So, I’m not sure if I should be posting this here or not so if I got it wrong, then move it if you’d like.
Anyhow, I’m wanting to start working as a paid composer in the next year when I finish high school, and would like some tips from some more experienced composers, mainly how much/how to charge.
If it helps, here is some of my work: Soundcloud]()
What I’m mainly wandering is how much I should charge, and how I would charge. Would I charge per minute of song, or per hour of work? It takes me roughly 4 - 5 hours for a 4 minute song
and I’ve no idea how much I would charge for what I can produce.
I’ve only been doing music for a a year and 3 months and I would love tips from more experienced artists.
I’m self taught on everything and have yet to even finish high school so I have no idea how the music industry for games really works.
Well I’m not a music composer but what you are describing is what’s called freelancing or sub-contracting so as a tip and to be honest the last thing you should be worrying about is how much or how to charge for your works and instead work more on building up your brand identity and your presence. The question back is do you understand the nature and ideals of the free market place for works similar to your own with out the solid backing of brand identification?
As for what would be considered the mechanics of freelancing it has little to do with how much you could charge and is more about awareness of just how the machine works as to what is of value that others would be willing to pay for no matter the price.
Since your still in school a good start would be classes in small business administration and product development
Good luck, don’t undersell yourself, unfortunately I think you are entering a field where a lot of competition is willing to give their work away for free and a lot of potential clients don’t understand the work involved.
I get what you’re saying Elindell. I’m working with a small team right now on a project so I can gain some experience.
And Frankie I’ll take your advice about those classes. Thank you.
Your welcome and to follow up and sound like Yoda, or at least as old as ;), it does not matter what industry you look at the competition is “always” stiff if such works are in demand and it’s been my experience that the client will never understand the work but they don’t need to as that is why they are paying you to do it in the first place.
Once again it’s sooooo important to work on your brand then is to try to sell yourself to individual clients.
I mean would you go see a Pixar movie even if you did not know what the story is about?
