Copyist Fees, by the Page or Hour?

Nikolas recently pointed out that my rates on my website were far too low for copyist fees. Ironically, I just got asked to typeset a work for string orchestra and he asked me to suggest a rate the next time I see him. He has no idea what today's computer typesetting rates are and neither do I. Sooo, are there any pros here who could help? What are the stanard market rates for the computer copyist? Should I charge by the page or by the hour? I would assume by the hour because how many pages there are is solely dependent on layout and complexity of the score so its an inballanced rate at best when using computer.

Any help appreciated.

It depends on the level you are at and how long it takes. I think a fair rate would be 15$ an hour, but depending on the piece it might be a bit more or less.

Justin - not an expert but here is a another music copyists website and pricing

Blank Canvas Music: The Music of Michael O'Dell

Also here is a great article on publishing copyist fees to prepare new music to orchestras. in the article it says copyist fees are $26- $30 per page of an orchestral scores (average cost in 2007).

NewMusicBox

Hope this helps justin.

I've also seen fees based on a "per frame" rate... meaning every measure on a staff, on a page that has music or notation in it is considered a "frame".

A single staff of music, 5 measures long, would equal 5 frames.

The "per frame" rates I am aware of are old now, so I'm sure the prices have gone up, but 20 years ago, it was $.25/frame. I would assume the price is at least double that now, if not more.

Generally speaking, I charge $25 an hour. Flat rate. I can command more, I just don't.

Problem is that your client won't know if you spent 1 or 5 hours per page, or whatever and the end result cannot be really timed, but only counted for ("5 pages").

So you can go either "by page",

or

if the music WILL be performed/recorded/something you can go "per minute of music"

Don't quote me on the bellow, it's been a long time since I've done this:

I'd say that a normal fee for fairly complicated orchestral music would be around $30 or so. Per minute of music, I do recall that I was offered a copyist position (and transcriving from midi and mp3s, which is lots more work) a fee of $100 per minute, for a 75 minute soundtrack (=$7,500 for the whole work, but prolly a full full time work for 1 month (=more than 10 hours per day, with very strict delivery arrangements).

As I said in the other thread it is up to you to make up your mind. You can't expect with a single gig of 10 pages to get the next software you need, or a new computer, but you can expect to have some kind of statisticts of what to expect "per 6 months or a year", and see how much you would like to make, how much you need to spend to keep this up (for example, if you were not copying, would you be cutting the lawn or conductin and earning lots more?), what expenses you have (rent, electricity, already bought software) and make the maths after that.

EDIT: On your problem at hand. Things to help you decide:

* Is the score handwritten? (I would assume so)

* If so, is it badly written? (because it might mean you will need to call him 10 times per day to clear any misunderstandings in pitches and stuff).

* Will he want a revision? (After you send it to him, is it possible he'll go "I don't like this, that, the other", scalloping so you will have to redo part/more of the work)

* Is it a complicated score? (Vivaldi/Beethoven/Mozart would be simple. Stravisnky/Ligeti would be complicated. Graphic notation or Boulez would be VERY complcated). Rate accordingly.

* WHO IS (s)HE? Can he afford a flat fee of $1000? (example, I doubt he would pay that money to begin with).

* How will you charge him/her? Do you want money in advance? (a fair request I think). In equal doses every... week? As you deliver the final product?

* HOW will you deliver the final product? In a PDF file at high dpi? Printed? Will you print the parts? Do you need a new printer for that maybe (a higher resolution laser 1200x1200 would be ideal for score). Is it possible he might need a bigger size paper (A3 for example), this more problems for you?

* When does (s)he need it? Tomorrow, or in a couple of weeks time? If it is today, then charge triple, if it is tomorrow charge double. Anything else charge normal (<-again examples, not the real deal, but certainly logical).

I do recall that when I was copying (very complicated stuff), I was also doing editing, which is a whole an other deal in general. It means that I would have to understand the music, analyse it and "guess" what he meant on the next page, or some obscure signs, or other problematic pitch issues.

Wow guys! Thanks a lot for all this help. :thumbsup:

Yeah, I think it's almost impossible to just set a flat price per page, or even per frame, since there are so huge differences. The time you need to write a whole Haydn string quartet might only be enough for a short passage in a Ferneyhough string quartet. And there's some music where you'll easily spend ten minutes or more on a single frame (say, heavily microtonal chamber/solo music with complex rhythm and extended techniques with their own graphical symbols in every measure - and possibly aleatoric elements in space notation or whatever.) In that case asking for a flat 0.30$ per frame would just be ridiculously low.

Charging per hour makes sense in theory, but for one it relies on blind trust of the customers towards you, and personally I wouldn't like it because it would give me the feeling of having to work as fast as possible in order not to "cheat" the customer, checking my watch whenever I want to drink a coffee in between etc., which is not the working atmosphere I like.

It's probably best if you just give a broad range of what you ask (maybe with some examples on your site telling how much you'd charge for them), and only make a concrete offer once you've seen the score and could assess how much work it will be. In other words: It's pretty much charging per hour, just that it's the amount of hours you estimate beforehand, regardless of what it will actually take you in the end. And of course, consider the things Nikolas listed.

Add this one:

I'll look at the piece or whatever it is, if it's an arrangement/copying etc. I'll state my $25 per hour and I'll tell them how long it will take me. Piano music can be painstakingly difficult (it hurts thinking about it)so I tend not to do it. IF I do, I'll let them know up front the cost.

Another thing to keep in mind; do you "really" need the extra money? I teach and transcribe far below what one would normally charge "professionally" because I enjoy the work and experience.

Just my two cents.

Another thing to keep in mind; do you "really" need the extra money? I teach and transcribe far below what one would normally charge "professionally" because I enjoy the work and experience.

Just my two cents.

He asked me what my rate should be. Yes I need the extra money.

heck, in this economy, who doesn't?

I must say, I may pick some more colleges to arrange for. It's tedious work but the rate will be the same.