The Race to the Bottom

This is a recent post from my personal blog. Per Ross Lampert's request I'm also posting it here. Feel free to comment!

-Jennifer

"There's good news and there's not so good news. My name is spreading in Portland as an available and (hopefully...) competent clarinetist. That's great, but unfortunately none of the gigs I've been offered pay at all. Even worse, they are what I've dubbed "warm body gigs," meaning that they don't care how well you play, just that you play.

I was asked to sub for three shows in the pit orchestra of a local musical. Three performances lasting about two hours each. I was pretty excited until I got to "no pay, but it's fun so who cares, right?" I emailed back that I do care, and let her know my fee. I also asked (kindly...not in any way combatively) if the actors and venue staff were also doing it just for fun. No response as of yet....

The current music scene here is a race to the bottom. Venues offer little or no money, musicians play for exposure and fans don't realize what's going on behind the scenes. If you do try to hold out to get paid there are 10 groups that will play your spot for free. The venues get quality music for nothing and the musicians have no leverage to change that. Yet.

I've recently joined the Steering Committee for the newly named, "Fair Trade Music" campaign. There's a three pronged plan of attack for overcoming the current system: 1. Gather endorsements from musicians; 2. Gather support from fans; 3. Sign up venues.

Changing the current culture creates a race to the top. Venues that pay well will have their pick of great bands to choose from. Musicians will have more money to spend at local music retailers in order to update their equipment, take lessons, whatever. Fans will see great bands that compete for shows rather than ones that get added to the slot to fill time and increase the take from the door.

On the classical side of the music scene the impact could be tremendous. Portland can definitely benefit from added competition for playing at venues that pay well. I love community musicians and I completely understand the need to play no matter your skill level. It can be an awkward position, however, when you sit in for a gig that you've practiced for only to find that the skill levels are so varied that the music suffers. Competing for shows at venues will up the game and commitment requirements for musicians while raising the level of music for the audience. Community musicians can still find venues to play in and share their talents without undermining the efforts of professional players to make a living playing music."