Rising Above the Din: A Musician’s Guide to the Digital Landscape

June 1, 2026

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by Dr. Lexie Signor, D.M., member of Local 3 (Indianapolis, IN)

We’ve all heard the complaints: “I hate social media.” Yet, without participating in these online show places, the modern musician will likely be lost among the clamor of the tech-driven world around them. It is easy to be myopic in your perspective of the musical economy. However, in a world that is linked ever more closely through technology, it’s important to remember that your reach really is infinite if you choose to participate actively in the online discovery process for your art.

As a millennial musician, I have found myself clocking in at many social stations of the online promotion game. I have had the pleasure of building a web presence for not only myself but for several other artists and ensembles over the years on many platforms, most notably TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram. I have been through the various changes to the algorithms that run these bottled universes, and therefore, I hope to offer some insight to those who are wondering if all the hassle is worth it.

The short answer is: It depends. If your goal is simply to make music on a local level, have folks come to your gigs, and enjoy your creative endeavors, then it is likely that you can get away with just some simple word of mouth and Facebook promotion. That is, if you live in an area where people have an interest in what you’re doing in the first place. If you, like me, find yourself working in a niche capacity in a place that is largely unaware that you exist, or even that your art is worth checking out, you will have to be much more aggressive in utilizing social media platforms to rise above the din of the countless millions of other musicians attempting to make a living for themselves.

On the bright side, your musical economy is as large as you allow the internet to grow it. The downside is that the efforts put forth to generate a return from those vast digital workspaces is tedious and time consuming. And if you’re not careful, or at the very least aware of the dialogues transpiring every day, you may find yourself trolled and ridiculed, or worse, have accounts banned or canceled.

Being a high-level musician who cut her teeth on the East Coast, I am aware of the cut-throat nature of the business. It does seem that everyone is out for themselves, and if you are lucky enough to fall in with a good crew of supportive musicians, you are wise to cling to that social capital and be as much of a team player as possible to stay active in the scene. This translates to some unwritten rules with which we’re all familiar regarding getting and keeping gigs.

Rather than evangelize on these points, I’d rather draw your attention to the proverbial elephant in the room. That is, that no one on the internet really cares about these rules. Whether we like it or not, your social media and online presence is your most powerful calling card when it comes to being selected for opportunities.

Fewer contractors are relying on word of mouth but are heavily leaning on the pull of a musician’s social media presence as proof that they can draw a crowd or would be a wise addition to an ensemble. This assertion is based on the notion that you never needed to be the best musician in town—just the most consistently available and least problematic one. The fact that more people use Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok as go-to search engines to find goods and services, rather than Google, should tell you everything you need to know about whether to put effort into creating an online presence for yourself.

For those reading this with well-established careers, you’ve likely never had to worry about any of this. Those of us in the trenches applaud you for your success. However, the perspective from the foxholes in which musicians are surviving every day is that, regardless of your location, you can indeed create a lucrative business for yourself if you just take a few hours a week to promote yourself on social media.

I consider myself proof of this. I live in a relatively remote area, I play an instrument which is hardly essential in any ensemble, I do not have a publicist or agent, and yet, I have more work than I can take. I chalk these wins up to a vibrant and relevant social media presence. I mainly post videos helping younger musicians improve their skills, give commentary on different pieces of gear I use, and create videos of me teaching and playing as often as humanly possible. All this takes me a total of about four hours per week and it generates more than enough revenue to keep me afloat even in the leaner, less active winter months.

So, if you’re avoiding these few hours of work per week because you feel it is lame, or beneath you, please enjoy that practice time! I’ll be posting actively and enjoying the work that will inevitably land in my lap because someone hiring a trumpet player found me first.

5 Steps to a Better Digital Presence

To thrive in today’s musical economy, you must treat your online presence as your most powerful professional calling card. Maximize your reach, not your time. Use this five-step roadmap to rise above the din and land more work.

Shift Your Search Mindset—Accept that contractors now use TikTok, Instagram, and Pinterest as search engines. Your profiles provide “proof of concept”—showing you are reliable, available, and capable of drawing a crowd

Define Your Value Pillars—Don’t just post for the sake of posting. Focus on three proven categories: educational content (tips for students), gear commentary (professional insights), and active performances (videos of you playing and teaching).

Commit to the Four-Hour Workflow—A lucrative business doesn’t require constant scrolling. Dedicate four hours per week to intentional content creation and engagement. This small investment ensures a steady stream of work, even during lean months.

Embrace the “Niche” Advantage—If you live in a remote area or play a specialized instrument, use the internet to expand your reach. The scale of your musical success is limited only by your own vision.

Maintain Professional Social Capital—Be the “least problematic” and most supportive musician online. Success requires two types of synergy: the one you build on stage and the one you build online.

—Read more about Lexie Signor, D.M., at lexiethetrumpeter.com.

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