At the risk of getting back on topic, HOW MUCH should you charge for a gig, wedding, funeral, etc?
In Quebec, the Musician’s Guilde has a minimum of CA$125 (approx. US$108) per musician per performance for its members.
Take into consideration your playing level, and using that, compare what you think is fair with the standard going rate.
If you’re a piping god, or other diety, charge what you feel you can get away with. 
Frankly, scallop, I don’t give a clam.
djm
I won’t do a wedding for less than $300.00/person.
I think you have to be flexible. When I lived in the Boston area in the 1980s I played (whistle and flute) for lots of weddings, funerals, and other events and often got between $100 and $200 for such gigs; back then that was quite a respectable fee. I moved to Vermont in the 1990s and the going rates were much lower there; I was lucky to make $75 for a wedding and often made less. But that makes sense: average salaries in Vermont were less than half what they were in Boston, so people just didn’t have the bucks. I don’t do gigs anymore (except playing for dances), so I’m not sure what the going rates are here. In Montreal I could probably get $100 for a wedding but not much more unless it was a wealthy family. In Toronto I’m sure the rates are higher; probably higher still in Vancouver.
are the piping Gods on diets?? Must be the chips they are stuffing down with their fish 
"eskin …
I won’t do a wedding for less than $300.00/person. "
Thats quite modest really if ye only get 200 wedding?funeral guests then ye only get
$60,000 surely ye deserve more than that
Slán Go Foill
Uilliam
… sorry, I meant to type deity…
What’s involved in that? Is it just the church music, just the reception or both?
you try and get what u can get away with as always?
i’m playing with four others tomorrow night in the Clybaun hotel in Galway as the band for a wedding, i think were gettin €120 each or $150.
In a few weeks though, I’ve a wedding up home in Monaghan, me and my sister playing in the church, and we’re getting €200 ($250) each.
best gig ever though was me, oisin mc diarmada and tristan rosenstock, were scheduled to play in trinity college in 2001 - £250 each. Gig got cancelled and we all got paid anyway - sweet!!!
This next story is on a related note. It is in regard to the best tip I have made to date.
A gazillion years ago I was playing at Kitty O’Shea’s in the Hilton and Towers in downtown Chicago with my good mate Mike Wallace as The Irish Brigade. Kitty’s is far from the best venue for Irish Music, but the staff (Paddys, one and all) were like family, and many were the games of golf in the afternoons that month, pissed on our asses. But I digress.
One week, Mike and I noticed one fella that kept coming in to see us, and kept requesting Danny Boy (ugh…). Then he disappeared. We didn’t think much about it until a couple of weeks later, when he returned, and with another gentleman.
It was rather late, and Mike and I were wrapping up the evening. It was my night to tear the gear down (ugh…), and I was doing exactly that when the odd gentleman came up to me and requested Danny Boy (ugh…). I looked at him, and I confess he made me a little uneasy. “I’m sorry, but we’re finished for the night” I replied. “Besides, I have the gear torn down (ugh…) so another song is impossible” I lied. Your man looks distressed and then says “My friend has come all the way up from Daytona Beach to hear you sing Danny Boy ((ugh…), I have told him it was the best version I have yet heard”. I repressed a laugh and responded “I’m very sorry, but we really are finished for the night. Come back tomorrow evening.”
He left me and returned to his friend at the bar. After a while they motioned for me over to join them… I felt a sickly feeling welling up in my gut.
I sat down next to them at the bar, ordered a glass of Jamie, and asked how I could be of service to them. The new fella said “What would it cost to get you to play Danny Boy (ugh…) for me”? I was about to repete that we were done for the night, when the new guy opened his wallet and withdrew five, $100 dollar bills, creased them and set them on the bar. “will this do”? he asked. “I’ll just get my guitar…” says I.
I played the song (ugh…), and when I was finished, I asked him if he was certain about the tip. He said he was, and complimented me on my version of the song (ugh…).
There’s more to this story, but for my purpose here, I will say that there are folks out there who will be generous with their payment for your services, all you have to do is set, and state your fee. On the other side of that coin, there are many more who will try their level best to talk you down to pennies. I have, first hand, experienced both types ad nauseum over the last thirty years or so.
You have to be honest (but a little generous) with yourself, and with your assessment of your abilities as a musician. Collect info regarding gig prices, and set your price. Once you have your fee, stick too it… you never know, some odd stranger (a plastic surgeon from Daytona Beach, say), may provide you with a huge incentive to play Danny Boy (ugh… ).
That is a great story Joseph and thank you for sharing it with us.
Cheers,
CJ
You’re welcome Chris.
So, I think this means Michael Eskin should now display the following sign at his future gigs:
Will play for fish
Will play Danny Boy for $500
Right, actually I’ve got it better now:
Schedule of Fees:
Session Hosting: Fish
Wedding: $300/person
Danny Boy(ugh): $500
How about:
Will play Danny Boy for $500
Will refrain from playing Danny Boy for $1,000
[quote=“bradhurley”]Right, actually I’ve got it better now:
Schedule of Fees:
[size=18]Session Hosting: Fish
Wedding: $300/person
Danny Boy(ugh): $500[/size][/quote]
You rock, Brad!
I once found a greeting card featuring a cartoon of a busking highland piper on the street. His hat is out for donations, and his little sign reads:
“I"ll stop playing this horrible thing: $1.00. (Thank you)”
Y’know, that’s about right… Amazingly, those weddings where they have no problem at all with $300 also spend that much on the toothpicks at the reception, and generally treat me and my playing companions very well. I can’t believe how much money people spend on weddings. Also, when the bride’s dad is introduced as Dr. (whatever), the (name your specialty) surgeon, I don’t feel so guilty.
The few weddings I’ve done on the cheap just haven’t been worth the stress and generally those who pay less have higher expectations. Its just not worth me showing up for less than $300, but this is just a hobby for me, sure it would be different if it were my J-O-B.
That’s funny about the Danny Boy story, we’ve had that happen at some local sessions where someone put down a $100 tip to hear Danny Boy, we figured it out right quick.
Cheers,
Michael
Danny Boy - The Amazing Grace of Irish music.
Usually I do funerals for $150-$200.
One stop(Church, Funeral Home, Cemetery)= $150
2 Stops = $175
Long drive = + $25
Weddings start at $200 due to the shear frustration of dealing with bridezilla or the mother of the bride. I sometimes get calls where after I give them a price quote, they’ll ask “How much do you charge for just one song?”. $300, mam. And if you want me to tune before I do it, you’ll need a mortgage. That usually brings them around to my way of thinking.
Sometimes I really hate dealing with these old barracudas.
I’ve done two weddings (on guitar accompanying flute & fiddle). I got the jobs through friends. How do you guys get your gigs? Through the churches? Hotels? Wedding organisers?