who does that?!

So the other day I got this email to do a gig in NY. It miraculously fit in between two other gigs I had going on in Philly so I was pretty excited that it would work out. The email gave the dates, times, locations, TBAs on some of the other locations, but pretty much provided all the info, except the important stuff…the bread, the moolah, the cheddar, a.k.a. green cash amounts. So naturally, I wrote back asking how much the pay per service was (Per service pay is how a lot of musician gigs are paid. Each rehearsal or concert is considered a “service,” and usually, and hopefully, a concert will pay more than a rehearsal service will). So, you would think, “Oooo, a gig in the ‘Big City.’ That must pay some cash, right?” Wrong. I get an email back saying, sorry, this gig doesn’t pay. Whoa, whoa….what? Doesn’t pay? Are you serious? This gig was seven services. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday night rehearsals (pretty late too, 7-10 pm), a Saturday rehearsal, a Saturday evening concert, a Sunday rehearsal, and a Sunday afternoon concert. Maybe I live in some alternate universe, but that’s a lot of time and a lot of work to not even be paid!? I mean, this isn’t a benefit concert or something, where all the money made from the concert sales is donated to a cause, and where the performers usually aren’t paid either as they’re “donating their services to the cause as well.” And believe me, I’ve done my share of these too, so its not like I don’t do the charity work. But this isn’t even that. I’ve done gigs like this that don’t pay (non charity concerts), many times, with the thought process of, “Well, you never know who will be at the gig, who will be listening, or what contacts will be made, so you never know.” And this is usually the mentality for musicians without a steady job, unfortunately. Thus, people who like to exploit this mentality are actually able to find people to do the work for free. But seriously, who are these people that ask musicians to do work for free, then expect to keep all the money made? I mean, I expect this concert was charging for tickets, but maybe not. Regardless, even if this isn’t some sort of benefit concert, the musicians should still be paid (I think musicians should be paid at a benefit concert anyway). Anyway, this really disgusts me. And not to constantly be comparing the ‘music world’ to the ‘normal world,’ but lets be honest with ourselves, who does that anywhere else!? Most volunteer work is for a cause...a reason…right? Not just exploiting work.

Its funny too how most musicians feel bad about what they're charging, or feel bad asking to be paid after say a lesson or other sort of service, as if playing your instrument or taking time to teach someone else how to play their instrument isn't worthy of being paid. Or that the amount being asked is just 'silly.' After all, its just music. The worst is after say, a wedding (or other gig) when payment is not promptly given. You have to ask...which can be quite awkward and humiliating to the musician, and simply should not have to be done. This has happened to me before, and on more than one occasion. This is just unacceptable. I had a teacher that compared this situation to doctors. Does a doctor have to ask for payment, apologize for the money they're charging, or more importantly have to ask for it after treatment? After all, isn't the knowledge he or she studied so hard for to treat you with just as valuable? They're certainly not going to treat you without being paid. Just because its music, doesn't mean it took any less time to learn or any less skill to master.