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Simple question - how much do Session Musicians get per song?


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it depends if they are union, or just freelance.

I used to charge an hourly rate (not per song), with a minimum number of hours (I generally got the songs done in 3 takes or less), so the minimum was to make it worth schlepping across town to a studio. It is all negotiable, but make sure the person you hire is the right person for the material...I was hired to do stuff running from classical (not my forte) to metal (also not my forte) over the years, and managed to make the producers happy, but you need to find someone who really can cover what you want.

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i usually get about 300-400 dollars for the DAY. it's not by song, but it's also not union work. It's always negotiable, though. I once got 500 dollars for one guitar part on one song...another time, i got 800 dollars for an eight song album playing multiple guitar tracks AND drums. My most successful friends in music don't really make that much for session playing; they often record for chump change in hopes that it will land them the gig once the touring starts......and it usually does. I know guys who simply hang out in studio lounges and become everyone's friend. They record for lunch and gig like madmen....make good $ that way.

 

the bottom line is everything in the music industry is changing. if you go in with a rigid price structure, get ready to not work.

 

JUST MAKE SURE WHOEVER YOU HIRE TO PLAY YOUR STUFF SIGNS A MUSICIAN'S RELEASE AGREEMENT beforehand. seriously.

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It depends on where you live and the style of music you're putting together. I had guys booked for two days and it came out roughly $100 per song.

 

But if all the parts of the song have been thoroughly sketched out, you could potentially get musicians in for $50-60 per song--at least where I live.

 

The main thing with first call session guys, is that you're paying for their musical skill, in addition to their knowledge of gear and their ability to work fast.

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  • 1 year later...
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That seems kind of steep for indie musicians without alot of money.

 

Well, maybe that indie musician ought to do the tracks himself or not put out a record if he can't afford it. :idea:

 

100 bucks a track is actually cheap. Some guys around here were getting that 10 years ago.

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  • 2 years later...
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sort of...this is very different from traditional session work, as these 'pros' never have to leave the commfort of their homes.  Still, this is a fairly good estimation basis for online digital recording...naturally, you would want to hear samples of the performers work.  The guy offering bass tracks for $25 is likely new at this...:smileyvery-happy:

however, since you work there, I am going to have to ban you now for spamming our forum...but thanks for stopping by.

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