What's the lowest you would work for?

These days, and for a while really, I think that is the best course for most of us, except I start at exclusive use for one year. The fee depends on how complex and how long, the piece needs to be, and I take into consideration their budget.

So it is all over the map, but I don't know that I'd take on such a project for much less than $400, but that's me, and I am ok with passing on projects

I’ve worked for some of the lowest - oh sorry, thought you were talking about employers.

I once sold an exclusive license of a 30 second track for $50 because I liked the project. They forgot to pay the paypal fees so I got something like $47 on my account

If they're a youtuber they can't really hide their channel from you. What is their subscriber count? How many views do they get? Is this like theme music for a video series that will probably get millions of views? or tens of thousands? or less?

Supposedly Eddie Van Halen did the guitar solo on Beat It for a couple beers.

So I guess that's some kind of practical minimum.

It always depends on the work involved. Tell them your will to work within their budget and if they can give you a music budget you ask to see the project in it’s current form (sometimes it a script sometimes it’s a video) and you work out what your minimum is based on the project and the work involved. Overestimate so you have some wiggle room if they are concerned about the cost.

Then tell them you’re willing to do it for so cheap because you work on many projects and will need time to do this right. If they complain about the time and the money then walk away. WALK AWAY. It will only get worse if this is how they are on first contact. Otherwise work with them, esp if you like the project and feel like it might be good demo reel material.

For me I have a $500 minimum, but I don’t need the work or the demo reel material. Usually if it’s a good client they don’t mind paying a few thousand, they just need to feel they are getting something special. Talk them through what you have planned as you watch picture or read the script with them. It will get them excited and see your creativity to support the story, then they will be more willing to talk about money if they feel they are going to get something that will make the project shine. And this is all before writing a note. You have to be able to communicate your ideas and get excited about it, then follow through with something that blows their socks off. Do this a dozen time and you won’t have to look for work and can command higher and higher fees.

Around 500$ minimum, if I have time for a project like that (usually not). It would have to be as a service for a client who has already paid for (other) work. Could also be a free bonus, if it is done in a session together with a bigger project. A friend favour, could also just be back-end, as the return favour probably is the higher value.

Whatever you do, don’t expect you will be able to raise the price down the road. People will quickly associate you with a certain price bracket, and if you try to break out of it, they will be like “why should I pay $1000 now, I paid $100 last year?” and take their business elsewhere.

I made this mistake when I ran my remote string recording service, and to a smaller extent again when I founded Bunker Samples. Don’t compete on price, compete on quality. If you want to do it cheap, make sure they understand it’s a one-off. Put the full price on the invoice, and then deduct a discount.

Unfortunately people also tend to associate price with quality. You can deliver a premium quality service or product at a low price, and no matter how good it is, most will always think it’s a bit shit, because it’s cheap. They’ll say things like “amazing quality for the price”, even if it’s actually amazing quality at any price.

Just something to consider. Once you paint yourself into the low price corner, getting out of there is harder than getting out of the friend zone.

O

Cries in Pond5

$29. That’s what it would cost from a RF site (or even less). If you’re selling the track exclusively (at least one year), I’d do it for $100. Unfortunately, this is the reality these days.

Edit: actually, I wouldn’t do it at all unless it was worth my while, the RF sites have really killed everything.

thesteelydane said:

You can deliver a premium quality service or product at a low price, and no matter how good it is, most will always think it’s a bit shit, because it’s cheap.

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= REAPER

Anyway I agree. Got this exact behavior from a few gigs

For most custom music projects, I start at $500 per minute of music, then adjust that number based on a variety of factors, that might include:

- the client's working budget
- exclusivity
- will I need to do musical research, buy specific sample libraries, hire musicians, etc. to satisfy the client's requirements
- are vocals and lyrics required
- is the client pleasant to work with
- is the client "music aware" (hard to describe, but basically, does the client value quality music or just view music as a necessary evil)
- will having this client/logo/brand in my portfolio be helpful in getting more work

In the end, the overall context and circumstances surrounding the project influence my final price. If I feel good about the project and client relationship, then I'm more willing to be flexible on price. But at the same time, I always give myself a "walk away" number that I won't go below.

NekujaK said:

But at the same time, I always give myself a "walk away" number that I won't go below.

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That! That is so important - it is too easy to get lost in the negotiations. Or so I've heard<G>...

When I was younger and didn't have the experience and credits I was just happy to get the job. Even if it was not paid at all or laughably little. Then at some point I got to the industry standard contracts (according to my location) that you cannot negotiate just yet, because still, I did not have enough credits and experience (enough to get the job, but not enough to state terms

Now more and more I am in the position to say no, or negotiate publishing rights and/or higher rates..

Take all of that with several grains of salt.. There are many rules and customs and also there are none and context matters..

I do little artsy projects because I love to experiment and grow within different settings and genres, but sometimes there is no budget.. Find a way to do what you do while not lying to yourself or please everybody while you yourself are starving..

Long story short.. if you keep at it, you'll find a balance (or not and find your luck elsewhere)

EDIT: and yes, what @NekujaK said