what should I charge.

  • Thread starter Thread starter trax
  • Start date Start date
Hi trax,

I'm a newb like you, so let me offer you some advice. Quit thinking about how much money you can make and start thinking about how much recording you can accomplish with the gear you have. Right now you have enough to record a nice amateur demo IF you use the gear wisely, upgrade a few things and get the right software. Gain some experience, record a few songs for some friends for FREE...no one's gonna pay you if you don't have any previous work to show. At this stage in the game, we newbies have got to think all about the music, not the money, because that's all we have. Once you make a few recordings, you can build up a portfolio of sorts, maybe earn a bit of money, get some new gear, record some more. But worry about that later. Right now it's all about doing, not charging. :) I'm not gonna be charging anyone to record using my PC and Cakewalk right now, that's for sure! But I can definitely record some stuff for myself, and that's what I'll do because I can. Isn't that what's important?

-Derrick
 
Sorry, trax, but I agree with the masses of this thread.

You should not be focusing on getting paid for studio time.

You should take time to fully learn your equipment.

You need time to fully understand the processes needed for recording, mic'ing, eq'ing, mixing, editing, mastering, etc...

You also need to figure out which pieces of equipment and software you'll need to purchase in the future.

Do you have a GREAT pair of monitors?

Do you have an understanding of the information at this website?
http://www.studiocovers.com/

I understand that you want to make some money, we ALL do, but you are not even ready to charge a client $15 / hr.

You need to practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice, practice.

I have a question to ask you, trax.

How does your produced music sound? At your studio? In the car? At the club? At the BIG club? On a old $10 Radio Shack portable radio? On some computer monitors?

If you can't make it sound good on ALL of those types of references, you should not be charging for production.

We are not trying to discourage OR embarrass you.

But.... you will create a negative moniker on you and your studio if you distribute an inferior product.

So, I would rather the individuals here at HR.COM to verbally-beat-you-up than to have the early years of your career being destroyed by your past/present/future clients. ;)

Peace........ (and keep your head up)

spin
 
Yep. Here's another one agreeing with Richard and Rimshot. I'm a newbie and am just beginning to start recording others, and doing live sound for others. The learning curve is like an extension ladder, which is one reason I like it. I keep asking myself about the charging thing, and the little voice in the back of my head tells me "don't even think of it."

First sponge up as much information as you can stand. Then buy as much basic gear as you can stand. Then use it - a whole bunch. In the process you will end up doing stuff for friends. Your work will be student grade, as mine is now, but they will understand the deal.

If we charge for "services" we've entered another world where there are consequences for impersonating a pro. But that doesn't mean we can't learn and someday deliver the goods on our own terms.
 
I used to look at it this way...

The kind of musicians that YOU are going to get to record, are not likely to have a bunch of cash laying around. Shit... they're lucky if they can buy any decent instruments.

When they get to record... they are getting studio practice - which is exactly what YOU need.

They're currently doing it for the art - in the hopes of doing it for a career. No different than you, perhaps.

Record as much as you can.. and forget about charging for it. Until you're working with musicians that charge for their services... don't bother trying to charge for yours.

My 2 cents.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top