How much should I charge?

spence101

Hey,

I have been asked to record a song for a friend of my mams son and I want to charge appropriatly.

First of all my setup is quite good, pro tools 8, digi 003, a full range of microphones and stands etc, perfect for top quality amateur recording. I have been recording my own projects and the recording quality has been excellent and I have experience of recording other bands as a favour and the recording quality again very good.

So as for this project, i would like to charge appropriatly. The person im recording has no musical backround, so in essence i'll be writing the music as well as performing on all tracks bar vocals (I know its a bizzare situation, but as i said a friend of my mams son).

I'd just like to get other music producer's opinions on what I should charge as i reckon i'll need at least two sessions possibly more and time to write the music ( which i dont really mind doing as an exercise, I never wrote music to another persons lyrics)

Cheers, any input would be really appreciated.

Rockshamrover

Hmm, mams mates rates I think.

dav nagle

If the mothers wanted her son to record in a big studio she would have to pay Vat and probably at least €300 per day. If you are getting experience from the project then you are gaining something more valuable then money. I would make sure you specify how much work is involved and then name a price, gauge her reaction and take it from there. If it is one song I wouldn't go beyond €300.

Seziertisch

Rockshamrover wrote: »

Hmm, mams mates rates I think.

+1

€300 would be a lot to charge considering that you're recording set up is a good quality amateur one as opposed to a pro level one, and that you are a seasoned amateur as opposed to a pro.

Also considering the connection, you should work it so that you get paid a reasonable wage for every hour that you do, but don't go too crazy. Anyways, I would imagine that you won't have a particularly high track count so it shouldn't take that long.

studiorat

Are you working already? Are you planning on paying tax on the earnings from your home studio?

And... what exactly are you charging for? Using the equipment or writing the music? You should do it for free. As you said you are doing it for an exercise and have not written music for other peoples lyrics before.

At the most you should charge expenses, the price of a lunch of whatever.

ogy

im working with mates bands at the moment recording on a modest setup. haven't asked about money up front as dav said im doing it more for the experience, but they generally give me a few quid on delivery. moved in with a band for a week, recorded and mixed four tunes over 6 days. they gave me 500 quid at the end of it, pretty happy with that for a weeks work! for one tune you couldn't really charge that much at this level i dont think, maybe 150 quid max?

dav nagle

You can only charge what you think your skill and time is worth. You decide none of us here know what your worth. I am not being mean but honest.:)

JonathanAnon

As someone who works for himself, I would think that you should give her an hourly rate, whether minimum wage or a little bit more. If you give her a flat rate (say 100 euro for the work), she will be camped out in your house for the week putting together her 128 track masterpiece. I would make her very aware of the cost during the process.