Music and Right Livelihood A lay follower should not engage in five types of business i.e. business in weapon, human being, meat, intoxicant and poison. But there are many jobs can be considered harmful but not included in the five types of business mentioned in the Sutta.
I have a qualification in music and I want to put this into practice. Is teaching music can be considered right livelihood? Talaputa Sutta says

Any beings who are not devoid of passion to begin with, who are bound
by the bond of passion, focus with even more passion on things
inspiring passion presented by an actor on stage in the midst of a
festival. Any beings who are not devoid of aversion to begin with, who
are bound by the bond of aversion, focus with even more aversion on
things inspiring aversion presented by an actor on stage in the midst
of a festival. Any beings who are not devoid of delusion to begin
with, who are bound by the bond of delusion, focus with even more
delusion on things inspiring delusion presented by an actor on stage
in the midst of a festival. Thus the actor — himself intoxicated &amp;
heedless, having made others intoxicated &amp; heedless — with the breakup
of the body, after death, is reborn in what is called the hell of
laughter.

Teaching piano may not be explicitly mentioned in this Sutta but it is possible for a person who teaches music and for those who are taught to be focused with even more passion, aversion and delusion. Does this livelihood lead us to hell? I believe the majority of healthy, normal people in the most strictest sense will not object to teaching piano. But the Sutta is probably saying otherwise and it can potentially limit your career or business you want to pursue or at worst you can end up unemployed for the sake of keeping yourself on the right path. The antidote to this type of situation is to ignore it and keep going but I don't think ignorance is the right path.
I may misunderstand the Sutta or may not misunderstand it.
Hope someone can shed some light, that will be a very helpful and appreciated. Many thanks.
Music is allowed for those observing the five precepts. This is the most basic practice. The five precepts:


I undertake the precept to refrain from destroying living creatures.
I undertake the precept to refrain from taking that which is not given.
I undertake the precept to refrain from sexual misconduct.
I undertake the precept to refrain from incorrect speech.
I undertake the precept to refrain from intoxicating drinks and drugs which lead to carelessness.


Music is not allowed for those observing the eight precepts (those observing uposatha) and ten precepts (for novice monks and full monks).
A livelihood in music is allowed by the following:

&quot;Monks, a lay follower should not engage in five types of business.
Which five? Business in weapons, business in human beings, business in
meat, business in intoxicants, and business in poison.
&quot;These are the five types of business that a lay follower should not
engage in.&quot; - AN 5.177

Music in some sense provides pleasure and maybe even intoxication, but the type of intoxication that is more controllable than alcohol or recreational drugs.
Many things can provide pleasure like food, sex, good thoughts, pleasant sights and sounds. The Middle Way of Buddhism prescribes limits on these for lay persons by way of the five precepts and lay person Right Livelihood.
The point is, do all forms of music make the lay person heedless? I don't think so. I know of people who consume alcohol and get intoxicated while dancing to trance music. That definitely makes a lay person heedless.
But a lay person listening to other types of music, like pop or classical or country, may not become uncontrollably heedless.
However, it is still a type of pleasant sensation. And for a lay person, all pleasant sensations should be experienced in moderation, in accordance with the five precepts and Right Livelihood.
Personally, I think if you use music to uplift a negative or depressed mind - it's even a skillful use of music for laypersons.
For serious practitioners, uplifting the mind using mindfulness of breathing (anapanasati) is better (as prescribed in the Vesali Sutta).