Do you charge when you have your drums in the studio?

[KurtR]

For those that have a drumset already in the studio do you charge any "rental" fee for it to be used? It would mostly be just to keep up with frest heads ect...

[everybody's x]

I actually charge less because I dont have to screw around with a crappy kit. Mine has new heads, tuned, nice (quiet) zildjian A's. It is easier for me to use mine so I pass that on to them as an incentive to LET me use mine.

They do understand that if they break something, they will be replacing it.

[shift]

I would be chargeing the cost of fresh heads if nothing else????

The only reason that i say this is cuase i have seen what a heay drummer can do to fresh skins...


Fresh skins talk

[warhead]

One song? No charge. Much more than that and I'm asking for heads replaced.

War

[rainsinvelvet]

I don't charge for use of my "house" kit. Like most folks, it makes life easer just because you know what your kit is capable of / will sound like. I keep a variety of snare heads for folks to use and only ask clients to replace heads if they are heavy hitter types.
Of course if they break my cymbals or something they've got to pay for them, but so far I haven't had to go down that road (yet).

ERic

[KurtR]

Good stuff..! I was thinking of just charging for what ever heads are ($30-50) for projects I know that are going to need new heads afterwards.

[Jonboy79]

I don't charge them to use my kit, but I do charge for new heads. I also let them take the heads off and take them home after the session. They paid for them.

[joeq]

for frequent head-swappers:

Are you buying retail at a local music store or do you have some kind of bulk source?

[David R.]

I don't have drums, but I do have guitars and basses. Clients are free to use them while recording for no extra charge.

[rainsinvelvet]

Originally Posted by joeq

for frequent head-swappers:

Are you buying retail at a local music store or do you have some kind of bulk source?

In my case I work at a local music store part time so I get the heads at a pretty nice discount and just make a small mark up on them to clients..

ERic

[adamcal]

Originally Posted by Jonboy79

I don't charge them to use my kit, but I do charge for new heads. I also let them take the heads off and take them home after the session. They paid for them.

Same here.

[warhead]

You know my only problem with having my kit in the room is...many people pick it. So I end up mixing the same kit OVER AND OVER AGAIN. It can get real old.

If somebody just borrows a snare (I have 3, 14"x4" steel Slingerland, 14"x6.5" copper Slingerland, 14x5.5" Arbiter maple) I never ask for heads. I keep my snares tuned up nice and ready to go.

War

[Subversounds]

In my old studio i had a regular drum, a Tama Swingstar and there was no extras to use it to record. But if the band wanted the Premier Signia drumset i used to charge 20$/hour for it.

To use the Paiste kit it was 5$/hour extra and to use the Zildjan A custom kit it was 50$/hour (without having to pay if they break) or 20$/hour paying whatever you cymbal you break or damage.

We had one Pearl snare (steel shell), one yamaha snare (stage custom) and a Pinguim snare (vintage brazillian snare) to rent for 2$/hour

[edwonbass]

Originally Posted by warhead

You know my only problem with having my kit in the room is...many people pick it. So I end up mixing the same kit OVER AND OVER AGAIN. It can get real old.
War

I have been recording the same kit in the same room with the same mics for a couple of years now. It gets old.

[blackwatch5805]

seems like it would just be an annoying fee that would make me not want to record with a "business man".

[steelyfan]

I prefer to use my kit cause it's already set up and the mic's are in place, plus I like the way it sounds. I don't charge for anything other than my room for the day. You can use guitars, basses, keys, ........whatever.

I don't charge for heads cause I never replace them. They always sound the same. .....broken in? Plus......I'm usually the drummer for whatever session I'm involved in so, I'd hate to charge myself for drum heads.

[metalfan8806]

my suggestion is to just have your overall prices reflect amenities like that.
example: a dude recording out of a shed with no bathroom or couch is going to charge less than a guy with a full kitchen and entertainment system.
and in this case..having gear like this- whether it be amps/guitars/drums. I believe it will discourage people to use the good stuff if you tack on more and more money. Clients like to hear one sum of money and just know that its all going to good places. the more you talk about what its all for- the more they'll talk about skimping out on something like that...
ie: "buy new heads??ehh...I'll just work with my kit duuude"

so if you thought your studio time was worth 30 bucks an hour before...after having additions like that- add on to your rate. etc etc

[cjogo]

We have two electronic kits --but, a standard kit would be a surcharge always ....

[Guitfiddle]

Always depended on the budget of the artist...sometimes I was feeling generous.

[deve]

We have a large selection of drums. We don't charge for the use of them. I usually give my clients the sizes available. They buy their own fresh heads. They are of course free to take them away after the session. Or If they don't want to spend money they can use the drums 'as is' with worn out heads, left from the previous sessions. I couldn't care less. it's their music.

[JPeters86]

The instruments are part of my studio and free to use. I actually like it when people do so, I kind of know what to expect and how to deal with it in the mix later on, which can alter the way I record it in the first place.

[CaptainHook]

We recommend artists purchase new skins (through us which we get at a discount if
necessary) but otherwise haven't charged since i've been here.

[busker]

Use of house kit is free. I encourage them to bring their own if its a decent kit, if not they use the house one - says on messing around with a crappy kit!!

[Protools Guy]

Using my DW kit is usually a selling point to recording in my studio.

There's no charge except for heads.

I encourage the drummer to bring his own snare, but I have a few that he/she can choose from.

[adamcal]

Originally Posted by Protools Guy

There's no charge except for heads.
.

that could be up to 2-300 dollars, may as well call it a hire charge.

[adamcal]

Originally Posted by metalfan8806

my suggestion is to just have your overall prices reflect amenities like that.
example: a dude recording out of a shed with no bathroom or couch is going to charge less than a guy with a full kitchen and entertainment system.
and in this case..having gear like this- whether it be amps/guitars/drums. I believe it will discourage people to use the good stuff if you tack on more and more money. Clients like to hear one sum of money and just know that its all going to good places. the more you talk about what its all for- the more they'll talk about skimping out on something like that...
ie: "buy new heads??ehh...I'll just work with my kit duuude"

so if you thought your studio time was worth 30 bucks an hour before...after having additions like that- add on to your rate. etc etc

that would disadvantage the majority of clients who dont need a hire drum kit. also price you higher than otherwise needed, perhaps pricing you out of some work.