[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":535},["ShallowReactive",2],{"articles-how-to-price-your-band-for-gigs":3,"author-tim-mushen":438,"\u002Facademy\u002Farticles\u002Fhow-to-price-your-band-for-gigs\u002F-surround":523,"navigation":534},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"description":418,"extension":419,"meta":420,"navigation":433,"path":434,"seo":435,"stem":436,"__hash__":437},"articles\u002Facademy\u002Farticles\u002Fhow-to-price-your-band-for-gigs.md","How to Price Your Band for Gigs (Without Guessing)",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":390},"minimark",[9,18,23,26,48,51,60,64,131,135,138,142,156,168,172,186,189,193,198,201,205,212,216,219,223,226,243,246,254,258,261,265,279,282,286,289,293,297,300,304,307,311,318,322,325,329,347,351,359,362,366],[10,11,12,13,17],"p",{},"Pricing anxiety is normal. Charge too low and you resent the work; too high and you get silence. The fix is not a viral rate card—it is a ",[14,15,16],"strong",{},"cost floor"," plus a clear offer.",[19,20,22],"h2",{"id":21},"start-with-a-floor-not-a-fantasy","Start with a floor, not a fantasy",[10,24,25],{},"Add up per-show costs:",[27,28,29,33,36,39,42,45],"ul",{},[30,31,32],"li",{},"Fuel \u002F transit",[30,34,35],{},"Food",[30,37,38],{},"Paid subs",[30,40,41],{},"Gear depreciation or cartage",[30,43,44],{},"Ads if you spend to promote",[30,46,47],{},"Your time (even a modest hourly floor)",[10,49,50],{},"If a door deal cannot clear the floor on a realistic turnout, you need a guarantee, a shorter set, fewer people, or a no.",[10,52,53,54,59],{},"Track money with habits from ",[55,56,58],"a",{"href":57},"\u002Facademy\u002Farticles\u002Fmanage-band-finances\u002F","manage band finances",".",[19,61,63],{"id":62},"know-the-deal-types","Know the deal types",[65,66,67,83],"table",{},[68,69,70],"thead",{},[71,72,73,77,80],"tr",{},[74,75,76],"th",{},"Deal",[74,78,79],{},"When it fits",[74,81,82],{},"Risk",[84,85,86,98,109,120],"tbody",{},[71,87,88,92,95],{},[89,90,91],"td",{},"Guarantee",[89,93,94],{},"Booker believes in you \u002F private events",[89,96,97],{},"You must deliver",[71,99,100,103,106],{},[89,101,102],{},"Door deal",[89,104,105],{},"Developing draw, shared bills",[89,107,108],{},"Empty room = empty pockets",[71,110,111,114,117],{},[89,112,113],{},"Hybrid",[89,115,116],{},"Common mid-tier",[89,118,119],{},"Read the fine print",[71,121,122,125,128],{},[89,123,124],{},"Flat private-event fee",[89,126,127],{},"Weddings, corporate",[89,129,130],{},"Scope creep if not written",[19,132,134],{"id":133},"public-club-vs-private-event-pricing","Public club vs private event pricing",[10,136,137],{},"Private events usually pay more because the client buys certainty: timeline, wardrobe, song list, and professionalism. Clubs often pay in exposure plus a smaller fee or door. Do not price a wedding like a Tuesday open mic—or a Tuesday like a wedding.",[19,139,141],{"id":140},"negotiation-without-burning-bridges","Negotiation without burning bridges",[27,143,144,147,150,153],{},[30,145,146],{},"Ask what the budget is before inventing a number",[30,148,149],{},"Offer packages (60 vs 90 minutes, duo vs full band)",[30,151,152],{},"Trade soft costs carefully (guest list, merch space)",[30,154,155],{},"Get the number in writing",[10,157,158,159,163,164,59],{},"Booking craft lives in ",[55,160,162],{"href":161},"\u002Facademy\u002Farticles\u002Fhow-to-book-more-gigs\u002F","how to book more gigs"," and ",[55,165,167],{"href":166},"\u002Facademy\u002Farticles\u002Fmusic-venue-outreach\u002F","venue outreach",[19,169,171],{"id":170},"raise-rates-when-signals-appear","Raise rates when signals appear",[27,173,174,177,180,183],{},[30,175,176],{},"Regular rebooks",[30,178,179],{},"Clients saying yes too fast",[30,181,182],{},"Calendar full on peak nights",[30,184,185],{},"Stronger production and draw",[10,187,188],{},"Raise for new clients first; grandfather carefully.",[19,190,192],{"id":191},"faq","FAQ",[194,195,197],"h3",{"id":196},"should-we-ever-play-free","Should we ever play free?",[10,199,200],{},"Rarely, and only strategically (right room, right tape, right relationship). Free as a lifestyle trains people to undervalue you.",[194,202,204],{"id":203},"how-do-we-split-the-fee","How do we split the fee?",[10,206,207,208,59],{},"Decide before the gig—see ",[55,209,211],{"href":210},"\u002Facademy\u002Farticles\u002Fhow-to-split-band-revenue\u002F","how to split band revenue",[194,213,215],{"id":214},"what-about-tips","What about tips?",[10,217,218],{},"Define whether tips are pooled. Announce merch and Venmo only when it fits the room.",[19,220,222],{"id":221},"worked-example-simple","Worked example (simple)",[10,224,225],{},"Four-piece, 2-hour private event, 60 miles round trip:",[27,227,228,231,234,237,240],{},[30,229,230],{},"Fuel $40",[30,232,233],{},"Food $60",[30,235,236],{},"Paid sub $0",[30,238,239],{},"Time floor 4 people × 5 hours × $25 = $500",[30,241,242],{},"Gear\u002F merch buffer $50",[10,244,245],{},"Floor ≈ $650 before profit. Quote $900–$1,200 depending on market and production, or decline.",[10,247,248,249,253],{},"For a market ballpark before you build that floor from scratch, run the same gig through the free ",[55,250,252],{"href":251},"\u002Ftools\u002Fband-rate-calculator\u002F","band rate calculator"," — it returns a quote range and walk-away number from documented US heuristics, then you still set the real floor from costs like the list above.",[19,255,257],{"id":256},"when-bookers-push-back","When bookers push back",[10,259,260],{},"Offer a shorter set, fewer players, or a different date—not free labor. If they only want free, they are not your client.",[19,262,264],{"id":263},"packaging-add-ons","Packaging add-ons",[27,266,267,270,273,276],{},[30,268,269],{},"Extra 30 minutes",[30,271,272],{},"Special ceremony songs",[30,274,275],{},"Early load-in \u002F late encore",[30,277,278],{},"Acoustic trio version of the full band",[10,280,281],{},"Add-ons protect your base rate while giving clients choices.",[19,283,285],{"id":284},"review-rates-quarterly","Review rates quarterly",[10,287,288],{},"Inflation, gas, and your draw change. Silent underpricing for years is how bitter bands are made.",[19,290,292],{"id":291},"faq-expanded","FAQ (expanded)",[194,294,296],{"id":295},"should-we-publish-our-rates-online","Should we publish our rates online?",[10,298,299],{},"For private-event and cover packages, a “from $X” range filters tire-kickers. For club development dates, ranges can still help, but leave room for door deals and co-bills—explain the model, not a single rigid number.",[194,301,303],{"id":302},"how-do-we-price-a-last-minute-sub-or-emergency-fill","How do we price a last-minute sub or emergency fill?",[10,305,306],{},"Charge a premium for short notice and incomplete production. Your floor still applies; scarcity is not a reason to work below cost.",[194,308,310],{"id":309},"door-deal-vs-guaranteehow-do-we-choose","Door deal vs guarantee—how do we choose?",[10,312,313,314,59],{},"If realistic turnout cannot clear your floor, require a guarantee, a shorter set, fewer players, or decline. Door deals are for developing draw and shared bills with honest math—track it in a ",[55,315,317],{"href":316},"\u002Facademy\u002Fresources\u002Fgig-booking-tracker\u002F","gig booking tracker",[194,319,321],{"id":320},"how-often-should-we-raise-rates","How often should we raise rates?",[10,323,324],{},"Review quarterly. Raise for new clients first when rebooks are easy and yes-es come too fast. Grandfather carefully so you do not ambush long-term buyers without notice.",[19,326,328],{"id":327},"putting-this-into-practice-on-bandmate","Putting this into practice on Bandmate",[10,330,331,332,163,334,336,337,339,340,346],{},"Write your cost floor once, then quote from it. Log every offer, deposit, and payout the way you would any shared business—see ",[55,333,58],{"href":57},[55,335,211],{"href":210},". Use ",[55,338,162],{"href":161}," for the outreach cadence and keep member availability honest so you never underprice a show you cannot staff. Sign up free at ",[55,341,345],{"href":342,"rel":343},"https:\u002F\u002Fapp.bandmate.io\u002Fauth\u002Fsignup",[344],"nofollow","Bandmate",", run one real quote this week with the worked example above, and say no to anything under your floor.",[19,348,350],{"id":349},"market-research-without-racing-to-the-bottom","Market research without racing to the bottom",[10,352,353,354,358],{},"Ask peers what ",[355,356,357],"em",{},"similar"," rooms pay—not what the lowest Facebook group rate is. Check private-event competitors' “from” pricing, your city's cost of transit, and whether buyers expect duo vs full band. Underpricing trains the market; matching serious peers plus a clear floor trains respect.",[10,360,361],{},"For multi-city work, recompute fuel and lodging per market. A rate that works inside your metro may fail two hours away even if the fee looks higher on paper.",[19,363,365],{"id":364},"related-guides","Related guides",[27,367,368,373,378,384],{},[30,369,370],{},[55,371,372],{"href":161},"Book more gigs",[30,374,375],{},[55,376,377],{"href":57},"Manage band finances",[30,379,380],{},[55,381,383],{"href":382},"\u002Facademy\u002Farticles\u002Ftour-planning-checklist\u002F","Tour planning checklist",[30,385,386],{},[55,387,389],{"href":388},"\u002Facademy\u002Ftopics\u002Fbooking-gigs\u002F","Booking gigs topic",{"title":391,"searchDepth":392,"depth":392,"links":393},"",2,[394,395,396,397,398,399,405,406,407,408,409,415,416,417],{"id":21,"depth":392,"text":22},{"id":62,"depth":392,"text":63},{"id":133,"depth":392,"text":134},{"id":140,"depth":392,"text":141},{"id":170,"depth":392,"text":171},{"id":191,"depth":392,"text":192,"children":400},[401,403,404],{"id":196,"depth":402,"text":197},3,{"id":203,"depth":402,"text":204},{"id":214,"depth":402,"text":215},{"id":221,"depth":392,"text":222},{"id":256,"depth":392,"text":257},{"id":263,"depth":392,"text":264},{"id":284,"depth":392,"text":285},{"id":291,"depth":392,"text":292,"children":410},[411,412,413,414],{"id":295,"depth":402,"text":296},{"id":302,"depth":402,"text":303},{"id":309,"depth":402,"text":310},{"id":320,"depth":402,"text":321},{"id":327,"depth":392,"text":328},{"id":349,"depth":392,"text":350},{"id":364,"depth":392,"text":365},"Pricing anxiety is normal. Charge too low and you resent the work; too high and you get silence. The fix is not a viral rate card—it is a cost floor plus a clear offer.","md",{"date":421,"thumbnail":422,"author":423,"published":424,"metaDescription":425,"metaKeywords":426,"metaTitle":427,"slug":428,"category":429,"topics":430,"summary":432},"2026-07-27","\u002Fimages\u002Farticles\u002Fmanage-band-finances.webp","Tim Mushen","published","Price your band for gigs with a simple cost-floor model—door deals vs guarantees, private events, and negotiation tips.","band gig rates, how much to charge for a gig, band pricing, door deal vs guarantee, wedding band rates","How to Price Your Band for Gigs | Bandmate","how-to-price-your-band-for-gigs","booking-gigs",[429,431],"band-management","A practical pricing model for bands: floors, deal types, private events, and negotiation.",true,"\u002Facademy\u002Farticles\u002Fhow-to-price-your-band-for-gigs",{"title":5,"description":418},"academy\u002Farticles\u002Fhow-to-price-your-band-for-gigs","pG-rGbXWTewU7wgpSSdAlZfJ_ZtPK_iFAVF5pcXTyL0",{"id":439,"title":423,"body":440,"description":448,"extension":419,"meta":511,"navigation":433,"path":519,"seo":520,"stem":521,"__hash__":522},"authors\u002Facademy\u002Fauthors\u002Ftim-mushen.md",{"type":7,"value":441,"toc":507},[442,446,449,453,456,459,463,466,498,501,504],[443,444,423],"h1",{"id":445},"tim-mushen",[10,447,448],{},"Tim Mushen is the Founder of Bandmate ®, a comprehensive band management platform designed to help musicians organize, collaborate, and grow their careers. With over 15 years of experience as both a performing musician and music industry entrepreneur, Tim understands firsthand the challenges bands face in managing the business side of their art.",[19,450,452],{"id":451},"experience-background","Experience & Background",[10,454,455],{},"Before founding Bandmate, Tim spent over a decade as an active performing musician, gigging extensively throughout the Pacific Northwest. He's performed at hundreds of venues, from intimate clubs to major festivals, and has experienced every aspect of band life - from booking shows and managing finances to navigating band dynamics and promoting releases.",[10,457,458],{},"This hands-on experience with the real challenges musicians face daily inspired Tim to create Bandmate. He recognized that while musicians are passionate about their craft, they often struggle with the business and organizational aspects that are crucial for success.",[19,460,462],{"id":461},"expertise-credentials","Expertise & Credentials",[10,464,465],{},"Tim's expertise spans multiple areas of band management and music business:",[27,467,468,474,480,486,492],{},[30,469,470,473],{},[14,471,472],{},"Band Organization & Operations",": 15+ years managing band logistics, schedules, and workflows",[30,475,476,479],{},[14,477,478],{},"Financial Management",": Extensive experience with band finances, budgeting, and revenue tracking",[30,481,482,485],{},[14,483,484],{},"Booking & Promotion",": Hundreds of shows booked and promoted across multiple markets",[30,487,488,491],{},[14,489,490],{},"Digital Marketing",": Proven strategies for social media, email marketing, and online promotion",[30,493,494,497],{},[14,495,496],{},"Music Technology",": Deep knowledge of tools and platforms that help musicians succeed",[10,499,500],{},"As the founder of Bandmate, Tim has helped thousands of bands streamline their operations and focus more on their music. He regularly consults with musicians on best practices for band management and has spoken at music industry events about the business side of being in a band.",[10,502,503],{},"Tim's insights are based on real-world experience, not just theory. Every article and resource he creates draws from actual challenges he's faced and solutions he's implemented. His commitment to transparency and practical advice has made him a trusted voice in the independent music community.",[10,505,506],{},"He believes that with the right tools, knowledge, and mindset, every band can achieve their goals while maintaining their creative vision and artistic integrity.",{"title":391,"searchDepth":392,"depth":392,"links":508},[509,510],{"id":451,"depth":392,"text":452},{"id":461,"depth":392,"text":462},{"name":423,"slug":445,"entityType":512,"bio":513,"avatar":514,"social":515},"person","Founder of Bandmate ®, entrepreneur, and musician helping bands succeed in the modern music industry.","\u002Fimages\u002Fauthors\u002Ftim-mushen.jpg",{"linkedin":516,"instagram":517,"twitter":518},"https:\u002F\u002Flinkedin.com\u002Fin\u002Ftimmushen","https:\u002F\u002Finstagram.com\u002Ftimmushen_music","https:\u002F\u002Ftwitter.com\u002Ftimmushen","\u002Facademy\u002Fauthors\u002Ftim-mushen",{"title":423,"description":448},"academy\u002Fauthors\u002Ftim-mushen","cJKLUbHtT-pz6g3_5t3o1ObfuGOvZdnpYshmyWQA0gE",[524,529],{"title":525,"path":526,"stem":527,"description":528,"children":-1},"How to Organize Band Files: Contracts, Setlists, Recordings & More","\u002Facademy\u002Farticles\u002Fhow-to-organize-band-files","academy\u002Farticles\u002Fhow-to-organize-band-files","Every band eventually has the \"where is the contract?\" problem. The venue sent a contract, someone saved it somewhere, nobody else can find it, and now you're 30 minutes from load-in with no signed agreement. The same problem happens with setlists, recording sessions, marketing assets, tax documents, and every other type of file the band creates or receives. The fix is a shared file system with consistent organization that anyone in the band can navigate.",{"title":530,"path":531,"stem":532,"description":533,"children":-1},"How to Split Band Revenue Fairly (and Avoid the Drama)","\u002Facademy\u002Farticles\u002Fhow-to-split-band-revenue","academy\u002Farticles\u002Fhow-to-split-band-revenue","Every band has The Conversation eventually. It usually starts after a good weekend, not a bad one: four people staring at a bank balance, each with a private math problem running. One carried booking for six months. One wrote the songs. One owns the van. One showed up late but sings the hooks people buy tickets for. “Fair” is not a mood. Fair is a written model you chose when nobody was cash-drunk.",null,1789924991486]