Spalding, I'm the only one in the area that does jazz standards on a classical guitar in addition to keyboards and vocals. I specialize in cool jazz, where most of the others do either traditional jazz or standards only.

Price players have been around as long as I've been working. Some come in and don't even ask what the job pays...they say, "I'll do it for $50.00 less than Russ". It normally happens several times a week. The only thing different this time is the closing of the piano bar and the fact that I just started working for these folks. I'm careful, I think, not to price myself out of a job.

My main advantage is, I've sort of assumed the position as the "go to" guy for society jobs. I'm sort of a fixture for a certain clientel, which I know from business, university or social connections.
I suspect that talent has littele to do with it.

Luckily, I can go back to every place I've worked before, and they generally let me set the price, which I do at the upper end of the market. I generally stay for three years or more and leave for a change of scenery, on very good terms.

R.

Then smooth jazz on an classical/accoustic guitar is your unique selling point along with the flexibility being able to play arranger keyboard brings. But your real leverage is that fact that you are good at forming and maintaining relationships. Thats a very useful skill . People like doing business with people they like. If they have to do business with a stranger for a few dollars less or do the same business with someone they like trust and value for a few dollars more then they will most likely stay with you. However if your price is much higher than your competitors and they are good in terms of getting the audience involved and satisfied loyalty has a price point !! Especially if the places you play at are feeling the pinch of the recession that we are all experienceing. How do you promote yourself ?

Spalding, I'm in the marketing/publishing business. We do film work, packaging, web work and publications for Fortune 500 organizations, Universities, large multi-state financial holding companies and lots of foreign manufacturers.

Sadly, I don't have a web site, demo disk or even a publicity photo. In spite of that, I've been off a total of 9 weeks in 53 years...started at an officers club in Fairbanks, Alaska just after I turned 11. Most time off was moves between bases (my Dad was in the Air Force). I currently have job offers from three of the top venues in the area and over 200 private society one-nighters booked for the rest of the year.

Promotion is all interpersonal communications, usually involving business other than the music business at first.

I haven't had to look for a job, ever. But, in my case, a lot of the business comes from client connections, and talent is less important than it really should be. On a typical night, I'll have 20-25 business related folks/acquaintences in the audience. Thing is, Lexington, Kentucky is the biggest "one horse" town in the country. You're either "in" or not. We have the horse industry culture, the academic culture (UK, Transylvania University and a few others)
and the old money (farm) culture. Luckily, I'm associated with all three thru family members or long-time associates.

It's really hard to break in, but once you're an insider, always an insider, unless you go broke, and then no-one will even talk to you.
Pretty exclusive and snobbish. My father-in-law is from an old farm family. His dad was a local physician, he's a nationally respected psychiatrist and board member of both UK and Transy. That got me access to the money people and opinion leaders in the area.

I could care less if I stay on this job. It could be replaced with one as good or better with one phone call. I'd just be pissed off if I lost it to a lesser player who would work for nothing.


Russ

Then losing this job is of no real significance to you. Let the other players that are desperate for the work have it. It seems you have more of the pie than you can reasonably eat :-) some crumbs fallen from your table wont matter.

Losing this job is not a concern, but converting the pay scale from $150.00 a night to $75.00 is. There is a fine Italian restaurant in town. My friend George, who passed away last year, worked it for years.
I substituted for him often when he was sick. I let him keep the $150.00, because he needed it more than I did. The place was sold to new investors, and a kid who plays bad sax over bad sequences offered to do the job for $75.00. That is now the house rate. They get desperate, crap players who fight over the gig. The little dufus sax player has basically ruined the gig for good players. I think that's a shame. I have a standing offer for $100.00 for 2 hours there (that way, I could make a later job), and I won't do it. The new owners have offered me that because the patrons of this place are also patrons of the place I worked for 14 years and often ask if I work there anymore. Again, it's not ability that matters here, but price and draw power, and I know that at a restaurant, that's good business. Entertainment draw is not as important at a venue known primarily for food.

I just hate to see people in a business I love beg. That lowers the standard and the earnings for everyone.


Russ

Most of this is market economics, as I said before...

Try not to take it personally, Russ...

Thanks for the call by the way, that was sweet of you...

Hang in there-

------------------
Bill in Dayton

Russ,

Don't let one isolated case immobilize you. That stuff happens EVERYWHERE in this current market. You have enough to keep course

Yeah and they are practically giving away Chevys too.....

The market will decide what the compensation will be. Always does. When the compensation drops to levels some won't or cannot work for, others will gladly fill the void....See fruit pickers and soon autoworkers.Good Karaoke DJs can make $50 an hour around here and work six hours a night playing from notebook computers. That is where the money is around here. People like being part of the show and the variety over the same voice for 4 hours. The bane of OMB around here for sure. Many OMBs have actually gone the Karaoke route for more money and more work. less overhead and one does not have to sing at all if they don't want to. It's genius really. My wife hates Karaoke but she "gets it." She is versatile enough to be able to work despite it.

But all in all The idea is NOT need to earn $150 a night to survive. If thats the case personal finances need attention. The easiest and most immediate way to get a raise is to cut expenses The idea is to enjoy the work.



[This message has been edited by Kingfrog (edited 04-11-2009).]

I LOVE competition, on a level playing field.

If someone who is my equal in terms of ability and draw power, but hungrier and willing to do my $150.00 job for $75.00, he/she's earned it.

It's the people of marginal ability who beg and plead, willing to do anything they need to to get the gig who bring the image of the pro musician down that I find offensive.

I've had acquaintences call a job I was on and tell the management that I took another job at a competitor's place just to try to work their way in.

Truthfully, I've never lost a job because of price. It's kind of like a hard-to-reach pimple...an irritating pain in the ass!

Russ

It really doesn't matter who you think your "equal" is. It only matters to who those paying the bill who can do the job well enough for their purposes. Thats how Karaoke got so huge...No musicianship needed yet they took the place of former musicians. OMBs hate Karaoke because there are no skills required yet they earn the same money. And it draws a crowd just the same. Unless one is doing background restaurant or Mall music, Karaoke is far more a threat then another player who will work for half because he is half as good but good enough to the client.