The case for working for free
For as long as I can remember, I’ve heard people railing against the idea of “working for free.”
My experience with this has mostly been with musicians who get indignant about the idea of a coffee shop wanting halfway decent musicians to play at their joint so they can “get some exposure.”
“Down with them,” they say. “Who do they think they are expecting us to work for free, or in exchange for a cup of coffee? They’re fascists, all of them.”
My favorite is the one where the things a musician needs to do for a gig are written down line-item style. They need to rehearse, travel to and from the gig, etc. etc. So when all is taken into account, they’re getting paid $1.50 per hour.
Everyone’s got a sob story, right?
What’s interesting is a legitimately working musician would never criticize such things, because they too were at one time “working for free” or for way less than they’re getting paid now – so they could get some exposure and more importantly, valuable performing experience.
I’ve recently taken up washing windows to make a few bucks during what has turned into a lengthy lull in the podcasting business, and I’ve realized that to be outside in public washing windows – even if it’s for no pay – is better than walking around handing out business cards. It gives me energy to be working for one thing; and it’s much better advertising than just handing out a business card or posting some Facebook ad that will get lost in the sauce anyway.
So the thing about working for free is that key word: working. It’s much better to be working for nothing or for peanuts than not at all. But that’s just my opinion.
The coffee shop will always find someone who does music as a hobby, has no interest in making it a profession. So they get to play in front of people, and the coffee shop gets some live music to add to their ambience.
How is that a bad thing?
Speaking of musicians working for free, today (or around today) is the 1 year anniversary of publishing the audio version of Within the Sphere of the Master. It’s the story of how a guy with loads of raw talent was nurtured and eventually became a colleague of the great Adolph Herseth in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Tim Kent, the author, knows a thing or two about working for free – even driving 500 miles each way for one lesson with The Master.
This link will give you some more info about the book, but if you want to purchase it for 50% off to celebrate the occasion, DO NOT BUY FROM THE PAGE. Just reply to this email and I’ll tell you how to make it happen. PayPal did something weird with their buttons, so I’d just as soon do it manually.