Musician Wages.com Forums

Musician Wages.com Forums » Recent Posts http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ Discussions for the Working Musician en Wed, 17 Mar 2010 05:21:10 +0000 Andree-Ann on "Hotel Lobby Piano gigs" http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/topic/hotel-lobby-piano-gigs#post-391 Sun, 14 Mar 2010 17:38:42 +0000 Andree-Ann 391@http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ bpm938, I'm currently making a spreadsheet of potential hotels, so once I contact them and get answers, I'll let you know what worked and what didn't! Thanks David for all the info! Will try all the suggestions! bpm938 on "Hotel Lobby Piano gigs" http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/topic/hotel-lobby-piano-gigs#post-390 Sat, 13 Mar 2010 22:12:26 +0000 bpm938 390@http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ I'll be interested to know how this works out for you. I'm in the process of working up some music for a free gig at a local hotel. They said that they host many wedding and social events and would refer me and try to plug me into those events where I would actually get paid. David has told me before that this has never really worked out in his experience before. I may very well find this to be the case for me but i want to do it once or twice just for the experience. As far as how to approach hotels, I couldn't help much here. The lady at this hotel actually sought me out through a mutual friend. However, if this somehow works out, I'll probably try to seek out other hotels in the area and then write back with feedback on how it went for me. piano98 on "piano accompanying/chamber music" http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/topic/piano-accompanyingchamber-music#post-389 Sat, 13 Mar 2010 15:51:31 +0000 piano98 389@http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ It is for an informal concert (no black ties or anything), but a concert nonetheless, with the potential for additional performances. Yes, the soloist is being paid, and would be the one hiring me. $50/hour sounds about right to me, but then again, I don't really have a good feel for what folks are charging/paying for such things around here these days. Any suggestions/input is appreciated. Thanks. P. David J. Hahn on "Hotel Lobby Piano gigs" http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/topic/hotel-lobby-piano-gigs#post-388 Sat, 13 Mar 2010 08:05:46 +0000 David J. Hahn 388@http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ First off, try to find out who would be in charge of hiring the pianists. Call and ask for them specifically. One thing I've run into in the past is hotels/restaurants that have a piano, but don't hire a pianist regularly. They may tell you, "No, we don't hire pianists, but when we have a banquet or a wedding, we'll recommend you." That, in my experience, is a blow off. You could try sending your epk with a coupon - like, "free no obligation 30 minute session". Or "Buy 2 hours, get 1 free for first time customers". You have to find a way for them to want to pull the trigger - that's the hardest part. If you can give them a good incentive to try you, they might be into it. When you are pitching the idea to them, try using the phrase "multiplier effect". This business term is popular in the arts now - it's the idea that for for every dollar you spend on the arts, it creates $2 (or whatever) in revenue for the business. Obviously there's no way to record and track that for these hotels, but it might be enough to say something like, "...consider the multiplier effect that hiring a pianist would have on your business here at the hotel. For every hour you purchase live music, consider how many more guests will linger for another drink in your restaurants or write favorably reviews online - and that will likely bring more money into your hotel than you ever spent on me." David J. Hahn on "piano accompanying/chamber music" http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/topic/piano-accompanyingchamber-music#post-387 Sat, 13 Mar 2010 07:56:18 +0000 David J. Hahn 387@http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ What about $50/hr for rehearsals and a flat fee of $150 for performances? Or more? The thing with classical accompanying is that it takes a lot more prep time, among other things. I'll ask my classical friends what they usually pay/charge for an accompanist. What's the occasion you've been asked to play for? Is it a recital or concert? Is it the instrumentalist that is hiring and paying you? Are they being paid? Andree-Ann on "Hotel Lobby Piano gigs" http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/topic/hotel-lobby-piano-gigs#post-386 Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:52:57 +0000 Andree-Ann 386@http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ Hey guys, I am thinking of seeking hotel lobby gigs for the summer and I am wondering about the best way to approach hotels. Would it be best to call or email? Send my epk right away or wait to hear back from them? A lot of hotels are listing general phone lines and email adresses, should I try and contact more specific contacts in the administration or go with the general lines? If anybody have any tips on how to approach hotels and their management, pleaaaaase answer me! piano98 on "piano accompanying/chamber music" http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/topic/piano-accompanyingchamber-music#post-385 Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:22:31 +0000 piano98 385@http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ I am a classically trained pianist who's done a gig here and there over the years, but nothing regular (though I'd like to move more in this direction). I've been asked to accompany an individual who's playing a concerto. I consider classical accompanying (or chamber music) to be in a category of its own - separate from, say, accompanying someone singing a favorite love song at a wedding. Does anyone have any suggestions on what to ask for for such work? I am in the Denver metro area, if that helps... Thanks! P. David J. Hahn on "Summer Stock" http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/topic/summer-stock#post-383 Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:54:47 +0000 David J. Hahn 383@http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ BackstageJobs.com has worked for me in the past, but most of the summer theatre work I've gotten has been word-of-mouth. For instance, I have an MD friend that has a steady summer stock gig that he frequently subs out all or part of. He always calls me and I've worked there a couple times - last year I took the whole summer. I think the more MDs you know the better. Have you tried the MD groups we started online? Read this: <a href="http://www.musicianwages.com/the-working-musician/theatre-music-directors-connecting-with-other-music-directors/">Connecting with Other Music Directors</a> Emiemipoemi on "Summer Stock" http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/topic/summer-stock#post-382 Wed, 24 Feb 2010 04:25:06 +0000 Emiemipoemi 382@http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ Does anyone have any advice on how a music director can find summer stock jobs? I've been searching on BackstageJobs.com and Playbill.com but so far not much as popped up. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! tronche on "Classical Guitarists" http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/topic/classical-guitarists#post-381 Mon, 22 Feb 2010 01:08:34 +0000 tronche 381@http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ I am currently pursuing a degree in Classical Guitar performance and I am curious to know if anyone has had experience as a classical solo musician on the ships. Thank you, Ross ebierke on "Days off for show band musicians" http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/topic/days-off-for-show-band-musicians#post-380 Sun, 21 Feb 2010 19:35:52 +0000 ebierke 380@http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ Days off on a cruise ship. When you are working only three hours a day (a heavy day may be five hours), a little thing called boredom sets in. Sleeping for ten or more hours a day is not uncommon, especially on day-at-sea days. When a new act comes on board there will be a rehearsal to learn the new material, but other than that expect a lot of wandering the ship, a lot of reading, eating, and socializing. And on port days, in order to get around you either hoof it, get a taxi, or get a discount on some of the shore excursions with the passengers, then you stuck answering stupid questions like "Do you live on the ship?" When I worked for American Hawaii Cruises we were under union contract for one day a week off. Ours just happened to be in Hilo every Wednesday. There was a little bar at the end of the dock before you hit the main road which was way out in the country; the nearest anything was at least a mile away, and the town was more like five miles away. So guess where everyone would be at around 2:00pm? At the little bar at the end of the dock. Ships departure was 5:00, so now you have a buzz on and nothing to do the rest of the night. Long story short, it's almost better not to have the time off, at least you are busy doing a show and are working. I know sometimes you end up in a port that may be close to a friend of yours and you want to hang with them a day or two. Oh well, just plan on having them meet you at the ship early, and then you can get out and do something. Just don't miss the departure time! When I worked for Sitmar Lines, our MD got to bring his wife on board for one cruise. Of course he had his own cabin (can you imagine bringing wife and family on board as a sideman, and having everyone in that dinky little cabin along with your roommate?) and he had a good "in" with the captain. It worked out for him, but that is the only time I have ever heard of a musician bringing family on board. Good luck, and happy sailing! David J. Hahn on "Cruise ship auditions" http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/topic/cruise-ship-auditions#post-379 Sun, 21 Feb 2010 15:32:03 +0000 David J. Hahn 379@http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ Yeah, that sounds about the same as mine - although my experience was with Proship. I believe Landau hadn't started as a business yet when I auditioned. Proship really had a monopoly. drivenn on "Cruise ship auditions" http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/topic/cruise-ship-auditions#post-378 Sun, 21 Feb 2010 07:34:32 +0000 drivenn 378@http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ Hey David I'm Driven bassist from LA and new to the forum and been interested in traveling the world playing music and thought what a great way than to do it on a cruise ship. I've been reading up on your chronicles of a cruise ship musician, pretty interesting reads. Recently this week I did 2 auditions one with Proship and the other with landaumusic. Proship was over the phone and I pretty much nailed it, the guy wanted to ship me out in March immediately but I mentioned to him early that I already had future gigs coming up he just seemed to have an opening available. He got me set up in a couple months. Landaumusic was a live audition that was a total mess almost just like you described in your post. I arrived on time met the peeps the were totally good guys but it seemed they were more pressed for time than anything else. They plopped 3 pieces in front of me 2 showtunes with a couple of tempo/style changes and i thought ok I could handle this, the guy gave me quick instructions played the track for a few secs so i could hear it, stopped it, then said "ready". The guy didn't even give me 30 secs to even glance at the music! It came out decent. The last tune was a jazz standard which I skimmed through as fast as I could so I could beat the guy. Fortunately that came out the best which I nailed. Right after that the guy said nice to meet you and ran to the next room for the next audition. What a waste! The Proship guy was totally pro he gave me instructions on what to do and definetely gave me time to skim through each piece all I needed was 60 secs and I'll give you 90%. More time and I'll pretty much nail it. Which I did! Anyways, If landau music would have given me just a bit of time it would've turned out much better. Just wondering if you were caught in a similar situation? David J. Hahn on "Cruise ship auditions" http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/topic/cruise-ship-auditions#post-377 Sat, 20 Feb 2010 22:53:01 +0000 David J. Hahn 377@http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ In the audition, expect to have to read a bunch and comp a little. They don't make it easy on you. I remember I scored a 3 out of 5 or something, and even back then I was a pro, working a full-time schedule as a player. The stuff they make you read is comparable to the hardest stuff you'd have to read on the ship. The majority of it on the ship is easier (but there's no reason to test you on the easy stuff...). Personally, I thought the audition was a waste of everybody's time, and I think that to this day (I auditioned in 2004). The music they gave you was 8 measures of a style/tempo, then a sudden change to a different style/tempo, then a switch again, etc. It was just stupid and unmusical and I can't imagine what they could glean from anybody's performance of it. It sounded like a mess because it WAS a mess. So the best thing you can do is go in to the audition clear and calm and do your absolute best. I scored a 3 and still got hired for a contract. Also, try to just worry about the parts that you can control. Work up your jazz standard, wear something professional, treat the people there with respect - and try not to worry too much about what you can't control. Best of luck! eik on "Cruise ship auditions" http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/topic/cruise-ship-auditions#post-375 Fri, 19 Feb 2010 05:50:17 +0000 eik 375@http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ I'm sure this probably varies for the different agencies and lines, but what, in general might I expect in an audition (and I suppose, for that matter, on the ship) as a guitarist? I've been told by a recruiter to prepare one jazz standard, and the rest will be sight-reading. Do they ask you to read music that is comparable to what you'd be playing on ship? Also, how much might I expect to comp as opposed to reading lines? I'm preparing for an audition next month, and it would be nice to know what I'll be up against. Thanks for any info you might have! kyle on "musician's resume" http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/topic/musians-resume#post-374 Wed, 17 Feb 2010 08:00:43 +0000 kyle 374@http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ Sounds good. I'll amend it and then we'll see what happens when I send it off. James on "cd duplication experiences" http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/topic/cd-duplication-experiences#post-373 Wed, 17 Feb 2010 07:15:56 +0000 James 373@http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ Ok. I own a CD Manufacturing company, So I could be a tiny bit bias. Your more than welcome to try us out. Some of the companies that are mentioned above are very good. I will say that i think are print is really high end, and that are customer service is very personal. If you need any help in coming up with ideas, or how many you print - then please feel free to call me or email me 310-999-4493 - <a href="mailto:James@unifiedmanufacturing.com">James@unifiedmanufacturing.com</a>. You can check out our blog for ideas <a href="http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog" rel="nofollow">http://www.unifiedmanufacturing.com/blog</a>. I wish you all the best David J. Hahn on "musician's resume" http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/topic/musians-resume#post-372 Wed, 17 Feb 2010 06:38:44 +0000 David J. Hahn 372@http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ I'd say scrap the last paragraph of the bio. I usually figure that if a player is good, he doesn't ever have to say he's good. Also, I'd leave off any mention of skills in other disciplines (acting). It confuses the reader about whether your a guitarist or an actor. Make a separate resume for acting. You should left justify both columns so that everything is straight. Make the skill set graph smaller to fit in the column. kyle on "musician's resume" http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/topic/musians-resume#post-371 Wed, 17 Feb 2010 05:50:32 +0000 kyle 371@http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ Ok i put together a resume. Could I get some input? <a href="http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i179/kdw65220/KyleWallenmusicresume.jpg">kyle's resume</a> I included my time with my current band, is that appropriate? I guess it is time I spent practicing and performing but still...not sure. Will listing my band look like a joke? thanks -kyle ***edit: for some reason the resume is displaying HUGE. Not sure why. The original is 8.5 x 11.*** kyle on "food allergies" http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/topic/food-allergies#post-370 Tue, 16 Feb 2010 22:29:00 +0000 kyle 370@http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ awesome! thanks for the response david. David J. Hahn on "Vacation Straight After The Contract Question." http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/topic/vacation-straight-after-the-contract-question#post-369 Tue, 16 Feb 2010 18:47:33 +0000 David J. Hahn 369@http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ Hi alclarke - That sounds like a question you'd need to ask the cruise director or music director about. I think I've seen that happen before, but it all depends on the ship and whether the people working there care enough to go out of their way to help you. David J. Hahn on "food allergies" http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/topic/food-allergies#post-368 Tue, 16 Feb 2010 18:45:09 +0000 David J. Hahn 368@http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ There are a lot of options for eating on cruise ships - you should be alright. There are a lot of things you'll need to avoid, of course, but that's probably nothing new for you. There's usually a nice salad bar, fruit bar, etc. The food is often a buffet with the type of food marked, so you can see what you're getting. I would imagine that there are passengers that also have food allergies coming on the ship, so that kind of thing is likely something that is already considered in the menu choices. David J. Hahn on "musician's resume" http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/topic/musians-resume#post-367 Tue, 16 Feb 2010 18:42:09 +0000 David J. Hahn 367@http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ Hi Kyle - We've got all the info you need: <a href="//www.musicianwages.com/the-working-musician/the-musician-resume/"">The Musician Resume</a> <a href="//www.musicianwages.com/the-working-musician/new-ideas-for-the-musician-resume/"">New Ideas for the Musician Resume</a> Start with those. You don't need to have a degree in music. My undergrad is in German History and Language, and it hasn't stopped me. I believe it makes me more well-rounded. When you put together your resume, though, make sure it is all entertainment or music related. Andree-Ann on "A question for the American's" http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/topic/a-question-for-the-americans#post-366 Mon, 15 Feb 2010 17:16:02 +0000 Andree-Ann 366@http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ Another question related to that topic, What kind of visa is necessary for a musician to work in the US? I have been on the government's website and found nothing really helpful; I am not a student nor wish to immigrate to the US. Anybody knows the exact type of visa that is needed for international musicians to work in the US? Thanks! kyle on "food allergies" http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/topic/food-allergies#post-365 Sun, 14 Feb 2010 18:31:06 +0000 kyle 365@http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ I have another question. I'm lactose intolerant - VERY lactose intolerant. How difficult will this make things for me, do you think? It's bad enough that sometimes butter on hamburger buns is enough to upset my system. I read on this wonderful site you have here that musicians get to eat where passengers eat. Does this mean I'll be able to make requests and special orders for food? thanks again! kyle on "musician's resume" http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/topic/musians-resume#post-364 Sun, 14 Feb 2010 18:25:28 +0000 kyle 364@http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ I've been thinking about cruise ship gigs for a while now, and this site has really been a huge help as I've finally decided its something I want to pursue. I've been digging around different cruise line websites for info about applying, auditioning, etc and every cruise line wants me to email my resume. What if I don't really have one???? I have a degree but its not in music, and I don't have any formal training. What should I include? Do you have any tips for making it stand out? The only thing I could think to include on a resume would be a gig I had with an Elvis impersonator last summer. Other than that I could list styles I'm familiar with and my ability to improvise and sight read. That doesn't sound like a very impressive resume though. I know I have the chops, I just need to be able to communicate that...on paper. thanks! noedg on "A question for the American's" http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/topic/a-question-for-the-americans#post-363 Sun, 14 Feb 2010 15:59:09 +0000 noedg 363@http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ 80% of it yeah.. I live in a nice area, literally a 60 second drive away is one of the roughest estates in my whole city. Obvioously we have nice areas, but the majortiy is horrid. Joe Stone on "A question for the American's" http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/topic/a-question-for-the-americans#post-362 Sun, 14 Feb 2010 14:16:59 +0000 Joe Stone 362@http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ The whole country? Seriously? <a href="http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys.php"><img src="http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-rolleyes008.gif"></a> noedg on "A question for the American's" http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/topic/a-question-for-the-americans#post-361 Sun, 14 Feb 2010 01:06:49 +0000 noedg 361@http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ Well, an artist I play for here in the UK moved to LA.. So I'm getting my visa through his label, which is awesome and saves me a lot of money.. Second to that, he's looking for a room mate. Rent with the exchange rate works out cheaper than living in London. So I would be living with him in Studio City. He's also said we can car share if I'm insured on it until I get round to buying my own car out there. I have no guarantee of work out there though, which is the scary part (apart from with the artist who I already play for, which would be fairly good work but I would definately need more work, and I hate the thought of having a proper job).. But I do have alot of contacts out in LA, mainly musicians and band coordinators who said they would put me forward for work and if I set a date of my move they will organize auditions for me. So it really is a risky move, but if it doesn't work out, I can just come home :) Don't want to sound like a pessimist here, but if I was you... I would go somewhere nicer than the UK :P Sucks here big time, full of chavs and criminals. Good luck with whatever you choose to do though! bpm938 on "Hotel Lounge Gig" http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/topic/hotel-lounge-gig#post-360 Sat, 13 Feb 2010 17:50:58 +0000 bpm938 360@http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ Thanks for the insight guys. Yeah, I don't know what will come of this. I'm hoping something good but I'm not counting on it right off. One thing I've learned is that I have to make my time count as often as I can. If there's something I'm doing that's not making me money in some way then I should be thinking of how else I could use that time. Either way this will at least be a good experience for me. I've not played a gig like this yet and it'll be good for me. David J. Hahn on "Hotel Lounge Gig" http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/topic/hotel-lounge-gig#post-359 Sat, 13 Feb 2010 16:13:13 +0000 David J. Hahn 359@http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ Man, no bread at all? That sucks. I played these kinds of gigs for years. You should expect something like $250 for 4 hours of playing. It's a tough call, I know you live in a place that doesn't have a lot of paying gigs. I think Joe is right, you should be able to put out a tip glass, sell CDs, pass out business cards. I would also recommend inviting potential employers to the gig to come listen to you play - so you can use it at an audition as well. Maybe you can invite other musicians to come play with you and do the same. The thing is that there really isn't a lot of value in a situation like this - so you'd have to infuse it with your own value. People are forever telling musicians that they will give them "exposure" in lieu of "money". In my experience the exposure is almost always worthless. Anytime somebody tells me they have an exposure gig for me, I don't call them back. So, like Joe and I said, you have to make it work for you. If it's an exposure gig, then make sure you get exposure. Invite everyone that could possibly get you a gig to the night, shake hands, kiss babies, sell albums, give business cards, invite others to play - make a ruckus and cause a scene! Joe Stone on "Hotel Lounge Gig" http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/topic/hotel-lounge-gig#post-358 Sat, 13 Feb 2010 15:32:52 +0000 Joe Stone 358@http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ I don't have any answers for your questions as I've never done anything like that, but will they let you put out a tip glass? That might help make it worth some of your time. Now that I think of it, I do have some suggestions. Have business cards ready. If you're any good, people may want to hire you themselves. If you have recordings to sell, see if they'll let you sell them there. Your business cards should at least have links so that people can find out more about you as well as contact you. Basically, you want to promote yourself as shamelessly as they will let you. As far as getting the most out of the gig with the hotel, it's probably pretty obvious, but be prompt, professional, and polite. Dress appropriately. Be reliable. I'm sure you are these things, but sometimes it helps to think about what the hotel wants from their perspective. bpm938 on "Hotel Lounge Gig" http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/topic/hotel-lounge-gig#post-357 Fri, 12 Feb 2010 22:49:51 +0000 bpm938 357@http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ I just got a gig playing piano in a really nice hotel lounge. They've got a really nice baby grand and would like some nice music for ambiance for a couple hours. Has anybody played gigs like this much? What kind of music do you like to play for this sort of thing? I'm going to be putting together a nice blend of classical, jazz standards and pop songs. They're not offering any money right now as this is mostly a pet project of one of the main employees there. They would like to have me play as often as I could manage but I can't commit to that for free all the time. I wouldn't mind doing it for free once in a while just for the exposure. Their primary offer however is that they will keep me as their primary pianist to recommend as they host many wedding and social events there. Does anyone have any tips for how to get the most out of this kind of opportunity? Are there any suggestions to make this a regular paying gig with the hotel? Andree-Ann on "A question for the American's" http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/topic/a-question-for-the-americans#post-356 Fri, 12 Feb 2010 16:49:13 +0000 Andree-Ann 356@http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ Noedg, I can unfortunately not answer any of your questions, but I would love to know how you manage to pull off your move to the US from the UK? I am from Canada, and the UK has always seemed very appealing to me, but I am a bit clueless about what steps and strategies I should adopt to do an oversea move like that. If you have any tips and advices, I would love to hear you out! noedg on "Looking for a good, lightweight MIDI controller" http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/topic/looking-for-a-good-lightweight-midi-controller#post-355 Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:47:51 +0000 noedg 355@http://www.musicianwages.com/forums/ I'm no keys player, I mainly use mine for programming strings etc. The fatars look great, haven't heard of them before.. pretty cheap too. Might have to try some out for my studio. The M-Audio drives me insane! Thank god for midi quantize thats all I can say, impossible to play spot on time with those things with the sensitivity and action combined. If we were talking keyboards with on board sounds on the other hand I would go for the Roland Fantom G8, based on my little experience playing keys!