Working without your own gear.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

OK, I have something I need to work on and I need to do a little research into pricing, preferably across the south.

If you were to use the venue's gear, what kind of figure would you expect to get? All you have to supply is music, headphones and mic.

Now, I don't want to turn this into a "I wouldn't charge any less if I'm not using my own gear" type scenario as that isn't the point and won't help my research.

I will add a poll to make it easier.

So, the scenario is this. The bookings are in high end establishments, all evening receptions, let's say until 12 midnight and you get a minimum of 4 a month on Fridays and Saturdays. They are also all wedding receptions.

Please be honest and don't exaggerate. Ta.

[Mark Wild]

I've done a few of these this year and charged £200.

[spin mobile disco]

Just to be clear when you say just music wre you saying maybe decks console for us digital djs or just cds. Reason I ask is that I have turned down just cds wanted nights as I'm digital the system would not have supported my hardware.

Therefor my answer is based on a 7 - 12 local event just decks mic headphones required.

[JTRS]

The way I see it is I've got less to load, less to unload and set-up, less to set-down, less to load and less to unload each evening. In addition to the time saving I'm also not going to be going through any consumables.

The venue is therefore paying for my time, my provision of music, my ability as a DJ/entertainer, so I think a fair price for that would be about the £150 - £174 bracket, ie about £30 - £35 an hour.

Given that the venue is going to be providing a fair amount of work I think that figure is fair

That was my logic when selecting the pricing

JTRS

[funksoulbrother]

I would tend to agree with JTRS £150 - £174

Especially as they are high end establishments and a wedding as well, therefore experience and presentation is a must. :)

[Daryll]

I too voted for the £150 - £174 slot.

Daryll

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

If you can post your reasoning behind your thought process that would help me too. Ta.

[Charlie Brown]

I voted for £225+.

I don't understand why the price would change dramatically because you aren't using your own lights etc?

The customer is still buying YOU!

Having said that...I think £225 is fair if it's a regular thing.

You've still got to entertain and keep on the ball and the person is still buying your experiance and knowledge. (Like Darren for example)

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I don't understand why the price would change dramatically because you aren't using your own lights etc?


No expense. No maintenance costs. Less time rigging and derigging. No PAT testing. Do you suppose you'd get the same price if you worked in a bar as mobile with all your own kit.

Also, I did say...


I don't want to turn this into a "I wouldn't charge any less if I'm not using my own gear" type scenario as that isn't the point and won't help my research.

[Daryll]

Much the same as JTRS has said , with all the loading /unloading not present , that could be 3/4 hours ( including loading up at home and un-loading after the gig) , all you are providing is your experience , and your music, which after you have purchased it , has no running costs to speak of , plus the amount of gigs at the same venue must count for something.
Is the venue local ?.

Daryll

[Charlie Brown]

No expense. No maintenance costs. Less time rigging and derigging. No PAT testing. Do you suppose you'd get the same price if you worked in a bar as mobile with all your own kit.


Ohhh, well I didn't realise that it was instead of the mobile business?

Expense - Buying music? PAT testing for the Laptop etc? Traverling to the gig?

[funksoulbrother]

Not sure if Darren's comment was directed at my post :( or those that have just voted and not posted a comment.

But in the main, I would say that they are quantify my charge as they would be getting an experienced dj, with a large varied selection of music genres. There would still be the requirement prior to each event, in working through the clients playlist and obtaining any tunes that you might need. It does help, not having to hump gear in and out of the venue/vehicle and setting up/breaking down equipment. I wish every gig would be that simple.

But in a nutshell, thats my reasoning. :)

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Not sure if Darren's comment was directed at my post :( or those that have just voted and not posted a comment.



Those who have voted and not left a comment. No-one has to of course, it would just help my research a lot. :)

[djsteve10]

I am in the £150 - £174 bracket, I find there is no rigging up or down, You can walk in and just plug in and play.

I prefer to be able to just arrive 20 minutes before start time and be ready to play instantly, Most of the venues I work in have decent sound and lighting installed in them with them being nightclubs.

Mobile work I would check up with what the venue has installed before I committed myself to using their equipment.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

I am in the £150 - £174 bracket, I find there is no rigging up or down, You can walk in and just plug in and play.



Do you get that for clubs? It's a while since I worked in one.

[Dynamic Entertainment]

£175- £199 for me, on the basis of thats what i usually get for club work locally with very easy hours.

The cost of that though can and does increase if i can get it ;)

My reasoning behind the lower fee is that i dont have to turn up with much so a midnight finish means i can be out of the venue by 12.10 instead of 12.30+

Im not having to cart gear about or spend time rigging it all up either :)

[Digitalsounds]

At the end of the day even without gear its still the same time and you can't book out your own gear while you out with someone elses gear. So for me charge might be a little cheaper but not alot.

[James]

£25 per hour if it's walk in walk out

[wensleydale]

I went for the top one- from my perspective the main constraint is time- theres only one of me and I can only do one gig a night- whether I provide the gear or its sitting at home it doesnt make a massive difference.
I do charge less, but not a massive amount less.

[Vectis]

It's a premium service offering to the end client, and you'll of course be supplying a premium experienced DJ, so a premium price is called for (and probably expected).

If you fear that going in "high" might blow out the deal, perhaps offer a sweetener for the first half a dozen gigs to iron out any working relationship issues and to allow time for client feedback to come back to establish your true worth.

Tricky.

£200 minimum I'd say.

[Kernow]

Clearly .for me, travelling cost would be the overiding consideration ;)
However. assuming it was within a 30 mile radius, with a very reduced amount to transport (enabling use of smaller, faster, more economical vehicle). and a guarantee of around 50 gigs a year, I am voting for £125-£149. I actually did a gig, exactly as described, and albeit as a one-off. last year in St. Ives for £130. :o

[Penfold42]

£25 per hour if it's walk in walk out

:agree:

I put 6 till 12 (no extra time :D) = £150
Would say thats a fair price.

Add £25 if you travel as well. :)

[Mo The Motown Man]

I was resident in a hotel for 4 years no gear needed arrive 7pm start after meal between 8.30 / 9.30 finish 12.30. got paid £160.00 and that was 4 years ago so today I would charge between £150.00 to £180.00 per gig

[ppentertainments]

I work in a local establishment which requires me to provide playout and nothing else (have a small case with mixer, cortex, headphones, mic and hard drive). I charge £175 for playing from 2230 - midnight. I do 1-2 gigs a week and have 20 dates for christmas so they are obviously happy with the service. The venue takes approx 3 minutes to get to from home.

This price does seem high BUT like any other gig it depends on your service. This particular venue spent a fortune on PA equipment. They hired a DJ who literally thrashed it as hard as he could. The venue thought nothing of it till I was asked to play there. I realised that the settings on the crossover and amp were all wrong. Adjusted these to give a lot nicer sound. There was a problem with one of the speakers I easily fixed (bad connection on the speaker plug). The other DJ reply when asked about the speaker was - 'it always happens'.

So, I digest. The reasoning for being able to charge such a fee is due to the 'all round package' they hire. And more than anything - treat the equipment as you would treat your own.

[Larry B Entertainment]

I went for £150 - £174 as if the gear was provided for me, it would be less overall work for me as I wouldn't have to shift it in and out.

[Gary (GDK)]

First one for me :)

But I only charge on average £160 - £200 for most reasonable local gigs.

[Gary (GDK)]

I should also say it depends when you told me about the gig.

I often take work from an agent on a Monday for Saturday if I have no work in, for £100. Laptop, Hercules and headphones is all that needed.

[Paul S]

Hi Darren,

If it was a one off then the price would be higher, however as it's a regular thing I would charge between £150-£174. That's certainly the price bracket that I'm charging for my Christmas work where like you I'm "White Glove-ing" the whole season in the same venue. The only equipment I need to provide is my playout, which can be left secured in the venue for the entire season.

Cheers

Paul

[Twinspin]

Id charge about £150.00 for a normal party and £200.00 at least for a wedding.

Best bet is to go and have a look at the equipment first see what your dealing with.

In the past i could have easily been caught out. about 5 years ago now i had a call in the afternoon for this venue who have 4 function rooms with their own equipment supplied.

I remember the manager saying you wont need any equipment just bring your music a microphone and some headphones or your laptop.

Because i didnt know the venue. I took with me with me my console and speakers. I arrived at the venue to be shown the room. I was greeted by the ultimate cowboy setup

So i asked the venue if it was ok if i could use my own because id feel more comfortable using mine. So in come my speakers and decks and i setup in the other corner of the room. So it looked like i wasnt associated with it in any way.

[Javlingames]

if you can earn 350-500 per night why even contemplate doing a gig without gear for less? For me it would be normal price with or without gear. Doing the gig cheaper restricts you from earning bigger bucks elsewhere and the equipment you have invested in is sat in the garage not earning you anything.

[Johnny P]

£225 + as full time DJ I couldnt afford to take on low paying gigs for half the month

[JDB Entertainment]

£225 + as full time DJ I couldnt afford to take on low paying gigs for half the month

Here, Here. If I am out with or without my equipment I would still want the same, due to being a fulltimer, etc.

[JTRS]

As Darren stated in his OP, this is a high end venue and is offering a good number of bookings, that to me is an important factor.

I appreciate many of you have said that because you already have the equipment it doesn't matter if you use your own kit or the venues kit, the price you would charge would still be roughly the same, and that's a fair point because you have already spent money on your equipment.

The customer, however, won't see it like that. I think they would expect to be charged less because the DJ is doing less time than a normal booking (set-up, set-down, load in load out etc), and you are not going to be going through any consumables etc.

Basically they are just paying for your time (and your music collection), your time however comes at a premium, because unlike barstaff, waiters etc they need someone with experience and ability as a DJ, so I am still of the opinion that a figure of between £30-£35 per hour is not unreasonable.

The other thing to consider is the amount of business they are offering, both now and possibly in the future, so, to everyone who has said that they wouldn't charge less than their normal rates that's OK as long as you can fill all the dates they are offering with alternative gigs at your regular rates.

JTRS

[Steve the DJ]

I selected £225+.

I guess it depends on where your starting price is with gear, how much you need the work and how close it is to your base.

A friend of mine is a resident at a 5 Star Golf Club & Hotel in Hampshire with full install. He only has to bring music and works 7 PM - 1 AM. He is paid £175 and is charged out at £395.

It seemed a good deal to him when he started out but he soon realised that gear was just a tool and apart from set up and breakdown he is working just as hard as ever both during and before the gigs (request lists, client contact etc.). He is now trying get more money.

[Paul The Party Dj]

I went £200 +

If it's a high end booking with a very regular repeat I think that's a fair price to start at. If I was negotiating a deal I'd also want to include a review date to increase the fee. As I understand it's Wedding work I'd also ask the venue to facilitate the client meetings providing a budget for refreshments in return for my additional time.

I've heard too many stories on the lines Steve FDDJ has just mentioned where venues take a huge slice of the fee - I couldn't work for a venue who did this. If the venue want to provide the best quality entertainment for their client they should make sure that the service offered if the best.

Cheers, Paul ;o)

[mikeee]

As with Steve I went +£225, It's the professionalism and knowledge of the DJ not the equipment. The kit could be EV, Mackie or Skytec, if you have a bad / cheap DJ, it's still going to be a bad night.

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

if you can earn 350-500 per night why even contemplate doing a gig without gear for less? For me it would be normal price with or without gear. Doing the gig cheaper restricts you from earning bigger bucks elsewhere and the equipment you have invested in is sat in the garage not earning you anything.

As I said in my very first post


Now, I don't want to turn this into a "I wouldn't charge any less if I'm not using my own gear" type scenario as that isn't the point and won't help my research.



Thanks anyway....


Here, Here. If I am out with or without my equipment I would still want the same, due to being a fulltimer, etc.

I thought you were an actor as well?

[Jonathan Ford]

I voted £225+, because as others have said, it's my time, knowledge and experience that people are paying for. So, hypothetically, if this kind of gig were to be offered regularly, I'd want to be paid close to my full rate.

Having said that, I'd quite happily do gigs like this as diary fillers, perhaps 1/2 a month, at somehwere around £200.

[Excalibur]

I'm struggling to answer this, not least cos there's no category with my normal price in it. :D :D :D :D :D :D

Right, let's see if I can get a serious answer in here. There are \two widely differing scenarios to consider here.

Scenario1: ( Undoubtedly not Darren's, but worth illustrating)
Laptop Larry. Eighteen years old, with a hard drive loaded with hooky tunes, capable of churning out bangin choons to the local Darby and Joans for as long as they want. £60 is way over what he's worth, but the venue love him, cos he's so cheap. I can remember being ousted from a residency by a cheaper option ( somebody give Darren smelling salts and a stiff drink, but it's true :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: ) and laughing my socks off at the tales told to me by disgruntled punters. Believe it, or believe it not, it's still happening ten years later, so it's a case of " never mind the quality, feel the width " Sometimes, I despair. :( :(

Scenario2: (More than likely Darren to a T. )
A DJ with a playout system of whatever flavour which is fully legit, carrying tracks of every genre needed to cope with 90% of gigs and audiences, and a DJ who knows when to play which ones, and at what volume. Here you're paying for expertise, and the saving is basically one to two hours of this persons time, so in my humble opinion, it's a discount of £25-£50 from the normal figure charged.

As a footnote, I'm rarely happy working with installed kit. I'd much rather use my own. Others may do it more often, and be much happier with this arrangement.

[JDB Entertainment]

I thought you were an actor as well?


I am however my main income is"JDB Entertainment" and acting work is few and far between at the minute.

Hope that clarifies.

[spin mobile disco]

I don't know if it helps but I did a working out on my income and worked out how much work I need and minimum I can live on to charge and then based my prices on that figure.

Even a walk in job has to keep the final aim in mind ie making enough to live on , pay bills and a small amount aside for future upgrades or emergencies.

I am noticing that there does seem to be majority in agreement on this. Nice to see a subject we seen to generally agree with.

[Ecstatic Events]

£200 as a minimum for me. It's a reasonable amount to pay a good, quality DJ for the type of function you are explaining