Does anybody just play music anymore?
- Thread starter SoftJock Rick
- Start date
Actually, I made the glasses -- never been a salesman.
Spent a good portion of my life down South -- so not in any big hurry to challenge anything.
[video=youtube;f0mBFiqv76I]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0mBFiqv76I[/video]
That's pretty sad and so terribly out of date. The world doesn't work like that anymore. When was the last time you heard a company say: "we're only going to lay of our most versatile and innovative employees - those of you who have been here for years just doing the same ol', same ol' day in, day out, that's who we want to keep."
I'm also talking about the limits of one's experience and moving the boundaries of your knowledge - not impairments.
You are not wine - you don't get better just sitting around with age.
Bob, do you Canute and Mix share the same crib?
I love to expand my knowledge, which might be the reason I buy real books. When's the last time you bought a real book (you know, the paper kind)...?
I remember now. He's the guy I had the debate with about this. He'll change his tune if he ever gets stiffed. I also don't get that at the end a client can tell him he didn't do a good enough job so they won't pay him. Unless it's a major disaster like my whole system went down and I can't finish the job, I'm getting paid.Ah, so you subscribe to the Blair school of business (Nash Party Authority). He pitches that "don't pay if you're not happy" thing. Of course, in his case the only person being hung out to dry is the sub who works the job for him (the balance remaining). The client makes up some excuse, stiffs the DJ and Blair takes the side of the extortionist. Bro, when word gets out, you'll get tired of working for free.
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Why didn't you just stick with making a DJ player? From your own website, I count six different products. Why not just stick with the first one?
Rockit Pro DJ - Click here for Purchase and Upgrade Options
Professional DJ Mixing Software
US $119.95RockBox Jukebox
Commercial and Home Jukebox Software
From US $19.95Multi Zone Audio
Zoned audio software for clubs, bars and smart homes
US $129.95Remote Request System
Accept DJ requests from a remote computer
US $ 49.95
BPM ProScan
Scan your MP3 files for beats per minute, and save the results to the MP3 tag in the file.
US $ 4.99DJ DupeScan
Duplicate music and video file finder, and remover.
US $ 4.99
That's where it's up to a client to look to find the right DJ to do their event and up to me to only take that event only if I can do the job properly. Does that mean it always happens exactly like that? No. I had a gig years ago where we weren't given enough info to get the job done right. The job was for a guys sister who was turning 50 and she lived in Ga. I kept telling him to contact her or have her contact me so I would know what style of music she wanted. That never happened. When I get there I then found out it was also a family reunion party too. We got paid but all didn't go well.
The brother just thought what we did at a party he attended would work for this event and it didn't. That was that.
I did the numbers, I make as much per hour worked now as I did when I had all the stuff, plus I have lower overhead less storage costs, much more free time, and less equipment repair costs, but the free time is the big thing, by not having to set up all that extra crap I have an extra 5 -10 hours a week to spend with my family
The Free time I have with the ones I love is worth 10 times what I make DJing
The Free time I have with the ones I love is worth 10 times what I make DJing
No, home boy - my crib is in a different state.
I own real books and a Nook - which is like carrying your whole library with you, including all kinds of resources and publications in PDF version.
Bought two books for the Nook this week.
Um, when it comes to reading real books - my post count is 2500 and yours is like 25,000. Where do you find the time?
I have a nook as well -- just prefer real books -- easier on my tired, old eyes, and I don't have to recharge the battery, thereby decreasing my energy footprint.
As far as finding the time -- I'm a software developer -- people know where to find me here. I have no family, just a dog. I sit in front of a computer for 12-16 hours per day. I was mopping the floors at 3am this morning, and doing laundry -- what were you doing at 3am?
I don't even have a TV up here -- but I have Amazon Prime.
If I do a compile of Rockit, it takes 30-40 minutes (almost 1.5 million lines of code now). So I can watch an episode of Justified, or babble on out here, or take a nap.
12-16 hours in front of a computer and compiling makes you a code writer not a developer.
If half of what you post about yourself is true and not just BS - then you are your own worst enemy.
When you talk about yourself it's like someone you've never met.
I was sleeping at 3 am and plan to be doing so again tonight. Mostly because if you want to be a part of the world you have to show up during normal waking hours.
Wrong again, Mary-Lou. I'll give you one thing, you're pretty consistent on being wrong.
I analyze, design, and then write the code -- and the buzz word of today is developer or software engineer. We didn't have those cool words when I was in school. We did have IBM punch card machines though -- made some coin on that reproducing them. And it's not BS -- I've led an interesting life.
As to my working hours, it varies. More than half of my customers are across the large ponds. If you have to get on a conference call to Tokyo or Australia, you have to be awake at 2am or so.
It seems that you have limited yourself to a local market -- I do not.
When you deal with the right clients this doesn't happen.....I always collect at the end of the night and in almost thirty years I've been stiffed once with a bounced cheque pretty good average
I predominantly just play music these days but I'll rent you a projector and screen if you want. I don't do uplighting or drapes or any of that stuff it's not my market and to do it right I would have to hire someone and that's more headache than it's worth. I have even scaled back the multi-op thing the last two years.
I start with a base of 4 hours and build a package around what the client needs. I don't upsell as such but if you want additional lights there's a cost....Bubble machine it costs....Wireless Mic or projector and screen it costs. When I start getting these things for free I'll start giving them away until then...It Costs
as for up selling, in my area they cant afford my price or don't want to pay that much, so trying to up sell something is like selling ice to Eskimo's.
You charge extra for a wireless mic? Really? That's been a standard item for what...20 years for most of us?
If I'm not mistaken though, this would be one of the differences between American and Canadian weddings. Down here it's almost assumed that the DJ will be taking on MC duties as well. From everything I've gathered, in Canada, the DJ doesn't normally handle MC work, so a wireless mic up there could be an add-on.
Canadian weddings are weird -- they go for like 6-7 hours, and a family member does MC duties.
Most of them take the short bus...
One time is too many for me. Even after 30 plus years. If I don't know you, how do I get to trust you? Now I know most people are honest out here but not everyone. Old saying is better be safe then sorry.When you deal with the right clients this doesn't happen.....I always collect at the end of the night and in almost thirty years I've been stiffed once with a bounced cheque pretty good average
I predominantly just play music these days but I'll rent you a projector and screen if you want. I don't do uplighting or drapes or any of that stuff it's not my market and to do it right I would have to hire someone and that's more headache than it's worth. I have even scaled back the multi-op thing the last two years.
I start with a base of 4 hours and build a package around what the client needs. I don't upsell as such but if you want additional lights there's a cost....Bubble machine it costs....Wireless Mic or projector and screen it costs. When I start getting these things for free I'll start giving them away until then...It Costs
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What it takes is having them say WOW! WOW I must have that. It's all in how you sell your services to a client. No everyone won't be sold but some will if presented right.
Mix you have NO idea what my area is like, it is mostly farm land for a 25 to 35 mile radius, which means farmers. They don't have or do partys. They work, work and then work some more. Oh i can give them the WOW factor thats not the problem. When and if they do have a party they just dont want all that add on Crap. They could care less about uplighting and gobos. Hell most the people around here dont even know what a gobo is. Some of you CITY Boys need to come to the country and see what it is all about. Your fancy 3 piece suit and your city accent won't get you very far around here. I've played in some places around here where they should of had chicken wire in front of us ( Rawhide ). Mix i would gladly put up with your gang bangers from the city pointing there pistols sideways at ya cause ya know why, i shoot back too. Come to the country and deal with the rednecks. They come in with their shotguns or chain saws and if thats not good enough they drive their truck thru the front door. Let me tell you ive paid my dues around here