Skip to main content
888-351-0075 0
Vintage Logos
Custom Drum Heads, Stage Graphics & Band Merch
888-351-0075 0
Vintage Logos
Custom Drum Heads, Stage Graphics & Band Merch

How Much Should You Charge For Your Music?

Category Archives: Live Performance

Newer posts

How Much Should You Charge For Your Music?

Posted on November 19, 2018 - 3:52 pm by
how much money should you charge for your music?

When it comes to finances and figuring our rates, musicians usually have a lot of questions. One question is, how much should you charge for your music?

We’re going to tackle that question, providing a clear and practical way to figure out your rates as a musician.

How Musicians Make Money Nowadays

Music fans are just about over buying CDs as most people just stream music on Spotify or Apple Music, but the per-stream payout is pretty low. Unless you’re getting millions of plays, streaming is mainly to make sure your name and music are everywhere.

There is a decent-sized subculture centered around vinyl records, but, as of this writing, it’s not mainstream. Plus, pressing your music to vinyl is very expensive.

And even though there are plenty of ways to make money as a musician, like sync licensing and fan patronage, the main way most musicians make money is by playing shows. A lot of artists make a big chunk of their money from merch sales, which mostly happen at shows.

So that leads us to the question, “How much should I charge for my shows?”

Questions To Ask Yourself

Inevitably, that question of how much to charge for playing a gig leads to more questions.

What’s the venue? What type of gig is it? Is it a private or public event? Is it for a charity or nonprofit? Have any of your musician friends played this gig before? If so, what did they charge?

These are all good and necessary questions, but really the one you should start with is, “How much do I want to be making per year?” From there, you can break it all down and get a better picture of how much to charge for each show.

So let’s break it down.

How To Figure Out Your Rates

If you’re looking to make (or continue making) music your career, you’ll need to know what your rates are. Maybe you already have rates. But maybe you can adjust your rates (and make more money).

Here’s a step-by-step guide for figuring out your rates (thanks in large part to performer Chris Holder):

  1. What do you want your gross annual income to be?
  2. Add about 30% for music expenses
  3. Add enough to cover any insurances you want
  4. Add enough for sick/vacation days
  5. Add the amount you want to contribute to your retirement account for the year
  6. Add another 5% to be invested back into your music
  7. Add about 20% to set aside for taxes
  8. Divide whatever number you end up with by the number of days you plan to work this year (remember that you’ll have some office days where you don’t directly earn anything)

And there you have it. After step #8, you should know the amount of money you need to make each week and each day. So if you play two shows a week, those two shows will need to make enough money for the week (assuming your only income is from gigs).

Finding The Right Venues

The next step is to figure out what kind of venues you want to perform in. And that leads us to more questions.

In what context do you thrive onstage? What types of venues do the most people show up to? Who can afford to pay you your rates?

These questions lead to answers and answers lead to solutions and solutions lead to you making money as a musician.

– – – –

Caleb J. Murphy is a songwriter and producer based in Austin, TX. He’s also the founder of Musician With A Day Job, a blog that helps part-time musicians succeed.

Here’s Why Drummers Are Crucial To A Band’s Success

Posted on November 9, 2018 - 11:10 am by
Drummer

Drummers are the butt of way too many jokes. The truth is, they hold a band together.

People say drummers are not real musicians, or they’re not as intelligent as the other band members. Well, nothing could be further from the truth.

John Coltrane’s drummer, Elvin Jones, says drummers need to know the song just as well as the bassist or pianist, showing how the drum set is a musical instrument.

“After knowing this kind of musical information one can then begin to construct and orchestrate a musical drum part that has some substance along with a musical shape to it,” he said.

Here are three big reasons why drummers are crucial to your band’s success.

If the drummer goes down, the whole band goes down

Even if the bassist misses a note, the song still moves along. If the lead singer forgets a lyric, the band keeps playing. If the guitarist loses his spot, he can easily wait for a beat or two and jump back in.

But drummers? They have to be perfect, or else the whole band gets screwed up.

If you’ve ever played with a sub-par drummer, you know what I’m talking about. When the rhythm section misses a beat or two, the whole song starts to teeter on the rails like a runaway train. It’s near impossible to right the vehicle.

To use another metaphor, the drummer determines whether a song stays afloat and moving or if it sinks to the ocean floor.

So if you have a solid drummer who can keep the band above water and cruising, thank her or him. Every day.  

Drummers are crucial — it’s scientific

Drummers matter — science says so.

Researchers in Stockholm showed that there’s a link between rhythm-keepers and problem-solving. And drummers typically have more white matter in their brains, and that can help them solve problems, plan, and manage time. Plus, they’re usually just all-around complex and thoughtful people.

In other words, drummers are smart – maybe smarter than the other band members.

So maybe your drummer has thoughts about what show you should play next and why that might be good for the band. Maybe your drummer should be in charge of rehearsal sessions time is managed better.

Maybe it’s time to acknowledge and welcome the fact that drummers are crucial to a band. Just look at the science.

Drummers are a huge part of the band’s brand

When you’re performing live, the drummer’s energy can either fuel the rest of the band or suck the energy right out of the whole room. This is not a good look – for them or for the rest of the group.

The way a group looks onstage – their image, excitement, demeanor – can make or break how their music resonates with people. Another way to say this is their “brand.”

One thing that can help a band’s brand is having their name prominently displayed in a design that matches said brand.

And, you guessed it, we can help with that. We offer custom bass drum heads that can help bands look their best.  

And if the drummer looks (and feels) their best, that’s good news for everyone involved.

5 Unexpected Places To Play Shows

Posted on October 30, 2018 - 12:01 am by
places to play shows

As a performer, it’s important to keep things interesting. It could be changing how you look onstage, how you interact with the audience, or just changing your stage plot. But one way you can keep your fans engaged with your live performances is to change the venue. And there are plenty of new places to play shows that you may not have thought of.

So with that in mind, here are five unexpected venues where you can start playing concerts.

A House

House concerts are really catching on. More and more musicians realize they’re a great way to connect with their fans. It’s intimate. You can talk with every person there. You may not even need to deal with a sound system.

There are a couple ways to book a house concert: contact your friends or fans in different cities, or use a service like Concerts In Your Home or Sonicbids to book house shows.

There are a couple of things to consider before booking house concerts:

  • Consider the neighbors – don’t be too loud
  • Be cautious about giving out the address
  • Remember this “venue” is someone’s home

But if you do it right, a house concert can be super fun and super interactive.

Restaurants

Music and food may be the two best things in the world. No exaggeration there. So why not combine the two?

So contact your local restaurants to see if they’d host you as a solo act or you with your band.

Not only does it bring folks to the restaurant (good for the owners) but it can also get you in front of customers who may have never heard your name (good for you).

Your Local Record Store

This is a tradition with record stores. These establishments often host local artists, especially if their music is sold at the record store.

You can contact your local record store to talk about playing a show at their shop. This brings your fans out to the record shop, shows off the store’s taste in music, and gets your music in the ears of customers.

A Nonprofit

Is there a charitable organization or nonprofit you care about? Hit them up to see if you can do a fundraising event for them. You can find a neutral location, but it may be easier for you to hold the concert at their place of business – like a community garden, art gallery, or in front of their office.

This can be a great way to both support a cause you care about and play at a new and unique venue.

A Haunted House

In light of Halloween, we thought it would be fun to suggest playing a show at a haunted house. Now, your music has to fit the vibe, so if you’re a rock band, shoegazer, or death metal, this is perfect for you.

You can contact the people who run any popup haunted houses that are around for Halloween and see if you can play in or around the house. If you have a local haunted house that’s there year-round, that’s even better.

Need More Ideas?

Do you want some more ideas for creative places to play? Well, we put together a list of the different types of gigs you can play that many musicians don’t think of (they also pay well). 

Also, if you’re looking to enhance your stage persona, feel free to check out the products we offer, which include custom bass drum heads, amp grill cloths, and more!

Clever Ways To Make More Money With Your Music

Posted on September 26, 2018 - 12:01 am by

As a professional musician, you know how difficult it can be to make money from your live shows. Many venues are stingy with what they’ll pay artists. And if ticket sales are light, you might not make anything at all! So what can you do to make more money doing music?

Well, what if we told you that there are other ways you can earn money performing your music live? That there are alternative types of gigs out there which can easily supplement your main shows?

Today we’ll take a look at clever ways to make more money with your music.

4 Different Types Of Gigs That Pay Good Money

#1: Corporate events and private parties

The first type of gig on this list is the most lucrative: corporate events and private parties. No party is complete without music, and what’s better than exclusive, live music?! A live band brings a whole new dynamic to the atmosphere, setting the tone for the entire event or party.

More often than not, businesses and party hosts have deep pockets and are willing to pay you a premium to perform. This is completely fair, as you are, in essence, offering them a premium service.

A particular advantage of gigs like this (along with most of the others on this list) is that you don’t have to worry about promotion. There is a built-in audience, so you can just show up and play! In fact, performing at an event or party can increase your exposure since many new people will hear your music that might not hear it otherwise.

Corporate event and private party gigs can be hard to find sometimes. But with diligent networking, the opportunities definitely present themselves. You can also try using websites and services like GigMasters, which many bands have had success with.

#2: Weddings

Like the first type of gig on this list, weddings are also very lucrative and there is always demand for live music. Wedding gigs can be broken down into two different types: music for the ceremony and music for the reception.

Of course, only certain types of bands will be able to play for a wedding ceremony. (You won’t find any work here if you’re a heavy metal band – at least not at a traditional wedding!) However, wedding receptions offer possibilities for a lot of different types of music, especially if its good music for dancing.

Weddings are like event and party gigs in that you can find them through networking, advertising, and online booking services.

#3: Concert series and festivals

Almost every band dreams of performing at a big festival, but what many don’t realize is that there are smaller, local festivals and concert series that are much easier to get into. Many communities host summer concert series and are always looking for good entertainment to fill their schedule.

Similarly, many public events like charity races or barbecues want live music and are willing to hire a good band to perform.

These gigs are great because you usually get paid a flat fee regardless of attendance and the organizers take care of most of the promotion. You also get a lot of exposure to a crowd that might not otherwise be familiar with your music.

To find these gigs, just do some online searching for concert series or local events in your area. Once you identify one that might be a good fit for your band, contact the coordinator and see if they’d be willing to hire you to perform. Even if they’re already booked up, chances are they’d be willing to consider you for the next time around.

#4: House concerts

Finally, we look at a more niche type of alternative gig: house concerts. These gigs are great because they bring your music directly into the homes of your fans and give you a chance to share it in a very intimate space.

House concerts have many advantages. First off, they eliminate the middle-man of a venue, so usually, all earnings from tickets sales or tips go directly to you as the artist.

Second, most house concerts hosts provide touring bands with a free place to stay, as well as dinner before they perform.

If you already have established connections with your fans through email or social media, you can easily reach out to them to see if any would be willing to host a house concert. You can also search online for people who regularly host house concerts. Then contact them to see if they would be interested in hosting your band.

Conclusion

All-in-all, we hope you gained a little new insight into the possibilities for alternative gigs for your band. With this knowledge and a little bit of dedication, you will be able to make more money with your music in no time at all!

Transform Your On-Stage Look with a Custom Amp Grill Cloth

Posted on September 5, 2018 - 12:01 am by

There is one thing we prioritize here at Vintage Logos, it’s helping bands to look their best on stage. When bands have a striking on-stage image, they make a far more powerful and memorable impression.  And a custom amp grill cloth can help do just that.

Previously on our blog, we discussed simple techniques for bands to implement to help improve their stage presence. This included building engagement with each other and with the audience, but also included paying attention to how each band member is dressed.

If the band members’ clothing choices are the first step, then the look of their instruments is the logical second step. In the past, we considered how to transform the appearance of a drum kit through a custom bass drum head. But what about something for the guitarists and bassists in the band?

Our Custom Amp Grill Cloth

This is where the Speaker Grill Cloth from Vintage Logos comes into play! A simple product with powerful potential, it transforms a generic guitar or bass cabinet into an eye-catching component of your stage show. What once before was just a black speaker is now a billboard with your band name, your album artwork… whatever you’d like!

Our custom amp grill cloth stands out from the competition for a few reasons. First off, the cloth is printed in full color with photo-realistic quality. Consequently, the design possibilities are basically limitless! You can easily create a design yourself using our free, online designer app. Alternately, you can work with our in-house designers to help create the perfect design you have in your head.

Second, the cloth is optimized for sound quality so that there is no loss of volume or change in tone. As we like to put it, this amp grill cloth is “acoustically transparent.” It is made of high-quality PVC mesh that is also flame retardant.

We have several installation options for the cloth, just dependent on whatever best suits your needs. Here they are:

  • Attached by Velcro to the existing cloth on your cabinet. This is damage-free and is the most popular option amongst our customers.
  • Draped over your cabinet and held in place at the top with your amp head. A great way to hide the whole cabinet.
  • Stapled directly into the cabinet for new cabinet builds.

The possibilities are limitless with these custom amp grill cloths! It may be a simple addition to your on-stage appearance but the effect can be revolutionary. Visit the Vintage Logos webstore to purchase your custom speaker grill cloth now!

How You Look On Stage

Posted on August 8, 2018 - 12:01 am by

If there’s one element of performing live that is commonly neglecting, it’s paying attention to how you look on stage. We as musicians are guilty of practicing our instruments for countless hours but then getting on stage with no idea of how we’re presenting ourselves.

Of course, we all know that how you look on stage can mean just as much, if not more, than how well you play your music. This is because people first and foremost SEE your performance, and only secondarily LISTEN to your performance.

This is reflected in a very insightful perspective shared by J B Hildebrand, a photographer who specializes in shooting live band photos. Here’s what he said:

I shot a band a year or so ago that got up on stage and played their latest album, start to finish, flawlessly. They stood in front of their microphones for an hour and change and pumped out sonic gold… I’d tell you who they were… but I can’t remember.

Is this what you want for your own performance – to be musically impeccable but visually unmemorable and forgettable? We sure hope not!

To that end we’re going to give you a few carefully curated tips in helping you to improve the appearance and presence of your live performance. Read on to learn how you can start looking your best on stage!

Develop a band appearance

Let’s start with something obvious: when you perform, you should dress to impress! Of course, we don’t mean you shouldn’t be true to your own sense of style. However, if you’re not putting any effort into picking out the clothes you wear on stage, you’re probably doing something wrong.

The next step is to consider how your band, as a group, looks collectively. If you’re all dressed nice but your styles clash horribly, how are you going to look like a cohesive group? For this reason, it is important to develop a unified look that ensures everyone looks like they belong together.

A cohesive look can be as simple as all-black outfits or as elaborate as full-out costumes developed for each band member. The important point is that you’re taking time to develop your band’s appearance and image. (More on that later in an upcoming post…)

Build connections with each other

Anyone in a band knows that the musical interplay and dynamics between the players can be a huge part of what defines that band. If that is the case, why limit this interplay only to the music? Make it visually evident by incorporating into your performance on-stage!

Tom Jackson, a producer who works with artists on developing their live show, makes the following observation:

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched bands, duos, groups, any number of people onstage, completely ignore (visually) what someone else in their band is doing.

It only takes little steps to start changing this, but these changes can make worlds of difference! Let’s think: what can you do to visually acknowledge and respond to your bandmates on-stage?

Maybe you can get excited and walk over to the lead guitarist when he/she takes their solo? Or, if you’re a sideman, you can scream out the chorus along with the lead singer, even though you’re not even behind a mic?

The point is that, whatever you do, don’t get on-stage and just ignore each other!

Build connections with the audience

In a similar way to the last topic, work to engage the audience with your performance. After all, they are the reason you’re on-stage in the first place!

This can be broken down into simple steps as well. If you break into a huge, singalong chorus, get the audience to join in with you. If you rip into an intense solo guitar, get yourself to the front of the stage and shred their faces off!

A fact that is widely recognized is that audiences reflect the attitude of the artists performing. Consequently, to quote J B Hildebrand again, “Do I look as into the song as I want my audience to be?”

Show your audience how your music should make them feel and they will respond in kind.

Conclusion

In the end, we see that it doesn’t take much to start improving your stage presence little-by-little. We encourage you to keep reading and learning more about this subject and stay tuned for more posts coming here every Wednesday.

Now get out there and rock some stages!

Newer posts