So sometimes it all comes down to the bottom line... The question is... what are you worth?

Knowing how much to charge venues for your services is tricky, particularly when starting out. You want to make sure you get the gig, but don't want to get paid peanuts! There is sometimes a fine line between what you are asking for and whether a publican/organisation will hire you. At the end of the day you are both trying to optimise profits as much as possible.

Having said that, don't be afraid to put a decent figure out there. You may be able to reach a better compromise for yourself than if you start low.

 

The following factors will most influence how much you can expect to charge and receive:

• Gig Duration - Obviously a 4 set gig is going to be worth more than a 1 set gig. It is good practice to work out an hourly (or per set) rate that you can adjust to the length that the bar/cafe etc wants someone to play for.

• Type of Gig - Who hosts your gig will sometimes determine how much you should charge or expect to receive. Not everyone has the same amount of money to throw around. Use your judgement and play if you think it's of benefit to both parties. Gigs hosted by business and corporate entities usually have larger cash pools than charity organisations for example. Large venues usually have more money than small venues. So charge more for the rich and cut some slack for the poor!

• Local Going Rate - While not varying too much in Australia, where you live can often alter the amount you might expect to get paid from a gig. You can assume to charge more in a city than in a town and can charge more for a location that is of high socio-economic standing. Noosa or the Gold Coast for example. City's do often have more musician competition however so your hirer might shop around. You can too!

• Musical Resume - The better your musical CV, the more impressed venues are going to be. Thus they'll be inclined to accept a higher charge from you. Playing gigs regularly should boost your performance ability. A better output for the crowd means more dollars in your pocket. As you make your way up the music foodchain you will pass many fee/earning levels. Realguitarhero.com.au only deals with beginner to up and coming acts however. The key is to work at a solid rate then look to increase the rate after an amount of time or performances.

• Covers vs. Originals - When you're starting out as a Real Guitar Hero, covers gigs are where the money's at. Everybody wants to hear their favourite tunes on a night out and venues will pay good money for people to be easily entertained. Until people know your originals, you can't expect to charge too much for an originals gig. Once you have cracked it however, originals gigs are where the huge money comes into play.

 

Here's a rough guide on how much you should be looking to charge venues/events. We'll base this on a solid performer/band with 10-50 gigs under their belt.

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