Keeping time The conductor starts and stops an ensemble, guides tempo and dictates style. Conductors keep time using a baton, and the movements they use change based on the style of the piece, how ...

I’ve seen it mess up things for as long as 3 hours though. nyuncat: What does a conductor earn? Starting salaries for conductors are currently about $20/hr, with top pay at $29/hr after 3 years.

Fifty years later I do it for real. But what conductors actually do can be a bit of a mystery. It’s a misconception that the sole purpose of a conductor is to wave their arms around .

In a more mundane way, we might think of conductors as the musical equivalent of sports team managers. You can’t quantify precisely what it is that they do – but you know it when you see it.

To learn more about what it's like to be a train conductor and engineer, we spoke with Troy Hiser, who has been riding the rails for eleven years hauling mixed freight with BNSF.

In a more mundane way, we might think of conductors as the musical equivalent of sports team managers. You can’t quantify precisely what it is that they do – but you know it when you see it.