I get asked this question quite often when I say I'm a DJ.

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MIXMASTERMACHOM

MIXMASTERMACHOM

Mac Daddy DJ
ODJT Supporter
Oct 16, 2011
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I was talking to a lady last night. Just talking to see what we may have in command. Nothing serious yet. Just talking. I've never met the lady and this was my first time talking to the lady. I told her how I was in the process of retiring and she asked me what did I plan to do with myself after my retirement is official? I mentioned that I'm a DJ and right away she wanted to know where do I play at? I told her I don't have a place where I play at right now.

We kept on talking about quite a few different things including me DJing and about somewhere for me to play at. Also some places that we used to party at. The conversation was nice. I just wanted to know how often do you get asked where do you play at once they find out you're a DJ?
 
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Your answer should have been. You don't really play anywhere but you latch on to jobs when places have no other choice but to use you because the DJ they want cannot be there. Oh and dont forget the $300 parties.
 
Jimmy - There's a time and a place for things to be said.
 
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Jimmy. Let it go brotha. Mix is mix. Let us not focus every post on him. There must be some meaningful thing that could have been said - such as what JohnThe1 said. I'm certain that you can be a valuable contributor here without taking digs. I'm not defending anyone - instead falling back on one of my dads remarks - if you can't say anything nice, then don't say nothing at all.

There will ALWAYS be someone at various levels - let's learn how to co-exist and respect each others boundaries, help those that truly want to be helped and try to educate the rest - through some interesting dialogue, which may also help you learn. That's one of the things that makes this place what it is. This is the Melting Pot of DJ world. We could have some really interesting conversations without the 'this is the way it has to be done' logic that's been floating around. There is no right way to do it. There are other ways to do it .. but there is no wrong way - unless we're addressing illegal processes.

Some of the good peeps don't come on nor contribute anymore because of this negative aura. Having said that, all people need to understand and respect that we are all different in the way we do things. No one is perfect.

Bring positivity to the DJ house. It's easy to be negative. Try being positive and watch the lives you can influence / impact. The next time you see someone's playlist, be thankful that they're sharing that information with you. Look around and you'll see that some people stopped posting things about their shows because of the negative comments / remarks. If you have input about their show, try to do it in a positive manner. Some things need to be called out - I get that. Some things need to just roll off your shoulders too.

:)

*takes off the ODJT Oracle hat*
 
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I didn't want to chime in till much later because I can jump the gun sometimes. Now here it goes. This really got me thinking about how us as DJ's get perceived by the general public.

To begin with please hear me out and just think for a moment with an open mind. How many times does a person attend a wedding where there is a DJ in their lifetime? I was just thinking of the last time I attended a wedding as a guest. It was a few years ago. A friend of mines brother got married and I attended that wedding. I happened to personally know the DJ who was doing the wedding and I know we would have a good time at that wedding with him being the DJ.

My guess is a person is a guest at a wedding maybe twice in their lifetime unless it's a third time of them attending a wedding and they are the one getting married. People just don't go to a wedding or a private party at least once a month where there is a DJ. So a lot people when they do go out to hear a DJ is either in a bar or club somewhere and can easily confuse a DJ playing in a bar or club as the same as a DJ doing a wedding. Most of us here know there is a difference but the general public may not know.

That also can be a big reason why some potential clients will look to pay a DJ to do a wedding $500.00 or less. Then add to that another factor. How many of those such DJ's playing in a bar or club are playing on crappy gear, playing explicit lyrics to a song, getting on the mic cursing all over the place to get the crowd hyped up, playing only one type of music all night long and so on? Some see this and they will think to themselves that all DJ's are like and why pay a DJ a ton of money to do what that DJ is doing.

Of course not all DJ's who play in a bar or club fit that description but some do. Sometimes it could have to do with the type of bar or club they are playing in. That's what the people that come to the place wants and the owner allows it. Never mind the reason why it gets allowed but it happens. So now it's up to some of us real professional DJ's to show a potential client that you are not that kind of DJ. That you carry yourself in a very professional manner when doing a private event.

Now some just ask that question because they want to come somewhere to see you in action. Some potential clients will see you in a public place like that and think you'll be the same type of DJ at an event for them. That canh be a good or bad thing depending on what their expectations of the DJ they want to book to do their event. Some will even want to know can they come see you at work at a private event you're doing? That's a BIG NO NO!!!!!!!!!! To end it here some DJ's are cheesy and some DJ's are classy. Which one are you and why?
 
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MIXMASTERMACHOM said:
My guess is a person is a guest at a wedding maybe twice in their lifetime
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You apparently have a small circle of friends and family -- I'm guessing that I probably attended at least 50 weddings as a guest before I was 30 or so. Family, college friends, neighbors, etc.
 
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Couldn't count the amount of weddings I have been to as a guest but I have been too 3 of them in just the last year. As far as Bar DJs versus a Weddign DJ. People around here know the difference as they have no issue paying good and fair prices for a DJ. I did both bars/clubs and Weddings for years and no one ever thought that what I did at a bar would be something I would do at a wedding. I really beleive these are excuses you use because you do not get any well paying weddings or parties. The same goes with all your gear posts. Give me the crappiest system out there and I will still give a great performance and rock the house. The gear does not make the DJ, the DJ makes the gear.
 
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steve149 said:
Mix .. don't lump as all together .... :eek:
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Please pay attention. I never lumped all of us together. I just said what some people perceive us as. Did you read how I said some are cheesy DJ's and others are classy? Some don't know the proper attire when doing a certain event. It's ok when doing a backyard party to wear jeans and a tee shirt. It certainly isn't OK for a wedding. No matter how much you think you can rock the house because of the music you play. I'm not saying we're all the same but just stating what a lot of people out there see us as.

Some are better at certain things then others like a sweet 16 instead of a wedding.

- - - Updated - - -

Dj Jimmy D said:
Couldn't count the amount of weddings I have been to as a guest but I have been too 3 of them in just the last year. As far as Bar DJs versus a Weddign DJ. People around here know the difference as they have no issue paying good and fair prices for a DJ. I did both bars/clubs and Weddings for years and no one ever thought that what I did at a bar would be something I would do at a wedding. I really beleive these are excuses you use because you do not get any well paying weddings or parties. The same goes with all your gear posts. Give me the crappiest system out there and I will still give a great performance and rock the house. The gear does not make the DJ, the DJ makes the gear.
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Sorrym you're totally wrong. I have friends of mine who have experienced the same thing. Some will think that because they play in say a bar that they will come do a private event for them at the same price as they get paid to play in a bar or close to it. Once you explain things to them that their event is not taking place in a bar and that you have more to offer then when you play in a bar, most will get it.
 
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MIXMASTERMACHOM said:
Please pay attention. I never lumped all of us together. I just said what some people perceive us as. Did you read how I said some are cheesy DJ's and others are classy? Some don't know the proper attire when doing a certain event.
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I don't believe you have to tell Steve to pay attention. He is. You are the one that seems to be selective with your answers.

MIXMASTERMACHOM said:
It's ok when doing a backyard party to wear jeans and a tee shirt. It certainly isn't OK for a wedding. No matter how much you think you can rock the house because of the music you play. I'm not saying we're all the same but just stating what a lot of people out there see us as.
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It IS NOT ok to wear jeans and a t shirt to a backyard party. It is if that's the kind of show / attire that show calls for. If not, you better dress it up accordingly. I've done many a backyard party in khakis / dress shirt.

MIXMASTERMACHOM said:
Some are better at certain things then others like a sweet 16 instead of a wedding.
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This may be true to some extent .. but if you're a mobile person, you should be able to cover both.

MIXMASTERMACHOM said:
Sorry, you're totally wrong. I have friends of mine who have experienced the same thing. Some will think that because they play in say a bar that they will come do a private event for them at the same price as they get paid to play in a bar or close to it. Once you explain things to them that their event is not taking place in a bar and that you have more to offer then when you play in a bar, most will get it.
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Before you go throwing daggers Mix, I think you should take an elevated look at this. How on earth does your customer know how much you make at a bar? I know guys that play bars making several grand. Do you believe their customers have a problem paying several grand (or other) for a wedding / other party? I also know some making a few hundred. Would they have a problem paying the required fee (whatever it is) of said DJ?

Private party clients usually have no idea how much the bar pays - nor should they care - as there is no comparison. Totally different environment. Is the client supplying a house speaker system? Are they supplying lighting? Are they supplying all the other stuff a bar supplies? If you really think about this, completely separate venues and shows .. and they require very different input and will get very different output.

You still have not answered where you have gotten all your music from .. and several people have asked you.
 
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