Definition:
A per diem, or P.D. for short, literally means "per day" and it is basically expense money for a touring band. P.D.s are paid out to each band member and usually members of the crew so that they can afford to buy food every day while on tour. P.D.s can vary dramatically depending on how much money the tour has behind it - for instance, a small tour for an indie band that is losing money probably won't have any P.D.s at all, while a tour that has plenty of tour support from a record label might have very generous P.D.s that give everyone plenty of money for food and maybe even a little left over.
In addition to touring, sometimes P.D.s are paid to session musicians who travel to an out of town studio for recording sessions.
Also Known As: Per Diem, PD, pd
