Why Skilled Guitarists Are Broke (And Average Players Get Paid)
“Guitarists should be paid for their skill, not per hour.”
It sounds smart.
It’s also wrong.
Most insanely skilled guitarists are broke.
And many average players make a living.
That alone should tell you something.
Skill does not equal money
The music world doesn’t reward effort.
It rewards value.
Skill is common.
Talent is everywhere.
What’s rare is delivering something people actually want.
Venues, clients, and audiences don’t pay for:
- your practice hours
- your difficulty level
- your theory knowledge
They pay for outcomes.
The myth of time vs skill
“Paid per hour” versus “paid for skill” is a fake debate.
Both are bad deals.
You don’t get paid for time.
You don’t get paid for skill.
You get paid for:
- solving a problem
- delivering a result
- creating an experience
- bringing value to someone else
Skill is just the tool you use to do that.
Why average players often earn more
Because they:
- show up on time
- deliver consistently
- understand the context
- make the night work
- bring people
- reduce risk
That’s value.
Hard truth
If your income doesn’t match your skill level, the problem isn’t the market.
It’s that your skill isn’t packaged into value yet.
Transcript
Someone said:
“Guitarists should be paid for their skill, not per hour.”
Sounds smart. But this couldn’t be more wrong.
First: skill doesn’t equal money.
Most insanely skilled guitarists are totally broke.
And many well-paid guitarists are often just average — because they deliver value.
Second: “skill vs per hour” is a false choice.
Trading time for money is the worst deal you can make.
You don’t get paid for time.
You don’t get paid for skill.
You get paid for value:
the result you deliver, the problem you solve, and the outcome the client wants.
Skill is the tool.
Value is the product.
Take Your Guitar Playing To The Next Level!
Wouter Baustein
Music Producer, Music & Mindset Coach
If you like clear, practical guitar and music coaching instead of random YouTube tips, you need structure. My guitar books and coaching programs give you that structure, so you can finally make real progress and level up your playing.
