I think (hope) this is where some of people's rigid attitudes towards doing free or discounted work stems from, the indistinct line in this scenario between acquaintances and friends. Then again, maybe my current opinion that's borne of extensive experience is correct, maybe people are just intrinsically bastard covered bastards with bastard filling.
That said, the capitalist bit was spot-on. The masses chastise Bezos and the elite for putting human beings beneath personal profit and corporate expansion, but as soon as an opportunity to prove themselves better than Those On High arises in their own life, they quickly succumb to the now-rational "practicality" of the bottom line.
Anyway... I'll refrain from penning a full-blown textual biopic outlining why our species is cannibalistic garbage on AS.

 

I feel you. I am pretty much in the same boat, except that two of my fingers are stiff due to a a accident. Pushing anything around is also not for me anymore.

 

i feel for you guys. my grandfather couldnt move his fingers either

 

This is about right. But there are also so many variables involved. Is it a commercial project? Why should you not get paid then? Are we talking about 15 minutes of work, or recording and mixing an entire record? Is your name going on the finished product somewhere? Do you even like the music you are being asked to work on? Are you already busy with too much work and try not to take the work? Are you working out of someone else's studio or at your own? Are they industry people you have just known for a very long time?

There are a lot of things to consider before giving someone a price. It's like trying to compare doing a tattoo to doing someone's taxes. A good percentage of the rigidity you mention is probably bs anyway. Some people will never miss an opportunity to let everyone know how great they are.

 

You have no idea how confusing that statement is for someone a bit older...

 

Thanks man. It sucks a bit, because no more barre chords for example.

 

Damn, sorry to hear that.
But still.
You are the proof that one of his "fingers" still moved perfectly.

 

There's a paradox in favors. First you have to establish that they are willing to pay a certain amount, and then you can do the favor for free or reduced price.

If someone isn't willing to actually pay to have something achieved then that tells you they don't actually value the outcome very much, and therefore will not value your effort and time to accomplish the favor.

People like to cast stones at capitalism, but it is good for at least one thing: Establishing value.

"Sharing is caring" and all that, but sometimes generosity is just casting pearls before swines, and undervaluing yourself.

 

AI mixing is here too, and it will only get better each month, so you might as well raise your rates to a livable level and work hard to deliver top end results to those that respect your service. Let the pinny pinchers leave, let the half-azz cheap fakers leave, that way you can at least enjoy your work again and find real artists that understand your value. Until you do you'll only skimp by hating it and grumbling on your clients on threads like this.

Pivot from your situation in a way you are happy with IMHO.

 

It's a dark joke related to the "sell your friends" comment. People were most likely sold into human trafficking/sex slavery for Jeffrey Epstein and his clientele. I'm implying that because Epstein "killed himself" (in quotations because he most likely did not), it will be more difficult to sell my friend. The market for selling people isn't as good anymore.

You know, reading this back makes me realize how fucked up my joke was

 

That's a good friend group. I think it's easier to get paid for in person work as well. For some reason remote work makes some people think there isn't a person on the other end doing a job worth paying for.

 

I'm really sorry to hear that. I hope the issues are manageable.

My brother lost a fingertip in a blender related accident and even though it seems like such a small thing to lose, he tells me about the things it causes him issues with. Even something like typing on a keyboard causes him some discomfort. He's basically just typing with bone now.

You mentioned barre chords and I can definitely see how any alteration to your hand would cause difficulty doing something that requires complex motor skills and precision like playing an instrument.

 

Sorry about your brother loosing a fingertip. My dad cut off his left index finger at the first knuckle cutting wood. I'd never heard him curse before, but he let out a large FUCKKKK when the saw sliced on through.

Django Reinhardt was really only able to use his index and middle finger to fret with as the other two were badly burned in a fire. He was an incredible player and he blazed despite the accident though.

 

Not to turn it into a pissing contest, but my dad is missing is index finger from a late-fire round, turned the whole thing into shredded beef and bone fragments and he had it removed (the doctors wanted to save the hanging mass of flesh, but he made them take it off as it would've been unusable.) He doesn't play an instrument, but it scared the fuck out me even just seeing it since I *need all ten of my digits. One of those moments you realize the things that you should be grateful for.
Then there's this Tony guy who's in some glorified pub band from England:

 

Yikes, A guy from Black Sabbath had an encounter with a steel saw and lost a fingertip. He wanted to give up and was shown an album by a guy with like 3 fingers. So he continued or he made that story up for PR ;)
On my side, electric requires too much strenght in the fingers. But I play an acoustic one just for shitz&gigglez anyway so it's ok. The most important part are keys and that works decently or there are ways around like locking chords with a pedal instead of holding them.

One thing for the topic of underselling your time and skill : stay the fuck away from fiverr. that's made for that.

 

rob a bank

 

I cut my head off in a terrible chainsaw accident a few years ago and I still can play guitar but sometimes I need to prop it up on my shoulders at my desk with a homemade contraption that I made out of coat hangers and duct tape. It slowed me down a bit but I'll be damned if it would stop me, a little accident like that. Music is too important. Doing shows isn't an issue, so what the hell.

 

I've learned this hard way in real life.
The key is to draw a line, where you consider yourself being used.. Nowadays when I do something to help someone, I always remind them that this has to go both ways. Even the enjoying of the results.

 

Oof. That's rough. In line with that, I never saw buckethead's head ensemble as a gimmick or a stylistic choice, I always just assumed it was a humorous cosmetic oddity to cover up a horrible injury that the public was never made aware of—poor guy.