Q & A

Answers to commonly asked questions from the experts on Thumbtack.

What is a mariachi band?

Mariachi bands are rooted in Mexican culture. Traditional mariachi bands consisted of two or more members playing stringed instruments, wearing regional costumes adapted from the charro (Mexican horseman or cowboy). Modern mariachi bands, which are likely what you’re looking for when searching for a mariachi band for hire, feature at least four members who play stringed instruments (violin, vihuela, bass guitar called guitarron) and one or more trumpets. The costumes have remained the same, but now trumpets are synonymous with mariachi music. Mariachi bands for hire often play a wide range of music, including styles originating from Mexico and adopted from elsewhere. These include jarabes, waltzes, serenades, corridos (Mexican ballads), ranchera, cumbia, and more. Mariachi bands for hire bring a festive and soulful element to a party, birthday, wedding, corporate affair, fundraiser or community event. UNESCO has inscribed mariachi music on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

How many mariachis can a band have?

A mariachi band for hire can have as many players as you like. Modern mariachi bands typically have a minimum of four players with the trumpet playing a vital musical role along with stringed instruments such as the violin, guitarrón (a Mexican bass guitar with a deep body), vihuela (a Spanish stringed guitar) and guitar. Strong vocals are also an important component of mariachi bands for hire, since one or more of the players will be singing during the performance. For a truly spectacular show, you can hire a mariachi band with 15 or more players. The medley of stringed instruments, multiple trumpets, soaring vocals, and even an accordion or harp is powerful and beautiful. Mariachis typically wear the traditional costume of charros — Mexican horsemen. The look is a very regal, monotone suit, often in black or white, with silver adornments and embroidery. Mariachi bands often wear sombreros as well. Traditional mariachi bands were only made up of two or more players, according to a UNESCO report celebrating the cultural heritage of the musical style. The style of music originated in the state of Jalisco. Now the style of music is symbolic of Mexico but is celebrated all over the world, and adds a fabulous vibrancy to any group’s events, parties and weddings.

How much does a mariachi band cost?

A mariachi band will bring your party or event alive with their fabulous costumes, beautiful playing and strong vocals. The cost of a mariachi band for hire will depend on how many players are in the group. Each musician in a performance group needs to be paid, so pricing is usually based on the number of mariachis (musicians), the location of the event (and travel time required), and the length of the performance. Day of the week also affects cost, as does day — Christmas, New Year’s Eve and other major holidays will cost more than regular days. The national average cost for live bands of all types ranges between $740 and $1,200. Depending on where you live and regional rates for performers, you might expect to pay between $65 and $120 per hour, per player. Mariachi groups may have 12-15 players available for performance at one time, depending on your budget. Here are some examples of how the number of players affects average cost:

Four mariachis: $300 per hour for weeknights, $400 per hour for weekends.
Five mariachis: $350 per hour for weeknights, $400-$450 per hour for weekends. Weekends may have a minimum number of hours.
Six mariachis: $400 per hour for weeknights, $450-$500 per hour for weekends.

Ge G.

Verified review

I was looking for a piano instructor for a long time. I’m so glad that I finally found Clifford who is the exact the person who I was looking for. He teaches not only with his skill, but his passion as well. He has his own scientific and reliable system for each individual that helps students reach the goals. All the tools and materials that he recommended to me, became instrumental in my learning. He is working on jazz, blues, classical, bossa nova with me. I can see improvement in every class. Clifford is an amazing musician and instructor and I am grateful for his instruction.

Patricia I.

Kelly did so well at our wedding reception. He played classical, 90s and some slow jazz. Our guests really enjoyed their cocktail hour serenaded by live music. Thanks again Kelly!!

Jonathan R.

Caroline's band Citizens Jazz were phenomenal! We had them play at our company event and they really blew us all away. Good mix of styles that could accommodate a quieter dinner as well as an upbeat cocktail party. The musicians were extremely talented and even played a few requests! I definitely recommend them and will definitely be hiring them again!

Marie H.

We hired Groovy Judy and her band to perform at a biker event. She was extremely professional and the band was great! They played well and their song selection was perfect. I highly recommend her.

Maria G.

I can't say enough about how happy we were hiring Rob & his band The Gold Standard for our wedding in SF. They were AMAZING. He was the best thing about our wedding. The next day everyone from our friends, to our parents, and us too, were raving about how great the music was. He kept everyone dancing the entire time - even during dinner people were hitting the floor prematurely. They started playing as the guests were entering the reception venue - and when I peeked in to check them out before we entered the room - I was floored with how great they sounded! Rob was playing some electronic music with sax, flute, and there was a drummer, and a singer - Conn Curran (who was FANTASTIC). And then they played our first dance song - again, with Conn singing. It was perfect. I come from a family of musicians and they were all impressed and loved the evolution of music throughout the night. from the more Sinatra style dinner music, a bunch a great 90s stuff that appealed to our early 30s crowd, ending with more contemporary music by the end of the night. My husband and I were pretty busy preparing for the wedding beforehand so didn't give a ton of guidance on music - but we did fill out a questionnaire that Rob provided, which was great. It ended up working out perfectly, and I would recommend him a million times over to anyone getting married or throwing a party. He is professional AND talented.10 stars!!

Guillermo G.

My tango band Trio Garufa recorded our 2012 album at Granada Studios under the supervision of Stevan Pasero. We had an excellent experience and were delighted with the quality of the results. Many factors make Granada Studios an outstanding recording facility: First, the studio equipment, room design and acoustics are top notch. It's also a very nicely-decorated space, which makes you feel comfortable and relaxed during your long recording sessions. Second, Stevan Pasero strives for nothing short of excellence: he is extremely knowledgeable, detail-oriented and uncompromising when it comes to recording quality. He spent several hours optimizing the mic placement for each of our instruments (double bass, bandoneon and guitar), and was on top of every single technical detail, allowing us to fully concentrate on the music. It does make a big difference when your recording engineer is a very experienced performing and recording musician himself: Stevan gave us very valuable feedback on our music and was extremely supportive when we had to work long ours to finish our album. He even spent an entire night working with us when we had to deliver the master mixes the next morning. Lastly, Stevan's wide knowledge of the music industry can also be of great value to those who need advice in that area. In summary, I highly recommend Granada Studios to any musician looking for top-notch professional recording quality.

Annabelle D.

Have been taking clarinet and alto sax lessons with Andrew for years. Great teacher who is a master of his craft and is very dedicated to the progression of his students. Takes the time necessary to really help you learn and perfect all areas. He is very skilled in both jazz and classical and can really help his student develop in whichever way they desire. Would highly recommend to anyone who is serious about learning their instrument.

Michael M.

Seth is a terrific teacher for both adults and children. Both of my children learn from Seth, one in a personal setting and the other in a band setting and both are thriving and loving playing their instruments. I am taking an adult rock band workshop under Seth's tutelage, and I've never had more fun playing music in my entire life. I look forward to each week's jam session.

Omar D.

I wanted to learn how to improvise better after having played classical piano for 8 years. After a few lessons Im getting really comfortable! Jeffrey works at my pace, and provides examples from the greats of jazz music to inform how I ought to think about scales, intervals, and improvisation. Great teacher and I cant wait for more.

Sam F.

I'm a beginner to guitar, having played a little piano and drums before. Been working with Chris for a few weeks now and it has been a blast. He's a talented musician who is connected to the music scene. I wanted a guitar teacher who was connected to the local music scene, and so I've really enjoyed working with Chris and even going to see his band perform. I also love how Chris walks through songs and is able to write out the tabs and chords on the fly, and then on top of that show me multiple ways of playing the same song. Highly recommend.

Kathy R.

After talking to the band and hearing some of their songs, I'm certain Funky Tim and The Merlots will be the right fit for our event. Great communication with the band, and we'll even get to sample their talent on March 11th at Woodbridge Crossing! Looking forward to partying with the band!!

Patricia F.

I was recently married on June 17, 2017 in L.A. California! Upon planning for the wedding I was slightly worried about finding the proper music to accommodate my husband's family. They are from France and I wanted them to be able to recognize and connect to the ceremony through the music. On the other hand, my family is Jewish. After doing some research I stumbled across Barbara Ochoa and her band OrKestra International. She sings in several different languages, was so personal and accommodating over the phone I thought I have to listen to her sing and prayed that I would love it. Lucky for me and my fiance, we did just that. We fell in love with her voice and knew instantly we had to book them. She explained how she could do a French song at the ceremory, a trio of European favorites for dinner and an American party band with horns that included the Hora for the dancing portion. On the wedding day Barbara and her band were beyond prepared. She told me “I have all the music covered, don’t worry” at first I though it’s my wedding so I’m going to worry but everything went so smooth all night. Funny everyone was singing along when they did "Volare." So many of the guests that came up to us had the same thing to say: they danced and had a blast. I think she must have handed out about 20 of her cards that night. Thank you Barbara for such a genuine experience that none of us from that night will ever forget.

Paul M.

Larry's a great guy and great drum instructor. We always have a blast during my lesson and he's taught me quite a bit over the last year or so that I've been taking lessons from him. He plays in many local bands and different types of music so it doesn't really matter what you want to learn on the drums, Larry will be able to teach you.

Rita F.

Thea Rose is a real pro. Love her style of jazz. The people at my party Danced and had a wonderful time. Her energy is sincere. I am hiring her again for a party I’m having at the end of July. Highly recommended.

Antoinette H.

Jan's guitar was the perfect background to our evening. His style makes it easy to socialize without having to compete with the music. His easy jazz was so nice to listen to. At one point we asked him to turn up the volume a little because once inside our venue, he played softly and we wanted to hear the beautiful music.

Bong W.

Natalie has been fantastic to work with! Her instruction through exercises, general tips/suggestions, and specific ideas when working on a particular song has all been stellar and on point throughout my work with her. I feel like I have improved dramatically over the course of our lessons, and my band members have made several comments about my improvement as well. She has an uncanny knack for knowing what I am doing with my breath, diaphragm, throat, mouth, etc., and being able to suggest just the right adjustments to make things sound better and more comfortable to sing. Natalie is a wonderful person, too, very encouraging, supportive, and respectful. I highly, highly recommend her!!

Rachelle F.

Ruby Jaye and the band performed at my wedding. Ruby learned all of the songs I wanted for my ceremony, and the band played 5 hours straight for the reception, only taking 1 quick break! They had great energy and paid attention to what songs everyone wanted to hear.

Amy K.

My daughter took guitar lessons from Michael for years. He was great and she learned a lot. She played jazz guitar in Albany middle and highschool jazz bands and continues to play in college.

Bryttina W.

BluPrynt has developed an awesome experience in their Soulful Saturday event. I'm a music-head, through and through. I love LIVE music. BluPrynt has put together something that allows music lovers like me the opportunity to just go out, soak it up, and enjoy. From the band to the singers to the host to the venue, each time I've attended, it's been on point!! ~Tina W.

Carolyn E.

The music was awesome! We had a little happy hour in an outdoor courtyard and the trio provided ambient background music without needing amplification, which made our lives so much easier. The bass player was a little late but the other two were early and started playing right on time. (None of the guests could tell that anything was missing). I will be reaching out the them again!

Karen S.

Jake's Jazz trio played at a friends wedding reception . He was easy to work with. He was very accommodating for song request and has a large repertoire. I would encourage anyone to hire Jake for any venue.

Pittsburg, CA180 Jazz Bands near you

Answer a few questions

Get quotes

Hire the right pro

Pittsburg Jazz Bands