Well, first off, allow me to identify the problem.
Today was my first paid session for recording a band in my living room. Due to this being my first time, I did not want to state a price for my services off the bat, due mostly to my doubts as an engineer, my limited equipment, and this being my first time. I did not want to start my recording career off with a bad reputation but setting too high of a price first off if the mix turned out soundling like ass. So I told the band that we shal determine a fair price after i had them the final product. Meaning that they should pay me depending on how good it sounds. The band members are rather good friends of mine, I've known all of them since freshman year of highschool (I am now a juior), and I was fairly confident that they wouldn't under pay me (due both to the fact that i trust them, and their fairly boistress comments made, during recording, of how excellent it sounds thus far (speaking completly nonegotistically. I think it's only soso mix)). I believe that, by them choosing the price, it is a fairly safe way to build a safe, first-time repuation in my neighborhood. There is a rather large potential in recording bands, due to the fact that many of my neighbors have bands, and most of them go to my school and, as you all well know, word of mouth during high-school is the best transfer of information, both positive and negative. However, I feel that I cannot, for more than the first time, have the client determine a fair price (of corse I have my minimum) because this would most certianly result in problems later on (i.e. One band paying x ammount for 2 songs, and another client finding out later that someone else paid less for the same product). I do not believe that I can charge for my services per son, becasue there is the posibility of someone completly milking me by recording 1 song and completly perfecting it and making it drag out over the corse of days. That would be unacceptable, and really now way to charge a fair price that way. Then again, I do not feel comfortable charing an hourly rate because what if they wish to just bang out a few demo tracks really quick and I am taking too damn long for them? Or what if they are perfectionists and want to spend many hours tracking and mixing, but then are steered away because my rates are too high for such long periods?
This is a rather brick-wall obstical for me to run into, and I don't want it to end here. Even if I can just come to some temporary conclusion for pricing until I get my shit worked out so I have a system down and then can charge an hourly rate because I will be able to work quickly and as efficiently as possible, but that isn't exactly an acheiveable goal without expierence.
What do you guys, that do, charge? I have a good ammount of money invested into my equipment, and I have a fair ammount of Knowledge. I have an internship at the biggest and most professional studio in Sacramento. HOw the hell should I charge for my services?
Today was my first paid session for recording a band in my living room. Due to this being my first time, I did not want to state a price for my services off the bat, due mostly to my doubts as an engineer, my limited equipment, and this being my first time. I did not want to start my recording career off with a bad reputation but setting too high of a price first off if the mix turned out soundling like ass. So I told the band that we shal determine a fair price after i had them the final product. Meaning that they should pay me depending on how good it sounds. The band members are rather good friends of mine, I've known all of them since freshman year of highschool (I am now a juior), and I was fairly confident that they wouldn't under pay me (due both to the fact that i trust them, and their fairly boistress comments made, during recording, of how excellent it sounds thus far (speaking completly nonegotistically. I think it's only soso mix)). I believe that, by them choosing the price, it is a fairly safe way to build a safe, first-time repuation in my neighborhood. There is a rather large potential in recording bands, due to the fact that many of my neighbors have bands, and most of them go to my school and, as you all well know, word of mouth during high-school is the best transfer of information, both positive and negative. However, I feel that I cannot, for more than the first time, have the client determine a fair price (of corse I have my minimum) because this would most certianly result in problems later on (i.e. One band paying x ammount for 2 songs, and another client finding out later that someone else paid less for the same product). I do not believe that I can charge for my services per son, becasue there is the posibility of someone completly milking me by recording 1 song and completly perfecting it and making it drag out over the corse of days. That would be unacceptable, and really now way to charge a fair price that way. Then again, I do not feel comfortable charing an hourly rate because what if they wish to just bang out a few demo tracks really quick and I am taking too damn long for them? Or what if they are perfectionists and want to spend many hours tracking and mixing, but then are steered away because my rates are too high for such long periods?
This is a rather brick-wall obstical for me to run into, and I don't want it to end here. Even if I can just come to some temporary conclusion for pricing until I get my shit worked out so I have a system down and then can charge an hourly rate because I will be able to work quickly and as efficiently as possible, but that isn't exactly an acheiveable goal without expierence.
What do you guys, that do, charge? I have a good ammount of money invested into my equipment, and I have a fair ammount of Knowledge. I have an internship at the biggest and most professional studio in Sacramento. HOw the hell should I charge for my services?
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