Does church music pay?

[obimark]

If you don't know whether or not you're getting paid, you aren't.

This should be the TB slogan!

 

[Gorn]

We get between $20 - 32.50 an hour for guitar/bass/drums, depending on the congregation. Section leaders in the choir get $30 an hour and the cantor gets $40 per hour. Warm up/ rehearsal + Mass usually means two hours. Always a backline and really good sound system. Music Director and Principle Keys player are usually salary.

The real money is for weddings and funerals. Also special events, running sound etc.

I know many folks around here who do very well with church music.

Do they deduct taxes?

 

[Smooth_bass88]

not my thang

 

[jwilson67]

I'll just say this - it would take a lot more than $100 to get me up to play on a Sunday morning.

 

[jwilson67]

I'm sure it works out for a lot of wives in the church because they can feel superior with their husband is in the band.

 

[SactoBass]

$100 for one song?

At that rate, I would be willing to play 100 songs. I could use an extra 10 grand!

 

[MNAirHead]

I get the idea, but I wouldn't really want to memorize the top 100 ccli-licensed songs to get the gig. Thanks anyway !

Not up front... an interested person should spend the time to learn about it

When folks ask why some folks get the gig. . this is a very big factor.

 

[buldog5151bass]

You will find everything from a few member volunteers bringing their own equipment to paid professionals with full backline. Find out before you commit.

 

[MNAirHead]

Most churches don't compensate monetarily regardless of denomination. There are exceptions. Mega churches are usually willing, able, and do, but the expected skill level is higher. I actually stumbled on an unusual situation, whereby a small Methodist congregation pays the whole worship team. The band consists of a 4 piece rhythm section and lead singer. I've been doing this for 10 years. I started as a contractor and eventually became an employee. The most uncharacteristic feature is that we don't rehearse other than on the morning of the service. Sight reading and improvising ability is necessary. Most other worship teams typically rehearse on the Thursday night before, which can impact other musical opportunities. Sometimes you get lucky....

Hence why some places pay

 

[Keyser Soze]

I live in a major city in the Bible Belt. I've played w/ a drummer, North Texas State hotshot, whose brother has a full time gig at a giant church next to the freeway that looks like it's outta the Batman movies; huge and austere. He's on salary; $400/week. I don't think he has to do much more than the shows... er, services... on Sundays. He is a killer player but he's a jazzer so that kind of money is not something one would be used to seeing on the jazz circuit -- which is virtually nonexistent -- here.

 

[lustersilk]

Do they deduct taxes?

They certainly do. All on the up and up. Occasionally it's just cash on the barrel for special events. I ran sound a few weeks ago for a Women's conference and it was just an envelope with 20's in it, but the regular scheduled stuff is reported via time card and paid via electronic deposit.

 

[lustersilk]

I'm sure it works out for a lot of wives in the church because they can feel superior with their husband is in the band.

In all my years I've never encountered anything of the sort.

 

[DavetheDude]

As Hrodbert replied earlier in this thread, this also applies to me:

I am part of a congregation where I actually want to go, and I share some of my time and "talents" as a bass player (Main player) and other areas where I serve.

The church has a bass combo, but I wasn't happy with it so I bought my own high quality Equipment just for church. So I guess you could say "pay to play" also applies to me

 

[RustyAxe]

Do these gigs typically pay? Do they pay well?

In my experience, not enough to make me want to do it on Sunday morning (after that late gig Saturday night), or to put up with church politics. It seems the music ministry is always under fire. But yes, some churches pay a stipend to their musicians. I'd venture the majority do not.

 

[richfirstbass]

I get the idea, but I wouldn't really want to memorize the top 100 ccli-licensed songs to get the gig. Thanks anyway !

My experience as a frequent sub in church worship teams and big bands is to be able to sight read. No memorization required. YMMV

 

[40Hz]

Fair enough. I hadn't heard of that much central control before. Learn something new every day!

Yep. It’s a top down organization if there ever was one. And if you ever forget that (and you happen to be part of that particular flock) the powers that be will be more than happy to refresh your memory.

 

[Drgonzonm]

Some people go to church on other days, including sat services and sat evenings. There are even groups that have services before dawn.

 

[jwilson67]

In all my years I've never encountered anything of the sort.

Yeah - that was kind of a broad statement by me. Maybe it was the church I was brought up in.

 

[buldog5151bass]

It can be a great place to meet other musicians. Like anything else, it's always good to network.

 

[40Hz]

Please excuse my punctuation or lack of it.

I've been working for churches for over 10 years. During this time I have been a worship leader and also a staff musician. I will not pay for churches that rely on volunteers as core players. The reason is unreliability and skill level. Churches that pay end up having more reliable in and more solid players. So in essence you end up being either a training school or a coordination company either way it ends up costing the same.

I have lead volunteers and it's a Non-Stop schooling and scheduling headache.

When paid they're paying me for prepared and ready to go and reserving my calendar time the morning after usually a long evening before.

Wow! Words absolutely fail me just trying to unpack and reconcile the above with anything even remotely related to worship. But maybe that’s just me.

So be it.