Concert charging

[Wimblees@AOL.COM]

In a message dated 5/3/00 8:16:28 AM Central Daylight Time, 
TechDept@pianoservices.com writes:

<< I will be tuning for a George Winston concert later this month.  This
 > is a new opportunity for me, so I am wondering how to charge for it.
 > I'm not asking for amount, but rather for formula.  He requests a
 > full tuning that day, then a touch-up before the concert, and another
 > at intermission.
 >
 > Any advice will be much appreciated.
 >
 > Arlie
 > --
 > Arlie D. Rauch
 > Glendive, MT >>

Arlie

Back when the Mississippi River Festival was going during the summers at 
Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, near St. Louis, (1975 - 1983) I 
had to tune almost weekly, sometimes two or three times a week. Most of the 
time I had to tune one piano, but sometimes there were two, or a Roland or a 
Yamaha electric. Sometimes I would be asked to get there at 2, but the truck 
didn't get there until an hour later, and I had too wait. Sometimes I had to 
do a tuning at 4, then a touch up at 6 after the sound check, and wait for 
intermission.

At first I just charged for a tuning and wait. Then I would charge them half 
my fee if I had to wait for more than an hour, but I would give them a half 
an hour before I would start the "clock." The problem was, I never felt I was 
getting compensated enough for the time I spent there. (It was a 45 minute 
drive to get there, so it didn't pay to go do another tuning.) Finally during 
my third year I made it very simple. I charged them $35 (remember, this was 
back in1982). for the first half hour, and then $35 per hour after that, for 
as long as I was there, no matter what I did.  (I charged $55 on Sundays or 
Holidays.) I told them I would help unload a truck, set up sound systems, or 
do anything else that needed to be done. Most of the time, though, I sat and 
waited. 

The main point was, that if they asked me to be there at 2 o'clock, that was 
when the clock started. If they didn't have the truck there, or if the 
soundman had trouble with the mikes, and I didn't tune until 4, no problem. I 
got paid for being there. If I had to stick around for a touch up at 6 and a 
touch up during intermission, fine, just pay me for my time there. They never 
questioned my bill. 

As Ed said, get paid for your time, just like everyone else. They will 
respect you for it, you'll feel good about it. 

Willem