Mobile DJ

Smudge32

After hosting a party recently and paying £160 to a DJ who pressed a button his laptop to start a song every 4 minutes and realising I could do better, I was just wondering if anyone has any idea of the pros and cons of becoming a part time mobile DJ please?

rao_2

Maybe I don't know about DJing but I think even with using your laptop usually they would be using the software on the laptop to do live mixing. By that I mean there's separate channels and options for putting in different mixing effects, song switches, scratches, fades and so on and also cueing up requests. I've dabbled with sound editing software but that of course is different to DJing software. If they weren't doing live mixing and just letting each song run to the end you don't even really need to press a button. They could of just set up a playlist and let it run through, it'd automatically change songs. If they weren't doing live mixing but using their own songs I'd be just pay for their CD album next time.

I guess at laid-back weddings etc. where they don't want too much scratching/effects you might get away with just changing songs and cueing up requests but they probably make up for it with their audio equipment (speakers/amplifiers etc.).

I would look around on DJing websites/forums and see what they say about the software and equipment (and laptop specs) etc. you'd need and so on.

Of course if you don't want to get involved with DJing software etc. then just don't advertise yourself as the "person who presses a button every 4 minutes"

Becles

There's a little more to it than just pressing a button on the night and earning £160!

Behind the scenes, you need to do the usual business chores - marketing, advertising, client liason, accounts, buying supplies etc. The £160 will also go towards ongoing business costs such as telephones, website hosting, advertising, relevant insurances, consumables, replacing/reparing equipment, travel costs, clothing etc.

The entertainment is one of the most important things at an event. It either makes or breaks the party and no two events are the same. You need to spend time communicating with the client to find out exactly what they do want and things they don't want. As well as music, they might want to use your equipment for speeches or want you to host party games. They'll have a timetable, so you'll need to work around meals, first dances and any other specific things they want. They may ask for music you don't have, so you need to spend time finding it and purchasing it. Can be a nightmare with obscure first wedding dances! Sometimes the client supplies specific music, but you need to test it through your system as what sounds fine on a CD on their home stereo may sound rubbish played through an amp and speakers at high volume.

Bridezilla's can be a nightmare constantly ringing to check on trivial things and changing their minds. We offered request slips for tables, printed and personalised with the event details. Some brides sent bits of ribbon or fabric to ensure the paper used perfectly matched their colour scheme!

You have to negotiate with the venue and work out the best time to access rooms and set up. Sometimes you may have to set up earlier in the day and then travel back to do your gig in the evening. That adds to your time and petrol costs.

During the party you need to keep an eye on guests and work out what is working and what isn't. Being able to read the floor and play to the crowd is the hardest skill to learn, but that's what keeps the dance floor full. One week you might end up playing loads of R&B, but the next week an R&B track will clear the floor and you end up playing motown all night. Sometimes you feel you need to go against what you've been asked to play by the client. One lad had a birthday party and specified rock music only, but none of his guests liked rock music and the dance floor was empty. We had to speak to him and explain it wasn't working and said we'd try some cheesy party stuff as that's what people had been asking for. That worked and the dance floor was full, people went home happy and we actually took bookings for other gigs from guests who'd attended that night! The birthday lad was pleased we'd spoken to him and pleased his guests enjoyed it.

You also need to have good people skills especially when people have had a bit to drink. People come up and insist you put some rubbish track on that you know will kill the party or it has offensive lyrics etc. We've been threatened and stuff, but you have to learn to deal with it and difuse the situation. You also need to learn to decipher tipsy people who come up and say "have you got the one that goes "ner ner naaah naaah laaaaaa" :rotfl:

Like any job it's got it's pro's and con's. It's up to you to decide if it's worth it or not.

LIAM

"have you got the one that goes "ner ner naaah naaah laaaaaa" :rotfl:

which ones that?

Any ideas on what equipment would be a necessity to get started and where to get it from?

Becles

Off the top of my head:

stand and some sort of cover (we had a LED light curtain)
speakers
amp
mixer
lights, plus stand(s) if your main stand doesn't have a gantry
microphone
headphones
laptop
cables

We bought a lot of stuff from here - very nice guys:
http://www.djanddiscostuff.com/

Think about starting out small too. For example we had just a few cheapo lights, and then gradually upgraded them to better LED ones.

Think about how you're going to transport them too. We have a Ford Focus estate and it was a tight squeeze getting everything in but we did have huge speakers.