It was definitely NOT discussed at the audition, if it was, I would have expressed feelings at that time.
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.
Wants to be payed for practices
- Thread starter twinfallsbass
- Start date
- Status
It was definitely NOT discussed at the audition, if it was, I would have expressed feelings at that time.
- Sep 4, 2010
- 3,304
- 2,730
- Disclosures
- Endorsing: Martin Keith Guitars
Because these musicians are pros, one rehearsal for a show is fairly common, and they dont need more than 1 rehearsal. If more rehearsals are needed, its other people in the group who need that time. Why shouldn't they get paid for that?
I haven't read the replies. But my take- you get what you pay for, and if you want a professional you need to pay him. That's his way of getting the most out of his time, rehearsing the least amount (you guys are a tribute band, how much could you possibly need to rehearse anyways?), and getting you guys to maximize your efforts at home, presumably for both his time and so you guys don't make him look bad onstage. I have definitely been in paid rehearsal situations, and I know other musicians who are on salary. I wish that more people got that rehearsals should be paid.
And he's not leaving the house for less than $150 for a gig- also the way it should be. The person booking the gigs should assume liability and responsibility that everyone is getting paid fairly. Fairly isn't splitting up the payout, its guaranteeing a set amount. That's called being a professional who depends on your income.
I'm 100% on his side.
If you guys can't come to terms with that, or raise your standards to his, you need to settle for someone a little more in your own league- someone who will settle for lots of rehearsing and low, un-set pay. Tribute acts should be getting top dollar so I don't see what the problem is.
Personally, I don't insist on paid rehearsals, but I maximize my guarantee for a gig and will commit to exactly one rehearsal before hand, only if the learning material is provided reasonably in advance. And I won't rehearse the same crap over and over for multiple gigs, that's one rehearsal per group's set of material. And I tell people you need to pay me for rehearsals if they insist on more of them. Am I getting tons of gigs? No. But I'm getting quality over quantity, and I don't need to waste my time committing to a crazy rehearsal schedule with guys who don't remember the amendments made during the rehearsal on the bandstand.
And he's not leaving the house for less than $150 for a gig- also the way it should be. The person booking the gigs should assume liability and responsibility that everyone is getting paid fairly. Fairly isn't splitting up the payout, its guaranteeing a set amount. That's called being a professional who depends on your income.
I'm 100% on his side.
If you guys can't come to terms with that, or raise your standards to his, you need to settle for someone a little more in your own league- someone who will settle for lots of rehearsing and low, un-set pay. Tribute acts should be getting top dollar so I don't see what the problem is.
Personally, I don't insist on paid rehearsals, but I maximize my guarantee for a gig and will commit to exactly one rehearsal before hand, only if the learning material is provided reasonably in advance. And I won't rehearse the same crap over and over for multiple gigs, that's one rehearsal per group's set of material. And I tell people you need to pay me for rehearsals if they insist on more of them. Am I getting tons of gigs? No. But I'm getting quality over quantity, and I don't need to waste my time committing to a crazy rehearsal schedule with guys who don't remember the amendments made during the rehearsal on the bandstand.
I come to rehearsals prepared and could only need one practice, does that mean I am a pro and should ask for money?
Yes. If you don't, you're driving down the market. There isn't a line of people willing to flip burgers for free but there is a line of players who'd love your gig for free. We need to stand our ground.
First off dude, I AM in his league, I just choose to make my living in the real world. Him practicing with us is so he does not make ME look bad on stage.
OK, good to see there are no pride issues LOL. Good thing you're in the real world and not his fantasy land where people are professional musicians.
If what you're saying is true, then he's not worth the money, yes? Am I reading that right? Fire him and move on then.
OK, choosing to have a day job by default puts you in a different league. It makes you a hobbyist, and it doesn't matter how good you are, the fact that you get to pick and choose the two gigs you play every month means you are in the hobbyist camp. So your abilities may be amazing, but unless you are retired from a full-time music gig, don't compare yourself to someone who plays for a living. You do not have the stage experience or any other level of experience to put yourself in that league. Full stop.
I work with some amazing players. They divide themselves into two camps. There are the people who are seasoned stage musicians, who know exactly what to do to keep a crowd on their feet all night long, and there are the people who do not understand or respond to subtle but traditional stage cues from a BL about what needs to happen when and where. The latter does not necessarily mean these people have not been on large stages, but it means they don't have a certain set of experiences where the flow of things on stage was not hand fed to them. They are all good players but I'll take the former over the latter every time, if I'm given a say, because they have the street cred to handle any situation.
Telling us that you have a day job and you think he's going to make you look bad on stage when he came in completely prepared and that's his only job? Give me a freaking break.
Last edited:
I've seen this scenario many times. I'm betting he doesn't get out the house often. If you're lucky enough to get paid for rehearsals and also have an excellent paying gig, that is fantastic and I'm probably jealous of that fact! LOL We have folks on that level here but they aren't gigging that often or are gigging for that $100 per. Ain't nobody getting paid for rehearsals around here. Plus the really good bands rarely rehearse anyways unless they are adding a few new tunes. Been in my current band (main band) for 2 years now. We rehearsed regularly for the first 3-4 months. Maybe 2-3 more times since. Gigs pay well though.
my response was in defense to the other guy making that statement. I have no beaf with you, I enjoy reading your threads. This has gone in a direction I did not intend. If I knew it was going to go in this direction, I would not have started the thread to begin with.
As a former working player, I can say I've never done this although I've been in situations here and there over the years that did pay rehearsals, especially higher echelon situations, but the protocol has always been pro bono rehearsals -- but we also gigged 4 - 6 nights per week back then... However, these are different times than the past three decades when I worked....Time is money and the gigging landscape has changed....and just because some folks do something for a hobby doesn't mean that everyone should share a hobbyists values.......I totally get where this drummer is coming from and perhaps it may be a future pattern as live music continues it's slide to niche
<<< this hobbyist doesn't get paid to rehearse... i've had more cancelled rehearsals than ones that actually happened for the past few months, i'd be hurtin'. 
if i had managed to ever make an actual living playing music when i was doing it as-full-time-as-possible and was still doing it full time today--i would talk about my pay expectations before an audition if i wasn't sure it was a paying job. being a pro drummer in a world of hobbyists looking for drummers, i think it's on the pro to tell the hobbyist up front "yo i will play exactly what you need on the drums, but this is what i do for a living, here's how it would work. i'd be happy to come audition with that in mind". or at least inquire as to the pay structure before the audition if that's a deal-breaker for you.
if i had managed to ever make an actual living playing music when i was doing it as-full-time-as-possible and was still doing it full time today--i would talk about my pay expectations before an audition if i wasn't sure it was a paying job. being a pro drummer in a world of hobbyists looking for drummers, i think it's on the pro to tell the hobbyist up front "yo i will play exactly what you need on the drums, but this is what i do for a living, here's how it would work. i'd be happy to come audition with that in mind". or at least inquire as to the pay structure before the audition if that's a deal-breaker for you.
- Status
