Too Many DJs

[Proformance]

I agree to a point, Pro....
but you have to admit, there was a lot more work involved in getting music back in the day.
You'd have to do your homework and subscribe to magazines to know what the hottest songs were...
you'd have to get in your car, and waste a little gas driving to the record store...
you'd have to find a way to store, organize and care for your lp's or 45's...
and if you were at a gig and didn't have a song, you could not download it instantly.

As for gear...owning the gear IS part of the qualifier.
In the past, the general public did not have (some of) the gear needed to do the job.
And they certainly did not own enough music to qualify.
These days, EVERYONE has a record collection on their phone.

Your point being what?
We also didn't have Mtv, American Idol, and a culture obsessed with reality level talent. I think your assessment of the music being "harder to get" back in the day is mistaken - It was easy but, no one was all that interested except a few odd ball DJ types.

What you have today is a society of "look at me" facebook types searching for a spotlight. Being the DJ is the fastest way to grab that spotlight - and everyone from Elvis impersonators to software geeks has grabbed for it.

The DJ community used to be a collection of electronic pseudo-musicians and dance music fanatics who were interested in how they could manipulate the tracks and move a crowd. Mobile DJs today tend to fall into two categories: the wannabe entertainers - from game show hosts and reality show rejects, etc. to computer geeks whose DJ skills are limited to the features of their favorite PC application. To think of DJing as an "industry" is like calling Facebook "corporate communication." DJing is now just part of today's electronic consumer culture.

If you listen to the self proclaimed DJ "industry" you will hear that they are not actually talking anything DJ related - they all about the "emcee" or "entertainment." Entertainment is something very different, even if it includes a DJ as part of the act. DJ skills are becoming obsolete as people replace them with software and editing tools. The value (price) of that service (is) will naturally decline. Those who aren't entertainers suddenly become photo-booth rental or up lighting vendors, etc. Find me a single "up-sell" that corresponds to a given DJ talent. There was a time when people paid more for better DJ skills, or specialized genres, etc. - now, there's an APP for that!

 

[MIXMASTERMACHOM]

Yeah a homerun -- he had to split the $400 with his "partner", his partners gal pal, set up and load load out. If they split it equally, I think my calculator says that comes out to about $133 dollars each. Now if you are reasonable, and pay taxes, that's going to be lower.

So, let's say it took you a half hour to load in, and a half to load out -- that's 5 hours. Then you have prep time, getting you music together and meetings. So let's figure a mildly conservative estimate of time consumed -- let's go for 7 hours.

That means your cut, is like $19 per hour.

Your new "business plan", does not seem to be economically feasible...

So let me have some fun with you. If it were you doing the gig what would you have done it for? Like I said in the gig log section it was not a high end event. It was in a backyard and I don't feel the pay was that bad. Especially since the client wants us to come back again and do another event for her.

Oh I know what you would have quoted her to do the event. 1k and you know what she would have done? Showed you the door.

 

[ahoustondj]

Madame Secretary, where is the ole' Mix? Are you ever going to let him out of the basement?

 

[SoftJock Rick]

So let me have some fun with you. If it were you doing the gig what would you have done it for? Like I said in the gig log section it was not a high end event. It was in a backyard and I don't feel the pay was that bad. Especially since the client wants us to come back again and do another event for her.

Oh I know what you would have quoted her to do the event. 1k and you know what she would have done? Showed you the door.

Nah, go have fun with yer partner -- I'm not into that sort of fun

If she doesn't want to pay my fee, than she can hire you. I don't have to split any earnings with a "partner? It all goes into my pocket. And I wouldn't even consider moving equipment for $400 -- they better have it in place -- I'm just bringing my lappy.

Arrogant, perhaps -- but I've been in this business a long time. so I charge accordingly if I charge.

 

[MIXMASTERMACHOM]

Nah, go have fun with yer partner -- I'm not into that sort of fun

If she doesn't want to pay my fee, than she can hire you. I don't have to split any earnings with a "partner? It all goes into my pocket. And I wouldn't even consider moving equipment for $400 -- they better have it in place -- I'm just bringing my lappy.

Arrogant, perhaps -- but I've been in this business a long time. so I charge accordingly if I charge.

I've been in business a long time too and I wouldn't trust a client to supply me with some gear as it might be some crappy junk that will make me look bad. Especially if it sounds bad. Since you mentioned you wouldn't move any equipment for $400.00, how much would you move equipment for?

 

[SoftJock Rick]

I've been in business a long time too and I wouldn't trust a client to supply me with some gear as it might be some crappy junk that will make me look bad. Especially if it sounds bad. Since you mentioned you wouldn't move any equipment for $400.00, how much would you move equipment for?

Couple thoughts...

The equipment is not all that important to me -- I mean it helps, but if you know what yer doing, you can pretty much make anything sound good. I could do a 25-30 person house party with my little $100 Edirol speakers hooked to my laptop. Or, I could spend $5k for a Bose system. Do the math.

I don't move equipment anymore, I give some kid $50 or so to do it for me. Again, doing the math, I charge $250 per hour, minimum 3 hours -- but it usually comes out to 4-5 hours. So let's say it's 4 hours, which is $1,000. I give the kid $50 bucks, and I make $950.

I do most gigs for free now (includes food and liquor) to test my software. If I do a paying gig, it's because I need the money. It's no longer a job for me.

 

[Ausumm]

Your point being what!

I wasn't saying that getting music in the past was difficult...
I was only saying that it's a hell of a lot easier now.
In our time, it took TIME to acquire a decent record collection.
Most teenagers have all the songs they need on their phone.

I'm only making an argument about hardware...not talent.

 

[MIXMASTERMACHOM]

Couple thoughts...

The equipment is not all that important to me -- I mean it helps, but if you know what yer doing, you can pretty much make anything sound good. I could do a 25-30 person house party with my little $100 Edirol speakers hooked to my laptop. Or, I could spend $5k for a Bose system. Do the math.

I don't move equipment anymore, I give some kid $50 or so to do it for me. Again, doing the math, I charge $250 per hour, minimum 3 hours -- but it usually comes out to 4-5 hours. So let's say it's 4 hours, which is $1,000. I give the kid $50 bucks, and I make $950.

I do most gigs for free now (includes food and liquor) to test my software. If I do a paying gig, it's because I need the money. It's no longer a job for me.

The equipment might not be that important to you but it is to me. I mean I've used other peoples equipment before but I really care to use my own. Now I have friends that know what I'm doing and they trust me using their gear. I just don't really care to mess with others equipment just in case if something does happen. They will be looking for me to either get it fixed or replaced. Besides that I know my own equipment very well and know what it takes to make it sound great when doing a gig.

Now you said you can make anything sound good. For me I don't think I can. Crap will still sound like crap to me. I was helping out a friend who was playing in this cafe. I was letting him use one of my powered tops while he has 2 Alto powered 15" tops. He was using one in 1 room and 1 in another room which is why he needed to use my top. Comparing his top to mine. Mine blows his away! Those speakers are cheap crap! A salesman I know all too well in G C tried to get me to buy those crappy speakers. I wouldn't even waste my time listening to that junk. They sound Like chit! Thye look OK but you know looks can be deceiving.

 

[Proformance]

I wasn't saying that getting music in the past was difficult...
I was only saying that it's a hell of a lot easier now.
In our time, it took TIME to acquire a decent record collection.
Most teenagers have all the songs they need on their phone.

I'm only making an argument about hardware...not talent.

I'm not even sure about the "time" argument.. except that with music pools like Promo Only being readily available - I no longer have to think so much about waht to buy. Someone at the pol is doing that research for me.

When you take into account how much time people waste online I'm not sure shopping iTunes saves time so much as it is just more comfortable because you don't have to travel anywhere to browse the supply. The other advantage - and maybe this is what makes music cheaper for a DJ - is that we can now listen to a track before buying it. That cuts out a lot of wasted expense.

 

[kittmaster]

The other advantage - and maybe this is what makes music cheaper for a DJ - is that we can now listen to a track before buying it. That cuts out a lot of wasted expense.

Ain't that the truth.....I remember going out buy a 12" of a hot track on the radio and then getting it home and all 5 versions of the 12" was god awful, nothing like the original or what was played on the radio, just all around garbage. Had to go back and get the 7" to play the version that most were hearing on the radio (long before Internet had any teeth)....I recall a LOT of wasted expense because they were saran wrapped and you couldn't open them at the record store to preview what you were getting......that sucked.

 

[DjDennis]

I still say this reading is better than watching - DAYS OF OUR LIVES

 

[MIXMASTERMACHOM]

Ain't that the truth.....I remember going out buy a 12" of a hot track on the radio and then getting it home and all 5 versions of the 12" was god awful, nothing like the original or what was played on the radio, just all around garbage. Had to go back and get the 7" to play the version that most were hearing on the radio (long before Internet had any teeth)....I recall a LOT of wasted expense because they were saran wrapped and you couldn't open them at the record store to preview what you were getting......that sucked.

I used to go record stores where I could hear the record being played. That also helped me buy certain songs that were pressed out that were hot too.

 

[djsarge]

yawn big yawn

 

[Ausumm]

yawn big yawn

Let us alone, Sarge.
Us old farts are reminiscing about the "old days"...

 

[MIXMASTERMACHOM]

I think the real issue here is not there are too many DJ's but not enough top quality professional DJ's. If that were the case then that to me would force many more to step up their game or go away. Now to be fair to someone just starting out that has been doing this for less then a year make the mistakes you're going to make. Just hope you quickly learn from them and improve.

Now to the Gods on here that want to be so high and mighty just think back to a time when you weren't the polished professional you are today. Even when some of you were using sub par gear. You learned from your mistakes didn't you? The big thin I'm sure is that at some point someone helped you out to show you what you were doing wrong and how to improve. Be it your DJ skills or business skills. Just don't forget we all had to start at the beginning and for most we didn't get to where we are today over night.

 

[ahoustondj]

I think the real issue here is not there are too many DJ's but not enough top quality professional DJ's. If that were the case then that to me would force many more to step up their game or go away. Now to be fair to someone just starting out that has been doing this for less then a year make the mistakes you're going to make. Just hope you quickly learn from them and improve.

Now to the Gods on here that want to be so high and mighty just think back to a time when you weren't the polished professional you are today. Even when some of you were using sub par gear. You learned from your mistakes didn't you? The big thin I'm sure is that at some point someone helped you out to show you what you were doing wrong and how to improve. Be it your DJ skills or business skills. Just don't forget we all had to start at the beginning and for most we didn't get to where we are today over night.

If one has Formal Training and Practice plus purchase Professional Gear before​ calling themselves a Professional DJ they can start out at the top of the Game.

 

[MIXMASTERMACHOM]

If one has Formal Training and Practice plus purchase Professional Gear before​ calling themselves a Professional DJ they can start out at the top of the Game.

How many do you know that have done this when starting out? I wasn't just talking about the skill level at just DJing but their skill at knowing how to sell themselves and just over all a good business plan. Having an ideal of where they want to go and not making the mistake I did of just waiting on people to contact me about doing a gig, taking it, doing it for very little money and settling for that.

 

[ahoustondj]

How many do you know that have done this when starting out? I wasn't just talking about the skill level at just DJing but their skill at knowing how to sell themselves and just over all a good business plan. Having an ideal of where they want to go and not making the mistake I did of just waiting on people to contact me about doing a gig, taking it, doing it for very little money and settling for that.

I can only speak for myself. I did.

 

[MIXMASTERMACHOM]

Canute I would say you're the exception and not the rule.

 

[steve149]

Canute I would say you're the exception and not the rule.

Canute's the exception to MANY rules ...