How much $$ keys players get paid for a gig?

[keyman_sam]

Yesterday the band i recently joined asked me how much money i'm expecting. I didnt know cos im new to this country, i blindly said 150 bucks.

 

He said thats very doable and the other guy in the band said thats very easy to get.

 

So, now, what should i expect money-wise? Whats a regular pay for a keys? I play pretty gud on those songs too....

 

Gear-wise, they provide a triton LE and a Kurz Sp88.

[dabowsa]

As much as the other rhythm section players.

[Pedestrian]

gigs or studio!? and what types of gigs, like, do you do clubs or do you do weddings/parties. Oh, and how many people in the band?

 

Expect a few dollars per head if the bands brand new

[tucktronix]

 

Originally posted by dabowsa As much as the other rhythm section players.

 

 

Exactly!

 

Usually, there's no special "rate" that keyboard players are paid in comparison to the other band members, at least in my experience. The amount of money you get largely depends on the gig and how much the band is getting paid.

[keyman_sam]

We'll be playing parties/bars/corporate events in a month. Yes, the band will be brand new i guess, but the members in the band are already friends and some of them play in other bands.

 

So, how do i know what the ryhtms getting paid? Honestly, this is sorta new to me.

[Jeebus]

Always ask for more than you think you're worth. If they aren't happy with it, you can always negotiate the price down. It's hard to negotiate upwards, though.

[numrologst]

It all depends on how much the band is getting payed for the show.

 

Our old keyboard player is now doing stuff like that. When we were still playing bars he was making $200 a show. $150 for weddings. $300-$400 solo.

 

Now when the band is together for a bigger show, it is whatever the contract is divided by the 5 members of the band. If it is a $5000 show it is $1000 a peice.

[keyman_sam]

I always thought weddings give more than bars.

 

Re your keys player : Solo, in the sense, did he sequence his own stuff and play?

[MartinHines]

Given you are new to the group, I would suggest you play for a month at your "stated rate", then bring up the subject of money again.

 

There is nothing wrong with admitting you are new to the whole "money thing" and just want a "fair" wage for your efforts.

[numrologst]

I meant playing solo by himself at clubs or bars.

[Darkstorm]

Thinks most common & fairest is each musician gets equal percent of whats made for the night. If gots roadies, dancers, or light peep, they ussualy get a set amount. Each musician chipping in for gas (transportation) cost equally with poss exception of the peep whose van or truck got used. Theyre often excempt from paying toward gas. If you got one of them half naked danceing girls hung over the stage in large bird cage, thrashing and swaying about they might get bit more then roadie does. LOL. If got light peep doing projectors etc etc they might get payed same as the musicians.

 

I'd ask em what the pay system is now instead of waiting. They should have gone over that with you imo. If theyre going to treat you as a tempor fill in for now. A set amount for first gig can be appropriate. But should get same as the rest of band after the first gig imo. And no I dont buy the imo nonsence that the frontman or girl gets more. If they feel that way they should try doing a gig by themself. Lol.

[eric]

Your original question has one consistent answer: IT DEPENDS.

 

Are you playing clubs, weddings, private parties, festivals, opening for nationals, retirement homes, etc.? Is the band well-established on the circuit and making good money or is it a brand new act still paying its dues? Are you a seasoned pro that can step into any situation and fill in the keyboard role seamlessly? Or are you still struggling to get your chops and gear together? What region are you in and how valued is live music there? Are you truly a sub or being "courted" to become a full time band member???? Does the band divy things evenly or is there a true band leader that just pays the rotating cast of characters a set fee?

 

Lots of permutations there.

 

Let's assume you are a decent player with good gear (no Casio home keyboards) and you are sitting in/subbing in an established "general business" group. You are underselling yourself at $150. I would ask for NO LESS than $200 and would probably ask for more and then haggle down if needed. If it seems that the band wants you to "join up" then there is no harm in asking them how they divide the money, how much are they getting paid, what is their overhead, etc. Some groups divide things evenly after expenses are paid and others have a leader that does all the business and pays each member as a sub-contractor. I've seen both extremes.

 

The group I'm in does the "even division" thing after we pay for overhead (agent fees, soundman, other expenses). If we have subs, we usually cut them in pretty much evenly unless the pay is particularly insane. The going rate for subs in our area for general biz gigs is at least $200 per man. There are some acts that have a slick leader that takes in some large sum of money and then pays a flat rate to each musician. For example, the gig may pay $5k and he has a soundman for $500 and 8 musicians at $200 a head. That's $2100 he pays out and he then gets to keep the remaining $2900. Smart business, but does not develop strong lasting bands. Strong lasting bands are typically good democracies (or paid so well by the leader that it does not matter if its a democracy or not).

 

My band is most often lacking for sub horn players. We play with 3-4 horns and while we have regular members, we seem to need subs often for these guys. We have established a practice of giving subs an even cut and this keeps the "top call" players eager to play with us. We cut these cats in evenly on some high dollar gigs and then when we have a less prosperous gig, they feel a sense of loyalty and don't mind playing for nominal cash.

 

I've rambled a bit, but hope this discourse is helpful. Like I said at the beginning, it depends. What is your scenario?

 

Regards,

Eric

[keyman_sam]

First of all, thanks to all you guyz for replying.

 

 

Secondly, we're not even playing right now. We are near to doing that. Prolly next month.

 

Third, they provide the equipment though i also have equipment(just a Fantom S + X-stand).

 

Another question : In bars and stuff, will they have strippers and will the drunk people be crazy and all over you? I really, really, dont want that to happen, or i'm quitting the show.

[eric]

Strippers and drunk people make the gig fun.

 

Don't knock it 'til you try it.

 

Regards,

Eric

 

p.s. If your band is "not even playing yet" and they are telling you that $150 per man is "very doable" and "easy to get" then you might be onto something.

[keyman_sam]

Thnkx eric, but no thanks. I hate strippers and i'm not the sort of person that enjoys seeing them or getting drunk.

 

 

Thnkx for the motivation though.

[Unfed]

lol, i don't foresee you having much of a problem with strippers. drunks are a bit harder to avoid with any place that serves alcohol, but i don't think you'll run into much trouble. good luck with the band.

[dabowsa]

Have you ever been to a bar? Have you ever seen a live band before?

 

If you're uncomfortable with this scene, you might want to rethink putting in a lot of time and effort to prepare for a gig and then bailing out. This is a waste of your, and the band's time.

 

I'd strongly recommend you get out a bit and see some live music in the places you're planning on playing (providing you're of legal age, of course).

[Learning67]

keyman sam, the amount of $ you earn may depend on what part of the country you are in. different parts of the country approach the wedding industry differently, so that sometimes come into play

 

Here in NJ/NY, if I got $150 for a corporate type gig where I played a wide range of styles and such......I would never work with that band again becuase its like $200 short of minimum.

 

But I got paid $150 for playing a set of Salsa last night at a block party in Newark NJ. And that was apprpriate pay.

 

I also get around $150 to do either a wedding ceremony or wedding cocktail hour....but on sunday Im doing a fancier wedding gig where my latin jazz band is playing the cocktail hour and everyone is making $225 each to play for that hour.

 

Full weddings/corporate parties/and the like should pay at least $300-$350.

 

I ll drive 1-1.5 hours to play straight ahead jazz for four hours for $100. Less sometimes. And Im pretty sure that in other parts of the country, a 1-1.5 hour drive is really no big deal.

 

Coverbands in bars have never paid me all that much, $50-$125, but I know other folks who work that scene better.

 

That notion of "equal share for everyone" or "as much as the rythm section" is downright socialism! lol

 

if you have a band that acts and feels like a band, all for one and one for all...then equal shares make sense. If you are nothing but a cog in the wheel, keyboard players often get more. Drummers can fake tunes so much easier than we can. Guitar players are a dime a dozen. and whoever books the gig likely gets a larger piece of the action because s/he has to make phone calls, deal with the client, etc

 

but thats how it works in NY/NJ. My friends in Indiana dont make as much on weddings/corporate parties. MY friends in DC get a bit more for salsa...and in DC you'll even find white guys playing percussion in salsa bands! that would NEVER happen in NJ/NY unless the band is a specialtiy act...and those bands wont play block parties in el barrio, sweet 15 parties, or political rallies and huricane relief fund raisers....the hardcore latino stuff.

 

In two weeks Im playing a set with a friend at the bitter end, and its for free. But other money may come from that band in a different way in the future.

 

Drunks have never really been an issue, and Ive done lots of gigs playing Santana tunes in Biker bars. Just dont ever let the drunk on the stage to sing back up...no matter how cool or into it the drunk seems. Many years ago I saw a group at the Bitter END in NYC destroy there record company showcase by allowing a drunk to come onstage to sing back up. They had come up to NYC from NC or SC and had the club packed with execs.

[keyman_sam]

Thnkx for the advice, everyone.

 

I'll be hitting 18 next month. Ima search for videos of bands performing in bars.

 

I was also thinking whether they would pay more if i brought the gear, cos, in india, most of the time you'll have to bring your gear and you get more if you do(otherwise, they'll take it as renting).

[Darkstorm]

Pay attention to what earleier poster said about become familiar with the nightlife in your area. The bars and bar types your gonna play at. Go several times to watch other bands & their audiance. Like what you see? If not it gonna be hard to play well imo. Cause it wont be funtime for you, itll be just another hated or humdrum job.

 

Playing at a bar that has strippers can be wonderful. Course if its amatuer night with all the 40'sh plus yr olds haveing their night of fame. Isnt much eye candy gonna happen unless you like em older & not so in shape. Lol. But even then, your helping them live a dream for those few minutes. Even if you prefer to just focus on continuing to play without taking in whats on stripper stage. As musicians we help peeps escape, let go of worries, be free, & turn on.

 

What is the bands target audiance? Can you connect with that target audiance? Are you part of it or at least a respector of it? Instead of worrying about what kind of crowd its gonna be. And what other entertainment might be going on (aka strippers). Instead of that, become aware of what the bands target audiance is. If your comfy with that audiance goal, then rest is no worry. Cause overall the audiance energy current is that of the target audiance. Unless the band just hasnt a clue about. If target audiance includes the 18-21 yr old male sector of population, then yeah playing at stripper club is doable. But you wont find your target audiance much at them stripper clubs that cater to the iddle age male. Lol.

 

If your gonna play at stripper club also remember that your not their to wow peeps with music. Your their to provide suitable "elevator music". Get comfy with that notion and it becomes easier to set aside that part of ego that wants acknowledgement for being a good musician from audiance. Even though them girls (or guys if a gay stripper club, lol) have the best night money wise when you guys play there. They(the strippers) might thank you for the music. But if your getting any sig thanks from audiance for the music, you lost out and bar wont want you playing there. Cause your distracting from the bars theme & target audiance. Which while it may include your target audiance, its occuring while that target audiance is about doing looking not listening.

[keyman_sam]

The band leader said that the target audience is gonna be middle aged men cos thats where the money is at. Thats the same reason we play 80s songs cos thats their type of songs.

[mrcpro]

Originally posted by keyman_sam The band leader said that the target audience is gonna be middle aged men cos thats where the money is at. Thats the same reason we play 80s songs cos thats their type of songs.

 

 

Bad game plan. A better target is middle-aged women. The men will follow.

 

But seriously, I don't think any of us have a clue what the club scene is like in India. Somehow you're going to have to get out and experience it....or find people that are out there doing it to fill you in.