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Author Topic: Pay Scale for Church Drummer  (Read 23727 times)

Offline drummergirl4

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Pay Scale for Church Drummer
« on: January 23, 2006, 06:42:31 PM »
Hey! I am new to this site and forum.  Can anyone give me a low to high pay scale that would be fair to ask for when being the primary drummer for a church.  I would play every Sunday and have one rehearsal per week. That is all I know right now, the person hiring ran an ad, I answered it and he asked me to give him a ballpark figure. I have never played in a church.  I am a professional with 20plus years experience.
Thanks for any advice.  http://www.drummergirl.net

 :roll:

Offline SabianKnight

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Pay Scale for Church Drummer
« Reply #1 on: January 23, 2006, 07:37:12 PM »
How many services?

$150-300 overall depending on the number of services?
Try not to become a person of success but rather a person of VALUE. - T. Harv Eker

Offline drummercat777

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Pay Scale for Church Drummer
« Reply #2 on: January 23, 2006, 10:21:14 PM »
Quote
$150-300 overall depending on the number of services?


i don't know about that man. that may be too much. at the church i play at, i make less than a service. but they also pay for my sticks and all the gear is theirs including a new iron cobra pedal and all new a customs.... you want to get what you are worth without scaring them into finding another drummer that would do the job for less and believe that there are others....hope this helps...
Psalm 150:5
why I do what i do.....

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Offline Uziono

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Pay Scale for Church Drummer
« Reply #3 on: January 24, 2006, 12:43:22 AM »
The type of church you will be playing for and the requirements that the church is looking such as reading music or providing your own gear makes a huge difference in the asking price. If this is the case you can expect to make a far wage. Some churches have no problem bringing in pros and paying a good scale, some churches just simply need a beat to get them by. I have been to some churches that will pay up to 300.00 per service in which they usually have two services. I am not sure of your situation but if any of this is the case, I would think 300-500 per week is a good call.

Offline MOEDRUMS

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Pay Scale for Church Drummer
« Reply #4 on: January 24, 2006, 06:45:12 AM »
CHARGE EMMMM 1MILLION BUCKS! YOUR WORTH IT RIGHT????? SIKE NAHHHHHHH.....................I WOULD SAY  DEPENDING ON HOW BIG THE CHURCH IS 100 BUCKS TO 175, UP HERE IN THE TRI-STATE AREA  YOU COULD MAKE ANYWHERE FROM 75-400

Offline Krazy_afro_man

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Pay Scale for Church Drummer
« Reply #5 on: January 24, 2006, 11:46:32 PM »
wow ths is amazing. There is no pay scale..... Whatever the church decides to bless with that should be it. Pay scale....what a joke.

Offline DrummieSyd

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Pay Scale
« Reply #6 on: January 25, 2006, 12:33:05 AM »
First there is not set pay scale, some churches are able to bless you more than others and understand the importance of blessing their Minstrels.  So be mindful and do not request a payment that will price you out of the gig as stated above.

Speak with the Minister of Music and other paid band members to get a feel of how they compensate their musicians.  From their see what they are willing to bless  you wit on their on and negotiate, if need be, from their.

Seek God first and pray on a figure and let him do his work to get you there.

Offline MikeGee

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Pay Scale for Church Drummer
« Reply #7 on: January 25, 2006, 05:23:25 AM »
Is it me or are drummers talking about money  a lot?

Offline charbabe

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Pay Scale for Church Drummer
« Reply #8 on: January 25, 2006, 11:47:49 AM »
Quote from: Krazy_afro_man
wow ths is amazing. There is no pay scale..... Whatever the church decides to bless with that should be it. Pay scale....what a joke.


I strongly agree with you.  He knows whats best.

Offline charbabe

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Pay Scale for Church Drummer
« Reply #9 on: January 25, 2006, 11:49:04 AM »
Quote from: MikeGee
Is it me or are drummers talking about money  a lot?


Its NOT you.

Offline SabianKnight

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Pay Scale for Church Drummer
« Reply #10 on: January 25, 2006, 11:52:29 AM »
Quote from: MikeGee
Is it me or are drummers talking about money  a lot?


I think that a lot of drummers are becoming working musicians and want their giftings/skillset into the church. The church demands a lot from a musician and does not take responsibilty to insure that the musicians are taken care of. Yes I said responsibility. God did not ask for a praise band the church did. God demands reverence and honor... the church decided how they would do it. Motif for the keyboard player or he'll leave. Groove Percusion/Pulse/Forum for the drummer because all he does is keep a beat. That is disrespect for the gift God gave the drumset musician and a cop out of responsibility for the church.

Now the rsponsibilty of the drumset musician is to make himself of value. Properly maintaining the drumkit: tuning, cleaning, dust buster the woodchips up, setting up changes in the music, learning to play brushes and always bringing them in his/her stick bag--not showing up with two pair sticks in hand, owning/playing with rutes/hot rods/splash sticks, playing cymbals with soft mallets during worship moments, charting out songs: A, B, C... sections, controlling the room as an MD would being ever conscious of the atmospher and the shifts/assisting the MD/becoming the MD having an understanding of music theory/terminology, STOP TRYING TO AUDITION FOR THE DRUMOFF FROM THE PULPIT.

If a church can allocate for building fund they can pay their musicians a just pay. If a drumset player can learn XBOX codes he can learn to read/write music especially for the Lord. If he/she can buy a $50 XBOX game you can spend $29-$49 on an instructional DVD or book. Either way the church ministry needs to invest in itself and be the asset it is meant to be and not the liability.

As I learned on (pledge) line, "Excuses are the tools of the incompetent used to build monuments of nothing and those that use them seldom amount to anything else."
Try not to become a person of success but rather a person of VALUE. - T. Harv Eker

Offline hendoo

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Pay Scale for Church Drummer
« Reply #11 on: January 25, 2006, 01:07:12 PM »
Never forget that, it's not about $$$$$ it's a commitment, I am the only drummer @ my church, & we have three services a Sunday, & with a wife & three kids & a regular full time job, it' get's TIRING sometimes, BUT THAT'S WAY THE PAY ME, ANOTHER THING IS I AM ALSO A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH, SO IT'S GOOD GETTING FEED SPIRITUALLY & FINANCIALLY!!!!!!

Offline Krazy_afro_man

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Pay Scale for Church Drummer
« Reply #12 on: January 25, 2006, 02:09:08 PM »
there's a big difference between accepting a blessing from the church and demanding a blessing from the church. I see a lot of topics about getting paid and whats the pay scale or why does he get more than me and i don't think that demanding a payment is the way to go. It makes you look bad and greedy. Now if your doing 3 services a day, thats a little bit outside the norm so i mean in that situation it's reasonable to make a polite request.

Offline MOEDRUMS

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Pay Scale for Church Drummer
« Reply #13 on: January 25, 2006, 03:01:32 PM »
well i never put a set amount on the table for my church from the dooor, i never ever talk about money, most drummers may,but i dont,some of yall cats may think the church do too much or pay tooo much unless it was you! i get paid with beneifits,medicare,dental and all yes from the church,and i did'nt ask for it,on top of that, thats not my only income,so some of us or blessed to be blessed and others get blesings in other ways! :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :wink:  :wink:  :wink:  :wink:  :wink:

Offline mrwhite

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Pay Scale for Church Drummer
« Reply #14 on: January 25, 2006, 03:26:14 PM »
hey, y'all don't get off the subject.  make sure that drummergirls question gets answered.  she asked how much to ask for, NOT whether she should ask to be paid or not.  Shes expecting to get paid, most likely because the church is offering to pay her to play.  I know this subject has been a two sided issue with many of y'all here, but the question is directed towards those who ARE getting paid  :wink:

Offline waydrummer

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Pay Scale for Church Drummer
« Reply #15 on: January 25, 2006, 03:44:15 PM »
well since you aren't a keyboardist or an organist don't expect more than 150 dollars a sunday esp. if it is a small church.

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Pay Scale for Church Drummer
« Reply #16 on: January 25, 2006, 08:01:20 PM »
Man please I'd be happy with $5 a sunday. Dont get me wrong I dont want to sound cocky because I'm not that's not my personality but I'm a pretty descent drummer, and my church is far from small, my point is I dont never see no cash. Shoot, I buy my own sticks, cymbals, heads all that stuff, but I just love playing for God and when it's God's time to bless me with whatever amount of money I'll be satisfied.

j_kay

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Pay Scale for Church Drummer
« Reply #17 on: January 25, 2006, 09:46:03 PM »
Quote from: SabianKnight

As I learned on (pledge) line, "Excuses are the tools of the incompetent used to build monuments of nothing and those that use them seldom amount to anything else."


_______ is a non-hazing fraternity!   :lol:

Fill in the blank for your respective organization.   :lol:

Offline drumzalicious

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Pay Scale for Church Drummer
« Reply #18 on: January 25, 2006, 10:30:19 PM »
i personally believe musicians should be paid because it's different than being an usher or a greeter or anything like that because our position takes skill and skill is something you have to pay for. thats like thinking that a pilot because he goes to your church will fly you for free anywhere.

i am not saying anyone should be up there they should fit the characteristics of a musician as listed in samuel 16:18

"Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him."

im going to use drummer terms to get this across

cunning in playing - knowing when to keep the pocket, knowing how to set up transitions, and when to do those oh so sweet licks.

mighty and valiant man, a man of war - these two in my opinion basically mean that he/she isn't a punk and they are ready for war fare. when i say war fare im talking about war with the devil because that is what we are doing when we get up to play we are fiighting a war.

prudent in matters - he don't put his business out there also can be taken as he doesn't show you every trick he knows.

comely person - clean not with messy and wrinkled clothes, pants hangin to the floor etc...

last but not least - AND GOD IS WITH HIM that speaks for itself.

Offline Bullitt

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Pay Scale for Church Drummer
« Reply #19 on: January 26, 2006, 01:09:58 AM »
THis is a touchy topic.  I've played for my church for about 7 years now and have yet to be paid.  Our musicians (with the exception of the Music Minister) get a love offering once a year and we supply all of our own parts/gear.

Personally, I don't see anything wrong with paying musicians to an extent.  Sadly, in this world quality costs $$$ and to have a "professional" sound you have to be willing to pay for it.  I don't think it's right for musicians to expect compensation for using the Gifts that God has given them but in the same respect, churches shouldn't expect to get "something for nothing"


Just my .02, keep an open mind...


-J
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