A musician is a person who performs or writes music. Musicians can be classified by their roles in creating or performing music:

• An instrumentalist plays a musical instrument.

• A singer (or vocalist) uses his or her voice as an instrument.

• Composers, songwriters and arrangers create musical compositions, songs and arrangements. These may be transcribed in music notation, performed or recorded.

• A conductor leads a musical ensemble. A conductor can simultaneously act as an instrumentalist in the ensemble.

• A recording artist creates recorded music, such as CDs and MP3 files.

Types of musicians

Leaders
ConductorleaderConcertmasterComposers:
ComposerSongwriterarrangerOrchestratorInstrumentalists:
Bassist or Double bassistBassoonist
Bandurist (Bandura player)
Bouzouki playerCellistClarinetistDrummerEuphoniumist
Electronic musicianFlautistGuitarist (Electric, Acoustic, Synth)
HarpistHornist (Horn player)
Keyboardist (Keyboard player)
Mandolinist
OboistOrganistPianistPercussionistRecorder playerSaxophonistSawist (musical saw player)
Sitarist
TrombonistTrumpeter (also Trumpet player)
Tubist (Tuba player)
Uillean piperViolinist
Violist (Viola player)
Turntablist (Disk Jockey)
Vocalists:
SingerRapperScreamerBeatboxerVocal Percussion

See also

• American Federation of Musicians