DJ's who think its ok to continue playing for free

[BongMan]

If you set a fee, then dont worry about it. You got paid that set fee didnt you? If anything you were done a favour by having an extended slot and NOT opening. I wouldnt be complaining. You should be happy that Evolve gave you the chance to play the music you love in a primetime slot.

This seems totally ignorant to me she should thank the promoters for what having her drag her records out to a place she may not really wanna go to, doing work yes DJing is considered work people, then basically working overtime to fill a gap and getting the shaft moneywise for it?? I would say no way in hell do you charge your boss for OT or anything on that matter?? What would happen if ya did that to one of your headlining acts all fucking hell would hit the fan. Also, personally I have seen so many headline acts totally just bomb out and kill the mood they still expect to be paid regardless of what happens. Maybe the same respect should be given to locals specially when they help you promote your event free of charge.. I just think that is a low and crappy view on the subject...


Also another little addon here with the prices that tickets are going for these days you would expect the DJ's to be paid fairly no matter what they do. I mean it's not like we the party goer can demand a refund cause the rave was bunk or whatever we are shit out of luck stuck in a over heated hole full of whatever the hell is in rave air and a highly overpriced ticket. But again just my opinion

[tiedye]

I'm not a DJ. . yet, but I AM a musician. It's hard work to build your skills up enough to play a gig, and it does cost a lot of money, in most cases. But seriously. Why did you start playing in the first place? Who really picks up an instrument and says "I want to make a lot of cash once I learn how to play this well?" Nobody. None of you can deny that you picked up your instrument for the sake of playing. For the sake of fucking music.

So it's hurting some people's wallets because promoters would rather book a mediocre FREE set as opposed to paying for a slammin act. Here's some advice, from one musician to another: If you're that good, it won't go unnoticed.

[G3N3R4L]

so you think its a case of baseball vs golf?

in baseball, players get paid what they are contracted for .. whether they hit homers or not. it goes on like that as long as they perform good enough to help the team.


in golf, players only make money based on how well they do. if they cant sink the putt, they dont take home one of those goofy-sized cheques.


what would you rather have? djs that are paid depending on how well they do? or djs that get contracted to do a job and get paid that amount regardless of performance?


edit* as has been said above. even big djs can have an off night. not based on skill. but say the crowd doesnt want house that night and dont like it. you wouldnt expect that someone like tiesto would take less payment if the crowd didnt dig it.

[sNyx]

Originally Posted by G3N3R4L

so you think its a case of baseball vs golf?

in baseball, players get paid what they are contracted for .. whether they hit homers or not. it goes on like that as long as they perform good enough to help the team.


in golf, players only make money based on how well they do. if they cant sink the putt, they dont take home one of those goofy-sized cheques.


what would you rather have? djs that are paid depending on how well they do? or djs that get contracted to do a job and get paid that amount regardless of performance?

fucken eh, that was a great angle. you rockx! :)

[BenGiovanni]

Originally Posted by BongMan

This seems totally ignorant to me she should thank the promoters for what having her drag her records out to a place she may not really wanna go to...

You can always rip your records to mp3 and play cds live?
lighter and no worries about random ravers bumping the decks.

[Richard_Pyra]

Originally Posted by G3N3R4L

so you think its a case of baseball vs golf?

in baseball, players get paid what they are contracted for .. whether they hit homers or not. it goes on like that as long as they perform good enough to help the team.


in golf, players only make money based on how well they do. if they cant sink the putt, they dont take home one of those goofy-sized cheques.


what would you rather have? djs that are paid depending on how well they do? or djs that get contracted to do a job and get paid that amount regardless of performance?


edit* as has been said above. even big djs can have an off night. not based on skill. but say the crowd doesnt want house that night and dont like it. you wouldnt expect that someone like tiesto would take less payment if the crowd didnt dig it.

That being said, DJing isn't a competition. It would be ridiculous to run on a system where DJs compete (applause-o-meter?) for the top fee.

[Bevvy Swift]

Originally Posted by BenGiovanni

Your not a dj so I wasnt expecting you to read it in whole anyways.
thanks for trying atleast

excuse my rudeness, but id hardly call you a dj either. and you will adress myles only as "sir" in the future

[Hot Karl]

Originally Posted by dj Spinz

Also clubs make sales on booze, if you can bring in 20 people to their club you should be paid (here's the math 20 peeps x 5 beers x 6$ =$600). What about 100-200 people? bigger math.

i do not work in a club or the industry, but before you go throwing numbers out there, don't forget everything costs money.

venue's rent/lease. liquor license. bartenders. waitresses. busboys. security. coatcheck. liquor.

that's your basic shat too. on top of any damage, someone's the janitor and incidental costs. assuming everything goes smoothly.

then you can start spending money booking talent and organizing a party. all before you've made a single $. so for every 'shady' promoter there's been a million good ones that have been fucked over.

[Chewy]

alot of dj's just buy records and mix. why should you get paid for that, why should you get paid for taking someone elses work and benefiting from it?

[Leviathan]

Riiiiiiiight. By that logic I should be happy working my 60 hours a week while only getting paid salary for 40. I'll remember to thank my employer next time I have to put in more time for the same pay because they are doing me a favour.

Originally Posted by BenGiovanni

If you set a fee, then dont worry about it. You got paid that set fee didnt you? If anything you were done a favour by having an extended slot and NOT opening. I wouldnt be complaining. You should be happy that Evolve gave you the chance to play the music you love in a primetime slot.

[BenGiovanni]

Originally Posted by Cheez

excuse my rudeness, but id hardly call you a dj either.

HAHA, id rather produce and make music than play other artists work!
But im still confused, how can I be hardly a dj when im playing out regurarely at decent events.

[G3N3R4L]

Originally Posted by Leviathan

Riiiiiiiight. By that logic I should be happy working my 60 hours a week while only getting paid salary for 40. I'll remember to thank my employer next time I have to put in more time for the same pay because they are doing me a favour.

i personally dont equate the two like that

job = work
dj'ing doesnt = work

and personally speaking. getting an extra half hour to spin at a party to me is a bonus.

i see it as a positive and not a negative. i like being up there playing out.

if there was a contract for a set time and set pay.. when the time slot was gonna be changed that is your time to renegotiate pay. not after.

just sayin

[BenGiovanni]

Originally Posted by Leviathan

Riiiiiiiight. By that logic I should be happy working my 60 hours a week while only getting paid salary for 40. I'll remember to thank my employer next time I have to put in more time for the same pay because they are doing me a favour.

how about the contracted designers for movies...they sign a contract for a time period... so any time needed to finish the job and the effort is up to you...
it goes both ways.

[BenGiovanni]

edit...double post...

[Chewy]

Originally Posted by BenGiovanni

regurarely

regularly

[Bevvy Swift]

i never said you arent a dj, i said you're HARDLY a dj

get it staright sucka

and i dont know what your little production comment had to do with anything either, ive been producing since i was 15. wow-ie!

edit for benny

[Bevvy Swift]

Originally Posted by G3N3R4L

i personally dont equate the two like that

job = work
dj'ing doesnt = work

and personally speaking. getting an extra half hour to spin at a party to me is a bonus.

i see it as a positive and not a negative. i like being up there playing out.

if there was a contract for a set time and set pay.. when the time slot was gonna be changed that is your time to renegotiate pay. not after.

just sayin

actually, djing IS work. i love playing out as much as the nexy guy, but how many hours of hard practice have you put in in your bedroom? and what about when you get slot-shafted? is that fun??

imo, just because you enjoy it doesnt make it not work. should teachers who love thier jobs get pay cuts?

[Leviathan]

You may not equate the two like that but the fact is your performing a service and that service should be compensated accordingly, weather you love it or not. I love my job but I'm still not going to work for free nor should my employer presume that I would work for free. :)

Originally Posted by G3N3R4L

i personally dont equate the two like that

job = work
dj'ing doesnt = work

and personally speaking. getting an extra half hour to spin at a party to me is a bonus.

i see it as a positive and not a negative. i like being up there playing out.

if there was a contract for a set time and set pay.. when the time slot was gonna be changed that is your time to renegotiate pay. not after.

just sayin

[Leviathan]

for sure, I totally see where your coming from but those are the type of things that are worked out before hand while finalizing the contract. My guess is with Dj'ing everything is done verbally so its a bit more complicated to make sure everyone is on the same page so to speak.

Originally Posted by BenGiovanni

how about the contracted designers for movies...they sign a contract for a time period... so any time needed to finish the job and the effort is up to you...
it goes both ways.

[BenGiovanni]

Originally Posted by Cheez

i never said you arent a dj, i said you're HARDLY a dj

get it staright sucka

and i dont know what your little production comment had to do with anything either, ive been producing since i was 15. wow-ie!

edit for benny

Hardly a dj = a have not...all those djs that are in the scene for 8 months then drop off the face of the planet like cyrus... just one of many...
on the other hand i seem to be getting places just fine...
Prod note = id rather be doing it than spinning as a profession
but producing since 15 though, hard to believe that you knew what a sequencer was back then let alone how to arrange a track.
actually n.m... you can beat box quite well so that is an advantage to arranging a track.

Originally Posted by Chewy

regularly

sorry, i didnt pay attention in english class :p

[BenGiovanni]

Originally Posted by Leviathan

for sure, I totally see where your coming from but those are the type of things that are worked out before hand while finalizing the contract. My guess is with Dj'ing everything is done verbally so its a bit more complicated to make sure everyone is on the same page so to speak.

meh depends on the style of the promoter...
but whatever... im not worried about it... its just sad to see the scene go to shit cuase of stuff like this.

all these posts remind me of a chat room
didnt fnk have a chat room back in the day?

[Bevvy Swift]

Originally Posted by BenGiovanni

Hardly a dj = a have not...all those djs that are in the scene for 8 months then drop off the face of the planet like cyrus... just one of many...
on the other hand i seem to be getting places just fine...
Prod note = id rather be doing it than spinning as a profession
but producing since 15 though, hard to believe that you knew what a sequencer was back then let alone how to arrange a track.
actually n.m... you can beat box quite well so that is an advantage to arranging a track.

seeing as i grew up in a musical family (both my parents were professional musicians) and ive played the guitar since i was 13, i'd say i know how to arrange music. and no, i didnt know what a sequencer was when i was 15, but most production software comes with tuitorials, which can be valuable learning tools for the aspiring producer.

but this is all waay off topic. the fact is, too many promoters in vancouver (and other cites, i assume) take thier dj's for granted, and the attitude that "you should be glad you got to play such a good timeslot" is a terrible one.

[BenGiovanni]

Originally Posted by Cheez

but this is all waay off topic. the fact is, too many promoters in vancouver (and other cites, i assume) take thier dj's for granted, and the attitude that "you should be glad you got to play such a good timeslot" is a terrible one.

i agree and disagree
for a new dj or one just wants to get their name out... its a good opportunity
for a veteran, its a waste of time, guaranteed theyve seen their share of decks to play on

[Bevvy Swift]

Originally Posted by BenGiovanni

i agree and disagree
for a new dj or one just wants to get their name out... its a good opportunity
for a veteran, its a waste of time, guaranteed theyve seen their share of decks to play on

but herein lies the problem: where do you draw the line? at what point does a newb dj become a non-newb dj, and deserve pay? it becomes very muddy, and now most promoters only pay thier headliners, because everyone else can be considered a newb in comparison.

[BenGiovanni]

the way i see newb vs experienced

Newb:
Plays tracks that have been raped by others (doesnt know what an alias is), beatmatching is a task, cant keep steady with the beatmatching

Experienced:
Mixing and beatmatching is second nature, track selection (new tunes and always upto date with the latest releases and music drama) and reading the crowd. Knowing labels and what genres they cater to releasing.

this turns into the fork in the road..
smart djs will turn to djing to increase their wage, a reason to charge more...