How do you split up gig money?
- Thread starter A J
- Start date
Every band I've ever been a part of was even split. Then this corporate 8 piece horn band was waaay different. Keyboard player booked the band..dealt with the people that hired the band $$..etc etc. He was driven to do this and loved it where others would have considered it a major chore. He pulled the band trailor so you kinda get the type of go getter he was..always planning..thinking..dealing..planning rehearsals etc etc. Extra 100 for all of this..great..he can HAVE it..noone else wanted it. The sound man wasn't part of the band..he got a grand every gig. If it rained (outdoor gigs and he was set up gig canceled he still got paid..band didn't which happened only once. He always had two guys helping him..lights..sound system..mikes..monitors etc etc. He was paid well but he worked his butt off..like a carney setting up the scrambler..not me..forget that.
Xstr8edgtnrdrmrX
Local Boob
this shows the other bands the passion you guys have about playing and putting on a good show!!!
We don't f*** around.
Our band is what I classify as a "benevolent dictatorship"...meaning we all get a say in what goes on, but the final say rests with the leader. He handles all the money and bookings, and fortunately for us, absorbs a great deal of the taxes as well. Plus, it's his vehicle and trailer, and PA and lights. It generally works out that we all get an equal share for playing (including him) and he builds into our price some extra money for gas, and occasionally some for vehicle maintenance or equipment upgrades. He's very fair with us, and he has the most skin in the game, none of us have an issue with how it works. We're very fortunate.
Mostly it's been an even split, including (especially) the sound engineer (let's face, foh sound and monitoring is everything).
The current band (I've been with them for about a year), all the money goes into a band pot, nobody gets a cut, and we spend it on upgrading gear. Fortunately none of us need the cash so working out quite well and we've just upgraded to a new digital desk and in ear monitors. Not sure how it'll all go down if the band splits but so far absolutely no plans for that... fingers crossed!
The current band (I've been with them for about a year), all the money goes into a band pot, nobody gets a cut, and we spend it on upgrading gear. Fortunately none of us need the cash so working out quite well and we've just upgraded to a new digital desk and in ear monitors. Not sure how it'll all go down if the band splits but so far absolutely no plans for that... fingers crossed!
Captain Bash
Silver Member
For original bands its usually even split of band members, 3, 4 and 5 musicians. I’ve also played in a band that split money across the band (a 3 piece) and one crew who was effectively a non-creative 4th member. This worked because the 3 piece used a lot of equipment; guitar, bass, drums, electric piano and two samplers MPC 2000 all triggered live. Having the extra helped make gigging manageable.
PorkPieGuy
Platinum Member
I get paid whatever my band manager pays me. There's no pre-determined amount with this band; however, I get paid better than any other band I've been in, so I don't complain.
BGDurham
Silver Member
We split money evenly.
I do the majority of our sound and stage planning. We also rehearse at my house and I consider that to be a contribution to the band since I pay the mortgage.
Lead singer books shows and manages social media and distributes money
Rhythm guitarist does a lot of miscellaneous tasks and some merch
Lead guitarist also plays keyboard (not simultaneously, he switches back and forth)
We typically buy band stuff randomly per person. That is, the singer bought our PA and mixer, everyone contributed XLR cables, I bought our canopy, extension cords, and surge protectors, the guitarist bought our large rug and provides his truck for moving equipment, we all pitched in for our subwoofer. Kind of a hodge-podge.
I do the majority of our sound and stage planning. We also rehearse at my house and I consider that to be a contribution to the band since I pay the mortgage.
Lead singer books shows and manages social media and distributes money
Rhythm guitarist does a lot of miscellaneous tasks and some merch
Lead guitarist also plays keyboard (not simultaneously, he switches back and forth)
We typically buy band stuff randomly per person. That is, the singer bought our PA and mixer, everyone contributed XLR cables, I bought our canopy, extension cords, and surge protectors, the guitarist bought our large rug and provides his truck for moving equipment, we all pitched in for our subwoofer. Kind of a hodge-podge.
Paul Blood
Junior Member
If it’s my band I get at least double the other musicians I hire, at lest for private events and big festivals. If it’s a small public venue, with a shoestring budget, I divide it evenly.
If I’m hired by another band, I have no idea how the money is divided, and I don’t ask questions because I figure it really is not my business. As long as they tell me how much the pay is beforehand, and I agree to go the gig,I’m good
If I’m hired by another band, I have no idea how the money is divided, and I don’t ask questions because I figure it really is not my business. As long as they tell me how much the pay is beforehand, and I agree to go the gig,I’m good
Xstr8edgtnrdrmrX
Local Boob
so following this whole thread leads me to ask:
for those who have been through it, when do you get an agent who then fights for your pay? At what threshold of money making does tht come in to play?
for those who have been through it, when do you get an agent who then fights for your pay? At what threshold of money making does tht come in to play?
JoeVermont
Well-known Member
The important thing is the money expectation is made clear to all involved.
Every band I've been in recently the finances are an even split - better payout of you're a three piece.
A long time ago I was in a band that gigged very heavily. We split the money 7 ways, 1/7 to each of five musicians, 1/7 to our manager (booker of gigs), and 1/7 to a transportation fund which paid for gas and maintenance of a former school bus our manager owned. It worked very well.
Every band I've been in recently the finances are an even split - better payout of you're a three piece.
A long time ago I was in a band that gigged very heavily. We split the money 7 ways, 1/7 to each of five musicians, 1/7 to our manager (booker of gigs), and 1/7 to a transportation fund which paid for gas and maintenance of a former school bus our manager owned. It worked very well.
SharkSandwich
Junior Member
Even split
equipmentdork
Junior Member
I don't have a lot of experience with this, but when a club blatantly lied and screwed us(and the booking agent) out of money, the booking agent rolled right over--because they didn't want to jeopardize the relationship they had with the club and their ability to book other acts!
Dan
Xstr8edgtnrdrmrX
Local Boob
that is pretty lame....doesn't soumnd like a real booking agent for sure
equipmentdork
Junior Member
They did get us some big theaters(that we could not get otherwise), but we were so low on their totem pole that we got treated poorly overall.
Dan
A J
Silver Member
This happened to me twice in a previous band.
First Time:
Bar Owner: "We didn't make that much money and you didn't bring a crowd, so I'm gonna have to pay you less than the price I promised.
Me: "It was definitely a slow night and I'm sorry your venue wasn't able to draw a crowd. I just want the agreed-upon payment."
Owner: "You'd better take what I give you or you'll never play in this town again."
Me: "I'll take what we had promised and not a penny less."
Owner: "You're making a big mistake."
Me: "I'm not going to re-negotiate our agreement. Please pay me what we agreed upon. Rest assured, you'll never see my band again."
(A few months later, this place was out of business.)
Second Time:
Bar Owner: "I'm not going to pay you tonight. Maybe next week."
Guitar Player: "We're in the back office. No cameras. No witnesses. I'm twice your size. The cops hate you."
Both times we got paid.
equipmentdork
Junior Member
That's great.
In our case, we had a screenshot of the seating, close to sold out. After the show the manager said we hadn't done that well, which puzzled us, and produced a completely different screenshot with a lot more tables open and not sold. I take it that they could--and probably often did--falsify ticket sales to line their own pockets because we are small potatoes.
The irony is that they called us back about a year and a half later and we still play at their place as well as 2 of their other locations. No issues getting paid now. Go Figure!
Dan