[Dixielandjazz] Fw: The results of your email commands

[John McClernan]

Bart,
Your words remind me of a clarinetist/bassoonist dear friend who passed away last year, Paul Sherr. When someone approached him at a gig and asked how much we charge, he always said, "well, the music is free. What you pay for is everything we had to do to get here." He meant not only the equipment we buy and the travel/setup time, but also the years of practice, the lessons we paid for, the education we received, etc.  For example, when Paul was growing up and learning bassoon, the best teacher to study with in the Philadelphia area was the first bassoonist of the Phila Orchestra. Problem was, Paul lived in Quakertown PA, about 40 miles from the northern edge of Philadelphia. There was no northeast extension of the PA Turnpike in those days, the customary route to Philly was state rt. 309. Paul took a trolleycar down 309 from Quakertown to Philly once a week to take his bassoon lesson, and if the trolleycar wasn't running in the bad weather, he hitchhiked. 

So, that's some of what the client is paying for when you quote a price. Once you're there, the music is free.
Cheers,
John
 
On Jan 3, 2012, at 9:11 PM, Dixiejazzdata wrote:
Exactly John:
I use a response pretty similar to this to folks who beg us to play for free or hobby money.
I sign every band inquiry with
We ain't Cheap But we can be Had !
Some folks I simply tell them if you have to ask how much we charge chances are pretty good you can't afford us :))
And I am usually correct too.
A favorite of the el cheepos on Craigslist is  "We are on a Budget "   that means they have $100- $300  maximum.  for the whole band and expect you to bring a P.A. too.   I also love those who say we only want you for 30 minutes tops  how much would that cost?
Some of them feel really stupid when I inform them that it will takes us an hour and a half to get there, 1/2 hour to set up and then play and then a half hour to packup and another 1 & 1/2 hours to drive home and another 1/2 hour to pack the P.A. and gear away.   Then some of them also feel insulted :))
Some of my best paid gigs however have been for ten minutes or less  once they understood this.
I also send them this video often:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4UcbhF58Jg
Cheers,
Bart.