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Charge for gear rental at 50% discount (band expense comes off the top), then divide remaining funds amongst players.

10 (47.6%)

Bring ONLY your own instrument(s) (or mic); tell band to rent FoH & Mon gear from 3rd party.

2 (9.5%)

Share everything you can that contributes to the band's gig - at no charge; divide gross evenly.

6 (28.6%)

As Option [1], but offer a bigger discount (smaller rental charge).

3 (14.3%)

As Option [1], but everyone is responsible to supply their own wedge (or IEM); FoH remains a collective burden.

0 (0%)

Total Members Voted: 21

[Derek Neu]

This was a point of contention.  Here was my experience:

I used to charge it as an addl member, the only stipulation is members had to help load in and load out at the venue.  They made out like bandits as I have always had nice PA gear and would make nothing on it.  I would set it all up, run it, tear it all down and pack it, they just had to help with the loading/unloading.

Pretty soon, no one was helping load/unload.  It came to a head one night at a show my wife was at and she helped me load while the rest of the band was socializing.  At the next practice, I informed everyone the new deal was $150 for club level sound.  I would supply the gear, load unload and run it.  They of course didn't like that as they wanted it for free or cheap.  I said I am totally on board to hire someone else, and that 150 was a fair competitive price, especially with the quality of my stuff.

Over the course of the last few years we have done both.  To be honest, when I'm playing I would rather have a dedicated sound man.  We have had good and bad ones, but overall they all wish and still beg to go back to the old way.  They "promise" me they will help this time.  PA is a band responsibility period.  The band can hire me or someone else, but I have a lot of time and money invested and it is no longer free.  That is the most fair way to do it

[Bradford "BJ" James]

I've been lucky- mostly. The last few bands I've been in have had no problem paying me a (ridiculously low) rental fee for bringing in pretty decent gear, and being spoiled with it turning over every 6 months or so for new.
Only once did an issue arise when a bass player thought I should only charge one nights rent when we played 2 separate one-nighters in 2 different venues. We talked about it, agreed that with the low rate I was renting to them, they still couldn't rent elsewhere for cheaper for the weekend, plus I never asked for extra on really good paying gigs and never asked for gas money on long distance gigs. The bands rarely seem to know how much this stuff actually costs, plus all the upkeep of a vehicle to haul it around in, plus insurance...it goes on and on. I'd happily let a band rent the gear elsewhere so they get an appreciation for having a good system always available to them, dirt cheap.
The band I'm in now has players who are in or know the production world and have no problem paying a reasonable rate. And they're really good for helping setup/strike too, although the singer must know magic as he always pulls a disappearing act during strike.)

By contrast, back in the bad old days (late 80's) I played in a couple bands where the "leaders" decided to buy systems and hire techs- this was long after the bands were established and gigging regularly- and then dictate to the band what it would cost per gig. In the one band, the guy bought a cube van and a full 3 way Martin system, new amps, monitors, even lights with truss and lifts. Dude went majorly into debt over this and we made very little money to support his spending spree/new business enterprise.
The other guy had a rich dad who bought him a nice little Yorkville rig and a brand new pickup truck.
In both cases the guys wanted full scratch even when we played production supplied gigs. I opposed this, suggested that if we were paying regardless then we must be getting a share of ownership. It created hard feelings, but eventually the rental policy changed in both cases.
I did feel bad for the guy with the cube van, but he eventually turned into a mature adult. The other guy is still playing shitty bars with the same old Yorkville system. It still sort of works. Pops did spring for another new pickup truck for him though.

[Rick Powell]

In both cases the guys wanted full scratch even when we played production supplied gigs. I opposed this, suggested that if we were paying regardless then we must be getting a share of ownership. It created hard feelings, but eventually the rental policy changed in both cases.

This is something we never do. If production is provided (we do 3-4 of these type of gigs per year), then we aren''t using our "little sound company within a band" and we just split the gig 5 ways among the musos with nothing off the top.  AAMOF, my son will sometimes go out and make money with our rig for another band or event if he knows our rig won't be used with our band on certain dates.

[Rob Gow]

I started a modest sound company a few years ago. I have since built a pretty decent sound and light rig that covers any place that we play. Our band is basically a hobby band. We built an extra $100 into our price. Our situation is kinda different. We all started off all living in town. Now our lead singer lives 3 hours away and our keyboard player lives 2 hours away in a different direction.

People help load in as they can. The people driving, that's their share of the work. $100 is really more of a token amount. We all have good jobs so it all works out.

One thing, I retain total control of the system and how it's run. Of course I give everyone what they want in their monitor mixes etc. but how it's set up and ran is all me.

[Fraser Moffatt]

Most bands I've played in had older, heavier, long paid for PA systems. PA owner considered that a sunk cost and did not charge for the PA nor demand a share.

In 2015, I joined a newly formed band where the BL "invested" (meaning, financed) a new PA worth about $15K all told. Nice PA for $300 a night bar gigs for a bunch of weekend warriors! The general gist of it was that he'd take 20% off the top from gig pay to offset his PA costs. Seemed reasonable enough up front but then we booked a string of gigs where PA/FOH was supplied and his PA sat at home. He still wanted his 20%. We all balked at that. Long story short, he had a flimsy type of agreement in place us with no thought of contingencies. Even though for the vast majority of gigs we had done, the 20% off the top was a deal. However, moving forward, it was becoming apparent that in the course of a year or two we would have paid for that PA in full a couple of times over under that deal. A couple of other things led to the core of us leaving that band (at a loss, no less).

Fast forward to early 2016, we reformed with a couple of new guys fronting us, I bought a decent modern lightweight PA system (used pieces, used prices, some bargains) and now bring that to gigs and don't expect a penny. It's my contribution to the band (aside from playing bass) and I retain all equity in this system.  I supply board, mains, monitors and all cables. Everyone else supplies their own mics, stands, cables.

I'm thinking of getting out of the monitor business to streamline a bit. The two frontmen (singers/acoustic guitars) are quite capable of humping their own monitors. Drummer uses IEMs and electric guitar is fine with the residual bleed from the singers' monitors and whatever he can hear from FOH.

[Steve Loewenthal]

It depends
(Ivan, is there a rental fee for saying this? )
In my hobby band I supply everything related to the PA. It is my contribution.
We play low $ bars or cheap private gigs about once a month.
I have a lot of fun playing gigs.
What little potential profit I might get is used for GAS. (Gear Acquisition Syndrome)

If I was in a different band situation l would possibly choose a different option.

[Tim McCulloch]

What little potential profit I might get is used for GAS. (Gear Acquisition Syndrome)

There is help with a 12 step program that includes internet addiction and G.A.S.  Unfortunately the group meets only on line, thru links from major music and audio retailers.  I hear the success rate isn't good. /satire

And I can quit microphones any time, really! Uh, but first I need this Telefunken U47.. with leather.

[Scott Bower]

I get $50 per show when my PA is used by my band and I run it from stage. This covers wear and tear on the gear and my van.  My sound company is profitable and easily covers upgrades. The band gets the benefit of top notch gear and all they have to do is help load in and out. Their only complaint is the band has to book around my sound bookings.
In most of my previous bands, everybody had some gear and we put it all together and ran it by committee.

[Dave Pluke]

... Telefunken U47.. with leather.

Home is where the heart is....  On the bus .

[Kevin Conlon]

I get $50 per show when my PA is used by my band and I run it from stage. This covers wear and tear on the gear and my van.  My sound company is profitable and easily covers upgrades. The band gets the benefit of top notch gear and all they have to do is help load in and out. Their only complaint is the band has to book around my sound bookings.
In most of my previous bands, everybody had some gear and we put it all together and ran it by committee.
[/quote
   That sounds too cheap, but a long time ago, i brought my gear for free. Just to use it and learn. The current band i do sound for i get an even split, we all help when we can all be there at load in and all but the keyboard player helps with load out ( he has the longest  drive ). The pa systems ( have a lot of gear available ) are all paid for and the owners of these systems don't ask for more money, we talked about it. What we do have is a band kitty, pays for repairs, parts needed and sometimes drinks and rooms. I have no clue how the kitty may get split should there be a break up, but i want none of it. When i go mix i take my rta, backtalk mike, ipod, headphones.... a briefcase job. When we put gear together for a large job as a sound co. we do split up the pay by who brings what. I have power distros. tie in parts, sub woof system and hundreds of pounds of ac cable, i get a fair part. I think all bands should have a proper plan for pay splits. The guy/gal with the gear also pulls the trailer and all that goes with keeping it all up. I think they should be paid for it. Unless we are driving for hours, the guys don't ask for kitty money. If you take 100 bucks off the top of every gig, even if you only work twice a month, you have money for drivers or what ever else needs $ to keep things going. You also need to trust the one with the kitty account.
                            Kevin.

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