Charge for your music production work (yes, even when you're just starting)

I talked about this in a TikTok video and the topic deserved more, so here’s the longer version: if you produce music, charge for it. Yes, even when you’re just starting out.

I know what you’re thinking. “I don’t have a portfolio yet.” “It’s for a friend.” “I’m doing it for the experience.” I’ve been there too. And here’s what I learned: producing for free doesn’t build experience — it teaches you to give yourself away.

Why you should charge from day one

When you work for free, two things happen, and both are bad.

First: the artist doesn’t value the work. What costs nothing gets treated like nothing. Sessions get canceled on you, the song changes ten times, the project drags on for months. When money is on the table, we both show up on time.

Second: you get used to it. The producer who started free “to gain experience” is still undercharging five years later, because they never learned to put a price on their judgment. And your judgment is exactly what the artist is hiring.

How to set a fair price

You don’t need to charge like a Miami studio. You need a number you can sustain without resentment.

Do the math: add up the real hours a production takes you — sessions, editing, mixing, revisions. Give them an hourly value that respects your time, even if it’s modest at first. That’s your floor. Below it, you don’t work: you negotiate scope, not price. Budget doesn’t stretch? Then fewer things get done — not the same things for free.

And define how many revisions the price includes. This alone will save you half the headaches of the job.

How to talk about it without feeling awkward

It’s not a confrontation, it’s a conversation. Before opening the project, say something like: “I love the idea. Here’s how I work: this is what’s included, this is what it costs, this is how we handle payment.” Direct, no apologies.

A serious artist will appreciate it — clear agreements protect both sides. And the one who gets offended because you charge just saved you from a bad project.

Creativity works best when trust is settled. And trust starts with a fair agreement.

Are you starting out as a producer and want to talk this through — or do you have a song you’d like to produce with me? Message me on WhatsApp. No strings attached, no jargon.