rate of pay around the country.

[alanross]

jlmer,
The only suggestion I can offer for the type of service you provide is to check with other local performers - primarily acoustic acts. If you know of someone who plays small venues (i.e.-coffee houses, little pubs), ask them what they make for what they do. Then you can set your rates accordingly. Just remember to factor in your experience as either a way to charge more or less than acoustic acts. You don't want to undersell yourself, but you don't want to price yourself out of gigs either.
- Alan

[jlmer]

I had a 4 piece band playing country, country rock and classic rock and top pay in middle and southern Illinois was $400 but was usually paid $300 by the large clubs and $250 from the small bars, etc. Weddings were $300-400 and these were usually 4 set jobs. 9pm-1am. Now that I'm starting on my own, by myself and using karaoke for my music I wasn't sure of what to charge. I don't think anyone is doing solo work in this area although there is a trio doing the same thing but they wouldn't tell anyone the time of day let alone how to be their competition.
I furninsh my own equipment and have a 3 drawer JVC karaoke machine programable up to 10 songs. Any suggestions will be more than welcome. email is kb9hqi@juno.com

[alanross]

If you can, I highly recommend user MTU's Hoster program. With it, you can load all the songs for the night into the playlist and it will automatically advance from one song to the next so you can focus on performing and not the mechanics of handling the equipment. Go to the Hoster information on MTU's main page and you can get all the information about it.

As far as pay, I'm just shooting in the dark here, but try asking $200.00 and see what kind of response you get. If people are snatching you up without question, you're not charging enough. If no one's biting, you're charging too much.

[jlmer]

I just got the MicroStudio and the Plex drive so it'll be awhile before I get into any more software. I carry a Peavy XR800C stereo mixer/amp, 20" tv, 3 speakers (2 mains and 1 monitor) so carrying and hooking up a computer sounds like a lot of work to add to what I'm already setting up. I would have to do without the tv and go to the 17" monitor so would be trading there. I guess a person could get a "dedicated" computer so it wouldn't have to be unhooked each time it was to be used.
With the CD ROM I have I thought I'd put all of the songs on 3 CDs since it'll copy the words and just let them go from 1 tray to the other. It's harder to find out everything you need to start with than I thought. I have Peavy stage lights from the band but the computer doesn't work right so will have to fix that if I decide to use them. I also have a couple of spots.

[SteveWalker]

I posted a message here this morning and it was deleted by the administrator. Please explain to me why you deleted a post that I took great care in creating and was 100% accurate and within the policies of this forum.

Steve