How much should I charge?

[Guest]

I need some guidance!

 

I was doing a job for one of my clients ( I own an office furniture sevice company ) when I met this guy who was hired by them to work on some publicity ads and offered him my services for creating music tracks. He's asked me to give him a quote on composing 2 to 3 min. of up beat corporate music with voice overs for their telephone answering system.

 

I can do the music no problem but how much should I charge him?

 

What is the going rate for a job like this?

 

Thank's guys for your input!

 

John

[flo]

I would charge anywhere from $200 to $300 . Seems like a fair price ! I wrote over 100 mins for $2000.

 

good luck

[Gus Lozada]

My gosh...

 

I think I am abusing of my customers http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/biggrin.gif ... but consider if:

 

1) Are YOU gonna still be the copyright owner or are you selling the piece for royalty free usage?

2) Is it 100% original material or it includes samples from others?

3) Are you paying some else for the voices?

 

For 100% original, copyright / royalty free material (mostly for Radio Jingles or TV) a "standard" rate in studios (In Mexico) is about 30 usd / Second so a 20 second spot costs about 600 usd. Of course, I do charge far less for frequent customers. I pay my singers with that money and deliver the product in DAT or CD. If the customer asks for an specific singer (perhaps a famous star) just notify them the actual cost of hiring him/her for the job and include it in your quote.

 

For bigger projects (more than 2 minutes), I usually notify the customer I am keeping the rights of the music and charge them a fee for the license of using my material in their projects. You determine the usage of your material and as soon as the contract ends, you can use it for other customers and/or proceed legally if they are still using it without your permission.

 

If the customer really feels identified with the tune (many of them feel it is their "corporate sound") they will ask you to sell it to them... then negotiate.

 

Once I recorded FIVE ONE HOUR CDs with 100% original dance music for a GYM. They wanted to have "their own" music. I had to work with them attending some classes and watching how do they evolve during the class (you know, warming up, the actual exercise and then relaxing) and included some voice directions in the CD, with Fx. I kept the copyright, signed a contract for a one year usage and charged about $3,500 for the 5 Cd's... they are still using them. I do think I'm gonna let them keep the Cd's after that year... ya know... I do still have a heart http://www.musicplayer.com/ubb/wink.gif

 

A very important thing is SERVICE. Deliver the product in the format they want including an extra copy, keep a copy in your files (with NO voices) so you could make new versions of it easily, some of them FREE of charge.

 

Hope that helps.

GusTraX