Weddings Charging a Per Song Fee For Song Hunting

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jokerswild

jokerswild

Chief Bottle Washer
Feb 11, 2007
18,776
1,288
Elkhart, IN
www.totalimpactdjs.com
I nearly wet myself laughing when I read this question I just got from a potential bride...

I had one question that I keep forgetting to ask you... what's the rate per song for songs that you have to hunt down for us?
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Here's my reply:

Rob's Reply said:
...for music I might have to purchase. If a DJ is charging a per song fee in my book they aren't really a professional in business DJ Service. For me new music is just a cost of doing business. So, no I wont charge you a per song fee for songs I might need for your event.

Further I will exhaust all avenues of legally purchasing any track before I come back and say it's not available. That's never happend to date.
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I'm floored by this question and can't imagine any for real in business professional DJ charging for the purchase of "tools" they need to perform the job requested.... that's a little like a plumber asking for extra money for a pipe wrench he needs to fix your pipes.... it's ludacris.
 
Rob,

That question is the residue of that potential client having probably contacted a typical bottom feeding parasite that routinely has ZERO realized profit margin and cannot afford to offer a professional music library as a minimal weapon in his arsenal.

Another possible cause of that amateur pricing model is the result of regularly committing to a price before knowing the expectations of the contractee. How can you establish a fair fee if you do not have any idea what you will have to provide/deliver/address/...
 
jokerswild said:
I nearly wet myself laughing when I read this question I just got from a potential bride...

I had one question that I keep forgetting to ask you... what's the rate per song for songs that you have to hunt down for us?
Click to expand...

Here's my reply:
Quote Originally Posted by Rob's Reply
...for music I might have to purchase. If a DJ is charging a per song fee in my book they aren't really a professional in business DJ Service. For me new music is just a cost of doing business. So, no I wont charge you a per song fee for songs I might need for your event.

Further I will exhaust all avenues of legally purchasing any track before I come back and say it's not available. That's never happend to date.
Click to expand...

I'm floored by this question and can't imagine any for real in business professional DJ charging for the purchase of "tools" they need to perform the job requested.... that's a little like a plumber asking for extra money for a pipe wrench he needs to fix your pipes.... it's ludacris.
Click to expand...
If you want a different take, I'll certainly oblige, but I'd hate to express my opinion and become the target of a bucket of brainless hater-aid!
 
it happens in this world we live in Rob,you would be surprised at the stuff in life that people have to pay extra for.i've heard of guys charging extra because they had to buy an extra 100" extension to do an outdoor gig.
 
I always put a cap on songs that I might need to purchase that I don't already have. I started that when a bride requested 10 songs for her ceremony. I could only find them on one site. Each was 12 to 15 dollars. I called and let her know that unless she wanted to buy them all she would have to do with a couple.

She told me she never knew about the price of the songs. But given they were all on only one site I can't see her not knowing. My cap is 20 dollars which I feel is fair. If its music I think I might use again I would go up to 30 but I don't tell that. I have never had a problem with the cap on music that I don't have. I'm a huge fan of amazon.
 
I wouldn't charge extra for them, but yes, you gotta have some type of cap or agreement on how many songs?...and WHAT ARE the songs?
I have spent a lot of money in the past on music that no one else will ever want to hear again. Obscure crap that they probably have already. If they have a CD (or song files) of special tunes that I may not have, 99% of the time they will offer to provide it.

These days with the internet and using digital files it's not so bad, but years ago, I remember running from record store to record store trying to find some stupid song by Roger Whittiker.
 
CMWAT said:
it happens in this world we live in Rob,you would be surprised at the stuff in life that people have to pay extra for.i've heard of guys charging extra because they had to buy an extra 100" extension to do an outdoor gig.
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I've heard of extra for setting up and taking down too. For me, that's part of the price. Why the heck should you charge a separate setup / takedown fee?
 
and thats why I have in my Contracts that


"ALL MUSIC IS SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY"


plain and simple!
 
Next thing you know they'll be charging $0.99 per song played for wear and tear on the file yorofl:
 
funny thing we have many clients these days who request 400 songs. In most situations we cannot even come close to that list. I ask for qualification for my must plays as it saves me big grief for the isssues to do with those must plays when Im signing the contract with them.
 
Jon Tuck said:
funny thing we have many clients these days who request 400 songs. In most situations we cannot even come close to that list. I ask for qualification for my must plays as it saves me big grief for the isssues to do with those must plays when Im signing the contract with them.
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400 songs? WTF? At a typical 4 hour show, you MIGHT play 80 songs. Guess that leaves no room for guest requests? (I know some of you don't entertain guest requests).
 
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