Music Expert (Music Teacher / Musician)

$20–45/hr

rate as listed

Workload: ~15h/week
Engagement: Project-based
Location: Worldwide
Field: Creative

Review short field recordings, annotate musical and environmental details, and evaluate AI-generated descriptions for accuracy. This remote contract suits experienced musicians, teachers, producers, or audio professionals with analytical listening skills and reliable headphones.

The work

You will listen to 30 to 90 second field recordings and record structured observations through a project-specific web platform. Tasks include identifying instruments, estimating tempo and key, timestamping background sounds such as traffic or applause, and comparing recordings of the same song captured in different locations.

Evaluation work

You will also assess AI-generated descriptions of musical clips, mark inaccuracies, and give concise feedback tied to audible evidence. Screening is likely to test whether you can separate instruments and environmental events in complex audio, use music theory accurately, distinguish observation from inference, and apply annotation rules consistently across repetitive clips. No prior AI experience is required.

Preferred background

The listing prefers candidates with 3 or more years of hands-on experience as a musician, music teacher, producer, session player, or similar. Formal conservatory training or a degree in music theory or instrumental performance is highly desirable, while audio annotation, transcription, or sound analysis experience is preferred. Strong written and verbal English communication skills are also preferred.

Logistics

The role is remote and contractor-based. Annotation work appears primarily asynchronous, with a brief paid onboarding and calibration session plus short weekly online syncs. Typical weekly hours are not stated. You will need reliable access to high-quality headphones, a quiet workspace, stable internet, and the project web platform.

Pay band: $20–45/hr

What they look for

Analytical Listening
Music Theory Knowledge
Conservatory Degree
Audio Annotation

Included with this listing

Interview prep — 10 questions

Matched to what this platform's screening actually measures. Answer each out loud in 60–90 seconds: claim → concrete example → implication.

What it tests: This establishes whether your experience reaches the preferred three-year level and whether it involved active listening, performance, instruction, recording, or production work relevant to field-recording analysis.
A strong answer: Give dates, roles, instruments or production tools, and concrete responsibilities. Connect at least one experience to identifying musical structure or sound sources by ear.
Where people lose it: Candidates lose points by naming a long-standing interest in music without separating casual participation from professional, teaching, performance, or production experience.

Summary, eligibility guidance and screening preparation are prepared by Sidequest from the platform's posting. Check the source listing before applying.