This is funny. Even though I wouldn't play the Cha-Cha slide during DINNER, I don't bring lights...

No lights??? That's blaspheme! LOL Lights are what actually got me into DJing.

Ha, "Music" is what got me into DJ'ing..

I've been to many a party, where the only lights were emitted by the turntable popups and strobe.

I used to do the same. Then I bought some uplighting and now I'm obsessed with lighting. Lighting is a difference wether you get a gig now a days. I'm slowly building up my lighting. Just purchased some moving heads.

same

question, when you say he played the slide durring dinner, do you mean DURING dinner, as in food is currently being served\people just started eating. Or durring dinner as in people were pretty much done eating and he was trying to migrate them from the tables to the dance floors but you hadnt finished your mashed potatoes?

Either way, that track (most circumstances), is played after all the food, including desert, is done and the tables are cleared.
Like the track or not, it usually works to get people out on the floor.

Not sure why he would be in a hurry to fill the dance floor before dinner is done anyway, it probably won't work no matter what you do.

Gotta give people some time to use the restroom, go get a drink, go outside and have a smoke, mingle a little, whatever. Good time to warm them up, not try to have them rush to the dance floor.

Just a guess here, but depending on what he was plying during dinner, like really mellow dinner type music you might throw on at a wedding or something, he probably had some comments about picking up the pace.
Instead of some more upbeat toe tapping stuff that the people can listen to, (it's a party, not a wedding), he probably jumped right in to Cha Cha Slide.

Just a thought. Sounds like he is trying too hard to please every body instead of taking control of the music and the dance floor as he should.

(it's a party, not a wedding),

Meaning that a company Christmas party is not as formal as a wedding. Different dinner atmosphere.

Thats my point, if it was a wedding id understand waiting but for a company christmas party i dont see why youd wait for tables to be cleared and smoke breaks ect ext. By then youve already lost em, get em off their asses and introduce em to the dance floor and let em go back and forth. Not saying play it as soon as the meal arrives but no point in letting everyone get bored starring at a dead dance floor for more than half the party #my2cents

These corporate Xmas parties are usually buffets, so it's pretty easy to determine when cats are DONE or winding down the meal.

Just make sure YOU finish eating before they do...., cuz I'll make them WAIT....lol.

Don't feed me last dammit.

True. I see your point. In the end it's gonna be a judgement call. Just sayin that I'm not sure I would throw in something like the Cha Cha slide right away.
By all means, get them up and moving, rotate the dance floor.
Just thinking that the Cha Cha Slide is pretty popular, so I would hang on with that till I notice that people have had a chance to do their thing regarding restroom, smoke, etc.
If you play it too soon, the one or two drunk girls or so, will request it later on and bug the shit out of you to play it. I know, I know, "too bad, I already played it." Just sayin that if you don't have to so soon, save that for a little later.
The last thing you want, (as an example), is the big boss' wife requesting that later because she was doing something else, (mingling and being social with the guests), and did not have a chance to dance to it.
Of course, none of this is carved in stone. Each situation is going to be different.
As a general rule of thumb, I play the participation/ line dance stuff after the usual after dinner activities and obligations are done. But if I feel I need to throw it in earlier, I would.

LOL was is FunkyRob?
twitter.com

Remember a corporate Christmas party we did. Not only did they not feed us, but just getting some water was a huge ordeal. There were three of us, there were 1200 guests, and the hose had these big old school spot lights on us.

The house staff were just being total dicks and giving us a huge run around.

up charging sometimes makes you more money that you charge just to dj, got to love it, up lighting seems to be were it's at now a days

Cha cha slide was played at dinner I was still eating my entree. Desert hadn't been served. The timing was so off that no one danced to it. Everyone was busy eating. I gave my girlfriend the WTF look. She did the same look. After the song had finished he went right back into dinner music. This is where the I'm a professional dj charging you $1000 bugs me. He was an older cat probably late 40s. They know how to market themselves to do these big corporate events yet when it comes down to the gig they can literally ruin it with bad programming. They can't keep the floor going. They'll burn through all the great music at the wrong time. When they can't keep people on the floor, the guest go home early. He had to play cha cha slide a second time but by then 50% of the guest had left. These DJs get paid well to do great job but the unsuspecting client gets burned in the end. They don't get the party they should have received. But the client doesn't know any better cause they're not a Dj. As for my back ground, I've been blessed to be surrounded by great DJs who are great programmers. So I've seen a wedding/ corporate party stay hott till the very end where people had to be forced to go home. Been involved in the mobile DJ thing for 15+yrs. I'm from Cerritos Ca. if that means anything.

This usually happens on mobile gigs…I hate it…lol

This is funny. Even though I wouldn't play the Cha-Cha slide during DINNER, I don't bring lights...


How come no lights?

$$$

I just ordered some new lights this weekend. Can't wait to test them out in the living room before I take them on the road! :)

As far as eating... Most of the time I hang out with the photographer at a dinner table somewhere in the corner (always furthest away from stereo), but I do get to eat. Had a few where, like DJ Vee said, they didn't serve me or my wife. I was kinda pissed because there were plenty of open seats and lots of food left over.

i1148.photobucket.com

Nice lights Reflex.

This is why I like to play at West Indian gatherings.... One red parcan in the corner. Done.

Me neither, nobody ever seems to care even when I ask. I've rented a Chauvet 4 bar and mini Galaxians before and stuck 'em on the tri-pod, but it's rare.

I wanted to start looking at some lighting in the new year, but who knows

Yep. That's extra work.

Ditto here. What's a good "single" decent light that won't require a truss?

A stand is fine, but truss? Nah.

Watchwww.youtube.com

Holy *ish!

That was amazing @ a 4 minute setup.

When buying lights, stay away from the cheap effect lights. In the long run you will get tired of them.

Start with a minimal of four uplighting fixtures and then get some moving heads.

Better lights, better gigs.

I dont bring lights cause customers dont want to pay for them

I might get one of these today

these are cheaper

www.guitarcenter.com

The least this DJ could have done was bring 1 light. True, extra lighting means more work and you may charge extra but if ur not bringing ur whole set up, at least bring 1 light. Dj shouldn't forget that these events are important when ur marketing yourself to future clientele.

True.

Small events I bring small LED effects. Nothing special but it helps make the dance floor during those times.
Now if you want to pay...then I bring out the trussing, moving heads, light up façade etc...

+1
I will bring out a small laser & 1 or 2 LED effect lights like the Revo III on a stand as part of my basic package. If they want a full lighting package, it includes Effects, Washes, Lasers & Moving Heads at a substantial cost.
I feel a lack of all lighting sometimes dampens the mood and makes it harder to get certain groups going. I also feel the customers leave happier feeling they got a full entertainment package rather than paid some guy to play some music.

whats a good light package something simple for under 300 what do you guys reccommend

Watchwww.youtube.com

I bring 1 (or 2 depending on the size of the room) Chauvet Mini Kinta's. They look good, just plug in and let run. I mount them on my speaker poles right under the speaker.

I did however find one of them the Blue LED went out, Chauvet hasn't gotten back to me yet about it. They are less than a year old.

www.chauvetlighting.com

if you haggle you'll get this right around $300-----> www.proaudiostar.com

That is a good place to start.

Lights seems to be my passion nowadays. I'm into black light parties (UV) and marketing as such this year. My suggestion is to pick a particular theme and go gung-ho with it. If it's Up-Lights... then buy at least 6 cans or mini strips and start upcharging for them. You can easily get $100-200 extra for just 6 and you don't even have to DMX them. Get the battery operated ones and turn them on purple - you're set!

My goal last year was to add some bright scanners to my rig. I found the ADJ Inno Rolls to fit the bill. I also upgraded my strobes and fog machine. My laser show has also been substantially improved as well as my bubble machines. Yeah, I got it all - including confetti.

If you offer even one added effect to your show, you can pay it off within the year if you market it right. Set-up and tear down is a pain, but I practice this in my living room well before I take this stuff on the road. I got shortcuts and simplified clamps, straps, velcro, storage cases, and plugs to make it quicker and easier. Start small if you must and upgrade when the money rolls in.

I'm also looking into a laser. Might get the ADJ Royal Ruby or the ADJ Matrix Beam LED.

A decent light show will have a lasting effect.

I got 2 chauvet flat pars and a T bar to start out probably gonna go back and get that used revo 3 I saw last night

The Revo 3 is a good fill in light, puts a lot of beams on the floor for a simple plug in and go fixture. Also looks good on the ceiling over the crowd when you have better lights for the dance floor.

Is the revo 4 still considered a good light, i remember people jockin it when it came out

I actually prefer the Revo 3 over the Revo 4. However, Either one is best when combined with other lighting.

nm

So that means I must go back and get the revo 3. Im just pairing it with 2 pars and Im setting everything to auto since I have no DMX.

Whats the diff between revo 3 and revo 4

The revo 3 is like a flower effect. The revo 4 is a square.

nm

Get one DMX cable at least and use it for your slim pars. This way they will at least do the same thing on either side of the Revo.

Run the slim pars in the master / slave mode, 3 or 7 channel mode. Have them all activated by sound.

A 10 ft DMX cable is around $10. Small price to pay to have a cleaner and symmetrical look to the lights flanking the Revo 3.

My 2 cents.

what do I do with the one DMX cable do I jus connect both pars and then what do I do next? Im really learning about lights and its a lot to learn.

I know this may be a dumb question but are DMX and XLR interchangable? If not can they at least be substituted in a pinch?

This master slave mode, Im assuming I set one to slave and by default the other light becomes the master?

"Just Say No To LED Dot Lights"

?

They scream wedding dj in a rented tux.

Whats an LED dot light though

REVO3 and REVO4

Anything that does this: www.zestqatar.com

They are the goto lights of cats that just got VDJ and a $300 PA system. There are much better and more professional looking options out there without having to break the bank.

I normally don't do lights either just because I know the customer will not want it at the price I have to quote them. Ain't cheap. But yeah, if I can get a decent set up just under $300 bucks for small places, charge maybe an extra 200-300 bucks might be worth it.

Take the DMX cable and run it from the DMX Out port ( on the light that will be your master), to the DMX In port ( on the light that will be your slave light). You can daisy chain more lights, the fist will be the master, the rest will all be considered slave and so exactly what the first one does.

Go through the menu and settings for the first light in the chain. You can download the manual, ( heads up, they are not that good ). Set the second, or following lights to operate in slave mode.

Not sure if DMX & XLR cables are "officially interchangeable", but I do know that you can use an XLR instead of a DMX (as long as it is a three pin DMX instead of five pin DMX - for obvious reasons).

I have used XLR cables for DMX control of lighting. It's a three wire cable after all. I think that DMX control cable is a lot thinner and would not be able to handle use for sound. I imagine you can always use XLR for DMX control but not DMX for XLR, even though the pins are the same. DMX cable is cheaper, explaining why it would be a different type of cable. If all you did was lighting, no need to buy a more expensive DMX cable.

So are some people doing mobile gigs without any lights whatsoever,like weddings and birthdays etc.
I could understand someone doing a small bar gig without lights but not a wedding.
Over this side of the pond i suppose lights are expected.


more examples please

@ Remy ( and anyone else interested )

Put a piece of tape on the back of the lights and write down the settings you entered in the menu options. Also which light you are housing in master mode and which one is used in slave mode. Also any address you are using if using with a lighting control program.

This way, you will not be scratching your head trying to remember, ( or trying to figure out the not always so helpfull instructions in the manual if you were lucky enough to bring one along) as your setting up for a gig.

Had too many times when we left with plenty of time and stuff happens on the way. Set up the lights and they are on different settings from being handled or dip switches moved from being in the case, all kinds if things.

I started to write down the settings, now it's a simple verification that they are still the same.

Just something that I do. Thought it might also be useful or helpfull to someone else .

The small LED dots are a tell-tale sign of cheap lights. When they first came out, they were a huge improvement to old halogen fixtures that got hot and showed a filament pattern. I still use my Derby X lights, but have gone to bigger lights like the barrel rollers and some moving head fixtures.
Nothing wrong with LED dots if you are just starting out. The Revo series can be used effectively. Also look into a couple cheap moon flower effects like the Mini Moon (Chauvet) or the Sparkle / SunRay LED (ADJ). Just two of these can create tons of beams that look good on the floor/ walls/ ceiling/ air (with fog).

I do have different lighting for different events, but the concept is the same. Use the lights sporadically to keep them novel. Nothing worse than the same light beaming in your eyes all night. Fast songs, slow songs, no songs... same light going... yuck!

Man, keep that train of thought OVER THERE, lol...

Next thing you know, they'll want me to start showing up on time and whatnot.... :-)

True Story -> Potential Customer comes up to me and asks if I'm the type of DJ who gives away prizes, leads line dances, blows up balloons and stuff like that...

I was like "No, I don't do any of that"...

She was like "Whew!, Ok, let's talk"...

LOL - Nice!

Look at this guy,its like he's taken a lighting showroom with him and the rooms freaky!
Watchwww.youtube.com

overkill

my thoughts exactly

Lol. Sometimes less is more!

case in point zxa5,,,,,,,yea!!!!!!!!

You are the Official Serato Forum spokesperson for Zxa5's, you know this right?

lol...

PS...

PANKS all DAY!

I don't like LED dot lights because usually they are just red, green, blue and white colors. that stay in the same place....boooooooring.

I like yellow and orange colors in addition to the RGBW in my lighting effects.

I use Chauvet Intimidator 200 LED scanners and some LED uplight bars for lighting at my mobile gigs. Scanners or moving heads just have more appeal because of the action of the movements.

Also here in Seattle, some of my event/lighting friends are getting into the jumbo vertical disco balls like Mikey Mike on YouTube. 16", 20" sized disco balls....and even though the effect is technically a dot on a disco ball, it gets a pass because of the classic look of it.

you have to stop fooling yourself, stop trying to make it sound cook, there "PINK" not "PANK" theres no way to may pink look cool you just have to own………..lol

PS…

ZXA5S all DAY!!

Sound "cook"? lol... "PANKS" all day!!!!

Man yall gonna have cam'ron on this forum settin fools straight if yall aint careful with this kinda talk

lol………."sound cool"

^ FOOL

^LOL

pink gangster
www.vulture.com

That actually speaks volumes on its own.....

nm

Her order was basically "No Cheese Please"....

yeah - but she had to ask....

LMAO
nm

Eh, she never heard me DJ before...

LMAO exactly LMAO

nm

In defense of the Revo 4 - I think it looks better than the rest of the LED "dot" lights because the built in patterns accurately simulate movement vs. the "static" effects of alot of the other options.
(I currently own three Revo4 lights, but I have since upgraded to moving heads, although I still use them on occasion)...

I guess...

for the record i NEVER play the cha cha slide unless its requested and i think its the right setting...

"Excuse me, are you a clown?"


I've heard of - are you the bar tender? Are you working the lights? Are you security?
Never that one.

lolz

nm

We did a huge corporate event last night. 1200 people, 20,000 sq ft. Ballroom at the Hilton. It's almost impossible to cover but I made sure to not ruin dinner. And we brought lights. Lol Will post pictures. Felt like revenge on the wack ass dj I saw last week. Eman was on the 1&2's.

www.djjohnnym.com

aka "excuse me sir, are you a clown?"

:)

ROTFLMFAO that needs to become offical forum lingo

Ahhh! I get it! Another attempt to "DERAIL" threads.

Yeah.

ha - derail?

dude you know we are talking about the same thing

toonlet.com

lol

nm

As I mentioned people pay to keep their parties festive. Some Djs charge a high price but by 10pm he's failed to keep the crowd engaged. ie: crappy musci programming and NO LIGHTs! lol Tried to make sure this doesn't happen on our watch.

Photos as promised
i52.photobucket.com
And a little video.
Watchwww.youtube.com

hmmm.
nm

The last thing I worry about when going to a party is if the DJ has lights.

Nice. What kind of sound system did you use for this gig??

Generaly thats the case. I never worried of it until it happened then you think "something doesn't look right." Your looking at a dimly lit dance floor with no atmosphere.

We got called for the gig the night before because the original DJ cancelled. Just pulled together what we can at a moments notice. 2xCerwin Vega bass bottoms 2x 15"Yamahas and 2x15" Behringers 2x12"monitors Kinda scary cause it didn't seem adequate for a room that size but once all the bodies filled the room there was no problem with echo coming from the walls. I know EVs or Mackies would've been ideal but everything came out great.

This is true, most djs in our circles dont own or use lights and if they do its the CHEAP led dot shit.

So it became my mission (dream) to separate myself from the pack and corner the market in my area by investing in good lighting. So I invest about $4000 in lighting which would be considered "High End" compared to what the other djs are using but low end to a real lighting Professional. I started advertising my lighting by bringing it to gig for free. All my clients would be blow away UNTIL I tell them the additional cost of $200-300. Then I would get the Hell no or what can you do for 50 buks bs.....smh. The last piece of lighting I purchased was a $800 laser and its all collecting dust cause nobody wants to pay for it.
i26.photobucket.com
i26.photobucket.com

There you go.

What laser did you get Pdiddy? I was about to pull the trigger on the X-Laser Calient RGB. But now I'm not sure because clients aren't paying.

I just invested in moving heads. I'm also leaning towards a pair of American DJ Sweeper Beam LED's.

U ain't nevva lied...

My boy used to be ALL INTO lighting, and I won't knock him for his hustle, but all I know is that I was getting paid the same if not more for doing the exact same type of gigs...

this is true to an extent, clients don't want to pay, the wrong clients you get the right type of client/gigs & they have no problem paying a extra $200 to $400……these light pay for them self on the long run not over night, uplighting is where it's at now a days

Good story PDidy. I gotta keep this in perspective as I'd like to invest 3k in a pair of moving heads but the return won't be there. Uplights may be the ticket because I at least have some Martin scanners for effects.

(nm)

That's where the money starts getting fukked up. Now you have cats with lighting taking for the same pay setting the expectation. So when you don't have lights they expect to pay less.

Gotta stick to ya guns... charge what you're worth.

Clowns and lights!!!! #oldfolksproblems


Nm nh

The up charge on many djs down here is the light show.... Up lighting the walls is always a "wow, I want that " and it's a good up charge ... They are not expensive and can really make the room look nice... Like many of you I worry about the sound first but in todays market .... Lights are a must if you want the big money gigs!!!


Nm nh

Lights alone ... A buddy of mine doubles it's fee depending on lights....


Nm nh

yes……all you have to do is tale a video of the room before & after the uplighting, once the client see's the difference they will want it

tale=take

Watchwww.youtube.com

no, but when your a sales man you can sell the lights UP CHARGE my man

Watchwww.youtube.com

Watchwww.youtube.com

Watchwww.youtube.com

Watchwww.youtube.com

for this they will pay a extra $200 to $400

My exact comment to them

Ha Ha, no they won't.....LOL...

Not in the tri-state...

Boom!

P Diddy - I have two of the same lasers (looks like a double laser) as well as some full color animation lasers. Nice effect, but you are right... most of the time no one wants to pay for the extra equipment. I just recently got paid a few times this month for dedicated laser shows - one local rock concert, a bar party, and a MMA fight! I'm still trying to hustle and market these things, but it's slow going.

Ivmez - X-Laser is the way to go if you want decent quality. The cheap Chinese lasers can be cool and easy to use, but you will never get them regulated for proper use. Problem is that X-Laser, Connecticut Laser, and Kvant are $$$.

HA…HA… yes they will & do i'm in philly & get it, if you have cheap broke clients you get cheap money, if you have good clients you get good money, wedding are they best kind of gigs MONEY MONEY MONEY MONEY MOOOOONAYYYYYY

if you sell yourself short you get shorted




this right here

There are alot of people with huge expensive rigs & lighting who are shit DJ's. So please stop with the "charge what you are worth BS. It's about what you can sell people to pay for.

THIS RIGHT HERE!!!!!!! Boom!!!!!!

Reflex, after researching lasers, X-Laser is the way to go. With that being said, it seems that to get full effect you have to purchase the $1100+ ones. Not sure if I will get a return on that.

um yea thats what been saying UP CHARGING, up lighting is where it's at one of the cheapest lighting shows you can give that really make a night and day difference in the room

You can lead the horse to water but you can't make him drink

Nm nh

;-)

Fried chicken makes me wanna dance :3

Boom! again!

The truth is, I COULD POSSIBLY sell a lights package, but all that means is more work for me.

When people see me, there aren't any lights in the first place, so what you see is what you get.

Cats have always said lights give 'Atmosphere", I say, I can set the "Atmosphere" with 2 turntables and a mixer....

That's it, and it works...

Not hating on those who bring 'em, but I don't "Need" them.

more power to you cause the truth is theres a lot of cats out there that can't, the fact of the matter if you want those big paying gigs you NEED uplighting it's a must i'm talking over $1,000 for 4 hours (weddings ) you need uplighting

look at the vid,tell me it don't make a difference in the room? it does & the brides think so also $200 for 10 lights, the uplighting pays for it self how could you not use it?
Watchwww.youtube.com


fyi you can get this for $320 two is a real good start-------> Watchwww.youtube.com

True! Goes for all lighting I guess. There needs to be a market for that and from what I read here, there is and there isn't depending on location and what you are willing to do for marketing. I got a guy in my area (big production company) that can market ice cubes to Eskimos. If I pick up some expensive gear and become the resident expert on it, he can get the word out and I might be able to pick up business through him. It will take a couple years to pay off the investment though.

I got a few good UV black light fixtures (about $800 worth). Got a call the other day to light up a glow-in-the-dark dodge ball tournament. Not the best paying gig in the world, but at least I get the word out and start promoting what I have.

P.S. The software to run good lasers is going to cost around $550-$1000 as well. Pangolin or Mamba are good, but pricey.

You what's funny Johnny. I can tell who the real OG's of the game are by the responses to gear posts. We will get the job done with a turntable & tape deck if we had too. No extra bells & whistles.

And there it is...



LMAO!

Dude, I DO those $1,000.00 dollar weddings with NO LIGHTS....no joke...

The ONLY thing I may bring "Extra" in terms of a wedding, is a single "Powered" speaker for the Cocktail Hour...that may be in an adjoining room.

And oh, I'm NOT announcing the "Entrance" of the wedding party either....

They need to have designated a "Wedding Coordinator" for that...

You won't catch ME mispronouncing anybodys name on their wedding day, or if they decide to switch up the lineup at the last minute...

My job is to play music....

LMAO!

Dude, I DO those $1,000.00 dollar weddings with NO LIGHTS....no joke...

The ONLY thing I may bring "Extra" in terms of a wedding, is a single "Powered" speaker for the Cocktail Hour...that may be in an adjoining room.

And oh, I'm NOT announcing the "Entrance" of the wedding party either....

They need to have designated a "Wedding Coordinator" for that...

You won't catch ME mispronouncing anybodys name on their wedding day, or if they decide to switch up the lineup at the last minute...

[b]My job is to play music[b]....

/endthread

I ruined that huh? LOL

LMAO...

I knew what you meant.... :-)

UMMM first you say they don't pay in the tri state





& now they do




so witch one is it?

I believe he is trying to say he gets those $$$ gigs already without having to upcharge.

Any wedding couple that pays a DJ with no lights $1000+ is having a ghetto wedding.

I'm a firm believer that the music has to be on point, but there is too much competition out there that offers good music, lights, mc in that price range or a bit higher.

You my friend are part of the reason the DJ game is fukked up. Offering everything under the sun at market price.

Takes a seat. This is getting interesting. :)

nm

So Tri-State, the drop $1000 for music (no MC) but won't up another $200 for lights?

Nm

they

Not all of us collect social security, some of us need to put in the work to make $$ lol

Not at all. I did a wedding in NYC restaurant for $900. 6 uplights, plated for a toal of 2 hours.

The point I was saying is that you need lights to charge more. To get to that $1200-1800 mark, you need to set yourself apart.

so witch one is it?

You will need a mathematics class soon...

If they want lights for a WEDDING, then I'll be charging 1200-1500 bucks...

My dude, no disrespect, but I will NEVER do a ghetto wedding, and I've done 1000.00 weddings with NO LIGHTS whatsoever.

These are actually from people who have a little extra cash to throw around, but hey, you get in where you fit in.

I'm NOT a wedding DJ by trade, but do about 4-5 per year, so I have no reason to "invest" in lights for the sake of weddings.

The people who hire me, generally see me in a club setting, have heard my mixes, have attended weddings that I've done, or are referred by word of mouth.

They KNOW in advance what they're getting....and that's "without cheese".

You don't get it, I'm the best in my area, period. Not saying cats aren't trying to come up, and offer "more inclusive packages", but my reputation precedes my name, so I'm not really worried.

It's not my job to keep other DJ's in rotation.

Awww hell, he put it out there in layman's terms....

Don't get it twisted, NOT EVERY WEDDING I do is for 1000.00, as a lot of them are for close friends, and they already know my steeze, but I'm not bringing lights.

Comparatively speaking over time, I've always bought more SOUND than necessary, as I'm always about the Bass....so I've always factored in THAT as my "extra"... if y'all thing you need to include "more"....

Throw in the extra crates of vinyl, and actually, I'd have no ROOM to bring lights, much less time to set them up...

Enter Serato, now I have no vinyl crates (ok I still bring 1), shorter setup/breakdown time, etc....

I've made my DJ life easier, right? More efficient? Cleaner look?

I'm now getting more for my money....why randomly throw in lights if I can still get paid, do LESS work, and have the same if not better experience that I've always had?

Stop playin.

That's a fair statement, but that also means MORE WORK. If I can get 1000 for a wedding with NO LIGHTS, then I'm good....Trust.



I agree with that also, but again that's EXTRA WORK....

For extra lights, it's always been assumed that I'd have to factor in at least an extra hour for setup, and possibly an extra person.....is that worth 200.00? Not when my MAIN concern is the music...

I might as well contract someone out to do the lights for the 200.00, it's not worth it for me.

BOOM.

I would actually be F*cking UP the DJ game if I "threw in" some lights, but am already getting the price I want...

****sigh****

Let me break it down...

I can get 1000.00 for a wedding....

If they want lights, I'd charge an extra 200-500 bucks...

They never choose the option for the lights.

Here in NJ, yep.

Let me correct this...

I will MC the function, but won't do the "Wedding Party" entrance part...

I MC the balance of the function.....

you sir could not be more wrong my math is fine, ok so you get $1,000 add two slim pack 56 thats 8 u lights with 8 dmx cables 2 obey three controllers and 2 carry bags---> Watchwww.youtube.com cost for said light $600 so they pay for them self after 3 gigs, if you can't sell the package for $200 sell it for $100 after 6 gigs there paid for……than it's all profit…….UP SELL




the problem is you don't know how to sell the package, when people do events they spend all kinds of money why should they stop spending on you…….you should hit the dj expo in ac, i was one of those dj saying what the hell could they teach me? i been djing for so long? i was wrong they taught me A LOT in regards to up selling




again wrong do you even know what a slim pack 56 is? it will take you 15 minutes to set up 8, you plug one in to a ac outlet and jump the rest, the more you use them the faster you get with setup times---> Watchwww.youtube.com ,watch the video! you can't tell me that that sh!t don't look hot! besides look at the sloppy job the guy did, don't you like to have wires showing all over the place

this right here is the hole point, if a client goes to see two dj's one multiple packages to offer and one with NO/one basic package to offer what dj do you think there gonna pick? who looks more professional?


in the long run to me i don't care how little or how much any piece of gear cost me! it's a profit as all my gear gets paid off from all the gigs i do with it, but a to each his own if you don't want to improve the services you offer as a working dj i can't force you to


it's not about you getting what you want! it's about you being able to offer a client options & get paid better while doing so…….

No it's about you being a salesman not a DJ.

+1.

ok so if you want to call me a sales man & not a dj cause i make money

than call me a sales man all you want, i'm not one of these people saying i'm all about the craft of djing…….for me this is my life literally it's how i make a living pay the mortgage/car note/bills etc. & make a pretty nice living doing so

I'LL BE THAT DJ SalesMan…….selling the uplight packages ALLLLLLL the time !!!!!!!!!

^^^^^^ UPLIGHTING FTW !!!!!!!!!!!!!

No you must be on that "New Math"...

You just said that costs 600.00. I only do 5-6 weddings a year. So I'd be investing in something that would take me close to a YEAR to pay off, assuming I'd get an extra 100 to 200 bucks a wedding.....and that's IF they want lights....

That's a waste of time and money.

No sale.



Surely you jest....

I'm selling a package of ME DJ'ing with just MUSIC. If I can sell that "package" and get 1000.00 for a wedding, then I'm doing something right, correct?

Those AC DJ Expos? Been there, done that....

Those events are great for selling YOU stuff...lmao....You're a gear whore anyway...right? So OF COURSE you're going to try and get the latest new toy....That's in your nature.


Yes, it's something that costs 600.00, and extra time to set up....



Are you sure about that 15 minutes? That's not even taping down the wires...And we ALL know how long it takes to tape down stuff.

And YES, the places I'd do Weddings at would REQUIRE for the wires to be taped down.



First off, where am I setting up where someone is actively comparing me to another DJ?

I'm always IN my element when I'm approached, or referred by a friend, or someone who's actually GONE to one of the Weddings I've done, and have said "THAT" is the type of reception that I want....

I'm not in some booth selling my services at somebody's expo.



See, this is where YOU'RE f*cking up....

Let's see, if I'm able to sell MY SERVICES for 1000.00 for a Wedding and people have the best time of their lives, and you sell the your services for a Wedding PLUS lights, albeit you're charging an extra 200 for the lights, but have additional setup time, etc..etc...

Who's REALLY the smart salesman here?



Isn't getting paid "better" what I "want"?

Less time, setup for a GREAT PRICE?

vs.

MORE time and stuff for a MORE EXPENSIVE Price?

C'mon son...

Like I've said, I can sell me and music....for the price I charge, If you COULD you WOULD too...

That's only smart.

Exactly.

But check it...

I "sell" my services and get paid accordingly....

FWIW, my boy does all types of lighting, as a matter of fact, he's brought lighting to SOME functions JUST to market himself as a "Lighting Pro", and I have no problem with that...

Does he want to get paid? Sure, do I PAY HIM...No....lmao, but I will allow him to showcase his stuff, through me....

I say all that to say, if I want to provide lighting, I'll HIRE someone who specializes in it, will transport it, work it , and break it down....

The option is there, but most don't want to pay for it.

And I'm not "decreasing" my bottom line to do an "inclusive" package to pay him....

lmao.

Ok, so you've just admitted that you have a different agenda than most.

I HAVE a regular job.

I AM all about the craft.

This is why you're offering bells and whistles while I don't have to....

I just WANT to offer quality MUSIC....

Not hating, but it is what it is...

/End thread...

PS...

I've been in this game for a LOOOONNGG TIME my dude...

There's nothing you can sell me DJ "wise" that I don't already know about.... :-)

Easy dude don't blow a gasket. If that's your hustle rock with it. But you do have to look at it from the other side. It is not necessary to have all of that for a great event. You do that because you want to. There are some of us that don't need all that glitter to gig. Some of us are about just being a DJ and not being salesmen.

Say that *ish again! He didn't hear you the first time! lol.

As you say, if that's his "HUSTLE", and it indeed is a 'Hustle', then more power to him.

Me? Nah, I have enough time being worried if I'm gonna blow a circuit from turning the bass up too loud...

I don't have time to be wondering if the lights are on the same circuit.

All DJ's need to know how to make a sales pitch. It's part of the business.

We're not arguing that...but if I PERSONALLY KNOW that my demographic has not, and is most likely not going to pay for lighting, when why invest and TRY to sell them that service?

If my clientele changed, then THAT would be a different story....

But for all things concerned, my clients like it with "No Cheese Please"...

COM ON SON…the slim pack cost $320 use it twice & you already profited from it, but i get it you don't want to…to each his own, best said here



me i do mad wedding/sweet sixteens/proms…..etc every year all year long so i NEED to have all the gear i own……..who you calling a gear whore? i don't own 20 mixers…….lol

upgrade them old as dirt PEYVEY amps to some new powered speaker and you won't have this problem…….lol

Lmfao at saying " I'm the best in my area"



Yeah... Ok ...

" are u a clown". Yes ... That old man is !!!!


Nm nh

You can lead a clown to gigs but you can't make him use lights!!!!


STFU with your " I'm the best" and " I don't need lights " and " I don't mc" Clown!!!

Nm nh

Again, investing in something that MY CLIENTELE isn't requesting.

And yes, I've done the research...

The place where I DJ used to have this crazy Martin light show thingy, and dude used to turn it on when we'd have a party. The dance floor would look cool, but the SAME amount of people danced whether he had it ON or NOT.

It eventually broke, and he lost no sleep in not replacing it....

Yeah, he can really teach me anything about the "business, when he hasn't posted a single solitary vid of his "smoothness, or skills"....

But wait, I forgot, it's about "Salesmanship"....smh





And there you have it! The ATTENTION SPAN of those @ Sweet Sixteens and Proms are how long again?

I thought we were talking about weddings....

You're changing up the scenarios....



Hold up...

How many 62's, 64, or 68's (I forgot what model Rane mixer it was that you kept flashing on here) did you have?

Post those pics again...stop playin....

LOL, All I need to do a wedding is a single QSC and V35d's, and it's all good.

Now here's the funny part...

I paid for that stuff back in the 90's, and it's STILL louder, crisper, and has more bass than the "Average" Wedding setup of today.......Assuming you're not using 3000.00 worth of EV's....lmao.

More attempts to derail a discussion....

smh....

The best clown in your area !!!

Nm nh

You really got a crush on him don't you?

man i only bought 5 62's already sold 3 of them only have 2 left, i recently got into controllers, bought a vci 380 ddj sx & ddj sr……so only two mixers
imageshack.com



"Now here's the funny part...

I paid for that stuff back in the 90's, and it's STILL louder, crisper, and has more bass than the "Average" Wedding setup of today.......Assuming you're not using 3000.00 worth of EV's....lmao."

man upgrade your sh!t already, i'm mad you still using 20+ year old gear….i'm gonna find out were you play & come poke holes in your speakers………lol

But wait, I thought you said I needed to buy 2 of them....

So 320.00 x 2 = 640.00 + (tax@7%) 44.80 = $684.80....

That's almost 700 .00 bucks...

Man, I see your salesman tactics, but I've been in this game forever my dude...

And HOW much were those 62's apiece again?

But here's the thing...

I invested in VERY GOOD GEAR.

Crown and QSC Amps
Rane Crossovers
RCF, JBL and EV speakers, with Peavy Highs...
Technics Turntables...

The ONLY reason I got a Rane Mixer was because I needed to do "Fader" tricks...
So I bought a 56s with magnetic faders....When is that going to die?

Again, the ONLY person worried about the gear anybody would use is Another DJ....

Now I AM seriously interested in the EV ZXA5 is because it would lighten my load even MORE, assuming they weigh less than a Cerwin Vega v35....

So then I'd be traveling with even LESS equipment, (No sound processing necessary, maybe buy a DriveRack if I determine it's necessary), and have even a quicker setup and breakdown time, WHILE substantially increasing my sound level.

Isn't that smart?

And no lights.

LMAO @ "

C'mon son, even YOU'VE got to admit that's a little "Extra"....

$1,600

i know you want some zxz5's bad don't you? so stop bull Sh!tin buy them already
imageshack.com

they look nice don't they……..lol

did you not here me say i sold 3 62's …..lol two mixers is not extra!

And just to refresh your memory, didn't we even have a thread DEDICATED to the "COST" of the Rane 62?

serato.com

And you bought 5?

$1200 is minimum start, without lights for me. Thing is a lot of people tell me even before I bring it up that they don't want lights. Some people don't want that shit in the spot fucking up the vibe when they've rented an art gallery or whatever. And, some people just don't like lights in their face regardless of venue.

I'm interested in that slim pack though, uplighting seems to more the trend these days (at least here). I've heard of battery pack uplighting though, at first I wasn't too sure about wireless (battery costs and thinking they must be weak), but after seeing all those extra wires everywhere?

What I do to "set myself apart" is advertise myself as the anti-traditional wedding Dj. Most people see me in clubs or have heard my mixes and are happy to find out that I actually like doing weddings, most DJs with long club backgrounds are too cool for weddings. Me I think they're missing out when a lot of weddings I get are for more cool musically oriented events.

I'm not against having lights, I just don't think they're as necessary to being a DJ as some others do.

well technically it is extra as in extra gear, but NOT EXTRA by no means….lol

So at SOME point in time you spent $8000.00 in mixers.....

Now you have $3,200.00's in mixers man....

And you're not a Gear Whore?

C'mon man....

I admit I'm a Good Times "Collector"....and Realistic Mixer collector...

But my 20 Realistic Mixers would have cost me 400 bucks over 28 years my man....

That's $15.00 a year in mixers....

i'm not a gear whore ;)……..LOL

LOL! So I should try and get my BASE price up!

Cats just don't understand....

THIS^^^^



BOOM.

Now a Sweet Sixteen? Prom? They would expect them...

A wedding? Nah, to ME it would make it look like a DISCO....

Not that I have anything against Disco, but I'm just sayin....

were bona be here all day if we keep the sh!t up, for a weeding uplight make the room look classy when left static/one color not flashing

damn spell check bona= gonna ……lol

nm

I'll say it again...

They ain't payin....lol...

than i won't be playin

than i won't be playin

Which may be justified for your CLIENTELE...

You can't pass judgment on a DJ's arsenal if you aren't familiar with that DJ's client demographic.

That's like me saying YOU NEED to be up on '90's hiphop, but you're in the Deep South somewhere....

i'll give you that one, BUT but you NEEEEEEEDDDD to upgrade that 20+ year old sound system!

imageshack.com ,perhaps a pair of these……lol i sold the zxa1's

BAAMMMM! BOOOM! ………lol for real tho upgrade them old @ss carpeted sonics and the big horns/tweeters already





no for real!

you know know this conversation could have went a HOOOLE different way, but being the classy gentlemen that we are it didn't……lol


UPLIGHTS FTW!!!!

Ive never made a sales pitch once in my life, I just put music out and hang out with Djs and venues call me with offers

It is a demographic thing I noticed when it comes to lights

I meant for mobile. Lounges and clubs are a different story.

Thats true with most aspects, in my demo, when it comes to mobiles noones trying to pay extra for lights, noone really seems to care either, throw em aled dot light and theyll state at em for hours.

This is one of the few times i agree with ronald mcdj up there, i dont want to be a mobile dj, im a club guy, so when clients ask me to do mobile gigs its under a very clear undetstanding that they are not hiring a mobile dj, theyre getting what they saw at the club and they need to pay more than the club is since i have to move ish.

^ awwwww bezzle & johnny becoming friend…..now i know it Christmas, gives me that warm fuzzy feeling

p.s

uplighting for christmas partys red & green ;)

Interesting read. Thanks for not disappointing.


lol

nm

you know what i mean!

Took me about 15 minutes to catch up through all of this only to conclude the following:

Johnny no brings lights.
Joee brings lights.

What a waste of 15 minutes. Haha.

^ man johnnys just cheap, what dj you know uses the same speaker for 20+ years? wait i remember this guy--> serato.com

he's from jersey too……..lol

maybe he's just frugal…..lol

How about $100?

Maybe $50?

No?

nm

Not hardly....

come on johnny it's the holidays IT'S CHRISTMAS ……..

But I still have the V35's for mobile stuff.

The money is going TOWARDS, the EV's...

o word it's about time you sold that dusty ass setup, good for you!

And who buys 5 of the same mixer @ 1,600 bucks apiece...?
Only to turn around and sell 3 of them?

C'mon man...stoppit...lol.

Again, the ONLY person worried about what another DJ is rocking with is ANOTHER DJ...

:-)

Precisely.

Again, another DJ worried about what another DJ's rig is...

The V35's are clean, they're loud, and reliable, BUT I do realize that having bought them in say, 1995, there is a chance that the woofer may rot out, so I have to plan ahead...

Thus, the interest in the EV's...

If they're as LOUD and DURABLE as you and Pdidy say they are, they'll be the LAST set of speakers I'll ever need to buy.

That's how I approach things.

um i sold them to the same dj's that were using them, dj's i send out to gigs made $200 on each one too & they felt like they got a good deal
stop talking you know you want a 61 son

Why on earth would I want a 61?

Look, here's how it goes...

Y'all press Rane/Serato for the latest and greatest...

They eventually give it to you....but SOMETHING ALWAYS WRONG...

Whether it be more buggy software, or buttons that are sticking in the first generation....

Or incompatible Intel chips....SOMETHING's always wrong lately.

You get a cat that finds a good combination of above mentioned variables that doesn't crash on him, is reliable, gives great sound, etc....and he decides to stick with it?

That ONLY makes sense...

o now you don't want a 61, when it first came out you were talking all that me sayin you were going to buy one…….my bad

I want the EV's more than I want a 61.

I already have a mixer. :-)

It's easy when you recognize derailment "tactics"....

I agree.

I think above all else, before you open the dance floor you check with servers to make sure they are clear of the table area. They're trucking around trays full of plates and all you gotta do is stand up at the wrong time and you win your sign.
Even at larger events where many people are eating desert and some just got a plate, people jumping up to get to the dance floor is something to be considered.

Some dj lighting leaves more to be desired than not, that part always irks me also.
There is so much used lighting around, there is no excuse for no or poor lighting.

On critiquing others, you can't have a good time doing this and people around you don't want to hear it either.

Ok, back to the derailment...

Here's the thing, what client do you know would turn down an offer of "Lights", if the DJ would throw them in "For free"?

Plenty do not want the lighting. The question is; is anyone willing to pay the extra $200 because they (think) they want it?

^ for me the answer is YEA BUDDY…...

^ Me too. A good contract will have the "lighting charge" built in. It's not like we're doing anything for free - it's only an illusion! :)

It totally depends on what you bring for lights.
If you're gonna show up with a pair of winky blinkies and a spin and puke, I wouldn't be expecting to charge anything.
Show up with a couple of crank stands and a few intels, and watch the energy change.
Worth 200?
Sure, but you build it as a package, not an up sell.
Small sound/light, med, large etc...
It depends on the size of the crowd and room also, has to fit

And for your clientele, that would work out well...

If they are under the illusion the price they are paying is only for djing and not for lights why dont you save yourself the effort and just dj for that price

That's if you want to provide lighting, and they want lighting, so it's your decision to have the lighting "included" in the price.

My clients see me at my location, no lights.

They just want the music.

The idea here is why bring lights, if you're getting a maximum price that you're satisfied with already for DJ'ing a wedding?

There are LOTS of people who don't expect lights...

www.musiciansfriend.com
all this talk about lights is gonna make me order another

Not bringing lights is fine if you're doing the $400-1,000 mobile bracket in the Tri-State. If you want to get paid more and do bigger/better gigs you need lights.

The flipside of this is.. a lot of venues that host mobiles are now offering their own uplighting for CHEAP.

Is that price now 429.99?

lol...

And again -

you can get it for $300 total…..

^ i never EVER pay retail son

Of course not, you're one of their best customers.... :-)

So when you guys are doing these cool weddings what sort of stuff are you playing(I'm dont want a full tracklist or anything) whats going on whilst they are eating,whats some of the non cheese big tunes.I'm in the uk by the way so forgive my ignorance.
Also how does this work..... your booked for a cool wedding but then some of the guests turn out to be very uncool granny wants some Elvis uncle wants motown etc.

You go ahead and play it; it's a wedding and moreover, it's only during the dining period.

In weddings during dinner, I find that satisfying the older folks early on (musically) makes for a better impression on the entire event. The older folks generally leave earlier and they'll leave happy knowing the DJ played 'their' music. I'm not against general cheese stuff like "Unchained Melody", Frank Sinatra, etc. but I throw in eclectic stuff from artists like Omar and Jazz remixes of popular stuff (aka: Hidden Beach stuff). The most important person to please is the bride of course.

(nm)

I have a slightly different approach to that statement.

Even though the bride may come up with a song list, things to do and not do, etc..etc..

I just use that as an outline, and throw some songs in that she may have requested during key parts where I know she'll hear them, but most times, their lists aren't for the crowd.

MOST people come to weddings to have a good time. They've paid an "Entrance Fee" aka gift or check, and are expected to be fed and MOST times dance.

I had one bride tell me that she didn't want ANY LINE dances at her reception.

I advised her that, based on the age range of people coming, and where they're coming from, you'd have a much more enjoyable time IF I did include some of those dances.

I of course buttered it up to be like, "I'll play them really quickly and get them out of the way", knowing full well they'd be the kick-start of any reception, especially for the "older folks" who won't dance to anything else.

I actually will play for the CROWD, and have THEM have a good time, and subsequently, they'll come up to the bridge and say, "You sure know how to throw a wedding reception", and THAT is usually what will make the bride the happiest....

Knowing that everybody had a good time and is thanking HER for throwing it....

Of course she decides to up the tip at that point. :-)

The question is - do you LEAD the line dancing?

I agree. I have had brides tell me, "no line dances".
I explain to her that even though it is her day, she should keep her guests in mind, who are an important part of her day. The guests are going to play a key role in the overall atmosphere of the wedding.
I also tell her that certain things like line dances are pretty much a guarantee to be requested and even though she might not like them, the guests will. If she is still stuck with her decision, I explain to the requester that I have instructions not to play certain request. The person will usually keep asking with a "pleeeeeease". I tell them to check with the bride and if she says yes, I will be more than happy to fit in the request. By then, the bride is so involved in other things that she will say, sure, play whatever they want, keep the party going.
I also explain to the bride that I do use her playlist as more of a guide, (especially if they request a ton of hip hop or stuff that a select few will enjoy). That I will fit what I can in at the right time, but that my job is to keep the music geared towards the guests as well as the bride and the end goal if everybody to enjoy themselves.
The bride will usually narrow down some of her selections in a "must play" portion of the list.

I play normally well known music from the 1940s to now at weddings normally goes over well. Cant forget to your line dances you should space them out through out the night so that way you can guarantee filled floor. I play line dances at weddings at the Top or bottom of every hour. Normally works good then mix your well known tracks through out the night no cursing all clean mixes.

I don't play line dances at all. I'm in northern cali and I don't think anybody that I know even knows what the cupid shuffle or the wobble are. I've never heard either one played. I wouldn't even know about them if it wasn't for this board. Well sometimes I play the electric slide so that's one. My clients' do not play list almost always includes YMCA, celebrate good times etc. Ps no lights but a lot of venues have uplighting already. For most of my clients no "dance" lights is the vibe. But my gigs are mostly vinyl (soul, funk 45s etc.) so the vibe is simple, classy, oldschool. A disco ball would be dope.

" The most important person to please is the bride of course."

I agree.

nm

LOL
Nm nh

Lmfao!!!

Where this thread thread has been up down and all around the world.

I concur. :-)

Can we please talk about BEAMZ some more?!?



My clients usually expect lights. In my area, every DJ (good and bad) has some sort of lighting rig. I have a small stand that I can set up in 3 minutes and I have a large rig that takes over an hour. I can show up with no lights at all, but then I've just presented myself as "the DJ with no lights". Again, in my area, I don't want to be that guy when all the other DJs are bringing lighting. It makes no difference if the bride does not pay for some extra lighting... all that matters is what the guests SEE. The bride will probably not hire me again, but most of my business is word-of-mouth. Despite a cheap bride, I still have to impress the crowd that I might be catering too the NEXT time.

At bridal expos, I always set up the large rig. It's symmetrical and looks nice even when it's off. I can up-sell that in a heartbeat when people see it.

So what I've learned from this thread and many others like it on this forum is that nearly every aspect of djing has its regional differences, acceptances and standards ie....

1. Music Type (genre-sub genre)
2. Mic work (Kid Capri vs Let the music speak for itself)
3. Sound systems (spl levels and Bass requirements)
4. DJ gear (cheap to high end)
5. Dj software (serato vs Tracktor)
6. DJ style (East coast vs West coast degrees of technicality)
7. Lighting (required- not required)

These are just the basics and every aspect can be broken down to sub levels while each region has its own combination of standards....

This is what I'm talking about. Dudes bringing lights and making that the expectation. Makes it more about the show and less about the actual DJ.

Alas PDidy is spot on.

Thank you, this is a great summary

back to it, to each his own i love uplighting it enables me to make a few dolors more on each gig, i show the client a video or picture of a room before uplighting and a vid or pic of the room after 80% of the time the want the uplighting


lights may not work for everyone but they works for me.

Your name is now officially Joee Uplights

;)

I concur.

nm

I truly despise wedding djing so much I turn most down if not for close family members. This may also explain my not receiving Big returns on my lighting investment.

Now whats really frustrating to me is the fact that wedding Dj's are on average the Highest paid djs in the game. I may have to consider making an exception....smh

Aside from "Celebrity" DJ's & EDM superstars?

You ain't know?

Man listen...

Lmfao, exactly the same here, the following conversation acutually occured thanksgiving week:

Im spinning a hole in the wall bar and drunk guy comes up to me

Guy: your killin it!!

Me: thanks

Guy: do you have a card i really want you to spin my wedding

Me: nah i dont do weddings

Guy: really? Cause we dont want a normal one we want one with music like this

Me: come see me later im busy right now but mabye later i can give you the number of a good wedding dj

Guy: well we really want you to do it my wife and i really like how you soin

Me: i dont really do weddings though

Guy: man theres gotta be a way to get you, the dj my parents hired for my sisters wedding cost $3000 and it was just some old lady with a laptop

Me: dude i dont.....wait how much?

Guy: $3000 and all she did was sit in a chair on a laptop

Me: well we cant have that look heres my cell # email and facebook call me anytime and well work out an appointment

They dont count so no need to mention them (superstar dj's)

Ive always known the REAL money was in wedding djing, just cant bring myself to do it.

;-)

you can get this kind of money, but you have to be an all around dj that know his music form 50's to the present time and be able to please a wide audience & don't show up with two 12 inch speaker on stick and nothing else

doing a wedding is a lot more than just showing up and playing music, but the plus side there people are spending 10's of thousands of dollars and you to will get some of that money

do a good job & you will at least book another wedding from that one…….true story, i took a buddy of mine manny years ago to do a wedding with me he played dmx ludacris MOVE during cocktail hour


i'm on the other side of the room & i hear MOVE BITCH GET OUT THE WAY, i say what the fu@k is the idiot doing…..i run over there and say turn this Sh!t off NOW……he says it's cool…i say turn this sh!t the fu@k off now…..agin naw it's cool……the bride come running over and say could you please turn this music off my pastor is here


i take over for the rest of the night, the only wedding i never got a call back for, i now dj weddings by my self.

Stuff like this is what got this thread started. Just the wrong music at the wrong time. The no lights thing was what topped it all off. The guy had people dancing in the dark. I wanted to walk up and say wtf? No matter what, all dj's should consider presentation when gigging. ( I mean bringing something is better than nothing.) Ok everyone, carry on....

Its really not that bad, I use to feel the same way no you cant play the latest ratchetness or play vulgar music but you can sure get down on the turntables with clean party music that all ages can vibe with. I actually enjoy doing my mobiles now more so than I did a couple years ago.

aaah shit, think im gonna be sick...Watchwww.youtube.com

^ stop hattin pdidy, private partys are the BEST

I know most of the DJs here are club DJs. I do promote myself as a "club-style, mixing DJ" for the weddings that I do. I've said it many times before on this forum that I do mix, scratch, and mash-up songs at weddings with my 1200's. (Not bragging - I'm not to DMC levels or anything.) But, you are right, most wedding Djs are as cheesy as a used car salesman. There are two in my are that I trust and have a quality reputation as good DJs. The rest are scammers who show up with laptops. No skills... just a bunch of fancy Up-Lights!

The show that a club DJ puts on - like DJ VAL-DKNY11203 said, is about the music. That may be the case for clubs, but for mobile work, "The Show" is about more than just the music. It's about the atmosphere (we have no permanent club to design it for us - we have to create it), reading a wide range of party-goers (moms / uncles / kids / brides / etc...), the timing (not just playing the right song at the right time, but also coordinating with photographers, caterers, and the bride's overall schedule... and yes, the music.

While most of you guys diss wedding DJs for how cheesy they can be or how ridiculous they get paid, keep in mind that we do a lot of work behind the scenes for our own business. We have to maintain and hook up our own gear (no club installs), research a WIDE variety of music, and cater to the most hostile crowds in the industry! Ever seen a pissed off bridzilla that didn't get her freeking pink margaritas that she paid extra for? :)

Two different aspects to the same art. I loved club work when I did it back in college. Now, I actually put in more hours and more energy getting my DJ biz straight for weddings. In fact, I just drove 45 minutes to have dinner with a client tonight. Got the contract, and yes... they want up-lights!

Ok, this is a great runner up for "Quote of the Year"....

The first was -

serato.com

DJJOHNNYM_vSL3 think about it like this:

You yourself have mentioned in many a previous thread about how back in your college days your crew had the biggest sound system around, to the point of intimidating all the other DJ's in you area. As a result you were able to basically muscle them out of event bookings and have a monpoly on the bigger functions.
It is similar with lighting now too. For example would you want to be known as the guy with a mushroom light and a strobe, or the dude with the super pimp LED uplights/trusses/and moving head color washes. It makes a big difference when going after the higher profile (i.e. higher paying) gigs.
I concede that lighting/DMX protocol/rigging is a whole other beast from simply DJ'ing - but no more complicated that setting up and tuning a large sound system.
In the mobile market, you are providing an entire experience beyond the music.
So if the market calls for it, why limit yourself?

You are EXACTLY right in ALL accounts of your post.....

But -



My "Market" doesn't call for it...

You have to think of my audiences' upbringing..

It started off with basement house parties...

God help the man who turned on a SINGLE LIGHT....

We MAY have had a single red one, so cats wouldn't bump into each other all night...but you get my drift.

Fast forward to college...

We had 2 Pin Bot "Search lights"... and a fog machine....nobody else had that...but again, no craziness as far as the lights were concerned because our mode of intimidation was the loudness and clarity of the music and our flow.

Fast forward to cats coming up now - they can't have basement parties the way we used to, so they have "Teen Clubs"...complete with all the lights, fog, confetti, ballons, fog, and whatever else they can throw at them.

THOSE cats are the ones who would "Expect" lights and additional entertainment...

Feel me?

I'm not DJ'ing for that crowd....

well said sir i concur, but i fear there is no getting thru to johnnym

I'm not totally "against" the lighting, but it would HAVE to be something close to that 3-5 minute setup dude posted earlier, and priced VERY accordingly.

I've never been turned town to DJ a party because I didn't have lights...

Ever.

Y'all just missed all that stuff cats said about Demographics...

What, you just don't believe there's an area out here where cats really don't "care" for lights?

It depends on your audience.

Well said! I too, came from basement parties and college jams that ran until the sun came up. Maybe we have bread a part crowd that expects all the frills (but very little skills). But then again, look at your average concert experience. Back in the day it was music and performance. Now it's pyrotechnics, large video screens and lasers.

No one is knocking you for your market niche. To each his own. The fact that we are still rocking out crowds and getting gigs on our own is testament to our craft. I got lights and quite frankly, need them in order to compete here. If you don't, great! Consider it a blessing NOT to have to lug all that crap around to make the money you do. :)

Yup. Old folk are going blind. Blind people don't need lights. :-P

nm

LOL All my contracts are in Braille.

And music is what should motivate a crowd, not lights. That's why I never bought into the whole edm shows.

I personally don't like carrying lights and setting up lights and I've never once not been hired because of it. I do always carry two Evo lights. That's it. The gigs that require a whole light system usually require a huge sound system too and for that I just have a company supply both. I just being my turntables and mixer, laptop, etc. Nm

i too came from basement/house partys ok, i remember when onyx throw ya guns came out everybody literally pulled out a gun and put it in the air


but those days are way behind me and i have a different clientele now a days, check this pic out you can't tell me that this does not completely transform the room, i have no problem selling uplighting when they see the difference it make they say wow i want that, it's really not a hard sell

www.localmotionent.com

I do like uplighting. I think it's a classier look.

nm

yes it is, hence you will get them classier gigs, i keep trying to tell johnnym but not having any luck


damn hard headed old man probably sitting on the couch farting up a storm right now as we speak

LMAO!


...Or blue

All the rooms on the third floor had red lights!

Wedding DJ
Client: Bride, Groom
Total Budget: $15,000 - $30,000

VS

Party DJ
Client: Promoters, Regular People
Total Budget: $500 - $3000

The standards applied to one does not necessarily apply to the other. These are very different markets and can not be thrown into the same basket. That would be very misleading and out of context.

but yet you can get a extra $100 out of them for 8 uplights, even if they cost you $100 each after 8 gigs with them there payed off

still think there not worth it?

Im a party dj and in my market area 1 or 2 Cheap dot led lights is standard at no additional cost. The competition and budgets are so tight, $100 can decide if a dj gets the gig or not regardless of lights.

But yes I really like uplights, its just that i would likely have to give it away at no additional cost in order to stay competitive in NYC.

In the past over here djs used to take out these big massive rigs to play to 200 people,Like it was a case of how much stuff they could get in their van,most of these guys though had next to no skills,yes they played the right music sounded ok on the mic but I always thought they were hiding behind their gear.
I started to subscribe to mobile beat mag years ago to see what happened over the other side of the pond,what I found from reading this was that the american jocks were far more buisness orientated,but the impression I got was that from a performance point of view it was allot more caberet with the tux and the master of ceromonies style,line dances and stuff.
I'm not saying thats what you guys do in fact I would really love to be a fly on the wall at one of your mobile weddings as it sound good because most of you guys seem to also put on a good technical show with the mixing etc.

I've not done a wedding for a while but the average English wedding gig from a dj point of view would go something like this......
Customer phones and books you requirements are discussed on the phone,I doubt there are many if any face to face meetings before the wedding.
The wedding,meal and best man stuff usually takes place during the afternoon with familly and close friends.
On the day the dj is required for the night event usually at a hotel
Dj turns up and sets up ready for a 7 or 7.30 start.
The guests start to arrive including some that are just coming to the night part of the wedding.
Dj plays background music till perhaps around 9 pm when the buffet is served the guests have their food.
Dj then gets the bride and groom up to say a few words,the bride and groom have their first dance the time is probably around 10pm by now.
Once the first dance is done dj cranks it up and goes into a wide range of crowd pleasing songs to hopefully fill the dancefloor till around 12/12.30.
Then its thank you very much goodnight.
An estimate of the crowd size would be around 100 to 200 people max.
The average setup would be 2 x 15 speakers sometimes bass bins
A t bar or 2 with lighting effects.
maybe smoke or haze.
This is an example of a wedding of your average person I'm sure the very rich push the boat out more.
The impression of American weddings that I get is that its a bit like what you have in the films like father of the bride,the wedding planner etc etc.

dame people in new york are cheap, not even willing to pay $100 extra? damn

i'll consider myself lucky than

Im able to achieve this look with 2 cheap led's an laser at a cost of $350 and 5min setup time.
i26.photobucket.com

that a good look, but the laser doesn't give that affect without some king of smoke or haze in the air

That's not really a good look. I would rather have 4 LED slimpars w/ dmx control for the same $350.
but I understand that it depends on the market - and Pdidy you definitely seem to put sound equipment ahead of lighting.

when taking a minimalistic approach to lighting i would choose effect over wash lighting, but of course there is no one right answer.
true, there is no competition between the two in my market, skills and sound quality trumps everything......lighting is not even a close second. but if i were a certified wedding dj my story would definitely be a lil different.

true.

the inexperienced user would have missed that detail....;)

This is a $900 laser i own.
Watchwww.youtube.com
Used it i quite a few of the clubs I play at...... bottom line....... they gave no fucks about it or any other lighting....lol

Market and region is everything....

Great lighting. People may not be as vocal on complementing you on the lighting but I guarantee it makes a big difference in setting the mood/atmosphere. I still don't get the fact of some people saying they don't need it.

That's if your MARKET DESIRES it...

I'm telling you, some cats don't WANT all them lights....

^^Truth^^



And therein lies the problem....

Boom...

Say that *ish again, they didn't hear you...

Oh, so now if Pdidy says it, it's believable?

LOL...

lol @ us using Pdidy as a point of reference when getting a 2nd opinion....

me for the EV's, you for the threshold of lighting costs...

Stick around Pdidy, you're coming in handy.

NM

Definitely a demographic thing.

^^This is what I'm talking about^^^



Quoted for truth.

If I were trying to do Weddings, or Proms, or Sweet 16's on a REGULAR basis, this would be a different story...

I never do proms, but have done a Sweet 16 or two...

Hated it.

My crowd wants to feel the bass, (or I want them to), and hear the mix....That's it.

Boom.

It's a reality.

The ONLY time I know someone would want lights is IF I was to do some teenybopper thing where

1.) The CHAPERONES would want the place lit up as much as possible to keep an eye on those hormone enraged kids....

2.) We know the attention span of teens is slip, nil, and none, so you have to throw as much stuff at them as possible.

me and pdidy are in the same club the 67 club not to be confused with jay z's 40/40 club



you see we both own ev zxa5 & rane 62, 62 + 5 = 67……..me and you we cool & all but your not part of the club

pdidy is (Familia)


67 club woot woot

*****throws up the number 67 like gang signs*****

Watchwww.youtube.com 22 seconds in 67 CLUB WOOT WOOT

67 club WOOT WOOT----> www.bet.com

I said it once and I will say it again.


I said it once and I will say it again.

nm

your not part of the club six

your not part of the club six

67 club WOOT WOOT----> www.bet.com

DJ lights make me think about seizures >.< anyone here have epilepsy?
Watchwww.youtube.com