Tim K Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Texas. I know my high school paid over 10k for the drill I hope the system also paid teachers well and there were plenty of supplies, text books, and the latest technology. Now that my rant is over, at least a music program is getting funded which is not the case in far too many parts of the country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
actucker Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 I hope the system also paid teachers well and there were plenty of supplies, text books, and the latest technology. Now that my rant is over, at least a music program is getting funded which is not the case in far too many parts of the country. I don't know a single school system that pays for the marching band's show design. They are usually paid for by booster clubs through fund raising and student "fair shares". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUARDLING Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 I hope the system also paid teachers well and there were plenty of supplies, text books, and the latest technology. Now that my rant is over, at least a music program is getting funded which is not the case in far too many parts of the country. many of these large programs ( not just texas) are not funded by the Board of Ed, the band themselves raise all the funds in many ways.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlamMan Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 I actually have close sources who work with someone with this salary, so I do have facts to support this. Not $900,000 from one marching group, but from many. Despite the fact that your post doesnt deserve a response, I will do so anyway. There is NFW a drum corps or WGI arranger is making $900K. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snarekid33 Posted July 31, 2014 Author Share Posted July 31, 2014 Despite the fact that your post doesnt deserve a response, I will do so anyway. There is NFW a drum corps or WGI arranger is making $900K. Why don't you be nice and drop your ego or something. If you don't agree then respectfully say so. No need to vocalize such a negative tone. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoyWonder1911 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 I would think that $900k a year is feasible for a very large, top-notch studio. Michael Gaines can't make that much by himself, in a year, but if he owned a design studio with people working under him, it's possible to gross $900k in sales (before labor, taxes, office rent, etc etc etc) if they had a bunch of business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Thanks for the reply. Without mentioning any names for privacy respect, I have heard of drill writers making $900,000 a year. But I am particularly curious about DCI/WGI percussion composers/arrangers. To be specific, does anyone have an an idea how much a top group would pay a single person to compose the front ensemble only, battery only, or both? I know every group is different, but just curious. well if you check out Box six's site, you can see what they get when they sell their shows Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 No it is not just from DCI groups. It is a combination from high school groups, DCI, WGI, and international groups. I do know for fact that the drill writer chargers $12,000-20,000 just for high school groups, and the group that my friend works at in which the school hired the writer for the drill charged them $12,000. It was something around $100 a kid for 100+ band in Southern California. Please have these groups contact me asap.........I have a great deal for them, a real nice bridge in Brooklyn. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwillis35 Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 Having worked in the field as a music and drill arranger for many HS and College marching bands, I can tell you that the max salaries are nowhere near 40K. 900K is close to a million dollars, and most drum corps do not produce that much money in a year. Some produce a little more, but they need that money to run the entire organization, not to pay one drill writer or music arranger. At the BOA/DCI level for HS bands and Drum & Bugle Corps THE VERY TOP LEVEL drill writer might get between $5,000 - $10,000. The guy/gal making 10K is likely doing other things like some teaching, and they may have to spend any number of days or weeks with the band through the learning and/or competitive process. This would also be the case with your TOP DCI drill writers. Some are making more, but in almost all of those cases the additional amount is for teaching load, meetings, travel costs, etc. MOST drill writers for competitive HS bands are making between $1,250 - $2,500. Those of us writing drill for non-competitive, but corps style groups, are getting between $500 - $1,250 for our services, and even that range may depend on time on sight, travel, meetings, length of show, etc. Who Pays 1. In most cases involving HS bands, the parents/boosters pay the bill. Very rarely will a school actually pay for such an amenity. 2. With college bands, the college/university pays, often through the Department of Music budget 3. With a drum corps, obviously the non-profit organization pays. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tesmusic Posted July 31, 2014 Share Posted July 31, 2014 (edited) Some of the total numbers like 900k salary are very high, but I can tell you for certain that many designers charge $10,000-20,000 for their portion of design. Gaines has charged in that range for HS programs. Saucedo charges close to that for original shows. JD Shaw starts at about $7,500 for arrangements, not original material. Key Poulan starts at about $5,000 for "original" shows as a base. If you look at Key's site and the number of groups he's sold music to, I'm willing to bet with that list and catalog, he's living pretty comfortable. Just some actual numbers based on some of the more mentioned names. Also, a semi competitive HS in Illinois, and not Marian, paid their design staff $22,000 in 2013, and they are not a BOA group, but their boosters and member fees cover this because they feel it is needed. Take that into consideration and multiple it by the groups competitive level and schedule and you could get pretty high up there. Edited July 31, 2014 by tesmusic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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