Hiring drummers for a project, need drummer advice.

Bondtana

Junior Member
Hey everybody. I am looking to hire a bunch of drummers to do some session work. I really don't know what sort of prices to expect & thought it would make sense to get some advice from real drummers. So here I am...

Basically the main requirement (besides being able to groove) is that they need to be able to self record. I'd like to get a lot of different sounds, so I don't think I'd hire anyone for more than a few hours, unless they really knew how to get different kit sounds out of their studio. I was planning on just sending some mp3's of songs I dig, so they can groove along. They would not have to travel outside their studio.

I would be reselling these recordings in digital format on a small scale.

That's pretty much it. Any feedback or guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

jim

PS Is there anywhere in particular I'd be able to post online (I'm thinking locally in craigslist), that would be appropriate to post for a job like this?

PPS Normally when I work with creatives, I pay half up front & half on the back end. Would that normally be ok with drummers?
 
Bill's a terrific drummer and well-versed in doing tracks this way (and I can't beat his price!)

Adverstising in a drum forum is probably the best way to reach drummers, although you could also search Google for drummers who record tracks at home (Bill's name will probably come up there as well.)

The amount of pay is subjective and often negotiable, and it's probably best for all concerned if you pay in full up front. After all, a musician who's done 100% of what they're hired to do, is entitled to be paid 100% when their work is completed. :)

Of course you should always endeavor to hear samples of the drummer's recordings, so that there's no question about his/her ability to play, record, and get good sounds. I will vouch for Bill Ray, no need to scrutinize his site for samples.

Good luck!

Bermuda
 
Does that not imply that they should be paid after completing their work? I agree with the "pay up front" thing anyways.

I don't think John read the OP's post correctly. Either that or "on the back end" means something different to him.

I think anyone would be ok with being paid half up front/half after.
 
Bill's a terrific drummer and well-versed in doing tracks this way (and I can't beat his price!)

Adverstising in a drum forum is probably the best way to reach drummers, although you could also search Google for drummers who record tracks at home (Bill's name will probably come up there as well.)

The amount of pay is subjective and often negotiable, and it's probably best for all concerned if you pay in full up front. After all, a musician who's done 100% of what they're hired to do, is entitled to be paid 100% when their work is completed. :)

Of course you should always endeavor to hear samples of the drummer's recordings, so that there's no question about his/her ability to play, record, and get good sounds. I will vouch for Bill Ray, no need to scrutinize his site for samples.

Good luck!

Bermuda

Wow Berm, I owe you a steak dinner for that ringing endorsement! :O
 
Hi bondtata, on a forum is a great way to do it.

Also looking online by searching online session drummer does throw up loads of guys. We all offer something slighty different. Theres someone out there for every style and budget.

Half upfront and then half after is a good way to provide security on both ends and a standard was most stuff is done.

Im also the same as Bill in that i provide this service. My cost is just shy of $150 per track depending what you need the track to be.
Feel free to check out my website www.prosessiondrummer.com to see the stuff i do and get in touch if you are interested.

Dave
 
Does that not imply that they should be paid after completing their work? I agree with the "pay up front" thing anyways.

Always after completing the work, yes. By "up front" I meant as opposed to part of the payment being held contingent upon the product's or its sales.

Suppose tracks are recorded, the musicians are paid only half, with the other half being contingent on the tracks' sales... but the tracks never get released. Is it fair to not pay the musicians for the work they've completed, just because the contractor or others weren't able to follow-through? It's the person who commissions the work who takes the risk, or, enjoys the reward of extra sales as a result of assuming the risk.

The obvious exceptions would be players who are involved as a group and share the expenses and the rewards, or someone who has a contract specifying a share of the revenue. But someone being paid a fixed amount deserves to get it when their work is completed, not deferred or in installments.

I expect to be paid the agreed-upon amount when my playing is completed, regardless what becomes of the work after that.

Bermuda
 
I'm not sure what is meant here...

"I would be reselling these recordings in digital format on a small scale."

Is the resell of the work to other studios for use in creating end product?

If so, I would consider higher rates - possibly "per resell" rates than if the work was to be used on one specific recording release.
 
Hi bondtata, on a forum is a great way to do it.

Also looking online by searching online session drummer does throw up loads of guys. We all offer something slighty different. Theres someone out there for every style and budget.

Half upfront and then half after is a good way to provide security on both ends and a standard was most stuff is done.

Im also the same as Bill in that i provide this service. My cost is just shy of $150 per track depending what you need the track to be.
Feel free to check out my website www.prosessiondrummer.com to see the stuff i do and get in touch if you are interested.

Dave

Not a pro drummer but as a pro salesman I smell an inverse auction trap... Don't get caught guys :)
 
Just my perspective but anyone thinking about producing items for resale should have a grasp on what is involved in hiring, recording, releasing/selling any copyrighted material - including hiring professional musicians. Whether the drummer's hired are charging $100 per hour or $1,000 per hour, the OP should already know how that works. I smell either a troll at work or someone completely out of their lane on this one.
 
Producer: "I'm looking for a session drummer."

Drummer A: I'll do it for $200.

Drummer B: I'll do it for $150.

Drummer C: I'll do it for $100.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

See how it works? Reverse auction trap.

Not saying the OP is necessarily doing that, but that's what's developing. Drummers, if you want to offer your services, do at least the rates privately. Getting your site URL out there is important, I know, but only the client needs to know your rates.
 
Producer: "I'm looking for a session drummer."

Drummer A: I'll do it for $200.

Drummer B: I'll do it for $150.

Drummer C: I'll do it for $100.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

See how it works? Reverse auction trap.
Hmm... I think there's one aspect that is neglected here but it's a crucial one - quality.
And there's not necessarily a direct relation to the track rate of specific drummers. So if the client thinks that for $100, he's getting the same quality as offered by drummer x who'd do it for $200, I think the client is simply dumb. Now if there was a guarantee that price and quality directly match then people could decide how much quality they wanted to have and then choose the drummer accordingly.

These are general considerations though, I didn't relate to or mean to offend anybody specifically. But that's the nature of any market - there's products being offered in various price ranges and there's consumers willing to spend their money on them. And as said, while price can be a general guideline/reference for quality, those parameters don't need to always be in direct proportion.
 
hi,

I record at home in my own studio too and charge 100€ / track and you can get the session in any format you'd like, too.

You can check my youtube channel or soundcloud page in case you need some samples :)


david
 
Just my perspective but anyone thinking about producing items for resale should have a grasp on what is involved in hiring, recording, releasing/selling any copyrighted material - including hiring professional musicians. Whether the drummer's hired are charging $100 per hour or $1,000 per hour, the OP should already know how that works.

That may have been true in the recent past, but it's super-simple to produce great-sounding recordings without a studio, and with a few mouse clicks, offer the digital tracks for sale with any number of sellers (up to and including iTunes.) Indeed, hiring suitable players is probably the most difficult part of the equation now. It's nice that live drummers are being solicited at all, when programming is an extremely malleable and cost-efficient option.

As for the potential price-war, that's caused by the drummers who might undercut each other. Do I think someone charging $100 for a track will do half the job of someone charging $200? Well, I wouldn't adjust how well or poorly I play based on the pay... I always give 100%. But I also wouldn't go through all of the coordination of learning a song and recording it myself for $100.

Bermuda
 
Just hire Bill Ray and be done with it. The guy is an absolute monster, and also a "feel" machine, if that's not too contradictory. You get the very best of both worlds, a very complete drummer.
 
I vote for Bill as well. He's already set-up to record drums and can play anything. Trust me, $200/track is a deal.

Hmmm, make it $250... he owes me a steak! :)

Bermuda
 
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