Piping on St. Patrick's Day

[ANP3]

Hey all,

I have some rather important questions to throw out to the membership, more the pipers than anyone else.

First, I have been hired to play a party at my college, and then walk some people down to the rapid station maybe 3/4 of a mile from the home I'll be playing at. All in all maybe a 3 hour commitment. I did some online pricing for pipers, and one guy I found charges $250 for parties! Is that normal? I can't charge that for college students, and expect to be paid...can I? I mean I'm an OKAY piper, and this will be my first gig, so what should I charge?

Next I want to know what dose everyone think of my St. Patrick's day get up. My kilt will be a MacDonald Modern, with black leather sporran, With a white shirt, blue and red regimental stripe tie, Green hand knit hose, lastly a camel coloured v-neck Pringle of Scotland sweater. All in all I think It's quite the look, maybe a sprig of shamrock to pin to the sweater to tie it all togeather?

Thanks everybody!
Nick!

[Jock Scot]

I cannot help you with the prices I am afraid. Your proposed outfit sounds fine to me for an informal do. A bit of a smarter do? Well if that is all you have, just go with what you have and look confident! What about hose and shoes? Don't forget the pictures! Good luck.

[ANP3]

Yeah, I like the look a lot, it's a nice "day dress," look. I think it will help with busking when I head to down town Cleveland.

[ANP3]

Oh, and black Ghillies.

[masonpiper]

I usually charge $75 /half hour, with a “free” half hour to hour for tuning etc. That is a price for Weddings and Funerals. A Funeral usually works out to a set in the chapel (1/2 hour) and/or a set at graveside (1/2 hour). Weddings, I charge from the time the show is supposed to go on, until I leave, with at least $300 paid up front, as I have been burned by parents. If I was playing a pub for an hour or so, like 3, 10-15 minute sets, I would go with $50-100, plus tab and tips, depending on how much I like the pub.

A party like that, $150 maybe, that’s $50 bucks an hour and you might get some other gigs from it. Remember, YOU learned how to play that darn thing and YOU maintain it and that’s worth something, if people want the pipes they need to pay to appreciate it and for the rest of us. A very wise old Scot told me once, if you will do it for free why should they pay me?

[mull]

Remember, YOU learned how to play that darn thing and YOU maintain it and that’s worth something, if people want the pipes they need to pay to appreciate it and for the rest of us.

Hence the saying you have to pay the piper!

[ANP3]

Haha very true! I was thinking $50 an hour or flat rate of $100.

[masonpiper]

LOL I was trying to avoid saying pay the piper...but YEAH

[flyingshamrock]

If I was playing a pub for an hour or so, like 3, 10-15 minute sets, I would go with $50-100, plus tab and tips, depending on how much I like the pub.

A party like that, $150 maybe, that’s $50 bucks an hour and you might get some other gigs from it. Remember, YOU learned how to play that darn thing and YOU maintain it and that’s worth something, if people want the pipes they need to pay to appreciate it and for the rest of us. A very wise old Scot told me once, if you will do it for free why should they pay me?

I've went as low as $50 but I wanted an endless supply of Guinness while I was there.

[piperdbh]

A 3-hour gig is an awfully big time commitment. I'd try to whittle it down if I were you.