Playing out - do you DJ for free?

[redfire]

If the party makes money, the DJ should make money - even if it's only covering the cost of travel and a couple of beers.

^ this ^

If theyre making money by gettin you to play, then u deserve a cut... if its for the music, then thats cool as well.......

[DREdio]

tbh I'll jump at just about any opportunity to play out. being able to play tunes on any system more powerful than what i've got at home is payment enough( but some free beers or a bit of cash goes a long way to sweeten the deal )

[PinUp]

lol there's no way i'd ask for a fee, but that's mainly cos im not exactly amazing. i'll always offer to play for free just cos i want to and usually i'll get free beers and something small like 10/20 quid which im very happy with!

[dsprainman]

I just got my fist gig out of the blue. I started collecting vinyl last year, then sacked up and got a second Technics and a Xone 22 mixer in January. Pretty crazy that my first show is going to be opening up for Mayer Hawthorn (Stones Throw) in front of over 1000 people. Couldn't be more stoked to expose all these people to the sounds of Bristol and London that I find so addicting. And yes, I'm doing it for free to gain experience.

[timmyyabas]

i still can't believe forsaken isn't getting paid for gigs these days.

shockin!

[pete_bubonic]

i still can't believe forsaken isn't getting paid for gigs these days.

shockin!

Ha! Thanks man. That's what happens when you stop making/releasing music though. I've had a lot more fun in the studio since the added pressure of gigs and releases has gone away! And maybe even found a sound I'd like to work on for a bit. Band stuff as well.

[frankiegrimes]

I wouldn't turn down a good gig if it wasn't paid, I'd prefer to spend a night playing records to a few hundred people than sitting at home, but if the promoters take a profit, they DJ should definitely get paid.

On one or two occasions when I know the promoters lost money on the gig, I didn't go looking for money. I know what it feels like to lose lots of money on a gig...

[grimesceneinvestigation]

I decided not to play for free anymore over a year ago and have done so twice ever since.
doesn't feel right anymore since when I used to throw parties myself, paying every invitee was the first houserule - my opinion is that if you ask a dj, this equals that you actually want to book him/her.
now, one of those two free sets, which was hip hop at a skate contest, turned into a second request - old school jungle at a "real" event.
50 euros to play records sometimes valued my minimum fee was asked too much, hélas.

[ransom]

As I've gotten older, the old "oh, a few guest spots and drinks, ok" is no good for me. Usually none of my friends are coming out anyways, and I'd rather get some money than a few drinks (which I end up giving most away anyways). And like it's been said a few times, if the promoter is making any money (e.g. cover at the door, a percentage of bar sales, etc.), get something. Ask for a fee before you say yes to the gig.

Or be the stereotypical volunteer DJ playing the opening slot with no concept of programming.

[the wiggle baron]

i still can't believe forsaken isn't getting paid for gigs these days.

shockin!

Ha! Thanks man. That's what happens when you stop making/releasing music though. I've had a lot more fun in the studio since the added pressure of gigs and releases has gone away! And maybe even found a sound I'd like to work on for a bit. Band stuff as well.

Ahh youve intrigued the balls off me...
Oh, and ive never asked or really thought of getting paid to DJ. Cos I dont really have any reason for someone wanting to book me for anything, its always people I know who run nights etc. They'll always sort me out a few pints or some beers from a case behind the decks, but thats fine by me to be honest. I enjoy playing out more than just about anything else and im just happy to do it really, happy to help out mates nights too, I know how hard it is to get something going!

If it was a case of people I didnt know asking me, id definitely ask for travel costs though. But thats pretty much only ever the case if youve got some reason to be heard of, releases etc. And yeah if that was the case I think youd expect to make some money, but by that point its a bit more than a hobby really!

...I just wish there were more nights where I could showcase my real sound really! If I got the chance to play somewhere where something like martyns dark remix of acid bells would go down better than the normal floorclearing, id do that all day for nowt but a smile...

[horsefeather]

this is a pretty interesting topic made me think about it a little more.

[fractal]

i still can't believe forsaken isn't getting paid for gigs these days.

shockin!

Ha! Thanks man. That's what happens when you stop making/releasing music though. I've had a lot more fun in the studio since the added pressure of gigs and releases has gone away! And maybe even found a sound I'd like to work on for a bit. Band stuff as well.

Ahh youve intrigued the balls off me...
Oh, and ive never asked or really thought of getting paid to DJ. Cos I dont really have any reason for someone wanting to book me for anything, its always people I know who run nights etc. They'll always sort me out a few pints or some beers from a case behind the decks, but thats fine by me to be honest. I enjoy playing out more than just about anything else and im just happy to do it really, happy to help out mates nights too, I know how hard it is to get something going!

If it was a case of people I didnt know asking me, id definitely ask for travel costs though. But thats pretty much only ever the case if youve got some reason to be heard of, releases etc. And yeah if that was the case I think youd expect to make some money, but by that point its a bit more than a hobby really!

...I just wish there were more nights where I could showcase my real sound really! If I got the chance to play somewhere where something like martyns dark remix of acid bells would go down better than the normal floorclearing, id do that all day for nowt but a smile...

well put wiggles!

[pete_bubonic]

I think I should add a proviso, because reading this thread back makes me sound like I'm only in it for the cash (which is partly true in context). If you get to the point where you're being asked to play on a regular occasion and your appearance at a club will generate profit (via ticket sales, or bar take), then you should be paid. Because you love your art doesn't mean people should have the ability to take advantage of your over it. I love my day job, it's nerdy as fuck and I genuinely get a kick out of it, I will never do it unpaid though.

[fractal]

^true story, i would definitely say that the answer to the OPs question depends on what type of djing we are doing. at this stage in my life, i only play a few times a year and it is always at a house party or deep in the forest... not in a club that generates revenue

[Basic A]

Off topic - Forsaken's band is badman.