A drummer on the math of getting paid for a gig
Session work, wedding bands, and the spreadsheet nobody tells you about. Marcus breaks down where the money actually comes from when you play for a living.
How did you first start getting paid to play?
A friend’s wedding band needed a sub. I was nineteen, terrified, and it paid better than my part-time job for one afternoon of work. That was the moment it stopped being a hobby in my head.
So where does the money actually come from now?
Honestly? Function gigs — weddings, corporate events — are the reliable floor. Sessions are the fun part but they’re feast or famine. And teaching a couple of students fills the gaps. Nobody tells you that a “career musician” is usually three or four small incomes stacked together.
Everyone asks how I got good. Nobody asks how I got booked. Those are two completely different skills.
What’s the biggest misconception about your job?
That being the best player in the room gets you the work. It doesn’t. Being easy to work with, showing up early, and answering your messages gets you the work. The best drummer nobody wants to be around stays home.
Who should I talk to next?
Talk to my friend who runs sound at the club downtown. He sees every band that comes through and he’ll tell you exactly which ones have their act together.