I'm curious to know what kind of gigs people on this forum do.

Who do you perform for?
What's the style of your performance?
How often do you perform?
How much do you charge on average?

Wow,
You'll get a list like you can't imagine in a few days! For me .... the job description (I don't like the word "gig") changes pretty often:

1) I operate a studio and make demos, CDs and voiceovers for various clients. Prices vary, but hover in the $25 per hour range. I do the studio work for my sanity and my artistic expression ... it's not to pay the bills. Everything I make in the studio goes back to feed the studio's needs.(Supplies, upkeep, upgrading)

2) I play about 250 club dates each year (resaurants/dance halls)These avarage $150-200 per night for 3-4 hours, and usually include food and "gifts" (I don't like the word "tips" either)

3) I do about 50 weddings/banquets each year. This is usually a solo, but sometimes includes up to 3 or 4 more musicians as the need arises. Weddings average $600 - $1000 (my salary)because some include the ceremony and coctail hours, and some are just the reception. (My sidemen get $200-$300 per wedding)I often play the ceremony, the coctail hour, the dinner hour and then DJ the dancing if it's a younger couple, but I always set up the same rig no matter what the case - that way I'm prepared for any situation or request.

One keyboard, one laptop, one Bose sound system. Sweet - fast - effective and neat looking.

4) Then the year rounds out with about 50 smaller scale, 1 hr shows, mostly for senior dances, luncheons etc. The senior circuit is very big in Philly, and if I didn't work so many nights, I'd concentrate on more of these jobs, but after so many years of my mouth being open ...... I avoid the doubles unless the $$$ is right. It's getting too hard to keep the same energy level through 2 or more jobs in the same day for me. I sing too much (always have) and I need to rest! Somehow, I feel like I'm cheating the crowd when I play instrumentals ...... but I'm sure they love the quiet!

You'll get many responses here - some will be legit, some will undoubtedly be filled with bravado, but the same thing will hold true in all cases ....... just get out there and PLAY.

Do if for Art
Do it for Ca$h
Do it for Recreation, but

Just DO IT !

It's a beautiful, thereputic way to share God's gifts with the world!

Typical month: http://207.150.221.97/donmason/page4.html
DonM

Considering that I'm asking everyone else these questions, I should probably answer them myself!

I don't do this as a full time job - I do it on the side and as a hobby. 80% of my jobs are weddings and I will typically get 6 to 8 a month. The weddings are a full day job - I typically set up at 3pm and don't break down until 1am. I charge $750 for myself (and usually hire someone else to do the PA system - costs me up to $150), and $250 for each additional band member. I also do studio work for $25 an hour - and like you Dave, anything I make goes right back in!

I've got three musical interests going. Four if you want to count my home studio business.
As for gigs....
The Waybacks (6 piece Showband) 50's thru 80's revue, with multiple costume changes, lots of comedy and shtick. Base fee $2500 Can. We probably do on an average...8 shows a year.
Consenting Adults (5 piece) typical pub and lounge fare, much more open to inpromptu music. Base fee $800. Gigging approx. 4 times(weekends)/month.Sometimes we have mid-week gigs also, generally these are from 8-11:30pm
Solo gigs: just myself on kb & guitar Base fee:$150.Depending on my "ConsentingAdults" schedule, once...maybe twice a month.
Weddings are a whole different trip in that more often that not, you've got to put together a list of special requests, and as already mentioned by Chony, weddings are an all day thing, so for me, the fee depends on the circumstances, travel, special requests by the wedding party, etc.

Studio: Base fee $25/hr. Varies with type of job required. Quite often I'll throw together a package deal, depending on what the client wants.Most of the people who come to me are solo artists, so I'm often called upon to build and sing a background vocal array.
These prices are all Canadian so, any there's no real comparison to my U.S. counterparts.
That pretty well covers it. .....Next?
------------------
...L


[This message has been edited by shboom (edited 09-05-2004).]

I'm in my 13 season playing summers at an upscale restaurant in Lexington Wed thru Sat. The prior 12 years, I worked four nights. This year I work two nights and an additonal 2 nights at an Italian restaurant for a frind of mine who is having some serious medical problems. The owners of the two establishments are friends, and I get a retainer from my "homebase" people to do database management, website development and maintenance, display and broadcast advertising, etc, for the restaurant they have owned for 30 years and a 2nd location they opened two years ago.

I get about 200 corporate/civic jobs based on the highly visible restaurant jobs, in addition to industrial film, print and research jobs. We produce 12-14 industrial films a year, and each one requires a film score. That is the extent of my audio recording. The films net out at around $2000.00 per finished minute, and I try to budget about $500 per finished minute for the audio part. Because of regular client commitments, we don't shoot video or do audio for anyone other than our regular clients.

I use a studio owned by a long-time friend
and an AVID editing suite owned by another
friend.

that's about it...


Russ

I work as a musician and producer in a recording studio for $30 an hour. The studio and engineer get another $30 an hour. I do everything from quick demos to very in depth professional recording. 2 songs can cost anywhere from $600 to $6000. I also do live shows. Concert setting, not lounge type. Hour and a half show aproximately $500. If I use my band, a 5 piece band, can cost upward $3000 which includes a sound and lighting system large enough for a 1500 person venue.

Full-time muso, most gigs are semi-upscale restaraunts and private affairs. Also playing a casino cruise boat now. Style of music is combination of swing/standards and smooth-jazz arrangements of popular songs: all instrumental with no vocals. Typically charge $50/hr for repeat gigs and $100+/hr for private parties. Also sit-in with bands on call now and then.

As of NOW I'll be back in the lounge at Best Western Motel in Bossier City. As my commitments taper off, I'll be there full time.
For now Hank The Lurker will play there when I'm booked elsewhere.
I'll be updating my website soon to reflect the "new" situation.
DonM

man, i'm really selling myself short compared to you guys.

wrinkles,
The more you charge, the more people think you are worth . . . to a degree.
DonM

What do you take Wrinkles? Also how long are you in the market? I now take $750 for a wedding (which can be a 10 hour affair), but a year ago I was charging $400. You have to be in the cirucuit enough time to have at least some name recognition and plenty of references. I've only been in this market for one year, and as I mentioned earlier, for me this is still a side job, but some of my competition who have been around for ten years or more are taking $1500 for exactly the same thing I do. Granted they have more experience than me, but the main difference between us is the name recognition. Wherever I perform, I hear myself getting measured against them.

What do you take, what is the style of your performance, how often do you play, and how long have you been in the business?

And true Don, the best performer in the world who undercharges, is percieved as a bad performer. Its a fact I've seen firsthand.