I'm always reevaluating what I charge for arrangements, so I thought I'd ask this forum what your average going rate is. Feel free to answer the poll without posting a response if you'd like to keep your rate private.

There's some great advice here, thanks everyone. I wrote my first entire indoor show this year, both music and visual program with some arranging help from others and many of these tips I learned from that experience. It is re-assuring to hear other people involved in the activity saying the same things.

Hey, I just wanted to say a quick thanks to everyone who took the time to post their thoughts and those who voted in the poll.

I don't know if anyone else feels like this, but sometimes I feel like most of the time getting writing gigs for myself is more about making people realize that it can and should be done. Because of this, I tend to keep my prices pretty affordable.

And certainly, since the advent of Virtual Drumline (and relatively painless use-ability for those of us who are not really all that adept at using a computer), convincing people that they need their own arrangement has gotten a LOT easier!

*begin soapbox speech*

I think there's a big difference between arranging and composing.  I don't think composing is something that can be learned.  I believe it is something you're born with, and it starts at an early age.  It can be developed and refined through education, but you'll have a hard time finding a good composer who waited until adulthood to write song #1, or didn't know how to make a beautiful song until he took a comp class.  It's something that is burning to get out- the opposite of procrastination :) 

On the other hand, I think most musicians can learn to be good arrangers.  Through understanding chord progressions, voicing, theory, etc. someone can take a familiar song and put a great twist on it.  That's also the fun of drum corps / drumline for me- hearing a new interpretation of some great music.  Two groups playing the same piece will sound very different. 

So I guess my point is, before you wonder how much you can make writing, take an honest look at what you've been writing up until now.  If you have 50 ideas burning to get out, you'll go somewhere with it eventually.  This might mean writing some free exercises as a tech that leads to being a full-time teacher or writer later.  Or maybe you love to teach and write street beats, but struggle to get the book done before the first show- in that case I say hire someone :)

It's also important to set goals like ";I will unplug my computer from the internet and write one minute of music today, even if it's bad and I delete it later.";  You can't cure writer's block by watching youtube videos all day.

Owen,

Awesome advice man. I too have been told to do the first one for free, and after having done so, the people you are working for/with appreciate it that much, plus when doing this type of thing for free for the first round, it helps to get your name out. Thanks for the great pointers here! Definitely will take all these things into consideration!

Yes...all of this information is great for young percussionists aspiring to write!  I remember starting out - and my old drum teacher offered me a priceless piece of advice:  do the first one free.  I adopted this method of doing something for free first, whether it was a street cadence, a warm-up packet, a percussion feature arrangement/re-write, etc.  If you do a good job, they will see your value as a writer and you can discuss monetary compensation.  Here are some other pieces of advice I'd like to offer ";newish"; writers:

1)  [i]Write music that is appropriate to the ability level of the players involved.[/i]  All of us want to write crazy-cool beats and rhythms, but you can't get carried away.  Remember that the music has to be played AND marched to (most likely).  You want to give them music that is fun to play and allows them to be successful in the end.  Find a happy medium between ";cool/hard"; and playable.

2)  [i]Do your best to create high-quality results & go the extra mile.[/i]  Learn as much as you can about your composition software and take the time to correct small details like readable staff size & page layout, uniform dynamics, create a notation key for reference, etc.  The more professional your final product looks, the more impressed people will be.  Also, maybe create some practice tracks for each section with VDL 2.5.  From my experience, band directors love it when you do this - and it will further enhance their opinion of your work.  This may seem a bit over-the-top, but you need every edge you can get when there is competition for jobs, and/or you are considered ";young"; by your employers.  And your ";reputation";  of creating a quality product will spread through word-of-mouth.

I'm sure other guys in this forum have a lot of great advice to offer.  These are a few that helped me the most starting out.  Hopefully you'll be able to take something from them too.

[quote author=Cadet311 link=topic=2334.msg12398#msg12398 date=1205161047]
[quote author=Chris Leone link=topic=2334.msg12391#msg12391 date=1205137897]
I've been told one of the most important things to do for people just ";getting into the game"; is to start in a weaker program where you can make your mistakes and find your stride, then move up from there.
[/quote]I'm going to agree with this comment wholeheartedly.�� Experience for 5 dollars is much better than no experience for zero dollars if you're starting out.[/quote]

Well said Chris.�� When I first started, the money was not much and far between paychecks.�� But as I said in a previous post, I love to ";connect the dots.";�� If you don't have fun with it, and enjoy seeing the music come to life (I obviously love the teaching part, too), then don't do it.

[quote author=Chris Leone link=topic=2334.msg12391#msg12391 date=1205137897]
I've been told one of the most important things to do for people just ";getting into the game"; is to start in a weaker program where you can make your mistakes and find your stride, then move up from there.
[/quote]

I'm going to agree with this comment wholeheartedly.  Experience for 5 dollars is much better than no experience for zero dollars if you're starting out.  As you gain experience, people will begin to say ";Hey... thats (name) or (program), and they have some great arrangements!";  At the very least, people might take notice.  For example, I've just started working with a new HS as a tech and the first thing the caption head said to me after finding out I worked with a different school was ";Did you write that school's book in '05?";  ";Yes, I did."; ";That was one hell of a book - amazing job. Yada yada yada.";

Also, you can meet people who can help expand your base of employment.  One of the guys I worked with at one school got me a gig writing for another.  This same guy is very involved with some NYSFBA groups and a few TOB and some other USSBA ones.  He's always willing to find me a new gig or two.

It also helps to just enjoy writing, which is what I do.  I don't do it for money, I do it because I enjoy it.

For those that have read ";The Now Habit,"; would you recommend it to someone who has procrastination habits or is this the kind of thing everyone should read? Speaking of which, we should make a thread on good book suggestions.

As far as the original topic of this post, I can't offer much help. I did just write a chart for a Thai marching band and happily did it free of charge because I was more interested in the experience. I've been told one of the most important things to do for people just ";getting into the game"; is to start in a weaker program where you can make your mistakes and find your stride, then move up from there.

-C

That's a great book Jim.  I had to read that for a business writing class in college, and it was one of the better books I've read recently.

As for writing fees, try asking what the school's writing budget is if you get offered a gig and are unsure what to call for a rate.  If it's a good number for you, take it.  If it's too low, tell them.

Thanks for that tidbit Jim.  I looked at it on amazon.com (their price is $10.17).  I'll see if I can find it this weekend at one of the local bookstores.

Don't I know it. Without trying to sound too self-helpy, there's a great book on this called ";The Now Habit"; by Neil Fiore. It gets into the psychology of this sort of thing, which does tend to afflict creatively minded people in particular. It's one of those books that can be a good check-in if you often find yourself selectively distracted.

[quote author=Jim Casella link=topic=2334.msg12364#msg12364 date=1204766957]
The hardest part is just getting started (still my biggest hang up when starting a new piece). With momentum on your side and the creative juices flowing, ideas tend to flow more easily than we sometimes expect.[/quote]

I too suffer from this procrastination disease.�� For a long time I thought it was just me.�� Over the years I realized that it is ";normal"; for some.�� Of course, the paradox is that I love to ";connect the dots"; (write music).�� The only thing I can figure is that I am slow to start because it is such an absorbing process once I do get going - almost as if I have a one-track mind.

[quote author=southerncomfort link=topic=2334.msg12363#msg12363 date=1204763210]

I had a published composition teacher tell me once that you have to write to get the **** out and then, lo and behold, good stuff starts happening.�� His point was that you will never write anything good until you start writing.�� Eventually the good will surface.�� That was some of the best composition advice I ever received.
[/quote]

I second that. My wife is also a writer, and has shared similar advice. Whether it's writer's block, or just trying to refine an idea, the best way to develop ideas is to [u]just write[/u]. If it's bad, you'll probably know it, which usually aims you in a more productive direction. The hardest part is just getting started (still my biggest hang up when starting a new piece). With momentum on your side and the creative juices flowing, ideas tend to flow more easily than we sometimes expect.

I heard an interesting interview on NPR last year with author, Walter Mosely who recently published a book called [i][url=http://www.amazon.com/This-Year-Write-Your-Novel/dp/0316065412/ref=pd_bbs_sr_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1204766600&sr=8-4]This Year You Write Your Novel[/url][/i]. One of the principles of his advice to aspiring writers is his mantra: mantra: Write every day���without fail, every day, no excuses.

Now, I need to go take some of my own advice and get some work done. :)

Justin this may seem like a smart-alecky answer but [u]its not meant to be[/u].�� Use your imagination and use the groove of your exercise, and... well... create your melodic line.�� Without stealing other melodies, listen to some music styles that might be similar to what your are planning for your grooves and work up melodic material that has a similar quality.

I had a published composition teacher tell me once that you have to write to get the **** out and then, lo and behold, good stuff starts happening.�� His point was that you will never write anything good until you start writing.�� Eventually the good will surface.�� That was some of the best composition advice I ever received.

Good luck.

I almost forgot: Decide on what you are trying to achieve with your ";melody"; so there is some logical progression in your exercise to develop technique and control.��

Ok guys, so here's my current situation, I was asked to do the ";book"; for our summer camps here at Sam Houston. In the book, he wants simple exercises that groove, that get the job done and that are not that hard... I have an idea of some stuff to put in there, but I thought I would ask around here as well... so any suggestions? Also, I was asked to write something new, since i have VDL and all lol, for the camps. He said this could be original or an arrangement of something. So another question I have is that I am leaning towards original, and want to try to go for a Latin feel. Any suggestions on this as well? I can write some pretty decent latin battery and bass parts, but my problem comes in writing the melodic line. Any and all help would be great. Sorry I know this is off topic for this particular thread, but I thought since this just came up yesterday, and this thread was going, and it kind of has something to do with arranging, I would tag it here.

Thanks guys!