How much should you charge for your DJ gigs? 

I usually charge $125 an hour when doing something mobile for a basic set up meaning, a controller set of powered speakers and a small light show and the price gets adjusted from there as I find out more info on the gig such as size of the venue and amount of people expected. After that info is when I determine now if I have to bring subs which is gonna jack the price up even more. And if they start asking for video mixing which means bringing flat screens that jacks up prices further. When it comes to lounges and clubs(club scene isn't as big as it once was here in NYC. The lounge scene is more where it's at these days)there are other factors. It's $150 to bring my laptop and my controller and $250 if I have to bring my powered speakers. I charge a little less at the lounges because that's where you really create your following of which I have a small one but it's growing fast. Just a little history, I've been spinning on and off since 1987 and I pretty much have knowledge of and can play almost every genre of music so I can pretty much take any gig that comes my way. Anything from latin music,hip hop and r&b,house and edm,funk soul,freestyle,classics and even rock. Hope this point of reference can help anybody out. Let's not mention the technic 1200's. Those bad boys don't leave the house for no less than 1g!!!!

Ok so what do I do when promoters or event organizers play promoter games (shopping for DJs), where they call you ask your price tell you that a competitor, usually of a lower caliber, offered to do a number that is 50-60% less that your price even after your cut them a deal? Long story short your competition gets the gig and continues to scrape the bottom and get gigs undercutting you. An option I've explored is organizing my own events but seeing as I DJ, I cannot manage everything. When, if there is one, is the point where talent outweighs cheap? Any advice fellow DJs?

Have been practicing at home for about 6-7 months, then had my very first gig towards the end of last year, friend of a friends 18th Birthday party. Small venue, around 50 people. Played the whole night (around 4 hours) £120 (about $180), had my friends with me and time flew. Hear alot about charging p/h which makes absolute sense with experience, but as this was my first time, I really wanted to play. I didn't feel like I undervalued myself, I knew I could of charged more and still of justified the price. But I almost felt rude trying to go any higher knowing I didn't have that level of experience. Initially I was worried, my crates consist of House/Hip Hop and RnB! and I was getting request like My Chemical Romance. Wifi was a blessing. Overall! the night was a success - chart/house/hiphop/rnb. Great advice for in the future though TLM! plan on playing in nightclub venues around my Universities city (Nottingham, UK) so definitely helps. I have a soundcloud if you're interested - soundcloud.com/mysterydre Thanks.

EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO BE A DJ LEARNING 90'S AND EARLY 2000'S HIP HOP/R&B IS CRUCIAL!!! THOSE SONGS WILL GET THE HYPE GOING!!!

My answer is simple Ive been DJing for 7 years off and on. I say pay me what you think im worth at the end of the night. If it was bad I usually dont get much. If i did great and I STILL got paid low I decide not to work with that guy again, But that doesn't happen much. I have been paid so much MORE that i was picturing. Once i got paid 350 for a half hour set in a small crappy club that blew up that night

I started out with packages then switched to $125 per hour. It works better for me straight to the point let the client do the math. I get more gigs charging by the hour then I did with packages.

Honestly with u and ur tutorials, i have regained a very big confident that i can make it as a DJ. I'm about going into being a career dj and i see alot on youtube but just today i came across u and i have hope. Keep it up bro and soon i will make u proud

Well im a mobile Dj and just like you mentioned, i do take into consideration the distance i have to travel, if i need to pay toll and i dont have a car but a good friend of mine takes me to these venues so i consider how much i have to give him and all of that gets added on to the package they choose. I based my prices on the amount of equipment i have to take which i made into packages. I have 3 packages. One which is just music 400, second is music and light effects and fog or low lying fog for 1000 and if they wanna add a photo slideshow or if the guest wanna play video msgs, i throw in 2 32" screens or projectors and that is 1600. I also have a monthly gig at the greenhouse cafe in brooklyn where i get paid 75, but i get free drinks and food and i do it mainly for the experience.

someone send this video to Paris Hilton

I've been Djing for about 2 years on the side. I charge 15% of the equipment I use plus travel and time. I use a DDJ-SX ($1,000 roughly), so if I don't have to bring speakers ($500 each), My base would be 150 plus gas and $10 and hour. SO for a gig that's 4 hours long and maybe half a tank of gas away it would come out to $150 for the equipment. Another $150 if I have to set up and travel with sound. Gas ($30) and 4 hours (40) to come to $370. Then I'm flexible around that. I'm just starting out, so I'm not going to charge too much, but I'm not a novice, so I'm not going to short myself. I figure, once I get better, I'll up the hourly rate and my equipment percentage, but I'll probably stop at 30% of equipment and just raise the hourly rate.

Getting a regular gig (even playing for free) is critical as more work snowballs from work. You can tell people you are a DJ til the end of time and nobody gives a rats wrinkly bits. But when you tell people you play every week at the same time somewhere and to come and listen for themselves you are suddenly validated. People with functions and events will come past to listen or approach you at the end of your set. Then if you are anywhere near half decent, someone will eventually come along and tell you to come and play at their club instead and the cash will flow.

To be honest, thanks to TLM, my mixing and my transitions have gotten a lot better. I really want to see more of your mixing tutorial series for some more info and stuff I could do!

As said in video starting out do what you can and gain as much experience however possible that is best for you. Remember, as you gain experience, confidence, and grow your ability/equipment (also if you're a mobile DJ) the more you can charge as your requests for gigs become greater. Stay humble, but stay true!

On my first gig, me and my partner made 300$ we were poorly prepared but still managed to rock the crowd! I can say that the first time I mixed, there were injury inducing mosh-pits! I consider myself lucky to have had the BEST learning experience of my life while getting paid... This said, my next gig is supposed to be for the school party... should be a little more difficult to squeeze even a dollar out of their pocket... Thanks again TLM for the informative content!

This was a awesome question. For me I have a base price of $100.00 a hour with a 4 hour minimum. Now that is a based price subject to change depend on the event needs. Anything over 4 hours and just like a job overtime was time and a half. The reason My base price was based on time, the equipment I brought, 4 speakers, 2 mixers,3 sets of lights, bubble machines and fog machine. I also gave you a recorded CD of you event and the kicker I would do live calls or prerecorded calls from people that can't make it. But I base the final quote on distance, time. setup people needed. Foe me it was easy, my first clients were members of a country club I used to be the Banquet Manager, so I know I they had money. At the same time I was doing family and friends parties at 50%, and I was working at a club that when I started had 6 people on a Friday night, I play there for free. Like the DJ said there are a lot of things to consider where quoting a price. Hell I did gigs where I rented 2 50inch TV's and added 100. a hour. My last point sometime you have to start out free, well I thought it was losing money because of the business cards and flyers, but it was a investment. Also I always made sure I had a signed contract, stating what I would bring, and how long I would play and the price. It would also state what they would suppy ect. tables chairs, drinks, for things like that. The biggest part of the contract was the you had to let me know 72 hours in advance in you wanted to cancel or I would still charge you. oh, yea don't forget the cancel check thing. Any questions email me at bigdaddieproductionsllc@comcast.net DJ BIGDADDIE

To add as well: I would always request more informaiton and to meet with the client before giving a price. Giving a price over email allows them to shop around and not really see the value in your services (unless your Dj TLM or a big name!:) It has a better close rate with clients and it's really personable. It also prevents other Djs doing reserach and emailing you as a customer where they're really finding out other Djs prices.

you have hit the right mark with this video.. i have been in this game for over 25 years and you hit every point..i agree with you 1000% on how to price for certain gigs.. i tell the young cats i know the same thing.. with your permission may i share this with them cause i swear we sound like..lol thanks again for the information..you are a really humble man for doing this! #djtimdogg

Thanks DJ TLM!!!! Bro where can I get my Dj TLM shirt or hat??

Free gigs or low pay gigs are easy to get. Gets your flyer and name out there. Also do ymca, boys and girls clubs, little league events, church's any charitable organization. This also promotes good will and adds to your gig log.

DJ TLM, YOU ARE THE BEST!!!! I LEARNED FROM YOU AND GET MOTIVATED AS WELL!!! THANK YOU, SIR!

Me starting back out after a long time not doing it, iv done a few for free, but i have this women wanting me to do her wedding in July, an i asked her what their budget was for the dj, an she gave me a decent number an i agreed to do it for half of that because i still need experience myself. She was like your booked. At least ill have enough to cover travel money. Plus it gets my name out there amongst the folks at the wedding. Word of mouth is the best advertisement

Great advice all around, Im in the US Navy, and play at the base clubs. DJing in front of different crowds from different places teaches you a lot (especially about requests). Usually i get about $20-25 an hour and average about 5 to 6 hours per set. i use an NS7ii.

MARTIN GARRIX IS LIFE!!!!!!!!

Thanks Man! This Helped me out alot , i had no idea what to about this Situation ! I am a Latin DJ , i play alot of Spanish Music & EDM But Thanks DJTLM for the hard work you put in these vids that help out alot of the Beginner Djs like my self. ONCE AGAIN THANKS MAN

Yes, experience is more important. I gotta keep that in mind.

I had to learn this on my own... wish I would of seen this video before I messed up so many prices (I bartend with DJ lights/music/fog) love this video thanks man

Hey DJ TLM, I've learned tons from all of your DJ info videos! I started DJing about a year ago, and slowly started playing gigs. I agree, with playing gigs for free at the start. I did it at the nightclub in my hometown and it gave me the confidence to play even smaller venues. I now charge everytime I play, either weddings, private events, or at a club or bar. It all depended on how much equipment and time the customer needs from me and that is how I charge the customer!

DjTLM.......great videos, very specific and educational, I started this as a hobby then friends ask me to play at different house parties and Bar-B-Que........just upgraded from a Traktor S2 to a DDJ-SR and since then i'm doing nothing but looking at your instructional videos....I have no intentions of doing this professionally but i do want to master the craft....thanks for sharing your wisdom and experiences stay blessed.........DjO

tI depend if its a corporation flat out 100 per hours if its anthing else I will work with them normall try to get around 50 per hr been dj for about twenty years still have difficult time entertaining from the start when people are eating and just mingling before the party start will accept some feed back abouy last part of of my comment

£50 per hour for local venue £90 per hour for city venues.

After watching this and learning professional dj's like TLM first started doing free gigs/shows, I am gathering courage to go and offer free reggea shows at some local 'English club' in France, thanks again for your videos man.

What a great video man! Love your professional approach to teaching what you know. Keep it up man.

really good advice for someone like me who's just starting out in doing

Hi Dude, I been playing since 2009 in the nicest club in town, in rocky point mexico, its call elixir bar lounge. when I started I was making x amount of money, and the owner and I became good friends. We had a recess in the economy in town that brought down the number night I was playing eventually, I had to lower my fee to help out with the club, Now we are getting over 400 people a night for 3 night a week, and the price still the same. I'm sure I'm doing a good job the croud loves it ant tourist as well. My question is; How can I tell my friend to pay what Im worth, I have played in other clubs for almost triple for the night, and this club is not cheap at all. Thanks for your videos man Lots of help Take Care. Victor Cervantes (dj Sideral)

I started at a local bar which paid $50 for a 2 hour set. It didn't seem like much, but from people coming into the bar and seeing me/hearing my sets has expanded to a second weekly gig for me as well as people approaching me to play parties and other small gigs like that. I can't complain considering I've been djing for 6 months and its starting pretty well. I love the part where djTLM talked about doing the free gig for a year. I can't agree with that more. Experience in front of a crowd is KEY to being a beginning dj. I did the same thing when I was in a band for a few years and it helped out so much. Fantastic video. You never disappoint with your videos man!

TLM, at first I saw the total time of this video and said to myself, "Man this guy is going to talk about extra stuff that I do not need to hear". Well when it came to the 10 min mark, I was hoping this video would last for "hours" as you put it. Thanks for the info, it really helped me out on how to go about pricing.

Things to consider when calculating the price: 1.) How far do you have to drive? (I tack on an extra 20$ for every 5 miles over 80 miles away) 2.) What type of event are you doing? (A wedding will *always* be more than some kids 16th birthday party) 3.) Do you need to bring a generator just to power your rig? (Adequate power is huge, and having to bring your own is an additional $70 right off the top) 4.) Do you need single day insurance just to play there? (If so, another $60 right off the top, and that's cutting them a deal figuring the average single day general liability costs over or around $100) 5.) How big is the crowd? (Less than 100 = $2-300 USD, Over 100 = $4-5, Over 200 = $6-8, over 300 you're a serious DJ and can charge almost anything) 6.) How much gear are you bringing? ( Bringing one speaker, no subwoofer, a soundboard, and your controller and latpop is nothing compared to bringing every piece of gear you own) 7.) *How long are you performing* (Generally speaking, if you have quality gear and are good, $100 an hour is not asking a lot. Some DJ's are around $150 to 200$ just because of their reputation) 8.) Are you setting up in more than one place? (Mostly for weddings. If the ceremony and reception are in different areas, charging close to double is fair since you need twice the amount of gear) 9.) "Feel out the client" - a dad who's wringing his hands together and sweating about price points for his daughter's wedding is WAY different than a club owner who isn't even looking at you as you go over the pricing. Realize what you can and can't charge. Some people will actually turn you down if you don't charge enough....they have this weird way of reasoning in that if you're not asking for a certain price range they figure you're not used to performing at high profile events.

In my trance days, it was tiesto, ferry corsten, armin van buuren, and Johan Gielen. Every ten years some new players comes in the electronic dance music scene. It's ironic that that these djs are still Dutch

@djtlm loved this video but I have a question: do you see an issue with encouraging new DJ's to enter the industry in a potentially busy/competitive market that is struggling and make it their goal to charge $0 for sake of getting in the game and earning experience? I have come across this issue with venues that are so concerned about paying DJ's that they will take any new guy and gladly feed him alcohol as pay for hours of work and social media promotion. What is your take on this issue(s)?

For The Past 17 Years, I Have Donated My Time and Talent To Play 10 Hour on Saturday and 9 Hours on Sunday To a Catholic Church in Tucson, Arizona. I Didn't Charge a Dime. Plus I Had To Drive 8 Hours One Way To Play. I Learned With The Experience and Now I Provide D. J. Sound System For Bands To Hook-Up So They Will Perform.

Great video and a good subject, personally I charge based on type of event and day of week. Which has worked for me, I see a few people have commented that they charge by the hour - interesting 😎🎧👍🏻

Well everybody I'm kind just starting over. I use to DJ in high school. Long story short I had to quit to take care of the family and now I'm back and going from vinyl to controllers. So I'm charging $300 for a minimum of 4 hours and then $60 an hour after that. The price does vary depending on the gig and the customer's budget. So what do you think is that too much just starting out or not enough?

Great segment on dj pricing. Your right, it is a very dicey topic. However asking questions about a gig is key because the last thing you want is to be overworked but yet underpaid. I have been Djing in northern va for 4 years and I play primarily hip hop & R&B. Although I'm fairly new to the game I'm still capable of rocking a party. My fee starts at $75 per hour. Anything additional services(production, party lights, etc) will be extra. It's the only way I can be fair to customers as well as myself. Djays aren't jukeboxes. We are expected to entertain the crowd with everyday music and make it interesting enough to dance to. This takes research, practice and a lot of time and money. So I try to make sure that the people that I deal with respect that first. If this is the case, Then we can talk money:)

I'm a new DJ, a very new DJ who just started a bunch of days ago. Thanks to epilepsy I don't think I will be playing in clubs, I will probably just stream and get money from donations. But I like DJing and it will be most of a side thing. Willing to play at house parties and outside events though.

You mention weddings at the end. I want to follow through with this im in my first year (of making money at this) I want to do this for a living I love it. Im ok not making money right now. I have turned down 12 or so wedding this first year because I have a vision of my "branding" that I want to shape. Would that not water my branding down? Is it ok to do weddings too? If what I really want is to be a specific style of club dj......The Djs around here are locked in and no ones removing them. I have had to make a quiet name for myself this last year. I cant even go to a gas station with out someone knowing me now. BUT. they know my dj name not my name. Branded. My real question is am I looking to far into it? I want to take the facebook/google approach to branding. no mishaps, just smiles and every show matters.

I haven't yet gotten a paid gig but I plan on trying for it soon (I go to a party school with a large stress on greek life). I think I'll go off of what I do for fiddle playing (I have a celtic band). For myself, it's generally around 75-100 an hour depending on how much money the people have and how far I have to go. If they feed me it'll be lower.

Hey love you videos watch them all the time just water to know if you could give me any tips on mixing edm and jungle drum and bass ? Thanks

Usually i use to take 75% of the cover from the door. So if there is much people i can get a lot, and if it´s not that much people i don't get that much. Here in Norway that´s a pretty common thing to do. I´m an EDM dj, and that usually drag a lot of people here, and since we have no night clubs in my town, one of the local bars use to make a nightclub event where i play once a month. I have been playing å few years, but have had a pause for 1 year, but super stocked to be back in the game! And sorry for my bad English! ;)

Good video bro. I been Dj for about one year at home. I done 3 house party's for free and it feels good. Free because I don't feel secure with my music and mixing. I play Latin music very little rap.

is it okay to start DJing at 30???

Hey TLM, thank you for all your helpful videos. However, I was wondering how you came up with/made your logo? And where do you go to make your business cards? Thanks in advance!

Hi, the video is really helpful, gave me an idea but you didn’t mention how much you charge for different occasions!

Yes I like it and I'm a Dj as well and I been djing for like six months now and I and I work for e.b.t entertainment now they been doing and doing many giggs for years but I'm trying to work my way up to be really good so I like it

Vanaf wanneer ging je belasting betalen over je loon/gekregen geld en hoe ben je dat gaan doen want ik en een vriend van mij willen gaan beginnen met draaien bij mensen thuis en daarna in clubs ik heb al een paar keer gedraaid voor een feest van wat vrienden. Dat deed ik voor bijna niks maar ik moet ook mijn gear betalen en onderhouden ik geef per maand ongeveer 200 euro uit aan kabels en muziek en nu doe ik dat nog met een bijbaantje maar ik wil dat eigenlijk gaan doen met djen. dus wat zou jij doen met belasting? En hoe moet je dat doen?

I been watching alot of your videos n really enjoy them So much that I am sharing them to my Google+ Community, ScratchMasters please check it out and thanks I also subscribed your channel.

@Dj TLMtv Echt super goed advies! ik vroeg mij af of jij nou nederlands bent? Thanks for the inspirational video :)

I started djing in college but now trying to make it my side career until i can hopefully do that full time along with radio. However i live in japan. I got a club i spin for free at but he makes promo and things so i can post on ig. Another bar i spin at they pay about 50 - 100 a night so i think thats good! since i started by just asked if the owner was looking for djs.

Lol Monopoly money for the pic

Hi There djTLMtv Radio,IF You Get The ratings,, The Pay is Over 250,000 a Year!!!!!! With a one Year Contract,,,, Thansk,, Keep spinnning,Jack

Well I say jungle drum and bass but it has two names the main now for nowadays is jump up drum and bass

very very nice....... vid....thanks for sharing you'r experience... i don't think all dj.s are kind as you on sharing their experience....

Many club promoters will ask you to spin for free for the first time, and since they probably have thousands of bedroom DJs interested, they'll just keep accepting free 1st shows from basically an unlimited pool of no-name DJs, and never have to pay for openers!

PLUS, Ya Helped Kids OUT and ya Never Know, Whos going to see YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

I just started to DJ. And I'm 17. What should I do to get gigs.

Thumbs up very informative really appreciate your videos

I had just recently watched 3 or 4 of your videos and I clicked this.. I thought this was Thierry Henry. But anyways, I have gotten a good amount of knowledge from you sir. Of course, much more to learn. Thank you!

I have been DJing for over 15 years, but struggle to get gigs that pay anything. I live in Austin, TX and there are many DJs willing to give away their talent to massive festivals, raves, dances, etc. It makes it really hard to get paid while DJing. I did hold a club residency once and made $100 for Thursday nights and $150 for Friday nights. I thought this was great but I'd be DJing about five hours a night, but I loved it. It was my first steady gig and I got a shitton of free drinks so that's pretty cool! But that was back 10 years ago and it's so much harder to break into the scene now v.v

I really don't understand that. Why do some djs trigger vinyls during the conversation? I mean, I started with vinyl's, and now today I use Virtual Dj... but I never bring up vinyl's in my conversations... I respect all djs whether they use vinyl's or laptop's...

I'm exactly in this position right now. I'm in my second year of being on the scene and the battle for setting a price is a tough one. Also, has anyone ever had to fight to get paid meaning the promoter/event planner refused to pay you at the end or gave you a bad cheque^

Awesome video man! :)

sup fellow dj's. for me i've been dj'n for three years now (yea a newb in most eyes) and currently my price for a 4+ hour gig starts at 400 USD (lowest or no go unless its a self promotion)... selfish? greedy? i dont think so. i think im selling myself short because my smallest rig would be a pair of yorkville elite 15'' powered tops which if you do the math are costly. like djtlm i went quite some time dj'n for a crew of dj's/promotors without pay,gain a ton of experience in everything (live sound mixing beat juggling scratching even mixing for artists) and ryte now i might not be 'name brand' but i give my audience a hell of a good time. and like tlm said money is important but exposure and experience for me was best. my libary consist of 25000+ songs ranging from pop to techno reggae dancehall r&b rap calypso soca jazz and many others....im versatile and trust me as the 'brand' im making for myself grows so will the fee (eventually)

I'm about to DJ at a personal high school graduation celebration as my first gig. 100 bucks for a whole 8 hours. I'm heckka nervous...

thank you so much for the knowledge, learned a lot , much respect!

HELLO I an King Lyon from Silver Foxx Sound. we are from BK. First time out was 150.00 and travel to and from 4 hours school party. So the started to make a standard for all schools when I got booked for Dancehall 1 hour 300.00 so I made a new standard, I hope you can see what happen there. I all so have not gone back to the 300.00 or the 150.00. In my opinion no one should Play for less then 500.00 today over any time. Why should not under cut the DJ before you. Even if that DJ have moved on. Try to see you been or just you time been worth at least 500.00 just what I think and I do know this model does not work for every option.

Bro just get to it!!! Gahd you talk forever

Hey! I just subscribed to you! I'm a musician who's transitioned into DJing a few months ago. I got a "good" DJ-ing gig on the weekends and I'm finding your tutorials golden! I'm from California but I've been living in Europe for 10 years now. Just want to say , Thank you!

Great video.......keep them coming boss

Being in the Chicago and StLouis area its a real mix for me. In Chicago: House Edm HH Old School Soul. I do School dances, School Faculty gatherings. State & Corp back ground sound and announcements. I also rent out my day to day live sound speakers and mic. Which I have daily rates for. I do sets in the Mid to Large birthday parties. Christmas and Weddings. I stay away from small gatherings. My base no matter what. Is $000.00. Even if its around the corner. If I have to to leave the Chicago (South of 80) metro area I charge a dollar a mile for travel expenses. I do ask for Dj budget info time to time, but have been burt more times than I'm willing to admit. After my $000.00 base and travel expense. I charge a hourly rate of $00.00 after base or $00.00 depending if I have to MC as well. Lit to Heavy Light show equipment setup is extra. Festivals and Mid to Large concert venues are a different story. I was told when I started out "Not to sale myself cheap". Most Dj I know can't scratch, read the crowd or mix tracks. Most run around with Traktor on iPad (nothing against Traktor or that setup) and entry level controllers, And do well enough. I have top of the line equipment, over 20 years of experience. I do it all, and I do it well. I am a professional DJ & MC. And I should be paid as such. Know your worth without being greedy!

once i asked for 200 and ended up getting 600 but that was for a gig for 3 to 11

Hi Dj TLM, 2 questions. If i purchase a serato, do i need dfferent cartridges or can i use the ones i have on my turntable ? Second, what's the deal with these different (color) time code vinyl's ? Is it just for fun or does it got a purpose ? Thx bro !!! Btw, it's hard to find a secondhand SL3 !!!lol

Negotiating don't bother me at all.. I just had a gig over the weekend. Now, my rates are depending on the type of party, location (travel time). Since it was only 30 minutes away, my rate is $350.00 for 4 hours and $50.00 each hour afterwards. i asked them about the budget and the client(s) then said $300.00 for 4 hours. Luckily, the $50 that i might have lost, i actually gained it in tips, which ended up $150 in tips..

In my region average rate for any experienced/Popular DJ is between 3 and $400. We have a lot of $100 DJ's around driving down the pay rate. For private events I charge the average 3 to $400 for 3 to 4 hours. Public events I charge $500 minimum for 2 to 3 hours. Depending on the size of the event, venue, and the promoter I will go lower. If you book me multiple times I'll do a discount. By the way I am a radio DJ with a following so they have to pay for that to.

Hey DJTLM, got a quick question for you: My case is a little strange perhaps, but interesting. I've been producing music for about 10 years now and DJing for 2 and a half. I'm active duty military and move around a bit, but now live in Sacramento. I've been booked at relatively big venues in San Francisco and have a much easier time getting booked out there, but the drive is horrendous and no one wants to pay a fair amount. What would you recommend doing for getting shows closer to home? I get them in SF because of connections I have and friends that know people, but if I have club experience, a good portfolio, and satisfied customers in big cities, how can I use that to get gigs where I live and not 2 hours away?

DJ Bob cola d thanks DJ TLM you helped very much with your video on pricing you've given me a better perspective on how to bid on my jobs and offers I always went by how much I figured the client was making on the event or their take in on their ownership if it was a club or bar / but now that I've been DJ so long and have been bidding for a few years i'll reevaluate my thinking god be with you and good fortunes from DJ Bob cola d -Baltimore MD

awesome video :)..... i'm new in this DJ business world and charging people is not my greatest forte but i'm good at giving my gig free for friends.....just want to get my name out there; "word of mouth" travels farther than trying to promote yourself by advertising and spending a lot of $$$$$$........

am based in Zimbabwe Africa and am a pro dj so I charge based on venue or crowd. If venue is well established i charge $400 per show, if crowd is more than 5000 i charge up to $1500. If it is club i charge 75% gate takings as i have other djs in my stable to last all night

Hey DJ TLM, Kyle Kessler here. I've been spinning tunes longer than most people in this business have been alive. LOL! I was a jock on the radio for 20 years and have been doing mobile DJ work for 25 years. I outright own my entire system (sound, lights and special effects) so my overhead is next to nothing. Just my time , music, travel, etc. I am not the highest priced Mobile DJ in my area, but I am not nearly the lowest. I always have people trying to get me for cheap. My experience fetches a particular amount, however, outright owning the business (and several other businesses to boot) I can pick and choose what shows to do and how much to charge. Two of the most important things I do, is to get a signed contract for every show, and I get paid UP FRONT. People usually don't have a problem paying you in advance, if they have a contract that spells out all of the particulars.

Hey guys, maybe you can help me out if I give you a scenario. I've been playing for my college fraternity house parties for roughly 4 months now. Since it's for my brothers, I do it for free. Average attendance is around 300-400 throughout the night. Starting at 10 and going until about 1 in the morning. I've been asked to do other house parties for events such as birthdays, and just typical college raving nights. How much should I ask for the gig? I've thrown out the number $100, but it hasn't caught any bites. Is that too much? Or are the couple people who've offered just being cheap?

Nice video and interesting too. As we got hard times in Greece DJ's jobs shorten a lot. Actually most of them working for 3 days a week plus few holidays. Personally i m working 2 days 4-5 hours for free and 3 days about 8-9 hours for 50 euros, just because i want to keep connected with DJing. May be a summer job in an inland should be better. Greetings from Greece.

I had to cut a club/bar out it basically turned me off from wanting to Dj anymore. When I first started I just wanted to play didn't matter about cash or anything. Then I got tired of the lowball price. This guy gets away w paying Djs 50 to 75 a night I said screw that especially when there's over a crowd of 300 ppl. But there's so many Djs w csj willing to take that

What's it do. I go by DJ Dr Funk Juice live in Las Vegas NV I been djing since 2010 off and on family situations don't wanna go too deep on it but goin move forward on that one. I start my 1st Dj for free in a video chat room on TinyChat Rooms and till this day I paid my dues cause it give me exposure crowd Skillz and networking as well till this day I still Dj in chat rooms. Now that part been said never Dj at a clubs or lounge bars that be my next move real soon. But I did a wedding and a gig and with that I charge pretty good I dont go to high or too low I go between $100-$500 it's good and helps and if they working on some difficult issue on low budget then we can work Arrangements for that as well soon yup. Love what I do it's not just a job or career for me it's my passion I love feel good music since the day I dance I love to dance so as a DJ fits good in my vibe. Lil bit about me. Funkup Salute 💓 &✌

I've paid out a few times, i.e. renting equipment, gas money, buying music to get ready for the gig. I was ok with that, this is my hobby, my passion, my 'drug of choice'. The reaction from the crowd 'priceless'.

I charge by distance (gas etc) and if there is PA in the venue I'm in, if there is not I have to get it from company I work with as club dj. That costs extra and some goes to company back, I usually charge basic amount about 200 bucks + gas and 400 + gas if I need to get a van and all the PA from the company I work in

To add to my last comment, the $350 quote i mentioned, is a set price and is in place for those who have "shaky" budgets. My normal fee is $100 an hour plus other fees that beginners should consider and configured into their rate, such as set up/break down, gas/parking/meals, etc...

most DJ sell themselves really well nothing disgusts me more than watching a DJ with top-notch equipment and absolutely zero skill

I'm a hip-hop/dancehall/soca DJ. I'm 17 years old and I've been DJing since I was 13. I started doing real gigs at 15 but people never really took me seriously because of my age. A lot of times they wouldn't even ask me about money and just tell me a day, time, and place. More recently I put my foot down and told people who wanted to book me, $75 an hour payed when I get there. Of course a lot of people would change their minds about booking me but now when someone comes to me with a booking request they ask me how much I charge first

Please make a LOOOOONG video talking about whole your career!

Hey I just wanted to say that I highly appreciate your videos and you're very insightful. I just wanted to let you know that I've been learning so much from your videos. I would like for one day if possible we can meet up and teach me the fundamentals of DJing and how you go about your obstacles when playing music that you yourself don't really like as much lol. Although you have such small amounts of views I honestly feel like you should definitely be a lot more known. Peace man. Hope to hear from you soon. (DJ Juvo)

when i'm ask how much? i ask what is your budget?.....my rule #1 in negotiations never ever be the one to say a price 1st....

The biggest money are made by Techno music DJ's and I don't care how great is yiour hiphop or rap music you'll never fill a stadium like this guys do, getting like a 100 to 800 K for a gig even a 1 mil for a venue. Especially this fucking European DJ's that charges 2-5k a night in Las Vegas top clubs where a lot people comes for them and their selected music. Now, the music is the secret because some of them are hunting only new unknown original artists with awesome music and people are curious to hear their new stuff which other DJ's don't have or not available on the market yet. So if you guys want to make money at the venues where the money are to be made consider a new approach and the future of music because the new trend looks like artists are choosing the DJ'S as the preferred marketing platform since most of them have their own website and don't give a shit about recording companies or even radio. I have about 100 artists and looking for more, here is my latest and the best artist that gave me exclusivity to play his music which makes me most money from plays, streams and downloads just to give you an example of what I am talking about facebook.com/amadeusmuzik/videos/1680461902067489