Hansed
9 posts since
Mar 2, 2009
3.
Re: Have You Offered Your Products/Services For Free Mar 2, 2009 7:11 PM
As a professional musician, I have "played for free" many times in lieu of getting paid. We charge for our services most of the time and can give donations either in cash or time back to the organizations as we sometimes do. Doing it that way is a write off for the legit musicians that pay Scedule C taxes on their 1040s.
When helping in fund raisers or Non-Profits that can not pay the prevailing wage scales for musicians, we donate time and services many times.
For the musician it is advertising that cannot always have a dollar price put to it. The county comes in and sets up the sound system and all the band has to do is "play and get known" it takes off from their.
I have also helped out when the tickets were not as high as anticipated and the band is to be paid in full.
Another example is a price agreed upon in a public restaurant when there aren't any customers.
Some say: "I get $200.00 a night." I do too, but when there is a slow night I ask for $150.00 and yes they call me back almost every time.
I am new to forums, but not new to the music business. Please use live music as much as possible and do not copy or burn CDs that we the musicians have paid to produce. It is our lively hood and we bank on you the public.
Erik Vagen - NJLIVE
