Musicians

There is a saying amongst artists that they can die of exposure.

What this means is that events, fundraisers, attractions all need artists. Usually, they need musicians but there is not much of a budget.

Therefore it is easy for a fundraiser or a bar or a restaurant or an event to want musicians to play for free or for very little, and to think that exposure for the band to an audience is fair compensation. More often than not, our local musicians are extremely generous and will play for free or for far less than they are worth.

Confession. I am guilty of this myself. For more than one event I have asked musicians to play for busking fees and honorariums and the local musicians have graciously accommodated me.

But my conscience is getting the better of me and as I get to know more and more musicians better, as I see my son train hard, as I witness the sacrifice and dedication of these artists … the more I realize their monetary value. I’ve seen musicians play sick. I know that professional musicians will, more than once, miss important family events and milestones of their children to be crowded into a van traveling miles and miles for a gig they’ve committed to. I know that for every concert there are hours upon hours of practice. I also know that these local musicians – of all levels – spend pretty much every dollar they earn on staying alive, on studio time and paying for gas and equipment for their next gig.

Lighting it up

P.A.'s Zablocki leads Regina to victory on Day 4 at Esso Cup

12h ago

WORLD SOFTBALL

Group stages officially set for Men's Softball World Cup in P.A.

18h ago

Safety first

Safety concerns and tips surrounding discarded needles in P.A.

Apr 23, 2024

So I called SaskMusic, the source of all knowledge of the Saskatchewan Music industry.

Lorena Kelly, Program Manager is a wealth of information for musicians and for people working with musicians.

Kelly says there are many factors affecting what to ultimately pay musicians but that SaskMusic has a minimum scale rate of $120 for the lead musician in a band and $80 for each additional band member.

“There are so many variables when considering scale,” she says. “Artists need to consider if this is a non-profit event, maybe a craft fair or a new venue – if they are on the amateur side. These are the considerations for minimum scale.”

From there, the value of the musicians goes up. Factors include the exposure of the artist (how big a name they are), the status of the venue, the type of venue, the type of event and the ticket price.

“The most important factor is the market value of the band,” says Kelly. “Say the Sheepdogs, a Saskatchewan born band, wants to come home and play. They may voluntarily play at a rate less than they are worth because they are coming home but with their current market value, you could not expect to bring in the Sheepdogs for less than $50,000.00.”

That being said, some artists still choose to be very generous and play for free for events or causes they believe in or pay for less than they are worth. Artists moving into a new territory, may also slide down the scale in new provinces, for example, to establish themselves in a broader market. Some musicians will ask for a percentage of the door – but shouldn’t be asked to do all the advertising and ticket selling to make the event successful – because the music they provide should be more than enough.

When musicians have been generous with their time and talent, SaskMusic encourages artists to then ask for a tax-deductible receipt when possible.

So when you go to an event where there are musicians playing, remember that each of those songs have been practiced countless times, that those are artists up on the stage that have worked hard and are tired and maybe even sick, have made a sacrifice to be there – to do something they love and support something they believe in.
Even if it means getting sponsorship…pay them. I know I will be in the future.

Also remember that each of these bands does need exposure so when you see their posts on Facebook or Twitter or paNOW.com’s Community Group News or Coming Events – help these artists out and share the information. Also, shop local. There are many, many local musicians and bands that have worked hard and spent way more than they can afford on producing one or more CD`s and/or have their music on iTUNES. Please pay for local artists and listen to the amazing music they produce.

For information on this subject specifically, go to SaskMusic’s page for Contract information at: http://www.saskmusic.org/how-to/contracts-and-templates .