How much do you make in this (music) business?

[monkie]

It's late and I'm bored but couldn't fall asleep so just I'm just up wondering online reading stuff. I couldn't think of anything else to do and I just thought of putting up a poll to see if people actually are making some $$$ in this business.

This is optional if you don't want to disclose how much you make or who you are, but it'll be awesome if you could just at least participate in the poll.

I started recording about 6 six years ago by myself. I didn't really make anything until about mid-year of last year. In fact, I was giving more instead of receiving. From that time to now, I only make about seven grand. Considering all the gears and equipments I had to buy, I didn't really make anything. Lucky enough, I have a steady job that I enjoy besides music.

How do you survive in the music business?

Thanks in advance to everyone who participate.

 

[superspit]

It's late and I'm bored but couldn't fall asleep so just I'm just up wondering online reading stuff. I couldn't think of anything else to do and I just thought of putting up a poll to see if people actually are making some $$$ in this business.

This is optional if you don't want to disclose how much you make or who you are, but it'll be awesome if you could just at least participate in the poll.

I started recording about 6 six years ago by myself. I didn't really make anything until about mid-year of last year. In fact, I was giving more instead of receiving. From that time to now, I only make about seven grand. Considering all the gears and equipments I had to buy, I didn't really make anything. Lucky enough, I have a steady job that I enjoy besides music.

How do you survive in the music business?

Thanks in advance to everyone who participate.

Hi Monkie.....
interesting question you pose, and I'm sure there will be a myriad of responses soon enough.

Monkie, as you know there are many aspects to the music biz....aspects that range from selling equipment, playing an instrument within a band or as solo,
recording, mastering, graphics art work, repairing equipment, gig support (roadie), music shop, music sales, selling drugs (if you're that way inclined)...etc..etc..

You a performing artist Monkie? you get paid 'some' from actual gigs, yeah?

I guess you have to find an aspect that you excel at, not necessarily makes you the most happy, but keeps you close enough to the 'industry' and therefore hopefully the people who can help make something of you, if you need/want that sort of thing.

The best I did was make enough to pay the sound and lighting guys who helped run some outdoor gigs.....I hardly made enough for myself....but like you, I had a 'real' job aswell....within a field that kept me close enough to the music.(repairing instruments and shit).

Oh yeah, you'll always seem to give more than you get,..until you get a contract or something; even then, you'll still be doing the same unless you have a good legal team!!!....I never got that far.

oh sheet..I was bored too!

 

[monkie]

Hi Monkie.....
interesting question you pose, and I'm sure there will be a myriad of responses soon enough.

Monkie, as you know there are many aspects to the music biz....aspects that range from selling equipment, playing an instrument within a band or as solo,
recording, mastering, graphics art work, repairing equipment, gig support (roadie), music shop, music sales, selling drugs (if you're that way inclined)...etc..etc..

You a performing artist Monkie? you get paid 'some' from actual gigs, yeah?

The best I did was make enough to pay the sound and lighting guys who helped run some outdoor gigs.....I hardly made enough for myself....but like you, I had a 'real' job aswell....within a field that kept me close enough to the music.(repairing instruments and shit).

Thank you for your reply. You are right about the music business that there are more to it than just making beats. I myself play in a band and altogether we really don't make much at all but it's something that everybody just enjoyed doing on the side. With the $$ that we make, everyone decide we should put into a savings account for unexpected future expenses such as equipment repair or road trips that we don't want to take out of our own pockets. We're not in the business to make money or fame but for the fun and entertaining purposes only. It doesn't matter if we don't get pay, as long as we get there and do our thing worry-free and there are food for everyone then money wouldn't be an issue at all. What we get paid is almost always used on expenses like I just mentioned so everyone doesn't have to use their own money. There are times when we had to take money out of everyone's pocket because how much we get paid is just isn't enough to cover everything from meals to auto renting and motels.

I would say I make more from recording than performing, but performing is such a great experience anyone can get. It's about having great memories when you're old and reminiscing back to those great times.

 

[superspit]

.
It's about having great memories when you're old and reminiscing back to those great times.

I'm with you!

 

[EdWonbass]

I make around $100-$200 a week playing gigs on weekends. I work a regular job so I just treat the money as extra and most of it goes to bills but it also helps me justify buying gear once in a while.

 

[Chili]

In fact, I was giving more instead of receiving.

Right, which means you should have included some negative numbers on your poll. Then I could have given a more accurate response.

Cheers,

 

[ermghoti]

I hemorrhage cash like a crackhead in Bogata.

 

[monkie]

Right, which means you should have included some negative numbers on your poll. Then I could have given a more accurate response.

Cheers,

My bad. Haha...!

 

[joeym]

earn money from music????
now that would be treat.........

naah, better to reminisce about those good 'ol days on the road!

 

[VomitHatSteve]

Right, which means you should have included some negative numbers on your poll. Then I could have given a more accurate response.

Cheers,

I voted for "still paying off debts". I figured that was the closest.

I have a computer job to pay for my music habit.

 

[mikeh]

I answered the poll - but as discussed "music business" can mean many revenue sources. While I have a day gig, I do generate some steady music related income (although not enough to actually maintain a reasoanable standard of living).

I have some gig income and some income as a local session drummer (although both have been declining as I start to cut back - since I've been gigging for a long time and it's time to pass the flame to the younger guys). My home studio generates some income and I also have some income for various publishing and BMI royalties - but this is only enough to buy a new piece of gear each year.

While my current earning averages between $5,000 - $7,000 I tend to spend most of that on new gear) In my peak music businesss earing years I averaged a lot more, but that included gigging, recording, teaching, and selling in a music store.

It is my personal opinion that most people hoping to earn a living in music have to do more than one thing. Sources of income come and go (bands break-up, session work can be spotty, etc) so having multiple sources of income can help level out the highs and lows.

 

[AndyK12]

It's guys who only do it for fun and then say that money doesn't matter make it so that for the guys who the money does matter get screwed.

Charging nothing in a market that is business orientated just completely skews the fact that some people aren't lucky enough to have a really great sideline job and music does pay the bills. I doubt you do your dayjobs for 'fun' or if your employee beside you just starting working for 'fun' what would it do for your wage? This is why I'm pro-union.

Andy

 

[eeb]

andyk12


I agree with you. It's almost the same in my "field" of graphic design (although less extreme) The market gets flooded with people either trying to "make it" or "having fun with it"

like in design any asshole with photoshop thinks they're a designer.. they do jobs for next to nothing (or nothing) which forces everyone else to lower their wages to build their portfolio to hopefully land a good job later on.. (not that it's always bad to do free work every now and then for worthy causes or something you believe in)

In music there's just so many bands out there.. again anyone who can play 3 chords and bang on some drums thinks they're great musicians.. The market is soo flooded with these people that it forces people with actual talent, drive and passion for this artform to try to juggle a job that'll pay the bills and try to make it in music.

Unfortunately for me I'm both a musician and a designer.. neither profession is easy to get into and make a decent living off.. I work a shit job that pays me nowhere near what I should get. oh well as long as i'm still playing music it'll be all good

 

[mikeh]

anyyk12,

I don't disagree that people offering their services/skills for little or no pay does allow the potential for those services/skills to be de-valued....which can be problematic for those trying to actually earn a living. Without a doubt, there are some venues that will pay little or no money and still have bands lining up and I can only charge $25 per hour for my little studio because there are plenty of other home studios that charge less.

But, as it applies to the entertainment industry....how do you beleive a union would improve that????

I was in the Musician's Union for several years - simply because a couple of key venues in my area that often hosted certain classical concerts or tours of "Broadway" shows did occasionally check for union cards. While in those venues musicians were suppose to be paid scale - however, when musicans were not paid scale....or were not paid at all.....the union could or would do little. When I did gigs with local bands in local bars, (that were not union) the union actually tried to stop me (and if I depended only on the union gigs....well I wouldn't be gigging very much!!!

I was in the office workers union, which did negotiate contracts which assured specific annual increases.....but that simply meant the people that showed up most of the time and did the minimum work required got the same raise as people who excelled. People who should have had their asses thrown out the door for poor performance, poor attendance, etc. acted with near immunity and a sense of entitlement - because the union contract protected them.

Since I left a union work environment, I have been able to seek better jobs and higher pay based on my abilities - rather than based on a union agreement (and I am more than willing to take the risk that my skills and knowlege can assure me of a good living without a union - in fact, I'm confident that they can).

As a non-union musician, I've been able to work with who I want and where I want (including most "union" venues) and the amount of work I get is dictated by my skills and professional reputation - not because I have a union card.

As you can tell - I am not pro-union. As a general rule, I believe unions only benefit those who are not willing or able to make the extra effort to prove value - and those willing to prove they have value, can advance and earn accordingly (without a union contract). Certainly, there was a time when a limited number of employers could abuse workers (and unions had a place)- but in today's marketplace....there are simply too many options for employment (assuming people have the skill and knowledge or are willing to acquire them).

 

[AndyK12]

anyyk12,


But, as it applies to the entertainment industry....how do you beleive a union would improve that????

Setting a 'floor price' for talent, so when you talk to a club owner they don't say 'well so-and-so will do it for less' while less=not able to cover expenses.
I'd be willing to match a floor price - $150 a player for example. What I can't match is playing for $11 just simply for exposure when the taxi ride was $20.

 

[mikeh]

Setting a 'floor price' for talent, so when you talk to a club owner they don't say 'well so-and-so will do it for less' while less=not able to cover expenses.
I'd be willing to match a floor price - $150 a player for example. What I can't match is playing for $11 just simply for exposure when the taxi ride was $20.

I understand and appreciate your thought process, but I think this would be doomed to fail. Just as there are union and non-union factories, there would always be clubs who would choose to be non-union (I'm sure most clubs would and do go this route).

In fact, here in the US there is a musicians union which does dictate specific minimum pay rates (a "floor price"). Very few venues follow that and if someone would show a union card and declare "I must be paid X per union rates - the club simply would not hire them.

Supply and demand will likely always dictate the going rate. If there are bands willing to work for $11 apiece, there will be clubs that choose not to pay more than that - and a union would not be able to prevent that.

 

[WCMastering]

I make my living in the music industry.

 

[Rokket]

Right, which means you should have included some negative numbers on your poll. Then I could have given a more accurate response.

Cheers,

Me too. I am no longer in the business of music. Now it's a hobby that I've spent hundreds on, and will continue to spend on.

When I was in a gigging band, some nights we went in the hole on the beer tab. Most nights we cleared $100-$200, some weeks we made $1500. It would depend on the club and the venue. Metal was the big thing at the time, and those clubs would be packed. We also played a couple country bars and a top 40 place a time or two.

 

[Bguzaldo]

Do you think because of "home studio engineers" like us this industry is dying quickly? Hah Does anyone else ever feel guilty for having a home studio?
I do...

-Barrett

 

[mikeh]

Given that anyone with a bedroom and a computer can now have a "studio" - yes I think the technology has caused some studios to close.

I know I lost a few clients who decided to record at home rather than pay me to use my home studio. At one time - when I started my "home studio" I gained clients who preferred to pay me the lower rate I charged rather than pay a higher rate to the local commerical facilities. I know many of the marketing agencies now have in house production studios (ie: Pro Tools on a computer) or use people with "home project studios" rather than commercial studios - for radio jingles, etc.)

I think there will always be world class studios to cater to the international acts - and our litlle home studios won't impact that. However, I think a number of "demo" or "project" studios have suffered - losing business to "home studios".

I've never felt guilt for the relatively small amount of business I may have taken from commercial studios. The fact is, the world changes, technology changes and life goes on. The music industry has been on a decline ever since the late 70's - in large part as corporations took over and accountants and lawyers made music decisions. One could suggest, home studios and indie labels are the only things that allow music to actually survive.