Should Depping fees be standardised?

[Well Worth It]

Would it be feasable to implement a system where the section a band is in, dictates the fees payable to deps?

My thinking is along these lines:

Championship section:
£40/day (£20/subsequent days)
First section:
£30/day (£15/subsequent days)
Second Section:
£20/day (£10/subsequent days)
Third Section:
£10/day (£5/subsequent days)
etc

 

[paddo]

I think that there is only one answer to that! NO

It must depend on the band, is the band sponsored or sell funding!

At Knottingley we are totaly self dependent and thus if every time we had to borrow a player and £40 was the fee, well bye bye band. And alot more would follow. I understand your point but the payment issue has to depend on the band. Grimey, Dyke etc yes no problem and maybe more depending how far you have to travel, but band status has to be applied.

 

[Bones]

Hi,

I can;t really see this working.

For a start, does the depping fee include travel expenses or not. Sometimes it can cost that much to get to the jobs.

Also, irrespective of section, you'll always have players of different abilities that are worth more or less than others. :wink:

I always find the best way is when you booking someone or someone is booking you, to advise them how much you are willing to play and how much you expect. Saves any embarrassment later down the line.

Cheers

Rich

 

[Lauradoll]

Well said Mr "New Sombrero" Walker!!

I know of an instance of a very well known top section band gave out cheques to 2 deps after a concert- one drove the other dep 150+ miles but they both got the same fee. Fair? Not really. Bands should indicate what they are willing to pay for a dep when it's organised, that way it'll save people on doth sides grumbling.

 

[lynchie]

It's a strange issue this one... I've depped for bands where what they paid me didn't even cover what it had cost me to get there, while at another I was paid more than I thought I deserved for plonking along on second trombone so I didn't take it all... I think if someone is driving themselves to concert £10 will usually cover that and possibly a pint, and if I was sitting 1st trom in a big concert I'd probably be wanting £20/£25 (which is quite cheap compared to what some people ask for, especially some that I think must listen to themselves through ear muffs...) but obviously it would depend on the band, the concert, and how much it cost me to get there...

 

[yorkie19]

A really unpractical idea.

Personally speaking, I don't know of too many top section bands that could afford a £40 fee for each dep. In some instances I can think of, a band would be paying nearly £500 for deps. Add in a conductors fee and in a lot of cases, that's a sizeable chunk (if not all) of the concert fee gone. Where's the incentive in that?

I have to agree with Mr 'Caiparinia King' Walker. Ideally the fee should be fixed before the job.

Sam

 

[Well Worth It]

How can anyone put a monetary value on the level of a players performance?
As far as expenses go, it would be a case of swings and roundabouts.
Sometimes you'd be on your doorstep, and others you may have to travel.
It'd work out in the dep's favour eventually, I would imagine.

 

[Lauradoll]

SIMBA

Shazam!

 

[PeterBale]

Well said Mr "New Sombrero" Walker!!

I know of an instance of a very well known top section band gave out cheques to 2 deps after a concert- one drove the other dep 150+ miles but they both got the same fee. Fair? Not really. Bands should indicate what they are willing to pay for a dep when it's organised, that way it'll save people on doth sides grumbling.

I should hope that in the above instance the two of them sorted out the travelling side between them - if someone is giving me a lift anywhere I will normally offer them something towards petrol etc.

I would go along with what you say about things being sorted out beforehand, the one drawback being if you then turn up, having sorted out what seems a fair arrangement, and then discover someone else has been brought in on more favourable terms. It shouldn't really make any difference, but it is only natural to feel a little put out.

As has been said, it is unrealistic to impose a scale as every band's finances and outlook will be different.

 

[Well Worth It]

Bands that are less financially secure could suggest that the individual missing the engagement pay a share of the fee?

 

[Steve]

I dont think dep fees should be allowed, let alone standardised. I will always charge expenses and occasionally a tenner for doing a few rehearsals but I am generally just happy to help out. Remember that if you are gonna charge a band a furtune you have very little chance of getting a player off them next time you need a dep and are skint!!! Any dep jobs I do this year I'm just asking for a donation to the bands nationals fund, leave it up to them to decide what I was worth.

 

[markhall]

I am on very good terms with 2 local bands and never charge them any expenses. The benefit is that when my own band need a dep, they are always willing. I did dep for one band though in my area which involved a 50 mile drive the day before Christmas eve one year who paid my expenses by cheque - when I banked it the cheque had been cancelled. I never pushed the point with them but, needless to say, I have never been available for them since.

 

[jambo]

No sorry cant see it working. And, why should you charge a lower section band less? You could play 3rd cornet for Dyke in a concert and top man for for a second section band, who to say what's worth more?

Petrol @ 10p a mile plus 20 quid is usually fair if you feel you want to charge a band who can afford it.
If its a local band that yr mates with, sod it, do it for a pint, you never know when yr band will need a favour.

I'm not a fan of these players who charge the earth. Once had a bass player who we asked to do a day of marching and drinking turn up and he asked if his lass could play too. Fair enough, its a march gig, the more the merrier. At the end of the he asked for expenses (payment!!!!) for both of them, £60 each. Cheeky *&^%$!
[/b]

 

[drummergurl]

atm i would charge £20 for my services for a concert. but if its a band that ive either played for before or i have family relations that have asked if i would play id do it for free (but they usually give me a tenner i dont know why but its all gravy..baby) sorry listened to it on the radio earlier

 

[Well Worth It]

why should you charge a lower section band less?

As they generally get paid less for engagements.

My thinking behind this is not to see bands struggle.
Rather the opposite in fact, to prevent them from getting ripped off by greedy players.

 

[jambo]

why should you charge a lower section band less?

As they generally get paid less for engagements.

My thinking behind this is not to see bands struggle.
Rather the opposite in fact, to prevent them from getting ripped off by greedy players.

Like I said in the same post "...who can afford it"

 

[Okiedokie of Oz]

If I get this straight your "depping" is the same as our "Permitting".

:!: Our permits don't get paid!!! :!:

Depending on the band and the event, some expenses may be covered. When I play with Cap Silver, I get fuel paid. One of our permits, because his band didn't go to contest, got free accomodation.

I see permitting as a chance to help your fellow bandsmen. AND YOU WANT TO BE PAID???????

In the words of Derryn Hinch
Shame, Shame, Shame

 

[geordiecolin]

I don't charge, but will appreciate it if fuel expenses are offered. I see depping as a way of

a) Getting yourself known around the area, hence increasing the enjoyability of it all

b) arranging deps if I ever need one, "you scratch mine, I'll scratch yours" idea

I also quite often enjoy the difference of playing for someone else for a change every so often.

I think standardisation would be ridiculous, unenforceable and as previously stated, potentially crippling for many bands.

 

[Okiedokie of Oz]

b) arranging deps if I ever need one, "you scratch mine, I'll scratch yours" idea

You found my alterior motive

 

[NeilW]

From my point of view, I'm not a professional musician, so calling it "fees" would lead to the problem of declaring it to the tax man or not.

Calling it "expenses" is easier to justify: if I've driven 20 miles each way to the gig, then expenses at the standard rate should cover it. If the band want to buy me drinks/food, then that's probably appreciated too...

(Also, if its a local band, I usually just thank them for their offer. HOWEVER, I think its important that expenses are at least offered...)

Neil.