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Don't play for free unless it is a "showcaase" event that you sponsor and that would be designed to get you out in front of people and heard.

If you play for free, that becomes your price. It is surprising how that word will get around to the owners of paid venues.

I don't like price-cutting to get the gig either. That has a habit of becoming the new price for all.

Learned all these things the hard way, I did.

Of course, playing for a charity or good cause is not playing for free. Your hard work is your donation to the specified charity.


--Mac



I agree. based on personal experience, anything that affects the owner's expectations of how much he will benefit financially from spending a little for live music will affect EVERYBODY's opportunities. The bad news is that karaoke, DJs and open mic have already changed the expectations dramatically. (and my friends who still make their living playing in a full band are quick to remind me that singles acts playing along with backing tracks have also diminshed their ability to compete)

But cost-benefit analysis is a part of every business transaction. Nobody will spend $1 to get $1 back... return has to be more than investment, and it has to be more than OTHER alternative investments.

Yet some products manage to charge more than the competition. Bayer aspirin gets about twice as much per bottle than its generic equivalent by advertising and cultivating the reputation of being better... even though studies show it is the same as the generic. Playing for free does NOT send the mesage that you are a superior alternative.. it sends a message of desperation and undesirability.

I'd like to hear peoples' thoughts on what musicians can do to cultivate the impression that real live music adds something that the alternatives lack. You have at least one advantage.. you are indeed live music, but by using backing tracks you are more cost effective than a full band, yet just as able to stir up the crowd.

Last edited by Pat Marr; 08/09/10 08:24 AM.
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