In your opinion what were the best stretch of years to be a Mobile DJ? Or are we in them presently?

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My oldest brother is 6'3 and he has lost a lot of weight over the last 2 years. He is down to 218, and he is really starting to look like "too thin". He weighed 345 at his highest. He quit eating fast food almost entirely. Hit up the tennis courts. He has been solely eating smaller meals at home. He has not been down to 218 since he was 21 years old and he is 50. I saw a picture of him about 6 weeks ago when he was at 225, and I thought he lost a bit too much weight, LOL.

I'd like to drop back to about 210 and be in decent shape. I started back hiking again this week been doing 5-8 KM a day in fairly rough terrain. The problem is I build muscle really fast and if I exercise I gain weight. It's going to be a long road back to 210 I think
 
I say the best time for being a DJ is before the computer DJ and being able to download music off line. The reason I say this is because at one time you had to really work to become a DJ. It has become too easy to be a DJ. So now the market is saturated with DJs. Weather they are good or bad isn't the big issue. The fact that they are here is the thing.

Not a lot of work to become a DJ. You can become a DJ in a short amount of time and don't have to spend a ton of money on music today. You can get a song for $2 or less easily.

I love being a computer DJ. Don't get me wrong. I just know I've worked hard to be the DJ I am today.
 
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I say the best time for being a DJ is before the computer DJ and being able to download music off line. The reason I say this is because at one time you had to really work to become a DJ. It has become too easy to be a DJ. So now the market is saturated with DJs. Weather they are good or bad isn't the big issue. The fact that they are here is the thing.

Not a lot of work to become a DJ. You can become a DJ in a short amount of time and don't have to spend a ton of money on music today. You can get a song for $2 or less easily.

I love being a computer DJ. Don't get me wrong. I just know I've worked hard to be the DJ I am today.
This is what I don't get... in one thread we have some claiming (and I admit to being part of this group of thought), that there aren't many that seriously want to enter this industry... and then there's the group that says it's so easy to be a dj and everyone's doing it. Mix you and I are both from Jersey... no offense, but I don't see many new companies being formed... and the ones I do see being formed are individuals going off on their own after working with bigger companies... which is then balanced with the individuals that had a hard time on their own and joined bigger companies to stay busy. I don't see any serious dj's entering the scene at all around me.
 
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This is what I don't get... in one thread we have some claiming (and I admit to being part of this group of thought), that there aren't many that seriously want to enter this industry... and then there's the group that says it's so easy to be a dj and everyone's doing it. Mix you and I are both from Jersey... no offense, but I don't see many new companies being formed... and the ones I do see being formed are individuals going off on their own after working with bigger companies... which is then balanced with the individuals that had a hard time on their own and joined bigger companies to stay busy. I don't see any serious dj's entering the scene at all around me.
I was talking about the whole and not just this area. My point was about how easy it has become to be a DJ. Think of the basic thingsneeded today to become a DJ. A laptop, DJ software program, controller, portable HD, music loaded on the HD, powered speakers with all the wires needed to connect everything so things will work and you can buy a cheap microphone. You don't have to spend a fortune like you did back in the day. What I spent for records could get me a super system and the music I need with lots of money to spare.
 
I was talking about the whole and not just this area. My point was about how easy it has become to be a DJ. Think of the basic thingsneeded today to become a DJ. A laptop, DJ software program, controller, portable HD, music loaded on the HD, powered speakers with all the wires needed to connect everything so things will work and you can buy a cheap microphone. You don't have to spend a fortune like you did back in the day. What I spent for records could get me a super system and the music I need with lots of money to spare.
Do you call that a bad thing not having to spend a fortune? 14 yrs ago I started with $800 in equipment and a bunch of "now" cd's, "ultra dance", and whatever other mix cd's that had the most amount of good songs on 1 cd. I maybe had 500 songs to my name... I think thats pretty cheap if you ask me, and yet I still did it and have made it pretty far. The fact that it's easier to do what we love, shouldn't be a negative. And just cuz it's easier, doesn't mean that it's making more people sign up to do what we do, at least in the private events (bars/clubs is kinda different). In fact I'll play devil's advocate and say it's harder now than ever to stand out with the availability of social media and everyone being able to promote themselves for free. But at the same time... you can make much more money now than ever before... with lower costs too. In the end those with talent and good business sense will make it, and those that don't will either fade out fast or do small parties for families and acquaintances at rock bottom prices... events that any true professional shouldn't want to begin with.

One thing that has not changed regardless of year or decade, those that put in the work, hustle, and adapt to the changing environment in whichever industry they're a part of, will be the ones most likely to succeed. Those that keep wishing that it was a time when things were simpler... or more comfortable for them, are the one's that fell behind and are trying to or gave up trying to catch up. I wish video games were more like how they were 10 yrs ago... why... cuz I suck at them now and can't keep up with all the button configurations/combinations. If I kept playing as much through the years as I did back then I'd probably be amazing still today.

Mix I still can't recall the last time you did a legit Private Event at a banquet hall. Wedding, sweet 16, birthday party, anniversary, grad party... anything.
 
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I say the best time for being a DJ is before the computer DJ and being able to download music off line. The reason I say this is because at one time you had to really work to become a DJ. It has become too easy to be a DJ.
"It has become too easy to be a DJ" - No, "It has become too easy to be just another playlist oriented jukebox DJ"!

People complain about dragging subs around? How about hundreds of pounds of record crates! There's reason they call the dual turntable/mixer case a "coffin"!!
I couldn't imagine going backwards to that, plus computer DJ'ing has opened up a lot more ways to alter/remix music - and more is coming.

DJ'ing can be anything from a real craft, to a do the minimum part-time job for extra money, or some combination of the two, but like anything else in life, the more you put into it, the more you get back.
 
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People complain about dragging subs around? How about hundreds of pounds of record crates! There's reason they call the dual turntable/mixer case a "coffin"!! I couldn't imagine going backwards to that...

Preach! Amen to that! I actually had to bring an extendable metal support brace for banquet hall tables starting back in 1989 to hold my cases of CD's. Otherwise their tables would bend...
 
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It has become too easy to be a DJ. So now the market is saturated with DJs. Weather they are good or bad isn't the big issue. Not a lot of work to become a DJ. You can become a DJ in a short amount of time and don't have to spend a ton of money on music today.

I agree that it is easier to get started these days, but I don't think the market is saturated.
Sure, songs are cheap, and easy to get....
but there is no cheap and easy way around buying all the OTHER gear you need...
there is no online service that can teach you how to be a good MC....or program music to keep people dancing.
(learned by experience)
And having all the gear, all the music, and even all the skills you need...
does not mean that gigs will automatically land at your feet.
Just because we occasionally lose a gig to the "cousin who wants to be a DJ"...
doesn't mean they are getting the prime gigs, too!
 
I think now is a fantastic time to be a dj.
Sure the business has changed. It’s always changed. We change. People’s taste change. Technology changes.

What hasn’t changed is people’s desire to be entertained, have recorded music be a big part of that, and their willingness to pay for it.

People that think the industry was “Golden” in the 80’s and 90’s haven’t seen or don’t remember everything. There were people using cheap equipment and copied cassette singles back then too. CDR’s too.

Some people looked for cheap options and some were willing to pay good money for quality too. Each one of our businesses have had great times and not so good times.

I’ve heard the nay sayers since day 1 saying the industry is dying. When I first started Djing, some dj told me that as soon as CD players get cheaper, no one will need a dj. Then they said no real dj would ever use a computer.

Now a real dj will never use an iPad or other equipment.

Is it easier to start a dj business today? Sure. But It never has and never will be easy to be successful in this business. It takes hard work. I don’t know any industry that’s easy.
 
I think now is a fantastic time to be a dj.
Sure the business has changed. It’s always changed. We change. People’s taste change. Technology changes.

What hasn’t changed is people’s desire to be entertained, have recorded music be a big part of that, and their willingness to pay for it.

People that think the industry was “Golden” in the 80’s and 90’s haven’t seen or don’t remember everything. There were people using cheap equipment and copied cassette singles back then too. CDR’s too.

Some people looked for cheap options and some were willing to pay good money for quality too. Each one of our businesses have had great times and not so good times.

I’ve heard the nay sayers since day 1 saying the industry is dying. When I first started Djing, some dj told me that as soon as CD players get cheaper, no one will need a dj. Then they said no real dj would ever use a computer.

Now a real dj will never use an iPad or other equipment.

Is it easier to start a dj business today? Sure. But It never has and never will be easy to be successful in this business. It takes hard work. I don’t know any industry that’s easy.
Cheap equipment has nothing to do with a certain time. That's on the person using said equipment. It's easy to put someone down for not using high quality equipment. Yet that person may just be getting started and either can't afford high quality equipment or doesn't know what is high quality equipment vs. Low end equipment. Stuff that says professional equipment but is a trick used to sell their equipment. Such as Pyle Pro which those who know is Pyle of junk.
 
I think realistically you cannot escape the fact that "DJ" no longer implies what it did 20 years ago. I have a "DJ" on my iPhone. Streaming services run in "DJ" mode. And Toys-R-Us sells "DJ" setups. "DJ" has been fully engulfed by consumerism and it's future is eroding rapidly.

We know there are high net worth customers who still pay handsomely for entertainment that includes a DJ, however the core middle and lower safety nets of the profession are in economic terms - long gone. You will never again see "disc jockey" on a list of worthwhile alternative jobs.

We cannot all exist for the sole purpose of catering to the desires of a small wealthy elite.
When the largess of discussion and focus of booking is all about photobooths, up lights, and other novelties - is anyone really a DJ at all?
 
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When the largess of discussion and focus of booking is all about photobooths, up lights, and other novelties - is anyone really a DJ at all?
Probably not... I think... at least for those clients, you're creating an entertainment experience as a whole, but with music being the primary reason of your being hired. Personally, the foundation of what I offer is music, with the secondary focus being on lighting. We complete the entertainment experience with a number of various effects and other experiences like co2 guns, photo booths, multimedia aspects, etc. The difference between me and others in the area is that I'm probably one of the few individuals in the area offering this level of services., where you get consistancy and know exactly who your dj is gonna be.. whereas everywhere else its a company with a dj sometimes assigned to you 28 days before the event, or just assigned to you based on whose schedule they need to fill up.
 
Probably not... I think... at least for those clients, you're creating an entertainment experience as a whole, but with music being the primary reason of your being hired. Personally, the foundation of what I offer is music, with the secondary focus being on lighting. We complete the entertainment experience with a number of various effects and other experiences like co2 guns, photo booths, multimedia aspects, etc. The difference between me and others in the area is that I'm probably one of the few individuals in the area offering this level of services., where you get consistancy and know exactly who your dj is gonna be.. whereas everywhere else its a company with a dj sometimes assigned to you 28 days before the event, or just assigned to you based on whose schedule they need to fill up.

I think you're essentially selling a Bar Mitzvah look to the Sweet 16's and young club going wedding couples. There's people in my area who do the same thing. Their not Bar Mitzvah entertainer/DJs but, they deliver all the same accoutrements to a different clientelle. It's also gotten really crowded and noticeably routine. Everyone has a white facade, the same light up risers, truss totems and movers, up lights, and a monogram. It's like they all went to some DJ version of IKEA and walked out with the same goody bag. Sales literally come down to th e 40-something mom reliving her youth and which young DJ/emcee she is crushing on. :)
 
Sales literally come down to th e 40-something mom reliving her youth and which young DJ/emcee she is crushing on. :)

So, the better looking ones have the advantage ... might as well take it ..
 
So, the better looking ones have the advantage ... might as well take it ..
And here I thought it was because I was a good Dj:)
 
Sales literally come down to th e 40-something mom reliving her youth and which young DJ/emcee she is crushing on. :)

So how is the DJ chosen for a Sweet 16 when the DJ is over the age of 50? :)

...Was it simply because they had a low budget, and that older DJ came in at a low price? Or was the 40 something mom crushing on the 50 something DJ? :)

How was the DJ chosen for a Sweet 16 when the DJ is a lady? ...I booked my sister on a Sweet 16 last May.
 
So how is the DJ chosen for a Sweet 16 when the DJ is over the age of 50? :)

...Was it simply because they had a low budget, and that older DJ came in at a low price? Or was the 40 something mom crushing on the 50 something DJ? :)

How was the DJ chosen for a Sweet 16 when the DJ is a lady? ...I booked my sister on a Sweet 16 last May.
Maybe when Mom forgets her glasses.
 
Yeah, how about club DJs?

Real Night Clubs don't really exist today :cheers:

...Also The number of open Night Clubs in operation today is probably less than 15% from when Night Clubs were at their height in popularity