What is the price for DJ only?

I just received a call for a Christmas party. The bar has a built in DJ booth and they want to know what the price for a DJ only. (4 Hour Event) All I have to do is bring my music and myself. I never had the question asked before. I have no clue how to base my price. Thanks

Same as always!!!

Do they have a backup DJ booth?

I would ask to come see the system in advance. It may be crappy and you may feel more comfortable on your set up. You can bring your decks and plug into the house system. I would charge them about 150.00 less than my normal 4 hour rate.

Ahhh, a Christmas bar job -- I'm handy with those.

$200-400, plus free drinks.

You'll probably get $100-200 in tips.


Consider it a good salary for babysitting a few amateur drunks, and you can pretty much play anything you like ;) :)

Well depending on the number of guests I would say if it's 200 or below, then you should be charging about $300. Then anything more than 200 people charge at least $400.

I would ask to come see the system in advance. It may be crappy and you may feel more comfortable on your set up. You can bring your decks and plug into the house system. I would charge them about 150.00 less than my normal 4 hour rate.
what does that work into as a percentage?

About 30% off of my 4 hour rate.

30% sounds good to me!

to me, it all depends on the likelihood of booking a gig elsewhere at the normal rate. if it's a popular day...like a saturday...not much of a discount....if it's another day...i could be more flexible.

BTW....we don't do any weekly bars....just an occasional party....all bars sign agreements like everyone else and balance is do BEFORE event starts.

I to would want to see the equipment. Seen some pretty crappy bar set-ups and have seen some pretty darn nice ones. $75 to $100 per hour plus tips. (Non Saturday rate)

Well, the bar rate is here is $250 at best when you use your own equipment.

I am gussing it my be a bit higher in CA. I wouldn't expect to make more than $200 using their equipment.

Are they treating it as a Bar gig or private party?

My private party rate for Saturday 4 hours is $500 I would price it at $350 using their equipment.

My private party rate for Saturday 4 hours is $500 I would price it at $350 using their equipment.

I find that interesting Cam.

I always considered buying, hauling and maintaining equipment, a large percentage of the job (as a mobile).

I've done those types of jobs for tips in my previous life, which usually worked out fairly well.

Serious question: How do you justify that rate, when many people doing bars, are lucky if they get $150-200 per night, no equipment?

I find that interesting Cam.

I always considered buying, hauling and maintaining equipment, a large percentage of the job (as a mobile).

I've done those types of jobs for tips in my previous life, which usually worked out fairly well.

Serious question: How do you justify that rate, when many people doing bars, are lucky if they get $150-200 per night, no equipment?


Cost of service.

I mainly perform weddings on Saturdays.

If you average on a Saturday pay is $800 how much less would you be willing to work for, equipment or not.
$350 is based on the therory of what I would work for on a Saturday.

1) It may be a bar show, but if it's a one shot deal it's still the same as a private event- no volume discount like a weekly show.


2) Don't even THINK about quoting until you see and check the equipment- You may still end up bringing your own.


3) If the bar says they are trying you out for a possible weekly gig, tell them that you have a minimum 6 week trial requirement, and ask them to sign a contract. If they won't, they are probably shoveling it so you will lower your price from a private event fee to that of a bar gig.


4) If it's still one shot and the equipment is up to par, THEN that 30% discount off of your EVENT price may apply. However, if the party falls during your busier season/days, you might want to pass in hopes of picking up a full priced event.

Regular Price

People pay for my talent and my services all the time. The equipment I bring is only an asset that I use to perform my show. The client pays for my talent, not the gear rental.

I agree. Do a site survey first and give the system a look-see and a listen. Please, don't ever agree to work with someone else's system, sight unseen. You may walk into a bunch of Pyramid stuff and underpowered amps. I have seen this. :eek:

If you're good to go with the house system, negotiate a working rate.

If you feel the house system is substandard, explain that you will have to provide your own in order to put on a professional show. They may not be willing to pay for that since their desire is to have a DJ and music source only.

If you're using the house system, you're not going to earn more than $300 for the night. I'd expect in the neighborhood of $200.

I worked night clubs in Southern California bringing only my additional must bring music and usually made around 75-150 a night even on Fridays and Saturdays. However I had a backupo who would fill in when I was doing an 800 dollar wedding (this was during the mid 1990's also). Recently got asked by a friend of a friend who waits at this corner pub if I would be interested in taking a 3 night a week including Friday and Saturday for 65 a night I was umm no thanks now with my day job gone I might consider it on a Wednesday night if they pay my fuel. It's a computer based system and a location I wouldnt mind gaining some exposure in my new fulltime endeavor.They balked at my original minimum to start on a Friday for 125 dolllars so we shall see.

I'm guessing it is a private party held at the bar.....

Wouldn't matter if I used my gear or theirs, it's my gig for the day and I would charge them my normals fee of $800.00 for up to 4 hours.

Using their gear doesn't matter, I still have to be there.

Having a DJ Booth is not an extra to me,,, what if that booth is up in the air, or off to the side, in the back or whatever.... Nope....

And as has been said, what if the gear is cruddy, or worse, what if the gear is okay, but desides on THAT night to die,,, who is getting the blame?

Oh my my. Not on your life, little buckos. Wish the Maryland DJ was here to tell you his little incident about 15 years ago.

He did the private function using the bar stuff with no real contract, and it was for fair money. Mysteriously, the equipment blew up. No reason, just blew. Poof. Got sued by the owner (oh surprise) and bought the club replacement stuff.

No way Jose. Not even at normal rates would there ever be me jacking into or using some unknown entities stuff without a poop-load of contractual protection, waivers, and sign-off, client & facility alike. Not on your life!

Gotta agree with Cap on this. We all know what our business equipment is capable of. We can't know what a house system is capable of nor if it's capable at all.

If you patch into a house system and it breaks, the onus is gonna be on you. You may wager that the old "We've been using this system for seventeen years without fail and you come in and break it" line is gonna be used to ream you a new one.

Never mind that the house "system" consists of dust-clogged Pyramid amps and cabinets. All you've gotta do is fry just one of those old peizo horn drivers... and the house owner may well try to get a new EV rig out of it. Any business can be sued. :(

Remember the old adage: You break it, you buy it.

Same here, no way...

I am doing a popular pub Saturday night in downtown Schenectady night! Getting the $$ I want too! ;) Not mortgage $$ , not but 'nuff to buy my bride somethin' ..

Oh my my. Not on your life, little buckos. Wish the Maryland DJ was here to tell you his little incident about 15 years ago.

He did the private function using the bar stuff with no real contract, and it was for fair money. Mysteriously, the equipment blew up. No reason, just blew. Poof. Got sued by the owner (oh surprise) and bought the club replacement stuff.

No way Jose. Not even at normal rates would there ever be me jacking into or using some unknown entities stuff without a poop-load of contractual protection, waivers, and sign-off, client & facility alike. Not on your life!

Good stuff, Cap! Geez, you vets are so freakin' smart! I would never have thought of the things you all are suggesting here until it was too late!

RaskyKat ::sqbiggrin: That's why one is a vet in the biz...not a casualty because of it!! :sqwink:

C.Y.A.

Thanks for everybody’s responses. This is the decision I made, after reading Cap’s response I phoned the event planner for the company, and told them they need to find somebody else due to I am not going to take a chance on using the house equipment. She did understand. Thanks again gentlemen!!!

Cap, thanks for your words of discorugement. You may have saved me alot of moola!!!

$150 and the bartender tips you out like the rest of the staff.