Guidance with music career

[user1478639495]

Hello all, hoping for some great advice and direction hopefully. I’m helping my cousin with her music career. Long story short, she’s been well established for years (20 odd) the problem is she has zero business or money skills, none whatsoever after all these years she’s earns nothing from it. She’s soft as a marshmallow let’s people walk all over her, has worked with people that have been awful and tarnished her name, she charges rubbish rates she doesn’t charge for extra mileage (she would do a 6 hours round drive and not charge anymore) that’s just the tip of the iceberg berg. So I am trying for the second. Time to try and help her. She good at what she does and I want to help her and get her sorted in life, so my question is, does anyone know what websites I can go to to ask questions about everything music/business related within that industry, I need to find out what people charge for things, how they charge themselves out, what they charge for extra travel. The list goes on, I need every pieces of knowledge going so I can really help her. Any advice or pointers greatfully received!

What specific area of music does she do? Wedding singer? DJ? Session musician? All very different rates!

The Musicians Union is a good start and membership would also give her some benefits such as insurance.

The have suggested rates for gigs, teaching, playing for theatre/school shows etc and advice on record keeping.

My son does not drive so he charges for train fayres for longer distance gigs. When I used to drive him he charged 45p per mile.

She is a saxophonist and does do DJ’ing as well but I’m not counting this as she’s very new to it and doesn’t practice enough so I’m not even going there with that yet 😂

Thank you so much I’ll take a look. I’ve just found an old email of her costing for a client, broke it all down and it works out at £30 per hour. She’s quoted someone £350 for a 2 hours gig (wedding) it was a round trip of 5 and a half hours that’s 7 hours right there, not including practice time set up and down time, fuel, admin time….it doesn’t seem enough to me but then as I say it’s not my industry so it could be me that’s out of touch with it all but it’s doesn’t seem worth all that effort to me for her skill set and the amount of hassle and planning involved in it all?

Wedding prices depend on whether there is any hanging around time. Depending on the schedule sometimes you have to set up before the reception begins, then wait around until the right moment to start. So take that into consideration and always include set up time in your hourly rate. But £350 sounds about right as it would be her choice to take on a gig that far away.

Saying that some musicians charge distance fees, MU suggest £13 per hour of travel needed.

Sounds about right, 350 for two hours gigging at a wedding. What do you think she should have charged?

Thanks for that. I think if she added the extra for the travel time and that’s actually a fair price £13 per hour and separated that on the quote that I feel is totally reasonable. I think for me it’s the whole day and some and for the hours put into it and time etc etc I’m not sure I’d do it for £350 if I could get a gig a lot closer for half the hassle and stress, I reckon that would of been a good 12 hours day all in all. But then what do I know I’m learning and you’ve been incredibly helpful thank you 🙏🏻

Well this is the thing I have no idea really but seems that is the going rate but for all the hours out in for travel etc I’m not sure it’s worth it? But then I guess that’s her choice if she’s happy to do it. I think if it was me I’d focus on closer gigs or state the extra charge for travel at a fair price otherwise what’s the point really if you come out of it with hardly any cash, she’s got nothing to show for all her years working she works so hard but always choose to take the hard road every single time. I hope to merge my attitude with hers we’ll find a happy medium and get her earning well 🤞

It’s great you’re helping, but I’m not sure why you think she would come out of a 350 gig with hardly any cash? Fuel is going to be £50 at the absolute max? (Probably a lot less). Which you can expense out anyway. So £300 profit before tax? Do you have an extremely high paying career OP?

Obviously if she can get closer gigs then great. I’d imagine saxophone solo gigs are a bit more niche, so further travel probably a bit more expected. Is she getting enough gigs, or are you looking to help with that as well?

For context my son would expect to earn about £60-80 per night to play in a theatre show.

He recently earnt about £700 for a wedding but that was for a 3 hour rehearsal the night before, and playing at the ceremony too. (They had a different band in the evening. It was pretty much a whole day though. it was also specialist rep & the couple wanted a West End standard orchestra.

For a normal evening wedding it would be about £250-350 although London rates would be more.