Scot Ranney's LearnJazzPiano.com archive: To docz

LearnJazzPiano.com archives: To docz
Dr. Whack -- 10/05/2004, 07:10:36 -- #7741
You mentioned in another post that you get up to $1000 a gig. That has only happened for me 2 or 3 times in my entire life. Can you elaborate on how you do this? I know if I become a front man, develop a following and go on tour I might be able to make that much or even more, but certainly not if I stay in town and slam gigs. I currently charge $50 per half hour for private gigs, so I'd have to play a 10 hour gig to make that... show us the money!:)
7 -- 10/05/2004, 09:14:02 -- #7751
They pay better in Europe. Since there are only 3 TV channels and it rains all the time, people have nothing better to do than hang out in these huge beer halls every night. $1000 a gig for a 5-piece band was pretty much the norm when I was playing in Switzerland.
Seaside_Lee -- 10/05/2004, 09:42:20 -- #7755
Hi 7 Hey but, thats only $200 each ..right? or is that $1000 each? If it is I'm moving to Switzerland ;-) Lee
marksdg -- 10/05/2004, 10:06:43 -- #7757
DocZ and Artist Formerly known as P, What size bands do you play in? Artist formerly known as P, do you do solo for the $50/half hour?
docz -- 10/05/2004, 12:17:38 -- #7759
Well I work as a pianoentertainer. That means I play and sing tunes at a bar for people. Usually I bring a drum machine to create a better mood, allthough I really hate that thing. I play mainly pop songs, but a lot of rock'n'roll to keep the crowd cooking. So it's a differen't genre. I've also played as a dinner pianist, at restaraunts and stuff like that. So from this on good gigs I can get about 1000$ a pop for a good gig on a saturday. But the price ranges from about 500$ for smaller gigs in smaller bars, and up to a 1500$ in a big and popular bar. The guys who have a good reputation can charge up to 3000$+ a night. I start out at 10 pm and play to 2 - 2.30 am on sets that last 45 mins. Usually 4 sets a night. The smaller gigs give me an opurtunity to play two nights a week, both friday and saturday, that can give me about 1000$ a week. I only have to do this for two weeks to earn the same amount as I did as a programmer. And I LOVE IT! :) The band I play in is me, and by trusty drum machine, that's it. So no bass player or guitarist to pay. But I do have a manager which I have to pay 15%, but he is the one getting me the gigs, and he makes the posters, arrange for travel, meals etc. I think 15% is worth that. There are many english and american players here in Norway, but they are not as popular as the norwegian ones. The audiences like players who can play norwegian songs and make norwegian jokes. But you can make a decent living playing the piano, if you are a decent player and a good singer. And hey! It don't rain all the time :) Norway has all the four seasons, lasting approx 4 months for summer, 4 months of winter, 2 months of spring and 2 months of autumn. And we have more than 3 tv channels.... Most have satelite tv and can choose from 30 - 300 channels depending on their provider. Doc-Z
Dr. Whack -- 10/05/2004, 20:52:59 -- #7773
yes, I charge $50/half hour for solo piano...The band I work for pays me that too...but I play key bass, piano, sing and run the PA...I'm not really sure it's worth it anymore since I can make the same money just walking in and sitting down at a real piano... There are some band leaders in town who make a grand or two per night, but I wouldn't really call them musicians:) Nice going docz! I'm wondering though, are we talking $1000 USD or a Norwegian currency? If Norwegian, do you have any idea of an exchange rate to USD?
docz -- 10/06/2004, 00:53:00 -- #7777
It's USD :) 1 USD = 7 Norwegian Kroners. I can earn upwards to 7500 norwegian kroners a night :) Doc-Z
Dr. Whack -- 10/06/2004, 06:34:37 -- #7791
I bow my head...you are my idle!:)
Dr. Whack -- 10/06/2004, 06:34:57 -- #7792
*that's idol....duh...
docz -- 10/06/2004, 07:01:14 -- #7797
Thanks man :) Doc-Z
LarryC -- 10/06/2004, 09:22:06 -- #7806
<<There are some band leaders in town who make a grand or two per night, but I wouldn't really call them musicians:)>> Hey, I resemble that remark!! Though I don't think of myself as a musician, more of a piano hacker with a kareoke voice and a face for radio! :-) Wish I was making a grand a gig...by the time I pay Uncle Sam, babysitters, web hosting fees, PO Box renewals, postage, inkjet cartridges, spending 5 - 10 hours writing and arranging charts, finding subs the day of a gig, the extra 5+ hours on gig day setting up and tearing down by myself, having to price compete with leaders that throw together 6 sidemen and call it a band, on top of the leader stress, I wonder if I'm better off as a sideman. The benefit though is being able to play the tunes I like, not having to play in smokey bars, and having 1/2 to 2/3s of my weekends off as opposed to working 60+ weekend nights. So you wanna buy a band? ;-) Larry "When opportunity knocked, we answered the phone!" Bill Champlin on why the Sons of Champlin never had any commercial success.
LarryC -- 10/06/2004, 09:27:27 -- #7807
Oh, forgot to mention the extra monthly phone line charges, interest on the loan balance, and referral fees and commissions..... ;-)
LarryC -- 10/06/2004, 09:39:03 -- #7808
Doc Z, just curious, is the $1,000 a flat fee or does that include a tip jar of any sorts?
Dr. Whack -- 10/06/2004, 10:30:04 -- #7810
Well Larry, you know I didnt mean you...and I think you know who I meant:) I don't mean to take anything away from band leaders...they deserve the extra money for all the reasons you listed...(except for the ones that squeeze their sidemen) My point was that most of them are business people that never practice their instruments (they probably don't have time). It's next to impossible for the average player to make a grand a night...even those touring with "big name" acts...maybe a grand or two a week, but usually not per gig...
LarryC -- 10/06/2004, 12:17:44 -- #7814
I know who you are talking about! ;-) Reminds me of an old joke by Pete Barbuti about how band leaders are usually the guy playing 4th trumpet in a section! Wish I could remember it all. I really miss him from the old Tonight show...a favorite of Johnie's... http://www.barbuti.com/
docz -- 10/06/2004, 15:24:38 -- #7821
Flat fee, but it varies from place to place, depending on how big the bar is, 500 - 1000. Haven't gotten a tip jar yet, but I might consider getting one, that is a good idea :) Doc-Z PS. Bars aren't smokey here anymore, new smoking laws got passed, all bars, restaurants and other serving establishments are now 100% smoke free.
Dr. Whack -- 10/06/2004, 18:28:27 -- #7831
Is there room for a middle aged fat piano player with an attitude over there?
docz -- 10/07/2004, 01:32:30 -- #7835
Sure... but you have to play pop, not jazz and sing... Doc-Z
Seaside_Lee -- 10/07/2004, 03:07:07 -- #7836
Hi guys I live in a seaside town (hence the name) in dear old blighty (England) where there are hundreds of hotels and thoudands of guest houses and the going rate for a solo piano player/entertainer is Ł60 - Ł120 per night (some of my friends earn the bottom rate!) I have a good friend who plays lead guitar in a 5 piece band and they earn Ł450 per gig between 5!! I don't play piano on my gigs yet (I am nowhere good enough yet) but, I DJ in my spare time going rate Ł130 for say a wedding booked through my agent. I need to move $1000 a night ...WOW!! Lee
nn -- 10/07/2004, 09:41:39 -- #7842
Ah, so it's pop and not jazz :( Makes more sense now.. Jazz = less money :( I am too smitten with jazz to play pop and I sing like a drunk man, no matter how hard I practice. Life is cruel.
Dr. Whack -- 10/07/2004, 10:26:38 -- #7843
Well it works well for Joe Cocker:)
alfredo -- 10/07/2004, 10:37:36 -- #7844
Which drum machine do you use? Do you use an 8th note pop beat with the stick on the ride cymbal type or the stick on the hi-hat type? It keeps the same 2 bar pattern the whole time you play the song? No variation for the Chorus?
docz -- 10/07/2004, 14:44:34 -- #7854
I use a Boss DR3, I use 2 pedals to control the bugger.. Gives me the ability to change from 3 variations of the style and access to 3 fills leading to each variation, and outro/intro. I use many differen't patterns, not just the standard 8 beat ride/kick rock pattern. Some songs are 16th beats, others are shuffle beat, some are swing beat... etc. Doc-Z
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