Cable organization
- Thread starter sawdust123
- Start date
Sir it was what we had to use. We don't have the 50K gear that you do. LOL. Now you're assuming the sound wasn't good and you're wrong this time.
Please let me say this. I understand you're one of the DJs on here who has been a DJ for well over 25 years. So you have a ton of experience along with many others on here. Please keep in mind there are some who post on here that are just starting out and don't have the experience that you and others here have.
Let's look at it this way. How did you get to where you are at as a DJ? Someone had to show you how to do things, or did you know everything when you first started as a DJ.
Now sometimes I mention certain things that are basic things to you. Some things may not be basic to someone else because they just don't.
Let me give an example. Last year the guys in the park kept asking for the crowd to help them with WI-FI. Now that told me they didn't know what to do. I didn't know either until I found out from my buddy that's a DJ. They needed a Hot Spot to use to get a WI-FI connection to get online in the park. Using a Hot Spot requires for you to find a channel to connect the Hot Spot to a WI-FI channel. Once you find the right channel then you can go online with your device you're using to get online. For someone like you I bet you knew that already. Obviously they didn't or they would have known what they needed to do. Also I suggest if you're using a Hot Spot to have a wire connecting from the Hot Spot to a power source so that the battery in the Hot Spot stays charged.
Mix you claim to have been at this for a long time yet you have failed to learn even the very basics about how the equipment you use works. It’s truly baffling to most of here that you haven’t picked up the basics after this much time
The difference is that many of us knew that we each had areas we were ignorant of when we started. We taught ourselves the skills we needed BEFORE we went out in the world. We asked ourselves, what is the worst that can happen and how should we handle it. Then if it happens, we are prepared.
Continual improvement is an essential part of the fabric of many of us. I invested in books on weddings, sound reinforcement and business. I attended DJ conventions, took paid classes on crowd interaction, took courses on public speaking, etc. Participating on forums was a small part of it too. The forums introduced me to some great resources and I made great connections with leaders in our industry.
You have been commenting on gear and wiring. Have you ever asked yourself what you might do if you lost power at an event? I practiced how to handle this at a course I took on crowd interactions that I learned about on a DJ forum. It only came in handy once yet it saved the day. Are you prepared?
I don't think the "wires" were the issue. What you are calling "screw terminals" was more likely Binding Posts.
Improper connection to a binding post allows the cable to work itself free as vibration loosens the compression nut. When the wire is 'wrapped around" the post rather than a proper wire gage being threaded through the center - the connection can easily come unraveled due to the more uniform compression of the wire (i.e. the wire behaves like a pillow rather than an anchor.) It eventually yields under compression and slips away. A wire properly thread through the center hole is bent at the opposing sides under compression creating a "hook" like grab on the post
The other common connection type was 1/4" TS. This also is not secure, and gets worse as the connector ages and yields. A speaker with a large woofer will produce enough air compression to actually blow the 1/4" plug right out of the connection. I'd seen it happen repeatedly in the 1990's on JBL stage cabs featuring only dual 1/4" jacks. Gaff tape was not enough to stop the problem.
Some people (despite the speakers being passive) often retro-fitted them with locking XLR connectors or binding posts and created short 16, 14, or 12ga adapter cables to mate with whatever standard speaker cable they deployed.
The wires were twisted together with no post to them to secure the wires so those things didn't happen. To answer the question about what to do if the power went out at a venue while doing an event. I don't know what to do. That's interesting because I've never heard that happen to any DJ doing an event.
Never heard of running out of gas in your generator at an event?? I believe this was one of your posts Mixxy?
I posted a few years ago about the electric being out at a golf club from a car hitting a electric transformer down the road and I used the cater's generator to get enough lights on for the ceremony and power my system , no one knew the electric was out . Electric was back up and running for the reception part of the event.
It happens to everyone eventually if you do enough gigs.
I don't think you fully grasp the real impart of the question. If the power goes out - it's not about how you get the power back - it's about how you adapt and move forward with the hosts and their intended plans.
The really valuable entertainer is the one who can pivot and engage people in something great even when a mic and music is no longer available.
If we also happen to have some skills and resources that can restore some electrical power or lighting than that's a perfectly legit thing to contribute too. But, it's also not the job we were hired to do - so, being able to pivot to something interactive or social that is consistent with the intent of entertaining guests is our most vital and valuable response.
The last time I can remember losing power at a wedding it was summer so, we had enough daylight to get through cocktails & dinner. Another space a few miles away with power was available to the couple so, I agreed to break down and setup at that location for an after dinner party and dancing.
I also once approached a couple during the outdoor cocktail hour about going home to get a generator because the power was out (no one outside knew yet) and it was unknown how long it would be out. I needed their decision because the retrieval and setup would take an hour, and Murphy's law dictates that if I leave the event power comes back on, and if I stay it never does. (This was pre-cellphone era.) Ultimately, I made the trip and used the generator for almost an hour before power was restored - which allowed us to do post dinner introductions, and toasts, and start the dancing just before the power returned.
Most established event venues have on-site power generators because a power interruption during food prep is a constant threat to their business model. That power may be limited to lighting and kitchen facilities - but, sometimes we can tap in with enough to get our mic and music up. The real dilemma today is that people often select out of the way or unusual sites for the their weddings, and we should be asking up front what plans should be made for such an issue,
Last edited:
Mix has never claimed to be an entertainer or even pretended to be, if he has any issues at a show at least when he posts on here he always looks for someone else to blame. He never think far enough ahead to anticipate problems nor solutions for issues that could arise
There you go! The generators weren't ours. The organizer supplies the generators. We have nothing to do with that including supplying gas!
I'm sorry that some of you have had an issue with the power going out and you have to try to resolve the issue the best way you know how. At least I can't remember anything like that happening while we were performing at an event.
Bob how far were you from the venue to go and get the generator and was the generator already loaded with gas?
Bob how far were you from the venue to go and get the generator and was the generator already loaded with gas?
Blaming someone else for something most of us would have known to monitor. Anticipate issues have solutions available
Just because the gens were the organizers responsibility, you made the wrong assumption that they were skilled at their use.
I used to DJ the graveyard shift for the local Relay-4-Life event. This was a midnight to 10 am time slot. The event ran on generators. They had diesel WhisperWatts with a full days worth of fuel on board during my first few years. In later years, they switched to smaller gas gens. I would arrive about an hour before I needed to start. Every year the setup was a bit different. My first inspection was the fuel level on the genset. I looked to see how much gas was left and how many full gas containers were at the ready. Being volunteer run events, I couldn't count on them to do regular fuel checks. I did it for them and notified them when more gas was needed. I wasn't responsible for getting more gas or paying for it but I did depend on it being there and I didn't leave it to chance that we had enough. You could have easily done the same.
I WAS NEVER TO SUPPLY THE GENERATOR OR THE GAS FOR THE GENERATOR! We were there to DJ for the event. We have never had a discussion about the generator. We don't have a generator and wouldn't rent one for that event. His job is to get the permit to do the event, get the food and other things for the event.
Again we're the DJs providing the music for the event which is including the wireless mics for the entertainers performing at the event.
When the generator ran out of gas, we both sat there until the problem was fixed. It took about a half hour. We didn't sweat it because it wasn't our fault that there wasn't a can with gas in it just incase the generator ran out of gas. At the end we got paid all the money due to us. End of story.
Tunes4046 suggested we should have checked the level of gas in the generator. Now remember there was no extra gas in a can just incase the generator ran out of gas. So what would you have done in that situation? Leave the event and go get more gas to keep the event going?
The organizer called a guy that I guess he got the generators for him to bring more gas. When he got there he told him he should have gotten everything he needed for the event when he picked up the generators.
Mixx, you are correct - it's not your job to maintain the generators. You did the right thing by sitting in wait.
There is inherent risk with gasoline at events - which is why in most major cities today gasoline generators are banned from use at any and all public events. The smart thing to do is simply disclose to the client at the time of booking that they are responsible to see that a safe and sufficient source of power is available for your use.
There is inherent risk with gasoline at events - which is why in most major cities today gasoline generators are banned from use at any and all public events. The smart thing to do is simply disclose to the client at the time of booking that they are responsible to see that a safe and sufficient source of power is available for your use.
I don't agree with that.
I don't concern myself with things I have no control over - and the reliability of other vendors has no actual impart on my reputation. In fact, quite the opposite. When issues arise at an event that's our moment to shine.
A wedding planner recently neglected (or didn't anticipate) the need for a stage at a tent wedding. Most of us, grounds manager, catering director, myself, etc. were all wondering what time the stage was being delivered when finally - the band shows up and points out to the wedding planner that their contract says they won't setup on a lawn. The planner was simply not experienced enough to have anticipated this need, and obviously had not read the contract details. Hence, no arrangements for this outdoor tent wedding were made beyond the dance floor (which had been installed the day prior.)
I had completed most of my lighting during the over-night hours, and after all of us making some calls to our contacts, and finding time running too short - I loaned my pickup truck to the catering director and she and another employee went to a local lumber yard to get several sheets of plywood to use as a "floor."
The point is, I don't really know any event professionals who won't go an extra mile to save a client's event from damaging oversights or even incompetence. That being said - if the thing being omitted is merely an inconvenience or compromise to a given vendor's own services, most other vendors will leave that alone. For example, a DJ who leaves one speaker at home, or forgets gas for his generator - is generally going to have to solve that problem on his own.