Depping - more or less?

[spikydavid]

So, when stepping in as a dep, do you expect to get paid more, less, or the same as the regular bassist?

[bassace]

I dep a lot. Same.

[warwickhunt]

I've never gotten less than the bassist I'm depping for but did once get a bit extra as I pulled the band out of the cacka when their bassist dropped them in it at the very last minute (3hrs notice and obvs no rehearsal). If I was offered less I'd feel quite insulted.

[geoffbassist]

Same, but I have occasionally found bands who pay differently, both times it was less! It's a crazy move as the dep is the one working the hardest.

[JapanAxe]

Same, but if it's crap I'll decline the gig.

[lowdown]

Same. Although there has been times over the years when it was very last minute and extra was paid as a thank you.

[chris_b]

Same.

I know that most of the bands I played in divided up the money equally, but some didn't. As long as you get what you think the gig is worth to you then there's no problem. I know a function band that pay very well for a dep but it's less than the usual guy gets. I've also done deps where the band has asked my what my rate was! That stumped me the first time. What a dilemma! If you go greedy you've possibly killed a good gig and no one wants to go stupid low!

[ivansc]

Rule of thumb used to be "I don't open my front gate for less than £100". But you certainly do have to have a fairly accurate idea of your own worth ahead of time.
Not sure how that works these days but I just took a dep job for next NYE in a pub as a favour to an old mate & it pays £1k between four of us.

Chris B has the truth of it. A gig is worth what it is worth to you at the time.

[blue]

I would say , if your offered a DEP job, it's not about more or less than the regular members. It's about your fee as a DEP. Either they can afford to pay your fee or not.

If I DEP a bar gig, my fee is $175.00. I'm not concerned with what the others are getting.

Blue

Edited March 2, 2017 by blue

[chris_b]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1488488219' post='3249475']
If I DEP a bar gig, my fee is $175.00. I'm not concerned with what the others are getting.
[/quote]

Do you get many offers?

[TimR]

I always paid deps what they wanted. Usually that was more than anyone else in the band.

I would expect to be paid the same as the others but it depends on how appreciative the band members are. Are they in it for the money, or do they just want to be out playing for fun?

.

Edited March 2, 2017 by TimR

[leschirons]

Normally, they'll say what the gig is paying (only ever depped for bands where the split was equal) up to me then whether I take it or not.

Odd occasion where it's been more as you're really getting someone outta the crap but it's never been me who's asked for more as most of the bands have at least been people I knew, if not pals.

[interpol52]

I expect to be paid the same. I'm doing a dep gig next week and have put a lot of work in to learning the songs so the gig goes well.

[blue]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1488490137' post='3249494']


Do you get many offers?
[/quote]

No, I'm not really networked to get many DEP offers.

I would love to ad depping gigs to my existing band schedule.

I'm not a member of the club where you get called for DEP work.

I'm an outsider that has gotten the boot at every attempt to join the inside club.

Now, most bar gigs in my part of the world pay $100.00 per man for 4 hours of work.

If a guy has to learn a ton of new material in many cases less then 2 weeks plus work for 4 hours because a band is short staffed, I think $175.00 is a more than a fair fee.

What do you guys think?

Blue

Edited March 3, 2017 by blue

[blue]

[quote name='ivansc' timestamp='1488487926' post='3249472']
Rule of thumb used to be "I don't open my front gate for less than £100". But you certainly do have to have a fairly accurate idea of your own worth ahead of time.
Not sure how that works these days but I just took a dep job for next NYE in a pub as a favour to an old mate & it pays £1k between four of us.

Chris B has the truth of it. A gig is worth what it is worth to you at the time.
[/quote]

Ivan,

I like where your heads at.

I also like 1k gigs for 4 guys. That's "good money" where I come from.

Blue

[mcnach]

[quote name='spikydavid' timestamp='1488484226' post='3249419']
So, when stepping in as a dep, do you expect to get paid more, less, or the same as the regular bassist?
[/quote]


I'd say it varies: to be discussed on a case by case basis. You don't need to know how much the regular bassist makes, only how much they offer you. If you want more, then negotiate.

[mcnach]

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1488484908' post='3249432']
What band would be willing to pay more for a dep?
Why would you want to accept any less as a dep than the regular guy?
[/quote]


You're a band who has a gig you really don't want to cancel and are a bit pressed for time or it's awkward due to place/time or whatever... and you know this guy will pull it off. You need him more than he needs you... so the band may make an offer that means the dep makes more than anybody else.

You are approached to dep for a particular gig, and you're free. They offer you £X. You think about it and decide £X is a good pay. You accept.

And variations thereof...

[mcnach]

[quote name='geoffbassist' timestamp='1488485446' post='3249438']
Same, but I have occasionally found bands who pay differently, both times it was less! It's a crazy move as the dep is the one working the hardest.
[/quote]


yeah, but the dep doesn't have to put up with all the band drama crap

[Dood]

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1488536977' post='3249727']



I'd say it varies: to be discussed on a case by case basis. You don't need to know how much the regular bassist makes, only how much they offer you. If you want more, then negotiate.
[/quote]

Indeed. I start with a fee in mind for the work required then negotiate on a per band basis. I often get asked to do short notice Dep jobs with little time to learn the set, often encompassing re-arrangements of songs, new keys and custom segways.

As a Dep you need to factor in the preparation time, your travel and subsistence costs too. If you're taking less than the usual bassist then I hope it's because they get paid lots!

[Dood]

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1488537208' post='3249729']



You're a band who has a gig you really don't want to cancel and are a bit pressed for time or it's awkward due to place/time or whatever... and you know this guy will pull it off. You need him more than he needs you... so the band may make an offer that means the dep makes more than anybody else.

You are approached to dep for a particular gig, and you're free. They offer you £X. You think about it and decide £X is a good pay. You accept.

And variations thereof...
[/quote]

Yup, great example. Any band that treats the Dep with anything less than like royalty just isn't professional. When I've been in a band that needed a Dep, we rallied round to make sure charts and recordings were on offer, gear could be borrowed, rehearsals were paid for and the Dep didn't even have to drive to the gigs. We needed them more than they needed the gig. Deps are very valuable. Look after them as you might need them again in the future.

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='hiram.k.hackenbacker' timestamp='1488484908' post='3249432']
What band would be willing to pay more for a dep?
Why would you want to accept any less as a dep than the regular guy?
[/quote]
The band i used to dep with paid a flat fee of £150 for a dep. Sometimes that was more than the rest of the band got. We did a small tour of Scotland once, and after expenses etc i was the only one to make money.

so yes, it can happen.

[mcnach]

[quote name='dood' timestamp='1488537983' post='3249741']
Yup, great example. Any band that treats the Dep with anything less than like royalty just isn't professional. When I've been in a band that needed a Dep, we rallied round to make sure charts and recordings were on offer, gear could be borrowed, rehearsals were paid for and the Dep didn't even have to drive to the gigs. We needed them more than they needed the gig. Deps are very valuable. Look after them as you might need them again in the future.
[/quote]


wise words!

Recently I found myself in an uncomfortable position, where my main band got offered a gig that they all were very keen about, but I was already booked in with another band I'm "temporarily but long term" involved with (essentially a dep job that got extended).

I love both bands. My main band would not hate me if I said "sorry, can't", some of us do other things and while we give priority to the band, once we're booked elsewhere we leave it. But they were very keen. And, to be honest... so was I. It's not going to pay a lot but it's going to be great fun, and it is local and my girlfriend will be there too (there's this other band from Glasgow we both love), while the other is out of town and I would not be back until noon the next day...

So I told the second band that I'd find a dep if they're ok with it. They were. I asked how much we were going to get. It was a bit lower than usual, unfortunately... So I decided to bump it up from my own pocket when I contacted two people that I really rate, both as players (both leave me in the dust!) and as people (both are really nice guys and dependable).
One of the guys was known to the band, so they chose him.

He had a month to learn one hour's worth of originals and a few covers. Pretty easy 'though, but it still takes time.

Fast forward to 10 days before the gig. It gets cancelled. They had not yet met and rehearsed together, but the guy had learnt already the songs, and I knew he would have been very good at it... so I ended up giving him some "consolation money" anyway. Why? Because, first, he deserved it, and second... I now know he can be a dep for us much more easily since he's already learnt those songs, and I want him to feel appreciated so that in the future maybe he can help us if we need to.

Bands who don't treat deps well will find themselves one day having to cancel gigs and wonder why everybody seemed to be so busy that they could not work with them...

[lowdown]

[quote name='dood' timestamp='1488537983' post='3249741']
Deps are very valuable. Look after them as you might need them again in the future.
[/quote]

Indeed, and in the case of doing professional pit work, the deps might need YOU, at some point in the future.
Shows open and close all the time. It's about networking and what better way to network - Depping.

[Beer of the Bass]

There is a friend's band I used to regularly dep with, as their regular bassist had a nasty break to his arm and was out of action for quite a while. They offered me a set rate per gig, which seemed reasonable. On some gigs they made less than that, on a couple they probably made more, so I think it was fair enough. It was a very strange experience depping for a guy who came to most of the gigs though!

Edited March 3, 2017 by Beer of the Bass

[ambient]

It would depend on the work involved.

If they were expecting me to learn an entire set then that would be taken into account in what I ask.

It's not just those 2 or 3 hours then don't forget.