Standard rate for soundman/PA?

[CoronaOperator]

I would price yourself exactly what it would cost for you to hire someone else with similar experience/equipment to do the job. That way if something should happen where you can't perform the job, you can still save your reputation by hiring out said company without being out of pocket. Another thing is to price yourself out fully and if you want to give a discount, put that on the invoice as a separate line item. That way they know the value of the work being performed and it prevents you from being taken advantage of by others who also want that low price.

[JohnP.]

Another thing is to price yourself out fully and if you want to give a discount, put that on the invoice as a separate line item. That way they know the value of the work being performed and it prevents you from being taken advantage of by others who also want that low price.

I'm currently doing some work for a non-profit in my community. Because of my close relationship with several of the staff and my knowledge of how well they utilize their limited resources to help the community, I choose to give them a deep discount. However, I itemize everything on the invoice. As CoronaOperator stated, the discount is itemized separately. The discount is appreciated, and they have a sense of the true value of the service that I am offering in the marketplace.

[guitarkeys.com]

This is an easy one.

Just figure what it's worth to you to do the gig and charge that.

My pricing goes all the way from $300 to $2300 a day depending on who, where, and when. There are bands that are easy and bands that are not. Sometimes I'll cut the band a deal if they unload and load my equipment. There are bands that I won't do in-ears for and bands that I love because of their in-ears.

In the end, it boils down to what it's worth to you. And yes, you will always have a gig where you think "man I'm going to charge more next time" or I won't do it.

[byacey]

Years ago against my will I was teching a punk rock event that my business partners negotiated. When these pigs started spitting mouthfuls of beer and cracker crumbs into the HF horns of the wedges, I was ready to shut the show down, despite whatever the profit was for the event.

One tidbit of advice that was handed down from my high school electronics instructor, I have never forgotten: Nobody has ever gone broke from overcharging on their labor, but the same can't be said for the guy that undercharges.