Job Description of a Music Critic
If you have a passion for music and you like to communicate about it to others, you might enjoy being a music critic. It will take time and hard work to succeed in the career, but it should be a rewarding process. Read on to learn what a critic does, what skills are needed, the job's benefits and suggestions for how to get started.
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Function
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A music critic informs, analyzes and gives an opinion on music. The person may specialize in one narrow area or cover a broad range of styles. A critic may write for a newspaper, a magazine or an online source, or he may speak on radio, TV or the Internet about concerts or recordings. In addition to reviewing music performances, a critic may interview musicians and may write or speak on broader topics such as year-end reviews or new trends in music or the music industry.
Features
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A music critic should have deep knowledge of the style of music that he is covering, and preferably, of a wide range of music. This includes the history of that form of music, what it stemmed from and major figures in composition and performance. A critic who is also a musician can use that knowledge to deepen his criticism. In addition to knowledge, he must be able to write and speak well, be able to analyze what he is hearing and have strong opinions to share. Finally, a critic must be able to produce work to meet short deadlines.
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Benefits
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A critic can attend concerts and get recordings for free. He will be able to meet musicians and others in the music business and hear the latest news before others. The critic will probably keep somewhat flexible hours.
Significance
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A widely read critic can drive the public toward or away from a concert or recording. A positive review can help give a new artist confidence or revive a flagging career. A negative one might help a stagnant musician move in a new direction, but it might also raise doubts in a musician's mind. A critic can share his knowledge of music to deepen the public's understanding of a performer, a particular work or a style of music.
Considerations
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A critic may work out of an office or from home. Hours will be erratic and travel may be called for, as the critic spends evenings or weekends listening to concerts or attending music festivals. If the critic works for a large organization, he will earn a salary. Smaller outlets may pay by the piece, so the critic may need to find other work to supplement the income from criticism.
Getting Started
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If you'd like to be a music critic, start by learning all you can about as many areas of music as possible. Learn to play an instrument. Read whatever you can find, especially music criticism. Listen to recordings of the same piece by different artists and compare and contrast them. Write some practice reviews, thinking about what you want to say and how to organize it. Think about the effect of your words on others, especially for a negative review. Get a job (even a volunteer one) writing reviews for the school or local paper, or write a music blog and let people know about it. And one more thing: Since music is meant to be enjoyed, have fun with it.
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