Make & Publish Music

Making Music as a Nomad

Modern music production happens entirely on laptops. You can write, produce, mix, and release music from anywhere in the world. For musically inclined nomads, this is both opportunity and challenge.

The opportunity: reach global audiences from anywhere. The challenge: everyone else is doing the same thing, and streaming pays pennies.

The Income Reality

Streaming Math

Platform	Pay Per Stream	Streams for $1,000
Spotify	~$0.004	250,000
Apple Music	~$0.01	100,000
YouTube Music	~$0.008	125,000
Amazon Music	~$0.004	250,000

Most independent artists don't reach these numbers. The top 1% of artists earn the vast majority of streaming revenue.

Realistic Expectations

Hobby level: $0-100/month

• Releasing music occasionally
• Small but growing listener base
• Learning the craft

Serious independent: $100-1,000/month

• Consistent releases
• Active promotion
• Diversified income streams

Professional independent: $1,000-10,000+/month

• Large catalog
• Significant audience
• Multiple revenue sources

Music Production Setup

Minimum Viable Setup

Equipment	Cost	Notes
Laptop	Already have	MacBook common, Windows works
DAW	$0-600	Free options exist
Headphones	$100-300	Essential for travel
MIDI controller	$50-200	Optional but helpful
Audio interface	$100-300	For recording
Microphone	$100-500	For vocals/instruments

Software (DAWs)

Popular options:

• Ableton Live ($99-749)
• Logic Pro ($200, Mac only)
• FL Studio ($99-499)
• GarageBand (free, Mac)
• Reaper ($60, very capable)

Free options:

• GarageBand
• Reaper (free trial forever)
• Audacity (basic recording/editing)

Portable Production Tips

• Use high-quality headphones (no monitors while traveling)
• Cloud backup everything (Google Drive)
• Small MIDI keyboard for ideas
• Quiet spaces for recording vocals
• Power bank for laptop

Distributing Your Music

Distribution Services

Service	Cost	Features
DistroKid	$20/year	Unlimited releases
TuneCore	$10-30/release	Per-release pricing
CD Baby	$10-30/release	One-time fee
Amuse	Free tier	Limited features

Recommendation: DistroKid for most independent artists—unlimited releases makes experimentation affordable.

Release Strategy

• Plan releases 4-6 weeks ahead
• Submit to playlist curators before release
• Build pre-save campaigns
• Coordinate social media promotion
• Release consistently (every 4-6 weeks helps algorithms)

Revenue Diversification

Streaming alone rarely pays bills. Successful independents diversify:

Sync Licensing

License music for:

• TV shows and films
• Commercials
• YouTube videos
• Video games
• Podcasts

Platforms: Musicbed, Artlist, Epidemic Sound, Pond5

Can pay $50-10,000+ per placement.

Direct Fan Support

• Patreon memberships
• Bandcamp sales
• Exclusive content
• Early access

Custom Work

• Custom songs for events
• Production for other artists
• Beat/sample sales via Gumroad
• Sound design for video

Performance

• Live shows (when possible)
• Virtual performances
• Session work

Teaching

• Online lessons
• Production tutorials
• Masterclasses

Building an Audience

Discovery Challenges

• Millions of songs uploaded daily
• Playlist algorithms favor established artists
• Attention is extremely competitive
• Marketing often costs more than earnings

Organic Growth

Social media:

• Share process and behind-the-scenes
• Engage in music communities
• Collaborate with other artists
• Consistent presence

Content:

• YouTube for visuals and tutorials
• TikTok for discovery (can go viral)
• Instagram for community
• Podcast appearances

Collaboration:

• Feature on other artists' tracks
• Remix trades
• Production collaborations

Building True Fans

1,000 true fans paying $100/year = $100,000. This is more achievable than millions of streams.

Focus on:

• Email list building
• Direct fan relationships
• Exclusive content and access
• Community building

Working While Nomadic

What Works

• Production is fully portable
• Release management is online
• Fan engagement is digital
• Collaboration happens remotely

Challenges

• Finding quiet recording space
• Acoustic treatment for vocals
• Reliable internet for uploads
• Time zone coordination for collaborations

Tips

• Carry collapsible vocal booth if recording frequently
• Batch recording during stationary periods
• Use cloud-based project sharing
• Accept limitations of travel recording

Who Should Pursue This?

This works if you:

• Make music regardless of income potential
• Enjoy the full process (creation to promotion)
• Can handle very slow income growth
• Are willing to diversify revenue
• Love the craft for its own sake

It's not right if you:

• Need music to pay bills soon
• Only want to create, not promote
• Expect streaming to provide income
• Aren't willing to learn business side
• Give up without consistent audience growth

The Bottom Line

Making music as a nomad is absolutely viable from a production standpoint. Modern tools let you create professional music from anywhere with a laptop.

But earning significant income is extremely difficult. Streaming pays poorly, discovery is hard, and competition is global. The musicians who earn well treat it as a business—diversifying income, building direct fan relationships, and working the sync licensing and custom production angles.

If you love making music, keep making it. But build a realistic income plan that doesn't depend on streaming success. Let music be the passion while other income sources pay the bills—until the music catches up.