In a 4-6 person band, how do you divvy up the gig $$$?

[electricninja]

This has always been a nagging question of mine.

[saxusa]

I think the saxman should get the largest split. 8)

[JL]

Why not split it up evenly (not that I'd argue with the saxman getting more)? However, if one person is doing the marketing and lining up all the gigs, he/she should probably get a small "finders fee."

[saxusa]

JL, I still like my way the best. But your's makes the most sense. It's fair. 8)

[saxboy]

If you are asking the question, someone else probably needs to make the call. Send me the cash and addresses...

[sessionsax]

Percentages should vary according to some of the following:

Whos PA is being used and is it paid for.
Who is providing transportation.
Who is lining up the bookings.
Is one member responsible for sound system setup or do all kick in.
Do all members show up for practice, or is one member a side man.

There are others, but percentages should vary based on responsibilities and material use.

[kcp]

Sessionsax is right on.

In my band I got players of different levels. So I also take under consideration the level of experience of each musician. Gotta face it, some are more indispensable than others.

Those 'indispensable' musicians often are very busy playing other gigs, practicing with other bands. I understand and respect that. But I have setted a limit, a minimum amount of attendence for band practices. Otherwize those who are 'indispensable' do know it, and sometimes they begin to take that for granted. It isn't a pleasant thing when your musicians begin to blackmail you. I've had this happening to me in the past, and so is why I demand a minimum amount of attendance. Below that ammount, I consider it 'A lack of interest' I figgured If you wanna gig and get paid, you gotta show interest. There are no short cuts.

Also, I think it isn't fair for someone who barely attends practice (even if he/she is very experienced) to get paid more than someone else who may not be as experienced, but that does show a lot of interest in the band. That shows-up at every practice and espescially worked his/her butt off to be able to perform the same stuff, and in the long run as accurately as the other more experienced ones.

So taking attendance at band practices IS an important factor, and I beleive it is essential to take that under consideration. It evens things out. In other words, it can happen that a less experienced musician gets paid the same as one of the 'indispensable' ones, because he or she worked harder.

One thing however; If musicians in your band don't all get paid the same, NEVER discuss that with any of them (that also I'm speaking from experience *sigh*) Because no matter how well intentionated you are, and even if you are beeing extremely fair and reasonable; There will always be a couple of indivisuals who will take that very personally So it's better not to discuss that with them. What they don't know can't hurt them.
Anyway, if someone here has a better recommendation to make, I'd be glad to know.

[AMASAX]

if it's a six person band, divy it up 7 ways and tell the rest of the band you'll get the $$ to the 7th person later :lol:

[Lomar Manx]

I always ask the guys how much I've got to pay them to do the gig. They name the figure. If it's something I can live with, then I hire them. If there's any left over, I keep it since I get the gigs etc. If the players name their own price, there is no complaining. It's not a democaracy, and it's not a communal effort. I've been doing it this way since the 70's. I assure you it's the best way. There is no possibility of a misunderstanding.

[Ytrac Productions]

We have come up with a pretty cool system for our band. We are a 8 man band {Trumpet, Sax, Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Bass Guitar, Keys, Drums, and Sound Guy}. We all do some vocals. The lead guitar player and the Rhythm guitar player own the PA and dont want the band to buy them.

On a Gig where we get less than $1000 for the gig, we divide it up evenly. On gigs of over $1000, $200 goes in the band fund and the balance is split evenly. The Band fund covers advertising, cost of webspace, and monthly fees on the checking account as well as the email addresses.

Has worked great for us.

[tenorman canada]

JL says, "if someone is doing the marketing, lining up the gigs etc., he should get a small finders fee." A small finders fee? Why not a large finders fee? Nothing happens for any of the other players until ONE GUY goes out there and finds a gig. Until then, the rest are sitting at home watching TV. Alot of people don't understand that the music business is like any other business. Until someone makes a sale, no one in any other part of the company has a job to do.

Back in the day we had to pay a manager, (10-20%) an agent (10 to 20%) travel expenses, equipment rentals, etc. and then divide the rest among the players. Maybe we got 50 or 60% of the gross if we were lucky.

Let's say a band leader does the job of managing, (selecting repertoire, writing charts, deciding when and where to rehearse, booking rehearsal halls, calling all the players and organizing their schedules, making travel arrangements, arranging for equipment rentals) etc. Shouldn't he receive what a manager would have charged?

Let's further assume that the leader takes care of all the bookings? Sometimes one booking can take up to 10 calls with a client and then another 10 calls with band members, ("Did you get the message about the gig? Than, why didn't you call back and confirm with the leader?") He calls the clubs, agents, bride or convention organizer; negotiates contracts; arrives early to ensure that all is well with the buyer because that's what a good leader does; sits with the buyer on his breaks and makes sure a good business relationship continues to exist, etc. Shouldn't he receive what a booking agent would get?

I can see the hairs on the back of musicians bristling now because that leader is making so much more money than they are. Well, why not? He's probably putting in 10 to 30 hours of extra work per week over what each of the other guys in the band are doing. All they have to do is make sure they show up knowing their parts, play well, enjoy their breaks hanging with each other or friends, handle themselves respectfully and enjoy the fruits of the leader's labour.

Pay the leader I say!!! Pay him well and everyone keeps working. Just because we're in the arts doesn't mean we need to lose our capitalistic sensibilities.

[JL]

I agree with you canada, that the "finders fee" should be consistent with the amount of work done. I said "small" in a relative sense, and was relating it to the situation in our band where all of us get out there and pick up gigs. We all have different connections and contribute time and energy to marketing the band and lining up gigs. So, in general, we just split up the profits. But definiteyl if one person is acting as a promoter, agent, manager, etc., that person should get a considerably bigger cut. It only makes sense.

Every situation is different. I get calls occasionally from other bands that I haven't spent much time playing or rehearsing with, but they sometimes want a sax. In those cases, the leader simply pays me a predetermined fee. I can take the gig or not, depending on my availability and the pay.

[sax rookie]

I 'manage' a local band but I am not a playing memeber. My job description is to book the gigs, negotiate the money, send out the contract and keep the guys up to speed on the logistics. I also designed and update thier website and created a glossy promo pack. I am paid from gig money to cover any promotional expenses. For the club gigs that have house sound, my presence is not needed, but I typically go to critique, assist, network and suck up to the club owner. For this I receive 10% of the gig before any expenses are paid out.
On private events that require sound, I help setup before the gig, run sound and lights, and tear down at the end. I ask to be paid as an equal memeber (16%) because of the time involved. This arrangement has worked out nicely.

[benjamin1979]

for me, this really matter how u do ur things. let say u r the one who get the gig and arrange the proposal and lead the band u should get it either:

1. u can get double pay if u can gurantee u can collect the $$$. if anythings happen , ur the one who need to pay ur band members and responsible for collecting the $$$.

OR

2. just get 5% ~10% more and tell ur members that if anything **** up, ur friend should not blame on u. cos u only get some extra money on ur effort.

so, it really depends on ur level of responsibility.

[MojoBari]

In our area, a leader of that size group would get 1.5-2 X the rest. This assumes they are doing the booking, sound, logistics. If $ is tight , he might just take an equal share. If someone else get the gig, he would share some of is cut.

[DavidH]

This can get complicated very quickly. First of all, if everyone is working equally, then obviously split it equally.

The easiest way to do it is split it one more way than you have members (i.e. you have 6 members, split it seven ways). Then, from that "extra" person, allocate certain percentages for the people who booked it, marketed it, drove everyone to it, provided sound equipment, etc. This makes it equal, and usually makes members want to share ownership in all that stuff.

Of course, if you have an agent or webmaster or any additional expenses, that should come out first, before you divide it all up.

If you have a problem with people not showing to practice, then dock them percentages of pay for every practice they missed. For example, if you had five practices before the gig, then dock them like 10-12% for each practice they missed. That money could go into a collective fund or whatever, and used to promote or get your name out more, or something like that.

Mainly, make sure it's fair. If you take someone new on, then you may not want to pay them an equal percentage. Start them off lower, and gradually move them up. If you take on someone really good, then you may want to start them out more. It's all up to everyone else, but make sure all current members have a say in that type of stuff.