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Why do you play for free?
- Thread starter glocke1
- Start date
First of all, personal attacks like this are uncool. No one attacked you. Lobomov made a fair point that expecting to be paid means you need to add sufficient value above your hypothetical free band. No need to take it so personally.
Second of all, virtually everyone competes with "free". My day job is computer programming; competing with freely available software is a fact of life. You have to raise the bar and make your work worth the money you expect, or move on and do something else.
You're not "owed" anything.
We'll open for bigger names for free if we really like em, usually ends up being a ton of fun, and we almost always get paying gigs at new venues as a result.
Also I think that if you expect to get paid for every single gig you play you should expect to lose gigs to people who will play for free.
We've thrown our hat in to play for Do Da Day again this year. it's been a few years since we've done it but it's the biggest fundraiser of the year for the local humane society and is always a hoot. It's an all day thing and last time we did it we played on one stage early and another later in the day. Didn't get paid, but each band gets it's own ice chest full of assorted cool drinks (we got one per stage last time) and lots of strays that would otherwise wind up on the county death row get a new lease on life so it's all good in the hood.
There are always way more bands wanting to play than slots to fill, so there's no guarantee we'll make the cut. maybe we'll get lucky though.
There are always way more bands wanting to play than slots to fill, so there's no guarantee we'll make the cut. maybe we'll get lucky though.
Im sure each and everyone of us have played for free. Maybe its was because you just started out. Maybe its because you just enjoy playing and dont feel the need to get paid for everything you. I dont understand by so many people get upset over such topics. If you dont want to play for free dont. Dont get mad because someone else is just out to have fun. Maybe your the one thats doing it wrong while they are out enjoying every minute of their free gig.
My situation might be a bit different than some other folks.
I have been playing bass for 41 years, and I am an accomplished bassist. I have been in a plethora of various bands over the years (including a YES tribute band that was lots of fun). However, bass playing has always been just a hobby for me. I focused my career development efforts in the field of civil engineering, and now at age 57, I hold a very high level engineering position overseeing a staff of 70 people, and I have a very healthy six figure income. I'm not bragging, I'm just stating facts. When I look at the mere pittance that bands are paid, I don't even take time to care about getting paid money when I play bass. I play bass for the sheer joy that it brings me, and the mental outlet it provides me (escaping the world of engineering whenever I am playing music). So, for me, the way I am getting "paid" when playing music is in the form of the mental joy it brings me. I'm not saying this should work for everyone. I'm just saying it works for me. Always has, always will.
I have been playing bass for 41 years, and I am an accomplished bassist. I have been in a plethora of various bands over the years (including a YES tribute band that was lots of fun). However, bass playing has always been just a hobby for me. I focused my career development efforts in the field of civil engineering, and now at age 57, I hold a very high level engineering position overseeing a staff of 70 people, and I have a very healthy six figure income. I'm not bragging, I'm just stating facts. When I look at the mere pittance that bands are paid, I don't even take time to care about getting paid money when I play bass. I play bass for the sheer joy that it brings me, and the mental outlet it provides me (escaping the world of engineering whenever I am playing music). So, for me, the way I am getting "paid" when playing music is in the form of the mental joy it brings me. I'm not saying this should work for everyone. I'm just saying it works for me. Always has, always will.
My situation might be a bit different than some other folks.
I have been playing bass for 41 years, and I am an accomplished bassist. I have been in a plethora of various bands over the years (including a YES tribute band that was lots of fun). However, bass playing has always been just a hobby for me. I focused my career development efforts in the field of civil engineering, and now at age 57, I hold a very high level engineering position overseeing a staff of 70 people, and I have a very healthy six figure income. I'm not bragging, I'm just stating facts. When I look at the mere pittance that bands are paid, I don't even take time to care about getting paid money when I play bass. I play bass for the sheer joy that it brings me, and the mental outlet it provides me (escaping the world of engineering whenever I am playing music). So, for me, the way I am getting "paid" when playing music is in the form of the mental joy it brings me. I'm not saying this should work for everyone. I'm just saying it works for me. Always has, always will.
Same here. Except for software engineering instead of civil, no staff to oversee, and nowhere near six figures
. But I enjoy playing so much I don't mind playing for nothing or almost nothing (at best our pay covers our rehearsal space hourly rental)
Well, I dont make six figures and certainly wouldnt mind getting paid for every gig but it seems some guys feel that bands that arent getting paid are simply terrible bands. Ive seen some paid acts that were way worse then some "hobby" bands.
Luckily I no longer play in a cover band some Im apparently allowed to pay for free per this thread, LOL
Luckily I no longer play in a cover band some Im apparently allowed to pay for free per this thread, LOL
I don't play for free.....unless it's for a charity I "wholeheartedly" believe in (ie. American Cancer Society or Wounded Warriors)....other than that, "my time is worth money"!
I think that in most sports, amateur and minor leagues actually benefit the major league players. Selling gear and lessons to kids and amateurs is a revenue stream that produces either direct income or increased brand recognition (exposure) for the pro's. Teaching sports to kids is a fallback career for professional college players who don't make it into the major leagues.
In some sports such as running, amateurs pay the entrance fees that make it possible to offer prize money to the pro's.
In music, amateurs and kids pay for lessons. Some of the support for local classical and chamber music comes from families whose kids are taking lessons from the players. And when I meet audience members at my gigs, they invariably mention that they are amateur musicians.
Music is too important to be left to the professionals.
Thats a real issue here in LA. A lot of people are playing for free and the club owners are getting real used to it. They make you responsible to bring ur own crowd...its an ongoing issue here that lots of musicians talk about all the time....
In the Misc. forum right now there is a thread about Bonamassa getting $112. a head.
I wonder if the free bands affect his ticket sales?
I wonder if the free bands affect his ticket sales?
I think we agree?
Its not much different for the major league artist - it helps sells, etc - it really doesn't hurt those selling out the big arenas.
