Home › Forums › Performing › Regular performances – hotels/restaurants
- This topic has 9 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 6 years, 4 months ago by Sylvia.
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March 2, 2014 at 9:50 pm #62885melissa-mcwalterParticipant
So, I was wondering… If one were lucky enough to get “contracted” to play on a regular basis at say a hotel or a restaurant, by how much do you drop your hourly rate? I’m not working in dollars, pounds or euros, so I’m going to have to extract some kind of ratio formula 🙂
March 9, 2014 at 9:21 pm #62886brittany-deyoung–2ParticipantLast time I had a hotel gig, I got about $50/hr.
March 10, 2014 at 2:26 pm #62887diane-michaelsSpectatorI’d suggest doing some research in your area. Are you in a city where other venues offer steady live music gigs? If so, are the musicians working on a union contract? Are the musicians employed directly through the hotel/restaurant or through a contractor? In either case, find out the current going rate in your region through a union or working musicians.
If it is common for hotels/restaurants to work through contractors rather than directly with independent vendors, inquire about such relationships at each venue in addition to checking to see if they hire other steady musicians. Be careful about bidding on someone else’s job or territory.
One final thought: your rate may be different (as in: higher) if you are bringing your instrument each time you play as opposed to leaving it at the venue.
March 11, 2014 at 12:22 am #62888Jerusha AmadoParticipantBrittany,
Was that for a one-time event or for an extended number of dates? I was also curious if the hotel hired you for lobby background music or for something else? (I live in Arizona.)
March 31, 2014 at 8:02 pm #62889Affeltranger@att.netParticipantI play once a week for dinner – 3 hours at a small (44 seat) restaurant in the S.F. bay area. Average is $100 with what they pay me and tips, plus the occasional CD sale. I also get a free meal and all the wine I want (which is not much if you want your fingures to keep working properly,…) Not a lot of money but advantages are that it keeps me practicing and learning (and arranging) new music and from the exposure I have gotten additional more highly paid gigs. They are also very accommodating as I am out of town and out of the country frequently so not available every week.
July 7, 2014 at 3:38 pm #142390melissa-mcwalterParticipantI did manage to see all of these replies but was unable to log in and reply sooner. It has been a great help, thanks!
Something kind of long term (hotel wise) has poked its head up, but the pay is not so great – based on what other musicians manage to get for a few hours’ set and also based on what was written in these posts. This latest potential hotel work probably averages at about a third of my hourly rate, but that is for three hours (not one)! Ie a third of my hourly rate paid for three hours of work. Will negotiate and see what comes of it.
Thanks for the advice.
November 18, 2014 at 1:26 pm #183610Saul Davis ZlatkovskiParticipantAnother possible source for steady employment may be funeral homes, playing for services and viewings.
November 11, 2017 at 8:58 pm #211973mtklimParticipantWhat is the going rate for these types of gigs now? I am in Canada
November 12, 2017 at 11:55 pm #211995Saul Davis ZlatkovskiParticipantIt can be sadly low, and sometimes they don’t even allow you to get tips. Other musicians get less than harpists, and if they don’t understand the expense of our instruments, we are stuck. One hotel near me pays $150 for three hours, the same as 20 years ago when I played there. Still more than a piano player might get.
November 13, 2017 at 5:27 am #212001SylviaParticipantOn the plus side, it does put you out in public so people know about you…and maybe pick up some regular jobs.
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