All right, so have you heard about this?
People are saying you can make money online
just by listening to music.
Really?
Yeah, we found this YouTube video
and it claims you can earn thousands of dollars.
Thousands?
Yeah, just by listening to music.
It sounds pretty crazy right now.
I mean, that's like everybody's dream come true, right?
I know.
So we're diving deep into this video
to see if there's any truth to it.
Okay, I'm interested.
So first of all, where do you even find all this music?
Right.
The video says SoundCloud is the key.
SoundCloud.
Yeah, they make it sound like it's overflowing
with tracks just like waiting to be turned into cash.
Mm-hmm, of course.
But is it really that easy?
Yeah, I mean, if it were that simple,
wouldn't everybody be doing it?
That's a great question.
And speaking of making money,
the video then says the secret is to find lyrics
for the SoundCloud songs and then transcribe them.
Uh-huh.
So you're basically turning audio into text.
Oh, okay, so you're like a music transcriber.
Exactly.
And then you can get this.
They claim you can make $1.50 per minute
of audio transcribed.
Wait, really?
Yeah, so let's say you transcribe like a three-minute song.
Okay.
That's $4.50 in your pocket.
Wow.
But you have to wonder like,
if it's that easy and that lucrative,
why isn't everyone doing it?
Right, that's what we're here to find out.
Okay.
Hold on, because there's more.
The video introduces us to this platform called Rev.com.
Rev.com.
Yeah, it's rev.com.
Got it.
So they say you sign up as a freelancer,
which means you're working for yourself, not a company.
Okay.
And then you transcribe audio into text
and boom, you get weekly payouts via PayPal.
Wow, hold on.
Yeah.
They even mention higher rates
for translating subtitles.
Really?
Yeah.
It all sounds very appealing,
but it's important to look beyond the hype, you know?
Uh-huh.
And consider some key questions.
Like, is $1.50 per minute a realistic right
for most transcription work?
Yeah, that's a good point.
And how much time does it actually take
to transcribe a minute of audio?
Considering, like, audio quality, how complex it is.
There's a lot to consider there.
Yeah.
But wait, there's even more.
The video doesn't stop at rev.com.
Oh no.
They also suggest checking out gotranscript.com.
Go transcript.
Yeah, it's another platform for transcription jobs.
Okay.
And apparently it pays up to 60 cents
per audio or video minute.
So less than rev.
Yeah.
So the pro tip is to sign up for both platforms.
Oh, so you can, like, double dip?
Exactly.
To maximize your earning potential.
Hmm.
But that raises an important question for me.
Okay, what's that?
If these transcription platforms are so lucrative,
why is this YouTuber spending time making videos?
Oh.
Instead of just raking in the cash from transcribing?
Yeah, good point.
Why are they giving away their secret?
I know, right?
It's a little suspicious.
Very suspicious.
Like, you'd think they'd be too busy transcribing.
Right.
Bother with YouTube if it were that easy to make money.
But wait, because there's another layer to this scheme.
To help you with all this transcribing,
the video recommends a website called O Transcribe.
O Transcribe.
Uh-huh.
So the idea is to automate the process as much as possible.
So you don't even have to do the work.
Well, you copy the SoundCloud song link,
paste it into O Transcribe,
and let the software generate a transcript.
Wow.
Sounds almost too good to be true, right?
It does.
Of course, there's a catch.
Uh-oh.
They admit you still have to proofread the transcript
because the software isn't perfect and might make mistakes.
Oh, so you're not completely off the hook.
Yeah, so it's not entirely effortless.
That's a really important point, though, right?
Anytime you're relying on technology
to do something that requires human understanding,
you know, like music, you have to factor in the time
and effort it takes to make sure it's good quality.
Absolutely.
And that cuts into your potential earnings.
But it gets even more interesting.
Oh, no, what now?
The video then claims that the real money
is in foreign language transcription.
Foreign language.
Yeah.
Where you can supposedly earn a whopping $5 to $12 per minute
on rev.com.
5 to 12 per minute.
Per minute.
For foreign language.
Uh-huh.
They make it sound like you just find some international tunes
on SoundCloud, grab the link, use a website called
HappyScribe or something like that to transcribe it,
and bam, you're rolling in dough.
OK, now this is where I get a little skeptical.
Right.
Translating music accurately, especially, you know,
with all the, like, the slang and the idioms.
Yeah.
You know, it's not as simple as just plugging it
into Google Translate.
Exactly.
You need to capture the nuances, the cultural references,
the artistic intent.
Yeah.
It requires a deep understanding of both languages
and the music.
It's not just about word for word translation.
Right.
But this video makes it seem like anyone with an internet
connection can become, like, a high paid music translator
overnight.
Yeah, it sounds a little too good to be true.
I know.
So to recap, we've got SoundCloud as our music source,
Lyric sites to help us find the words,
and then these transcription platforms,
like rev.com and GoTranscript, where we can supposedly
turn those lyrics into cash.
OK.
But are you starting to see some potential problems
with this whole system?
Definitely.
Like, we haven't even talked about competition.
Oh, yeah.
Or, like, what if these platforms just change their rules?
Or shut down.
Yeah, exactly.
There's a lot more to unpack here.
We'll dive deeper into those potential issues in just a minute.
But before we do, let me ask you this.
Do you really think this YouTube video is offering
a genuine path to making money online?
Or is it just a clever way to get views
and promote their own content?
Hmm, that's a good question.
Think about that for a minute.
We'll be right back after this break.
OK.
All right, so we're back.
And we're trying to figure out if this whole music to money
thing is legit.
Yeah.
We've uncovered some potential red flags already.
Right.
But let's see if we can really separate fact from fiction here.
OK.
One thing that really stood out to me
was how much the video relies on anecdotal evidence.
Anecdotal?
Yeah, like, they keep saying stuff like,
I made thousands doing this.
But we never actually see any proof.
Yeah, there's no screenshots of earnings or anything.
Exactly.
It's all very vague.
You just have to take their word for it.
And that brings us back to that $1.50 per minute figure.
Right.
Is that actually a realistic rate?
Or are they just throwing out a number that sounds good?
That's a great question.
And the answer is, it depends.
Think about it.
Transcribing a clear studio recording
that's going to be way easier and faster
than a muffled live performance with a bunch
of background noise.
Oh, yeah, that makes sense.
And then you have to consider things like turnaround time.
So how quickly they need it done.
Exactly.
And the complexity of the content.
So a song with really complex lyrics
might take longer.
Yeah.
Some platforms might even offer higher rates
for specialized tasks, like transcribing medical or legal
jargon.
Right.
Because that's more specialized.
Exactly.
But for general transcription work,
the average rate is probably lower than what
this video is suggesting.
OK, so it's possible they're exaggerating those earnings
to make it seem more appealing.
It's definitely something to think about.
And even if those rates are real, in some cases,
the video doesn't really talk about all the other times
involved.
Like what?
Like you got to search for music, research lyrics,
proofread those transcripts.
Oh, right.
And manage your profiles on all those platforms.
It's starting to sound kind of time consuming.
It's definitely not as passive as they make it seem.
Yeah, which kind of defeats the purpose of earning money
while just listening to music.
Exactly.
And then there's another thing.
What's that?
Market saturation.
What do you mean?
Like if this method really worked as well as they say,
wouldn't everybody be doing it?
I guess so.
The more people who jump on the bandwagon,
the more competition there is for those jobs, right?
And that could drive down the rates.
So it might not even be worth it.
Exactly.
And then, let's not forget about this,
your entire income is relying on these third party platforms.
That's true.
What happens if SoundCloud changes its policies?
Or rev.com changes its pay rates.
Or one of those websites just shuts down completely.
Oh, wow.
Yeah, I didn't even think about that.
That's a huge risk.
You're basically at the mercy of these platforms.
And their priorities are their own business goals.
Not your financial well-being.
You could be making decent money one day.
And then poof, it's all gone.
Exactly.
So you got to be careful.
OK, so bottom line is this whole music transcription
thing legit.
I wouldn't call it a complete scam,
but it's definitely not the easy path to riches
that they make it out to be.
So if someone really wants to try transcription
as a side hustle, what should they do?
Research.
OK.
Research different platforms, compare rates,
read reviews from other transcribers.
Basically, do your homework.
Exactly.
And be realistic about how much you can actually earn.
And don't trust everything you see on YouTube.
Definitely not.
You got to be a critical consumer of information online,
especially when it comes to making money.
So this music transcription thing might not
be all it's cracked up to be.
Right.
But what about other ways to make money from music?
Now you're talking.
We'll explore some of those alternatives
after a quick break.
Sounds good.
We're back.
And even though this make money listening to music thing
might not be what it seems, it does get you thinking.
Yeah.
About other ways you could actually make money from music.
Absolutely.
So let's talk about that.
OK, I like it.
What are some real, legitimate ways
people can turn their passion for music into profit?
Well, I think the key is to really focus
on what you enjoy and what you're good at.
Right?
So for example, if you're a good writer,
you could try music journalism.
Music journalism.
Yeah.
Writing for blogs, websites, even creating content directly
for artists.
Oh, like writing their bios and stuff?
Yeah, it's pretty cool.
Yeah.
You'd be shaping how people see these artists.
It's a big responsibility.
It is.
Or if you're more technically minded.
You could get into music production, mixing, mastering.
Oh, yeah.
There's a lot of software for that now.
There is.
And the demand for audio engineers is huge.
It is.
And you can learn a lot of that stuff online now.
Exactly.
There are tons of resources out there.
What about teaching?
Teaching.
Yeah.
Could someone give music lessons online?
Or create videos about music theory?
Absolutely.
Online learning is exploding right now.
People are learning everything online these days.
So someone could teach piano on YouTube or something.
Yeah.
Or create courses on Skillshare, you to me.
Oh, I've heard of those.
Yeah.
You can reach a global audience that way.
That's amazing.
And what about social media?
Oh, social media is huge for musicians these days.
I mean, everyone's on TikTok, Instagram.
Right.
You can build a following, show off your skills.
Brand deals, sponsorship.
Exactly.
It's all about finding creative ways to use your passion.
Love that.
But here's the thing.
What's that?
Success in music or any field, really.
Yeah.
It takes work.
Right.
You don't just become a star overnight.
Exactly.
You've got to be dedicated.
You've got to hustle.
And you've got to be realistic.
Absolutely.
There's no magic formula.
So no matter what path you choose,
you've got to be passionate about it.
Yeah.
Willing to put in the effort.
And be ready for some bumps along the way.
Because there will be bumps.
Always.
But that's part of the journey.
OK, so we've talked about the myths, the realities,
and some actual ways to make money with music.
Yeah.
But what's the biggest lesson here?
What do we want our listeners to take away from all of this?
I think it's about critical thinking.
Oh, yeah.
Big time.
When you see these promises online.
Especially get rich quick schemes.
Especially those.
Don't just believe everything you see.
Right.
Question everything.
Do your research.
And trust your gut.
Yeah.
If something sounds too good to be true.
It probably is.
So be skeptical.
Be curious.
And be informed.
Great advice.
Well, that's all the time we have for today.
All right.
I know it flew by.
Thanks for joining us for this deep dive
into the world of music and money.
It's been fun.
Until next time, keep learning, keep questioning,
and keep the music playing.