Mobile Dj's

[Dj Manic]

Why is it that us mobile DJ's are on the bottom of the food chain ? I don't get it yet . . . . :uhoh:

[Ohashi]

because generally you guys are seen as human jukeboxes. whether or not it's true or not is up to the individual, but from many people's experiences, that's what happens. On te other side of things, you will never see a club dj just fade a track down and bring another one up and expect to see him there again. unless the club sucks. I'm not saying that this is my opinion, but this is what i believe to be correct in the opinions of others. taht sentence's grammar was atrocious by the way. i have no excuse.

[oddnumber]

Where do you place radio DJ’s on the food chain? :devil:

[DJ Peter]

radio dj's dont mix and beat match but they do have to entertain for 3+ hours everyday with jokes not such an easy gig. but as far as dj skills probally pretty low

[romanjigga]

Mobile DJ's are not the bottom of the food change. They have to DJ all types of parties, and keep the partying going for all types of events and ocassions. They have to read the crowd of many different types and play serveal genres of music and know songs, ranging from hiphop, to salssa, to tango to country and a have massive library probrally 10 times more than a club dj who just play hiphop...If anything mobile djs are underrated....

[oddnumber]

radio dj's dont mix and beat match but they do have to entertain for 3+ hours everyday with jokes not such an easy gig. but as far as dj skills probally pretty low

Some of them do beatmach…

[DJ GloX]

I think what he meant by Radio DJ are the DJ's that are mixing while the Radio show host(s) talking and crap in between tracks.

[alterboy]

First....commercial "radio DJs" for the most part have not "DJ-ed" for a long time, they are "on-air personalities"...it is usually the engineer who plays the tracks. The on air personality doesn't really concern themselves with playlists and such, they are more concerned with announcements and news and weather and the going price of farm animals than the music.

Second... the reason mobile DJs appear to be at the bottom of the DJ heirarchy is because they are the kind of people who have their egos in check. Therefore they tend not to be shoving themselves down everyone else's throats. They are not fooling themselves by thinking they are some sort of rockstar or that anyone really gives a sh*t if they are the one DJing or not. They are more apt to DJ because they enjoy making other people happy as opposed to musically masturbating for their own gratification.

Third, if you take into account the actual ability to make a living at DJing, mobile DJs win that one hands down....mobil DJs are on top of the DJ money food chain.

Fourth, personally, I am really sick of seeing this "human jukebox" bullsh*t...every DJ out there is a human jukebox....including the revered Tiesto and whatnot...so get over yourselves already....

Fifth, I am confused as to why people who are nowhere near old enough to be in a club often speak as if they know something about them? There is a myriad of different types of clubs that employ DJs and not all of them are 100% mindless dance music....some actually play music not intended to be beatmatched...you know...uhhh.....whaddya call em? Oh yeah, SONGS!...and why do they do that? Cuz those crazy people like some of those catchy little numbers! I think we can ALL agree that if a DJ is playing club tracks (especially IN a club) and not mixing them, that is pretty weak, but to imply that everything must always be mixed is dumb and unrealistic.

Sixth, to all of you people who are disagreeing with everything I have written so far, what are you going to do when your beloved music genre dies off? Will you decide to love another one, will you reject all new music and spend the rest of your life living in the past, or will you open yourself up to all different kinds of music and grow as a human being and as a result of that openness you discover mobile DJing can be a career you get to work doing something you love?

As everyone who has ever embarked on a real DJ career outside of their bedroom and circle of friends, it is alot harder than you think it is.....being able to mix together tracks is such a small part in the whole scope of the business. You need to be part mind reader, part musical historian, part salesman, part whore, part sound engineer, part psychologist, part teacher, part light technician, and a ton of other things to be successful. To those of you who want to keep commenting on the DJ profession like it is the exclusive property of the hip hop/trance/house/club sect, take a good look around, there is alot more going on around you and you are missing it.

[Damon_Chambers]

mobile djs play craptastic music. you do get paid well for it, but you play what the "normal" people want to hear, and i label all of that music as crap.

[big timothy]

yea man....country and sh*te oldies and mtv and vh1 ....nothing good about it

[oddnumber]

First....commercial "radio DJs" for the most part have not "DJ-ed" for a long time, they are "on-air personalities"...it is usually the engineer who plays the tracks. The on air personality doesn't really concern themselves with playlists and such, they are more concerned with announcements and news and weather and the going price of farm animals than the music.

Second... the reason mobile DJs appear to be at the bottom of the DJ heirarchy is because they are the kind of people who have their egos in check. Therefore they tend not to be shoving themselves down everyone else's throats. They are not fooling themselves by thinking they are some sort of rockstar or that anyone really gives a sh*t if they are the one DJing or not. They are more apt to DJ because they enjoy making other people happy as opposed to musically masturbating for their own gratification.

Third, if you take into account the actual ability to make a living at DJing, mobile DJs win that one hands down....mobil DJs are on top of the DJ money food chain.

Fourth, personally, I am really sick of seeing this "human jukebox" bullsh*t...every DJ out there is a human jukebox....including the revered Tiesto and whatnot...so get over yourselves already....

Fifth, I am confused as to why people who are nowhere near old enough to be in a club often speak as if they know something about them? There is a myriad of different types of clubs that employ DJs and not all of them are 100% mindless dance music....some actually play music not intended to be beatmatched...you know...uhhh.....whaddya call em? Oh yeah, SONGS!...and why do they do that? Cuz those crazy people like some of those catchy little numbers! I think we can ALL agree that if a DJ is playing club tracks (especially IN a club) and not mixing them, that is pretty weak, but to imply that everything must always be mixed is dumb and unrealistic.

Sixth, to all of you people who are disagreeing with everything I have written so far, what are you going to do when your beloved music genre dies off? Will you decide to love another one, will you reject all new music and spend the rest of your life living in the past, or will you open yourself up to all different kinds of music and grow as a human being and as a result of that openness you discover mobile DJing can be a career you get to work doing something you love?

As everyone who has ever embarked on a real DJ career outside of their bedroom and circle of friends, it is alot harder than you think it is.....being able to mix together tracks is such a small part in the whole scope of the business. You need to be part mind reader, part musical historian, part salesman, part whore, part sound engineer, part psychologist, part teacher, part light technician, and a ton of other things to be successful. To those of you who want to keep commenting on the DJ profession like it is the exclusive property of the hip hop/trance/house/club sect, take a good look around, there is alot more going on around you and you are missing it.


There is a lot of true in what you said but to quote you DJ’s are part teachers. They dig for rarest songs and search for new and upcoming artists and then they teach people about it. By playing top 40 and oldies you are totally neglecting that part of DJ-ing.

Also, there are mobile DJ’s who are doing it for love of making people happy but most of them are in just for the money…meaning they are not part historians, not part technician, not part psychologist but full time whores (except few)...

[Rabid Wombat]

hahahaha... musically masterbating!!!

[DJ Coalescence]

First....commercial "radio DJs" for the most part have not "DJ-ed" for a long time, they are "on-air personalities"...it is usually the engineer who plays the tracks. The on air personality doesn't really concern themselves with playlists and such, they are more concerned with announcements and news and weather and the going price of farm animals than the music.

I agree 100% with this. It is the music director that usually programs the music.

Second... the reason mobile DJs appear to be at the bottom of the DJ heirarchy is because they are the kind of people who have their egos in check. Therefore they tend not to be shoving themselves down everyone else's throats. They are not fooling themselves by thinking they are some sort of rockstar or that anyone really gives a sh*t if they are the one DJing or not. They are more apt to DJ because they enjoy making other people happy as opposed to musically masturbating for their own gratification.

Nope. I have found mobile DJ's, especially the younger ones, to be the most ego driven. But lets not digress, all DJ's are capible of getting DJ ego.

Third, if you take into account the actual ability to make a living at DJing, mobile DJs win that one hands down....mobil DJs are on top of the DJ money food chain.

I agree if you are talking per capita numbers. A mobil DJ makes more then most club DJs. But, you can make more @ the higher levels of mobil DJing. (Oakenfold is an example. A very unlikely example, but a good one)

Fourth, personally, I am really sick of seeing this "human jukebox" bullsh*t...every DJ out there is a human jukebox....including the revered Tiesto and whatnot...so get over yourselves already....

No, I dont see this as being the case. We all spin music, just differently.

Fifth, I am confused as to why people who are nowhere near old enough to be in a club often speak as if they know something about them? There is a myriad of different types of clubs that employ DJs and not all of them are 100% mindless dance music....some actually play music not intended to be beatmatched...you know...uhhh.....whaddya call em? Oh yeah, SONGS!...and why do they do that? Cuz those crazy people like some of those catchy little numbers! I think we can ALL agree that if a DJ is playing club tracks (especially IN a club) and not mixing them, that is pretty weak, but to imply that everything must always be mixed is dumb and unrealistic.

I agree with you. There is little use for beat matching in a mobil DJ setting, like weddings. "Doood, the DJ is beat matching enya! Awesome!!!!" Now highschools, some kids to expect that. BTW, all HS dj's suck. :P Well, thats what the kids say.... :lol:

Sixth, to all of you people who are disagreeing with everything I have written so far, what are you going to do when your beloved music genre dies off? Will you decide to love another one, will you reject all new music and spend the rest of your life living in the past, or will you open yourself up to all different kinds of music and grow as a human being and as a result of that openness you discover mobile DJing can be a career you get to work doing something you love?

Adapt. Thats the best idea...

As everyone who has ever embarked on a real DJ career outside of their bedroom and circle of friends, it is alot harder than you think it is.....being able to mix together tracks is such a small part in the whole scope of the business. You need to be part mind reader, part musical historian, part salesman, part whore, part sound engineer, part psychologist, part teacher, part light technician, and a ton of other things to be successful. To those of you who want to keep commenting on the DJ profession like it is the exclusive property of the hip hop/trance/house/club sect, take a good look around, there is alot more going on around you and you are missing it.

I agree.

Good post, for the most part. :P

[Dj Manic]

There's a lot of profit involved in the mobile DJ business, that's for sure, but one has to work a lot for it. Many Dj's that start up as mobile seldom have any time to practice ( since they have to juggle business and school while still having something resembling a social life . . . . and being successful at all three of'em, believe me, it's not easy ). Also, a lot of the younger Mobile DJ's really lack any instruction on how to do something else other than fading in and out. I had the luck of having a couple of DJ's friends of some friends teach me some basics. Also, since many of these young mobile DJ's still get paid the same amount for fading in and out, they really don't strive to step their game up since seldom are beatmatching skills really appreciated.

[Pecka]

The reason I think that mobile DJ's are lower down the food chain has to do with musical integrity. They're being paid to play whatever the person who hired them wants them to play (hence the human jukebox comments).

Club DJ's and even bedroom DJ's are (hopefully) playing what THEY want to play, not what they're being told to play.

I know a lot of you will disagree with this and say that club DJ's are just playing what they're told to play as well, but I don't think this is the case. Normally it works the other way in this situation, if a DJ already plays a style of music that suits the club, then they'll get a gig there, not get a gig first, then play music to fit the club.

But don't get me wrong, I reckon mobile DJ would be a sweet job. Gettin paid to make people have a good time, sounds pretty sweet to me. I just don't think that you could really call yourself a musician or an artist, whereas I'd happily call good club DJ's musicians. So that's where people's lack of respect stems from in my opinion.

[DJ FatMaster]

mobile djs play craptastic music. you do get paid well for it, but you play what the "normal" people want to hear, and i label all of that music as crap.

That is the most ignorant stupid statement I have ever heard in my history of being on this forum. Do you actually read what you type? YOu just demoted millions of people around the world because they are "normal"? Because mobile DJs play "normal people music" Sorry I didn't realize that all you and your high and mighty pals play music created by Gods which isn't appropriate for mere "normals..."


My gosh... :banghead:


:dj: FAT

[Dj Manic]

I just don't think that you could really call yourself a musician or an artist, whereas I'd happily call good club DJ's musicians. So that's where people's lack of respect stems from in my opinion.

I dont' think ANY type of DJ is really considered a "musician" and I'm sorry if this offends any high and mighty here but I don't think it's an art either, I see it as a skill. Dj's don't make music ( . . now . .i'm not counting DJ / Producers . . . when they produce music they dont' do it as DJ's . .they do it as producers ) , they just play what's already been pre-recorded.

And I dunno yo , for the most part, Mobile DJ's are just bedroom DJ's that take it a step further. :spin:

[btu2001]

That is the most ignorant stupid statement I have ever heard in my history of being on this forum. Do you actually read what you type? YOu just demoted millions of people around the world because they are "normal"? Because mobile DJs play "normal people music" Sorry I didn't realize that all you and your high and mighty pals play music created by Gods which isn't appropriate for mere "normals..."


My gosh... :banghead:


:dj: FAT

I think this is what was referred to as the "DJ Ego".

[alterboy]

I dont' think ANY type of DJ is really considered a "musician" and I'm sorry if this offends any high and mighty here but I don't think it's an art either, I see it as a skill. Dj's don't make music ( . . now . .i'm not counting DJ / Producers . . . when they produce music they dont' do it as DJ's . .they do it as producers ) , they just play what's already been pre-recorded.

And I dunno yo , for the most part, Mobile DJ's are just bedroom DJ's that take it a step further. :spin:

Nice post.

[betson]

mobile djs play craptastic music. you do get paid well for it, but you play what the "normal" people want to hear, and i label all of that music as crap.

dissapointing comment, pretty ignorant.

Sh*t, I hate country/mainstream sh*t, but you've gotta have some respect for all music, someone likes it somewhere.

[betson]

I dont' think ANY type of DJ is really considered a "musician" and I'm sorry if this offends any high and mighty here but I don't think it's an art either, I see it as a skill. Dj's don't make music ( . . now . .i'm not counting DJ / Producers . . . when they produce music they dont' do it as DJ's . .they do it as producers ) , they just play what's already been pre-recorded.

And I dunno yo , for the most part, Mobile DJ's are just bedroom DJ's that take it a step further. :spin:

Turntablism is the closest a DJ will get to being a musician. I've seen cut chemist put a rubber band on the tonearm, he moved the arm to create different tension on the band and played it like a guitar.

I have yet to meet any DJ, club or mobile that didn't start in the bedroom.

[Method2125]

You know, I never knew I was on the bottom rung. But you know what? I don't care. Sure, I'd love to be what some people here consider to be a "real" DJ. But, I can't justify the cost for it right now. Being a mobile DJ is a sound investment. I've paid off the business, I've taken vacations on my income, I'm remodeling my house with the income, and I'm investing for retirement with my mobile DJ income.

I would play house if I could, but crowds around here just don't dig that. I play what gets them on the floor and dancing. And I do that, consistently. Probably seven out of the last ten gigs I've done I've had people at the dances come and tell me that it was the best dance they'd ever been to. I personally don't give a rats ass what other DJ's think about me. When clients keep referring new customers to me, I know that I'm doing something right. If I didn't do a good job, the biggest mobile DJ outfit in town wouldn't call me to either take contracts or come and run shows on their equipment.

So, I guess if i'm making good bank, I'm putting away for retirement, I'm going on vacation, and I'm remodeling my house on my mobile DJ income, I'm ok with being on the bottom rung.

[NodozFi2eak]

I have yet to meet any DJ, club or mobile that didn't start in the bedroom.

i didn't have a choice.. i couldn't start in my bedroom... (it's too small) i just set everything up in my living room.. :devil:

joking aside... every dj are still bedroom dj's... we just play at gigs to take a break.. ]

[LunchieTey]

I love being a mobile DJ :dance:
Even we/I can beatmix,sometimes the crowds you play for are right into that sort of thing and the oldies go to bed nice and early! :sleep: Theres been heaps of gigs where I've been able to do a 10 song trance set for the 18-25's that are there till the venue closes.
It really is a rewarding experience to have a bride and groom call you the next week(on returning from their shag-fest honeymoon) to thank you for making their wedding so much fun,and having many of their friends ask for your details to do their birthdays/weddings etc.It really is very hard to get a room full of 3 generations+ of people you don't know,and play songs that make MOST of them dance for 3 hours+. I'd say that it's a skill in itself and should be recognised-we have to perform AND entertain too. Mix in a bit of MC'ing and we're part 'radio DJ' too! I've even had to be the DJ on an 40k watt system for 3500 people at a 'D&D' ball cause I'm good at getting 'joe public' to dance.
I started doing parties and dances and beatmixing trance with my mates and getting as many substances into my body as possible,but the cost of all this sweet gear I was collecting made me wonder why I didn't do it for cash!
I'd say a mobile DJ is probably the evolution of 'real' dj's who just went a different way,or just didn't have standout skills to work in good clubs.I rarely ever play what I actually listen to at gigs,but I'm fine with that-even club DJ's play what their audience(and club owners) want(s) and will adjust(even slightly) to what the crowd responds to. And don't think that most of us listen to 80's pop in the car or at home(i've encoded cd's to mp3 and then just stuck it in the rack,never to be opened again!)!
I now work as a semi-full time mobile DJ with a matching car/trailer with 17" rims on both and signwriting on my trailer. I'm not at all ashamed to ask for money to play what people want-They didn't invest $20k+ on cd/s and gear did they?(and another 4k on a custom trailer and signwriting!)

[Dj Jag]

radio dj's dont mix and beat match but they do have to entertain for 3+ hours everyday with jokes not such an easy gig. but as far as dj skills probally pretty low

:stupid:
hell why would they even call themselves djs? stupid them

[kmix]

wow, all i can say is that there appears to be a lot of ignorance out there!!!! first off alterboy had a really nice and fairly accurate points on the difference between the club and the mobile djs..Both are different skills and the people who master the skills are often rewarded on both sides,by the way a lot of people now expect beat matching ,mobil or otherwise...one thing for sure (and i have seen it time and time again)really good mobil djs have an easier time going to the club and really rockin it than club dj has tryin to go mobil..

[DJSAL]

haha, "mobile DJs on the bottem of the food chain..."

Mobile DJ pay 4 hours : $400-$700 ($900-$1200 weddings)
Club DJ pay 6 hours: $200-500

Also, work presents itself to mobile DJs more often then club DJs... for instance, I worked 3 parties this weekend, 2 graduations, and a kiddie party. Maybe club DJ is more glamerouse then mobile DJing, and I am not being "true to the musc" or "selling out" by doing 75th birthday parties and 1st communions... but I like to find common ground where hobbie and business can meet in the middle.

Djing is not only about the beat mix, its about reading the crowd, and being creative.
Additionally as a mobile DJ, I feel challenged by having to know all different types of music. I can spin some great old school hip hop sets, some great house sets, but you know what? I can also spin some kick ass disco and funk sets... big band, latin, 50s you name it!

[DJ D3CIB3L]

dj sal- where are you located? not in new york are you?

[Dj Manic]

What I meant by the "bottom of the food chain" was that a lot of DJ's in this forum regard us as being sell outs with no skill that do nothing more than fade in and out.

[DJSAL]

Yeah I am in New York... Long Island.

[DJ D3CIB3L]

I see. So am I. You wouldnt happen to be dj sal of 2 plus 2 entertainment would you? Im not quite sure but it never hurt to ask.

[DJSAL]

Nah gee, I am DJ Sal of Sonicboom DJ entertainment, Variety Music, Ace DJs... and a bunch of other companys. Yo, do you have your own setup? Are you booked up this summer? can you do a one man show? PM me dude.

[Ohashi]

another thing taht can be said for mobile dj's is that they have to know a lot more technical sound stuff. Generaly, a club DJ won't know about bridging amps, crossovers and such, only "this fader makes the music louder" (<---exageration). The people at the Prosoundweb forum don't really like club DJ's because of their lack of technical knowledge. They say that the DJ's they have worked with consistently push the volume into the red zone, which means distortion. Mobil DJ's won't do that because it harms their system. Basically what I'm saying is that Mobile DJ's are not only DJ's, but Sound Technician, Lighting Technician, and Manager rolled up into one.

[djmusicman]

for radio host (commercial radio), they dont have the authority to play songs they want.
as for the interpretation of mobile dj being at the bottom chain: we are not human juke box, we are still djs like any other dj. we entertain, we play for any group age, any style of music just like a club dj except we dont have any restriction to play the type of music we want and make our own party rules with out having the club managers on our ass to tell us what we can or cannot do.

Originally Posted by Damon_Chambers
mobile djs play craptastic music. you do get paid well for it, but you play what the "normal" people want to hear, and i label all of that music as crap.

i totally agree with mixnmik, it was a very ignorant post, he obviously dont seem whats it like to be a mobile dj.

[dj_hektik]

I dont' think ANY type of DJ is really considered a "musician" and I'm sorry if this offends any high and mighty here but I don't think it's an art either, I see it as a skill. Dj's don't make music ( . . now . .i'm not counting DJ / Producers . . . when they produce music they dont' do it as DJ's . .they do it as producers ) , they just play what's already been pre-recorded.

And I dunno yo , for the most part, Mobile DJ's are just bedroom DJ's that take it a step further. :spin:

i dunno about that.

Musicians, maybe not, but definitely artists. Musical taste is (imho) much more important than perfect beatmatching. Choosing the right song for the moment, dropping it at the right point, thats art, not skill. beatmatching, pitch bending, and live remixing is skill, but its useless without the musical taste to beatmatch the perfect track for the moment, so in other words, a good DJ imo is both an artist and highly skilled technician. Just like any art, really. You can be the most skilled painter in the world but what use is that if you can't choose colours?

And btw, i think some DJ's are definitely musicians. listen to great turntablists (imo the x-ecutioners are amazing) and then tell me they are not creating new music with their decks and mixers.

[Ohashi]

Turntablists don't really count as DJ's anymore, they take it so much farther than just playing music that the simple "DJ" name thing doesn't really cut it. <---Pretty much taken from ishkur's guide to electronic music.

[DJ MR.G.]

haha, "mobile DJs on the bottem of the food chain..."

Mobile DJ pay 4 hours : $400-$700 ($900-$1200 weddings)
Club DJ pay 6 hours: $200-500

Also, work presents itself to mobile DJs more often then club DJs... for instance, I worked 3 parties this weekend, 2 graduations, and a kiddie party. Maybe club DJ is more glamerouse then mobile DJing, and I am not being "true to the musc" or "selling out" by doing 75th birthday parties and 1st communions... but I like to find common ground where hobbie and business can meet in the middle.

Djing is not only about the beat mix, its about reading the crowd, and being creative.
Additionally as a mobile DJ, I feel challenged by having to know all different types of music. I can spin some great old school hip hop sets, some great house sets, but you know what? I can also spin some kick ass disco and funk sets... big band, latin, 50s you name it!
Your so on the the money with this post.
I'm a Club & Mobile DJ and DJing is what I do for a living as well.
I like doing the mobile jobs best, do to the fact in the club you have just about the same people there every weekend. Also I make more money doing mobile gigs. As for being on the bottom of the food chain its not bad down here. So if you like making money COME ON DOWN THE PRICE IS RIGHT. :dance:

[Hygro]

Mobile DJ pay 4 hours : $400-$700 ($900-$1200 weddings)
Club DJ pay 6 hours: $200-500

But club DJs don't need to spend as much. No lighting, no big speakers, no effects machines (fog, bubbles, or otherwise), a lot less music (specialized into the various genres of their choice, not to please every kind of crowd) etc.

Plus, I think club DJs have more social mobility too--when they get big they start commanding thousands of dollars a gig and paid flights.

[davidjones@a2zm]

this is very funny to me :dance: i have done both , i love both. you make alot more money as a mobile!!! 2x or even 3x as much! at clubs people are there and the are DRUNK! :smash: AS LONG AS THERE IS SOME TYPE OF DECENT MUSIC THEY WILL DANCE!
a mobile has a cold room he must read and interact with. most club jocks can't and don't speak. :uhoh: alot of bedroom dj's can throw together a set or two in a club. in a mobile situation you better have your sh*t together or you won't eat (no $$).

the real difference is that mobiles don't play what they want, when they want. you -must- play along the lines of what the client request.

in a club you can play what you want but it better be good and a good mixture :dj:

peace and love to all ... CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG! :cry: :kleenex:

[davidjones@a2zm]

--when they get big they start commanding thousands of dollars a gig and paid flights.

VERY FEW !!! NOT MANY CELEBRITY DJ'S :teef: MOST CLUB DJ'S GET BETWEEN $100-$200 A NIGHT (WITH OR WITHOUT DRINKS)

[DJSAL]

this is very funny to me :dance: i have done both , i love both. you make alot more money as a mobile!!! 2x or even 3x as much! at clubs people are there and the are DRUNK! :smash: AS LONG AS THERE IS SOME TYPE OF DECENT MUSIC THEY WILL DANCE!
a mobile has a cold room he must read and interact with. most club jocks can't and don't speak. :uhoh: alot of bedroom dj's can throw together a set or two in a club. in a mobile situation you better have your sh*t together or you won't eat (no $$).

the real difference is that mobiles don't play what they want, when they want. you -must- play along the lines of what the client request.

in a club you can play what you want but it better be good and a good mixture :dj:

peace and love to all ... CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG! :cry: :kleenex:


best post in this thread

[davidjones@a2zm]

with all due respect... when all you dance dj's grow up (get older) you will look back at think "what was that" as far as your music preference. real music has lyrics and isn't so "looped". people actually play instruments etc.

all the producers and creators of the "dance" music all grew up and appreciate real music even if you don't. don't limit yourself in music... i love alot of different music.

oh yea... it's not my job to "break" music. any dj with exp. knows people won't dance to a song that don't know. they will listen,and may even "dig" it.

when i did club gigs , those "new" songs were played early in the evening to judge reaction (take notes kids) :banghead:

[Borky]

So you suggest "newer", less heard about songs be kept out of mobile gigs? It's an important piece of advice if its true..

[texasmade1983]

:badger: i beg to differ about new songs.....i belive if you know your crowds and you feel that the record (new song) that you have will do well, then use it......I do, i started playing that Damn song from the youngbloods 3months before it came out because i liked the song and i knew it would suit the crowds i was playing for.....all you have to do is study the crowd, and know your music.....a real "DJ" can make magic from anything........you just have to learn when and where to use it.....

As for Mobile vs Club.....

Mobile pays more, but you have to carry around equipment and purchase it in the first place.....and you have to make sure you advertise, and get those gigs...

Clubs- They get ya known, and maybe some radio play here and there, and you can meet some good contacts beacuse of that....but pay SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!

So they both have their pros and cons....
just depends what direction your wanting to move in!

[Ohashi]

with all due respect... when all you dance dj's grow up (get older) you will look back at think "what was that" as far as your music preference. real music has lyrics and isn't so "looped". people actually play instruments etc.

all the producers and creators of the "dance" music all grew up and appreciate real music even if you don't. don't limit yourself in music... i love alot of different music.

oh yea... it's not my job to "break" music. any dj with exp. knows people won't dance to a song that don't know. they will listen,and may even "dig" it.

when i did club gigs , those "new" songs were played early in the evening to judge reaction (take notes kids) :banghead:

i thought that this post was as ignorant as some of the dj's bashing mobile dj's...

the idea of "real music" having lyrics is bullshit. jazz. 'nuff said.

i think most dj's listen to more than what they spin. a lot more. i know i do, and it just seems logical. the stuff i listen to and the stuff i spin are basically on opposite sides of the music spectrum. I'm a house dj, but i listen to a whole lot of hip-hop (some call it trip-hop, but that's just stupid) and general independent stuff.

as for not playing tracks theat haven't been heard before, that's bullshit as well. last time i checked, that was actually the job of a dj.

that's how top40 stuff becomes top40 stuff dude, some radio dj heard the Gorillaz's "Feel Good Inc.", they played it somewhere, and bam, now you hear it everywhere. (or heard it i guess)

dj's and other forms of music enthusiasts always will hear the "good tracks" first, and they are a big role in making sure that those tracks make it to the top40 charts.

[LunchieTey]

Yes a DJ can create local followings for certain tunes or get a positive reaction from playing an as yet unpopular single/track from an artist before it becomes widely popular but I have to say make little impact on the rise of a tune to 'TOP 40' status in the music industry.
Radio DJ's don't put anything on the air themselves(commercial at least). The record companies release the single and push it. You say that's how it gets on the top 40(DJ playing it first)? Don't think so. The record company releases this 'new' track(been out on an album no doubt for 2-6 months) which is in turn played as a 'hot new track' from some artist and then gets voted into subsequent top 40 lists by 15yr old girls with daddy's mobile phone.Don't forget TV ads with subsequent ties to the artists 'new' album and frequent airplay on music TV.
The track you quoted "feel good inc" was not 'heard somewhere' by some radio DJ,The record company who produced it has used their cash and weight in the music industry to get it air time/exposure on radio and TV before 250million Americans were exposed to it in the mainstream. It didn't get popular in clubs first. The only genres of music that probably gets club exposure first would be trance etc,and even then,they only become 'top 40' material AFTER music execs decide to release it complete with music video on radio/tv.
The DJ himself on the radio DID NOT suggest this new hit himself,he just plays what they(producers) tell him and puts a few one-liners in to sound cool.The record companies PAY MONEY to release tracks and have little parties and all that crap upon release. Mobile DJ's(that's the forum we're under right now) have so very little to do with a Top 40 tune's popularity it's not even worth considering.
A well known club DJ playing at VERY popular 'IT' venues can introduce new tunes into his/her set and spark some popularity there and if it's also brought out by other DJ's all over the place then yes it will get a following.TOP 40(mainstream) however is driven by radio and MTV/Video Hits/Channel V etc,NOT Mobile/Club DJ's.
If you are at a gig playing for Joe/Jane Public,they want to hear stuff they know including recent additions to the top 40. If you play something that is just too new,I'm sure more often than not,the reaction will be a little stale-people can't sing and dance along if they've never heard it.
Mobile DJ's need to focus more on the most impact and popularity in his/her sets to please the customer as much as possible. It is not the mobile DJ's responsibility to start new top 40 followings at weddings and birthdays.

[davidjones@a2zm]

you are living fairy tales if you think a bunch of dj's broke "feels good"
MONEY MAKES HITZ!!! Jermaine Dupri had Alicia Keys signed a long time ago and had her on Xmas albums from so-so def and some other dance (r+b) type stuff. It wasn't until Clive Davis ($$$$) heard her (not some dj) and signed her to his label and pretty much told the industry (radio,video)-you will play her- !! Influence!!! there are exception but now days not that many. A local artist can still get local play (if they are very lucky) and maybe if the right -industry- guy hear's them they will get "looked at" and even then if they don't look or present themselves as marketable, they won't sniff success. the guerilla's were clever with the whole cartoon thing because it took the focus off their looks and put it on the music. MUSIC NOWADAYS IS A BUSINESS. As a dj you are to play the hits!! I had -right thurr- by chingy 6 months before it hit. i liked the beat and maybe would have played the beat under 50 "in da club" pella but no way was i gonna risk a packed floor with a track no one has ever heard of. DANCEFLOOR GONE!! Boss looking at you like "what the hell is this?" Play the up and comers EARLY (9pm- 10:30) and test them on those losers that started getting dressed to go out about 5:30 (???) I used to play the jams at the peak of the evening. Not some track i thought was cool. MIX CD'S BREAK MUSIC!!! thats why they are so hott!!

oh yea JAZZ does not have words BUT is it original thought out music. Not looped with riffs and samples dropped in it.

there is not one exp. DJ that would disagree with what i have wrote tonight. :dance: Music is a business... people dancing to there favorite songs sells drinks (rotating the floor)

you go to a club and play your newest "i think this may be a hit" :uhoh:
and watch the results and i will go right behind you and play 1 set...

50- disco inferno
the game - hate or love it
usher - yeah (dj speed rmx)
and end it with Missy -lose control...

i would throw it back to you at 125bpm to start your next dance music set with a packed floor !!! :dj:

[Ohashi]

ok, radio dj'ing was a bad example i admit.

BUT playing new stuff in the club is what separates the regular dj's from the kick ass dj's. Because DJ'ing is not just about playing the hit tracks, it's about playing the RIGHT tracks.

Check out the "Brainfreeze" mixes. that stuff NO ONE's heard before, and holy crap does that mix move the floor.

DJ's are supposed to have the ear for good tracks, they know what will rock the floor, and what won't, so if they're good, they can play tracks that no one's heard before and have the crowd love it just as though they're rocking out to the mainstream stuff.

sure you can stick with 50 cent and all that stuff, stick with the tried and true, but the best DJ's are the ones who dig.

"It's not going to make a bad dj good, but it makes a good dj great" - DJ Shadow

and plus, chingy sucks.

[JBtheDJ]

Yes a DJ can create local followings for certain tunes or get a positive reaction from playing an as yet unpopular single/track from an artist before it becomes widely popular but I have to say make little impact on the rise of a tune to 'TOP 40' status in the music industry.
Radio DJ's don't put anything on the air themselves(commercial at least). The record companies release the single and push it. You say that's how it gets on the top 40(DJ playing it first)? Don't think so. The record company releases this 'new' track(been out on an album no doubt for 2-6 months) which is in turn played as a 'hot new track' from some artist and then gets voted into subsequent top 40 lists by 15yr old girls with daddy's mobile phone.Don't forget TV ads with subsequent ties to the artists 'new' album and frequent airplay on music TV.
The track you quoted "feel good inc" was not 'heard somewhere' by some radio DJ,The record company who produced it has used their cash and weight in the music industry to get it air time/exposure on radio and TV before 250million Americans were exposed to it in the mainstream. It didn't get popular in clubs first. The only genres of music that probably gets club exposure first would be trance etc,and even then,they only become 'top 40' material AFTER music execs decide to release it complete with music video on radio/tv.
The DJ himself on the radio DID NOT suggest this new hit himself,he just plays what they(producers) tell him and puts a few one-liners in to sound cool.The record companies PAY MONEY to release tracks and have little parties and all that crap upon release. Mobile DJ's(that's the forum we're under right now) have so very little to do with a Top 40 tune's popularity it's not even worth considering.
A well known club DJ playing at VERY popular 'IT' venues can introduce new tunes into his/her set and spark some popularity there and if it's also brought out by other DJ's all over the place then yes it will get a following.TOP 40(mainstream) however is driven by radio and MTV/Video Hits/Channel V etc,NOT Mobile/Club DJ's.
If you are at a gig playing for Joe/Jane Public,they want to hear stuff they know including recent additions to the top 40. If you play something that is just too new,I'm sure more often than not,the reaction will be a little stale-people can't sing and dance along if they've never heard it.
Mobile DJ's need to focus more on the most impact and popularity in his/her sets to please the customer as much as possible. It is not the mobile DJ's responsibility to start new top 40 followings at weddings and birthdays.



As a radio dj, you didn't get it quite right on the whole "how songs get on the air" thing right, but that's ok.

As a club/wedding dj, you are right when you say that wedding guys aren't in the business of breaking new music.

In general, unless you're in a club and people come to the club with the mindset of dancing to trip hop, trance and other crap, your typical, everyday, mainstream, common folk, who make up 90% of the country, don't dance to stuff they don't know. If they've never heard it, they ain't gonna dance to it.

[Hygro]

So true, but so depressing.

[DjMixEm]

Well first a little about me. Ive been In the indrustry for 2 years now. and I started as a Mobile DJ, Now I work Mainly in nite clubs and pubs across Victoria. In regards to Mobile DJs being " the bottom of the food chain" I belive this is untrue. Sure I guess it would be a common place for "bedroom" / beginer DJ's to start there carrer, shit Thats where and how I started!! but at the end of the day. I Prefer mobile work than the whole pub / niteclub scene! I'm not a human jukebox btw. I can beatmatch and mix in various ways. and that is proven by the club work I do because I keep getting more and more work in clubs. but that all aside, mixing isnt wht makes a DJ. I believe that Song choice is mainly what matters and also Mic Skills which amount to how entertaining you are at a Gig. If people are dancing and remain dancing all night no matter how bad the transitions you make then you in my opion are a good DJ. I am starting a Mobile DJ Business Shorty as there is esspecialy where I live, a Massive demand for the mobile DJ that no one is servicing, as every other DJ is so focused on the "big time" in Nite Clubs! there is alot of money to be made in the mobile side of things. sure if you love the feeling and I do of 100's of people dancing to your handy work at a club I can unterstand that being a mobile DJ isn't for you. but at the end of the day we are all selling a service and if our customers are happy then we are all DJ's and should not be ranked based on the niche we choose....... :dj:

[davidjones@a2zm]

So True. It's All Good!

[Method2125]

sure if you love the feeling and I do of 100's of people dancing to your handy work at a club I can unterstand that being a mobile DJ isn't for you.


I'd love to have 100's of people dancing to my handywork at a club, but I'll take 75-150 people dancing to my handywork and $500 in my pocket at the end of the night!

And you're absolutely right, in my opinion. Being able to mix and beatmatch is a great skill to have, but knowing what song to play and when to play it is so much more important, especially for a mobile DJ.

-Mike

[JBtheDJ]

If mobile dj is the bottom of the food chain, all I can say is that I'm eating a whole better than the top of the food chain.

I get tipped after one event what some club guys make in a night.

[Method2125]

I get tipped after one event what some club guys make in a night.

Is that pretty common for mobiles to get tipped at weddings and things out there? Around here it happens pretty infrequently. Every once in a while the bride and groom will give me from a $25-50 dollar tip, but it doesn't happen really often. I never get tips from the crowd even though I've heard them commenting on what a great job I'm doing. I dunno, guess it's just a different mentality for the crowds around here. :mad:

-Mike

[JBtheDJ]

Is that pretty common for mobiles to get tipped at weddings and things out there? Around here it happens pretty infrequently. Every once in a while the bride and groom will give me from a $25-50 dollar tip, but it doesn't happen really often. I never get tips from the crowd even though I've heard them commenting on what a great job I'm doing. I dunno, guess it's just a different mentality for the crowds around here. :mad:

-Mike


I don't get tipped at every event, but every couple of events, I'll get thrown a bone or 2. It's funny, after a while, you get used to getting tipped. You get pissed when you get a small one. I'd rather get nothing than get $20. Best tip was $800.00 and a case of assorted booze. My average tip is about $120.00.

But the rule is this......NEVER work for a tip. Do a kick ass job because it's your job. Never expect a tip, always be gracious, don't look at right then, wait til later. AND FOR GOD'S SAKE.....NEVER PUT OUT A TIP JAR!!!!!

[Mr Blobby]

lol yer, thats well stuck up. makes u look like a right prat. i never dun it but i went 2 a gig once and some1 did it and i was like :spank: :monkey:

[Hally2k]

Mobile Djs are like jipzees! :devil:

[Hally2k]

I don't get tipped at every event, but every couple of events, I'll get thrown a bone or 2. It's funny, after a while, you get used to getting tipped. You get pissed when you get a small one. I'd rather get nothing than get $20. Best tip was $800.00 and a case of assorted booze. My average tip is about $120.00.

But the rule is this......NEVER work for a tip. Do a kick ass job because it's your job. Never expect a tip, always be gracious, don't look at right then, wait til later. AND FOR GOD'S SAKE.....NEVER PUT OUT A TIP JAR!!!!!

I wouldnt embarres myself and put out a tip jar it looks like a homeless on the street!

name your price and play for your set time, best way and if ure good im

[ComicDJ]

Mobile DJ's vs. Club DJ's vs. Radio DJ's vs. musicians...

All different things, all different skills. Been a mobile DJ for 12 years. Wouldn't trade it for club work, not my skill. As for being a bottom-feeder, if that's what I get to be called while I make up to $2000 a weekend during wedding season, then I'm a bottom-feeder. At least I'll have something new to laugh about every time I'm getting paid $200 an hour while I eat filet mignon. Does it make me any less a DJ? make people happy, get paid well.

For the mobile jocks, it is very often what happens BETWEEN the songs that makes him/her a good DJ. We've all got (for the most part) the same music. Most of our work is READING the crowd and knowing what to play (and what NOT), and when to play it. I hear stories (from banquet managers) about DJ's who play heavy, fast music (LOUDLY) during dinner, and are clueless about how to work a crowd.

Remember: EVERY ladder has a bottom rung.

As for radio, did it for 10 years as on-air/producer. It's a 'personality' in many cases. Some of the famous ones wouldn't know how to run a tight board if their lives depended on it.