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What do you get paid to DJ?

buttonbutton 1,475 Posts
edited October 2008 in Strut Central
b,121Just trying to get the pulse of the nation here. Where do you live and what does your local hipster bar pay for your small-time weeknight spin?b,121b,121 The guy who coordinates the nights I do sometimes has been getting the same $$$ from the bar for the last five years. I think its time prices are adjusted for inflation, but I'm not sure if maybe we've got it better than most.b,121b,121Also may I preempt any do-gooder who will inevitably tell me that I shouldn't care about the money: its has a little to do with getting paid, and a lot to do with being taken advantage of.
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  Comments

  • UnconSciUnconSci 824 Posts
    100-200 seems kind of standard for a start. b,121b,121bar percentages.... 10-15% seems standard.b,121b,121It all depends what you bring to the table though... but I am booking shit now... and hope to get 200-300 a night... but will probably end up settling for 100-200.b,121b,121If you can charge at the door... thats usually good. 5 at the door with 50 people still pays better than a bar percentage...
  • keithvanhornkeithvanhorn 3,855 Posts
    if your talking about a weeknight at a small bar...i guess the best way to gauge is to go in there on the night you want to dj, and see how they are doing. b,121b,121if its dead and you know u can fill the place, u have great bargaining power. if its packed without a dj, they probably don't want you, and if its dead but you aren't a promoter or a dj with a name, then you should take whatever they offer you (assuming money is not the issue, as you say).
  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
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    h,121
    b,121Also may I preempt any do-gooder who will inevitably tell me that I shouldn't care about the money: its has a little to do with getting paid, and a lot to do with being taken advantage of.
    b,121
    b,121
    h,121
    font class="post"1b,121b,121F*ck that. U prepared ur music before hand and most likely have a musical agenda.b,121b,121No different from the prep work a bartender does before he/she before the party starts.b,121b,121Money issues shouldnt even be questioned. U wanna get paid. b,121b,121I started out low cause i had no following. As time passed i was able to ask for way more. In fact dude knew to pay more.b,121b,121By the time i left I was making 200+ at a small bar/lounge. b,121b,121It really depends on the venue on what u can try to cop from the game.b,121b,121b,121I had/have a job so i wasnt lookin for this to pay my rent. Str8 gravy eagles.
  • SoulOnIceSoulOnIce 13,027 Posts
    I'm getting a pretty modest amount for my nights, but it is alsob,121on a quiet night in a modestly attended bar - and if I wasn't splittingb,121the night with a guest each month, the pay would seem much better.b,121Also, I get paid more depending on how many people come through theb,121door, so if I can get the numbers up, my pay goes up.b,121b,121If I was playing to bigger crowds on a better night, I would expect more.b,121b,121b,121Also, when I found out people around here DJ similar nights for no money,b,121just a free meal, or less money, I felt better about it.
  • LamontLamont 1,089 Posts
    as converted to a weak dollarb,121b,121play music in a caf??: 100$b,121hipster bar, mixing skills required: 200$b,121as a dj with a reference at a party with a proper promoter: 400$b,121all night wedding party for people in their thirties: 700$
  • The-gafflerThe-gaffler 2,190 Posts
    it depends, $100-$400... this friday night is gonna be legit, and hopefully a $400 night.
  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    Fri/Sat = easy money.b,121b,121Mon-Thurs = let me see ur hustle
  • phatmoneysackphatmoneysack Melbourne 1,124 Posts
    not enough
  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    Years ago I thought of an idea when the DJ started to really bubble in the public eye. That eventually led to the "celebrity" DJ zone.b,121b,121One sweetheart said "she would love if i played at her house all day..."b,121b,121We joked and thought it out - what if one was to be a Private DJ like a chef. Stay in some rich persons crib and play morning music,during the day shit,dinner shit,im fuskin my partner music..etc.b,121b,121I'd have to convince some new money cat to set up some equipment at their house and play music 3 to 4 times a week.b,121b,121Fusk an Ipod or the Radio....Im here to fill your crib w/ my ingrediants all day/night.b,121b,121Driver,Chef,Trainer,Decorator,DJ....b,121b,121I dont think its that far from a fantasy.
  • The-gafflerThe-gaffler 2,190 Posts
    ^^^ ON THAT LEVEL ^^^b,121b,121do not bite di Batmon
  • DB_CooperDB_Cooper Manhatin' 7,823 Posts
    I only do occasional events, but I roll with $150 flat setup/breakdown fee plus $75 an hour.
  • CousinLarryCousinLarry 4,618 Posts
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    h,121
    b,121I only do occasional events, but I roll with $150 flat setup/breakdown fee plus $75 an hour.
    b,121
    b,121
    h,121
    font class="post"1b,121b,121You should bump your hourly to at least $100 for events. And if there is travel involved or other BS $125.
  • DB_CooperDB_Cooper Manhatin' 7,823 Posts
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    h,121
    b,121
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    h,121
    b,121I only do occasional events, but I roll with $150 flat setup/breakdown fee plus $75 an hour.
    b,121
    b,121
    h,121
    font class="post"1
    b,121
    b,121You should bump your hourly to at least $100 for events. And if there is travel involved or other BS $125.
    b,121
    b,121
    h,121
    font class="post"1b,121b,121That was the plan until the economy tanked. Now I think I'll have to wait until things turn around a bit.
  • CBearCBear 902 Posts
    The bar I played at twice charged me for drinks... I got played.
  • RerogRerog 569 Posts
    The last bar I played at gave 10% of sales and a free bar tab.b,121b,121Well, we had a free bar tab until a friend and I drank 23 Pacifico's. Then they backed it down to 10 free drinks, 1/2 price after that.
  • The-gafflerThe-gaffler 2,190 Posts
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    h,121
    b,121Well, we had a free bar tab until a friend and I drank 23 Pacifico's. Then they backed it down to 10 free drinks, 1/2 price after that.
    b,121
    b,121
    h,121
    font class="post"1b,121b,121hahahahaha, that can be me sometimes. if it's a place i'm feelin, i'm more than happy to pay 1/2 on drinks. the place i've been spinning at as of recent lets me explore my alcoholic possibilities and i laud them for their courage. who was it on here from PGH that knew my dude Spaed, and was like "when you tell him free kickback on the drinks while spinning, he runs with it" hahahahahaha!
  • CONCEITCONCEIT 145 Posts
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    h,121
    b,121The bar I played at twice charged me for drinks... I got played.
    b,121
    b,121
    h,121
    font class="post"1 img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/son.gif" alt="" /1 img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/841.gif" alt="" /1
  • RerogRerog 569 Posts
    We definitely ran with it, probably just flat out abused their generosity at times. The spot was ran by friends and a DJ partner of mine (who posts here) got kicked out of the club TWICE in the same night.b,121b,121Did you hear me? THE DJ got kicked out of the spot HE WAS SPINNING IN twice in the same night!b,121b,121Needless to say, I had to pick up his slack that night, although I'm sure he did it for me at least once or twice too.
  • DB_CooperDB_Cooper Manhatin' 7,823 Posts
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    h,121
    b,121if it's a place i'm feelin, i'm more than happy to
    pay 1/2 on drinks/s1 pack some Jameson in my DJ bag[/b]. b,121b,121h,121
    font class="post"1b,121b,121 img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/headz.gif" alt="" /1 img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerbang.gif" alt="" /1
  • LawrenceLawrence 125 Posts
    so does this mean that DJ Yoda is overpaid at $7000 for 2 hour set?????
  • GrandfatherGrandfather 2,303 Posts
    the last time i played out, i was paid $20/hour (LOL), free drinks, free food, and then an intimate encounter with the fine lady bartender. (i think she liked me though, it was personal and not business)
  • CosmoCosmo 9,768 Posts
    Usually a lot of money.
  • DJ_EnkiDJ_Enki 6,471 Posts
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    h,121
    b,121Usually a lot of money.
    b,121
    b,121
    h,121
    font class="post"1b,121b,121b,121^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^b,121Needs 50 Gs a gig just to function!
  • CosmoCosmo 9,768 Posts
    Hahaha JUST TO FUNCTION hahah.
  • buttonbutton 1,475 Posts
    So the consensus seems to be around $100 or 10% of the bar. That's definitely less than this guy pulls in for his nights. What a shame as he goes out of his way to tap some serious people with insane records being played all night long. b,121b,121But the market is saturated with idiots so I guess that's what you get when anyone with an itunes and some dollar bin classic rock joints can be-a-dj. start asking for more money and they'll just throw your night to some ankle-biter
  • HarveyCanalHarveyCanal "a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
    One of the few times that I've deejayed out and didn't get paid for it, I found a half ounce of kay-bee sitting on the bathroom floor. img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/happyday.gif" alt="" /1
  • NiteKrawler45NiteKrawler45 1,062 Posts
    Round my parts, it's usually between 150 and 400 at the non-megaclubs on Thurs-Sat. Often that's based on attendance, the higher numbers (closer to 400 or slightly higher) are 10% of bar when you draw.
  • SIRUSSIRUS 2,554 Posts
    whenevr i've djed at bars it's been 125 for 4 hours.i think thats a reasonable (lil dude)djing price.
  • SwayzeSwayze 14,705 Posts
    I've stepped up my asking prices lately. Other than a semi-regular corporate gig, I'm getting roughly $100/hour. b,121b,121One spot that I restart on Halloween is giving me $250 plus %13 of anything over $3000 in bar sales between 9pm and 2am. Last time I djed there, they made $5700 in that 5 hours.
  • Birdman9Birdman9 5,417 Posts
    /font1
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    h,121
    b,121I've stepped up my asking prices lately. Other than a semi-regular corporate gig, I'm getting roughly $100/hour.
    b,121
    b,121One spot that I restart on Halloween is giving me $250 plus %13 of anything over $3000 in bar sales between 9pm and 2am. Last time I djed there, they made $5700 in that 5 hours.
    b,121
    b,121
    h,121
    font class="post"1b,121b,121Yeah, but they woulda made that with an ipod playing img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /1
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