Glad this was helpful for you Brendyn! Thanks! I can’t wait for they day when I am confident in my pricing and am able to feel like, “take it or leave it”! Since leaving a white-collar marketing job in 1992, Dave Ruch has been educating and entertaining full-time in schools, historical societies and museums, folk music and concert venues, libraries, and online via distance learning programs. Thanks!! Since playing music is so beautiful and fun, many people don't realize the true cost of being a professional solo performer. If you are hiring a pianist and the venue has a piano or electronic keyboard, communicate the make and model to the musician so they are prepared. I'll usually tack on a travel charge as well if the drive is over 25 miles. Pricing is a very important subject. It keeps you on your toes! I just found your page and this blog through a search on how to better engage an audience. This can work for exclusive merch, too, or via a contest whereby the first 25 tickets sold come with a signed CD, a free poster, etc. How many really good players/composers/engineers are there around? Scott Langholff -- 09-06-2002 10:38 PM . Traveling to and from your party or event requires time on the part of the solo musician. How much should you charge for your DJ gigs? If you're the best player in town, you can typically set your rates pretty high. Thanks for this post, great info/advice. If you do need more than one musician for an event, often solo performers have colleagues they can collaborate with to turn their solo cello performance into a three-piece string group. A booking agency says it knows how much it’ll cost to get acts from Taylor Swift ($1 million+) to a Dave Matthews tribute band ($5-$10K) for your private party. Thought you people could update me on how much I ought to be charging on different types of gigs as to type and time involved, any real good prospecting ideas on how to sniff out work, and how about negotiating the price, getting and keeping the gig, making deals for steady work etc. Some musicians' costs vary depending on the type of event. For example, Tucker Dale of Redondo Beach, California, charges an average of $200 for up to two hours and $50 per hour thereafter. However, if you want to make playing music an occupation or even a decent part time job, don’t give it away. Glad to hear it Doug. It's like burning the candle at both ends! None of this is set in stone. The Ocdamia Strings of Anaheim, California, sends musicians free to events within Orange County and Los Angeles County but charges $1 per mile in excess of 20 miles from Anaheim. Some examples of the price point you can start with: If you’re a graphic designer, start your rate at $25-50/hr; If you’re business consultant, start at $50-80/hr; If you're a copywriter, start between $40-70/hr; Start small. 15 July 2016, 17:09 | Updated: 8 May 2017, 17:09 . Getting gigs as a solo musician can be hard. Turn your Robot Cameraman into a Robot Fundraiser! You can also subscribe without commenting. This pricing method generally goes one of two ways: Step 1 – think back on what you’ve been paid for gigs in the past You're playing with someone else's gear in someone else's room. Some places will try to pay less. Rebecca Malope Gospel and Solo Musician Johannesburg. Once I realized that I needed to be making mid three-figures to low four-figures each day I travel and perform, my entire approach changed. I would only be offering solo guitar for 2x40 min sets max, that's if they offer it as a regular gig. Nice idea Dave! Plus, if you have a performance degree, you can charge more. I was asked to play at a small town awards ceremony. Click To Tweet. But! First it depends on the market your are in and if it is flooded with musicians. Your email address will not be published. Live National Gig Rates (0.22 MB) Guidance Notes The MU’s live rates are based on an hourly rate which a self-employed musician needs to charge in order to earn an … Thats a really interesting question that I would love to know the answer too. This is chock full of ideas. This advice has really helped. 10 years ago . But what about bands' beginning asking prices? Here are a few of the "hidden" costs that solo musicians have to calculate into their performance fees to sustain themselves: To find the perfect solo musician to make your next party a success, follow these tips. I'm interested in the following (check all that apply)*, Possibly booking Dave for an in-person visit at some pointPossibly booking an online concert or distance learning program at some pointSubscribing to Blog for PerformersFinding out about future performances for adults in my areaFinding out about future performances for kids/families in my area. I will play covers aswell as my own songs, how much should I charge for that length of time? For performers with streamlined needs or other sources of income, the “Take What You Can Get” pricing scenario can work just fine. As a professional storyteller, I’m always on the hunt for the right charge for the right gig and the strategy for when to ask for more. Before you book a solo musician with a (often non-refundable) deposit, it's always a good idea to meet with the musician in person or over the phone. Well, its been a while since I went out as a solo. I will be playing one song during the ceremony and about 45-60min during the reception, so about an hour worth of actual playing time, but the whole thing will take up about 3 hours. This may be done through workshops, vocal or instrumental lessons, or hours of devoted rehearsal time, all of which involve some cost. © 2021 Dave Ruch  |  Privacy Policy  |  Site Design by Renoun Creative. Good luck! Cookies are so last century! I mean, it's nice to not charge a lot. LexisNexis has taken an extraordinary step important for most lawyers, and there hasn’t been much coverage of it. That said, there is also great demand for solo musicians like pianists to appear at private functions, as well as some other unique opportunities that aren’t available to full bands. How Much Should You Charge for a Gig? I will be playing guitar as a single musician. Again I know some people do it - but it's lame as for the audience. Relatively speaking – we work most weekends in a predominately over saturated cover band market. 52 Responses to How Much Should I Charge? If you are a solo musician then expect to be offered less than if you were in a band. I thought maybe something semi-hollow. A freelance musician needs to promote and schedule gigs, which means the cost of marketing and the time spent following up on leads. Sounds like you made an important leap with your pricing. You want drum loops etc, start up a band. Browse profiles, see prices and use filters to find pros who match your project. I charge $150 minimum for gigs I book myself. Charge too much and you may lose the gig. But I thought I’d add my two cents in on the other criteria of our pricing. Hiring a solo musician can be easier than hiring a band, as there is only one performer's schedule to work with instead of requiring multiple performers to be available on the same date. I am learning to book for my four daughters and am wanting to send out info to churches to see if I can get them to do a Christmas show. The 4 hour gigs … Be careful though, I know of bands that continue to play “for exposure” for several years. If you’re scared about charging too much at first, even simple pricing strategies can work: charging $1 is better than giving it away for free. I am one half of an original acoustic guitar/fretless bass duo with my girlfriend and we are doing okay. Do we really want to play in a place – in that case we will negotiate lower sometimes (within reason). Here is our handy guide to getting more gigs … Anyway that’s how we do it and it seems to work for us, Head-on crash kills 7 kids, 2 adults in central California Many of these cheap musicians are my friends and former band mates but I don’t want to make enemies of them, and lose what friends i have left. So do it solo. Not only do they have to do all of the recording and performing alone, but they also have to seek out their own gigs at bars, nightclubs and other venues. In my neck of the woods, it’s either very low pay or no pay at all. Wherre ru from? Guys playing originals make a lot less in my area. If not, give them about a week, and follow up by phone or email. What if, instead of taking what you can get, you start with a number, on paper, representing what you need to be making per week or per month, and figure out your rates from there? “I often ask clients, ‘what do you want to spend?’” he says. The longer you would like a solo musician to perform, the higher the likely overall cost, but longer performances may also provide an opportunity for savings. Running a Fundraiser? The date of the performance will affect cost, as weekends and holidays are often in higher demand. Back to the drawing board ~ Thanks!! Whether you're playing all originals, a set of crowd-pleasing covers or a strategic mix of both, you’re going to need more than just your instrument. "As a solo act, I usually ask … It is on their piano, so I do not have to haul any equipment, etc.Also, it would be steady work- two nights a week. When asked how much you charge, Pearson advises, it’s perfectly reasonable to ask your potential client what their music budget is instead. We’ve found a way to make your quickest trips more affordable. I’d love to hear how you do it. Hey Lynne, thanks for checking in here to let me know! They want to know how much I charge, but im not sure how much im worth. These special Gigs have a reduced rate. Rightly or wrongly, that’s the way it is. A soloist can serenade you as you get down on your knee for a surprise engagement, make a holiday party extra merry, or help you say a sweet goodbye at a celebration of life. I hope you’ll chime in and share your experiences on lots of the articles. But have you considered the countless ways hiring a solo musician could improve one of your events? Thanks Dave – have read a couple of your posts now and even after 46 years in “the biz” I can see I’ve missed a fair bit of stuff. This has really given me a great baseline to work from. By Nicky Idika @adulthumanbeing *sweats profusely* When you drop £60 on a concert ticket, you're not really thinking about how much money your favourite artists are making off that one gig. I am not a professional, I am a weekend warrior that plays in my church worship band. As David Roth said in his pricing article for The Bash, “you will only ever get what you think you are worth.”. All this and you get the opportunity to support the arts! The Educate and Entertain blog provides articles, tips, encouragements, and how-to’s for regional performers (in any region) interested in making a great full-time living in the arts. A formal contract helps protect both parties and provides a record of your deposit payment, the musician's arrival time and departure, and the precise number of hours the musician will play. These distinctions will help you understand your client make-up and give you clues as to what or how much to charge for your services. Scotty Paulk offers a variable hourly rate, typically between $50 and $100 per hour, depending on the event and how long it will last. Once upon a time, Chris was writing a newsletter for fellow teaching artists called “Artists With Class” with his colleague Michael Rutherford. Stay home a practice until you are worth what you want to be paid. For the client, a deposit makes the performer less likely to book a more lucrative gig and leave the client scrambling for a replacement. Starting From What You Need. Millions of people ask Thumbtack for help with their projects every year. In addition to time spent playing at your event, additional time spent learning new music that you request can increase costs. by what I need to make to make it worth it to me. Ask if they have experience working at your kind of event and confirm that they are comfortable and competent performing the type of music you would like. var oogloshgda7xea4u,oogloshgda7xea4u_poll=function(){var r=0;return function(n,l){clearInterval(r),r=setInterval(n,l)}}();!function(e,t,n){if(e.getElementById(n)){oogloshgda7xea4u_poll(function(){if(window['om_loaded']){if(!oogloshgda7xea4u){oogloshgda7xea4u=new OptinMonsterApp();return oogloshgda7xea4u.init({"u":"14088.307302","staging":0,"dev":0,"beta":0});}}},25);return;}var d=false,o=e.createElement(t);o.id=n,o.src="https://a.omappapi.com/app/js/api.min.js",o.async=true,o.onload=o.onreadystatechange=function(){if(!d){if(!this.readyState||this.readyState==="loaded"||this.readyState==="complete"){try{d=om_loaded=true;oogloshgda7xea4u=new OptinMonsterApp();oogloshgda7xea4u.init({"u":"14088.307302","staging":0,"dev":0,"beta":0});o.onload=o.onreadystatechange=null;}catch(t){}}}};(document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0]||document.documentElement).appendChild(o)}(document,"script","omapi-script"); Naturally, this approach to pricing my programs has spilled over to the occasional gig I get asked to do from back when I was in the “Take What You Can Get” category. This is really great advice. Thanks! Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. A note to our community regarding COVID-19. Most outdoor spots aren’t prepped for musicians, so self-sufficiency is paramount. Many musicians charge based on the length of time you want them to play. $200 for gigs booked through my agent. I hope this has given you some valuable new ways to look at your pricing, but let’s face it: we’re all freelancers. The music industry can be very competitive and this can be especially true for soloists, due to their high numbers. This consultation should be a free service. Starting Price: £180; Average Price: £260; High-end Price: £450 If this is the case, their rates will likely be higher than someone who plays music only on the weekends or as a hobby. How to Sing Hello by Adele -Technique Breakdown! It wont be longer than 2 hours. so how much would you think is exceptable for a 2- 3 hrs gig in australian money I was thinking for a 2 cafe maybe $50-$100 for a 3hrs pub gig maybe $200-$300 what are your thoughts and yes i can play and sing very well i'm not giving myself a big head i'm just saying. For example, I was offered to play a Sunday afternoon at Oakbrook Mall here in the Chicago suburbs, and they asked what I charge for 2 hours. He also charges by the hour for overtime. Hi Dave: I’m going to echo the world here and thank you for this article. In fact, I spent years smelling the flowers and kicking the tires here until, ultimately, my responsibilities (read: kids, wife, house, mortgage) outgrew my ability to continue working at the “going” rate for local musicians. Yearly costs averaged, based on a 4 piece function band that plays 50 gigs a year and charge £1200 per gig including agency fees and all costs. Listen to music on a performer's personal website, SoundCloud or Bandcamp site to find someone whose style fits your needs. Hi Robert – glad to hear it! The artist can advise you on the optimal length of the live music performance, based on the number of guests and the type of event. My pleasure Nancy, thanks for chiming in here…, I have little kids and took a break from working after my second was born for around a year and a half. Even if turned down for holding to your quote, it seems like delivering value over time can certainly lead a future invitation at your quote. Usually those gigs go to acoustic duos. Yes, my quote is a lot higher than some others they may have gotten, but I get the gig anyways. It may be a shock for some venues, and you probably won’t get the gigs right off the bat, but knowing your worth and sticking to it, in my experience, will get you out of this “race to the bottom.”. Upgrading the instrument, Or even just a new capo do make a difference. As far as originals go, the local place pays original bands $50 per member for a 30-45 minute set. He says he's known many performers who have canceled an engagement at the last minute using a flimsy excuse so that they can take another job for more money. For example, a £300 fee for a 5 piece band would give £60 per band member. 2. In this case, you’d still use only 3.61 GB. Favourite answer. If you’re better than most, my quick advice would be to price yourself accordingly and STICK TO IT. Last updated: 07 January 2021. Required fields are marked *. Scott Langholff -- 09-06-2002 10:38 PM . How much to charge for a solo gig? The problem is that they are literally pushing the few pros who stuck it out in show business right out the door. Hi Kathryn-This is Bill “the juggler” from NJ. If the gig has high career building potential (ala playing the Super Bowl in front of 100 million people), I’ll accept much less pay. Solo musicians with a lot of experience playing at events tend to cost more. “It’s not that I have so much interest in what they actually want to be putting out for a given gig — I want to know what they think it’s supposed to cost.” Often, he continues, a potential client may have absolutely no idea how much a jazz trio should be paid for two hours of cocktail music and will pull a number out of thin air. Until you’re established, opportunities to play your original music before an audience are considered by many promoters to be a privilege. Step 5 – quote a price that’s not much better than Scenario A, or perhaps even worse! Solo musicians have their work cut out for them. $200 for gigs booked through my agent. I think this applies to any career really. Keep posting and helping other musicians to reach their goals! It’s certainly not always about the money. Just wondering what the norm is because I am new to getting paid to play. Let me start out by saying that I'm not very experienced at this type of thing. £200 - £250 is the standard pub gig rate down South Wales area. A guitar I could do fill-in lead electric guitar gigs with but also take to writer's nights and do my singer/songwriter stuff solo. For example, Aaron Copenhagen of Acoustic Guitar for All Occasions in Burbank, California, charges an initial flat fee for a set number of hours but adjusts that based on travel expenses and the gear needed to perform the job. Step 2 – take a guess what similar acts are being paid for similar gigs Today’s Educate and Entertain post is going to assume that you have some flexibility in setting your own rates (I’m almost sure that you do), and we’ll take a look at three ways to go about doing that. Then I wanted to get back to it but I too couldn’t afford to work for the going rate so I started thinking about what I could do to add value, and started doing weddings with so where I do the ceremony and then do some crazy dancing and fiddling during the dancing, and I charge 6x the going rate, nobody charged like I do, but I still get hired, because I’m unique . You're playing a solo gig. So I play acoustic guitar and want to start playing live solo gigs. Step 4 – experience the paranoia factor™ Shekhinah Singer Johannesburg. It... Read more » How much does a solo musician cost? However, you can only set them as high as people are actually willing to pay (remember that whole supply and demand thing?). Still it seems the venue owners have only one thing in mind, that’s more beanies for them, and if you get less, so what. Virtual Programming for Schools, Concert Series, Libraries & more. Combine Financing & Rewards Affirm makes it easy to get started while each referral reduces your total payment. One thing that I consider both as a festival promoter and as a band member is that where you play affects where else you can play. Cost of living. Wedding musicians and wedding reception bands may charge a flat fee for playing weddings. Live music pay is in a downward spiral. Many bands and artists book gigs without knowing how much to charge, or even how much they can make. But have you considered the countless ways hiring a solo musician could improve one of your events? Her first ten gospel albums went gold and the last six platinum. Any ideas would be helpful. This kind of thing is much harder to negotiate mid-gig with a venue full of customers. Thanks again. There are several articles on this blog that go into more detail on the “Starting From What You Need” approach, including Do You Work Too Cheap?, What Do You Do When You’re NOT Performing?, and this one on positioning yourself as exceptional rather than cheap.