To join the Music career in The Sims 3, send a young adult or older Sim to the town’s Theatre and choose to join the Music career, or pick the Music job from the newspaper or a computer’s job listings. It is a base game career, so no expansion pack is required, and it runs almost entirely on the Guitar skill. Below we cover how to apply, every level, the Rock and Symphonic branches, and how packs such as Late Night and Showtime change your options.
What You Need
- The base game. The Music career ships with The Sims 3 itself. The game is sold on the EA app for Windows and Mac and on the Steam store page, and it no longer receives patches, so everything below reflects the final build.
- A young adult, adult or elder Sim. Music is a full-time career.
- A guitar at home. Guitar is a performance factor at every level, so buy one from Buy Mode before the first shift.
How to Apply
There are three standard ways in:
- At the Theatre: send your Sim to the town’s Theatre and click the building to join the Music career.
- Newspaper: read the job listings and pick the Music job.
- Computer: use the computer’s job search.
With University Life, the community-run Sims wiki notes a fourth option: uploading a resume from a computer. A stadium is not the workplace, whatever some older guides say; Music always works out of the Theatre.
The Shared Levels
Levels 1 to 5 are the same for every musician: Fan, Roadie, Stagehand, Band Manager and Music Talent Scout. Per the community wiki’s career tables, Guitar is the main factor throughout, and from level 3 your Sim’s relationship with Band Members (coworkers) counts too. Shifts are afternoon and evening, with some days off each week.
Rock or Symphonic: Choosing a Branch
When your Sim is promoted from Music Talent Scout, the game asks you to pick a branch.
Rock branch: Lyricist, Backup Vocalist, Lead Guitarist, Pop Icon and Rock Star. From level 6 your Sim can perform concerts at the Theatre, and performances become part of the job. Per the community wiki, only Rock branch Sims get paid for concerts. At level 10, Rock Star, there is no fixed schedule at all: your Sim chooses when to perform, any time between 3 PM and 11 PM, and earns based on mood, Guitar skill and past performances. Rock Stars can also hold autograph sessions at community lots.
Symphonic branch: Quartet Member, Orchestra Member, Orchestra Lead, Conductor and Hit Movie Composer. This branch keeps a regular schedule. From level 8, the Logic skill joins Guitar as a performance factor, rising to a high Logic target at level 10. Orchestra Lead gets free admission to theatre activities, and Hit Movie Composer receives a high-end stereo and autograph sessions.
Pick Rock if you want flexible hours and stage shows, Symphonic if you prefer a steady job and do not mind building a second skill.
How to Level Guitar Fast
- Practice on a guitar at home every day off; it is the main way the skill grows.
- Read Guitar skill books from the bookstore to jump the early levels.
- Take the Virtuoso trait, which is built for instrument skills.
- Learn compositions from books as the skill climbs; career opportunities sometimes ask for them.
If you are in a hurry, our guide to cheating skills in Sims 3 shows how to set Guitar and Logic directly.
How Expansion Packs Change the Music Career
- Late Night: adds celebrity status. Per the community wiki, reaching level 8 in the Rock branch or level 9 in the Symphonic branch instantly makes your Sim a celebrity, which brings perks and paparazzi alike. Our guides to becoming a celebrity in Sims 3 and getting rid of paparazzi cover both sides. Late Night also adds bass, drums and piano, and a self-employed band option for Sims who would rather gig with friends.
- Showtime: adds the Singer profession, a separate path built around the Singing skill and booked gigs. See our guide to joining the Singer career.
- University Life: adds the resume upload noted above.
For more career guides, including the Film career, visit our Sims guides hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do you join the Music career in The Sims 3? At the Theatre in your town, or through the newspaper or a computer’s job listings.
Do I need an expansion pack for the Music career? No. It is part of the base game. Late Night and Showtime only add related features.
What skill does the Music career use? Guitar at every level. The Symphonic branch also needs Logic from level 8.
When do you choose Rock or Symphonic? On the promotion from level 5, Music Talent Scout, to level 6.
Does a Rock Star have work hours? No fixed hours. A level 10 Rock Star performs concerts whenever you choose between 3 PM and 11 PM.