How do you split up gig money?

A J

A J

Silver Member
1. Everybody gets an even cut.
2. Members are paid based upon pre-determined criteria (PA ownership, distance from gig, additional work accomplished, ownership of practice space, etc...)

I've been in both types of bands. Either way can work well. I prefer an even split for simplicity. Besides; there's not enough money in most bands to even worry about a couple bucks here and there.

How do the rest of you split up gig money?
If you have a sound guy, does he get an even cut?
Any advice?

Thanks.
 
No rules. It's what everyone agrees on, or is told (by the leader) how much they'll be paid. Sometimes the leader takes a bigger cut. Sometimes bandmembers are paid different amounts. It varies.
 
Most bands I've been in get an even cut, with a few exceptions.
- When the venue is a long ways away, one bandleader makes sure anyone who drives a car gets a slightly bigger cut than anyone who doesn't.
- If a band member doubles as a sound guy, there can be a larger cut based on how much gear and time is required.
- Separate sound guys either get an even cut or have a fee negotiated separately.
- When the band is a singer/songwriter and sidemen, occasionally you see the leader taking a higher cut. But I've only seen that a couple of times.

One of my longtime special functions has been to count and divvy the tips, since I have a quick system for doing it.
 
Even split this end also

Even though one band member may take the booking other band members will pitch in on the general admin, create the flyer, create the set list, promote the gig..etc
 
  • Like
Reactions: A J
Even split. Subbing gigs are either even split or flat rate.
The last band I was committed to, idk. I've seen a cash payment made by the bar and the front man rush to the bathroom with his head down so nobody could make eye contact with him. When he came out, pay was distributed. It's 1 reason I chose to let them know I would be working with more people and can't commit solely to them and they should look for someone who could if that isn't acceptable.
 
  • Like
Reactions: A J
In The Kootz, most of the time, the leader gets more than the band members, and he's honest about it. He does all the legwork. I don't ask questions, and just count my money at the end of the night.

On $400 gigs, we split the money equally. I'm sure of that.

It really varies from band to band. Just like Bermuda said, it's what the band agrees on.

In one band I played in, the keyboard player was added later, and he was paid a bit less than the rest of us.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: A J
In one of my bands, even split (even though the bandleader does loads of extra work).

In the other, two of the members really need the $$. They get $100 min each gig. The rest of us don't get paid and instead pitch the $ into a band find that pays rehearsal space, equipment, etc.
 
Including the sound guy, we're a 7-piece band. Let's assume we take a $700 gig. Divided evenly, that's $100 a man. Divided with great thought and precision, it gets complicated real fast.
 
we do an even split first, then the person who found the gig gets a bit extra...sometimes it is $25, sometimes it is $5....I think it is how he deals with uneven payouts

there are usually three of us, but sometimes 4.
 
  • Like
Reactions: A J
How are you all accounting for the expenses? Your website, the font for the logo, the photogs, etc etc etc. I assume it's covered before the gig so at 1 a.m. it's not a bookkeeping exercise.
 
Regarding extraneous expenses and revenue, I get nothing from merch and invest nothing in it. Last outing the front guy sold 7 shirts to the wait staff before we were done setting up. Another member pays about $240 yearly for a .com website for the current band. I did get a free t-shirt.

Nothing monetary was received from the previous band's merch either. I got a free t-shirt when I joined and a nicely made tumbler with band logo.
 
Even split - although I often think it doesn't seem fair considering I do 90% of the work :unsure:
 
One group that has family in it and the gigs are very local I don't even want money. The money gets used to hire the "extra's" out-of-town guest guitar and or sax .
Other gigs If Called by another band leader and I agree with the distance and I'm able to do it, he determines what I get and I'm fine with that too

I do remember back in the old days once after a gig there was an argument and our manager at the time just threw a bunch of cash (probably "ones") up in the air and walked out. Ha.
 
$.50 goes to gas money, $.50 goes toward snacks because I'm hungry after the gig. If I made more, I don't know how I'd divide it up!
 
Spreggy said:
How are you all accounting for the expenses? Your website, the font for the logo, the photogs, etc etc etc. I assume it's covered before the gig so at 1 a.m. it's not a bookkeeping exercise.
Click to expand...
A lot of the stuff you mention is often leveraged from in-band skills. I've got skills as an artist and graphic designer. In one of my bands, the guitarist and his wife are photographers and graphic designers as well. I do social media and website design at times. It helps to keep costs down, if you're fortunate enough to have those skills in your band.

Sometimes I don't leverage those skills much or at all. In the cover band I'm currently playing with, they have an established identity, band roles, and pecking order. I'm currently just a hired gun there to play drums and pick up the check. But we'll see if they take notice of the things I'm doing for the other bands. I might just design them a new logo over the fall and winter to see what they do with it.
 
bermuda said:
No rules. It's what everyone agrees on, or is told (by the leader) how much they'll be paid. Sometimes the leader takes a bigger cut. Sometimes bandmembers are paid different amounts. It varies.
Click to expand...
We do it this way & usually the one who is booking the shows will get a bigger percentage as they're doing more work.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top