[Harp-L] Bowling for Harmonicas (warning..long..multi subject..trash)




Not too long ago the question arose "How much does one charge for a gig"?


It occurred to me that there is really no sense in leaving the house for less than $100-125 (PER musician). Now let's envision a 'set' of bowling pins. Let's say the people in the fourth row make something in the $114.50 range per gig (average...gross). Let's also suppose that like Little Jimmy Pickins (a country western personage...notice I didn't say star), these people were able to accomplish the daunting task of 241 gigs per year (2 gigs every 3 days). This extrapolates to 27.6K a year. Special note: if you're part of a 4 piece band, the venue has to cough up $450.oo

Btw, expenses will NOT be part of these equations, as they can vary astronomically.

OK, where were we? At 27.6K per year, a person cannot be expected to feed themselves, let alone a wife and/or family, AND keeping up such a hectic schedule week after week, month after month, year after year and DECADE after decade is just not possible. So, if one were to begin playing at 16 and continued on till age 81, they would find themselves, IN a trailer, WITH nothing.

Conclusion: You can't fall back on teaching, because if you're in THIS range of performer, how can you expect to get students? You can't write books or lesson plans, nor can you expect much in the way of CD sales, because of the aforementioned 'level'. So, gotta get a real job.

Let's go to row #3. A person making $386.50 ( average-gross) per engagement, will not have to DO (a record) 241 gigs, but 71 would be a good estimate. That's almost 1 1/2 per week OR about 6 per month. Their gross pay will STILL be only 27.5K per year and for ramifications of this paltry sum, see the above. Therefore, one must have find MORE than 6 gigs per month, OR have a wife or girlfriend (or even boyfriend) who has a job and can help with expenses. I see this particular pay range as getting dangerously close to the "We can't afford you" range, so gigs may be scarcer, and if you're part of a 4 piece band, the venue has to cough up $12oo.oo...'could be a problem'.

Conclusion: teaching, books, lesson plans, CDs? Well I said it before and I'll say it again. I (personally) don't want to purchase lessons, or books from a person who is #1 almost as good as, #2 approximately equal to, or #3 a little better than, me. I would want someone who could blow my socks off. I don't think I'm alone in this mind set. It would probably be better to have the same things going for you as the people previously listed, and a nice job would be the best bet. Of course if you had a nice job that allowed you to travel (on company dole) you could get around enough to get noticed, and this would help. Otherwise you would have to get more gigs (maybe 2-3 per week). This could be a problem.

Row#2. A person making $13oo (average-gross) per gig. What is the call for people in this range..maybe 21 gigs per year (1 3/4 per month). You would STILL be at 27.3K per year, (see above). If you're only doing 7 gigs every 4 months, you are in trouble. But WAIT, we are now in a range where you are likely to have at least the semblance of a recognizable name. Here's where books, lesson plans, CDs, jam camps, work-shops, studio work, come into play.
For it turns out that a 'big-time' player will have a lot of BIG TIME on their hands and what better way to use it than to supplement the ever-decreasing amount of gigs (in THIS range). Otherwise, better pick up more like 3 gigs a month, or be independently well set to begin with. (or, see..get a job).


Row#1 A person making $44oo.oo per engagement? (13K for a trio)..damn rare. This is the KING pin, and as such is in the enviable position of being top dog. But are they really? Maybe they only DO 6 gigs a year (one every 2 months). It STILL works out to 26.4K per year (average-gross). Gotta rely on CD sales, but not to worry. If you're THIS good, 'they will come'.

A particularly excellent jazz chromatic player (in MY estimation THE best), would come to Bobby Cardillo's Club Cafe in Pittsburgh. The place couldn't POSSIBLY pay him what he is worth, so why does he do it? The exposure, that's why. It generates sales. Did you know that the people that appear on the Tonight Show are NOT being paid? Some are actually PAYING for the privilege of being there. It's part of their promotional 'package'. Most all the guests have a current 'project' they are involved in and are there (mandatory) specifically to promote said project. That's called marketing.

It used to be in the old days that a club could rely on selling a certain number of drinks and entrees, some of which would be funneled into the entertainment fund. As of late, current laws (in most states) are such that the number of drinks is down, the crowds are down, transportation is down. To make up for it, covers and minimums have been implemented. This has had the reverse effect of making the crowds even smaller. Since supper clubs & bar-clubs had been a musical 'lifeboat' for many years, and said boat is springing leaks, I see the performer being placed in a position of 'testing the waters', try to determine just what IS a fair asking price, and don't try to squeeze more out of the papaya than can be gotten.

All this is written as a micro-cosm of the big enchilada. The big enchilada is more like a pyramid structure with zillions of stones on the bottom and an ever decreasing number in the field until you reach the 'eye', where sits only a very few. Thank's for your time.

smokey-joe & the Cafe s ( at the La Parilla Argentinian Tango Palace)






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