🎼 Step-by-Step Guide to Earn from an “Instrumental Channel” on YouTube
If you have the talent to play an instrument — piano, guitar, violin, flute, or even digital beats — starting an Instrumental Channel on YouTube is a fantastic way to share your art and make a steady income.
Instrumentals are always in demand for:
- 🎬 Background music
- 🎧 Study/Focus playlists
- 🛐 Meditation and relaxation
- 🎥 Short films and projects
This simple and easy guide will show you exactly how to earn by building your Instrumental YouTube Channel — step-by-step.
🎯 Step 1: Understand the Power of Instrumentals
Why instrumentals?
- 🎵 Instrumentals are timeless — no lyrics means no language barrier
- 🌍 Global audience appeal — anyone from any country can enjoy
- 📚 High demand for background music — for videos, podcasts, apps
- 🔁 Instrumentals often get played repeatedly (great for views)
📌 Pro Tip: Instrumental channels often get higher watch times because people use them while working, studying, or relaxing.
🎸 Step 2: Pick Your Instrumental Style
Choose your niche wisely based on your skills and market demand.
Popular styles:
- 🎹 Piano covers of popular songs
- 🎸 Guitar instrumentals (acoustic or electric)
- 🧘 Relaxing/Lo-fi beats for meditation and study
- 🥁 Percussion-focused tracks (for workouts, energy)
- 🎻 Violin or Classical Covers
- 🎷 Jazz and Blues Instrumentals
- 🖥️ Synthesizer-based digital instrumentals
📌 Pro Tip: Pick a style you can sustain — consistency is key for YouTube growth.
🛠️ Step 3: Set Up Your Basic Equipment
High-quality sound is essential for instrumental channels.
Starter Equipment:
- 🎤 Good quality microphone (condenser or dynamic)
- 🎚️ Audio interface (for crisp, clean sound input)
- 🎧 Studio headphones (to hear details)
- 🎥 Basic camera (or your smartphone)
- 💻 Editing software for audio and video
Optional but powerful upgrades:
- 🎛️ MIDI keyboards
- 🎙️ External recorders
- 🧹 Soundproofing materials
📌 Pro Tip: Even with simple gear, recording in a quiet, echo-free room can boost your audio quality.
📝 Step 4: Plan Your Content Calendar
Don’t post random videos — plan smart!
Ideas for Planning:
- 🎵 Create instrumentals based on trending songs
- 📚 Make “Focus Study Music” playlists
- 🧘 Build “Meditation Music” collections
- 🎬 Produce “Background Music for Videos”
- 💼 Custom instrumentals for business ads
Example Weekly Schedule:
- Monday: Popular Song Piano Cover
- Wednesday: Lo-fi Beat for Studying
- Friday: Relaxation Instrumental Session
📌 Pro Tip: Mix trending topics + evergreen content for long-term channel growth.
🎬 Step 5: Record High-Quality Videos
Steps for Recording:
- 🎥 Position camera properly (clear view of hands/instrument)
- 🎤 Test sound levels before final recording
- 🔴 Record multiple takes for best results
- 🎶 Play with feeling — not just technical accuracy
- 📸 Film in a bright, uncluttered space
Extra Tips:
- 💡 Natural light enhances your videos
- 🎼 Use simple background settings (less distraction)
📌 Pro Tip: Keep your videos minimal but elegant — people come for the sound!
✂️ Step 6: Edit Your Audio and Video
Clean editing is important to maintain professionalism.
For Audio:
- 🎛️ Remove noise
- 🎚️ Adjust volume consistency
- 🎵 Add a light touch of reverb if needed
For Video:
- 🎥 Cut unwanted frames
- 🎨 Balance brightness and contrast
- 🏷️ Add clean title overlays (song name/instrumental type)
Free/Low-Cost Editing Tools:
- 🎬 CapCut
- 🎥 DaVinci Resolve
- 🖥️ Audacity (for audio)
- 💻 iMovie (for Mac)
📌 Pro Tip: Simplicity wins — don’t over-edit the visuals or sound.
🖼️ Step 7: Create Eye-Catching Thumbnails
Thumbnails make the first impression.
How to Create Good Thumbnails:
- 📸 Show your instrument clearly
- 🎶 Highlight the type of instrumental
- 🎨 Keep it minimal and peaceful (for relaxation videos)
- 🖍️ Use matching fonts and colors consistently
Thumbnail Example:
- You holding a guitar with text: “Relaxing Acoustic Instrumentals”
📌 Pro Tip: Canva is an easy and free tool to create stunning thumbnails quickly!
🏷️ Step 8: Upload and Optimize Your Videos
Before uploading:
- 🏷️ Use a descriptive Title: “Piano Cover of [Song Name] | Relaxing Instrumental”
- 📄 Write a complete Description:
- About the track
- Instrument used
- Credits (if covering a famous song)
- 🔖 Use strong Tags:
- “Relaxing music”
- “Instrumental cover”
- “Study music piano”
Extra Tips:
- 📂 Add videos to specific Playlists (like “Study Music”, “Sleep Instrumentals”)
- 📢 Pin a comment inviting people to subscribe
📌 Pro Tip: The better your SEO (title + description + tags), the higher your reach!
📣 Step 9: Promote Your Instrumentals Smartly
After uploading, promote actively!
Where to Promote:
- 📱 Instagram Reels and Stories (short teasers)
- 🎶 TikTok (lo-fi beats, short instrumental clips)
- 🎧 Spotify or SoundCloud (expand your music platform reach)
- 💬 Reddit (subreddits like r/InstrumentalCovers)
- 🖥️ Music communities and forums
Cross-Promotion Ideas:
- Collaborate with vloggers, podcasters, or small filmmakers — offer your music for their background needs.
📌 Pro Tip: Offer free-use instrumentals (with credits) to grow your name across YouTube.
💰 Step 10: Monetize and Start Earning
Once your channel gains momentum, here are the ways to earn money:
- 🎥 YouTube Ad Revenue
- After 1000 subscribers + 4000 watch hours
- 🛒 Sell Your Music
- Direct via Bandcamp, Gumroad, or your website
- 🎼 License Your Tracks
- License your instrumentals for ads, podcasts, films (via platforms like AudioJungle, Epidemic Sound)
- 🏷️ Affiliate Marketing
- Recommend musical equipment you use and earn commissions
- 🎟️ Memberships
- Offer exclusive “early release” tracks for paid members
- 🎤 Live Concerts or Virtual Music Sessions
- Host YouTube Live sessions for donations or ticket sales
📌 Pro Tip: Licensing is a goldmine — filmmakers, YouTubers, and advertisers are always looking for royalty-free, quality music!
🌟 Bonus Tips to Grow Fast
- 📅 Post 2-3 videos every week
- 🎵 Focus on creating Playlist-friendly content
- 🛠️ Gradually improve production quality
- 📈 Use Analytics to track which songs/styles perform best
- 💬 Always engage with your viewers — reply to comments
- 🧠 Keep learning — study famous instrumental channels for ideas
🎯 Final Thoughts: Your Music, Your Brand
An Instrumental Channel isn’t just a creative outlet — it’s a full business opportunity.
With consistency, authenticity, and smart promotion, you can:
- 🎶 Reach a global audience
- 💰 Build multiple streams of passive income
- 🎹 Establish yourself as a go-to creator for quality music
You have the talent. Now it’s time to share it with the world! 🌎🎶
Start your journey today — and turn your passion into a living! 🚀