Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Financial Compensation
- Thread starter bluewine
- Start date
I consider the drive to be part of the gig time. I won't accept a $100 gig if it is too far from home. I need more for my time and gas.
For me, the gig time starts when I start to load up the truck and ends when I am done unloading. So an average "4 hour gig" is 8+ hours of my time.
So for an average $100 gig I make about $12.50 an hour... just above minimum wage.
For me, the gig time starts when I start to load up the truck and ends when I am done unloading. So an average "4 hour gig" is 8+ hours of my time.
So for an average $100 gig I make about $12.50 an hour... just above minimum wage.
Except the dishwasher and shingle lugger can work 5+ days per week and thus make a living wage. Amongst my friends, if you want to make a living wage 5+ days a week as a musician, you need to spend at least four days a week teaching lessons. For some this is fine, others tire of showing 7 year olds how to "mangle a C chord" day after day.
I agree that real pros don't post in threads like this. That's part of the professionalism that makes them a pro.
Not any more...a few years ago, yes but bad economy has resulted in fewer gigs with guarantees. Now we negotiate the minimum on a gig by gig basis depending on travel and other factors.
No band fund for my current bands. Have had them in the past, though. I have to admit that every time there has been a band fund I have lost some of my contribution.
In most cases yes. One band, no. Another band, I get extra if I am providing PA.
Cash or check at end of show. Once in a while the check is mailed, not often.
I did it once this year, first time in many years.
No
I just said it, because it's the issue that makes the dishwasher comparison invalid. The dishwasher does *not* want to be on-stage because it would not earn him a living wage. You would need to compare part-time musician to comparable part-time jobs, like maybe a clown for kids parties. I think those clowns and princesses make more money than most bar band musicians. The clown probably puts some time into learning how to tie balloon animals, but I'm not sure it compares to the time required to learn to play an instrument, rehearse, etc.
Dude! Where do you live?
Federal minimum wage in the united states is $7.25/hr.......way way less than 12.50 !
Hell, that's more than I make working as a skilled tradesman for the state of florida.
Lol
Dude! Where do you live?
Federal minimum wage in the united states is $7.25/hr.......way way less than 12.50 !
Hell, that's more than I make working as a skilled tradesman for the state of florida.
Lol
It's 8.50 in Cali... 12.50 is just a bit above min. Wage IMO too.
Dude! Where do you live?
Federal minimum wage in the united states is $7.25/hr.......way way less than 12.50 !
Hell, that's more than I make working as a skilled tradesman for the state of florida.
Lol
In Ontario, minimum wage is $10.25. It's $11.28 if you work at home.
I'd say if you're playing for $100 or less, with extensive gear investment and setup time, then it's time to stop bagging on people who play for free.
Where would you draw the line, where a gig pays so little that it's tantamount to playing for free? Would you take 50 bucks if it involved virtually zero overhead?
We all have our limits.
The whole overhead thing I think makes sense in some circumstances. I get to a show, and and my rig is set up in about 15 minutes, tearing it down the same. I just don't factor that time or gas. I guess I'm not a good business person.
There might be several extenuating circumstances where I would play for 50.00. However it would not involve playing for 4 hours.
blue
At least $100 pays for all your immediate expenses (gas, beer if not free, etc.)
I consider music a hobby. Compared to what I make at my "real job", the money I make playing bass is a joke. But how many hobbies actually pay for themselves? Or at least *can* pay for themselves?
On the contrary, it sounds like you've done a good job of managing your overhead, if you can get in and out in 15 min.
To be fair, I haven't played in a rock band, in 30 years. When I read about the amount of time, gear, and travel involved in operating a bar band, for the pay that it involves, my impression is that it doesn't make business sense, but that it might be a lot of fun for someone who has the time to spare. A band that's good enough to make business sense is probably good enough to hire a better bassist than me.
So, it looks to me like folks are engaging in an activity, that they enjoy, but that doesn't make business sense. It's not that you're a good or bad business person, but that the entire bar band scene is just not much of a business proposition. And that's OK.
I play in a civic band. We play a monthly gig, with all proceeds going to the band fund for buying more charts and taking care of minor expenses. On the other hand, almost everybody in the band is a formally trained musician, we've all played professionally, so we know how a pro band is run, and we run it that way. The caliber of the musicians, the level of material that we play, and the efficient use of our time, make it a worthwhile hobby, even for a number of members who would never play for free in any other situation. The chops that I've developed in that band are what make it possible for me to hang with the bands that offer me paid gigs.
I also do a fair amount of freelance work which I don't do for free. And I agree that it's a great hobby that pays for itself.
So don't you have to help move/setup PA gear? If you played in my band and didn't help with the load in and out of the PA and lighting you would not be getting an equal cut for long.
