How to Make Money from Music: The Best Tools for Independent Artists

Making a living from music no longer requires a record deal or endless touring. Today, independent artists have more paths than ever to turn creativity into income—from streaming and sync licensing to offering custom vocals and building an online audience.

With so many platforms and tools available, it’s easy to feel unsure where to start. Should you focus on releasing singles, pitching for placements, or building your brand?

In this guide, you’ll find the best tools and platforms for independent artists at every stage of the process: from creation and production to distribution, promotion, and collaboration.

If you’ve been wondering how to make money with your music while staying authentic and independent, this guide is for you.

Create Smarter, Not Harder

You don’t need an expensive studio to produce great work. What you need are tools that fit your workflow. Here are a few accessible, powerful options to help you stay focused on creativity instead of technical barriers.

Free and Accessible Music Software for Getting Started

If you’re new to production or working with a limited budget, start with free DAWs that don’t compromise on quality.

• BandLab Studio: A free, cloud-based DAW that lets you record, mix, and collaborate right in your browser, with no installs or subscriptions.

• Cakewalk by BandLab: A full-featured Windows-only DAW descended from SONAR, offering professional-level mixing tools at no cost.

• Tracktion Waveform Free: A modern DAW for macOS, Windows, and Linux that pairs a minimal interface with strong editing capabilities.

These tools give independent artists a zero-cost path to high-quality music creation so you can invest your resources elsewhere, like promotion or better equipment.

AI Tools That Empower Creativity (Without Replacing It)

Artificial intelligence in music isn’t about shortcuts; it’s about expanding creative possibilities.

With Kits AI, you can explore ethically trained AI voice models to experiment with new vocal textures, create harmonies, or clone your own voice for consistent demos. Kits helps you bring ideas to life faster while keeping full control and ownership of your sound.

In a recent conversation with RealMusic.AI, Kits’ Head of Research Kyle Billings discussed how transparency and fairness are essential to AI’s future in music. Both platforms share the goal of making technology ethical and accessible for creators who value artistry as much as innovation.

If you want to explore even more tools that are shaping the future of music creation, check out RealMusic.AI’s AI Music Tool Resource Directory. It’s a curated and regularly updated hub of the best AI-driven music tools available today.

Organizing Your Sessions Like a Pro Producer

Even with great tools, disorganized sessions can kill momentum. Use lightweight project management apps to stay focused and efficient:

• Notion for lyric ideas, timelines, and references.

• Trello for tracking song progress from idea to final mix.

• Soundflow for automating repetitive studio tasks and saving setup time.

Streamlining your workflow gives you more space to create. While marketing and promotion are important, your creative output is your lifeblood. Efficiency and organization give you more creative leverage.

Distribute and Monetize

Once your track is finished, it’s time to turn it into an income stream. For independent artists, the hardest part often isn’t making music; it’s getting paid for it.

Thankfully, there’s an entire ecosystem of tools that help you earn through streaming, licensing, and freelance opportunities.

Get Your Music on All Major Streaming Platforms

The simplest way to start earning is to make sure your music is available wherever people listen—from Spotify and Apple Music to Amazon Music and TikTok.

Digital distributors handle the technical work for a small annual fee or commission:

• DistroKid: Unlimited uploads and fast delivery to all major streaming services.

• CD Baby: One-time fees per release and access to over 150 stores, plus publishing and sync services.

• TuneCore: Lets you keep 100% of your royalties with add-ons for publishing and social monetization.

Pitch for Sync Licensing Opportunities

Streaming builds exposure, but sync placements—when your song appears in TV, film, or ads—can pay significantly more.

Sync licensing deals often include upfront payments and ongoing royalties, making them a reliable way to make money for independent artists.

For a detailed breakdown, check out Kits’ guide: Music Career Guide: Sync Licensing

You’ll learn how to prepare your catalog, tag your metadata, and pitch effectively to music libraries, supervisors, and publishers. The key is building real relationships, not just sending cold emails.

Start by identifying smaller or boutique libraries that accept independent submissions and respond personally. Introduce yourself, share a short demo reel, and highlight that your music is professionally mixed and easy to license. Follow up respectfully, stay on their radar, and deliver on time when given a chance. Reliability builds trust faster than anything.

Many music supervisors appreciate concise communication and organized metadata. Make their job easy by including track descriptions, moods, and clear contact info.

Here are a few reputable companies that accept or periodically review submissions:

• APM Music: One of the most established production libraries in the world with distribution networks that reach every major studio. While they don't directly hire composers, they provide a list of their partners that do here.

• Epidemic Sound: Focuses on underscore music for media and advertising.

• Pond5: A large marketplace where artists can license music directly to content creators and video producers.

Building and nurturing genuine connections in this space takes time, but it can become one of the most rewarding and sustainable income streams for an independent artist.

Offer Your Services as a Vocalist or Producer

You don’t have to wait for streams to make money. Many artists earn steady income by offering creative services like vocals, production, and mixing through online marketplaces.

Try these platforms:

• SoundBetter: A Spotify-owned network for hiring vocalists, producers, and engineers.

• Vocalizr: A global community connecting singers and producers for paid collaborations.

• Fiverr Music & Audio: Ideal for building your portfolio and attracting clients.

• Disco.ac: Helps you organize and share your demo reel with potential collaborators and labels.

You can use Kits to experiment with multiple vocal styles, produce consistent demo vocals, and deliver polished stems faster with built-in mixing and mastering tools. Treating your artistry like a business transforms every project into an opportunity for growth.

Promote Your Music and Build Your Brand

Creating great music is only half of your job as a musician. The other half is getting people to hear it.

Promotion as an independent artist isn’t about chasing viral moments; it’s about building relationships and visibility over time. With the right mix of tools and strategy, you can turn fans into advocates and advocates into income.

Building a Brand Story That Sticks

Your brand is how people feel when they experience your music and visuals. A strong story connects emotionally and sets you apart.

Ask yourself: What do you stand for? What emotions do your songs evoke?

Visual tools like Canva and Adobe Express make it easy to design album covers, lyric graphics, and social posts that reflect your message.

When your visuals and sound align, your audience remembers you. That recognition builds lasting careers.

Social Media Tools That Make Growth Manageable

Managing multiple platforms can be overwhelming. These tools help you stay consistent without burning out:

• Sprout Social: A scheduling and analytics suite for tracking engagement and audience trends.

• Later: Great for planning visual content and previewing your social grid.

• Social Blade: Useful for tracking growth and comparing benchmarks with other indie musicians.

Real-World Networking Opportunities

Even in the digital era, face-to-face connections still matter.

Events like SXSW, AES, and Music Tectonics bring together artists, producers, and music-tech innovators. Many now offer affordable virtual passes or livestreamed panels.

Networking doesn’t have to be transactional. A single conversation can lead to collaborations, sync placements, or partnerships that change your career.

Connect and Collaborate

No artist grows in isolation. Behind every successful independent career is a network of collaborators, mentors, and supporters.

The right music communities keep you inspired and open doors to gigs, placements, and partnerships. Collaboration multiplies opportunity.

Join Active Music Communities Online

If you’re looking to share feedback, discover new music tech, or find collaborators, try joining:

• Gearspace: A respected forum for producers and engineers discussing gear and techniques.

• r/WeAreTheMusicMakers: A community of over two million musicians sharing advice and industry insights.

• Indie Music Feedback: A supportive subreddit for peer song critiques.

• RealMusic.AI Discord & Resource Directory: A hub for transparency and collaboration in AI music creation, hosting workshops and sharing ethical music tech updates.

Engaging consistently builds visibility and connections that can lead to remix invitations, features, or sync referrals.

Collaborate to Grow Your Catalog and Reach

Collaboration not only improves your craft—it multiplies your exposure.

Working with other artists, writers, and producers helps your music reach new audiences and expand your creative range. Co-writing sessions can introduce you to different perspectives, remix swaps can bring new energy to existing tracks, and vocal features can cross genres and fanbases.

If you’re looking to collaborate, start by engaging with peers in your existing circles. Join online forums or social media groups for your niche, attend songwriting camps, or join songwriting challenges on Discord or Reddit communities. Always approach collaborations with clear communication about creative direction, ownership splits, and timelines.

To find professional collaborators and grow your network, consider exploring platforms such as:

• Kompoz: A global platform that connects musicians for remote collaboration on new projects.

• ProCollabs: Designed for serious musicians seeking professional-quality online collaboration.

• SoundBetter: A hub for finding and hiring other artists, producers, and engineers for paid or feature collaborations.

Building genuine creative relationships takes time and trust, but each new project adds to your catalog and reputation. The more you collaborate, the more your name circulates, and that visibility can open doors to sync placements, label interest, and future partnerships.

Keep Learning and Evolving with Music Tech

The music industry moves fast. New plugins, platforms, and AI tools appear almost weekly, and staying informed helps you stay competitive.

The goal isn’t to learn every tool, but to stay curious and adaptable so you can choose what truly supports your artistry.

Stay Ahead with Trusted Industry Resources

Stay updated with credible, music-savvy sources:

• Sound On Sound: Pro audio reviews, production tips, and workflow guides.

• MusicTech: Tutorials and news for creators exploring new tools and methods.

• RealMusic.AI Podcast: Conversations with thought leaders shaping the ethical future of music AI.

• The Kits Blog: Stay up-to-date on new product features, music production tutorials, and how to use AI to improve your craft.

A few minutes of learning each week compounds over time, keeping your skills sharp and your ideas fresh.

Conclusion – Your Music Is a Business (and You’re the CEO)

Every independent artist starts with the same spark—a song idea, a melody, a voice that needs to be heard. Turning that creativity into a career means thinking like an entrepreneur.

From production to promotion, every choice builds the system that supports your art and sustains your growth. The right tools, platforms, and communities help you build a lasting business.

Start small. Release one song. Join one community. Offer one paid collaboration. Each step creates momentum and adds to your creative portfolio.

At Kits.ai, we believe music technology should empower, not replace. That’s why we partner with platforms like RealMusic.AI and design tools that respect artistic ownership, helping creators sound their best while staying true to their voice.

If you’ve been asking, “how do I make money with my music?”—the answer starts with action. You already have the talent. Now you have the roadmap.

Keep creating. Keep sharing. And keep growing.

Justin is a Los Angeles based copywriter with over 16 years in the music industry, composing for hit TV shows and films, producing widely licensed tracks, and managing top music talent. He now creates compelling copy for brands and artists, and in his free time, enjoys painting, weightlifting, and playing soccer.