Hire info
It's easier to treat this subject as a FAQ. It sounds formal, and it
kind of is because I have definite strata in what I will do for free and
what I expect compensation for.
Question: Where will you play?
Answer:
Just about anywhere. I love playing outside, I can play standing up,
and my main amplifier is rechargeable. Thus, I am very portable. I am
good with inside, outside, sitting, standing, walking, with
amplification, without amplification. I memorized all my music and do
not need to refer to sheet music.
I cannot play: In direct
sunlight (unless discussed ahead of time), in the rain, in direct cold
wind, and when the temperature is consistently below 55F.
Question: Do you play for free or do you charge?
Answer: The answer is dependant on the situation. In some detail, here goes:
For Free:
I will play charities for free. Basically, if you are not making a
profit or if the profit goes to a charity, I?ll play for free. If you
are a rest-home and would like some music, it's free! Have a cancer
awareness fundraiser, need background music for a charity event, no
charge! In most cases, no compensation is expected, but I have to take
travel time/distance into consideration if I am not making any cash. It
would be cool to have a little promotion or an event shirt or something
like that, but it's not expected.
For a Fee or Barter: In
a nutshell, if you're making a profit on the event, I will charge.
Company Xmas party, yeppers, I'll charge. A restaurant/bar/similar want
some music? There?ll be some kind of charge associated, although it
may not be monetary. In any of the situations above, I will work for
cash dollars or I will work for barter, and because I am not driven by
the almighty dollar, I almost prefer a leftover gift basket, the extra
event jacket that no one claims, samplings of your product, things like
that.
For restaurants/bars/similar: I do not expect
monetary compensation from the restaurant directly. I expect 2 take
home dinners, a spot where I can post my business card, the ability to
sell CDs when I have them in stock, and to be able to post a tip jar.
But, everything is negotiable. Please note that I do not drink alcohol,
so the lure of free drinks is of no meaning to me. I am very cool
being around booze, but I choose to no longer drink.
Question: How much do you charge?
Answer:
If we decide that you would prefer to pay in cash, I kind of work on a
sliding scale. Please note that I have 2 hours of material (2.5 hours
at Xmas-time). If I am playing for longer than that amount of time, I
will be repeating songs.
Travel charge: This will
vary depending on how far away from Monterey I am traveling. Figure
somewhere between $0 and $20 if within Monterey/Salinas, more if
traveling out of the Salinas Valley. This charge is negotiable, but it
is in addition to the charges below.
Hourly charge/per event charge: We can work it out as an hourly or per event charge.
Per Event: As the name implies, we can negotiate a rate depending on equipment, length of playing time, and transit distance.
Hourly:
The hourly rate goes up the longer the event. There is a good amount
of mental and physical exhaustion after a certain amount of time.
Question: What do your charges include, and what equipment will you supply?
Answer:
Appropriate Attire: Suit and tie? Jeans and t-shirt? Let me know what you expect and I?ll dress appropriately.
Promptness:
My credo is that "If I am on time, I am late". Punctuality is a very
high priority of mine, and I budget time to set up prior to the event
beginning.
Guitars: 2 Classical-style, nylon stringed guitars (one is a backup that is kept out of site unless needed).
Amplification:
1-2 small amplifiers and cordage to split 20' in two directions from
where I will be playing. For A/V people, Qty 2 of 30 Watt, solid state
amps. One is battery operated, the other is A/C powered.
Chair: Stool, footrest (although I can also play everything standing up)
Cabling: 1/4" Instrument cables that can be used to hook into a house sound system/PA system.
Tarp/Canopy: I can supply my own 10' x 10' canopy for outdoor events. Must be discussed ahead of time.
This is not an all inclusive list.
Anything I didn't address? Email me: rob@montereyguitarist.com