Gratis Gigging

There are clearly times and places to perform for free.  Funerals for friends, AIDS benefit concerts, humanitarian and environmental causes, community fund-raising or  causes that you personally believe in,  performing for friends and family or an organization that you wish to help get off the ground fit the bill for free-gigs.  When musicians perform for free within the for-profit world because, well, they haven't got a paying gig, or just for the fun of it, they should consider that many of us make a living playing music, and when musicians stand in line to play for free, the going price for live music drops to $0.  Of course. Why would anyone pay more?   I am a firm believer in the importance of playing music simply for the fun of it. In fact, I think it's an essential part of learning, even more important than diligent study,  but why not just do that at someone's home or backyard?  If a business owner is reaping financial benefit from live music, they should be willing to pay for the benefit.  Musicians devote the major part of their lives and thousands of unpaid hours honing their skills - they deserve remuneration for their hard-won accomplishments when they're out there making money for somebody else. Working for free hurts everyone and it's almost never a valuable "investment in the future".    Imagine hiring a plumber and suggesting that he do the work because he will likely get some referrals if he does a good job.  Try hiring someone to paint the front sign on your coffee shop and offering him a free cup of coffee for the effort.  Those are of course, unthinkable, but that's exactly what we do as musicians.