I don't care what anyone says, mobile DJ'ing is MUCH harder than any Club/Bar DJ'ing!

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07-04-2012, 01:24 AM
tokenasianguy

Quote:

Originally Posted by sobi

starting with what you see below, and then add on...

https://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos...737_4035_n.jpg

That's pretty impressive.

But that's not a mobile setup is it? I guess there's no reason it can't be, but it looks like a lot of work, which I guess justifies the fee.
07-04-2012, 01:40 AM
oliosky

Quote:

Originally Posted by tokenasianguy

I couldn't agree more. I've also realized that it's possible that people experience a totally different degree of difficulty from instrument to instrument, including turntables.

I know a guy that is a semi-professional drummer, but he tried DJ'ing for years and all I heard was one long trainwreck. I've also DJ'd at a friend's place, where he uses CDJ's, and I haven't used CDJ's in years, and haven't even beat-matched since I started using Traktor years ago, but I basically schooled him with his own tracks that I've never heard.

Perhaps I don't give myself the credit I deserve, because I think DJ'ing and track selection come easy for me, because at the same time, I don't think I could play the drums to save my life. I'm not stroking my own ego, but I've received praise on my track selection and programming, even if it's just an iPod playlist put on shuffle. I've often considered the fact that I have a "gift" in being able to recognize an awesome track more consistently than some people. But it still seems to me, that anyone with a vision can program tracks, and who among us doesn't have a vision?

I can definitely understand that no matter how simple I think it is, some people might not even possess the ability to just mix two tracks together or program a good set. I know when I started to DJ, I had no help whatsoever and it took me months before I could even mix two tracks seamlessly.

But is that not an art in itself? I was thinking after my last post that "art" is something that was created by you as your own artistic interpretation, and I guess mixing two songs together fits that description. But on a whole I still find "DJ'ing" or "mixing two tracks" fairly ambiguous as far as "art" is concerned. I guess whether or not "mixing" and "track selection" are considered an art, will always be open to interpretation because it's not quantifiable by any definitive terms. But I guess that's no different from trying to define the legitimacy of any "art".

Seems like a very limited view of things.

Dance is considered art. Which by a similar logic, is just essentially moving your body about to music (or not). I don't think its that far fetched to consider mixing records together a type of art as well. Watching Theo Parrish dj I'd be hard pressed to not call his performances art, or on a more extreme tip I would call the chaos that is a Gaslamp Killer show art as well. The theatre and expression of DJing definitely has artistic qualities.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ryq_...eature=related
07-04-2012, 01:52 AM
tokenasianguy

Quote:

Originally Posted by oliosky

Seems like a very limited view of things.

I can fully admit that I've had that problem all my life...Reducing things and not focusing on "essence" but instead having the dominant logical side of my brain looking at things pragmatically.
07-04-2012, 10:45 AM
sobi

Quote:

Originally Posted by tokenasianguy

That's pretty impressive.

But that's not a mobile setup is it? I guess there's no reason it can't be, but it looks like a lot of work, which I guess justifies the fee.

Yes, it is a mobile setup. Every one of those lights ends up tacking on another $50 bucks or so, that just the uplighting your seeing is worth roughly an extra $700 tacked on to the job. Want a monogramed gobo? another few hundred. Lots of money to be made just upselling lighting. Those are my rough estimations though, and that of course changes depending on your geography, demand, and type of clients you have. The above picture is from my buddies company, Correlation Productions. Probably one of the best in that field that I know of, and he can easily hang with the best club DJ's too.
07-04-2012, 11:02 AM
loverocket

Quote:

Originally Posted by oliosky

Seems like a very limited view of things.

Dance is considered art. Which by a similar logic, is just essentially moving your body about to music (or not). I don't think its that far fetched to consider mixing records together a type of art as well. Watching Theo Parrish dj I'd be hard pressed to not call his performances art, or on a more extreme tip I would call the chaos that is a Gaslamp Killer show art as well. The theatre and expression of DJing definitely has artistic qualities.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ryq_ljfph0&feature=related

This is a perfect example of performance with no substance. Play that video without the video and just crank up the audio. It's a horrible set. He doesn't know how to DJ. He's just playing random tracks without any sense of cohesion. But hey, that fine. The crowd likes it. That is what the scene is evolved into. Watch the DJ.

>
07-04-2012, 11:39 AM
tombruton69

I'm sorry for my following comments

I have done mobile djing and didnt find it too bad at all! Its all about talking to people people have a general perception of music they are going to hear at a wedding so pretty much stick to that 99 times out of 100 your ok. Its mostly about people skills Im not the greatest mc but I get by. There are some mobile dj's out there with great mc skills and that really is a skill

I like a fair bit of dance music however I find 99 out of 100 dance djs sets boring as sin with no real skill. Hip Hop all the way with other bits and pieces mixed in including dance. Seen some good dubstep routeens with some turntablism mixed in

You are not a DJ unless you can mix different genres together and make them work. Anybody with a week of tuition can mix 2 records of the same genre together.

I think commercial club djs have the hardest music selection as if you take your eye off the latest music for a week and dont have that latest song u are mince meat.
07-04-2012, 02:32 PM
oliosky

Quote:

Originally Posted by loverocket

This is a perfect example of performance with no substance. Play that video without the video and just crank up the audio. It's a horrible set. He doesn't know how to DJ. He's just playing random tracks without any sense of cohesion. But hey, that fine. The crowd likes it. That is what the scene is evolved into. Watch the DJ.

>

probably best you stick to discussions about correct bpms mate
07-04-2012, 03:40 PM
rotebass

Quote:

Originally Posted by oliosky

probably best you stick to discussions about correct bpms mate

It was funnier when you used to word "bell end". :p
07-04-2012, 11:38 PM
tokenasianguy

Quote:

Originally Posted by sobi

Yes, it is a mobile setup. Every one of those lights ends up tacking on another $50 bucks or so, that just the uplighting your seeing is worth roughly an extra $700 tacked on to the job. Want a monogramed gobo? another few hundred. Lots of money to be made just upselling lighting. Those are my rough estimations though, and that of course changes depending on your geography, demand, and type of clients you have. The above picture is from my buddies company, Correlation Productions. Probably one of the best in that field that I know of, and he can easily hang with the best club DJ's too.

Just curious, do you know the names of any of those lighting pieces? I'd love to look into it further.

With me it's hard to get people to open their wallets. I don't know if it's just the local economical climate, or if there's something in my salesmanship. I've done a pretty good job of selling people on my services, but most of the people I meet don't want to pay close to or more than $1000 for just the DJ and sound system alone so getting them to spend more or additional on lighting is even harder...Especially since there's guys on craigslist that are willing to offer the full package for $350 (true story) including lights, mics etc. and brides only seem to be interested in the bottom line price around here.

If you have any advice to get people to pay more i'd love to hear it.
07-05-2012, 12:50 AM
oliosky

Quote:

Originally Posted by rotebass

It was funnier when you used to word "bell end". :p

everything sounds funnier when "bell end" is used. Its like everything tasting better when it involves bacon.

As for the GLK. Can't DJ? Seems fairly well versed here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=px2Ssct-U1o&feature=relmfu

Can't produce either it seems.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kYkGc1MfAY

How bout those dubstep bpms bra?

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