So the new technology will make for another bootleg DJ?

[MIXMASTERMACHOM]

I've seen video of an iPhone being usde to DJ with. It's a youtube video where someone shows how to use an iPhone to DJ with. I hear you can use an iPad too. That to me is making things too simple to have someone think that they can now become a DJ. It's much more to it then that. It's not as easy to me as they make it look.

There's having the right music for an event and knowing when to play what. Knowing how to read a crowd. Having a good clean setup and using true real professional equipment. I just say this will have someone thinking they can become a DJ and with things being this simple i bet they will be next el cheapo DJ. That's what scares me the most and that will drive the price of someone looking for a DJ down. Near next to nothing.

Don't get me wrong i love that i can now DJ with my Denon DN MC 6000 controller and have my laptop with an external HD loaded with music. It's great and i couldn't be happier. Especially having the new powered speakers i just brought. I just say when is simpler not a better thing. I mean when it can hurt our business which is hurting already with el cheapo DJs.

Here are pictures of my setup that i use right now. I've got a baby shower to do on January 28th and will take pictures of my setup out at a gig and some video too.

 

[SoftJock Rick]

Don't get me wrong i love that i can now DJ with my Denon DN MC 6000 controller and have my laptop with an external HD loaded with music. It's great and i couldn't be happier. Especially having the new powered speakers i just brought. I just say when is simpler not a better thing. I mean when it can hurt our business which is hurting already with el cheapo DJs.

Oooh, the sky is falling... :sqerr:


BTW, a lot of DJs were saying the same thing when cassettes, and then CDs came out...

 

[Jeff Romard]

If the only thing stopping them is the fact that they couldn't DJ on an Iphone then they probably don't have the ambition to stick around too long.

I remember when I started posting on another board there weren't too many computer DJs around and the ones that weren't were labeling the rest of us as the antichrist. Seems we survived that one and we will survive this.

The cream will always rise to the top

 

[Jon Tuck]

ADAM?

 

[MIXMASTERMACHOM]

Yea i guess you're right. I just call them bootleg because they can do the job but will they get the job done right and not have clients pissed because they couldn't deliver?

I use this because my partner said i could get someone to fix the van for $50.00. I would rather take it to the right people and be done with it.

 

[ahoustondj]

They will still need sound! I have been into that market for a good time now. The Phone, IPads, controllers are inexpensive options as Sources but good sound systems are expensive and therefore wannabes fall short in that regard. I can help to make them sound good for the right $$$$$$$.

The competition would be for the Wedding DJs who mostly just Push Play on a set Playlist. In my opinion, real mixing comes from having Multiple Outputs coming from a soundcard going to two or four channels on a mixer. If one is using the software to exclusively do the mixing, then that is "pushing play". Anyone can do that, hence the influx of wannabes.

 

[steve149]

and besides .. the ability to DJ with iTunes (or any number of close to free software) has been around for a decade+ and the wall hasn't fallen yet. Houston is right in that the iPad/iPhone is only a small piece of the whole pie and anyone who considers hooking an iphone to a boombox sufficient wouldn't be heading your way anyway.

Even the wedding DJ needs to provide enough sound and lighting to limit the incursion of these folks. So maybe you lose a birthday party or 2 ...

 

[dunlopj]

BTW, a lot of DJs were saying the same thing when cassettes, and then CDs came out...

Correct Rick...big difference here is that the time and money needed to MAKE those cassettes and CD's.

Nowadays, it's fairly easy and cheap to buy a hard drive filled with music.

Instead of taking months and months, it's done in mere days.

I've already heard at local house account venues how the managers cringe when they see some of these knuckleheads waltz in and have no idea how to handle a reception...much less a bull roast or anniversary event.

Two have actually added a clause in their contract requiring pre-certification of a client's entertainment choice if they are not known to the venue.

They apparently have had enough with these bozo's messing up a grand event and the venue's reputation.

 

[SoftJock Rick]

Correct Rick...big difference here is that the time and money needed to MAKE those cassettes and CD's.

Nowadays, it's fairly easy and cheap to buy a hard drive filled with music.

Instead of taking months and months, it's done in mere days.

I agree there's a big difference (and always will be). Have you heard the tunes off those drives? I have a couple of them, and for all intents and purposes, they are worthless IMHO. The majority of the songs are badly ripped at low rates, tagged even worse, and there are tons of duplicates.

Having good music, that will sound good on decent equipment, and a person that knows how to use said music/equipment/computers, takes time and money -- it doesn't come for free. The clients know this for the most part, and are generally not fooled. If they can only afford cheap, they will get cheap -- if they can afford good, they will go with good. It's always been that way.


I'm more concerned with the economy causing issues, than I am with technology (in fact, I embrace technology). If folks don't have the budget, they will "settle" for less than good. When they have more disposable income, they will be more likely to seek out better alternatives, instead of "settling" for something...

So if anything, blame the amount of cheap DJs rising, to a sucky financial situation for many people. Not only are people looking for bargains more often, but there are many folks out of work, trying to pick up extra cash. Most won't last in the business, unless they make investments in both time and money.

So, the sky isn't really falling

 

[ahoustondj]

Correct Rick...big difference here is that the time and money needed to MAKE those cassettes and CD's.

Nowadays, it's fairly easy and cheap to buy a hard drive filled with music.

Instead of taking months and months, it's done in mere days.

I've already heard at local house account venues how the managers cringe when they see some of these knuckleheads waltz in and have no idea how to handle a reception...much less a bull roast or anniversary event.

Two have actually added a clause in their contract requiring pre-certification of a client's entertainment choice if they are not known to the venue.

They apparently have had enough with these bozo's messing up a grand event and the venue's reputation.

I am certainly not in favor of amateurs or wannabes ruining an Event but with that said, it is not the Venue's damn business who the client wants to hire for entertainment. The client is simply renting space and maybe services (Catering). What if they (The Venue) don't like the Florists either or the Cake? I don't see how it can mess up their reputation if it is a Private Affair. Sometimes people and venues get too carried away with control. Problem is that some folks let them and that sets bad precedents.

 

[DJ J Mac]

I am certainly not in favor of amateurs or wannabes ruining an Event but with that said, it is not the Venue's damn business who the client wants to hire for entertainment. The client is simply renting space and maybe services (Catering). What if they (The Venue) don't like the Florists either or the Cake? I don't see how it can mess up their reputation if it is a Private Affair. Sometimes people and venues get too carried away with control. Problem is that some folks let them and that sets bad precedents.

Simple association. You are partly judged by the company you keep. Once again it all comes back to their house, their rules and if you don't like it you don't have to use that venue.

 

[ahoustondj]

Simple association. You are partly judged by the company you keep. Once again it all comes back to their house, their rules and if you don't like it you don't have to use that venue.

How would others other than the Client and their guests know what occurred? If something did occur, the Guests would know fully well who hired who. Also, if they state that upfront before the Client signs a contract with them, then that is fine. Problem is that many times they spring that on the Client afterwards and the Client then feels obligated to comply.

 

[DJ J Mac]

How would others other than the Client and their guests know what occurred? If something did occur, the Guests would know fully well who hired who. Also, if they state that upfront before the Client signs a contract with them, then that is fine. Problem is that many times they spring that on the Client afterwards and the Client then feels obligated to comply.

People talk to coworkers, etc. Other folks will know what happened. Not every guest has full knowledge of the planning process that went on for any event.

I do agree, a venue should be upfront with a client about a list like that.

 

[nextgen1]

Macho you worry way to much about these wannabe's if that is your market then raise your game. Not to mention your preaching to the choir here not the congregation. Presentation, image, professionalism those are the things that help in these areas. Make yourself a desired and wanted commodity. Get your website up so the brides can find you. Then spend 10 dollars a month for Google Adwords. For 100 dollars a year you can have a website through bludomain not to mention the 50 dollars for the site in the first place. That means the first year it will be 150 dollars. You keep coming in and talking about the lowballers. We either talk about the things that interest us the most or scare us the most. In my area I have 5 different high end multi ops that surround me.

I could very easily double my events per year by lowering our price a few hundred dollars. But then since they say you charge what you feel your worth. Then what does that tell the clients that have the money to pay good money. I'm constantly getting clients that say they went to the multi ops because of bridal shows but then hire us because they are getting high quality service and they can feel that they are special to us and not just another wedding. People like that feeling. I work at a multi billion dollar corp during the day. And I have learned a very very important lesson from them. Great presentation, Great product good advertisement equals not just sales but return customers.

 

[MIXMASTERMACHOM]

One of the best things that was said is that to be really good at this profession it takes spending some nice money. I just bought a pair of Yamaha DSR 115 speakers. I spent over $1,400.00 for the pair. I could have gotten some powered speakers for less money but i wanted the quality that people would definately notice and what i would really be happy with. The thing is i learned is that you learn such things over time.

 

[Jon Tuck]

Abbott??????

 

[dunlopj]

If anything, blame the amount of cheap DJs rising to a sucky financial situation for many people. Not only are people looking for bargains more often, but there are many folks out of work, trying to pick up extra cash. Most won't last in the business, unless they make investments in both time and money./QUOTE]

A very good point my friend...

 

[MIXMASTERMACHOM]

Here's a controller from Numark that i saw in Guitar Center and i couldn't help but take a picture. I was laughing so hard along with other DJs that were there and saw it. Another fine mess to me. It cost $60.00. I tried to get the picture to come up but it won't upload. It's a super small controller that i can't see how i could dare use it and get things right. All i could do with that is just push play. I know i couldn't truly mix with it.

I wouldn't even consider such a controller. I know we say it's not the gear that makes a big difference but knowing how to use it. But this one takes the cake. I see one of the pictures did come up. I'll see if i can get the other one to take.

 

[MIXMASTERMACHOM]

Let's see if the other one will come up.

 

[ahoustondj]

Here's a controller from Numark that i saw in Guitar Center and i couldn't help but take a picture. I was laughing so hard along with other DJs that were there and saw it. Another fine mess to me. It cost $60.00. I tried to get the picture to come up but it won't upload. It's a super small controller that i can't see how i could dare use it and get things right. All i could do with that is just push play. I know i couldn't truly mix with it.

I wouldn't even consider such a controller. I know we say it's not the gear that makes a big difference but knowing how to use it. But this one takes the cake. I see one of the pictures did come up. I'll see if i can get the other one to take.

The manufacturers are not stupid. Just as how we know there are a lot of wannabes, so do the manufacturers. A great percentage of those wannabes are never going to invest in good gear. The manufacturers are also in tune to this fact, so they make these kind of low priced, low quality products to fulfill that need. The o nly people who don't know the real difference are some of the clients. This is why we have to educate these clients by making mention not only of our skills but the equipment we use and why we use it.