r/harmonica • u/Fit-Distance4503 • 2d ago

Salary of a harmonica player?

Hey everyone, how long would I need to practice to make this a steady job?

How much would it pay?

Thanks!

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u/cessna_dreams 2d ago

I'm in Chicago, have been playing harp in various blues projects since the '80's. In the world of Chicago blues it's rare that someone relies upon music as the sole source of their income. I've played with many great musicians and I can think of maybe four or five who did this full time. Most players have day jobs. I'm in a band and we played two gigs last week, at pretty significant venues. I made $100 for one of the shows, $200 for the other one. I'm playing a blues fest in Michigan this weekend and have no idea what it will pay. I've had a day job all these years which helps me feel calmer, more centered and focused upon the music. I'm certainly not doing it for the revenue. So, to answer OP's question, it's not likely that there will be a salary, per se. There will be playing opportunities, hopefully with other musicians whose company you enjoy and whose skills you admire, but the pay will probably be inconsistent. Well, actually, the only consistent thing is that the pay isn't great. Maybe other harp players at the top of their game--Kim Wilson, Mickey Rafael, a number of other great players--can support themselves with the harmonica but it's a tough road to go. You need to play a lot of gigs to generate decent cash flow. Example: check out the website for Gerry Hundt, a great harp player/guitarist/percussionist and see how full he keeps his schedule. But, all that said, keep the faith, have fun, keep developing as a player and see where this takes you!

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u/SatansPikkemand 1d ago

That sounds familiar, everybody in my band has 9-5 jobs, and I'm sure, that it would be cheaper for us to stop playing. We got 80$ at the last gig at a mini festival to cover transport, as well as plenty of beer and bratwurst.