DMX or NOT to DMX

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I personally created all the programs we use. I use blizzard eclipse, which allows me to have different tabs for different configuartions (2,4,or 6 moving heads, and a seperate tab to control uplights independently from the heads). In reality there are about 250 sequences I made, many of which are the same movements just a different color or gobo. There are about 60 programs per configuration. I created them back when I first got the program, and now all I gotta do at an event is change the spotlight, door spot, and non dancing designs (cieling or wall colors and patterns). Takes 3 minutes. Great thing is because of all the diverse programming I created, I have something for every style of music (soft pinks and blues and purples for slow songs, fast movements for upbeat, wash effects for older music where movement is less important, strobing for edm, etc)... and of course we can change things on the fly... or if we get an event that says no strobing, we make sure not to click anything that has a strobe effect.

Very versatile, and with high quality heads, it makes a great impression.
 
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I am going DMX to make life easier.
I know that sounds bass-ackwards, and I know it will take some learnin'...
but it seems to be the only way to accomplish what I need to do.
I am not doing it to hook clients that I couldn't get before...
or so I can buy moving heads and program them for stunning effects.
(although having that capability will not hurt)
I am simply going to use it to control the TWO fixtures I already own.
If it turns out to be a mistake...I am out $100. I've wasted WAY more than that on stuff I don't need over the years.
(and I still don't regret any of it)
Sound active lights have served me well for 30 years...
but the newer fixtures simply aren't made for "on/off" switches.
 
You can run into the chicken or egg situation - Generally to sell something you need to be able so show it - and programing lights takes time, etc - so before you can go ask $1500, 2500, etc you need to invest $10k in gear.

With no guarantee anyone will spend $2500. Or that enough will spend it.

It would be difficult to do more than 3 or 4 proms here in a season - they all pick the same flippin night or two. So it won't pay you back in year 1. Or maybe 2.
Perhaps you can upcharge for homecoming and such and use it there, get some more payback.

But it's still gonna take more than a new visa card balance to justify double or tripling your rates. Odds are it will take a few years to make this happen.

Building a reputation takes time.

DMX can make a huge difference... but not if you're using mediocre at best lights. People are not impressed with mediocrity. No one ever said to their friends you have to try that mcd's burger.... but they will say, at some point in your life you gotta go to this place in NYC that has this $200 burger... its expensive but its the most amazing burger, and you gotta try it once before you die. If you want people to be impressed, mediocre just won't cut it.

I have 60 uplight programs, and 80 moving head programs. Do more work with higher quality gear... get better results.
 
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I wouldn't say DMX has made my life easier but it's made my lighting a lot better. Being able to set the mood for different moments at the touch of a mouse click is nice. There have been times that I was ready to give up on DMX completely. Freestyler has had it's glitches but mostly in programming error. It's a good thing answers can be found on their website.
 
I am usually hired for my reputation, experience, personality, and by word of mouth.

All of which are subjective enough that you have to keep them fresh and unique.

So...DMX is a way to keep my personality fresh and unique?
It's going to improve my reputation?
Oh, I get it...
it's helps word-of-mouth advertising...because I can be a real sh*tty DJ, but as long as I have DMX...
 
Ha! I remember saying exactly the same thing. ;)

Trust me, Rick....it is not my first choice.
Perhaps using the phrase "my life" was not accurate....
but it will make using my two light fixtures easier...
considering there is no other way to do what I want to do.
 
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You can run into the chicken or egg situation - Generally to sell something you need to be able so show it - and programing lights takes time, etc - so before you can go ask $1500, 2500, etc you need to invest $10k in gear.

With no guarantee anyone will spend $2500. Or that enough will spend it.

It would be difficult to do more than 3 or 4 proms here in a season - they all pick the same flippin night or two. So it won't pay you back in year 1. Or maybe 2.
Perhaps you can upcharge for homecoming and such and use it there, get some more payback.

But it's still gonna take more than a new visa card balance to justify double or tripling your rates. Odds are it will take a few years to make this happen.

Building a reputation takes time.
You're right, the first few events it was included at no extra cost... in fact at first I always included Moving Heads in my package (2 of them), up until I started booking for the 2016 season. I never charged extra for that... just extra as my base price for the overall experience I provide. I think some don't realize that I sell an experience not equipment. I sell what a particular enhancement can do, not the specifications... at this price range people assume I have the best for their needs, and that they don't need to worry about quality or whats what in my setup. However, I do have it a bit easier than others... www.vimeo.com/djtaso has over 200 videos of events of mine so people can see what I'm doing and what I'm using to create those results. Videos go back as far as 5 years ago, so this isn't something new that I'm doing, but something that I've put in place for many years to make my selling process a whole lot easier.
 
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You can run into the chicken or egg situation - Generally to sell something you need to be able so show it - and programing lights takes time, etc - so before you can go ask $1500, 2500, etc you need to invest $10k in gear.

With no guarantee anyone will spend $2500. Or that enough will spend it.

It would be difficult to do more than 3 or 4 proms here in a season - they all pick the same flippin night or two. So it won't pay you back in year 1. Or maybe 2.
Perhaps you can upcharge for homecoming and such and use it there, get some more payback.

But it's still gonna take more than a new visa card balance to justify double or tripling your rates. Odds are it will take a few years to make this happen.

Building a reputation takes time.
I will disagree on the need to invest to charge more I was the $500 dj for a long time and was in super high demand I had a mentor make realize I should charge significantly more over the course of 3 years I went from a $500 average to $1500 sure a replaced some gear that made the job easier but I added no new features my standard show had always been tops subs a wash effect and some sort of mirror ball effect
 
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Trust me, Rick....it is not my first choice.
Perhaps using the phrase "my life" was not accurate....
but it will make using my two light fixtures easier...
considering there is no other way to do what I want to do.

DMX can do some really neat things. Taso obviously uses it to up his presentation game, as do others. I liked dinking with it but I just couldn't see where it was anything financially beneficial to my biz. Yours could be a completely different situation. Go for it.
 
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DMX can do some really neat things. Taso obviously uses it to up his presentation game, as do others. I liked dinking with it but I just couldn't see where it was anything financially beneficial to my biz. Yours could be a completely different situation. Go for it.

I said it before, it has nothing to do with money.
Just a means to an end.
...and it might be fun to dink with it.
(unless I am wrong about what "dinking" is...)
 
I said it before, it has nothing to do with money.
Just a means to an end.
...and it might be fun to dink with it.
(unless I am wrong about what "dinking" is...)

I think dink and tinker are synonymous... not sure though.[emoji1]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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I think dink and tinker are synonymous... not sure though.[emoji1]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Then again, dink and Tinder are too ... :)
 
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Honestly, I don;t think the problem you describe justifies adding DMX. If adding DMX control makes your show better - then it matters that the improvement is obvious to everyone not just the DJ.

The Obey 40 is enough if you want to do this. It will also let you decide if more DMX is in your future before you waste a lot of time and money.
 
In the OP's case, the DMX isn't being used to create a "show" out of the lighting he has .. merely as a way to toggle features.