General Music Chat

If you have performed professionally for any length of time,you know how venues have a tendency to
underpay you. While you're up on stage giving your all,the owner is counting the take. If you have a good
manager,they have the privilege of reminding the venue owner that you don't work for peanuts.

Streaming services are a another place where we get crumbs.I think they should pay at least 10 cent
or more per stream, we have to make a living too. Musicians should be more vocal about being fairly
compensated. How do you feel about all this ?

Dirt Bag Bands and DJ's are killing skilled bands. The problem is bigger than you think. Its the Dirt Bag Bands giving the owners the option screw you.

Dirt Bag Bands and DJ's are killing skilled bands. The problem is bigger than you think. Its the Dirt Bag Bands giving the owners the option screw you.

That.

You also have the local rich prick who'll play for a beer and a hamburger and he undercuts everyone's prices.

sadly, it's not just "rich pricks". it's every group of college kids who've been banging away for mos in their garage and want to get to the "next level". as well as older musicians too.

there are too many musicians and bands who are so starved to play out in front of people that they're willing to give it away or play for a pitcher of beer....

...or play a three or four band show where they split the door among all the bands!!!

i always get a kick out of someone defending playing for chump change by saying "well, i just love sharing my music and playing for people". really?

hey chump...guess what? i love those things too. and you know what....it doesn't have to be one or the other. you can STILL share your music and play in front of people AND be fairly compensated WITHOUT screwing everyone else that expects a fair wage for their work.

folks, the genie is outta the lamp and there ain't no way to get it back in.

this sort of behavior of playing for free is also prevalent in the horticultural industry.. I used to have a greenhouse and sell produce like hanging baskets, floral arrangements, veggie plants, etc. and thought I would try to broaden my horticultural knowledge by applying for work at a commercial greenhouse in Bolivar...(this was 15-20 years ago)..would you believe all the help were volunteers working for free?..don't know if this relates to the topic that much, but just wanted to stress MUSIC INDUSTRY and HORTICULTURAL INDUSTRY share some traits, like working for free.. not in my book though..

dang jook, it's as simple as the law of supply and demand..but then again, I am shaking my head, hearing about congress is going after the music event ticket scalpers like stub hub etc. who use computer bots to buy out the whole musical artist's show's tickets within minutes and thn scalps them charging $2,000.00 a seat for beyonce etc. that is what I can't get my head wrapped around how one musical artist can command $2,000.00 a seat and others just as talented in some cases playing for free with an audience of 7.. there really is a devil who runs this world or at least that's my opinion..not a fable but reality..

Work is something other people are willing to pay you to do because no one else will do it for free.

When there are people willing to do it for free, guess what? It's not work anymore and no one gets paid.

I have been playing music for 30+ years and sometimes I get paid, other times I don't. Since I don't do it for a living this doesn't bother me as much as it might to someone who tries to do it professionally. However just because YOU do it for a living doesn't mean you can tell those who don't that they shouldn't be playing and taking your gig.

I new it!!!

Hey! Bar owner, I'm having a party at my house with friends and family. Come over and cater for free to promote your bar and the drinks you serve. I will let you sell you business cards at the party.

Dirt Bag Bands.....Dirt Bag Bars!

Work is something other people are willing to pay you to do because no one else will do it for free.

When there are people willing to do it for free, guess what? It's not work anymore and no one gets paid.

so, i was trying to think of an exmpl that proves that statement wrong...a group that provides a service and expects to paid for it....when others give it away for free....and so using your logic....makes what they do no longer "work".

and guess what workers i came up with??? WHORES! now, does that make the people who expect to paid for playing whores? or does it make the ones who give it away for free whores????

I have been playing music for 30+ years and sometimes I get paid, other times I don't. Since I don't do it for a living this doesn't bother me as much as it might to someone who tries to do it professionally.

i didn't always play music for a living, but i always felt as i do now. I've too much self respect for myself and my bandmates to give it away when the bar owner is profiting from our WORK. that's just disrespectful as i see it.

However just because YOU do it for a living doesn't mean you can tell those who don't that they shouldn't be playing and taking your gig.

excuse me. i never told you or anyone else what to do. (as if anyone listens to me about anything).

me...i'm not gonna haul my equip to some "show" to play a 45 min set w three other bands.....bring my friends, fans, and family....try to shill drinks.....for chump change or less, all to put MONEY in the pocket of some greedy bar owner who DOES see the VALUE of live music...but just doesn't see the need to compensate the musicians for their WORK.

and why should he when there are always bands lining up to give it away?

i find it curious that all this 3 or 4 bands playing at a venue and splitting the door BS came about around the same time musicians started playing "shows" instead of gigs.

You "new" it?

I know you're an idiot. You supplied the proof.

And your the Dirt Bag Musician. You supplied the proof. Idiot

i dunno.

i don't really think of MID MO as having all that great of a scene, yet Sept's calendar has 12 paying gigs, and one non paying gig (a farmers mkt gig that MERE MORTALS Bluegrass Band plays for tips and produce....one of my FAVORITE gigs!).

Do you have to play schlok to get a paying gigs???? i don't think so..

Planet Jazz...we're playing originals, and tunes from miles, trane, horace silver. sorry, no "Girl From Ip." "Take the A Train" or Kenny G!

Mere Mortals...bluegrass, fiddle tunes, jazzgrass originals

121's Truck Stop band....retro and vintage Country from Merle, Willie, Hank, Strait, Jones...no nascar pop....no Proud Mary or Mustang Sally!

solo instr gtr gigs...75% my originals, some classical, some jazz standards. no "You Look Wonderful Tonight" or "Margaritaville"!

my point....there are still places willing to pay money for good bands playing good music. at least there are around these parts.

looking down on a "working band" that expects (and gets) a fair wage and assuming they must be playing "schlok"...that's reeks just a little of snobbish elitism

so, i was trying to think of an exmpl that proves that statement wrong...a group that provides a service and expects to paid for it....when others give it away for free....and so using your logic....makes what they do no longer "work".

There are interns and volunteers in every profession. This is entry level for people who didn't enjoy the advantage of a high level education.

I know several doctors who work 1/4 of the year in Germany, and then spend the rest of the year helping people in South America who can't afford a doctor.

i didn't always play music for a living, but i always felt as i do now. I've too much self respect for myself and my bandmates to give it away when the bar owner is profiting from our WORK. that's just disrespectful as i see it.

When I want exposure, I go stand in the sun

However, there aren't a lot of places for bands to play, and there are bazillions bands trying to get started, so I don't have a problem with bars that bring in these "volunteers". They get what they pay for, of course, and the band gets a place to work on their ability. It's not much different than every other job where you have to work your way up the pay scale over time. This is what separates the pro from the newcomer....they've been around enough to know the score.

Usually those same clubs will pay for a band that has a large draw, or bands that are touring through.

However just because YOU do it for a living doesn't mean you can tell those who don't that they shouldn't be playing and taking your gig.

excuse me. i never told you or anyone else what to do. (as if anyone listens to me about anything).

Who loves you, baby? I listen. We mostly agree on everything non-political.



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