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What do you pay studio drummer?


juineaux

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Demo rate in Nashville is $150 per three hours. That's a fair price if the drummer can get two or three "keepers" in that time. That pace is, of course, dependent on the engineer and/or producer having his act together.

 

So, just make sure you hire a really good drummer!;)

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$50 would barely be worth a good drummer's driving, setup, and tear down time.

 

$75 to $100 might appease most drummers, but if you really plan to make something happen with the tracks, hire the best drummer in your city at whatever his price -- probably no more than $200.

 

You can always fix all the other tracks with overdubs, but you can't really do much to fix crappy drum tracks.

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Originally posted by adamsj

$50 would barely be worth a good drummer's driving, setup, and tear down time.


$75 to $100 might appease most drummers, but if you really plan to make something happen with the tracks, hire the best drummer in your city at whatever his price -- probably no more than $200.


You can always fix all the other tracks with overdubs, but you can't really do much to fix crappy drum tracks.

Yes $50 is cheap,but we are talking demos here.Right? It depends on the area.We did a survey last year world wide of the average pay per gig per man,it was $50..I could make between $400-$600 a day touring running production..Locally maybe 75-$100 walk in per night.Or I could sit home.You can price yourself right out of work if you want to base it on what someone else might have got.I know for a fact that a drum tech for one of the Beatles will work in my town for $50 a night recording or playing when he is home and off tour.I have life long friends that play and live in nashville.I have life long friends that tour and play with Nashville stars.They will all work for a fair shake because they love music and being productive. That said,you don't always get what ya pay for.Sometimes you get more..

:)

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thanks for the advice everyone.....sorta along the same lines: how much should you pay a harmony singer for a recording? This would be someone that is more popular/successful than myself, how do you approach something like that? or do you pretty much have to know them personally?

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Originally posted by juineaux

thanks for the advice everyone.....sorta along the same lines: how much should you pay a harmony singer for a recording? This would be someone that is more popular/successful than myself, how do you approach something like that? or do you pretty much have to know them personally?

 

Just reading between the lines here,it sounds like you need to call around and find another studio.A good studio should have a list of people they can call to help you out,BG singers,Bass,Key,Drums,etc,with a price..

Sounds like the studio you are speaking to doesn't want to bother.They appear to be coming off as doing you a favor instead of a service.Good Luck with it..

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  • 6 years later...
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first...6 or 7 songs...5000 copies?

I would back down on that number...have you ever sold an original CD before?

You don't have a band of your own, so I'm guessing you are not gigging much...so right there I see you being stuck with 4,850 CDs.

Have you produced a CD before?

Do you have a producer?

Okay...depending where you are, and the studio, and the competency of the drummer/singer, 6 to 7 songs will typically require more than one session.

I personally would not even walk into the studio for less than $200. And if you wanted that many tracks...the price would go up.

I do agree that a good studio should have a 'stable' of competent session players (I used to be part of a 'stable', so I know), but...typicallly those people want to get paid....well.

As to asking someone with a larger following than you have to do backing tracks...again, they will want to get paid, but if you don't know them, you will have to go through their management (assuming they have 'people')... why would you not find someone you know or that a friend could recommend?

This sounds to me like an overly ambitious project... :wave:

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$100 to $100 a track.

 

 

^^^^

This. Most guys do studio work here by the track, and 100 dollars is average. I've had good friends do tracks for anywhere from 75 dollars to free, depending.

 

A drummer doesn't care if it's for a demo, or a commercial, or a zillion selling album, it takes him the same amount of time to drive to the studio, load in and set up his kit, tape it up and tune it for recording, place the mics, etc.

 

And I agree with Mac- I've done 4 CDs, and unless you're already selling a lot of CDs, pressing 5k of a demo is about 4500 too many to start.

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first...6 or 7 songs...5000 copies?

I would back down on that number...have you ever sold an original CD before?

You don't have a band of your own, so I'm guessing you are not gigging much...so right there I see you being stuck with 4,850 CDs.

Have you produced a CD before?

Do you have a producer?

Okay...depending where you are, and the studio, and the competency of the drummer/singer, 6 to 7 songs will typically require more than one session.

I personally would not even
walk into the studio
for less than $200. And if you wanted that many tracks...the price would go up.

I do agree that a good studio should have a 'stable' of competent session players (I used to be part of a 'stable', so I know), but...typicallly those people want to get paid....well.

As to asking someone with a larger following than you have to do backing tracks...again, they will want to get paid, but if you don't know them, you will have to go through their management (assuming they have 'people')... why would you not find someone you know or that a friend could recommend?

This sounds to me like an overly ambitious project...
:wave:

 

We did the CD thing several times, professional with graphics/inserts/printed discs. Seriously, start with NO MORE than 250 cd's.

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