It's 2024 - I Can't Believe What They Want To Pay

[fazool]

Part of the problem is that non professional musicians (certainly non union) will take gigs for that price. Lots of audience don’t know the difference. Some booking agents don’t seem to care.......

This.... the lowest bid wins. America loves it's cheap labor.

I don't pay cover charge or spend money at a venue because a musician has a union card in their pocket. I couldn't care less. I spend money based on the quality of entertainment I get.

And if the paying patrons dont know the difference and dont care, then you aren't adding any additional value as a performer. Thats not an insult - its literally the definition of "value".

[Chipotle]

Originally Posted by BigTim

Too little pay for a lot of work...set up, tear down, etc.

As the old saw goes, being a gigging musician is like owning a small moving company where you get to play a few songs in between jobs.

Although today's small and lightweight PA systems do make it a heck of a lot easier than back in the day....

[Robin, Wales]

Originally Posted by BigTim

This is the main reason I do not go out and gig anymore. Too little pay for a lot of work...set up, tear down, etc. Not worth it anymore. And there are guys out there who would be glad for that.

And most of the time people in places like that the people will not even pay attention to you....they all too busy on their phones or watching some ball game on a big screen. Good luck

Ah... Those "getting paid to practice" evenings. You can sit at home and run through your set, perhaps try out some new songs, or you can sit in the local bar and do the same while earning some beer money and chatting to the locals.

When I was playing blues and slide on my reso my wife would send me down to the sea front to practice. We had a small house! I would leave my case open on the floor and usually got enough for a coffee and bacon roll from the few passers by braving the weather.

[jjbigfly]

For myself, I love to play for others. Getting paid was really a bonus, but now that I am playing out more I do like getting paid. I do wish I would get paid more, but that is no different than any job I have ever had. I still do play for free, but not for places that add to their bottom line because I play there. If the money was more important I would certainly charge more when playing….I am more impressed that I play music than I am for getting paid.

[LAPlayer]

All great answers, thanks. Part of why I posted the OP was not articulated well when I posted. It was partly my thought that no one (well someone would) ask their accountant or doctor or lawyer or any other professional to work for them for free or tips or drinks and dinner....... wait staff has been financially abused forever. Add to that performing musicians don't work 8-hour days from which to earn a cumulative wage. Studio work at least racks up hours, days and months of work. But that's a hard nut to crack and mostly focussed in a few cities. That and the situation hasn't improved in decades.

[Tahitijack]

I was thinking back to my first trip to Hawaii in 1976. At that time it was common to find a baby grand piano in most hotels with a pianist playing a mix of Hawaiian music and contemporary songs. Rene Paulo was my favorite. These players moved from hotel to hotel during the day and into the evening when the locals took over and the better known shows like Martin Denney, Don Ho and others started in the showrooms. Over the years the hotels phased out the pianos and pianists replacing them with recorded music. The evolution eventually ment, with the passing of the well known Hawaiian entertainment, that was discontinued as well. While you can still hear top quality Hawaiian music from skilled musicians it's no longer cost effective to have it everywhere.

[rllink]

Originally Posted by LAPlayer

All great answers, thanks. Part of why I posted the OP was not articulated well when I posted. It was partly my thought that no one (well someone would) ask their accountant or doctor or lawyer or any other professional to work for them for free or tips or drinks and dinner....... wait staff has been financially abused forever. Add to that performing musicians don't work 8-hour days from which to earn a cumulative wage. Studio work at least racks up hours, days and months of work. But that's a hard nut to crack and mostly focussed in a few cities. That and the situation hasn't improved in decades.

I see where you are coming from and understand your frustration. It is hard to play in the big leagues. I know exactly what you are going through, believe me. But seriously, accountants, doctors, and lawyers aren't there just to entertain people. I think that's not a good comparison.

[Talk2Me]

Originally Posted by rllink

I see where you are coming from and understand your frustration. It is hard to play in the big leagues. I know exactly what you are going through, believe me. But seriously, accountants, doctors, and lawyers aren't there just to entertain people. I think that's not a good comparison.

And yet I personally know people in all 3 occupations who have been offered "trade" for work for things like dinners and drinks or junk people had laying around their homes. You'd be amazed at who is expected to work for free (or close to it).

That said, the $50 per hour 1970's wage that the OP mentions they made in post #1 sounds like a ton of money for back then. It's the equivalent of over $300 per hour in today's money.