Musician

Musicians may also dance or produce choreography. The concept of the musician and the status of the musician in society varies from culture to culture.

Musicians can be either amateur or professional. Professional musicians are paid musicians who use performing as their main source of income. They may work freelance, enter into a contract with a studio or record label, be employed by a professional ensemble such as a symphony orchestra, or be employed by an institution such as a church or business (such as a bar). An amateur musician is someone for whom music is a pastime and not their main occupation. Musicians usually attempt to attain a high level of proficiency, constantly practicing to develop the skills needed to perform their chosen style. For example, the practice of scales and modes by Instrumentalists.

Many times a musician can be named according to his or her instrument (a violinist, for example, is one who plays violin.) The "-ist" suffix is most common, though not universal (e.g. "trumpeter," not "trumpetist.")


By Category – List of basic music topics – List of musical topics – Definition of music – Music theory – Musician – Composer – Musicology – Ethnomusicology – Music history – History of music – Musical instrument – Composition – Terminology – Notation – Education – Musical improvisation – Music and politics – Music and mathematics – Music market – Genre – Album – Song – Suite – Lyrics – Record label – Record producer