Money

[RevWrona]

How much do you or groups in general charge for what kind of gig? My trio is starting to find work and we aren't quite sure how much to charge. I don't want to low ball it ruin it for other musicians. What do you guys think?

[Jeff Smith]

In the usual local small unknown crap hole, anything that pays over $75 per man is better than not playing at all. On the other hand, in a venue that holds 1000, don't play for less than $5000 for the whole band. The last quartet gig I played in a dive paid the band $350, about the same I made 20 years ago. Playing vanilla jazz at functions is where the money is at, you can be home in time to kiss the wife goodnight. Nowadays, there is no correct answer.

[engelbach]

Originally Posted by RevWrona

How much do you or groups in general charge for what kind of gig? My trio is starting to find work and we aren't quite sure how much to charge. I don't want to low ball it ruin it for other musicians. What do you guys think?

Rev,

The issue of musicians "low-balling" as been a contentious one. I think that if there is no real competition for jobs it doesn't matter what you charge.

Your rates depend on what you want to do with your music. I wanted a living wage, so I established minimums for my band and my solo playing and refused to go below them except for special circumstances.

But we didn't play clubs. We played high-ticket events like weddings and corporate bashes, where we didn't have to compromise on price.

I used a sliding scale, depending on the poshness of the venue, which established a three-hour minimum charge of from $200 to $450 per musician. Sometimes we dipped below that range and sometimes above it.

I never charged less than $100 per musician for a one-hour gig, say a wedding ceremony or short cocktail hour.

When we worked through an agent we got somewhat less money, but that was made up for in the volume of jobs.

Essentially, you have to charge what the market will bear, walking a tightrope between selling yourself short and pricing yourself beyond a client's budget.

Cheers,
Jer

[RevWrona]

Thank you both. I guess a thread on the Music Business would be helpful to me and maybe some others here as well.

[baquintraz]

I wish it were like Jeff Smith describes, here in Spain. Playing in clubs sometimes doesn't even pay for parking space. The lackadaisical attitude of the musicians towards the situation along with the authorities letting the scene rot has made it almost impossible for a musician to make a living out of playing concerts, unless you're extremely popular.

I'm glad (and sad at the same time) it's not my main occupation, because it's just too hard.

[alez]

Originally Posted by baquintraz

I wish it were like Jeff Smith describes, here in Spain. Playing in clubs sometimes doesn't even pay for parking space. The lackadaisical attitude of the musicians towards the situation along with the authorities letting the scene rot has made it almost impossible for a musician to make a living out of playing concerts, unless you're extremely popular.

I'm glad (and sad at the same time) it's not my main occupation, because it's just too hard.

http://grooveshark.com/s/Soy+M+sico/2N4K62?src=5

[baquintraz]

¡Grande!

[Making Music]

If a restaurant is really on the cheap side, and otherwise doesn't have money to spare for bands, you can sometimes at least get a free meal out of it!

[engelbach]

Originally Posted by Making Music

If a restaurant is really on the cheap side, and otherwise doesn't have money to spare for bands, you can sometimes at least get a free meal out of it!

Since I've been retired, that's what I do.

[alez]

A meal sounds a fair deal to me so long as meal and playing are similar in terms of quality

My playing would get me very poor food, but seems alright for fair quality beer