Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Steve Alves]

I have a good paying 9-5 and have been doing live sound on and off for over 25 years.

I recently decided to do a bit more live sound as a bit of a hobby and have invested in some new and upgraded gear. Although I am looking at this as a hobby, I still would like to charge a competitive rate that will bring me a few jobs a month (1 or 2) but not low-ball for the time or equipment.

I am not really looking to do bar gigs, maybe a park event or small festival.

The real question is based on my gear, what should I be charging to not be a pest to the industry?

Here is what I have:

Power distribution - Ampshop distribution setup complete with stage boxes and amp rack modules.

01v96i with laptop and remote to iPad setup.
ADA8000 for the extra sends and returns
Driverack 260 for processing
150' Audiopile reel snake
stage snakes
EV QRX218 x2
EV QRX212/75 x2
Crown, Mackie FR, Peavey CS amps (around 15000 total watts including monitors)
Yamaha CM112 monitors x4
Peavey 15" Monitors x2
Roland Vdrum PM-30 monitor
Mix of Shure sm58, sm57, beta87, Sennheiser microphones x20
Mic stands, booms, cables, etc as needed.
4 wireless Shure SLX systems
DI's, adapters, you name it's...

Lighting
Bluelight X1
pars, movers, UV, etc.
Hazer, Foggers, strobes.
Animation Laser with Pangolin

Everything is in Audiopile EWI roadcases and in a like new enclosed trailer.

Also have a Roland TD-20X drum kit available.
 

Oh yea, South Florida (Fort Lauderdale) area.

[Mike Christy]

Being in a similar situation as you ( but I do bar gigs too ) I invoice a percentage of gear cost ( 2%, 3%... ), lighting gear rate, an hourly engineering rate, an hourly labor rate, transportation, cross renting...

Itemize each.

It will add up quickly.

You need to be sure that you can meet their needs.

Ive read here that a good rule is do not quote a price that you could not get a peer sound outfit to do it for.

Mike

[g'bye, Dick Rees]

I have a good paying 9-5 and have been doing live sound on and off for over 25 years.

I recently decided to do a bit more live sound as a bit of a hobby and have invested in some new and upgraded gear. Although I am looking at this as a hobby, I still would like to charge a competitive rate that will bring me a few jobs a month (1 or 2) but not low-ball for the time or equipment.

I am not really looking to do bar gigs, maybe a park event or small festival.

The real question is based on my gear, what should I be charging to not be a pest to the industry?

Here is what I have:

Oh yea, South Florida (Fort Lauderdale) area.

Steve....

The gear list makes little or no difference whatsoever.  A job is a job is a job and you should charge whatever it would take you to hire a competent and reliable substitute should you for any reason not be able to fulfill your obligation as a provider.  This will make sure you're not out-of-pocket if something prevents you from doing the job and will at the same time make sure you're not under-cutting your local peers in the business.

P.S.

You should also have liability insurance.

[Steve Alves]

Yup, liability & theft.. and to deal with cities a tax (occupational) license..

Part of the problem is I do not know what "my peers" would charge. I certainly would not waste their time trying to get a quote just so I know what to charge.

[Robert Weston]

Your rate is also going to be dependent on the economic conditions of where you live and the type of event.  Figure in how many hours for the show, hired help, insurance, travel distance, etc... etc...

[g'bye, Dick Rees]

Yup, liability & theft.. and to deal with cities a tax (occupational) license..

Part of the problem is I do not know what "my peers" would charge. I certainly would not waste their time trying to get a quote just so I know what to charge.

You won't be wasting their time.  You'll be letting them know that you don't want to undercut them and that you want to treat everyone fairly.  Be up front with them.  It's difficult if not impossible for anyone outside your area to tell you what the market is in your neighborhood.

Talk to them.  They'll understand.

[Steve Alves]

Talk to them.  They'll understand.

Hmm... I am guessing you haven't been to South Florida..

Tried making friends with another guy a couple of years ago. Thought it would be nice if I or he ever needed to cross rent...

The reply could not be repeated here without ALLOT of special characters.

[g'bye, Dick Rees]

Hmm... I am guessing you haven't been to South Florida..

Tried making friends with another guy a couple of years ago. Thought it would be nice if I or he ever needed to cross rent...

The reply could not be repeated here without ALLOT of special characters.

So you're going to write off every legitimate sound provider in your area because of a less than satisfactory experience with one person?

[Mike Christy]

Hmm... I am guessing you haven't been to South Florida..

Tried making friends with another guy a couple of years ago. Thought it would be nice if I or he ever needed to cross rent...

The reply could not be repeated here without ALLOT of special characters.

There has got to be someone from down there that is a member here, no?

Another tactic is to ask your customer what their budget is, that will give you a baseline idea. If you cant provide at that rate, tell them what you can do, at what rate, and why.

( And disregard Mr. Rees that gear make no difference, since he uses Be#r!nger and Sei$mic... JUST KIDDING DICK! )

[g'bye, Dick Rees]

There has got to be someone from down there that is a member here, no?

Another tactic is to ask your customer what their budget is, that will give you a baseline idea. If you cant provide at that rate, tell them what you can do, at what rate, and why.

( And disregard Mr. Rees that gear make no difference, since he uses Be#r!nger and Sei$mic... JUST KIDDING DICK! )

Yeah, I was a bit short and surly on that point.  You obviously have to bring enough gear to do the job right.  I figure the hours, logistics and man-power are what make up the bulk of what you charge for a job.  Gear has to figure in there somewhere, but your gear gets paid off over time and the other costs are there all the time.......

[ProSoundWeb Community]