And this is why you should never play a gig for free.

[drummer]

Just apply this to drumming or any musician.

[inthpktplayer]

There are a lot of reasons not to play for free, but, yes......this would be one of them.

[NikoSeven]

Just apply this to drumming or any musician.

Amen!

[Texdrumr]

Awesome.

[SpazApproved]

as both a musician and a graphic designer I can relate to that one big time!!

[DrumWhipper]

I have friends who are professional photographers and people rib them about pricing all of the time. "All you do is come out here and shoot photos, why do you need so much?" When they don't realize that they spend hours behind a computer screen editing photos, deleting bad ones, and preparing the final product for the consumer. People are just cheap these days.

[G-man]

"All you do is come out here and shoot photos, why do you need so much?"

Yep, and guys I've been watching in the Tour de France are just riding bikes. Just about everyone can ride a bike right?

[Goro]

Right ...just like NASCAR we can all drive and make left turns

[steady]

A pro can do the job right and save the day. But years of training and cost of gear makes it expensive. People do not understand the time one took to do develop the skill.

Nice cartoon. Ill keep it. It applies to many things.

[NPYYZ]

I played a few free gigs in my day. Why? Exposure. We played a few one nighters at some big clubs which eventually led to us getting booked back for the full week there. So back then it did pay to do a free gig or two.

[kaosotis]

We play free community/charity events. Anything where the venue is profiting, we should be as well.

[worcesterbruce]

We play in most any of the benefit gigs that ask, so long as they are local and are backlined. If all we need to do is drop in, play a set, and then get to rub elbows with other musicians and shoot the "stuff", that's a cool way to get in front of people that might not see us otherwise.

Beyond that, not so much on the freebies.

[jedi]

Funny thing . My brother owns a recording studio . When he's looking for musicians to do a session they all want top dollar . "Well I spent many years honing my craft and spent lots of money on my gear" . All good and well and my brother pays the going rate . HOWEVER...when THEY come to his studio and want to record THEIR cd they want the cut rate !! Go figure ! Or they tell him they'll trade and only charge him half their rate the next time he calls them if he'll charge them half his rate on the recording . Well anyone who has ever built a stand alone studio knows how expensive that is not to mention the years it took him to learn how to operate the equipment .
We musicians can be so cheap when it comes time for us to pay someone else .

[JoePasko]

We musicians can be so cheap when it comes time for us to pay someone else .

Even when our band gets free beers where we are playing .. I still tip the bartender.

[jedi]

Even when our band gets free beers where we are playing .. I still tip the bartender.

You're a good man .

[N2Bluz]

Even when our band gets free beers where we are playing .. I still tip the bartender.

I do as well.....if she's hot.
Otherwise, for what I make on a paying gig, I consider myself a contracted employee of the bar, same as the bartender. Especially if they turn in a tax statement on me and I have to pay income tax.

[kay-gee]

I do as well.....if she's hot.
Otherwise, for what I make on a paying gig, I consider myself a contracted employee of the bar, same as the bartender. Especially if they turn in a tax statement on me and I have to pay income tax.

How does that work anyway? (tax) Do have to report that as taxable, and if so, do you have to issue records to each of your players, assuming that you're sort of the business manager of the band?

PS... not sure in the US what you call them. in Canada they're called T4 slips. The official document your employer issues you each year stating what you were paid that year.

all the best...

[N2Bluz]

How does that work anyway? (tax) Do have to report that as taxable, and if so, do you have to issue records to each of your players, assuming that you're sort of the business manager of the band?

PS... not sure in the US what you call them. in Canada they're called T4 slips. The official document your employer issues you each year stating what you were paid that year.

all the best...

I get the same earnings statement at the end of the year, just like from any employer. I claim all of the income and pay the tax on all of it personally. It's really not that much, especially split 7 ways. I just settle up with the rest of the guys at the next gig.

I don't know how the established bands that gig every week at big clubs for big money do it. Seems like setting it up as a business would take all the fun out of it.

[EddieV]

I get the same earnings statement at the end of the year, just like from any employer. I claim all of the income and pay the tax on all of it personally. It's really not that much, especially split 7 ways. I just settle up with the rest of the guys at the next gig.

I don't know how the established bands that gig every week at big clubs for big money do it. Seems like setting it up as a business would take all the fun out of it.

In my group....we get a lot of statements at the end of the year from Casinos, some clubs and Agencies. They all go to one person in the band. He then takes them all to his accountant who adds them up and splits them up 4 ways evenly and gives each one of us a new W2 form.

I also get a W2 form from some Agencies that I do side work with and add this to my sources of income.

I deduct a lot of my expenses....mileage, gear, even depreciation. A lot of this is also standard deductions. Because I teach an use a dedicated room in my home, I can deduct that too.

My wife is an accountant....she handles all this. I just make sure everything is in a big pile at the end of the year (or at least by Mid-February).

[rickthedrummer]

"I don't know how the established bands that gig every week at big clubs for big money do it. Seems like setting it up as a business would take all the fun out of it."



Brian, if you get to that point that it is your living, dealing with accountants, lawyers, management, comes with the territory.

You just try to work your way up the food chain to where it becomes worthwhile.

[N2Bluz]

I can't imagine trying to do this for a living. It would be a hard life, no different than any other blue-collar job. You'd definitely earn every cent. Not to mention the strain on family life. I'm just happy to play music and get enough back to be able to replace/upgrade gear on occasion. If I make it to retirement age (about 15-20 more years), I hope to be able to play as a self financing hobby.

[EddieV]

I can't imagine trying to do this for a living. It would be a hard life.

It is not easy....that's for sure. More sacrifices than most even think about.

There's times when I think about how much easier life would be if I didn't play the drums at all.

[rickthedrummer]

"It is not easy....that's for sure. More sacrifices than most even think about."

People see the "gig". Most don't have a clue what goes on before and after.

"There's times when I think about how much easier life would be if I didn't play the drums at all."


I've thought about that a few times over the years. I then think to when I got out of the service (Nov 17th, 1969) and 2 weeks later, back in Jersey driving a oil truck for a few years.

Pulling that damn hose into peoples backyards, slipping and falling on ice. Having to stand in the rain, snow, sleet, and whatever else Mother Nature would throw at us, and knowing that I would be the guy in the club watching a band and thinking how I would love to be doing that.

I have few regrets. Playing drums will never be 1 of them.

[kay-gee]

"It is not easy....that's for sure. More sacrifices than most even think about."

People see the "gig". Most don't have a clue what goes on before and after.

"There's times when I think about how much easier life would be if I didn't play the drums at all."


I've thought about that a few times over the years. I then think to when I got out of the service (Nov 17th, 1969) and 2 weeks later, back in Jersey driving a oil truck for a few years.

Pulling that damn hose into peoples backyards, slipping and falling on ice. Having to stand in the rain, snow, sleet, and whatever else Mother Nature would throw at us, and knowing that I would be the guy in the club watching a band and thinking how I would love to be doing that.

I have few regrets. Playing drums will never be 1 of them.

Wow. Ain't that the truth! I have days when I wish I had never gotten into music to begin with. I have no idea what my life would have looked like now or where I'd be. Then I stand back and look at it. Would I change one thing if I could? Music gave me an opportunity to see the expanse of my home and native land that I might not have otherwise had. Not to mention the myriads of interesting people I've met along the way. My whole life has been anything but conventional in the eyes of others. No regrets.

all the best...

[worcesterbruce]

Works both ways....

I gave up playing in my twenties, for the career and family. Picked it back up after the kids were grown, in my late 40's.

Wish I had never stopped. Wish I had found a way to at least play some....


*edit* not that I would miss being there for my kids as they grew up, I just wish I had managed some sort of way to keep my hand in it somewhat ***