I'm thinking of the trope in many fantasy novels of the wandering bard, who will sing for their supper at a inn/household and aim to travel from keep to keep in order to set up a "residence" there. Especially over those hard winter months. When they have started to repeat their repertoire, annoyed the lord in whatever way, or have had a go at all the likely kitchen wenches then they move on. Most of these novels seem to be based on an idealised/exaggerated version of "high" feudal Europe, England in particular, so that would be the time period/location that I would narrow it down to if I had too.
Is there any historical evidence that this sort of thing actually happened? Would a landed knight or lord just happily put up anybody who showed up at their castle gate with a lute over their shoulder? Or did the richer ones at least already have a designated court bard (and apprentices)?
Also, what other skills would a musician in this time period need to have other than a good voice, memory for songs and playing ability? Would you need to be able to work gut in order to make your own replacement harp strings, or process hide to make a new skin for your bodhrán? Or would these types of specialty jobs be able to be done by an appropriately skilled smith, or tradesman? Hell: Were there professional Luthiers or would a musician have to be able to make and fix their own instruments?
Musicians were usually part of a court band, or hired by churches. Being a musician was more of a job back in the day. Often times improvisation was expected, and many people were expected to compose as well. Music was commissioned for various parties, so often times the request would be "next week I am having a party, write for my musicians". The court composer/keyboardist/everythingunderthesun would usually compete with other people of similar calibre for the job.
No, you would not simply walk into the court and play music. There was a process of audition and hiring.