So now this explains you playing 50 gigs a month..... personally I wouldnt leave my house for that price for a 1hr gig....but I guess if you want to get your name out there these facilities will jump at the ridiculously low fees your charging.
If you want to save gas start charging $125-$200 per hour....play less and make more..weed out the lowballers & concentrate on quality venues at higher prices.
All power to you Zuki....$50.00 per hour is more like bar gig rates.

Zuki,

I think your are right on. In my area I play at two places that charge residents up to $7000.00 monthly - I get paid very well at these venues. I also have a place that you would never get me to live in - but those folks are about my most appreciative crowd. They appreciate anything being done for them.

I am a little different than most folks on this forum in that I am retired and don't make my living anymore playing music - started playing again to have something to do. Yes, I charge - and I get paid well - but there are times when I also take less if the circumstances warrant it. Besides, I probably have more fun at my gigs than does the audience.

I guess it is all a matter if perspective - when I was in my prime (30 years ago) and playing studio gigs, all the big shows in town, and symphony work that was a different matter. Now - it is just a lot of fun - and I get paid too! Can't beat that.

Hammer

Donny,

You toot your own horn on how you love to inspire and reach people, but on the other hand will never enter a facility that can't afford a better musician. Yes, I have almost 60 jobs a month. DON'T assume they are ALL $50. Maybe 1 or 2 a month is the norm. I play up to $250 a gig too you know. Also, many of these jobs have graduated into more money because of my willingness to work with them. In addtion to that, some ADs have moved on and call me for better playing jobs. ADDITIONALLY, I have landed private parties from birthday parties or visitors.

There is nothing more gratifying than blessing people - no matter what the cost. I am businessman too and know how to make money, but know that I am truly blessed and need to keep it in perspective.

Is it really fair to have the janitor/guitar player the only source of entertainment for folks who will never have their memories stirred because we are too good for them?

What goes around, comes around. I can pick and choose only after my 2nd year. I will continue ALWAYS to play for $50 if it is my calling.

Zuki........I have done my share of charity work many many times performing for FREE for certain organizations...& yes I can toot my horn because I paid my dues many many times over during my 40 years of playing out.
If you can endure lugging your gear around 3 or 4 x a day setting up, driving to & fro maybe after 40 years in the business you can also go for the gold. By you low balling the competition your actually ruining it for everyone else...if your better then the rest you should get more money then the bad ones ....if you get 50 what do they get? Years ago we had union rates that were strictly enforced to keep everyone above water....but now we have everyone and their sister playing for squat & worse just to work.....so then when a good act comes around no one wants to pay.
If people are "honest" with me when contracting work I will bend the rates a bit....but if they cry the blues on price then have the party at big million dollar Country Club I tell to go get someone else.
Every one wants a break, dont be a schnook yur smarter then that.....get what your worth my friend. There's too many fish in the sea



[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 06-08-2008).]

My car gets 20 miles per gallon ( not bad for a van ), so it cost's me $1 every 5 miles. I hace added that to ALL my jobs, and I take special notice when running errands ..... is the trip REEEEALY neccesary? This gas BS is going to change many people's thinking.

I doubt that Dave, people are still smoking $8.00 a pack cigarettes 2 to 3packs a day, buying lottery & scratch off tickets by the hundreds, the Casinos & race tracks are packed with gamblers.....its all about priorities.....people waste money all day long on what THEY LIKE....so I dont buy into the gas BS at all....look around you next time you see a crowded bar with people buying $10.00 shot rounds of Tequila give me a break!!! Live hard....Pay Hard is say!!
Nothing will change if its what THEY want!

Zuki, it SOUNDS great and inspiring and all, to give some of these low-budget venues a break, but......... Donny is absolutely correct in that it seriously injures the entire industry (and certainly the local industry) to play at these ridiculously low prices. I won't repeat the 'cons' as Donny has covered them very well, but trust me, the damage to the industry (as represented by your fellow gigging musicians) far outweighs any personal satisfaction you might get by 'helping out' these 'poor people'. It's not the poor residents you're helping, it's the rich management/owners.

Want to REALLY help them? Try Russ's approach. Volunteer to work for NH reform which might include a mandated entertainment budget. That type of thing helps EVERYBODY involved. JMO.

chas

This has turned into a very interesting thread. I started playing around 1956 in the St. Louis area - a very Union strong town. I was to young at the time to join but did so later. All gigs had a minimum pay scale that had to be paid and it helped everyone including the venue owners. Basically, those who could play - did those who couldn't - didn't. The owners of venues knew they were getting capable musicians and were for the most part ok with pricing. I moved to Texas in the early 1960's - a right to work state - and immediatly began to see a vast difference in the music market. Even though I was a member of two musicians Unions there were still times when prices were a little strange. All the top gigs required Union membership but there were tons of non-union gigs and that was the beging of the end of guarenteed pricing. Today - everyone on a local level is having trouble "making a living" playing music.

Seems to me everyone has a valid point here - times have changed and everyone does what is necessary to "get by". I certainly agree with the effort to help reform NH practices. I have seen cutbacks and reluctance on ADs to hire decent players the last year and it is very frustrating to keep calling the ADs who seem to be simply fulfilling an obligation to the job rather then serving their population.

I manage to keep as busy as I really want at this time in my life but I really feel for those folks depending on this income for their families.

Hammer

Restaurant jobs around here pay $150.00...tops.
I've been making that for about 15 years now...no raises. Two of the long-time gigs have been compromised by people who have come in and offered to play for 1/2...$75.00. That is now the rate at one of the places my friend George Gentry worked for years for $150.00. I still get $150.00 there, but that's because, in this "one horse" town, I'm sort of the one people go to for image. Owners who pay others less say I'm worth more because of reputation and recognition factors (notice they say nothing about talent).

This means the rates at two of the top venues are now where they were in 1980.

Owners consider the music a background function and really don't want people staying around after they dine. In fact, I'm often asked to break early to turn the "sitters".

Some of these players are not worth $75.00 in another setting. Most of the owners of the regular places I play tell me there are 10 plus people a week in the door begging for work.

We should set our price, but be careful that we don't work only on price. A couple of half-assed non-players around here have ruined the market, money-wise. They embarass themselves on several levels.

First, they beg for the work. Next, They're not respected by the real players in the market because their lack of ability and last, they have compromisede the pay scale.

These guys are bottom feeders in my opinion. They never can keep a job, but make things difficult for others. Kind of like a pimple on your butt. Customers complain, but they hang around for years just irritating everyone.

They cause me no problems but are rough to deal with for talented people trying to break into the market.

I limit my work in restaurants to just enough to keep myself out there for better paying private functions. When I play 4 nights on a patio in the summer, my income actually goes down significantly. But, if I start on the patio on May 1st, I have my 250 private jobs for the year booked by around June 15. Most now are repeat business.

That's the reality here in Lexington.


Russ

Just two simple things, Zuki....

Firstly, announcing publicly that you WILL play for $50 might not have been the best idea. Let us just hope that some of the ED's at some of your higher-priced engagements don't see this, and realize that you CAN be had for less

Also, we'd better not hear you complain if some other retired person who gets back into 'entertaining' at NH gigs comes in to one of your $250 gigs, and offers to do it for $50 (or free!)