Good deal, Spink. That is the essence of this forum- discussion, debate, agree, disagree.
Gotta warn ya though, I'm only wrong when the Redneck Goddess says I am......I think....gotta ask her....
It Ain't Just iPods.......
- Thread starter JoeChartreuse
- Start date
Good deal, Spink. That is the essence of this forum- discussion, debate, agree, disagree.
Gotta warn ya though, I'm only wrong when the Redneck Goddess says I am......I think....gotta ask her....
Joe,
This has been going on for at least the 20+ years I have been a dj.
People have brought out home stereo equipment and made cassette mix tapes. Hell, when I was a kid, I remember my mom and dad had a party where they were play "mix tapes" via reel to reel.
If a person has access to music and playing it, they have access to doing it (dj) themselves.
Yes, it is much easier today to be a DIY dj due to the technology.
It also makes it easier to be more than just music also. If the client only wants music. Well.... not a lot we can do about that.
Technology has replaced many occupations. Change happens. How we change with it is key.
This has been going on for at least the 20+ years I have been a dj.
People have brought out home stereo equipment and made cassette mix tapes. Hell, when I was a kid, I remember my mom and dad had a party where they were play "mix tapes" via reel to reel.
If a person has access to music and playing it, they have access to doing it (dj) themselves.
Yes, it is much easier today to be a DIY dj due to the technology.
It also makes it easier to be more than just music also. If the client only wants music. Well.... not a lot we can do about that.
Technology has replaced many occupations. Change happens. How we change with it is key.
the reason dj's took over band's is because they could provide a client with what they wanted....more variety of their favorite songs...better flow...and just as good MCing, if not better. If the do it yourself industry gives really gives people what they really want...then that's the way it should go. However, i believe the do it yourselfers actually push people to us...rather than the other way around.
Quite true!
Folks, OF COURSE a talented DJ/MC is better that a juke box. Yes, we live by our talent. But our customer base is slowly eroding because many DON"T SEE what we actually do. Each one of THOSE people is a job we didn't get. All I'm saying is is try not to make it LOOK so easy, if you can. This may require carrying a few more pieces of equipment, but isn't it worth your livelihood?
rather than bringing in useless equipment that you are not going to use...just to make it LOOK more difficult...how about finding additional equipment that will help make the show better.
Gee, I don't know...
I went to the club last night (first time out this year
), and saw a great band!
4 piece, had about as much equipment as Val carries, incredibly personable and interactive, very diverse and handled requests, and were paid less then $600!
I would hire them in a heartbeat if needed, even if they were playing acoustic (they are a rock band BTW).
My perception was, they did an outstanding job, and I was too busy watching them, dancing in my chair and enjoying myself, to worry about their equipment or what guitars they were using...
So my question is: Can you bring that level of entertainment to my next event, when I have it?
I went to the club last night (first time out this year
), and saw a great band!4 piece, had about as much equipment as Val carries, incredibly personable and interactive, very diverse and handled requests, and were paid less then $600!
I would hire them in a heartbeat if needed, even if they were playing acoustic (they are a rock band BTW).
My perception was, they did an outstanding job, and I was too busy watching them, dancing in my chair and enjoying myself, to worry about their equipment or what guitars they were using...
So my question is: Can you bring that level of entertainment to my next event, when I have it?
Couldn't agree with you more -- there will NEVER be an auto-fade/mix while I'm not at the mixer. Even if I'm out with the crowd or talking to someone, near the end of the song I'll go back behind.
No I don't feel I'm being fake or tricking the client/audience, but due to the impression that was talked about so much earlier in this thread, I will not be the guy to walk in with a laptop and a few powered speakers for a job. The whole mixer/processing rack, both amps in a rack, both speakers, and usually the SRX sub -- even for smaller gigs -- because it just adds so much fullness and warmth even at low volumes.
Just my .02, but I feel that this is worth talking about (both sides of the topic.)
Luckily, there was a videographer present. We now proudly offer his clip of Rick
"dancing in his chair and enjoying himself"
Oh my. Someone never told Rick the band was on break when they recorded this clip. :sqerr:
Funny.
At last nights bar job, and todays outside sound reinforcement job I had...
Set up the full bose system. 4 base bins... only one each side running.
I am so ashamed.... I am fake...
Actually, Wasn't sure with the bar job if I would need 2 or 4, so I had all 4 just in case. Didn't unload the Exploder and set it all up today, as I didn't want the stuff sitting in the car.
I guess I'll give on this one. Although, I agree with bringing different stuff that would truly make a difference in the show, rather than just bringing stuff for show.
At last nights bar job, and todays outside sound reinforcement job I had...
Set up the full bose system. 4 base bins... only one each side running.
I am so ashamed.... I am fake...
Actually, Wasn't sure with the bar job if I would need 2 or 4, so I had all 4 just in case. Didn't unload the Exploder and set it all up today, as I didn't want the stuff sitting in the car.
I guess I'll give on this one. Although, I agree with bringing different stuff that would truly make a difference in the show, rather than just bringing stuff for show.
I'm actually thankful for iPods.
I'll tell you why, at my bar gig we get lots of camp conselours in from all over the world. Lots of times people want to hear "their" music what ever that maybe. In genre's I know absolutely nothing about such as salsa merenge, I'm darn glad for iPods. We have a group of about 20 camp counselors from Columbia, who don't dance much to "our" music and they happen to be the camp which stays out the latest. Towards the end of the night one of the girls will come up and hand me her iPod with a playlist all ready to go. I bring my patch cable with me, I plug it into one of the alternate channels, change the crossfader assignment, and am ready to go
For the cost of a $10 cable, I made customers happy that I wouldn't have other wise. It doesn't sound that great but they're happy and if they're happy my boss is happy.
I'll tell you why, at my bar gig we get lots of camp conselours in from all over the world. Lots of times people want to hear "their" music what ever that maybe. In genre's I know absolutely nothing about such as salsa merenge, I'm darn glad for iPods. We have a group of about 20 camp counselors from Columbia, who don't dance much to "our" music and they happen to be the camp which stays out the latest. Towards the end of the night one of the girls will come up and hand me her iPod with a playlist all ready to go. I bring my patch cable with me, I plug it into one of the alternate channels, change the crossfader assignment, and am ready to go
For the cost of a $10 cable, I made customers happy that I wouldn't have other wise. It doesn't sound that great but they're happy and if they're happy my boss is happy.
You forgot the solar panel on the back, and the electric motor that powers me through the macarena
In all honesty, I was very entertained last night.
Not the greatest sounding band I've ever heard, but truly four jokesters who enjoy what they do -- and it was easily seen, and the vibe felt.
The point I was trying to get at, is these guys could've entertained the whole crowd with a couple of spoons, and nobody would of cared what type of spoons they were.
Every eye was on the band members (who spread out all over the place) -- even the guys trying to pick up the chicks stopped talking.
I've only seen a few DJs that can come close to that level of excitement and interactivity.
So, next time you proclaim you are an entertainer, get a video done of yourself "entertaining", and see if it really was...
I've always felt a good performer makes it look easy, because it is, for them...
i love live music...
and i know i'm not a great entertainer. I do like to think i can MC and DJ a wedding so the event is entertaining. If i'm the focus of the entertainment, the focus is in the wrong place.
When people go see a band....they go to see them. When they go to a wedding, they don't go to see the mc/dj. The mc/dj should facilitate the entertainment...not be the entertainment. Unless that's what the customer wants...in that case they should not hire me.
Yes I agree with that...but again...it will go both ways. A talentless, "new technology" dj will have an equal/bad impact on the client/guests perception just as much as a good, talented one. The part I think we disagree on is the impact of the technology itself. It's all opinion. I'm saying the technology will probably have little to no impact on the clients perception and you're saying it will....
I'm a bar jock so maybe things are a little different for me but the perception of your job being so easy that anyone can do it, is the problem. DJ shows up with 2 iPods, an iPod mixer and powered speakers. He sets up in less than 10 minutes then proceeds to just press a couple of buttons and move the cross fader in between songs. To the audience it looks like any clown could do this. It certainly appears as if, no?
My boss (a friend of mine) tells me my job is easy. My reply always is, yeah it looks easy but you don't realize what I'm doing in my mind. I'm always looking for the perfect mix, what songs goes with this one, whats in the same BPM range.. Cindy just requested a techno song and I'm in the middle of a hip-hop set, how am I going to work her song in? what am I going to play after her song? Is this going to kill or attract people to my floor? Are the old folks sitting at the bar going to have a conniption fit?
Often times, in between songs I'm bored. I've made lots of compilations so a lot of "good" songs are all on one DJ. I don't even have to physically change the disc in between songs lots of times. I stand there looking stupid for 3 minutes until I have to fade over.
Just because something looks easy, doesn't necessarily mean it is. Look at a computer technician all he does is bang on a keyboard all day, his job must be easy, right?
Steves points and this one along with the initial thread post
should make it all come together.
If because of lousy DJs experienced and hearing about ipods etc and high tech stuff which appears easy to operate we may never get to sell to more and more potentials until the fad passes and horror stories build.
should make it all come together.
If because of lousy DJs experienced and hearing about ipods etc and high tech stuff which appears easy to operate we may never get to sell to more and more potentials until the fad passes and horror stories build.
should make it all come together.
If because of lousy DJs experienced and hearing about ipods etc and high tech stuff which appears easy to operate we may never get to sell to more and more potentials until the fad passes and horror stories build.
Which makes me ask....has anyone ever met someone...or read a story from someone attending an ipod(or any do it yourself type) wedding....that said it was a wonderful evening..very memorable..great reception.....lots of fun.
not saying it's impossible to have fun....but its a HUGE difference....just like there's a huge difference between having a professional caterer and getting buckets of chicken.
1) Actually, I believe what people wanted was the band experience at a DJ price. They couldn't get that, so they settled for the price. THEN, after constant exposure to quality DJ work, they LEARNED to prefer the DJ. BTW- Just to shoot myself in the foot, I STILL prefer a live band at a wedding- and THAT'S a lost job for ME!
2) A noble and unselfish sentiment. Unfortunately, I'm not ready to retire yet, and I kind of prefer my current financial situation over poverty.
3) Know what? I kind of agree with you here. Just as guests at an iPod/laptop wedding may be tempted to try it themselves, guests at a DIY may see the drop in quality of the wedding and be turned off. The catch-22 here is that, fortunately (?) there aren't enough DIY weddings as of yet for a significant amount of people to learn how bad they can be. However, there ARE enough pro iPOD/laptop weddings for people to believe it's easy and try it anyway. ( I know that was stated very badly, but I can't seem to put it together today). It's almost as though we should hope DIY weddings become super popular in hopes that people will see just how awful they can be through exposure. The danger is that they may learn to like them, or at least be content with them, as people have content with other inferior products, such as the never-improving cell phone or mini-screened cineplexes over the well appointed single theatre ( including "butter-flavored product" instead of melted butter over bagged pre-made popcorn instead of fresh-popped).
G
Guest
Guest
OK, I got tired of reading after the first page. But, I got the idea of what is being said. Basically, haul in a laptop and some powered speakers and it looks too easy.
OK, I use a rack mounted computer that is connected to a Ds-1200 containing over 1 Tb of songs, karaoke, and video. The DS-1200 and two drawers are in a Gator rolling rack base and the computer, Gemini MP3 Cd Player, DAC 2, Rane MP4 mixer, Rane Mic Mixer, and a few other odds and ends are in a Gator slant top. I roll it in and it looks big and complicated.
It gets connected to a pair of powered speakers and I press play all night while I pay attention to what the crowd is dancing to and use my experience and talent to react to that. End result - people have fun. The technology makes it easier for me to accomplish that end. I can react to requests quicker than looking for a CD in a case and I can carry more music with me.
As to perceptions, I too have had the prospective clients ask me if I use CDs or a computer. My answer is always, the delivery system should not matter, if the DJ behind the board has the talent to deliver a quality show and you and your guests have a great time, that's all that matters. I then go on to explain what is involved with each event type.
You will always have people marveling at the technology and if it looks easy they will think to themselves, "I can do that". Now I ask you, didn't you say that to yourself at one time? I did. And I'm still doing it. How many that say, "I can do that" will still be doing it one, two, ten years from when they start, if they start?
OK, I use a rack mounted computer that is connected to a Ds-1200 containing over 1 Tb of songs, karaoke, and video. The DS-1200 and two drawers are in a Gator rolling rack base and the computer, Gemini MP3 Cd Player, DAC 2, Rane MP4 mixer, Rane Mic Mixer, and a few other odds and ends are in a Gator slant top. I roll it in and it looks big and complicated.
It gets connected to a pair of powered speakers and I press play all night while I pay attention to what the crowd is dancing to and use my experience and talent to react to that. End result - people have fun. The technology makes it easier for me to accomplish that end. I can react to requests quicker than looking for a CD in a case and I can carry more music with me.
As to perceptions, I too have had the prospective clients ask me if I use CDs or a computer. My answer is always, the delivery system should not matter, if the DJ behind the board has the talent to deliver a quality show and you and your guests have a great time, that's all that matters. I then go on to explain what is involved with each event type.
You will always have people marveling at the technology and if it looks easy they will think to themselves, "I can do that". Now I ask you, didn't you say that to yourself at one time? I did. And I'm still doing it. How many that say, "I can do that" will still be doing it one, two, ten years from when they start, if they start?
