Top Tips from BookYourMusic.com
Your Complete Guide To Hiring Musicians
Hiring Musicians: The Basics
Never Booked Musicians Before? Here's What You Need To Know:
Any Questions? Contact us now!
Here at BookYourMusic.com, we get a lot of clients who are making a once-in-a-lifetime booking for their wedding, or are simply new to the corporate events scene, and don't know how to go about booking musicians.
Don't worry. It's actually really simple. We'll tell you everything you need to know on this page.
Whether you're looking for a string quartet or not, your choice of live music can actually make or break an event. So you do need to get it right. But if you choose your musicians carefully, and make sure everything is well planned, and confirmed in writing, you can be fairly sure - short of an act of God! - that everything will run smoothly on the night. Planning is everything.
On This Page:
1. Start Searching As Early As You Can
If you've found the BookYourMusic.com website, you've probably started your search already. But don't leave it too late, as popular ensembles do sometimes get booked up well in advance. Although BookYourMusic.com has many musicians on our books, and can usually always find a great solution for you, it's true that even we can get short of capacity on particularly popular dates (e.g. Christmas party bookings; Saturday weddings in the Summer etc.)
2. Know What You're Looking For
We don't necessarily mean know exactly what you're looking for in terms of music, we mean know what effect you want the music to have. If you're organizing a corporate reception for instance, know whether you want the guests to be in a really relaxed, informal mood, or if you want to keep things relatively formal. If you're planning your wedding, decide if you want a soft, moving accompaniment to the bridal entrance, or if you would like something more regal and majestic.
These may seem like unnecessary things to think about at the planning stage, but if you want your event to be really special, it helps to have ideas that you can pass on to the musicians you are hiring. It's their job to turn those ideas into reality, and the choice and style of music can have a massive effect on how that happens. The musicians are there to help - use them!
3. Things To Find Out About
When approaching a group of musicians, there are a number of things you should know by the time you book. Generally speaking, these are:
Because we have so much info on the site, you should know most of this information before you make an enquiry.
Availability is the first thing you should ask for. Once that's established, ask about the experience of the musicians (unless you've had a personal recommendation, or there's enough info on the website not to worry about this). If you're not convinced, ask for testimonials or references. BookYourMusic.com publishes testimonials throughout this website for instance, but you'll often find - as is the case with us - that for client privacy, many musicians don't like to give full names and addresses of previous clients. Generally speaking, you shouldn't worry about this too much. If you really feel that you can't trust an Ensemble's testimonials, ask for a personal reference.
Fees/Rates should then be discussed; at BookYourMusic.com we have clear and straightforward rates on the site, but ultimately the all-inclusive fee will depend on the complexity of what you need, and how we can help you get the most out of your budget. Don't be afraid to be clear about how much you can afford - even if your budget is limited, there's no reason why you can't think creatively about how to get the most for your money. Having said this, it's inadvisable to push musicians' fees too low, as they won't take you seriously. When we started out with our director's original string quartet hire service, we performed at a couple of events for under £400 for three hours, even when there was a 2 hour travel time involved each way. This wasn't sustainable, as the musicians were having to work so hard, that they were too tired to give 100% at every event. So be careful of prices that seem too good to be true, and remember that you're hiring trained professionals.
That aside, do make sure that extra charges such as travel, overtime, and any other conditions are agreed beforehand, to save any nasty surprises afterwards. At BookYourMusic.com, we factor absolutely everything including travel into our quotation, so you'll never have to worry about hidden extras. But with other groups, do remember to check.
If your budget is tight, there are clever ways of reducing cost, such as booking a group for a shorter (cheaper) or longer (better value) time, reducing the number of players (e.g. booking a string trio instead of a string quartet if you have a very small budget) etc. Don't be afraid to make suggestions; most musicians are quite resourceful, and will readily find a way of carrying out any solution you suggest.
4. Get Everything In Writing
Strictly speaking, this isn't always necessary. If you're booking just a pianist or a string quartet for a private party, you may be happy to agree everything by telephone, as verbal contracts are used extensively in the music industry anyway. But it is worth having a confirmation of some sort, even if it's just an email to say 'everything's OK'.
At BookYourMusic.com, we ask for a deposit (or the full payment) to confirm each booking, and send back written confirmation by email, telling you that the deposit has been received, and confirming the date and time of your event. If the musicians you choose do not appear to have an established track record, you should feel free to ask for a contract if it makes you feel more secure. You don't need to worry about that with BookYourMusic.com - we can issue a contract and invoice to corporate clients for accounting purposes, but generally the email confirmation serves as both invoice and accounting record. If you don't need it, don't worry about it; a written email confirmation is adequate proof of booking. If you do sign a contract, remember to get a signed copy for both parties.
5. Choice Of Music
Background music: A good group of musicians should be able to provide a full selection of background music on the day of the performance without you having to spend precious time thinking about programming. Particularly if your event is a reception, there's little need to worry about specific pieces. However, you should make it clear to the group what genre of music you desire. Most classical groups will present a mixture of classical, pop classical, folk, broadway, romantic, and popular music arrangments. However, it is good to check.
If you want to get more involved in the musical programming, go for it! All good ensembles publish a repertoire list on their website, and it's often a good idea to pick one or two pieces, and then leave the rest to the musicians.
Also remember to say if there's a particular piece that you don't want to hear! One particular piece that comes to mind is Greensleeves! This traditional tune is loved by millions, but there is always a small minority who find it as irritating as a bad mobile phone ringtone! If this is the case for you, remember to point it out!
If there's a specific piece you want that's not on your chosen group's repertoire list, then suggest it! Most groups will arrange and learn any tune for a small charge. BookYourMusic.com is always happy, with advanced notice, to source and arrange a specific tune or song, which one of our music arrangers will rewrite for the instrumentation you desire (sometimes a cheaper way of doing this is to find an arrangement that's already been published).
Another time when a repertoire list is useful is if you want to have a specific piece of music to round off part of an event. Often, we find our groups playing for a reception just before a sit-down dinner. A great way of moving everyone into the next room is for the quartet to play a really virtuosic showpiece that gets everyone's attention, and makes them applaud at the end. This gives a natural break in proceedings, which you or your compere/toastmaster/event organiser can use to announce dinner. Little tricks like this can be enormously effective, and should be second nature to an experienced event musician.
Headline Acts: If you're booking a set piece of entertainment, it's necessary to put more thought into the act than if you were just booking background music. A headline act defines the event, so you need to be careful that you are creating something representative of the image you are putting across to your guests or audience. Our music consultants are highly experienced at understanding your needs and translating them into practical suggestions and guidance to help you make the right choices. So don't be afraid to ask - we're here to help!
Never Booked Musicians Before? Here's What You Need To Know:
Any Questions? Contact us now!
Here at BookYourMusic.com, we get a lot of clients who are making a once-in-a-lifetime booking for their wedding, or are simply new to the corporate events scene, and don't know how to go about booking musicians.
Don't worry. It's actually really simple. We'll tell you everything you need to know on this page.
Whether you're looking for a string quartet or not, your choice of live music can actually make or break an event. So you do need to get it right. But if you choose your musicians carefully, and make sure everything is well planned, and confirmed in writing, you can be fairly sure - short of an act of God! - that everything will run smoothly on the night. Planning is everything.
On This Page:
- Start Searching Early
- Know What You're Looking For
- Things To Ask About
- Get Everything In Writing
- Choice Of Music
- Little Details
1. Start Searching As Early As You Can
If you've found the BookYourMusic.com website, you've probably started your search already. But don't leave it too late, as popular ensembles do sometimes get booked up well in advance. Although BookYourMusic.com has many musicians on our books, and can usually always find a great solution for you, it's true that even we can get short of capacity on particularly popular dates (e.g. Christmas party bookings; Saturday weddings in the Summer etc.)
2. Know What You're Looking For
We don't necessarily mean know exactly what you're looking for in terms of music, we mean know what effect you want the music to have. If you're organizing a corporate reception for instance, know whether you want the guests to be in a really relaxed, informal mood, or if you want to keep things relatively formal. If you're planning your wedding, decide if you want a soft, moving accompaniment to the bridal entrance, or if you would like something more regal and majestic.
These may seem like unnecessary things to think about at the planning stage, but if you want your event to be really special, it helps to have ideas that you can pass on to the musicians you are hiring. It's their job to turn those ideas into reality, and the choice and style of music can have a massive effect on how that happens. The musicians are there to help - use them!
3. Things To Find Out About
When approaching a group of musicians, there are a number of things you should know by the time you book. Generally speaking, these are:
- Availability
- Rates
- Information about Musicians and Instruments
- Experience
- Song Lists
- References or Testimonials
- Additional costs e.g. overtime, travel, meals for band members
Because we have so much info on the site, you should know most of this information before you make an enquiry.
Availability is the first thing you should ask for. Once that's established, ask about the experience of the musicians (unless you've had a personal recommendation, or there's enough info on the website not to worry about this). If you're not convinced, ask for testimonials or references. BookYourMusic.com publishes testimonials throughout this website for instance, but you'll often find - as is the case with us - that for client privacy, many musicians don't like to give full names and addresses of previous clients. Generally speaking, you shouldn't worry about this too much. If you really feel that you can't trust an Ensemble's testimonials, ask for a personal reference.
Fees/Rates should then be discussed; at BookYourMusic.com we have clear and straightforward rates on the site, but ultimately the all-inclusive fee will depend on the complexity of what you need, and how we can help you get the most out of your budget. Don't be afraid to be clear about how much you can afford - even if your budget is limited, there's no reason why you can't think creatively about how to get the most for your money. Having said this, it's inadvisable to push musicians' fees too low, as they won't take you seriously. When we started out with our director's original string quartet hire service, we performed at a couple of events for under £400 for three hours, even when there was a 2 hour travel time involved each way. This wasn't sustainable, as the musicians were having to work so hard, that they were too tired to give 100% at every event. So be careful of prices that seem too good to be true, and remember that you're hiring trained professionals.
That aside, do make sure that extra charges such as travel, overtime, and any other conditions are agreed beforehand, to save any nasty surprises afterwards. At BookYourMusic.com, we factor absolutely everything including travel into our quotation, so you'll never have to worry about hidden extras. But with other groups, do remember to check.
If your budget is tight, there are clever ways of reducing cost, such as booking a group for a shorter (cheaper) or longer (better value) time, reducing the number of players (e.g. booking a string trio instead of a string quartet if you have a very small budget) etc. Don't be afraid to make suggestions; most musicians are quite resourceful, and will readily find a way of carrying out any solution you suggest.
4. Get Everything In Writing
Strictly speaking, this isn't always necessary. If you're booking just a pianist or a string quartet for a private party, you may be happy to agree everything by telephone, as verbal contracts are used extensively in the music industry anyway. But it is worth having a confirmation of some sort, even if it's just an email to say 'everything's OK'.
At BookYourMusic.com, we ask for a deposit (or the full payment) to confirm each booking, and send back written confirmation by email, telling you that the deposit has been received, and confirming the date and time of your event. If the musicians you choose do not appear to have an established track record, you should feel free to ask for a contract if it makes you feel more secure. You don't need to worry about that with BookYourMusic.com - we can issue a contract and invoice to corporate clients for accounting purposes, but generally the email confirmation serves as both invoice and accounting record. If you don't need it, don't worry about it; a written email confirmation is adequate proof of booking. If you do sign a contract, remember to get a signed copy for both parties.
5. Choice Of Music
Background music: A good group of musicians should be able to provide a full selection of background music on the day of the performance without you having to spend precious time thinking about programming. Particularly if your event is a reception, there's little need to worry about specific pieces. However, you should make it clear to the group what genre of music you desire. Most classical groups will present a mixture of classical, pop classical, folk, broadway, romantic, and popular music arrangments. However, it is good to check.
If you want to get more involved in the musical programming, go for it! All good ensembles publish a repertoire list on their website, and it's often a good idea to pick one or two pieces, and then leave the rest to the musicians.
Also remember to say if there's a particular piece that you don't want to hear! One particular piece that comes to mind is Greensleeves! This traditional tune is loved by millions, but there is always a small minority who find it as irritating as a bad mobile phone ringtone! If this is the case for you, remember to point it out!
If there's a specific piece you want that's not on your chosen group's repertoire list, then suggest it! Most groups will arrange and learn any tune for a small charge. BookYourMusic.com is always happy, with advanced notice, to source and arrange a specific tune or song, which one of our music arrangers will rewrite for the instrumentation you desire (sometimes a cheaper way of doing this is to find an arrangement that's already been published).
Another time when a repertoire list is useful is if you want to have a specific piece of music to round off part of an event. Often, we find our groups playing for a reception just before a sit-down dinner. A great way of moving everyone into the next room is for the quartet to play a really virtuosic showpiece that gets everyone's attention, and makes them applaud at the end. This gives a natural break in proceedings, which you or your compere/toastmaster/event organiser can use to announce dinner. Little tricks like this can be enormously effective, and should be second nature to an experienced event musician.
Headline Acts: If you're booking a set piece of entertainment, it's necessary to put more thought into the act than if you were just booking background music. A headline act defines the event, so you need to be careful that you are creating something representative of the image you are putting across to your guests or audience. Our music consultants are highly experienced at understanding your needs and translating them into practical suggestions and guidance to help you make the right choices. So don't be afraid to ask - we're here to help!
6. Little Details
Ready to book? Contact Us Now to make an enquiry!
- Dress: Make sure you're specific about what the musicians should wear. For background music, this is usually either Lounge Suit, Dinner Jacket, or All Black, depending on the time of day and the tone of your event. Note that not all musicians own tailcoats, and may need you to pay hire charges if you require these (or indeed for any other kind of special costume).
- Final Confirmation: Contact the musicians a few days before the event to confirm the date and time, and any last minute changes (when you book with BookYourMusic.com we contact you a few days beforehand as a matter of course, so there's no need to worry about this). It's always a good idea to give the group leader the mobile phone number of whoever will be running the event, such as the venue organizer or, if it's a wedding, the best man.
- Piano Tuning: If you've booked a pianist, make sure that the venue has had its piano tuned recently (otherwise your ears could be in for a shock!).
- Open-Air Music: If you want musicians to play outside, ensure this is made clear, and agreed with them before the event. Here at BookYourMusic.com, some of our string groups often play on expensive Italian instruments worth tens of thousands of pounds (which don't belong to them!). Therefore, it is unrealistic to ask groups with weather-sensitive instruments to play outside unless there is adequate cover, such as a mini-marquee or Gazebo. If the weather is very inclement e.g. there are thunderstorms, it might be difficult for musicians to play outside in a marquee if there is severe risk of damp. Of course, the biggest risk to musical instruments comes from low-flying pigeons!
- Tips: A note about tips: although these are always welcomed by musicians, they are neither required, nor expected. Musicians booked through BookYourMusic.com do not expect tips to be offered on any occasion.
- Schedule: If the musicians that you book are playing in more than one location, or for more than one session (e.g. a quartet plays either side of a set of speeches), it's always worth providing a schedule of events, even if it's just a scribbled bit of paper outlining the timetable of the event.
- Breaks: Performance is physically tiring, and musicians will generally need a short break of around 5-7 minutes in every hour. However this is negotiable and you should discuss with the musicians before the event begins. This way, it is possible to time any breaks with natural pauses in proceedings (such as getting the performers to take their break during speeches, or room changes, or another natural hiatus).
Ready to book? Contact Us Now to make an enquiry!
Next: Types of Live Music
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