Your typical gig pay?

[bassteban]

I'm doing a Christmas tree lighting at a Christian elementary school. Three piece, jazzy carols, 2 hours w/a break. What should I charge? The same group got $250 for a similar length set at their harvest festival.
Also, what does your paying gig pay?
Any examples are appreciated.

 

[uaudio]

My typical gig pay is way more than that, but I'm not playing Christian elementary schools...$250 sounds reasonable given the venue.

 

[uaudio]

I think your expectation should be how much you'd be paid if you played a typical Sunday morning service at a church that paid musicians - anywhere from $75 to $150 per musician.

 

[bassteban]

Cool- thanks. We're pretty low-key/hobbyist-type & have little experience in this. The guitarist is very talented & a great frontman & the drummer is extremely capable as well, but inasmuch as *professional* experience, I'm the weak link. As it turns out, I'm doing the negotiating- also not my strong suit, but I'm polite(outside TB ).

 

[SteveC]

For that type of gig around here we'd get $100 a guy - give or take.

My pay for "normal" gigs with the "regular" bands varies from $65 - $125 a night. A night for me is never longer than 3 hours. I rarely play later than 12:30. We usually start strong - play a good hour or so. Break. Do another 45 or so. Break. Finish with 30 minutes or so.

 

[Ozonbass]

As I've gotten older, it seems that I find myself playing quite often for less. But I will say, that I enjoy it more now (playing a couple of times a month) than I did when I was playing 5 night a week. This is typically our mode of pay...20 piece big band...we usually buy new charts with the proceeds.

 

[Eric Perry]

My last gig in PA was all clubs, with occassional weddings (blech!) or corparate gigs thrown in. I was a hired gun, and got $200 - $300 per show depending on travel involved.

Now that I'm in Denver, I'm unemployed, because I'd get SQUAT to play!!!

 

[Stingray_EB]

We Charge £500 ( £100 a head ) for 21sts
£200 for random gigs and £600 for Weddings.

Keeps us going.

 

[bassteban]

Ozonbass, I've made probably around $200 in my entire 30 year *career*, and all of that in the last 5 years, so things are actually looking up for me.
Plus, like you, I enjoy it more now- & not because of the occasional pay.

 

[bassteban]

We Charge £500 ( £100 a head ) for 21sts
£200 for random gigs and £600 for Weddings.

Keeps us going.

Pardon me- I'm American; what's a '21st'?

 

[60HzRumble]

Yep, most PA clubs we're getting $150-$200 per person. We do some smaller venues, but $100 a person is our minimum, and that has to be close and done early.

Eric618's group had a major agency behind them, too, which helps their bottom line.

 

[bassteban]

We're very close & it's from 5-7. I'd likely do it for the fun, but the promoter/go-between lady asked me what we charge, so here we are(happily ). I think I'll tell her we charge $300.

 

[MrLenny]

Rock trio. $400. a night with 10% to the agent.
3 1/2 sets per night. 9-12:30.

 

[awakefie]

Depends on the venue and organizer. First of all we are a 5 piece band with a sound man in tow and way more equipment than we need. We generally get $550 - $1200.

We flat rate the sound guy at $50.00 unless it's a huge outdoor gig or we rent alot of equipment, etc... Then we'll hit him up appropriately.

If it was just me and a guitar player and a drummer doin it for 2 hours with mininum equipment running sound from stage I'd take $50-75 (as long as it doesn't conflict with anything on my schedule - like a family deal or another gig, etc... then the price goes up).

I would make sure set-up and tear down was as easy as possible and that there was always someone keeping an eye on the equipment from the minute it is set up to the minute it is torn down (kids usually have free run at a church event and tend to knock stuff over).

The organizer is probably a volunteer so take extra care to help them understand your needs and to understand theirs. Communication is the key. Make sure you stress over and over what is to be done.

It may not seem like a big gig to you but developing good, concise negotiating/communication habits with the organizer is always a good thing, pay or not.

 

[Rickett Customs]

$100 minimum, sometimes much more.

 

[BahamaBass]

we are a two man band working Fridays at a bar/restaurant and charge $450. I get $150 for playing bass.

we usually charge $600..where I get $150-250

and for partys and functions we charge $1200...I get $400

church and schools I would go down to $100.

 

[bassteban]

Lots of good stuff here, guys. Keep it coming; I imagine I'm not the only one w/these questions.

Awakefie, I do take it seriously, as it's a repeat performance, & being a smaller school, it's been pretty well-organized. Kids running wild have not been an issue(so far).

The organizer is a parent(as am I)of a student at the school; I imagine she is a volunteer or getting credit toward tuition; either way, I try to treat everyone as if they're going to tell my mother how I behaved(again- outside TB ).

 

[awakefie]

Lots of good stuff here, guys. Keep it coming; I imagine I'm not the only one w/these questions.

Awakefie, I do take it seriously, as it's a repeat performance, & being a smaller school, it's been pretty well-organized. Kids running wild have not been an issue(so far).

The organizer is a parent(as am I)of a student at the school; I imagine she is a volunteer or getting credit toward tuition; either way, I try to treat everyone as if they're going to tell my mother how I behaved(again- outside TB ).

Poor choice of words. I didn't mean to imply anything with it.

 

[Eric Perry]

...Eric618's group had a major agency behind them, too, which helps their bottom line.

Whatever works.

I see "Harrisburg" written and I'm mentally catapulted back into the Hardware bar. Not sure if that's good or bad!!! lol

 

[bikeplate]

HI

Church is $75 a service, 3 services a week. Band averages to about $175 a night, give or take. Privates much more. We never play for less than $100 a member. 275 days a year= pretty good living for playing bass. LOL

Rob