Laptop Dj's Take Note

[Gary 0]

...and if music were the nails and screws ?

 

There was a time where music couldn't be "easily" copied - even today, vinyl for example can only be copied in real-time (with a couple of not-so-100% exceptions)

 

With the cost of hard drives now less than even the cheapest dual CD-deck, or record deck - it's no longer the case that a person has to have spent years building up a paid-for music collection, populated by that owners own tastes, their requests over "the years", or a increasingly "honed" attention to detail when attending parties and other music events. The size of a DJs music collection used to be another indicator (note, only an indicator) of their loyalty, seriousness, or business ethics. True, you could have some guys with huge collections, who still let people down etc, but, like I said, it was another "indicator" of their level, much in the same way that a fly-by-night nowadays might not consider it "worth" having PLI, PAT, a DJ license (in the future) etc,etc,etc... Yes, some hobbiest/£60 a night part-time DJs may well be able to do better nights than some full time, PLI/PAT/DDJL/"real" music format, or hard-sell/flashy websited DJs but...bottom line, sadly most customers wont be able to find out the difference, and thereby whether they've made a mistake until the night of their function.

[andyw 0]

...and if music were the nails and screws ?

bottom line, sadly most customers wont be able to find out the difference, and thereby whether they've made a mistake until the night of their function.

 

that is exactly the same with carpenters/secound hand car salesmen and every other thing you can think of.price is not always a factor either, a lot of rip off merchants will charge more for less service(talking about cowboy builders here :hide: ).that is why a lot of work for good dj's come from referrals.i think sometimes we spend too much time worrying about these people,they haven't just turned up and they are not about to go away.just worry about the service you provide and you will be ok.the ones that don't give a good service will struggle and make you look even better.

[spinner 0]

I think sometimes we spend too much time worrying about these people,they haven't just turned up and they are not about to go away. Just worry about the service you provide and you will be ok. The ones that don't give a good service will struggle and make you look even better.

 

Good advice.

 

[Jimbo55 0]

I think sometimes we spend too much time worrying about these people,they haven't just turned up and they are not about to go away.just worry about the service you provide and you will be ok.the ones that don't give a good service will struggle and make you look even better.

 

Totally agree.

 

Fact .....Did a gig on Saturday night.

 

Now, I have attended this particular function as a guest for the last 5 years and they have had Mobile dj's and various support acts. They spend an average of £600 to £800 per year for entertainment for this function. There have been no bad acts or Dj's. Just average with good equipment.

 

Comments received at the end of the evening.

 

'I'm so glad they finally booked an up market DJ'

 

'It was great to have the kids entertained and tired out'

 

From the chairman " I'm glad to see that you paid attention to safety. Thank you for a wonderful evening"

 

It's nice to hear such compliments but it was just my standard gear and Xmas party stuff. Safety wise all we had done was tape down cables and mark the stand legs with glow sticks and make known the fire exits. Standard practice, yes?

 

As I admitted earlier my first shows were similar to the ones in the photographs at the beginning of this post. Yes it was wrong (and about 20 years ago) but with advice and experience over the years it has changed the way I work.

 

It goes back to educating the public and working Dj's

 

[EdBray 0]

mark the stand legs with glow sticks

 

Bloody good idea that, I will be doing that from now on, on the odd occasion I use the Mackies.

[Paul Smith 0]

To para-phrase an old tune (with artistic licence) 'It ain't what you use, it's the way that you use it' :joe:

[Award Entertainment 0]

I wonder if the comments that some DJs are getting from people would be different if the appearance of their console was different. My console is custom fitted for the exact equipment I use, it's extremely compact, simple and clean. While I'm not saying that this is the right way and any other way is wrong, I just don't get negative comments, in fact quite the opposite.

 

http://www.disco.co.nz/images/DJ_Console_2.jpg

 

 

http://www.disco.co.nz/images/DJ_Console_1.jpg

[Dream Catchers 0]

I wonder if the comments that some DJs are getting from people would be different if the appearance of their console was different. My console is custom fitted for the exact equipment I use, it's extremely compact, simple and clean. While I'm not saying that this is the right way and any other way is wrong, I just don't get negative comments, in fact quite the opposite.

 

http://www.disco.co.nz/images/DJ_Console_2.jpg

http://www.disco.co.nz/images/DJ_Console_1.jpg

It looks smart and neat :Thumbup: , however maybe that is the style of setup that gets the punter saying he only has a laptop!

Is that a wedding fayre?

 

Jim

[digitaldistortion 0]

Yes, some hobbiest/£60 a night part-time DJs may well be able to do better nights than some full time, PLI/PAT/DDJL/"real" music format, or hard-sell/flashy websited DJs but...bottom line, sadly most customers wont be able to find out the difference, and thereby whether they've made a mistake until the night of their function.

 

Your comment just makes the laptop vs cd/vinyl discussion 100% invalid....so why should a potential client even dare to think that there is any difference between the formats?????

 

Oh, and by the way, although I am aware that you didn't post the original post, I resent the header for same.

Once again a so called 'colleague' has created (or attempted to create) a gulf...suggesting that there is a difference between types of DJs, and that laptoppers are 'not the real thing'.

 

I would actually venture to suggest that Disco24-7 look at the various 'names'!

 

You will (by and large) find two types of (gigging) DJs at the top of the earning ladder......Vinyl and Laptop....

 

Where are the CDers.....?

 

:rant:

 

[Gary 0]

Your comment just makes the laptop vs cd/vinyl discussion 100% invalid....

 

It absolutely does make the suggestion (but never the discussion of) 100% invalid. There are good DJs and bad DJs in all formats, at all levels. There'll be some fantasic £80 a night DJs, who maybe focus on a specific audience set eg: 18 year olds... there'll be some terrible £$700 DJs with stunningly cleverly worded websites and/or valve amps and candles... ones that say 400 words per night, ones that dont even own a mic, ones with DMX, ones who cant even spell DMX, those who bought their music, those who copied it all off of a DJ mate, those who think that good music stopped at 1970, those who think that good music started at 2001, those who just do it for the love of music, those who just do it for the dosh, and everything, everything, everything, everything, inbetween.

 

[UKHero 0]

I have read this thread from post one to the one above on page 4...

 

I don't post much on DJU these days as this debate keeps raging, and i'm bored with it (the debate that is, not DJU (And would imagine punters reading this site feel the same)). I do how ever agree with Gary. It don't matter what you use and how much you charge and where you come from. What matters is how you go about your profession and run your business.

 

Nik

 

[Disco24-7 0]

A few simple words..."Don't shoot the messenger..." I was as surprised and :cense: off as the next DJ with this blatant attempt to lower my DJ 'ing fees. However, this WAS asked by a punter during me trying to provide a quote for an event.

 

And one last thing...which I'm sure the vast majority of you will agree with! Sitting down 'DJ'ing (sic) in front of a laptop during a gig doesn't help... :!:

[TonyB 0]

Personally I think that those that use CD's should offer their customers a discount for using outdated technology tongue out icon

 

Sitting down DJing doesn't give a good impression no matter what you are using whether it be CD's, Laptop, HD controller or whatever.

Edited December 20, 2007 by TonyB

[dh140770 0]

Sitting down DJing doesn't give a good impression no matter what you are using whether it be CD's, Laptop, HD controller or whatever.

 

Why would someone want to sit down to DJ ??

I can kind of understand it during the warm up and buffet, but later on, no way!!!

 

Mind you, we had a DJ the other day at our Xmas do who was so busy taking photos to put on his shiny projector that the records kept running out.

 

[Dukesy 0]

I have read this thread from post one to the one above on page 4...

 

I don't post much on DJU these days as this debate keeps raging, and i'm bored with it (the debate that is, not DJU (And would imagine punters reading this site feel the same)). I do how ever agree with Gary. It don't matter what you use and how much you charge and where you come from. What matters is how you go about your profession and run your business.

 

Nik

 

Yes. Agreed.

 

[Award Entertainment 0]

It looks smart and neat :Thumbup: , however maybe that is the style of setup that gets the punter saying he only has a laptop!

Is that a wedding fayre?

Thanks Jim, no it was right at the start of the night at a large corporate event I entertained on the 7th December. 1100 guests!

 

I've not once had a negative comment passed by a guest about the use of a laptop. I have, however, had a massive number of "Wow! It's all on computer now, that's awesome!" type comments and a massive amount of interest. There's often someone standing looking at my gear when I come back from doing a sound check of the room during an event. They are genuinely interested and usually very impressed with the gear I use.

[doggyc69 0]

Never hear too many moans when I can play almost any request they ask for from a selection of 100.000 songs eh

[Award Entertainment 0]

I can speak from a position of reasonable authority, having been a vinyl DJ, a CD DJ and now a PC-based DJ, each for 7 or more years. I find that my music collection is much more comprehensive now, I can load up a new track with only a second to go, I can search by decade, genre, title or artist (or part of the title or artist name) and my music never skips, even in the most difficult venue and with the most raucous crowd.

 

In addition to this, I have a complete back up system with music source and music collection AND I am now spending a lot more time interacting with my clients and guests and less time running the gear and rifling through vinyl or CDs seeking inspiration for the next track.

 

Technology, properly utilised, is a truly wonderful thing and I embrace it. :hug:

[Gary 0]

Never hear too many moans when I can play almost any request they ask for from a selection of 100.000 songs eh

 

Is that 100 songs to three decimal places, or 100 thousand songs?

 

Assuming its the latter, even at a humble 79p a download, that's £79,000 you've spent on music.... Now 1, Now 2, Now 3.... all the way up to Now Thats what I call music Five Thousand, six hundred and forty two...

 

One word for allocating that sort of financial commitment to a collection of original music is : impressive.

[deejaymitch 0]

I'm switching to an HD Controller and at the minute use a laptop to compliment my CD decks. Over Xmas one smart-@r$e came up to me while I was cueing a track and said "What have you got headphones on for when Media Player does it all for you?" I wasn't in great form that night and grabbed him, pulled him over the table, pushed his face towards the blank laptop screen and said "What's Media Player doing now @$$h0le?" before pushing him across the floor. He didn't answer.

 

As for sitting down, I do. For many reasons. The main ones are to do with fact that I'm 6'3, have terrible eyesight (even with glasses), have a bad back and bad knees. So I really can't be leaning down all night. And also, as well as being tall, I'm of a very large build, have a shaved head and a scar down my left eye so, when I'm stood up, I look quite intimidating (apparently) and people are scared to approach me. Sitting down, I'm less threatening (apparently).

Edited January 14, 2008 by deejaymitch

[UKHero 0]

I'm switching to an HD Controller and at the minute use a laptop to compliment my CD decks. Over Xmas one smart-@r$e came up to me while I was cueing a track and said "What have you got headphones on for when Media Player does it all for you?" I wasn't in great form that night and grabbed him, pulled him over the table, pushed his face towards the blank laptop screen and said "What's Media Player doing now @$$h0le?" before pushing him across the floor. He didn't answer.

 

Do you really think this kind of post improves our chances of showing the public we are all pro minded on here. I have took a lot of abuse from people over the years including being head butted where I called the police but I still put on a pro show, Even with blood streaming from the wound.

 

Would it not of been beter to have educated the guy showed him what your software can do. Ask him why he has that opinion. All you have done is re enforce his belief that you are a lazy DJ using a laptop.

 

Nik

 

 

[andyw 0]

I'm switching to an HD Controller and at the minute use a laptop to compliment my CD decks. Over Xmas one smart-@r$e came up to me while I was cueing a track and said "What have you got headphones on for when Media Player does it all for you?" I wasn't in great form that night and grabbed him, pulled him over the table, pushed his face towards the blank laptop screen and said "What's Media Player doing now @$$h0le?" before pushing him across the floor. He didn't answer.

 

As for sitting down, I do. For many reasons. The main ones are to do with fact that I'm 6'3, have terrible eyesight (even with glasses), have a bad back and bad knees. So I really can't be leaning down all night. And also, as well as being tall, I'm of a very large build, have a shaved head and a scar down my left eye so, when I'm stood up, I look quite intimidating (apparently) and people are scared to approach me. Sitting down, I'm less threatening (apparently).

what great customer skills you have! hope i never come to one of your shows when your not in a good mood.

[High Fidelity 0]

Over Xmas one smart-@r$e came up to me while I was cueing a track and said "What have you got headphones on for when Media Player does it all for you?" I wasn't in great form that night and grabbed him, pulled him over the table, pushed his face towards the blank laptop screen and said "What's Media Player doing now @$$h0le?" before pushing him across the floor. He didn't answer.

 

I can't believe that you did that to a guest, or that you'd post it in a public area of the forum. :shrug:

 

Hope non of your future bookings read it.

[DJ Marky Marc 0]

Spanner in the works time....

 

 

was booked to play a party in a bar in london in a couple of weeks...

 

 

was then called back to ask if i play vinyl.. and I told her not in a very long time...

 

 

client then said that she wanted to cancel becuase your not a real DJ unless you play vinyl..

 

 

 

[High Fidelity 0]

client then said that she wanted to cancel becuase your not a real DJ unless you play vinyl..

 

I seem to recall that some famous top name DJ's don't use vinyl anymore, and that they play premixed mixes. Wonder if she'd cancel them for the same reason.

 

With regards to using a laptop, I've never had anything but positive comments.