Charging for playing in a concert type band.

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(3 posts) (3 people)

Charging for playing in a concert type band.

Posted 1 year ago by jazzguy26

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jazzguy26 said 1 year ago

I was hired to play in a band for a concert/party. initially i was not aware of how much songs i had to play when i agree to take this gig which probably was a bad idea. I didnt think much of it because it was a close friend. He initially agreed to pay me $90 dollars for the gig. But once i received the set list i realized it was way too much for the price. The set consisted of about 50 songs. And he wanted us to rehearse for way too many hours.Also i ended up having to teach 2 other band members their parts because of their lack of musical knowledge.We agreed to negotiate a new price. How should i go about finding a fee for my services. How should i go about coming up with a few considering these factors?
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Cameron Mizell said 1 year ago

This is an issue every musician faces at some point. My initial response is simply that you'll figure it out as you go along. When somebody offers you a gig, you should always find out as much as you can about the rehearsal schedule, whether rehearsals pay, and whether you'll have any other responsibilities (like teaching other people their parts).

Setting your price really depends on what you normally get paid for gigs, what your hourly rate is for other music related work, and how much time is going into this particular gig.

I don't think 50 songs is too much to ask for if it's a cover band that plays parties on the weekends. $90 is probably a little light, but you said yourself he's a close friend. In the future you could charge for rehearsals, but show up to rehearsals prepared. I hate paying guys for rehearsals if the rehearsal turns out to be their practice time. They don't get called back!

Guitarist & Composer
http://cameronmizell.com
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David J. Hahn said 1 year ago

Sounds like a drag man. It also doesn't really sound like a gig that's ever going to pay very much, you know? That's basically a free gig, and I think you kind of have to think about it like that. So consider what you're getting out of it that isn't monetary - is it fun? Are you meeting people that might lead to a good gig another time? Is it giving you an opportunity to practice a new style or new instrument?

If the $90 is all your getting out of this, I say ditch the gig. It doesn't sound worth it and your time might be better spent pursuing or playing gigs that you do get something out of.

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