Would you DJ a wedding for $550 in 2021?

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Would you do a $550/4 hour wedding reception in 2021?

  • Absolutely! It's fair pay in my opinion!

    Votes: 6 28.6%
  • I would only do this on a weekday.

    Votes: 3 14.3%
  • I would only do it if it's under 10 miles or 15 minutes from my house

    Votes: 2 9.5%
  • Nope. There is just no situation where I would do a wedding for $550 today

    Votes: 7 33.3%
  • No, I have never even booked a wedding that low before!

    Votes: 2 9.5%
  • No, but I would for $595 to $650 if it is logistically favorable for me to do it.

    Votes: 1 4.8%

  • Total voters
    21
Business Plan!

What gear do you NEED, what can you add later?
Cost of all that?

What gigs are you going after, at what price point? How many- harder to judge that I know, but you need a plan.

AND you need to pay yourself - for the gig, setup, travel, planning, shopping, accounting, meetings that sell or don't sell, etc.

What is the going price for a DJ in your area? $500? 700? 2000? What gigs do you want bars, clubs, weddings, school dances? What gear does that take, what marketing efforts (time and money)?

Etc.
Let the numbers be your guide.

Mix, I'm just in the early stages of starting out... still gathering equipment, researching others in the area, looking at venues, potential clients, etc. With the whole Covid thing, I'm trying to determine if it's worth taking the plunge and starting a business. I hate to invest and then all the venues close up again. All of the above comments and replies to post make a lot of sense.
 
Obviously a $400-500 PC will play music just fine all day. Buy 2..$1000. Less if you buy refurb.
And you have ivested what, $7500?

Even if I could, I'd spend that money on something else...a nice vacation, some woodworking tools...the wife maybe. My kids.
But notice I’ve never had to replace one. The reason for the pros and not the cheaper MacBooks is for serato video. Only the models w independent graphic cards are compatible. Otherwise I’d be spending half the price
 
I've had PC's and laptops for over 20 years in one form, brand or another. The only failure I've ever had was a power supply in a gateway my kids had, and it failed under warranty.

yes, for video you need a more robust computer, but to say more expensive means more reliable...sorry, that's a sales pitch you fell for.

My samsung phone has outlasted multiple iPhones (batteries, screens)
I've had and used my fire tablet ($80) a lot longer than the ipad mini I had ($400 if I recall)
My toshiba laptop is going on 5 years now, no issues. My HP is closer to 10. No issues, other than i did replace the battery.

As shown, this is not true - not without a greater likelihood of problems anyways.
 
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I've had PC's and laptops for over 20 years in one form, brand or another. The only failure I've ever had was a power supply in a gateway my kids had, and it failed under warranty.

yes, for video you need a more robust computer, but to say more expensive means more reliable...sorry, that's a sales pitch you fell for.

My samsung phone has outlasted multiple iPhones (batteries, screens)
I've had and used my fire tablet ($80) a lot longer than the ipad mini I had ($400 if I recall)
My toshiba laptop is going on 5 years now, no issues. My HP is closer to 10. No issues, other than i did replace the battery.
I don't know which models you have, nor how you use them, etc - nor do I need to know. Rule #1 shows its head often and there's a reason for that. You could have a $200 computer which experiences no issues because you rarely use it - that doesn't make it a performer. Put it up against a $1000 computer, run them the exact same way (performing continuous processes for a length of time), then let's talk.

As for the tablet, there are differences between these devices - they are not the same. Given similar equipment (like a computer, laptop, speakers, microphone, etc), more expensive generally equates to better performance, better parts, more reliability. It could also mean more features (which may or may not mean better parts). It also generally equates to a better value for you if you decide to sell later. I can almost guarantee that you can sell your iPad mini for more than your Amazon Fire Tablet - and maybe even quicker.
 
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$80 table that is 5 years old...$500 ipad that is 5 years old.

I get nothing, "lose" $80.
You get $100, "lost" 400.

Assuming anyone wants a 5 year old piece of any tech.
Considering you'd never get full value for something 5 years old, this isn't really an accurate statement. In 5 years, I'd have used my iDevice more than enough times to get my value out, so I haven't 'lost' anything. If you buy a new car for $30k and sell it 10 years later for $10k, did you really lose $20k?
 
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Considering you'd never get full value for something 5 years old, this isn't really an accurate statement. In 5 years, I'd have used my iDevice more than enough times to get my value out, so I haven't 'lost' anything. If you buy a new car for $30k and sell it 10 years later for $10k, did you really lose $20k?


I would say no.

Except on principal, the buyer ALWAYS loses some value the moment they drive it from the dealer, and pass the 5 day return law. Most new vehicles depreciate 20% to 25% from the purchase price the moment the buyer drove it home lol. Then after that these vehicles depreciate about 7% to 12% each year on average until they get to about the $2,000 Trade in Value mark. Then the depreciating takes longer to decline.

But assuming a person is driving their car with a low amount of serious issues over time, they are getting their money's worth being an owner.

Imagine RENTING a car during that entire time...the cost of driving the car around would be much higher than if they had financed it over 5, 6, or 7 years.
 
$80 table that is 5 years old...$500 ipad that is 5 years old.

I get nothing, "lose" $80.
You get $100, "lost" 400.

Assuming anyone wants a 5 year old piece of any tech.


But how much has DJ equipment really advanced over the past 5 years? All the good quality mixers and Controllers were around in 2016. As far as Speakers, there are some newer line ups, but honestly the cream of the crop stuff was out and available in 2016 as well.

Now if we were talking 10 years, then yeah there have been solid tech advances since 2011, but I can't say there have been any great strides since 2016 for the DJ Industry.

As far as laptops go...I mean the only difference is that today's laptops have a newer generation Intel or Ryzen chip inside, and Solid State Drivers are the newer standard, and far more prevalent in new machines, but as far as RAM, HD space, touch screens, etc. etc. I don't feel like there have been much improvement in the last 5 years. And all of that stuff is irrelevant really when it comes to playing the music, and DJ programs. A quality machine from 2016 would still work great today as long as it wasn't used to death, and not properly maintained.
 
It's a business - the lower your costs the more profitable the business is.

If you spend $500 vs $80 on a tablet, what do you get for $420 extra? I use mine for MyDmxGo and it works just fine, zero issues.
My main laptop was under $500 6 or 7 years ago - zero issues. It works just fine.
I had no issue with my $150 peavey mixer, but needed one for ceremonies and decides to get a mackie as my main and use the peavey (less inputs) for ceremonies. it's 10 years old now...works just fine.

Actually, other than cords and a few lights I can't think of anything that's failed.

So reliability aside, performance (it can do more, better, faster, easier setup) or appearance (looks better) or marketing wow (a linnear array looks differnt than 90$ of DJs out there)

What does spending more get you?

Do $1500 laptop, $3000 speakers and $1000 mixer make you a better DJ and allow you to book more and charge more?
 
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I would say no.

Except on principal, the buyer ALWAYS loses some value the moment they drive it from the dealer, and pass the 5 day return law. Most new vehicles depreciate 20% to 25% from the purchase price the moment the buyer drove it home lol. Then after that these vehicles depreciate about 7% to 12% each year on average until they get to about the $2,000 Trade in Value mark. Then the depreciating takes longer to decline.

But assuming a person is driving their car with a low amount of serious issues over time, they are getting their money's worth being an owner.

Imagine RENTING a car during that entire time...the cost of driving the car around would be much higher than if they had financed it over 5, 6, or 7 years.
Unless you bought in 2020... your car is worth more now. The best purchases though are 3 or 4yr old cars whose depreciation curve has started to now flatline.
 
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It's a business - the lower your costs the more profitable the business is.

If you spend $500 vs $80 on a tablet, what do you get for $420 extra? I use mine for MyDmxGo and it works just fine, zero issues.
My main laptop was under $500 6 or 7 years ago - zero issues. It works just fine.
I had no issue with my $150 peavey mixer, but needed one for ceremonies and decides to get a mackie as my main and use the peavey (less inputs) for ceremonies. it's 10 years old now...works just fine.

Actually, other than cords and a few lights I can't think of anything that's failed.

So reliability aside, performance (it can do more, better, faster, easier setup) or appearance (looks better) or marketing wow (a linnear array looks differnt than 90$ of DJs out there)

What does spending more get you?

Do $1500 laptop, $3000 speakers and $1000 mixer make you a better DJ and allow you to book more and charge more?

Maybe you have been lucky

For the extra $420 you get peace of mind and it's not really $420 because in the time that I have an Ipad or a Samsung Galaxy you will go through 2 or maybe 3 of the cheap knockoffs. Yes there are exceptions sometimes they turn a good one out but generally speaking what I said is accurate. I've had an Ipad 5 plus years now. I bought my kids cheap tablets the Christmas after I bought the Ipad and I bought my wife a Samsung tablet. None of the cheap ones made it till the next Christmas she had the Samsung 3 plus years and passed it down because she wanted one with a bigger screen again Samsung. Both of them are still working too. If you want to check out Facebook there's nothing wrong with the cheap tablet. If you have a couple for business purposes to back yourself up it's OK. For me if it's mission critical I want the best I can get in my budget and if quality isn't in my budget then I better up it

When it comes to your sound chain people don't notice good sound...But they do notice bad. Quality gear will shine in the hands of the right person. For what we do there is a price point where it doesn't make sense to go beyond and there's a money level we don't need to surpass. In 38 years I haven't quite figured where that top line is. There is a bottom line we shouldn't cross too. Use what you know to make decisions. I have seen a guy out with a home stereo saying he was running a DJ business. It was a pair of high end Monitor Audio speakers with an integrated amp and an old off brand mixer. Quite likely he paid close to 2 grand for the speakers. They probably sounded real nice in his living room not so much in a large hall. In the brief conversation we had he thought it was the best thing ever
 
Today is certainly an anomoly.

I paid $27k for my 14 outback new. I drove it for 7 years, 120k miles and sold it, wholesale, for $10k.

I just got my Tesla Y and I say a USED one, 18 months old with 8600 miles selling for MORE than what I just paid -same car/options!
BUT i did wait 3 months to get mine from order till delivery.
 
Unless you bought in 2020... your car is worth more now. The best purchases though are 3 or 4yr old cars whose depreciation curve has started to now flatline.

Lack of stock has caused used cars to go crazy. My wife and I are considering replacing her vehicle we were looking on the weekend. I thought about used first maybe something a couple of years old but the prices are so close now we might go new
 
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Lack of stock has caused used cars to go crazy. My wife and I are considering replacing her vehicle we were looking on the weekend. I thought about used first maybe something a couple of years old but the prices are so close now we might go new
Challenge is finding new in stock. Ford is basically sold out of everything... Mercedes has a $5-15k markup for new suvs... and the g wagon can be as much as a $50k mark up. It’s just insane. I’m holding off for another year if I can.
 
it's insane.

And god forbid you wreck a car...
1- my son's 06 mazda was backed into in a parking lot in may -the shop is STILL waiting on parts, but at least it's driveable.
2- My friend's neighbor's truck was hit while parked in front of his house, it's not drivable. He was told NOVEMBER! He's in a rental.
3- My 9/11 groom owns a body shop and flips totaled cars. He's seeing cars being totaled for what to him is minor stuff - but when the accident involved 3, 5, 9 months of rental cars (at $3k/ month) he says insurance companies are finding it cheaper to cut a bigger check and total the can than to pay for months of rentals.
4- he has a car there for 2 months now, a subaru, waiting on fender. His sources (subaru, insurance co) say that a big issues is California - due to the corna virus at the docks where the cranes unload the container ships instead of working 24/7, they're only allowing ONE person to use a crane..period. So they're working a crane 12 hours a day 5 to 6 days a week....1/2 the usual amount, so the containers can't get in.

Which is what is causeing all the random shortages of things. His fiance works for a paint company - there is no shortage of paint - there IS a shortage of PAINT CANS! They went 6 weeks with no cans. so no paint being made.
 
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Challenge is finding new in stock. Ford is basically sold out of everything... Mercedes has a $5-15k markup for new suvs... and the g wagon can be as much as a $50k mark up. It’s just insane. I’m holding off for another year if I can.

Unfortunately, the Micro Chip shortage is now projected to continue until mid 2023.

The car makers that would pay Net 90 to these Microchip manufacturers have basically been put on the back burner. That includes Ford and GM. That is their own fault for making the producer wait so long to get paid.

The car makers who have always paid up front/cash etc. Are in better standing. Toyota is in one of the best positions right now.

Ford has thousands of their new Broncos that are sitting in a huge parking lot waiting for "Quality INspection" ...what they are waiting on are some vital micro chips that need to be installed before they head out to dealers. Ford decided to complete the build on them, and park them until they can 100% complete these vehicles.

Problem is, now they have thousands of new vehicles just sitting out in the elements that will be sitting for some time before they make it to the dealers.
 
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Loan officer that did my car loan said he had a truck on lease and there are no trucks to be had - dealership had one new and one used - and they were priced above his lease turn in.
He asked about extending his lease but he said they wouldn't add any miles, just months...so he just bought it off the lease.

Challenge is finding new in stock. Ford is basically sold out of everything... Mercedes has a $5-15k markup for new suvs... and the g wagon can be as much as a $50k mark up. It’s just insane. I’m holding off for another year if I can.
 
Unfortunately, the Micro Chip shortage is now projected to continue until mid 2023.

The car makers that would pay Net 90 to these Microchip manufacturers have basically been put on the back burner. That includes Ford and GM. That is their own fault for making the producer wait so long to get paid.

The car makers who have always paid up front/cash etc. Are in better standing. Toyota is in one of the best positions right now.

Ford has thousands of their new Broncos that are sitting in a huge parking lot waiting for "Quality INspection" ...what they are waiting on are some vital micro chips that need to be installed before they head out to dealers. Ford decided to complete the build on them, and park them until they can 100% complete these vehicles.

Problem is, now they have thousands of new vehicles just sitting out in the elements that will be sitting for some time before they make it to the dealers.
Yeah it’s not gonna get back to normal for a while but it will ease a bit and it’s already being reflected at the auction/wholesale markets. It’ll probably take a few more months before the savings are realized at the dealers. This is for the used market more than anything... the bee market is still going to struggle a bit bc of the chip issue.
 
4- he has a car there for 2 months now, a subaru, waiting on fender. His sources (subaru, insurance co) say that a big issues is California - due to the corna virus at the docks where the cranes unload the container ships instead of working 24/7, they're only allowing ONE person to use a crane..period. So they're working a crane 12 hours a day 5 to 6 days a week....1/2 the usual amount, so the containers can't get in.
There are currently 44 container ships on the waiting at LA ports