Video: Why Musicians Still Get Paid Like It’s 1975

depends on who's hiring you isn't it - the Blind Pig resturant and Lounge hasn't a lot to give. the Allstate Arena may have more..

Music industry advice videos (especially on Youtube) are often misguided.
Musicians are under paid because there is NO scarcity. There are half a dozen very good drummers who could do your gig if you walk away because you aren't paid enough. The best advice is to decide (realistically!) what you are worth and pitch it along some educated line - like you've done your research and established what other drummers at your level tend to charge.
In my experience, the best gigs tend to be low paid I can work with some great guys, incredible musicians making incredible music, and the pay scales typically low. Honestly I would rather do that than take a better paid job in musical theatre, a casino or on a cruise ship.
You have to balance income against cool gigs that will further your career and get you noticed. You won't get invited to join some up and coming, cool signed band with a cruise ship resume.
Since streaming a lot of income has been stripped out of the music scene. Artists who were selling a lot of records would pay their touring band a decent wage. With many fewer studio sessions keeping the best drummers busy, they have all joined the touring workforce, so as I say, there is NO scarcity. I have seen more than one bass player say they will walk unless they get a better fee. They are allowed to walk and now sit at home hoping the phone will ring.

It’s also because the word “play “ is used in what we do …

I don’t go to work and play with machines , I sell them and build them ….

So , what do you do for a living ?

Oh , I play accounting.

We are expected too look like we are having a very good time .
And it’s also ok (almost expected) that we drink on the job .

the King had two people by his side right? a Court Jester on his right and Musician on his left;
we're incidental psychopaths

My bands start negotiating from around $1,200-$1,500 as a result we turn down a lot of gigs. A lot of people think they can hire us for a few hundred dollars. At 65 years old and playing for 55 years, I don't want to play for $50.

Talking about gigs (not studiowork), there seem to be roughly 4 groups of musicians over here in The Netherlands:

1. working musicians playing the big arenas, festivals, TV shows, etc. Apparently a small group of people who get all those jobs. Their faces are familiair but their names not.
2. working musicians playing smaller festivals, etc.
3. musicians who likely have a main / side job, playing wedding parties / corporate gigs, etc.
4. probably the largest group: hobby / fun players playing bars, small gigs, etc.

Group 1: I don't think I've ever heard what they earn. I guess then can make an OK living out of playing.
Group 2: not sure about these either, I'm guessing the pay isn't great.
Group 3: these would probably be the most lucrative gigs.
Group 4: they should be happy if the gig money covers their gas and other expenses.

The best paying gigs are big arenas, tv, festivals etc. Plus it's usually the most rewarding for your soul.
Below that level, yes, probably function bands (tribute, wedding) pay well and are consistent jobs.
Everything else is scrabbling for pennies.

Houndog1964 said:

So , what do you do for a living ?

Oh , I play accounting.

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I perform, and I initially trained for ten years before my first professional gig, and I've never stopped educating myself 40 years later.
I'm passionate about my work, not doing it as a means to an ends - it pays my mortgage and my annual holiday.
All you need is a different perspective to see how dedication, taking life risks can be more valuable than 'building a machine'.

The sad fact is, there is a surplus of very good musicians on the scene. Modern colleges are churning out hundreds of professional and well trained musicians at the end of every school year. Meanwhile piracy and streaming have stripped out most of the income from record sales. So everyone is chasing a steady paid gigging job and ideally a well paid job.
If you are 23, just left college, you'll agree to go on tour with a 'name' band for $250 a week. You have very few responsibilities and overheads and you need experience, exposure, and something for your resume. If you are an over 40 musician, you have family to feed, mortgage or rent today, etc.

Chris Whitten said:

I perform, and I initially trained for ten years before my first professional gig, and I've never stopped educating myself 40 years later.
I'm passionate about my work, not doing it as a means to an ends - it pays my mortgage and my annual holiday.
All you need is a different perspective to see how dedication, taking life risks can be more valuable than 'building a machine'.

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The public looks at it as you “ get “ to perform. .
I meet people regularly who tell me they wish they could play drums . No one ever tells me they. Always wanted to build machines .
Working hard and being dedicated to music does not guarantee that a person will make a living at it .
I almost feel like you are putting others down that don’t make a living solely from music .

I don’t need a different perspective, there are just more than your experiences and perspective .

A lot of life is just how things turn out .

You could have been born in a different country and had your dreams squelched by a totalitarian government.

One of the benefits of just “ building “ machines is I get to choose if I want to play with a band or not I dont have to endure people I don’t like or music I don’t want to play .

I’m not saying you are wrong , I’m saying we are both right .

I’m not sure it’s even wrong vs right .

Life can turn out differently no matter how one has worked at a goal .

Another topic for discussion is if your life would be better / you'd be happier earning not a load of money but doing what you like versus having a good paid job you hate.

Unless you have built a name for yourself and can stay in demand as a working musician, I think group 3 would be the most sensible choice.
Having a part time job (probably not music related) which can cover (most of) the bills and next to that playing good paid gigs, adding additional income.

Houndog1964 said:

One of the benefits of just “ building “ machines is I get to choose if I want to play with a band or not I dont have to endure people I don’t like or music I don’t want to play .

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This is another myth. I have always turned down work, and generally avoided doing gigs I hate (with the very odd exception). You just live within your means. I never had a mansion, or multiple homes.
Most of my life I've been doing what I wanted to do, being my own boss, making music every day. A lot of people get to 60 and regret not taking that chance and instead enduring a day job they dreaded, only to pay their bills.

Houndog1964 said:

I almost feel like you are putting others down that don’t make a living solely from music .

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Not at all. You started with the negativity, saying that musicians are perceived as 'playing' instead of working.
My point of view is that you only get one life and you should do what makes you happy. It's not ALL about money.
Many people farm and barely scratch a living, but they enjoy their lives in nature, growing things etc.
I respect anyone who risks it all to do what they believe in - whether that's farming, nursing, fixing clocks, painting, firefighting.....playing drums.

Chris Whitten said:

Not at all. You started with the negativity, saying that musicians are perceived as 'playing' instead of working.
My point of view is that you only get one life and you should do what makes you happy. It's not ALL about money.
Many people farm and barely scratch a living, but they enjoy their lives in nature, growing things etc.
I respect anyone who risks it all to do what they believe in - whether that's farming, nursing, fixing clocks, painting, firefighting.....playing drums.

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I don’t believe my comment was “ negative “

We are perceived as “ getting to play “

People don’t buy tickets to watch me build machines …

I certainly didn’t mean it in a negative light .

I respect your viewpoint Chris , you do realize that your perspective is just one of many ?

I know lots of musicians taking any and every gig that comes their way and they are miserable …

I basically started a family at 17 old, I played in a band that had just started up and I was a welder in small shop building trailer frames. Had I not started a family and pursued music it probably would have ended bad for me, due to drugs and just being an idiot. I retired after 46 years of welding and for the most part I enjoyed what I did for a living. I'm very proud to say that there are literally thousands of Beechcraft airplanes flying all over the world with engine trusses, landing gear and other assemblies that I welded. So I don't regret too much not pursuing music. I've played in small time bands the whole time, so all in all life's been good to me.

Didn't watch the video, but I disagree that the pay hasn't changed in 50 years based on both my local gigs (in L.A.) and my tour pay over the last 42 years.

That said, I would agree that little has changed in the last 25 years or so, at least for local gigs.

The fact is, musician pay is very subjective. Apart from the occasional union date, pay rates vary widely. I'm not generally thrilled with the pay for local gigs, but I also don't have make a living from them. Very few players can pull that off, especially in places like L.A., New York City, etc.

I know several homeless musicians...and several musicians who's retirement is likely to be homelessness...and its not for want of quality of musicianship.

bermuda said:

Didn't watch the video, but I disagree that the pay hasn't changed in 50 years based on both my local gigs (in L.A.) and my tour pay over the last 42 years.

That said, I would agree that little has changed in the last 25 years or so, at least for local gigs.

The fact is, musician pay is very subjective. Apart from the occasional union date, pay rates vary widely. I'm not generally thrilled with the pay for local gigs, but I also don't have make a living from them. Very few players can pull that off, especially in places like L.A., New York City, etc.

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I might argue that its not subjective.

It MUST be a living wage...not minimum 'non-livable' or its not sustainable.
That or the 'industry' survives by vampirically preying on dreams.