I usually charge $125 an hour when doing something mobile for a basic set up meaning, a controller set of powered speakers and a small light show and the price gets adjusted from there as I find out more info on the gig such as size of the venue and amount of people expected. After that info is when I determine now if I have to bring subs which is gonna jack the price up even more. And if they start asking for video mixing which means bringing flat screens that jacks up prices further. When it comes to lounges and clubs(club scene isn't as big as it once was here in NYC. The lounge scene is more where it's at these days)there are other factors. It's $150 to bring my laptop and my controller and $250 if I have to bring my powered speakers. I charge a little less at the lounges because that's where you really create your following of which I have a small one but it's growing fast. Just a little history, I've been spinning on and off since 1987 and I pretty much have knowledge of and can play almost every genre of music so I can pretty much take any gig that comes my way. Anything from latin music,hip hop and r&b,house and edm,funk soul,freestyle,classics and even rock. Hope this point of reference can help anybody out. Let's not mention the technic 1200's. Those bad boys don't leave the house for no less than 1g!!!!
Will Garcia Great info and you made a good point about your choice to do the lounge gigs for a lower fee because you saw that this was a potential hotspot for creating a following. This is something that can also be more important in the long run, in stead of earning a little bit more during that gig now. Building a following is always a good thing.
***** To gigs and lounges that don't have set ups it's usually a controller(I use a Reloop terminal mix 2 but I'm upgrading to the Numark NS7 2 this year)a set of 12 inch crest audio powered speakers, an rcf 15"powered sub and a small light show(Chauvet 4 play and Chauvet rbx laser). That's the base set up. I also use a small Behringer mixing board that I run the controller through first and then out to the speakers. That's my most commonly used set up and it's actually good for a room that holds about 175 people and the set can fit right in the back of my Pathfinder so no paying a roadie. For special events and higher paying gigs the 1200's come out to put on a better show. Hope this helps fam.
cristian hubbard That's true 1 month ago, ppl were super hyped, played moombahton remixes of 2000s Hip Hop songs, then short pause and drop 'Still in Love - Sean Paul' beginning at the vocals.. was awesome 😭
I would like to add, that learning as much music as possible (regardless of genre) is key. Music history is extremely important and will make you a better selector. It will help you appreciate a variety of sounds and their origins which will help you grow as a capable, eclectic, diverse entertainer. A lot of music today and over the past 30 years has been produced from other sounds, some of which didn't even relate to the genre they are now a part of. Real DJing is a long journey, have fun and enjoy all that history brings to it. 😉💯
Have been practicing at home for about 6-7 months, then had my very first gig towards the end of last year, friend of a friends 18th Birthday party. Small venue, around 50 people. Played the whole night (around 4 hours) £120 (about $180), had my friends with me and time flew. Hear alot about charging p/h which makes absolute sense with experience, but as this was my first time, I really wanted to play. I didn't feel like I undervalued myself, I knew I could of charged more and still of justified the price. But I almost felt rude trying to go any higher knowing I didn't have that level of experience. Initially I was worried, my crates consist of House/Hip Hop and RnB! and I was getting request like My Chemical Romance. Wifi was a blessing. Overall! the night was a success - chart/house/hiphop/rnb. Great advice for in the future though TLM! plan on playing in nightclub venues around my Universities city (Nottingham, UK) so definitely helps. I have a soundcloud if you're interested - soundcloud.com/mysterydre Thanks.
My answer is simple Ive been DJing for 7 years off and on. I say pay me what you think im worth at the end of the night. If it was bad I usually dont get much. If i did great and I STILL got paid low I decide not to work with that guy again, But that doesn't happen much. I have been paid so much MORE that i was picturing. Once i got paid 350 for a half hour set in a small crappy club that blew up that night
Honestly with u and ur tutorials, i have regained a very big confident that i can make it as a DJ. I'm about going into being a career dj and i see alot on youtube but just today i came across u and i have hope. Keep it up bro and soon i will make u proud
Well im a mobile Dj and just like you mentioned, i do take into consideration the distance i have to travel, if i need to pay toll and i dont have a car but a good friend of mine takes me to these venues so i consider how much i have to give him and all of that gets added on to the package they choose. I based my prices on the amount of equipment i have to take which i made into packages. I have 3 packages. One which is just music 400, second is music and light effects and fog or low lying fog for 1000 and if they wanna add a photo slideshow or if the guest wanna play video msgs, i throw in 2 32" screens or projectors and that is 1600. I also have a monthly gig at the greenhouse cafe in brooklyn where i get paid 75, but i get free drinks and food and i do it mainly for the experience.
I started at a local bar which paid $50 for a 2 hour set. It didn't seem like much, but from people coming into the bar and seeing me/hearing my sets has expanded to a second weekly gig for me as well as people approaching me to play parties and other small gigs like that. I can't complain considering I've been djing for 6 months and its starting pretty well. I love the part where djTLM talked about doing the free gig for a year. I can't agree with that more. Experience in front of a crowd is KEY to being a beginning dj. I did the same thing when I was in a band for a few years and it helped out so much. Fantastic video. You never disappoint with your videos man!
Hey DJ TLM, I've learned tons from all of your DJ info videos! I started DJing about a year ago, and slowly started playing gigs. I agree, with playing gigs for free at the start. I did it at the nightclub in my hometown and it gave me the confidence to play even smaller venues. I now charge everytime I play, either weddings, private events, or at a club or bar. It all depended on how much equipment and time the customer needs from me and that is how I charge the customer!
After watching this and learning professional dj's like TLM first started doing free gigs/shows, I am gathering courage to go and offer free reggea shows at some local 'English club' in France, thanks again for your videos man.
I started out with packages then switched to $125 per hour. It works better for me straight to the point let the client do the math. I get more gigs charging by the hour then I did with packages.
I've been Djing for about 2 years on the side. I charge 15% of the equipment I use plus travel and time. I use a DDJ-SX ($1,000 roughly), so if I don't have to bring speakers ($500 each), My base would be 150 plus gas and $10 and hour. SO for a gig that's 4 hours long and maybe half a tank of gas away it would come out to $150 for the equipment. Another $150 if I have to set up and travel with sound. Gas ($30) and 4 hours (40) to come to $370. Then I'm flexible around that. I'm just starting out, so I'm not going to charge too much, but I'm not a novice, so I'm not going to short myself. I figure, once I get better, I'll up the hourly rate and my equipment percentage, but I'll probably stop at 30% of equipment and just raise the hourly rate.
Things to consider when calculating the price: 1.) How far do you have to drive? (I tack on an extra 20$ for every 5 miles over 80 miles away) 2.) What type of event are you doing? (A wedding will *always* be more than some kids 16th birthday party) 3.) Do you need to bring a generator just to power your rig? (Adequate power is huge, and having to bring your own is an additional $70 right off the top) 4.) Do you need single day insurance just to play there? (If so, another $60 right off the top, and that's cutting them a deal figuring the average single day general liability costs over or around $100) 5.) How big is the crowd? (Less than 100 = $2-300 USD, Over 100 = $4-5, Over 200 = $6-8, over 300 you're a serious DJ and can charge almost anything) 6.) How much gear are you bringing? ( Bringing one speaker, no subwoofer, a soundboard, and your controller and latpop is nothing compared to bringing every piece of gear you own) 7.) *How long are you performing* (Generally speaking, if you have quality gear and are good, $100 an hour is not asking a lot. Some DJ's are around $150 to 200$ just because of their reputation) 8.) Are you setting up in more than one place? (Mostly for weddings. If the ceremony and reception are in different areas, charging close to double is fair since you need twice the amount of gear) 9.) "Feel out the client" - a dad who's wringing his hands together and sweating about price points for his daughter's wedding is WAY different than a club owner who isn't even looking at you as you go over the pricing. Realize what you can and can't charge. Some people will actually turn you down if you don't charge enough....they have this weird way of reasoning in that if you're not asking for a certain price range they figure you're not used to performing at high profile events.
TLM, at first I saw the total time of this video and said to myself, "Man this guy is going to talk about extra stuff that I do not need to hear". Well when it came to the 10 min mark, I was hoping this video would last for "hours" as you put it. Thanks for the info, it really helped me out on how to go about pricing.
As said in video starting out do what you can and gain as much experience however possible that is best for you. Remember, as you gain experience, confidence, and grow your ability/equipment (also if you're a mobile DJ) the more you can charge as your requests for gigs become greater. Stay humble, but stay true!
Hey! I just subscribed to you! I'm a musician who's transitioned into DJing a few months ago. I got a "good" DJ-ing gig on the weekends and I'm finding your tutorials golden! I'm from California but I've been living in Europe for 10 years now. Just want to say , Thank you!
I used to DJ in the 90's and I am looking to get back into it... yer a superchill dude and I like listening to yer wisdom. I'm going to check out more of yer videos. Thanks for what you are doing. It appears there are others that also appreciate you as well!
Just started watching your videos. Very informative and helpful. Been DJing for a few years now but have only done a few paid gigs. Even when I don't make any money from a gig I still have fun and don't let the fact that I'm not making anything affect my set. I love what I do and really enjoy making people happy with the music I play. Thank you once again. Looking forward to more videos.
To add as well: I would always request more informaiton and to meet with the client before giving a price. Giving a price over email allows them to shop around and not really see the value in your services (unless your Dj TLM or a big name!:) It has a better close rate with clients and it's really personable. It also prevents other Djs doing reserach and emailing you as a customer where they're really finding out other Djs prices.
This was a awesome question. For me I have a base price of $100.00 a hour with a 4 hour minimum. Now that is a based price subject to change depend on the event needs. Anything over 4 hours and just like a job overtime was time and a half. The reason My base price was based on time, the equipment I brought, 4 speakers, 2 mixers,3 sets of lights, bubble machines and fog machine. I also gave you a recorded CD of you event and the kicker I would do live calls or prerecorded calls from people that can't make it. But I base the final quote on distance, time. setup people needed. Foe me it was easy, my first clients were members of a country club I used to be the Banquet Manager, so I know I they had money. At the same time I was doing family and friends parties at 50%, and I was working at a club that when I started had 6 people on a Friday night, I play there for free. Like the DJ said there are a lot of things to consider where quoting a price. Hell I did gigs where I rented 2 50inch TV's and added 100. a hour. My last point sometime you have to start out free, well I thought it was losing money because of the business cards and flyers, but it was a investment. Also I always made sure I had a signed contract, stating what I would bring, and how long I would play and the price. It would also state what they would suppy ect. tables chairs, drinks, for things like that. The biggest part of the contract was the you had to let me know 72 hours in advance in you wanted to cancel or I would still charge you. oh, yea don't forget the cancel check thing. Any questions email me at bigdaddieproductionsllc@comcast.net DJ BIGDADDIE
I had to learn this on my own... wish I would of seen this video before I messed up so many prices (I bartend with DJ lights/music/fog) love this video thanks man
I had just recently watched 3 or 4 of your videos and I clicked this.. I thought this was Thierry Henry. But anyways, I have gotten a good amount of knowledge from you sir. Of course, much more to learn. Thank you!
To be honest, thanks to TLM, my mixing and my transitions have gotten a lot better. I really want to see more of your mixing tutorial series for some more info and stuff I could do!
On my first gig, me and my partner made 300$ we were poorly prepared but still managed to rock the crowd! I can say that the first time I mixed, there were injury inducing mosh-pits! I consider myself lucky to have had the BEST learning experience of my life while getting paid... This said, my next gig is supposed to be for the school party... should be a little more difficult to squeeze even a dollar out of their pocket... Thanks again TLM for the informative content!
Me starting back out after a long time not doing it, iv done a few for free, but i have this women wanting me to do her wedding in July, an i asked her what their budget was for the dj, an she gave me a decent number an i agreed to do it for half of that because i still need experience myself. She was like your booked. At least ill have enough to cover travel money. Plus it gets my name out there amongst the folks at the wedding. Word of mouth is the best advertisement
Great advice all around, Im in the US Navy, and play at the base clubs. DJing in front of different crowds from different places teaches you a lot (especially about requests). Usually i get about $20-25 an hour and average about 5 to 6 hours per set. i use an NS7ii.
Thanks Man! This Helped me out alot , i had no idea what to about this Situation ! I am a Latin DJ , i play alot of Spanish Music & EDM But Thanks DJTLM for the hard work you put in these vids that help out alot of the Beginner Djs like my self. ONCE AGAIN THANKS MAN
Hey Dj TLM!!!!! Im a big fan and I have to say you are definitely on point!!!! The information you bless us Djs with is PRICELESS and Accurate as well. I live and die by your videos, and I like to see you live broadcast your radio shows keep up the Great Work!!!!! Salute the Dj!!!!!!!
Great vid @DJ TLM. Back in 2011 I started my own company in web consulting and it didn't really pay the bills for me. Did these things, 1. made Twitter search alerts for phrases like "dj is ill" "need dj tonight" 2. I found a guy who could teach me how to dj in a different (more commercial) genre (small bar/clubscene/apres ski) and give me some gigs for low money. Not my type of music, but I needed to pay the bills. 3. created my own social media brands, websites and so forth (at that time that was not as common as now) (all of it removed from the internet by now as it doesn't really fit with the work I'm doing now) Within about half a year I could live of dj-ing fulltime, playing 5-7 gigs in a week and could drop any other work I was doing. According to some dj list website at that time there were 20.000 djs in the Netherlands, so trying to make a living seemed dawnting, as well as that there was some post-recession backlash going in, forcing a lot of venues to close. It was fun to work both the dj gig and the marketing of events to try to keep those places open. Only regret I have... making my hobby into a job, made me not listen to any music for a couple of years or go to any bars or clubs for that matter cause I had seen more than enough. Now, 10 years later it's starting to itch again and I appreciate your videos as they get me up to date on what's new in the scene in terms of gear and knowledge. Thanks!
It was nostalgic when you mentioned Gilders. I recalled my childhood in Holland when I was buying candies and popsicles. Going back to the discussion, I learned a lot from this vlog. Bedankt DJ TLM. 😊
DjTLM.......great videos, very specific and educational, I started this as a hobby then friends ask me to play at different house parties and Bar-B-Que........just upgraded from a Traktor S2 to a DDJ-SR and since then i'm doing nothing but looking at your instructional videos....I have no intentions of doing this professionally but i do want to master the craft....thanks for sharing your wisdom and experiences stay blessed.........DjO
Another great video with valuable information. The value of experience when starting out is a great lesson and great point. Love your videos. Well done. The intro clip with collage is cool. Keep that.
Great video man! Don't worry about long videos. I can listen to you all day! I'm a DJ also . Not a beginner I would say but I can tell you have crazy experience. Some of what you say I been in through. The other stuff I will hopefully soon encounter. Thanks again. I'm subscribed.
Thank you DJ TLM for the information. Yes i am an experienced DJ now playing for 9 years. My first year or 2 i played for alot of events for free to get my name known through word of mouth and flyers and now i am famous.
Great segment on dj pricing. Your right, it is a very dicey topic. However asking questions about a gig is key because the last thing you want is to be overworked but yet underpaid. I have been Djing in northern va for 4 years and I play primarily hip hop & R&B. Although I'm fairly new to the game I'm still capable of rocking a party. My fee starts at $75 per hour. Anything additional services(production, party lights, etc) will be extra. It's the only way I can be fair to customers as well as myself. Djays aren't jukeboxes. We are expected to entertain the crowd with everyday music and make it interesting enough to dance to. This takes research, practice and a lot of time and money. So I try to make sure that the people that I deal with respect that first. If this is the case, Then we can talk money:)
Hey DJ TLM, Kyle Kessler here. I've been spinning tunes longer than most people in this business have been alive. LOL! I was a jock on the radio for 20 years and have been doing mobile DJ work for 25 years. I outright own my entire system (sound, lights and special effects) so my overhead is next to nothing. Just my time , music, travel, etc. I am not the highest priced Mobile DJ in my area, but I am not nearly the lowest. I always have people trying to get me for cheap. My experience fetches a particular amount, however, outright owning the business (and several other businesses to boot) I can pick and choose what shows to do and how much to charge. Two of the most important things I do, is to get a signed contract for every show, and I get paid UP FRONT. People usually don't have a problem paying you in advance, if they have a contract that spells out all of the particulars.
Good video bro. I been Dj for about one year at home. I done 3 house party's for free and it feels good. Free because I don't feel secure with my music and mixing. I play Latin music very little rap.
When I did mobile gigs back in the UK I had a formula which I cam up with which helped me determine the price. I came up with it based on what it cost me to actually do the gig. I had a basic hourly rate of x. The minimum amount of time I would play for would be 3 hours and then I would charge for an hours set up and dismantle (in reality the set up and packing tone would take me longer). This meant I was always getting paid a minimum rate for a gig I knew it was enough to cover my costs. I would then add on travel costs and if the gig required me to travel for any length of time or be there early I would charge them additional time at my hourly rate. I would generally do this when travelling over 1 hour. When giving prices to clients, most wedding and private events, I would then add 10% to my final calculated figure. Why? Because when they try to haggle I can then knock off the 10% and they will feel like they got a deal. To my memory this actually only ever happened once. I also would give special discounts when I did events at certain venues regularly. This helped me to get repeat business there in the long term. I would also advise many mobile DJs to get paid before you start if you don't know the people or the venue your at. People held out on cash on me a few times after I finished playing.
I haven't yet gotten a paid gig but I plan on trying for it soon (I go to a party school with a large stress on greek life). I think I'll go off of what I do for fiddle playing (I have a celtic band). For myself, it's generally around 75-100 an hour depending on how much money the people have and how far I have to go. If they feed me it'll be lower.
I charge by distance (gas etc) and if there is PA in the venue I'm in, if there is not I have to get it from company I work with as club dj. That costs extra and some goes to company back, I usually charge basic amount about 200 bucks + gas and 400 + gas if I need to get a van and all the PA from the company I work in
I know this comment is late, but this is so helpful because this is exactly the phase I'm at. I'm thinking about starting to ask for payment soon, but I'm doing a few gigs for free and considering them an internship where I can learn things like how certain groups react to my music selection, how I can get a crowd going, etc.
I started off practicing in my bedroom until I started getting the DJ bug as well. So I took $2,000 and I went out and bought me a nice controller, some DJ speakers 2 12 inch speakers and 2 18 inch subs a laptop computer and Virtual DJ software. And I forgot to mention that I bought some business cards from Vistaprint. Picked out a dj name and started hitting the pavement. At first I wasn't getting too many paying gigs and it was very tough because a lot of local bars already have DJ's available so I thought that I try the wedding market. Now at first I've been doing a lot of research and finding out that beginner DJs should not play at weddings because of all the pressure and the set up and the cost of that set up. This is the reason why this video makes sense when it comes down to charging people. As the brother said in the video there is no set price for what you charge. But as soon as I started gaining experience I started using the economical approach or " the cheap man's version of trying to save people money and also gain some experience playing in front of people." so I started charging people everything under $200. Sometimes I've even gone lower than that. But this was a way for me to get some gas in my car and to gain some experience playing in front of people when I'm DJing certain music. I had a difficult time with certain genres because all I knew was jazz music and contemporary gospel. Now I begin playing rock, heavy metal, electronica, R&B, hip hop rap, and even classical music. Yes I've had a gig where all I have to play with classical music and all I charge was $200 for 8 hours worth of work. That was a very long day but I've talked to some local DJs that was willing to give me a little bit of information concerning prices. And one of the things that I found out was if you're going to be there for more than 6 hours think of it as your permanent job if you're getting paid $15 an hour to work with a corporate person that's how much you should be charging when you're DJing. Think of being a mobile DJ as a permanent job and when you start getting even more experience and if you're willing to make this a long term career then you can start charging more like a $100 or $200 an hour . So, all I have to say is start slow do your research don't charge a lot of money at first if you're just getting out there and don't take on too much that you can't handle. Your customers are looking for professionals they're not looking for amateurs and when you're playing in front of people you have to be respectful to the music as well as being respectful to your customers.
I'm a starting dj been practicing for a while and was asked today to do a birthday party for free on Friday night at first I said I'll think about it really wanting to say no but after watching this video I will be doing that party Friday you changed my mind thanks bro
Getting a regular gig (even playing for free) is critical as more work snowballs from work. You can tell people you are a DJ til the end of time and nobody gives a rats wrinkly bits. But when you tell people you play every week at the same time somewhere and to come and listen for themselves you are suddenly validated. People with functions and events will come past to listen or approach you at the end of your set. Then if you are anywhere near half decent, someone will eventually come along and tell you to come and play at their club instead and the cash will flow.
Free gigs or low pay gigs are easy to get. Gets your flyer and name out there. Also do ymca, boys and girls clubs, little league events, church's any charitable organization. This also promotes good will and adds to your gig log.
I've paid out a few times, i.e. renting equipment, gas money, buying music to get ready for the gig. I was ok with that, this is my hobby, my passion, my 'drug of choice'. The reaction from the crowd 'priceless'.
I started djing in 2005..didn't feel comfortable playing in front of people until 2011 where I had a year residency at a Brazilian restaurant in Hollywood City Walk. I did some small gigs here and there from 2012-2015 and I just recently got to go DJ in Germany, all paid travel / food on top of my fee! I do have a regular office job but now looking to take djing full time. It's a bit tough since I live in LA where everyone and they're mom is a DJ lol.
For The Past 17 Years, I Have Donated My Time and Talent To Play 10 Hour on Saturday and 9 Hours on Sunday To a Catholic Church in Tucson, Arizona. I Didn't Charge a Dime. Plus I Had To Drive 8 Hours One Way To Play. I Learned With The Experience and Now I Provide D. J. Sound System For Bands To Hook-Up So They Will Perform.
I consider myself the "discounted DJ" when I first started performing in front of people where I was charging less than $200 to play a gig for almost 9 hours. As the brother mentioned in the video there is no set price for charging your customers for set. But you have to take in consideration which I did find out in the interim that I have a regular 9 to 5 Monday through Friday and I'm being charge a certain amount of money to perform my work. So, I can see that you can do that when you're out DJing. At first as I mentioned before I started discounting my services just to get some experience and sometimes I still catch myself doing that because the mobile DJ thing is still a hobby to me but I provide high-quality service, complete professionalism, and being prepared to play all genres of music. So to answer the question, if you're just starting out do some freebies or charge a couple of dollars just to get some experience. So once you make a name for yourself and put yourself out there as a mobile DJ than you can start making your own prices.
Being in the Chicago and StLouis area its a real mix for me. In Chicago: House Edm HH Old School Soul. I do School dances, School Faculty gatherings. State & Corp back ground sound and announcements. I also rent out my day to day live sound speakers and mic. Which I have daily rates for. I do sets in the Mid to Large birthday parties. Christmas and Weddings. I stay away from small gatherings. My base no matter what. Is $000.00. Even if its around the corner. If I have to to leave the Chicago (South of 80) metro area I charge a dollar a mile for travel expenses. I do ask for Dj budget info time to time, but have been burt more times than I'm willing to admit. After my $000.00 base and travel expense. I charge a hourly rate of $00.00 after base or $00.00 depending if I have to MC as well. Lit to Heavy Light show equipment setup is extra. Festivals and Mid to Large concert venues are a different story. I was told when I started out "Not to sale myself cheap". Most Dj I know can't scratch, read the crowd or mix tracks. Most run around with Traktor on iPad (nothing against Traktor or that setup) and entry level controllers, And do well enough. I have top of the line equipment, over 20 years of experience. I do it all, and I do it well. I am a professional DJ & MC. And I should be paid as such. Know your worth without being greedy!
lol totally agreed i just started playing at a small venue down here in Denver for a weekly event and i may end up talking about a price after another 6 to 9 months bu as far as right now ill take all the experience that i can
I'm exactly in this position right now. I'm in my second year of being on the scene and the battle for setting a price is a tough one. Also, has anyone ever had to fight to get paid meaning the promoter/event planner refused to pay you at the end or gave you a bad cheque^
Puggy Patel Yeah, I have been in situations (years ago) where the promoter tried to pay less or not pay at all. Not a good feeling. I did get my money, but the fact that I had to 'fight' for something that was rightfully mine showed me that there is a lot that can be improved in our 'urban' DJ scene here in The Netherlands.
Get paid before you start or don't play. Now if they are planning to pay you with the profits of that night, not sure what to suggest. Gotta risk it for the biscuit.
When i started out djing i had to do some gigs without getting paid which kinda suck. But i got booked for my schools football game to play music throughout the game plus a quick mix at halftime. That was probably the best gig i ever had for being a mobile dj. I usually get gigs around 100 people but that gig was about 3,000 people which was the best experienced i could get being a beginner DJ.
I'm a new DJ, a very new DJ who just started a bunch of days ago. Thanks to epilepsy I don't think I will be playing in clubs, I will probably just stream and get money from donations. But I like DJing and it will be most of a side thing. Willing to play at house parties and outside events though.
DJ TLM TV Yeah, a photosensitive epilepsy will trigger it, not sure what I have. Would be embarassing to lay on the floor having a seizure and even after seizures you can feel bad for hours or days so if that happened I’d have to go home. There are no lights at outside events and house parties though right?
you have hit the right mark with this video.. i have been in this game for over 25 years and you hit every point..i agree with you 1000% on how to price for certain gigs.. i tell the young cats i know the same thing.. with your permission may i share this with them cause i swear we sound like..lol thanks again for the information..you are a really humble man for doing this! #djtimdogg
Dj gus,been DJing 1984 til 2004,stop doing it because of my back.i charged on how many guest,inside or out, graduation, party, wedding reception,business ect. My low end $175 3 hours +75 after the 3 hours or high end was $600 for 4 hours( for businesses). I did one party outside and the bonfire tore my equipment up it wasn't worth it at any cost. I did a reception out side and had a great time,except need a lot more power outside.i was pushing 500 + watts and still seem like it wasn't enough. In side I push 75-125 watts and it plenty. Been over 10 years since I quit,now I'm starting up again because I like talking to people and when you can bring two people close,well I can say I did that, kool. 90% of all the shows I did they had me stay to drink with them. Pretty cool feeling. I could go on and on about the good times and the srewups.
In my trance days, it was tiesto, ferry corsten, armin van buuren, and Johan Gielen. Every ten years some new players comes in the electronic dance music scene. It's ironic that that these djs are still Dutch
Great vid. I'm glad you illustrated for the new DJs your early experience gaining gigs. My first times playing in front of people were basically house parties and ended up costing me money. It was me and a friend throwing a party for our friends and we bought all the food and beverage for the parties (soda,chips, snacks, beer, sometimes hard liquor) We wanted to party and wanted to have all the girls show up. I also wanted to be the DJ and the life of the party so the girls would pay attention to me. I'm the DJ. I have all the equipment and all these lights. I've got more music than that dude over there (I have everything he has plus all this other music) I didn't know how to Mix yet but I had a mixer and could crossfade from one song to the next like they did on the radio. That fellow over there cant do that. Plus, who else do you know that has speakers with 15" woofers Back then being a DJ was my way of being a rock star when I couldn't play an instrument. I eventually got better and was able to start making money from it. I learned The equipment and started installing and maintaining PA and lighting in local bars and clubs and was available to DJ when the bar's regular DJ needed a night off. I landed a few residencies and also got into Karaoke. All these things added up to years of entertainment experience and knowledge and finally decent pay.
Great tips! For us newbie DJs this is very helpful! I've been working on mixing and producing as new DJ and look forward to cutting my teeth. Agree all fields have pay dues and the 10,000 hour rule applies.
On the opposite side of this as a venue manager and owner, depending on what city you are trying to dj in the night of the week is everything. On a dead Monday owners are not willing to pay as much as what they will pay on the weekends. A lot of this is uncommon sense.
DJ Bob cola d thanks DJ TLM you helped very much with your video on pricing you've given me a better perspective on how to bid on my jobs and offers I always went by how much I figured the client was making on the event or their take in on their ownership if it was a club or bar / but now that I've been DJ so long and have been bidding for a few years i'll reevaluate my thinking god be with you and good fortunes from DJ Bob cola d -Baltimore MD
I think this is a good video, it’s presented in a professional but casual way. I’m a DJ but from a very different background. I did volunteer DJ at college and community radio stations, with an emphasis on soul, jazz and Latin grooves. It was great training especially that it was 80% vinyl and 20% CDs.. I will never regret putting in well over 500 volunteer hours doing radio. I did commercial FM radio DJ work for three months, and that was a total drag. Commercials run the show not the music, it’s dreadful and I would never wish for anyone to end up as a commercial DJ like that. Now, onto my thoughts on commercial DJs. I’ve heard incredible event DJs who played for free at big festivals like Burning Man. And I hear some really brilliant volunteer DJs on public radio stations. Ironically those are the cats who should be paid good money for what they do. Luckily for most of them it’s the love of music and the passion for it that drives them, most of them have day jobs… Whether it’s as a barista or something more closely related to the music entertainment industry. I helped a friend do booking for his bar for a few years. Because he couldn’t afford to hire live bands, he ended up just hiring DJs and the occasional karaoke night. I actually found it pretty audacious that most DJs think they’re worth $50-$100 an hour. Hear me out on this one: My friends bar preferred not to have a cover charge, that’s because at least 30% of the patrons were not coming in to dance to the DJ music they were coming in as bar regulars. When you’re in the bar business, you depend on regulars who come in every night, regardless of if there is entertainment or not. The small bar paid for the electricity, paid for all of the publicity and kept up with all of the social media to promote that DJs gigs. The DJs got a few comp drinks too. The bar also paid insurance for the venue, and even additional insurance when there were evenings that involved lots of people dancing, a stage show, etc. The bar also provided the entire sound system, so all the DJ did was show up with a laptop and their iPhone with a bunch of iTunes loaded into it. The bar also paid all of the ASCAP fees so that the DJ didn’t have to pay to play other people’s recorded music. The DJ makes cash tips and is set up To receive additional tips on PayPal, Patreon ,etc. Yeah sounds like win win win win win, except kind of a lose for the venue. If the bar had a slow night and only sold $300 in drinks, they still had to pay out $200 to $300 to the DJ. Does that seem fair? No. Personally, in my opinion a bar DJ should have to rent the space if they want all of those things provided for them. Does that sound crazy that they should have to pay a fee rather than get paid to play? Try to look at it this way… You go to any high-quality hair salon where The owner of the place charges a “chair fee” to the haircutters. The haircutter might pay $200 a week to rent that chair. That’s not much if you figure they’re charging $75 per haircut, they probably make that chair rental in half a day of work. So back to the DJ fee. Doesn’t make sense that a DJ should pay a fee to use all of that equipment that the house provides? I decided to test the waters by asking a few DJs if they would pay to play. They said “of course not. No Way! That sounds like a rip-off deal!” So I told them, “OK… Well you can either pay me for use of power or you’re going to have to rent a generator to put outside on the sidewalk. You’ll need to fuel the generator, you’ll need to have a city permit and you’ll need to have someone watching the generator so it doesn’t cause a fire or get stolen. Then you have to buy or rent long extension cords to run from the generator to the stage or booth where you are spinning your music. All of those cables need to be taped down to the floor so that no one trips on them or the liability goes on you, yes the DJ would need to carry their own liability insurance.” Do you get my drift? DJs have it too good and most of them are not worth the money they ask for. I’ve seen every type of pay level imaginable. I’ve been at fancy parties in Mexico City where the DJ was paid $2000 an hour. The big joke was most of his music was pre-recorded on thumb drives and he just sort of acted like he was spinning and mixing his set. That DJ’s gig was five hours, he made $10,000, plus 1st class airfare, plus overnight lodging at a five-star hotel. When you roll it all together it’s complete nonsense. For half that money the event could’ve bought their own DJ equipment and paid for a weekend DJ workshop for a few of their staff members to be DJs. And that would work out fine, because their DJs would get cash tips plus their hourly wage, plus the house would save a lot of money on having these big name DJs. I’m all for good spinning but, frankly the best ones I’ve ever heard were performing out in the desert at Burning Man for spinning music on public radio. A good example of genius music sets on the radio include KCRW station’s show called “morning becomes eclectic”. And Hawaii public radio with their show called “bridging the gap”, hosted by the amazing DJ Mr. Nick. I find it laughable when I see DJs who act like rock stars (yes, even trashing hotel rooms), since DJs are not musicians, though some really being the craft of spinning up to an artistic level that’s impressive. Wanna hear some great DJs? Spend a week in Kingston, Jamaica listening to DJ masters. Hint: They are not in the private resorts and flashy disco clubs in Montego Bay. They are playing at the all-night street dances in the Dancehall scene. Yo, they ain’t no wedding DJs, they the real deal!
Wow, not surprised I’ve gotten several private messages from people criticizing my opinion. Yo, I’m just one person, giving my own first impressions and observations. Do you want to prove me wrong? Go ahead, be that DJ who shows up with his own generator for power. And how about those ASCAP fees? In reply to a few people who asked, no I am not a DJ. I occasionally do it for fun because I like music. Recent gig: I did a friends party gig spinning acid jazz & world music. I kept the music going continuously for 14 hours. In exchange I got a few great meals, and overnight lodging in a really cool beach house. Totally worth it to me. What do I actually do for a living? I work in a movie and TV production. Have I ever given my services away or worked cheaply? Yes of course. I’ve worked on countless low budget independent films, but I was able to balance that out by working on extremely high budget car commercials and lame music videos that had obscenely huge budgets. One of my smartest decisions was many years ago when I worked for 58 days for free on a feature film. It was that director’s first gig. He went on to make many movies that got Oscar nominations and several major awards. I’ll never regret investing my time many years ago, it’s been paying off ever since!
Yes I like it and I'm a Dj as well and I been djing for like six months now and I and I work for e.b.t entertainment now they been doing and doing many giggs for years but I'm trying to work my way up to be really good so I like it
I made this video a long time ago so I have to guess why I didn’t mention how much I charge. I imagine I did it because it isn’t really relevant. Prices are different in every country, city, scene, and your reputation/relevance also plays a part in your pricing process. The best thing you can do is research what the going rates are in your area and scene. Then you have to decide where you fall within that rate. I think I should do a follow up video about this soon
A friend of mine is getting married this summer and asked me to do her wedding. I am increasing my fee for services this year but because she decided not to get married in another state like she had planned at first I decided to give her a discount. Also they are a young couple and I'm trying to help them out because they are on a budget, so I got a big thank you for that and she hired me.
I have one.. If you are already well positioned in your home town and have your "standard" fee, don't ask the same when you are booked out of town (even in situation, that your travel expenses are paid and are not part of the fee negotiations at all). You are quite common in your area and usually you are not the headliner of the party. When you get booked out of town, situation change. Suddenly you are more likely to be that special guest or headliner and even being marketed this way. You gotta ask for more money. How much? I would suggest 50% raise, but that's just my opinion.
In my region average rate for any experienced/Popular DJ is between 3 and $400. We have a lot of $100 DJ's around driving down the pay rate. For private events I charge the average 3 to $400 for 3 to 4 hours. Public events I charge $500 minimum for 2 to 3 hours. Depending on the size of the event, venue, and the promoter I will go lower. If you book me multiple times I'll do a discount. By the way I am a radio DJ with a following so they have to pay for that to.
am based in Zimbabwe Africa and am a pro dj so I charge based on venue or crowd. If venue is well established i charge $400 per show, if crowd is more than 5000 i charge up to $1500. If it is club i charge 75% gate takings as i have other djs in my stable to last all night
I have been DJing for over 15 years, but struggle to get gigs that pay anything. I live in Austin, TX and there are many DJs willing to give away their talent to massive festivals, raves, dances, etc. It makes it really hard to get paid while DJing. I did hold a club residency once and made $100 for Thursday nights and $150 for Friday nights. I thought this was great but I'd be DJing about five hours a night, but I loved it. It was my first steady gig and I got a shitton of free drinks so that's pretty cool! But that was back 10 years ago and it's so much harder to break into the scene now v.v
You mention weddings at the end. I want to follow through with this im in my first year (of making money at this) I want to do this for a living I love it. Im ok not making money right now. I have turned down 12 or so wedding this first year because I have a vision of my "branding" that I want to shape. Would that not water my branding down? Is it ok to do weddings too? If what I really want is to be a specific style of club dj......The Djs around here are locked in and no ones removing them. I have had to make a quiet name for myself this last year. I cant even go to a gas station with out someone knowing me now. BUT. they know my dj name not my name. Branded. My real question is am I looking to far into it? I want to take the facebook/google approach to branding. no mishaps, just smiles and every show matters.
The place I currently work for I have residency. But I was told a while back he wants to make : all talent (also bands) sign a contract stating that a week before and a week after we cant play within a ten mile radius. Now, after laughing at him (nice guy but a bit out of touch) I explained how silly that was. But I also realized Ive outgrown the venue. My girlfriend and I and my lighting friend have sat up nights talking out what the next, best, most calculated move is. DO NOT STOP MAKING THESE VIDEOS. you kick ass man!
Bro,most times weddings are used more as promo for a dj irrespective of how big you already became.And,they pay more too,depending on the celebrant and his budget.You can't plan a 50,000usd wedding and underpay me who is gonna make all your gusts happy.Moreover,most wedding guests may have retired from clubbing and private gigs so,there's no way you'll meet and sell yourself to them for further bookings if you're turning down weddings. So,I'll suggest you become a full pro and,start taking those gigs.You may also set a high price for yourself which all that knows your worth will never reject. I've been long in the game and still do all kinds of events.Bills must be paid.Peace.
I'm a hip-hop/dancehall/soca DJ. I'm 17 years old and I've been DJing since I was 13. I started doing real gigs at 15 but people never really took me seriously because of my age. A lot of times they wouldn't even ask me about money and just tell me a day, time, and place. More recently I put my foot down and told people who wanted to book me, $75 an hour payed when I get there. Of course a lot of people would change their minds about booking me but now when someone comes to me with a booking request they ask me how much I charge first
I like your videos a lot. You've helped me to understand how to scratch and a lot more. I'm just thinking to moving out of my home and go play at some clubs. So all of your videos give a lot of information, Thanks for that! :) And just a video idea for beginners: Music Copyrights. Becouse i would like to know about them.
Well everybody I'm kind just starting over. I use to DJ in high school. Long story short I had to quit to take care of the family and now I'm back and going from vinyl to controllers. So I'm charging $300 for a minimum of 4 hours and then $60 an hour after that. The price does vary depending on the gig and the customer's budget. So what do you think is that too much just starting out or not enough?
I usually charge $125 an hour when doing something mobile for a basic set up meaning, a controller set of powered speakers and a small light show and the price gets adjusted from there as I find out more info on the gig such as size of the venue and amount of people expected. After that info is when I determine now if I have to bring subs which is gonna jack the price up even more. And if they start asking for video mixing which means bringing flat screens that jacks up prices further. When it comes to lounges and clubs(club scene isn't as big as it once was here in NYC. The lounge scene is more where it's at these days)there are other factors. It's $150 to bring my laptop and my controller and $250 if I have to bring my powered speakers. I charge a little less at the lounges because that's where you really create your following of which I have a small one but it's growing fast. Just a little history, I've been spinning on and off since 1987 and I pretty much have knowledge of and can play almost every genre of music so I can pretty much take any gig that comes my way. Anything from latin music,hip hop and r&b,house and edm,funk soul,freestyle,classics and even rock. Hope this point of reference can help anybody out. Let's not mention the technic 1200's. Those bad boys don't leave the house for no less than 1g!!!!
Will Garcia Great info and you made a good point about your choice to do the lounge gigs for a lower fee because you saw that this was a potential hotspot for creating a following. This is something that can also be more important in the long run, in stead of earning a little bit more during that gig now. Building a following is always a good thing.
Best answer on this page bro! I am right were you are.
whats your most common setup bro?
***** To gigs and lounges that don't have set ups it's usually a controller(I use a Reloop terminal mix 2 but I'm upgrading to the Numark NS7 2 this year)a set of 12 inch crest audio powered speakers, an rcf 15"powered sub and a small light show(Chauvet 4 play and Chauvet rbx laser). That's the base set up. I also use a small Behringer mixing board that I run the controller through first and then out to the speakers. That's my most commonly used set up and it's actually good for a room that holds about 175 people and the set can fit right in the back of my Pathfinder so no paying a roadie. For special events and higher paying gigs the 1200's come out to put on a better show. Hope this helps fam.
Will Garcia it does. Good lookin out bro
EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO BE A DJ LEARNING 90'S AND EARLY 2000'S HIP HOP/R&B IS CRUCIAL!!! THOSE SONGS WILL GET THE HYPE GOING!!!
cristian hubbard
That's true
1 month ago, ppl were super hyped, played moombahton remixes of 2000s Hip Hop songs, then short pause and drop 'Still in Love - Sean Paul' beginning at the vocals.. was awesome 😭
I would like to add, that learning as much music as possible (regardless of genre) is key. Music history is extremely important and will make you a better selector. It will help you appreciate a variety of sounds and their origins which will help you grow as a capable, eclectic, diverse entertainer. A lot of music today and over the past 30 years has been produced from other sounds, some of which didn't even relate to the genre they are now a part of. Real DJing is a long journey, have fun and enjoy all that history brings to it. 😉💯
cristian hubbard thanks just made crates with BPM SUPREME 90’s and 00’s hip hop hits. It gets me hype to I grew up in the late 90’s early 00’s
Joy Hoffmann what’s a short pause ?
Definitely I agree 100 percent
Have been practicing at home for about 6-7 months, then had my very first gig towards the end of last year, friend of a friends 18th Birthday party. Small venue, around 50 people. Played the whole night (around 4 hours) £120 (about $180), had my friends with me and time flew.
Hear alot about charging p/h which makes absolute sense with experience, but as this was my first time, I really wanted to play. I didn't feel like I undervalued myself, I knew I could of charged more and still of justified the price. But I almost felt rude trying to go any higher knowing I didn't have that level of experience.
Initially I was worried, my crates consist of House/Hip Hop and RnB! and I was getting request like My Chemical Romance. Wifi was a blessing.
Overall! the night was a success - chart/house/hiphop/rnb.
Great advice for in the future though TLM! plan on playing in nightclub venues around my Universities city (Nottingham, UK) so definitely helps.
I have a soundcloud if you're interested - soundcloud.com/mysterydre
Thanks.
My answer is simple Ive been DJing for 7 years off and on. I say pay me what you think im worth at the end of the night. If it was bad I usually dont get much. If i did great and I STILL got paid low I decide not to work with that guy again, But that doesn't happen much. I have been paid so much MORE that i was picturing. Once i got paid 350 for a half hour set in a small crappy club that blew up that night
Marco Castillo NIce tip, bro!
+Marco Castillo you might do well and the promoter says you were shit
If I know, and the Promoter know I did well and he low balls me, thats the last time I work with that guy again. They had their chance.
Marco Castillo way too many greedy promoters out there
Very bad idea. Way too much of a gamble
Honestly with u and ur tutorials, i have regained a very big confident that i can make it as a DJ. I'm about going into being a career dj and i see alot on youtube but just today i came across u and i have hope. Keep it up bro and soon i will make u proud
That's great!
yea thanks, i will send u the types of Dj controllers and u will advice me on which to use
.Thanks
Well im a mobile Dj and just like you mentioned, i do take into consideration the distance i have to travel, if i need to pay toll and i dont have a car but a good friend of mine takes me to these venues so i consider how much i have to give him and all of that gets added on to the package they choose. I based my prices on the amount of equipment i have to take which i made into packages. I have 3 packages. One which is just music 400, second is music and light effects and fog or low lying fog for 1000 and if they wanna add a photo slideshow or if the guest wanna play video msgs, i throw in 2 32" screens or projectors and that is 1600. I also have a monthly gig at the greenhouse cafe in brooklyn where i get paid 75, but i get free drinks and food and i do it mainly for the experience.
DJ Founten Thanks for the input
DJ TLM, YOU ARE THE BEST!!!!
I LEARNED FROM YOU AND GET MOTIVATED AS WELL!!!
THANK YOU, SIR!
I started at a local bar which paid $50 for a 2 hour set. It didn't seem like much, but from people coming into the bar and seeing me/hearing my sets has expanded to a second weekly gig for me as well as people approaching me to play parties and other small gigs like that. I can't complain considering I've been djing for 6 months and its starting pretty well. I love the part where djTLM talked about doing the free gig for a year. I can't agree with that more. Experience in front of a crowd is KEY to being a beginning dj. I did the same thing when I was in a band for a few years and it helped out so much. Fantastic video. You never disappoint with your videos man!
Hey DJ TLM, I've learned tons from all of your DJ info videos! I started DJing about a year ago, and slowly started playing gigs. I agree, with playing gigs for free at the start. I did it at the nightclub in my hometown and it gave me the confidence to play even smaller venues. I now charge everytime I play, either weddings, private events, or at a club or bar. It all depended on how much equipment and time the customer needs from me and that is how I charge the customer!
Kyle Martin Great to hear!
After watching this and learning professional dj's like TLM first started doing free gigs/shows, I am gathering courage to go and offer free reggea shows at some local 'English club' in France, thanks again for your videos man.
I started out with packages then switched to $125 per hour. It works better for me straight to the point let the client do the math. I get more gigs charging by the hour then I did with packages.
DJLAKAY I do $100 an hour
I've been Djing for about 2 years on the side. I charge 15% of the equipment I use plus travel and time. I use a DDJ-SX ($1,000 roughly), so if I don't have to bring speakers ($500 each), My base would be 150 plus gas and $10 and hour. SO for a gig that's 4 hours long and maybe half a tank of gas away it would come out to $150 for the equipment. Another $150 if I have to set up and travel with sound. Gas ($30) and 4 hours (40) to come to $370. Then I'm flexible around that. I'm just starting out, so I'm not going to charge too much, but I'm not a novice, so I'm not going to short myself. I figure, once I get better, I'll up the hourly rate and my equipment percentage, but I'll probably stop at 30% of equipment and just raise the hourly rate.
Things to consider when calculating the price:
1.) How far do you have to drive? (I tack on an extra 20$ for every 5 miles over 80 miles away)
2.) What type of event are you doing? (A wedding will *always* be more than some kids 16th birthday party)
3.) Do you need to bring a generator just to power your rig? (Adequate power is huge, and having to bring your own is an additional $70 right off the top)
4.) Do you need single day insurance just to play there? (If so, another $60 right off the top, and that's cutting them a deal figuring the average single day general liability costs over or around $100)
5.) How big is the crowd? (Less than 100 = $2-300 USD, Over 100 = $4-5, Over 200 = $6-8, over 300 you're a serious DJ and can charge almost anything)
6.) How much gear are you bringing? ( Bringing one speaker, no subwoofer, a soundboard, and your controller and latpop is nothing compared to bringing every piece of gear you own)
7.) *How long are you performing* (Generally speaking, if you have quality gear and are good, $100 an hour is not asking a lot. Some DJ's are around $150 to 200$ just because of their reputation)
8.) Are you setting up in more than one place? (Mostly for weddings. If the ceremony and reception are in different areas, charging close to double is fair since you need twice the amount of gear)
9.) "Feel out the client" - a dad who's wringing his hands together and sweating about price points for his daughter's wedding is WAY different than a club owner who isn't even looking at you as you go over the pricing. Realize what you can and can't charge. Some people will actually turn you down if you don't charge enough....they have this weird way of reasoning in that if you're not asking for a certain price range they figure you're not used to performing at high profile events.
Yes, experience is more important. I gotta keep that in mind.
TLM, at first I saw the total time of this video and said to myself, "Man this guy is going to talk about extra stuff that I do not need to hear". Well when it came to the 10 min mark, I was hoping this video would last for "hours" as you put it. Thanks for the info, it really helped me out on how to go about pricing.
As said in video starting out do what you can and gain as much experience however possible that is best for you. Remember, as you gain experience, confidence, and grow your ability/equipment (also if you're a mobile DJ) the more you can charge as your requests for gigs become greater. Stay humble, but stay true!
Jose Alvarez Yes!
Hey! I just subscribed to you! I'm a musician who's transitioned into DJing a few months ago. I got a "good" DJ-ing gig on the weekends and I'm finding your tutorials golden!
I'm from California but I've been living in Europe for 10 years now.
Just want to say , Thank you!
Glad you like it! Thanks for watching
I used to DJ in the 90's and I am looking to get back into it... yer a superchill dude and I like listening to yer wisdom. I'm going to check out more of yer videos. Thanks for what you are doing. It appears there are others that also appreciate you as well!
Just started watching your videos. Very informative and helpful. Been DJing for a few years now but have only done a few paid gigs. Even when I don't make any money from a gig I still have fun and don't let the fact that I'm not making anything affect my set. I love what I do and really enjoy making people happy with the music I play. Thank you once again. Looking forward to more videos.
To add as well: I would always request more informaiton and to meet with the client before giving a price. Giving a price over email allows them to shop around and not really see the value in your services (unless your Dj TLM or a big name!:)
It has a better close rate with clients and it's really personable. It also prevents other Djs doing reserach and emailing you as a customer where they're really finding out other Djs prices.
This was a awesome question. For me I have a base price of $100.00 a hour with a 4 hour minimum. Now that is a based price subject to change depend on the event needs. Anything over 4 hours and just like a job overtime was time and a half. The reason My base price was based on time, the equipment I brought, 4 speakers, 2 mixers,3 sets of lights, bubble machines and fog machine. I also gave you a recorded CD of you event and the kicker I would do live calls or prerecorded calls from people that can't make it. But I base the final quote on distance, time. setup people needed. Foe me it was easy, my first clients were members of a country club I used to be the Banquet Manager, so I know I they had money. At the same time I was doing family and friends parties at 50%, and I was working at a club that when I started had 6 people on a Friday night, I play there for free. Like the DJ said there are a lot of things to consider where quoting a price. Hell I did gigs where I rented 2 50inch TV's and added 100. a hour. My last point sometime you have to start out free, well I thought it was losing money because of the business cards and flyers, but it was a investment. Also I always made sure I had a signed contract, stating what I would bring, and how long I would play and the price. It would also state what they would suppy ect. tables chairs, drinks, for things like that. The biggest part of the contract was the you had to let me know 72 hours in advance in you wanted to cancel or I would still charge you. oh, yea don't forget the cancel check thing. Any questions email me at bigdaddieproductionsllc@comcast.net
DJ BIGDADDIE
I had to learn this on my own... wish I would of seen this video before I messed up so many prices (I bartend with DJ lights/music/fog) love this video thanks man
I had just recently watched 3 or 4 of your videos and I clicked this.. I thought this was Thierry Henry. But anyways, I have gotten a good amount of knowledge from you sir. Of course, much more to learn. Thank you!
I’m glad I could add some value 👍🏽
To be honest, thanks to TLM, my mixing and my transitions have gotten a lot better. I really want to see more of your mixing tutorial series for some more info and stuff I could do!
Janis Dumins No doubt! More parts are coming. I just have to find the time ;)
Thanks! Btw, I'm the guy who emailed you for the "playing music that you don't like video"! That helped me out HUGELY!
I have been doing the same thing, not as a DJ, but as a pro touring sound system owner.
I can't take off nothing, very well said.
On my first gig, me and my partner made 300$ we were poorly prepared but still managed to rock the crowd! I can say that the first time I mixed, there were injury inducing mosh-pits! I consider myself lucky to have had the BEST learning experience of my life while getting paid... This said, my next gig is supposed to be for the school party... should be a little more difficult to squeeze even a dollar out of their pocket... Thanks again TLM for the informative content!
Yup, sometimes you will be able to get paid gigs in the beginning and that's great :)
Me starting back out after a long time not doing it, iv done a few for free, but i have this women wanting me to do her wedding in July, an i asked her what their budget was for the dj, an she gave me a decent number an i agreed to do it for half of that because i still need experience myself. She was like your booked. At least ill have enough to cover travel money. Plus it gets my name out there amongst the folks at the wedding. Word of mouth is the best advertisement
Great advice all around, Im in the US Navy, and play at the base clubs. DJing in front of different crowds from different places teaches you a lot (especially about requests). Usually i get about $20-25 an hour and average about 5 to 6 hours per set. i use an NS7ii.
Thanks Man! This Helped me out alot , i had no idea what to about this Situation ! I am a Latin DJ , i play alot of Spanish Music & EDM
But Thanks DJTLM for the hard work you put in these vids that help out alot of the Beginner Djs like my self. ONCE AGAIN THANKS MAN
What a great video man! Love your professional approach to teaching what you know. Keep it up man.
really good advice for someone like me who's just starting out in doing
Hey Dj TLM!!!!! Im a big fan and I have to say you are definitely on point!!!! The information you bless us Djs with is PRICELESS and Accurate as well. I live and die by your videos, and I like to see you live broadcast your radio shows keep up the Great Work!!!!! Salute the Dj!!!!!!!
Great vid @DJ TLM. Back in 2011 I started my own company in web consulting and it didn't really pay the bills for me.
Did these things,
1. made Twitter search alerts for phrases like "dj is ill" "need dj tonight"
2. I found a guy who could teach me how to dj in a different (more commercial) genre (small bar/clubscene/apres ski) and give me some gigs for low money. Not my type of music, but I needed to pay the bills.
3. created my own social media brands, websites and so forth (at that time that was not as common as now) (all of it removed from the internet by now as it doesn't really fit with the work I'm doing now)
Within about half a year I could live of dj-ing fulltime, playing 5-7 gigs in a week and could drop any other work I was doing. According to some dj list website at that time there were 20.000 djs in the Netherlands, so trying to make a living seemed dawnting, as well as that there was some post-recession backlash going in, forcing a lot of venues to close. It was fun to work both the dj gig and the marketing of events to try to keep those places open.
Only regret I have... making my hobby into a job, made me not listen to any music for a couple of years or go to any bars or clubs for that matter cause I had seen more than enough. Now, 10 years later it's starting to itch again and I appreciate your videos as they get me up to date on what's new in the scene in terms of gear and knowledge. Thanks!
This video really helped me get an idea of how to go about pricing gigs and different events and whatnot. Thanks man! Love your videos!!
It was nostalgic when you mentioned Gilders. I recalled my childhood in Holland when I was buying candies and popsicles. Going back to the discussion, I learned a lot from this vlog. Bedankt DJ TLM. 😊
I'd like to thank you very much for all your videos. You're a master teacher of the highest quality. I will pass on the knowledge fam.
Bro, this was the best advice I've heard about my current situation. Thanks for sharing your experience with us B! Thanks!!
Your advice is so on point! Please keep sharing the knowledge (as your tee shirt said in another video)! Thank YOu
Thanks TLM! With your advices i became a better dj and next week i will have my first gig in Milan (Italy).
I hope to meet you one day! Thanks again!
DjTLM.......great videos, very specific and educational, I started this as a hobby then friends ask me to play at different house parties and Bar-B-Que........just upgraded from a Traktor S2 to a DDJ-SR and since then i'm doing nothing but looking at your instructional videos....I have no intentions of doing this professionally but i do want to master the craft....thanks for sharing your wisdom and experiences stay blessed.........DjO
Another great video with valuable information. The value of experience when starting out is a great lesson and great point. Love your videos. Well done. The intro clip with collage is cool. Keep that.
Great video man! Don't worry about long videos. I can listen to you all day! I'm a DJ also . Not a beginner I would say but I can tell you have crazy experience. Some of what you say I been in through. The other stuff I will hopefully soon encounter. Thanks again. I'm subscribed.
Thank you DJ TLM for the information. Yes i am an experienced DJ now playing for 9 years. My first year or 2 i played for alot of events for free to get my name known through word of mouth and flyers and now i am famous.
Great segment on dj pricing. Your right, it is a very dicey topic. However asking questions about a gig is key because the last thing you want is to be overworked but yet underpaid. I have been Djing in northern va for 4 years and I play primarily hip hop & R&B. Although I'm fairly new to the game I'm still capable of rocking a party. My fee starts at $75 per hour. Anything additional services(production, party lights, etc) will be extra. It's the only way I can be fair to customers as well as myself. Djays aren't jukeboxes. We are expected to entertain the crowd with everyday music and make it interesting enough to dance to. This takes research, practice and a lot of time and money. So I try to make sure that the people that I deal with respect that first. If this is the case, Then we can talk money:)
Hey DJ TLM, Kyle Kessler here. I've been spinning tunes longer than most people in this business have been alive. LOL! I was a jock on the radio for 20 years and have been doing mobile DJ work for 25 years. I outright own my entire system (sound, lights and special effects) so my overhead is next to nothing. Just my time , music, travel, etc. I am not the highest priced Mobile DJ in my area, but I am not nearly the lowest. I always have people trying to get me for cheap. My experience fetches a particular amount, however, outright owning the business (and several other businesses to boot) I can pick and choose what shows to do and how much to charge. Two of the most important things I do, is to get a signed contract for every show, and I get paid UP FRONT. People usually don't have a problem paying you in advance, if they have a contract that spells out all of the particulars.
Good video bro. I been Dj for about one year at home. I done 3 house party's for free and it feels good. Free because I don't feel secure with my music and mixing. I play Latin music very little rap.
DJ TLM i truly like all the Knowledge You Share wth the Universe, and as A Young Ugandan DJ. I need your help in everything. thanks.
djTLMtv......Muuch love bro, Been rocking with you for quite some time now and you always deliver the answers I need!!!! Thank You
DSMTurbo4g63 Thanks for the support!
Always brother!
When I did mobile gigs back in the UK I had a formula which I cam up with which helped me determine the price. I came up with it based on what it cost me to actually do the gig.
I had a basic hourly rate of x. The minimum amount of time I would play for would be 3 hours and then I would charge for an hours set up and dismantle (in reality the set up and packing tone would take me longer). This meant I was always getting paid a minimum rate for a gig I knew it was enough to cover my costs. I would then add on travel costs and if the gig required me to travel for any length of time or be there early I would charge them additional time at my hourly rate. I would generally do this when travelling over 1 hour.
When giving prices to clients, most wedding and private events, I would then add 10% to my final calculated figure. Why? Because when they try to haggle I can then knock off the 10% and they will feel like they got a deal. To my memory this actually only ever happened once.
I also would give special discounts when I did events at certain venues regularly. This helped me to get repeat business there in the long term.
I would also advise many mobile DJs to get paid before you start if you don't know the people or the venue your at. People held out on cash on me a few times after I finished playing.
I haven't yet gotten a paid gig but I plan on trying for it soon (I go to a party school with a large stress on greek life). I think I'll go off of what I do for fiddle playing (I have a celtic band). For myself, it's generally around 75-100 an hour depending on how much money the people have and how far I have to go. If they feed me it'll be lower.
This was made 8 yrs ago but still today,now sounds so fresh.....
I charge by distance (gas etc) and if there is PA in the venue I'm in, if there is not I have to get it from company I work with as club dj. That costs extra and some goes to company back, I usually charge basic amount about 200 bucks + gas and 400 + gas if I need to get a van and all the PA from the company I work in
There are a lot of great dj channels on youtube, but you are quickly rising to the top of the mountain. keep up the good work. ps. beard looks good.
I know this comment is late, but this is so helpful because this is exactly the phase I'm at. I'm thinking about starting to ask for payment soon, but I'm doing a few gigs for free and considering them an internship where I can learn things like how certain groups react to my music selection, how I can get a crowd going, etc.
I started off practicing in my bedroom until I started getting the DJ bug as well. So I took $2,000 and I went out and bought me a nice controller, some DJ speakers 2 12 inch speakers and 2 18 inch subs a laptop computer and Virtual DJ software. And I forgot to mention that I bought some business cards from Vistaprint. Picked out a dj name and started hitting the pavement. At first I wasn't getting too many paying gigs and it was very tough because a lot of local bars already have DJ's available so I thought that I try the wedding market. Now at first I've been doing a lot of research and finding out that beginner DJs should not play at weddings because of all the pressure and the set up and the cost of that set up. This is the reason why this video makes sense when it comes down to charging people. As the brother said in the video there is no set price for what you charge. But as soon as I started gaining experience I started using the economical approach or " the cheap man's version of trying to save people money and also gain some experience playing in front of people." so I started charging people everything under $200. Sometimes I've even gone lower than that. But this was a way for me to get some gas in my car and to gain some experience playing in front of people when I'm DJing certain music. I had a difficult time with certain genres because all I knew was jazz music and contemporary gospel. Now I begin playing rock, heavy metal, electronica, R&B, hip hop rap, and even classical music. Yes I've had a gig where all I have to play with classical music and all I charge was $200 for 8 hours worth of work. That was a very long day but I've talked to some local DJs that was willing to give me a little bit of information concerning prices. And one of the things that I found out was if you're going to be there for more than 6 hours think of it as your permanent job if you're getting paid $15 an hour to work with a corporate person that's how much you should be charging when you're DJing. Think of being a mobile DJ as a permanent job and when you start getting even more experience and if you're willing to make this a long term career then you can start charging more like a $100 or $200 an hour . So, all I have to say is start slow do your research don't charge a lot of money at first if you're just getting out there and don't take on too much that you can't handle. Your customers are looking for professionals they're not looking for amateurs and when you're playing in front of people you have to be respectful to the music as well as being respectful to your customers.
Nice video! I'm just getting into scratching and your videos have been a great help. Thanks for sharing :)
No problem
I'm a starting dj been practicing for a while and was asked today to do a birthday party for free on Friday night at first I said I'll think about it really wanting to say no but after watching this video I will be doing that party Friday you changed my mind thanks bro
Good to hear. A birthday party can be a good learning experience
Getting a regular gig (even playing for free) is critical as more work snowballs from work. You can tell people you are a DJ til the end of time and nobody gives a rats wrinkly bits. But when you tell people you play every week at the same time somewhere and to come and listen for themselves you are suddenly validated. People with functions and events will come past to listen or approach you at the end of your set. Then if you are anywhere near half decent, someone will eventually come along and tell you to come and play at their club instead and the cash will flow.
Free gigs or low pay gigs are easy to get. Gets your flyer and name out there. Also do ymca, boys and girls clubs, little league events, church's any charitable organization. This also promotes good will and adds to your gig log.
I've paid out a few times, i.e. renting equipment, gas money, buying music to get ready for the gig. I was ok with that, this is my hobby, my passion, my 'drug of choice'. The reaction from the crowd 'priceless'.
I started djing in 2005..didn't feel comfortable playing in front of people until 2011 where I had a year residency at a Brazilian restaurant in Hollywood City Walk. I did some small gigs here and there from 2012-2015 and I just recently got to go DJ in Germany, all paid travel / food on top of my fee! I do have a regular office job but now looking to take djing full time. It's a bit tough since I live in LA where everyone and they're mom is a DJ lol.
For The Past 17 Years, I Have Donated My Time and Talent To Play 10 Hour on Saturday and 9 Hours on Sunday To a Catholic Church in Tucson, Arizona. I Didn't Charge a Dime. Plus I Had To Drive 8 Hours One Way To Play. I Learned With The Experience and Now I Provide D. J. Sound System For Bands To Hook-Up So They Will Perform.
I consider myself the "discounted DJ" when I first started performing in front of people where I was charging less than $200 to play a gig for almost 9 hours. As the brother mentioned in the video there is no set price for charging your customers for set. But you have to take in consideration which I did find out in the interim that I have a regular 9 to 5 Monday through Friday and I'm being charge a certain amount of money to perform my work. So, I can see that you can do that when you're out DJing. At first as I mentioned before I started discounting my services just to get some experience and sometimes I still catch myself doing that because the mobile DJ thing is still a hobby to me but I provide high-quality service, complete professionalism, and being prepared to play all genres of music. So to answer the question, if you're just starting out do some freebies or charge a couple of dollars just to get some experience. So once you make a name for yourself and put yourself out there as a mobile DJ than you can start making your own prices.
Being in the Chicago and StLouis area its a real mix for me. In Chicago: House Edm HH Old School Soul. I do School dances, School Faculty gatherings. State & Corp back ground sound and announcements. I also rent out my day to day live sound speakers and mic. Which I have daily rates for. I do sets in the Mid to Large birthday parties. Christmas and Weddings. I stay away from small gatherings. My base no matter what. Is $000.00. Even if its around the corner. If I have to to leave the Chicago (South of 80) metro area I charge a dollar a mile for travel expenses. I do ask for Dj budget info time to time, but have been burt more times than I'm willing to admit. After my $000.00 base and travel expense. I charge a hourly rate of $00.00 after base or $00.00 depending if I have to MC as well. Lit to Heavy Light show equipment setup is extra. Festivals and Mid to Large concert venues are a different story. I was told when I started out "Not to sale myself cheap". Most Dj I know can't scratch, read the crowd or mix tracks. Most run around with Traktor on iPad (nothing against Traktor or that setup) and entry level controllers, And do well enough. I have top of the line equipment, over 20 years of experience. I do it all, and I do it well. I am a professional DJ & MC. And I should be paid as such. Know your worth without being greedy!
lol totally agreed i just started playing at a small venue down here in Denver for a weekly event and i may end up talking about a price after another 6 to 9 months bu as far as right now ill take all the experience that i can
I'm exactly in this position right now. I'm in my second year of being on the scene and the battle for setting a price is a tough one. Also, has anyone ever had to fight to get paid meaning the promoter/event planner refused to pay you at the end or gave you a bad cheque^
Puggy Patel Yeah, I have been in situations (years ago) where the promoter tried to pay less or not pay at all. Not a good feeling. I did get my money, but the fact that I had to 'fight' for something that was rightfully mine showed me that there is a lot that can be improved in our 'urban' DJ scene here in The Netherlands.
djTLMtv you live in Netherlands ?
Get paid before you start or don't play. Now if they are planning to pay you with the profits of that night, not sure what to suggest. Gotta risk it for the biscuit.
When i started out djing i had to do some gigs without getting paid which kinda suck. But i got booked for my schools football game to play music throughout the game plus a quick mix at halftime. That was probably the best gig i ever had for being a mobile dj. I usually get gigs around 100 people but that gig was about 3,000 people which was the best experienced i could get being a beginner DJ.
Enrique Sosa And that experience is so important. Like I said, stuff like that is priceless
***** what controller were you using as a beginner?
I'm a new DJ, a very new DJ who just started a bunch of days ago. Thanks to epilepsy I don't think I will be playing in clubs, I will probably just stream and get money from donations. But I like DJing and it will be most of a side thing. Willing to play at house parties and outside events though.
I understand. The clubs could be an issue with the lights right?
DJ TLM TV Yeah, a photosensitive epilepsy will trigger it, not sure what I have. Would be embarassing to lay on the floor having a seizure and even after seizures you can feel bad for hours or days so if that happened I’d have to go home.
There are no lights at outside events and house parties though right?
you have hit the right mark with this video.. i have been in this game for over 25 years and you hit every point..i agree with you 1000% on how to price for certain gigs.. i tell the young cats i know the same thing.. with your permission may i share this with them cause i swear we sound like..lol thanks again for the information..you are a really humble man for doing this! #djtimdogg
Dj gus,been DJing 1984 til 2004,stop doing it because of my back.i charged on how many guest,inside or out, graduation, party, wedding reception,business ect.
My low end $175 3 hours +75 after the 3 hours or high end was $600 for 4 hours( for businesses).
I did one party outside and the bonfire tore my equipment up it wasn't worth it at any cost. I did a reception out side and had a great time,except need a lot more power outside.i was pushing 500 + watts and still seem like it wasn't enough.
In side I push 75-125 watts and it plenty.
Been over 10 years since I quit,now I'm starting up again because I like talking to people and when you can bring two people close,well I can say I did that, kool.
90% of all the shows I did they had me stay to drink with them. Pretty cool feeling.
I could go on and on about the good times and the srewups.
In my trance days, it was tiesto, ferry corsten, armin van buuren, and Johan Gielen. Every ten years some new players comes in the electronic dance music scene. It's ironic that that these djs are still Dutch
This little country is crazy :)
It's not that ironic. that little country has HUGE scene (compared to the population and size of the country).. same goes for UK. .....
Those were the days…long gone im afraid!
Great vid. I'm glad you illustrated for the new DJs your early experience gaining gigs. My first times playing in front of people were basically house parties and ended up costing me money. It was me and a friend throwing a party for our friends and we bought all the food and beverage for the parties (soda,chips, snacks, beer, sometimes hard liquor) We wanted to party and wanted to have all the girls show up. I also wanted to be the DJ and the life of the party so the girls would pay attention to me. I'm the DJ. I have all the equipment and all these lights. I've got more music than that dude over there (I have everything he has plus all this other music) I didn't know how to Mix yet but I had a mixer and could crossfade from one song to the next like they did on the radio. That fellow over there cant do that. Plus, who else do you know that has speakers with 15" woofers Back then being a DJ was my way of being a rock star when I couldn't play an instrument. I eventually got better and was able to start making money from it. I learned The equipment and started installing and maintaining PA and lighting in local bars and clubs and was available to DJ when the bar's regular DJ needed a night off. I landed a few residencies and also got into Karaoke. All these things added up to years of entertainment experience and knowledge and finally decent pay.
Brilliant. Very informative and down to earth. Big fan.
thank you so much for the knowledge, learned a lot , much respect!
Great tips! For us newbie DJs this is very helpful! I've been working on mixing and producing as new DJ and look forward to cutting my teeth. Agree all fields have pay dues and the 10,000 hour rule applies.
On the opposite side of this as a venue manager and owner, depending on what city you are trying to dj in the night of the week is everything. On a dead Monday owners are not willing to pay as much as what they will pay on the weekends. A lot of this is uncommon sense.
Thanks DJ TLM!!!! Bro where can I get my Dj TLM shirt or hat??
You can check out djtlm.com/shop. I have some different ones coming in a week
I'm 16 and with a decent setup. a duratruss with 8 lights on it and Mackie thumps with the pairing subs. I charge $100-125 per hour.
+Austin LeBlanc , are you mobile DJ , weddings and house parties , or event ie bar's , small clubs ?
DJ Bob cola d thanks DJ TLM you helped very much with your video on pricing you've given me a better perspective on how to bid on my jobs and offers I always went by how much I figured the client was making on the event or their take in on their ownership if it was a club or bar / but now that I've been DJ so long and have been bidding for a few years i'll reevaluate my thinking god be with you and good fortunes from DJ Bob cola d -Baltimore MD
I think this is a good video, it’s presented in a professional but casual way.
I’m a DJ but from a very different background. I did volunteer DJ at college and community radio stations, with an emphasis on soul, jazz and Latin grooves. It was great training especially that it was 80% vinyl and 20% CDs..
I will never regret putting in well over 500 volunteer hours doing radio.
I did commercial FM radio DJ work for three months, and that was a total drag. Commercials run the show not the music, it’s dreadful and I would never wish for anyone to end up as a commercial DJ like that.
Now, onto my thoughts on commercial DJs. I’ve heard incredible event DJs who played for free at big festivals like Burning Man. And I hear some really brilliant volunteer DJs on public radio stations. Ironically those are the cats who should be paid good money for what they do. Luckily for most of them it’s the love of music and the passion for it that drives them, most of them have day jobs… Whether it’s as a barista or something more closely related to the music entertainment industry.
I helped a friend do booking for his bar for a few years. Because he couldn’t afford to hire live bands, he ended up just hiring DJs and the occasional karaoke night. I actually found it pretty audacious that most DJs think they’re worth $50-$100 an hour.
Hear me out on this one:
My friends bar preferred not to have a cover charge, that’s because at least 30% of the patrons were not coming in to dance to the DJ music they were coming in as bar regulars. When you’re in the bar business, you depend on regulars who come in every night, regardless of if there is entertainment or not.
The small bar paid for the electricity, paid for all of the publicity and kept up with all of the social media to promote that DJs gigs. The DJs got a few comp drinks too. The bar also paid insurance for the venue, and even additional insurance when there were evenings that involved lots of people dancing, a stage show, etc.
The bar also provided the entire sound system, so all the DJ did was show up with a laptop and their iPhone with a bunch of iTunes loaded into it. The bar also paid all of the ASCAP fees so that the DJ didn’t have to pay to play other people’s recorded music.
The DJ makes cash tips and is set up To receive additional tips on PayPal, Patreon ,etc.
Yeah sounds like win win win win win, except kind of a lose for the venue.
If the bar had a slow night and only sold $300 in drinks, they still had to pay out $200 to $300 to the DJ. Does that seem fair? No.
Personally, in my opinion a bar DJ should have to rent the space if they want all of those things provided for them. Does that sound crazy that they should have to pay a fee rather than get paid to play?
Try to look at it this way… You go to any high-quality hair salon where The owner of the place charges a “chair fee” to the haircutters. The haircutter might pay $200 a week to rent that chair. That’s not much if you figure they’re charging $75 per haircut, they probably make that chair rental in half a day of work.
So back to the DJ fee. Doesn’t make sense that a DJ should pay a fee to use all of that equipment that the house provides?
I decided to test the waters by asking a few DJs if they would pay to play. They said “of course not. No Way! That sounds like a rip-off deal!”
So I told them, “OK… Well you can either pay me for use of power or you’re going to have to rent a generator to put outside on the sidewalk. You’ll need to fuel the generator, you’ll need to have a city permit and you’ll need to have someone watching the generator so it doesn’t cause a fire or get stolen. Then you have to buy or rent long extension cords to run from the generator to the stage or booth where you are spinning your music. All of those cables need to be taped down to the floor so that no one trips on them or the liability goes on you, yes the DJ would need to carry their own liability insurance.”
Do you get my drift? DJs have it too good and most of them are not worth the money they ask for. I’ve seen every type of pay level imaginable. I’ve been at fancy parties in Mexico City where the DJ was paid $2000 an hour. The big joke was most of his music was pre-recorded on thumb drives and he just sort of acted like he was spinning and mixing his set.
That DJ’s gig was five hours, he made $10,000, plus 1st class airfare, plus overnight lodging at a five-star hotel.
When you roll it all together it’s complete nonsense. For half that money the event could’ve bought their own DJ equipment and paid for a weekend DJ workshop for a few of their staff members to be DJs. And that would work out fine, because their DJs would get cash tips plus their hourly wage, plus the house would save a lot of money on having these big name DJs. I’m all for good spinning but, frankly the best ones I’ve ever heard were performing out in the desert at Burning Man for spinning music on public radio. A good example of genius music sets on the radio include KCRW station’s show called “morning becomes eclectic”. And Hawaii public radio with their show called “bridging the gap”, hosted by the amazing DJ Mr. Nick.
I find it laughable when I see DJs who act like rock stars (yes, even trashing hotel rooms), since DJs are not musicians, though some really being the craft of spinning up to an artistic level that’s impressive.
Wanna hear some great DJs? Spend a week in Kingston, Jamaica listening to DJ masters. Hint: They are not in the private resorts and flashy disco clubs in Montego Bay. They are playing at the all-night street dances in the Dancehall scene. Yo, they ain’t no wedding DJs, they the real deal!
Wow, not surprised I’ve gotten several private messages from people criticizing my opinion.
Yo, I’m just one person, giving my own first impressions and observations. Do you want to prove me wrong? Go ahead, be that DJ who shows up with his own generator for power. And how about those ASCAP fees?
In reply to a few people who asked, no I am not a DJ. I occasionally do it for fun because I like music. Recent gig: I did a friends party gig spinning acid jazz & world music. I kept the music going continuously for 14 hours. In exchange I got a few great meals, and overnight lodging in a really cool beach house. Totally worth it to me.
What do I actually do for a living? I work in a movie and TV production. Have I ever given my services away or worked cheaply? Yes of course. I’ve worked on countless low budget independent films, but I was able to balance that out by working on extremely high budget car commercials and lame music videos that had obscenely huge budgets.
One of my smartest decisions was many years ago when I worked for 58 days for free on a feature film. It was that director’s first gig. He went on to make many movies that got Oscar nominations and several major awards.
I’ll never regret investing my time many years ago, it’s been paying off ever since!
Yes I like it and I'm a Dj as well and I been djing for like six months now and I and I work for e.b.t entertainment now they been doing and doing many giggs for years but I'm trying to work my way up to be really good so I like it
Hi, the video is really helpful, gave me an idea but you didn’t mention how much you charge for different occasions!
I made this video a long time ago so I have to guess why I didn’t mention how much I charge. I imagine I did it because it isn’t really relevant. Prices are different in every country, city, scene, and your reputation/relevance also plays a part in your pricing process.
The best thing you can do is research what the going rates are in your area and scene. Then you have to decide where you fall within that rate.
I think I should do a follow up video about this soon
DJ TLM TV Thanks , I’ll do that 👊🏾
Another great video of useful info. Keep it up!
A friend of mine is getting married this summer and asked me to do her wedding. I am increasing my fee for services this year but because she decided not to get married in another state like she had planned at first I decided to give her a discount. Also they are a young couple and I'm trying to help them out because they are on a budget, so I got a big thank you for that and she hired me.
Michael Daugherty I do the same thing in certain situations
Well I say jungle drum and bass but it has two names the main now for nowadays is jump up drum and bass
I have one.. If you are already well positioned in your home town and have your "standard" fee, don't ask the same when you are booked out of town (even in situation, that your travel expenses are paid and are not part of the fee negotiations at all). You are quite common in your area and usually you are not the headliner of the party. When you get booked out of town, situation change. Suddenly you are more likely to be that special guest or headliner and even being marketed this way. You gotta ask for more money. How much? I would suggest 50% raise, but that's just my opinion.
In my region average rate for any experienced/Popular DJ is between 3 and $400. We have a lot of $100 DJ's around driving down the pay rate. For private events I charge the average 3 to $400 for 3 to 4 hours.
Public events I charge $500 minimum for 2 to 3 hours. Depending on the size of the event, venue, and the promoter I will go lower. If you book me multiple times I'll do a discount. By the way I am a radio DJ with a following so they have to pay for that to.
thank you for this great tips , it helps a lot
love the videos man , keep them coming
Am a hip hop RnB dj new to the game but I have been practicing at home from Germany
am based in Zimbabwe Africa and am a pro dj so I charge based on venue or crowd. If venue is well established i charge $400 per show, if crowd is more than 5000 i charge up to $1500. If it is club i charge 75% gate takings as i have other djs in my stable to last all night
I have been DJing for over 15 years, but struggle to get gigs that pay anything. I live in Austin, TX and there are many DJs willing to give away their talent to massive festivals, raves, dances, etc. It makes it really hard to get paid while DJing.
I did hold a club residency once and made $100 for Thursday nights and $150 for Friday nights. I thought this was great but I'd be DJing about five hours a night, but I loved it. It was my first steady gig and I got a shitton of free drinks so that's pretty cool! But that was back 10 years ago and it's so much harder to break into the scene now v.v
You mention weddings at the end. I want to follow through with this im in my first year (of making money at this) I want to do this for a living I love it. Im ok not making money right now. I have turned down 12 or so wedding this first year because I have a vision of my "branding" that I want to shape. Would that not water my branding down? Is it ok to do weddings too? If what I really want is to be a specific style of club dj......The Djs around here are locked in and no ones removing them. I have had to make a quiet name for myself this last year. I cant even go to a gas station with out someone knowing me now. BUT. they know my dj name not my name. Branded. My real question is am I looking to far into it? I want to take the facebook/google approach to branding. no mishaps, just smiles and every show matters.
The place I currently work for I have residency. But I was told a while back he wants to make : all talent (also bands) sign a contract stating that a week before and a week after we cant play within a ten mile radius. Now, after laughing at him (nice guy but a bit out of touch) I explained how silly that was. But I also realized Ive outgrown the venue. My girlfriend and I and my lighting friend have sat up nights talking out what the next, best, most calculated move is. DO NOT STOP MAKING THESE VIDEOS. you kick ass man!
Bro,most times weddings are used more as promo for a dj irrespective of how big you already became.And,they pay more too,depending on the celebrant and his budget.You can't plan a 50,000usd wedding and underpay me who is gonna make all your gusts happy.Moreover,most wedding guests may have retired from clubbing and private gigs so,there's no way you'll meet and sell yourself to them for further bookings if you're turning down weddings.
So,I'll suggest you become a full pro and,start taking those gigs.You may also set a high price for yourself which all that knows your worth will never reject.
I've been long in the game and still do all kinds of events.Bills must be paid.Peace.
Awesome video man! :)
Cool!
I'm on the same boat, right now!
Thanks for sharing!
thank you very much for sharing your knowledge and experience
I'm a hip-hop/dancehall/soca DJ. I'm 17 years old and I've been DJing since I was 13. I started doing real gigs at 15 but people never really took me seriously because of my age. A lot of times they wouldn't even ask me about money and just tell me a day, time, and place. More recently I put my foot down and told people who wanted to book me, $75 an hour payed when I get there. Of course a lot of people would change their minds about booking me but now when someone comes to me with a booking request they ask me how much I charge first
I like your videos a lot. You've helped me to understand how to scratch and a lot more. I'm just thinking to moving out of my home and go play at some clubs. So all of your videos give a lot of information, Thanks for that! :)
And just a video idea for beginners: Music Copyrights. Becouse i would like to know about them.
Really enjoyed this video! Really got into the story time :D
Well everybody I'm kind just starting over. I use to DJ in high school. Long story short I had to quit to take care of the family and now I'm back and going from vinyl to controllers. So I'm charging $300 for a minimum of 4 hours and then $60 an hour after that. The price does vary depending on the gig and the customer's budget. So what do you think is that too much just starting out or not enough?