AboutBill Pere Expertise Can answer questions on : Technical aspects of lyric and music compostion; How to give and receive objective critique; Arranging and production; Concrete vs abstract imagery; Use of metaphor; Rhyme techniques; Song Structure; Collaboration; Songwriter Associations; Promotion; Guitar technique;
Music Business;
Experience President of the Connecticut Songwriters Association and Director of the Connecticut Songwriting Academy; Named one of the Top 50 Innovators and Guiding Lights of the Music Industry in 2008 by Music Connection Magazine; Author of "Songcrafters' Coloring Book:The Essential Guide to Effective and Successful Songwriting."
Named Independent Artist of the Year,by the 2003 national Independent Music Conference; 30 years as a professional singer-songwriter; 16 original CD's released;
Have had songs placed on other artists' CD's. Twice named Connecticut Songwriter of the Year.
20 years as Executive Director of the LUNCH Ensemble. Have attended more than 200 presentations by top industry professionals and have critiqued thousands of songs. Have written and produced dozens of stage plays and hundreds of concert events; Have coached hundreds of aspiring songwriters, and collaborated with several award winning writers. Have written commissioned songs as an Official Connecticut State Troubadour. Music Director of youth choirs and music camps.
Organizations Connecticut Songwriters Association (President); LUNCH Ensemble (Local United Network to Combat Hunger -- Exec, Director); CMEA (Connecticut Music Educators Association); Folk Alliance; Association For Psychological Type; Songsalive;
Publications Songcrafters' Coloring Book: The Essential Guide to Effective and Succesful Songwriting
Songwriters Market (2001, 2002); Connecticut Songsmith; Contemporary Songwriter Magazine; Songwriters Musepaper;
Songcrafter's Coloring Book; Strategies for Teaching Guitar;
Education/Credentials Masters Degree Molecular Biology; Certified MBTI Practitioner (Myers Briggs Type Indcator); Connencticut Secondary Public School Teaching Cerftificate; Author: "Songcrafters Coloring Book: The Essential Guide to Effective and Successful Songwriting:
Awards and Honors Named one of the Top 50 Innovators and Guiding Lights of the Music Industry in 2008 by Music Connection Magazine; Independent Artist of the Year, (2003 national Indie Conference); Official Connecticut State Troubadour, appointed by CT Commission on the Arts, 1995 ; 1982 and 1992 CT Songwriter of the Year; 2000 Award for 20 years of Outstanding Service to Songwriters;
2002 CSA Award for Outstanding Contribution to Education through Music; Numerous awards for outstanding community outreach through music; 1997 Citation from Connecticut Legislature for exemplary dedication to community outreach through music. 1995 Renaissance Award for multiple music achievments in a single year. Invited Presenter and Mentor at various Music Conventions
Question Hi Bill,
Thank you so much for being available to answer questions. I really appreciate this service!
Can you tell me about typical rates and methods of charging (by song, by hour, etc) for writing arrangements (chords, forms, accompaniment, etc) for someone else's melodies and lyrics? I've just started doing this work privately/freelance for one particular singer. Also, I'm notating/charting the arrangements in Finale, the music notation software. How much can I charge for that? And I'm rehearsing and recording the piano and sax parts for his demos. What can I charge for that? In short, what can I charge for each of these three areas--arranging, notating, and rehearsing/recording? Thanks so much! - Theo
Answer Theo,
Thanks for your question.
<< Can you tell me about typical rates and methods of charging (by song, by hour, etc) for writing arrangements (chords, forms, accompaniment, etc) for someone else's melodies and lyrics?>>
The three things to remember are (1) there is no right or wrong ways to determine how you set your rates (2) what matters most is what you feel your time is worth to you (3) rates are affected by local competition, local economy, and your level of skill in a particular area.
You should determine what you want as a fair hourly rate, and you should be able to estimate the time it's going to take you to do a job, and give the client either a flat rate quote, or a time estimate, depending on the nature of the work. Consider each part as a separate service with its own charge. Certain skills can be charged at a higher rate than other skills.
For example, when putting chords to an existing melody, give a flat rate, as you can probably estimate how long it will take. Between $75-$150 per song is reasonable for coming up with a basic chord accompaniment. For a more complex arrangement, with bass lines and keyboard or backing vocals, the rate will be higher. If notated as sheet music, that is a separate charge.
For a typical lead sheet of a 3-4 minute song in Finale (melody line with chords on top) you could charge perhaps $75 (depends on the economy and competition in your local area). To add a piano/vocal arrangement would be more.
<< And I'm rehearsing and recording the piano and sax parts for his demos. What can I charge for that? >>
That is 2 separate services/skills (a) studio musician and (b) recording engineer
In the first case, call your local chapter of AFM (American Federation of Musicians) and find out what the local union scale is - that will give you a good reference. You probably can't charge more than the union rate, but you could charge slightly less if you wanted. In many place, there is a 3-hour minimum when hiring a union musician, even if the session is less than 3 hours. When you act as the recording engineer, you can charge either by the hour or at a flat rate, but you're really doing a studio session, which, depending on where you live can be from $30-$100 /hr.
All of the above assumes a professional level of skill at these jobs, so if you're just starting out, you may want to charge less and then gradually raise your rates.
Of course, none of the above matters if your clients can't afford those rates, so you have to decide how much you'd be willing to compromise - but don't undersell yourself.
Final point, when you are creating parts and arrangements, make sure it's clear whether your work is work-for-hire (you are paid a certain amount and have no further claim on any future royalties) or whether you want to negotiate 'points' or a small percent of any future royalties in exchange for a lower up-front rate. In no case, even if you create lots of great parts for a song, do you have the right to expect to own a portion of the copyright. So negotiate all your deals up front, be clear, and have it in writing.
Good luck to you.
Sincerely,
Bill Pere
Founder and Executive Director, LUNCH
President and Executive Director, CT Songwriters Association
IMC Indie Artist of the Year
An Official Connecticut State Troubadour since '95
Director, CT Songwriting Academy
Author, "Songcrafters' Coloring Book: The Essential Guide to Effective and Successful Songwriting"
