Hired guns?

Question for all of you who hire your band members (i.e. not equal members of the band) ... how do you pay them? Per gig, per rehearsal or both? Are they expected to know their parts before the rehearsal? How much do you pay them? Any info or insight is appreciated.

Getting a little frustrated with bringing on a member democratically and considering this as an option ...

You will be hiring a musician and not a band member just like you said. And just as you would with any contracting situation you should expect that person to know the songs or learn them on their time. You are paying for the finished "product" so you should expect to pay them for any time that they spend with you as far as a rehearsal and gigs. If they are simply learning the songs on their on time then you should not be expected to pay. (Leave some room for originals and oddly covered tunes).

(This is just like hiring a painter. You pay them to get the job done based on the size and what not of that job for the finished product. You expect them to know how to paint when they get there, but if it is something completely custom then you should expect to compensate for the extra needed preparation)

Keep in mind that a rehearsal with a paid musician for you is a not a rehearsal for the musician. They should be compensated for the time you "required" that they be present just as they should be expected to complete what you are paying for.

All of my musicians are hired guns, of a sort, in that they all work for me and it is not an equal partnership. I don't pay them for rehearsal, but I do pay them a minimum of 75 dollars a night out of gross, and usually a lot more than the minimum, sometimes a couple hundred apiece. That means that occaisionally, I lose money, because the band gets paid first, then the bills, and I get what's left. Of course, sometimes I get a lot more, in which case I toss the guys a bonus, so that I never make more than 20 bucks or so more than anyone else. It all evens out. If you want a hired gun, make sure he knows he's not a partner, but you have to be prepared to pay his minimum fee and not expect him to eat crap equally with the rest of the band. If I get hired by Acme corporation to wash windows, they don't pay me based on how many widgets they sell in any given month, they pay me according to a set agreement by contract or hourly wage. A band is no different.