Studio musician payment?

[adompeace]

Hey y'all. 10 days ago, I sent an e-mail to Skyline Studios in New York City asking if they could use a session pianist and I sent them samples of my playing. This morning, they finally replied and said they're interested in having me in their studio musician team. So, obviously, I'm very excited. This is a job I'll have possibly through college, having finally graduated from high school.

Now here's the question. The head of the studio asked me how much I should charge. Now apparently, I've never been a professional studio musician before so I have absolutely no concept of how much they get paid. So now I ask you: what's the average cost of a studio musician? If you have a concept of how much they get paid, listen to my blues piano stuff (what I sent them and what I'll mostly be playing) and tell me how much you'd pay me.

[DareDevilGuy]

Well, minimum wage for a 17-year old is around 4 bucks an hour. But professional musicians are of course a bit more expensive. This is just a guess, but I'd go for about 6-7 bucks an hour.

[adompeace]

At 6/19/08 11:22 AM, DareDevilGuy wrote: Well, minimum wage for a 17-year old is around 4 bucks an hour. But professional musicians are of course a bit more expensive. This is just a guess, but I'd go for about 6-7 bucks an hour.

That's below minimum wage! I'm not that stupid!

[DareDevilGuy]

At 6/19/08 11:23 AM, adompeace wrote:

At 6/19/08 11:22 AM, DareDevilGuy wrote: Well, minimum wage for a 17-year old is around 4 bucks an hour. But professional musicians are of course a bit more expensive. This is just a guess, but I'd go for about 6-7 bucks an hour.

That's below minimum wage! I'm not that stupid!

Oh really? Fucked up American economies, 3.80 euro's is the minimumwage here.

[Rig]

A friend of mine is a studio musician, and I THINK he charges $500 per session.

[mayon8]

LOL WELL GOOD FOR YOU THEN

[alternativesolution]

At 6/19/08 11:36 AM, Rig wrote: A friend of mine is a studio musician, and I THINK he charges $500 per session.

I'm that friend, right? :D

[alternativesolution]

At 6/19/08 11:38 AM, mayon8 wrote: LOL WELL GOOD FOR YOU THEN

You're right. I won't make fun of emos. But I'll make fun of you:
Comments like yours don't help.

Have you looked around, did some research yet? You might find a lot more than on this thread.

[SymbolCymbal]

minimum wage in NYC is i think like 7.15 orsomething ...you should go for 9-10 an hour... they can use your talents but you can also use this experience as a newbie to the music recording biz. once your established you can get pay per sesion...plus youll learn soooo much about recording when your there...if i was in your position i would do it for just enough to get by and i would do overtime hahahaha ... good luck man ..

[adompeace]

At 6/19/08 11:36 AM, Rig wrote: A friend of mine is a studio musician, and I THINK he charges $500 per session.

Is he really good?

[adompeace]

At 6/19/08 11:45 AM, SymbolCymbal wrote: minimum wage in NYC is i think like 7.15 orsomething ...you should go for 9-10 an hour... they can use your talents but you can also use this experience as a newbie to the music recording biz. once your established you can get pay per sesion...plus youll learn soooo much about recording when your there...if i was in your position i would do it for just enough to get by and i would do overtime hahahaha ... good luck man ..

I hear studio musicians get paid WAY more than that. I'm not in high school anymore so I need something that isn't min. wage or close

[adompeace]

At 6/19/08 11:41 AM, alternativesolution wrote: Have you looked around, did some research yet? You might find a lot more than on this thread.

I did some research and there's, like, a million different ways to pay studio musicians. There's flat rates with w/ payments for overtime, there's payments by the hour, by the song, etc.

[Shreddy]

At 6/19/08 11:22 AM, DareDevilGuy wrote: Well, minimum wage for a 17-year old is around 4 bucks an hour. But professional musicians are of course a bit more expensive. This is just a guess, but I'd go for about 6-7 bucks an hour.

im an apprentice tree surgeon and i earn £5 per hour which is $10 per hour haha

your looking for about £10 per hour :) ($20)