Musicians and Singers

The main tasks and work activities of Musicians and Singers are to audition for roles, promote products, activities, or organizations, coordinate musical rehearsals or performances, train others on performance techniques. In general, for the Musicians and Singers, speaking, active Listening, judgment and Decision Making, coordination and other 7 skills are required.
Musicians and Singers Job Description
EducationMost occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Related ExperiencePrevious work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Job TrainingEmployees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
ExampleThese occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, travel guides, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters, and medical assistants.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for Musicians and Singers jobs. 12.75% of Musicians and Singers have High School Diploma (or the equivalent) and 0.73% of Musicians and Singers have Post-Secondary Certificate.
Less than a High School Diploma
0.81%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
12.75%
Post-Secondary Certificate
0.73%
Some College Courses
8.33%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
0.00%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
77.38%

Tasks and Work Activities of Musicians and Singers

  • Memorize musical selections and routines, or sing following printed text, musical notation, or customer instructions.
  • Sing as a soloist or as a member of a vocal group.
  • Perform before live audiences, or in television, radio, or movie productions.
  • Interpret or modify music, applying knowledge of harmony, melody, rhythm, and voice production to individualize presentations and maintain audience interest.
  • Practice singing exercises and study with vocal coaches to develop voice and skills and to rehearse for upcoming roles.
  • Sing a cappella or with musical accompaniment.
  • Observe choral leaders or prompters for cues or directions in vocal presentation.
  • Make or participate in recordings.
  • Seek out and learn new music suitable for live performance or recording.
  • Compose songs or create vocal arrangements.
  • Collaborate with a manager or agent who handles administrative details, finds work, and negotiates contracts.
  • Learn acting, dancing, and other skills required for dramatic singing roles.
  • Research particular roles to find out more about a character, or the time and place in which a piece is set.
  • Specialize in playing a specific family of instruments or a particular type of music.
  • Play musical instruments as soloists, or as members or guest artists of musical groups such as orchestras, ensembles, or bands.
  • Play from memory or by following scores.
  • Sight-read musical parts during rehearsals.
  • Audition for orchestras, bands, or other musical groups.
  • Provide the musical background for live shows, such as ballets, operas, musical theatre, and cabarets.
  • Transpose music to alternate keys, or to fit individual styles or purposes.
  • Thinking CreativelyDeveloping, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the PublicPerforming for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsDeveloping constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and EventsIdentifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Processing InformationCompiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
  • Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProviding information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Developing and Building TeamsEncouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
  • Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or PeopleAssessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
  • Updating and Using Relevant KnowledgeKeeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Audition for roles.
  • Promote products, activities, or organizations.
  • Coordinate musical rehearsals or performances.
  • Train others on performance techniques.
  • Perform music for the public.
  • Practice athletic or artistic skills.
  • Perform for recordings.
  • Create musical compositions, arrangements or scores.
  • Coordinate logistics for productions or events.
  • Conduct research to inform art, designs, or other work.
  • Study details of musical compositions.

Skills and Abilities for Musicians and Singers

  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Active ListeningGiving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Judgment and Decision MakingConsidering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Social PerceptivenessBeing aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Active LearningUnderstanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Reading ComprehensionUnderstanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
  • Arm-Hand SteadinessThe ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
  • Manual DexterityThe ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
  • MemorizationThe ability to remember information such as words, numbers, pictures, and procedures.
  • Finger DexterityThe ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
  • Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Problem SensitivityThe ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Hearing SensitivityThe ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.
  • Multilimb CoordinationThe ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
  • Flexibility of ClosureThe ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
  • Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Information OrderingThe ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Inductive ReasoningThe ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • OriginalityThe ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
  • Deductive ReasoningThe ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Fluency of IdeasThe ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
  • Written ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Equalizerse.g. Audio equalizers
  • Compact disk players or recorderse.g. Compact disk CD players
  • Compact disk players or recorderse.g. Compact disk CD trainers
  • Musical instrument effects unite.g. Effects pedals
  • Musical instrument effects unite.g. Effects racks
  • Earphonee.g. In-ear monitors IEM
  • Karaoke systemse.g. Karaoke machines
  • Notebook computerse.g. Laptop computers
  • Microphonese.g. Live microphones
  • Public address systemse.g. Loudspeaker systems
  • Microphone stande.g. Microphone stands
  • Microphonese.g. Monitor microphones
  • MP3 players or recorderse.g. MP3 trainers
  • Personal computerse.g. Personal computers
  • Audio mixing consolese.g. Sound mixers
  • Microphonese.g. Studio microphones
  • Tablet computerse.g. Tablet computers
  • Microphonese.g. Universal serial bus USB microphones
  • Musical instrument effects unite.g. Vocal processors
  • Wireless microphone and instrument amplification systeme.g. Wireless microphones
  • Fine ArtsKnowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Foreign LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.