Who Stands Up?

[Carmen 0]

Jas and I were talking about this the other night. We always stand for the whole gig behind the deckstand/star cloth, this could be up to 5 hours! So by the end of the night our feet are always killing us.

 

 

I think it's acceptible to use a stool or something just to perch, as long as you're not hiding behind the rig.

 

We think we might get a fold up stool so that we can take it in turns to perch for some periods of time during a night.

 

So who else stands for the whole night? Or do you sit/ perch on a stool?

Edited August 12, 2010 by Carmen

[wizard 0]

I also stand for the whole evening, and feet always ache at the end of the night

[djdave1976 0]

Same here, we stand all night.

 

But more and more hotels are now offering us chairs so I presume they must have other DJ 's who do sit all or part of the night.

 

Can't really get into the party spirit when your sat down I don't think.

 

Dave

[vokf 0]

I also don't think it looks "right" to be sitting, BUT its hard on the feet to be mainly standing in the same place for that amount of time.

 

May get a collapsible stool once the van crisis is over and I get a Rock n Roller truck to help with carrying gear in.

 

I expect Bar Staff have the same problem - but are mainly walking up and down the bar, which isn't too bad.

 

Does anyone take Breaks? We basically turn up and play until the end. Sometimes I'll leave background music on a playlist running, but we're normally chatting to clients etc and not sitting.

 

Sitting down now thou! lol

[gadget 0]

Standing all night here.

 

I guess you could sit down during the buffet break for a bit, but even then that would feel weird.

 

If there's a chair it usually ends up with the CD case on it... :)

[Carmen 0]

I've been to a disco once where the DJ used a table with his gear on that was on a stage and then sat on a chair behind it so you couldn't really see him. It was quite impersonal.

 

If I'm taking photos I don't have it so bad as I walk around a bit, it's when I'm standing in the same place the whole night it hurts - (particularly if I wear shoes with heels LOL).

[funkymook 0]

Standing all night for me as well - it feels wrong to me to take a seat.

I also get aching feet sometimes, anybody got any tips to avoid this? (apart from sitting down of course!)

[vokf 0]

Standing all night for me as well - it feels wrong to me to take a seat.

I also get aching feet sometimes, anybody got any tips to avoid this? (apart from sitting down of course!)

 

 

Walking around (i.e. meeting guests during background music) and having a mini boogie behind the decks helps..

 

 

Any of the "old timers" care to add?

[Norfolk DJ 0]

Walking around (i.e. meeting guests during background music) and having a mini boogie behind the decks helps..

Any of the "old timers" care to add?

 

As an oldtimer :funjokeandlaugh:

 

I do think that it looks a bit lazy to sit down, apart from during the buffet :funjokeandlaugh:

[deejaymitch 0]

I generally sit, for a number of reasons. Firstly, bad eyesight, bad neck, bad back and bad knees mean bending down all night really isn't good for me and, at 6'2", I generally have to bend down a lot when I'm standing. Secondly, as well as my height, I'm a big lad with a shaved head and some people tend to find me intimidating. The feedback I've had from customers is that they find me more approachable when I sit down. So it works for me. If the night is pumping then there are times when I literally cant stay in my seat and have to stand up, but sitting works for me, and I am always visible.

Edited August 12, 2010 by deejaymitch

[Raymilkybarkid 0]

I stand all night too.

I know a DJ that perches on a tall stool which makes it look as if he is standing.

With the computer age there is really no need to stand as you don't have to get a CD / Record to put in or on the turntable so DJing is becoming a sitting job :funjokeandlaugh:

[UKHero 0]

Interesting question...

 

Why do you think it is important to see the DJ?

 

Aren't we almost always in the dark anyway?

 

I used to stand from arrival to departure but since my back operation I sit from time to time. If I don't I have a very painful back. I only sit during the odd record and always stand when on the mic and when talking to a guest or taking requests.

 

 

My back after the op... You don't want this guys.

 

But at the end of the day do you really think that the public at large base the quality of the event on whether they could see the DJ standing all night?

 

Nik

Edited August 12, 2010 by UKHero

[funkymook 0]

I don't think there's a right or wrong here (not that anyone is suggesting there is) - just personal preferences. I work part time at M&S and can't sit down when I go on the tills. Might be because I trained as a hairdresser many years ago so got used to being on my feet all day.

[stardust 0]

I stand. It just feels right for me.

 

On the other hand if i was paying for a DJ (let's say for my 40th) i wouldn't care less if he sits, swings or chills out on a deck chair - as long as he puts on a good show.

 

[vokf 0]

I stand. It just feels right for me.

 

On the other hand if i was paying for a DJ (let's say for my 40th) i wouldn't care less if he sits, swings or chills out on a deck chair - as long as he puts on a good show.

 

I've seen shows where the DJ is on a stage and sitting down - but was barely visible.

I do personally think if you see the DJ and they're having fun - it looks better.

 

I remember Carmen talking about her night out, and the DJ looked like he was surfing the net.

Also, the "good old days" of vinyl where the DJ's would have needed to move around to locate the disc is pretty rare - many of us will be using a HardDisk, or a few Slappa cases of CD's that don't really need us to move around much.

So - I can imagine, that back in the day, the DJ would have found a chair to be a hinderence.

 

The main problem is that we may have access to chairs - but then we can't be seen. Stools are probably more ideal, but not often available.

 

I can see us moving to a stool like Ray mentioned - just gotta sort out more important things first :-(

 

 

[Thats entertainment 0]

I stand all night and IMO how can i expect my audience to get up from there seats and dance if im sitting on my fat backside all the time!

 

I recomend a good pair of comfy shoes like Clarks air soles

[Robster 0]

I personally stand and never sit down during a gig, i have had very negative feed back for residencies when i got cover when i was on holiday that the dj i used sat down all night and the management and a few customers made a point of his sitting down..not one complained about the songs he played.

 

 

[Cellardwellers 0]

I always stand. I don't even sit down during the buffet. I tend to carry on playing music at a lower volume and standing alows me to keep an eye on the tapping feet etc.

 

I personaly think that I can be more interactive when I stood up. It makes it easier to take requests etc.

 

 

[DJMickeyk 0]

Always stand, just feels more natural I would never sit down while playing. If I'm doing a wedding where I have set up and I am waiting for the band to finish up their set I would sit down then, but never while actually playing music.

[Norfolk DJ 0]

Interesting question...

 

Why do you think it is important to see the DJ?

 

Aren't we almost always in the dark anyway?

 

I used to stand from arrival to departure but since my back operation I sit from time to time. If I don't I have a very painful back. I only sit during the odd record and always stand when on the mic and when talking to a guest or taking requests.

 

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_jzjYcB-6PWo/TGRPjuR8aJI/AAAAAAAAJfE/sZ4yCFL8SP4/s144/02012009073.jpg

 

My back after the op... You don't want this guys.

 

But at the end of the day do you really think that the public at large base the quality of the event on whether they could see the DJ standing all night?

 

Nik

 

It makes no difference to the performance, just the public's perception of that DJ. Sitting down can be seen as being lazy. Personally I never had say down during a performance in 27 years.

 

[Teez 0]

There's nothing better than seeing a DJ dancing behind his decks to the popular tunes.

 

More often than not it's the girls that dance up front of the dance floor and I think sometimes they like the fact that there is a bloke dancing with them (albeit behind the decks).

 

I also see nothing wrong with occasionally leaning on a high stool as long as the crowd can see the DJ. Seeing the DJ is one of the key differences between booking an act and plugging in an ipod.

 

:joe:

[Norfolk DJ 0]

There's nothing better than seeing a DJ dancing behind his decks to the popular tunes.

 

More often than not it's the girls that dance up front of the dance floor and I think sometimes they like the fact that there is a bloke dancing with them (albeit behind the decks).

 

I also see nothing wrong with occasionally leaning on a high stool as long as the crowd can see the DJ. Seeing the DJ is one of the key differences between booking an act and plugging in an ipod.

 

:joe:

 

Agreed

[gadget 0]

There's nothing better than seeing a DJ dancing behind his decks to the popular tunes.

 

You will quite often find me "dancing" behind the "decks".. Although I have to be careful I don't slip into "dad dancing" mode..

 

I will almost likely to be moving around a lot any way, and probably singing along too... Its brought a few smiles to the guests (and a few raised beers too!).

 

Cheers,

 

David

 

[kenny wisdom 0]

I personally stand and try to roll on my feet occasionly if they begin to ache, just to keep the circulation running, though more often than not I'm moving behind the decks whether it's sorting out the music or bopping (to a fashion, lol!)

 

The only difference sitting and standing will make physically is when and if you use your voice, and to a degree even standing alone won't necessarily overcome whether you speak with "energy" - and energy doesn't mean just belting out powerfully. I studied performing arts at uni and how the body affects the voice is quite interesting. Perhaps unsurprisingly a lazy posture will transmit itself through a weak voice and how the diaphragm is constricted will come up through the voice as well as causing shortness of breath. I also was lucky enough to do a short "master class" of radio presenting with Alice Arnold (Radio 4) and although that was done seated, as a presenter we learnt to keep the body "alive" by being physically aware of pushing our feet into the floor - theroretically it gets quite complex about the various forces in operation on the body in any posture (e.g. if you are pushing down, also think about projecting up - every action has an opposite and an opposition) - so anyway, in a nutshell, even when sitting you can still do a great deal to keep your own personal performance energetic and alive, which will add richness and versatility to your voicework.

[sweetie 0]

Jas and I were talking about this the other night. We always stand for the whole gig behind the deckstand/star cloth, this could be up to 5 hours! So by the end of the night our feet are always killing us.

I think it's acceptible to use a stool or something just to perch, as long as you're not hiding behind the rig.

 

We think we might get a fold up stool so that we can take it in turns to perch for some periods of time during a night.

 

So who else stands for the whole night? Or do you sit/ perch on a stool?

 

off topic. sorry - I gather you are a couple, do you always do gigs together? do you both dj?