Music Industry Discussion

what can u make as a bands sound board operater or techniction?

depends on the band... I've heard some bands pay $50 a night, others will pay an equal cut of their pay.

For larger venues ("A" Clubs)that have their own sound man, I think the venue pays them and forces a chargeback on the band, but I'd expect the $150-$200 range(?)

Larger than that? I guess at the arena level, they probably make 6 figures, but I really don't know what I'm talking about either, so everything I said is really just a guess.

Kramerguy is right,

Assume minimum wage for a board operater. Unless you are very, VERY good at it. But unless everybody before you has messed up, who is to say who is good?

Now a good mixer board tech. is a different story. They regularily bring in $100.00+ per hour, but only work for an hour or two a day.

Now, 'Drummer that could' do you want to play music or watch people that can? I have a love for music that can not keep me away, do you have the same?

Best of luck, Ron.

Kramerguy is right,

Assume minimum wage for a board operater. Unless you are very, VERY good at it. But unless everybody before you has messed up, who is to say who is good?

Now a good mixer board tech. is a different story. They regularily bring in $100.00+ per hour, but only work for an hour or two a day.

Now, 'Drummer that could' do you want to play music or watch people that can? I have a love for music that can not keep me away, do you have the same?

Best of luck, Ron.

i've got the need, the need for music. my passion is unquestionable. i dream of being the next Rick Allen but i also have to do something in the meantime i"m going to full sail university. to be what this post talks about.

On a local club scale I would look to make 50-100 a night.

We give our guy a 75% cut of what we make. We could do it without him but he really helps a lot. Ours is a jack of all trades, he runs the lights, strings guitars when I break a string. Basically takes care of all the little issues that come up. "Hey, bring me a beer!". I dont mind loading cabs cause I have the trailer and I use a nice dolly, but I hate rolling cords at the end of the night, I dont know why but I hate it.

Running sound is tough cause a lot of bands I used to work with just didnt sound that good to begin with.

One word of advice on loud guitarist and I am one is if they wont cooperate turn their amps in on the band, so you arent getting the amp blow.

I always push to give them a full share, but in lieu of that, I'll tip them a little extra, myself, if they've done well.

Most bands out here pay $50 a night, which I think is cheap.

who would make more, and who would b exposed to more? a person touring with a band or someone that works at a club?

The tourist would prolly make more, but the house sound man would be exposed to more different music, unless he only worked the house band. The tourist would be exposed to many more acoustic challenges, though, as the band moved from room to room to outdoor events.

When I was on tour with static lullaby, our sound guy on tour made $250 a week, then $10 per night for any other band that wanted to use him on tour, and add that up. Few hundred a week =-)

Hold it. I've heard of Static Lullaby before :O
Nice.

If you own the P.A. or at least some of it you can make more, but there is also a huge upfront investment. A lot of sound Engineers own their own P.A.'s and those guy's can make bank. Some touring bands hire these people, when we opened for Badfinger and Head East they had hired a sound guy that owned his own P.A. they just were touring with they're backline and keyboards and drums 90 shows a year. But this takes a front end investment of 80k and up but you could put a smaller P.A. system together with some lights my advise in the lighting area is L.E.D. and ark lighting Colorado 3s and Accuspots for around 50k.
People don't realize how much a real p.a. and lighting can cost. We have probably $2,500.00 just in cables.
When you get up over 10,000 watts you can't power that efficiantly with extension chords, you'll be popin breakers left and right. We use a power distribution system with special 10 guage cables and thats a cheap one. Good luck to you Bro.

If you own the P.A. or at least some of it you can make more, but there is also a huge upfront investment. A lot of sound Engineers own their own P.A.'s and those guy's can make bank. Some touring bands hire these people, when we opened for Badfinger and Head East they had hired a sound guy that owned his own P.A. they just were touring with they're backline and keyboards and drums 90 shows a year. But this takes a front end investment of 80k and up but you could put a smaller P.A. system together with some lights my advise in the lighting area is L.E.D. and ark lighting Colorado 3s and Accuspots for around 50k.
People don't realize how much a real p.a. and lighting can cost. We have probably $2,500.00 just in cables.
When you get up over 10,000 watts you can't power that efficiantly with extension chords, you'll be popin breakers left and right. We use a power distribution system with special 10 guage cables and thats a cheap one. Good luck to you Bro.

ummm, stupid question but whats a P.A.

PA = "public address system" - In short, the main amps & speakers that the band uses for vocals, in small venues, & for everything, in large ones.

Yeah, considering you're just starting out (And I'm also assuming you're a beginner), I wouldn't expect a whole lot. You're probably not going to be head engineer for any big shows at venues or anything right off unless you've got some kickass connections. Chances are you'll be an assistant, so I wouldn't expect a whole lot starting out. $100 might be a high estimate.