“Break into the Scene gets right to the point - a successful musician is more than a top-notch performer. Seth's book is an efficient, entertaining guide to all of the tools necessary to create your musical career."

Paul Bryan, Dean of Students and Faculty at Curtis Institute of Music

“Break into the Scene is a terrific, straight-talking, and down to earth guide for freelance success. Loaded with practical advice and examples, the book uncovers the mind traps and misperceptions that prevent musicians from succeeding—and Seth offers real-life solutions!”

Angela Beeching, author of Beyond Talent

“As someone who has struggled with an irrational fear of networking and gigging, I’m so relieved that Seth has taken on the impressive feat of dissecting the art of music freelancing into an inspiring set of mindsets, mantras, and steps that anyone can take. If you’re interesting in freelancing as a musician, this book is the first place you should start."

Rob Knopper, MET Orchestra percussionist and founder of auditionhacker

About the book

Are you passionate about music, but unsure how to turn it into a career?

Are you stuck thinking there are such few options for musicians?

Are you ready to start your career, but clueless what steps to take?

Having a career you love is everyone’s goal, but getting a career started as a musician can be challenging.

Whether your dream is to become a full-time musician, teacher, or you just want to earn a little extra money on the side, this book will help you get there.

Seth shares how he went from broke valet driver to successful freelance musician and contractor.

Through real-life stories, humor, and actionable tips, he shows the way for anyone looking to break into the music scene.

In this book, you will learn:

• How to create your own opportunities


• How to break the mental barriers that are holding you back


• How to building an amazing network of connections


• How to find mentors


• How to effectively reach out to anyone (plus exact scripts you can use)

Your dream career is waiting for you.

If you are ready to take the first steps to launch your music career, then this book is for you.

Seth Hanes is a musician, digital marketing consultant, speaker, and founder of musiciansguidetohustling.com, which is regularly visited by musicians all over the world. He maintains a busy career as a performer and teacher around the Philadelphia area. As a digital marketing consultant, Seth has worked with everything from multi-million dollar organizations, book publishers, and musicians from ensembles like the Philadelphia Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic. In addition to his professional activities, he enjoys reading, learning to play the banjo, and spending time at the dog park with his dog, who is coincidentally named Banjo. Seth can be reached by email at seth@sethhanes.com. Say hello on any social media platform at @sethhanes