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Justify Playing For Free

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#142
We played last night for a charity event, the coordinator is friends with one of my bandmates. We've been approached for playing other charity events for free, but one a year is enough.

Only other times we've played for free was short "showcase" sets at a couple of bars we were trying to get into when we started(and got into both), but those don't really count as playing a show....both were on weeknights when the bars were dead.

Other than that, it's not free. Actually finding out what we're worth has been a trial by fire. Recently played a corporate event, the event coordinator told us we way undercharged, told me how much the other quotes were, then tipped us $300!
 
#148
Frank Tuesday said:
No, there have been a few acceptable justifications for you. Anybody can justify their own reasons for playing for free. You don't get to decide whether it is acceptable for them.
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Go back and read the responses. My statement is based on the replays from TBers.
 
#150
bluewine said:
Go back and read the responses. My statement is based on the replays from TBers.
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You go back and read the responses. There are many justifications for playing for free. "Consensus" doesn't make any of those reasons valid or invalid. I understand the reasons why people do and don't play for free. When it is time for me to decide whether or not to play for free, I'm going to do it based on many reasons, and the consensus of an internet forum isn't going to be one of those reasons.
 
#151
My church gig is a freebee. I work hard at it too. Big stage, buried sound, constant new members in the band, its work.

Our bar band would never play for free. I mean these guys have better things to do than play for free. It's a job they enjoy, but no pay no play.

We don't get much, the typical $400 a show thing, but without that we'll have a good time doing other things.
 
#152
Frank Tuesday said:
You go back and read the responses. There are many justifications for playing for free. "Consensus" doesn't make any of those reasons valid or invalid. I understand the reasons why people do and don't play for free. When it is time for me to decide whether or not to play for free, I'm going to do it based on many reasons, and the consensus of an internet forum isn't going to be one of those reasons.
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you're correct, of course, but trying reasoning here is beyond pointless. just saying.
 
#154
You know ... even when I get paid for a gig it isn't much better than playing for free. By the time I factor in the cost of a dozen basses, various keyboards, guitars, 7 amps, 9 speakek cabs, my effects, cases, gig bags, instrument stands, batteries, micrphones, mike stands, extension cables, instrument cables, monitors, speaker cables, strings, rehearsal time, travel time, set up time, playing time, tear down time, gasoline cost, wear and tear on vehicles ... with all of that I do a lot of work and invest a lot of money and get little in return.

Then I even have to buy my own drinks.

So much for getting rich playing music.
 
#157
IT'S ALL RELATIVE, PEOPLE! If the club is making money, and you aren't , that sucks.
If everyone has some skin in the game, then thats great.
If you are trying out, or(gasp!) paying to play in hope of future earnings, then that might make some buisness sense. I think it mostly depends on where you are, and what the conditions in your town are. I don't have to pay to play, but the prices for bands in this area ( the inland northwest) haven't gone up since 1985.
 
#158
Ric5 said:
You know ... even when I get paid for a gig it isn't much better than playing for free. By

So much for getting rich playing music.
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Not relevent, for the most part this is about local cover and originals.

Most know, none of us are in this to get rich. But to be compensated fairly, yes.
 
#159
klokker said:
We don't get much, the typical $400 a show thing, but without that we'll have a good time doing other things.
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I think that's pretty much the average for cover bands

My band gets between $400- $500 for 4 hours, four way even split.

We have 2 corporate gigs this summer that both pay $1,100. Those are nice, but they are far and few in between.
 
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