The bulk of its funding, which comes from Arts WA, is for that original music focus.
But that approach is slowly starting to change under the guidance of executive director Paul Bodlovich, who is trying to make the group representative of the whole music industry.
Mr Bodlovich, an accountant by training but with a background in the State’s music industry, said the industry was made up of more than just original musicians.
This point is evidenced by the fact that many of the current crop of Western Australian musicians taking the nation, and the world, by storm cut their musical teeth in cover bands.
Mr Bodlovich said he wanted to make music a career something school students could aspire to and something their parents could see as a viable path.
He has been part of the Education Department’s post compulsory curriculum council, pushing the cause of music as a viable career path.
"There’s a lot of recognition on the curriculum council and in the department that music educators need not come from a classical background," Mr Bodlovich said.
"It needs to be about what the kids want to do. There’s also no training in the music business, such as intellectual property protection, which is one of the key issues for the original artists.
"There has been a real move forward in understanding these career issues.
"Playing in a band can also be a good preparation for the business world. There’s organisational skills, product management, IP protection, branding and marketing."
Mr Bodlovich said there had been some realisation at the curriculum council level that some form of contemporary music focus in schools could assist with school retention rates and pupil performance.
However, building up the school-age education and training base for the music industry is only part of the puzzle.
Another major issue facing WA’s music scene is the lack of live venues.
Crowd levels is one of the main reasons for this. No crowds means no money for the venue owner, therefore there’s no live music.
Mr Bodlovich said the schools’ focus was part of the answer to this.
Besides the education push, WAM and a number of other organisations arranging school concerts that give students an exposure to live music.
At the moment the music industry in WA is at one of its highest points.
In the mainstream music industry two Western Australian acts, the John Butler Trio and Eskimo Joe, are hovering around the Top 5.
The Waifs, which formed a record label with the John Butler Trio, is also enjoying good commercial success.
On the independent music charts the Top 10 regularly features a number of acts from WA.
Mr Bodlovich said the success of such acts had helped to turn the focus from the traditional stronghold of the Australian recording industry – the eastern States – to the west.
"There was a lot of hype around Little Birdy about the time [Melbourne band] Jet were starting to go big," he said.
"There was then a big move from the recording industry in the east that they had to come here and sign up the local talent."
