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Hi,
I want to know how hard is to sell the music that one improvised. And where should I sell it?
Is there a better way to get money from playing the piano? I am playing mostly classical music for 12 years?

Thank you

Hi Baracat, it's no accident that one often finds the words "struggling" and "musician" together. Making a living from composing is--I'm guessing--even harder to do than making a living as a performer. From what I have gathered reading the forum for a few years, most pianists cobble together a successful living through a combination of teaching, gigging/performing, and accompanying.

Are you composing mostly classical-style music? That would be even harder to sell, I think, given the smaller potential market for it.

One of my favorite composers, David Nevue, has been successful in composing and marketing solo piano music. He's not with any major recording company but produces and sells all his own CDs. He's made it work, but he's also worked very hard to get where he is. If you're interested, he's written a book for musicians on how to promote their music via the internet:

http://www.musicbizacademy.com/bookstore/htpromotemusic.htm

Baracat, there's a never ending market for soothing, relaxing piano music. People are always going to need some kind of sress relief. Why not music?

With that in mind, there are literally thousands of 'relaxing music' CDs currently in the market. My suggestion is to build a mailing list of people interested in YOUR music. Does that make selling easier? You bet!

Although I have not specifically sold much of my solo piano music (mostly it's been music with bands), I can share my experience about who "gets paid" in music and who doesn't.

How good your music is, is only part of it.

It's often the person who is most professional, organized and determined that gets paid. This means if you want to sell piano music - to get organized, start compiling recordings of yourself. Start making mock-up CDs on iTunes to see how you like them. Give them to close friends and family to see what they think.

Start keeping a database of contacts - people that book piano concerts, record studio owners, potential fans etc etc etc.

Learn learn learn - about music, about business, about things like royalties, sync rights, ASCAP or BMI...

The fact you may try to sell piano music is only a small factor to contribute to your success. All these surrounding factors can often make a bigger difference than the music its self.