If you have a DJ on your gift list, here are some excellent DJ gift ideas. 

Rolls Cable Detective.This little device checks every kind of cable you can think of.  When running a mobile DJ operation, one bad cable can spoil the whole bunch.  I use DMX lighting, and it consists of 9 seperate cables.  If one goes bad, the whole group is bad.  Can you imagine substituting a cord, one by one, to try to find the bad one?  Then there are mic cords, and speaker cords.  The list goes on and on.  Cords are usually the reason when something goes wrong.  This little device should be in every DJs gear bag.  Rolls equipment is always top notch.  This is one DJ gift idea that is worth every penny.  In stock  for $46.80.

 Rock N Roller Multi Cart.  Hauling equipment is not fun.  This cart makes it a lot easier.  I’ve had mine for over three years and it’s still going strong.  I’ve pulled and pushed this thing, loaded with equipment, through snow, bumps, over curbs, up hills and other unpleasant situations.  It still is going strong.  Sometimes if I load it down too much it takes a little effort to steer it (I’m probablly overloading it).  And the non-stick tape that they use on the loading service has long since ripped off.  But, in the battle to haul equipment in and out of who knows where, this thing has been a lifesaver.  I haven’t found anything better, yet, and I’m looking all the time.  When this one breathes it’s last, I’ll get another one just like it.  I love this thing.  $129.99.

Stanton DJ Pro Headphones.  When it comes to DJ headphones, you don’t want the most expensive and you don’t want the cheapest.  DJs abuse headphones too much to buy expensive ones.  And cheap ones sound… cheap.  These Stantons fill the bill with extreme high quality audio without being too expensive.  They’re rugged, so a working DJ should get several years out of them.  Stanton DJ Pro 2000S Headphones.  $89.95 

Shure SM57 Microphone. The greatest microphone of all time, and still only 99 bucks.  Used by more famous live DJs and professional musicians than any other.  The official podium mic for the President of the U.S. for 30 years.  Rugged.  Dependable.  Great sound.  Like no other.  You can’t go wrong giving this to any DJ, even if they already have one.  A true no-brainer.  $99.99 with free shipping. 

Furman M8x2 Power Conditioner.  If your DJ is a working professional, he probably has one of these already.  But if you’re looking for a DJ gift idea for someone who is making the leap from amatuer to pro, this inexpensive piece of equipment is a must.  First, it gets the cords and cables cleaned up on top of the table, for not much more than the price of a good extension cord.  Next, it protects your DJs expensive gear from power spikes; common at nightclubs, bars and ballrooms.  Last, it cleans up noise that you pick up those types of places. Buzzes, clicks, pops, hums, hisses, are all gone giving your DJ a clean, professional sound.  $54.95.

Odyssey CD Case. No matter what kind of jock you are buying a gift for, Cd’s are still “in.”  I play the majority of my music on computer, but I still keep a back up of CDs on hand in case the computer goes on the fritz.  Hauling Cd’s around is usually a pain, but not if you have this case.  Odyssey makes the best cases and racks out there.  This is a guaranteed DJ gift idea.  It holds 300 CDs.  $69.99.

ITunes Gift Card. If it’s one thing a DJ always wants more of, it’s music.  Available in $15, $25 and $50 denominations.  I prefer to buy them at Amazon. 

Gaffers Tape.  Tape?  As a gift?  Yep.  Duct tape was designed for ducts, not taping mic cords to carpet, wood floors and walls.  Gaffers tape not only holds better on carpet than duct tape, it leaves very little residue on mic and power cords.  If you’ve never tried to clean sticky gunk off of mic and power cords, than you either aren’t a DJ, or you discovered gaffers tape early on.  5 bucks cheaper at American Musical…$17.95 for a 25 yard roll.

JBL EON518S 500W 18″ Powered Subwoofer. Give your DJ the gift of bass.  This one speaker will turn a really good system into an incredible, concert quality, sound system.   Bass is “omni-directional,” which means you only need one subwoofer.   Hook this up to ANY system and  FEEL the music, not just hear it.  A great DJ gift idea with a huge impact.   $899.

If it’s one thing DJs love it’s new gear.  And you don’t need to spend a lot of money to make a DJ happy.  Spread a little holiday cheer to your favorite DJ this season!  For more great DJ gift ideas, check out www.djgiftideas.com.

There are a lot of mic cords out there.  Some are good.  Some aren’t.  Over the years it seems that I’ve owned at least one of everything.  One thing is for sure, I’ve owned cheap mic cables and I’ve owned  expensive mic cables.  There is a difference, but maybe not what you’d think.

For mobile DJs and for everyone else who uses mic cords there are 3 areas of concern: quality of construction, quality of sound and price.  In a recording studio, where you are trying to get every last drop of quality for a recording, it makes sense to get expensive mic cords whether you can hear the difference or not.

But out in the mobile world, you really can’t hear the difference between a cheap mic cable and an expensive mic cord when you are blasting loud music.  In a recording studio setting you probably can hear the difference. But in a live, loud, DJ setting you would have to have super-human ears to hear the difference.

I also, haven’t noticed much difference in visible construction durability.  Put it this way: some cords look better, but I rarely have a cable go bad; and that includes cheap mic cables and expensive mic cables.  Although I don’t purposely abuse mic cords, they still manage to get stepped on, pulled on, and tossed around to be sorted out later.  Cords just usually don’t go bad; at least in my world. 

But there is one area that I have noticed a difference and it’s not based on price. …Although it is usually the cheaper mic cords that exhibit this one annoying phenomena:  cords that curl up.  I call it “memory curl.”  You roll up your cords and neatly tie them up with velcro.  The next time you unroll them, they have a tendancy to STAY rolled no matter how hard you try to straighten them.  They curl like a telephone coil cord.

This is actually more than a minor convenience.  You can easily waste a half hour or more of your time, simply straightening and taping down mic cords that refuse to cooperate.  If you’ve been a mobile Dj for any length of time, you know that a half hour a night of extra time is huge.

Last week, I was setting up early for a wedding at a hotel.  Because I was staying the night, I got there early to set-up with the plan to enjoy a little relaxtion in the room before show time.  Instead, I  spent the entire afternoon examining every mic cable I had. I wrote down the ones that gave me trouble and the ones that didn’t.

First of all, Mogami mic cords, don’t curl.  They sound great, look great and I’m sure they will last for a long time.  Mine have.  They are also extremely expensive mic cables.  They are great for a recording studio where you are overly concerned about sound quality.  But in an environment where people just aren’t going to notice, spending $50 on a 15-foot cord doesn’t make any sense.  Plus, why risk the expense in an environment that includes wet floors, foot stomping and tripping?

The causes of this problem is the type of material used for the outer insulation; the rubber.  In my “research” I found that cheap house brands are usually the worst offenders.  These are the Cheap mic cords that  don’t usually have a brand name on the cable.  They are usually sold by big box companies with names such as “Musicians Gear.”

But one brand stood out of the pile of cheap mic cables: Proco StageMaster multi-purpose cables.  They feel and look like quality.  And they are cheap.  They have Neutrik XLR connections and a nice flexible rubber that resists coiling.  Hard to believe, but they also come with a three year unconditional guarantee.  If you wreck it due to your misuse, they will still replace it.  Best of all, a combo pack of a 15 foot mic cable and a 25 foot cable are now available at American Musical Supply for $29.95.  At this price you can pick up a bunch of them and if one goes bad on you, just toss it… or better yet return it for a new one.

These certainly aren’t the best cables you can get.  They’re just great cheap ones.

You’ve probably heard the wisdom that has been passed down through the ages when it comes to buying stocks: “Buy low and sell high.”  The same philosophy applies to anything you buy, and DJ equipment is no different.

Us DJs like to have the latest and coolest stuff.  Unfortunately it comes at a price.  Often a high price.  Good stuff doesn’t come cheap, and generally speaking, you want good stuff.

If you’ve been a mobile DJ for a while you’ve probablly realized that having really good equipment is much better than having junk.  Good equipment looks better, sounds better and works better.   All are very important when it comes to putting on a top notch, high quality performance.  And a high quality performance will insure you future work through referrals and reputation.

The good news is that high quality equipment is being sold for bargain prices right now.  Many dealers are offering free shipping as well, even on small item orders.  For example, Musicians Friend has done away with all shipping charges.  Even the smallest of orders now are shipping for free.

For example, the Denon DN-S5000 Tabletop DJ CD Player is now on sale for only $599.00.  It’s a great pro CD player at a really good price.  A buddy of mine uses Denon CD players exclusively and swears by them… and he’s working every weekend.

Not only that, but Musicians Friend has a whole bunch of used DJ equipment on sale.  I bought a scratch and dent Pioneer Mixer and saved a bunch of money.

Not to be outdone, American Musical Supply has great deals on lights.  Make sure you browse their DJ section and live audio section.  They have free shipping on most items as well.

Musicians Friend also carries, what I consider to be, the best wireless mic ever made.  The Electro-Voice RE27-N.  For $500 you get once of the most rugged mics out there… very important when you are handing it over to a wedding party to do drunken toasts.  Plus the sound is incredible. 

Deals are out there, and it’s a good time to take advantage.  Your customers want the best sound and lights out there and you can give it to them!

When looking for the best mobile DJ Mixers your faced with a lot of choices.  Two things to consider are price range, and the features you need to do your job well.  For this mobile DJ mixer comparison chart we wanted to find the best mobile DJ mixers that had the features and quality that most professional DJs want, with prices that are reasonable.

While you could easily spend 4 or 5 grand (or more!) on a DJ mixer, most DJs are not looking for mixers in that price range.  Also, the features that working DJs require can’t usually be found in the under $500 category.

Spending over 2 thousand dollars on a mobile DJ mixer will often get you a mixer with tons of features that you will never use, and not a noticeable difference in quality of construction or sound.

Once we whittled the mobile DJ mixers down to between $500 and $1500, we then worked at coming up with the top 5.  We eliminated all of the ones that weren’t really aimed at the mobile DJ mixer market; such as DJ mixers aimed at the recording or live band markets, but were trying to cross-over into the DJ world and pick up a few extra sales.

We also didn’t include Mobile DJ mixers that included other “non-mixer” components, such as CD players.  We still believe that the best approach to buying DJ equipment is to purchase components.  It’s easier to isolate problems that way, and if something needs replacing, your whole rig isn’t shot.

Eventually we came up with the top 5.  Even though that was an extremely difficult and arduous task, it was even harder to rank the 5 finalists.  In fact, the top three are nearly interchangeable in terms of quality, features and price.  Any one of the top three are highly recommended.

Professional Mobile DJ Mixer Shootout
Mobile DJ Mixer	Pioneer DJM-5000	Denon DN-X1600	Allen & Heath Xone:S2	Denon DN-X1100	Rane MP44
Overall Rank	1	2	3	4	5
Build Quality	Very Good	Very Good	Very Good	Very Good	Very Good
Sound Quality	Very Good	Very Good	Very Good	Very Good	Very Good
USB/Computer Input	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Mic Ducking	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
CD/Fader Trigger	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Value	Good	Good	Good	Pretty Good	Fair
Price	$999	$999	$999	$649	$1499
Product Reviews
Pioneer DJM-5000			Like we stated earlier, this could be #3 just as easily as #1.  It ended up being number one just based on the overall feel and layout.  It also looks cool and sounds great.  The “advanced talk-over” was a bit on the weak side, mainly because it doesn’t have a time control.  It’s a little slow to bring the music back up after talking into the mic.  A release control would have been nice.  A minor concern, however, as this thing is flat out awesome.
Denon DN-X1600			A few points off for not being rack-mountable without purchasing a “kit.” Rack-mount results haven’t been very good, so don’t plan on it working.  Most true “mobile” DJs like to have things mounted in a rack for ease of transport and neater appearance. Outside of that, it’s difficult to find fault with this DJ mixer.  The quality is as good as Denon’s X1700 with a few less features and a lot less money.
Allen & Heath Xone:S2			Another great high-quality, high bang-for-the-buck, DJ mixer.  We couldn’t even find anything to nit-pick about this mixer.  Highly recommended.
Denon DN-X1100			You can see what happens when the price goes down:  You give up some features that you probably would want as a mobile DJ.  When you’re ready to step up to a decent mixer, it would most likely be a mistake to get one without a USB/direct computer input, as almost everyone is using a computer for at least part of the night.  Again, no rack-mount option from Denon, except for a kit that may be dubious at best.  Plan on it NOT being rack-mountable.  However, if you can get by without those two features, you’re looking at a mixer that performs and sounds great.  As usual, high-quality build from Denon.
Rane MP44			While the quality is certainly here, we are a bit miffed at the price.  While it’s as good as the Denon, Allen & Heath and Pioneer DJ mixer’s that we reviewed, it was no better.  The lack of a USB input, was really mystifying for a DJ mixer at this price.
Because the top three mobile DJ mixers are SO equal in quality and price, you may want to base your selection on what you are using for other equipment.  If you use Pioneer CD players, for example, you would probably be smart going with a Pioneer mixer since they are guaranteed to match when it comes to remote firing.  If that’s not one of your concerns, any of the top three will do, but again, everything about the Pioneer just felt a little better… it had a rugged, quality feel to it.
The lesson seems to be: “Beware of anything really cheap, or anything really expensive.”  You really cut quality and features going cheap, but you don’t necessarily get higher quality when going expensive… usually just more features… often ones that you don’t need.

If  someone tells you that you have a “DJ voice,” don’t necessarily take that as a compliment.  It’s what DJ voices don’t have that makes them good.Whether you are a club DJ, radio DJ or Mobile DJ, one thing is certain: If you want to be good, you have to have a smooth sound.  While styles vary, depending on what type of DJ work you do, a natural DJ voice is always the foundation of a great DJ.

Hip hop DJs sound different from a typical wedding DJ.  The difference is mostly in the choice of words, the amount of slang used and the style of articulation.  A club jock may slur more and rely on hip terms, while a wedding DJ is probably playing it straight.  However, a good DJ is a good DJ no matter what the format or venue.

You will never hear a top DJ with a bad sounding voice. Unique? Yes.  Bad?  No.

So what is good?  Many times DJs, especially weekend mobile DJs, are under the false assumption that they have a good voice.  They may have been told by their friends and family that they have a good “DJ voice.”  Many of these poor souls trudge along, annoying every patron of every gig that they manage to get with their “pukey DJ voice.”  (For the definition of “puker” make sure you read the article “Five Examples of Terrible DJ Styles.”

In defining a good DJ voice, the word “smooth” is often used.  But this doesn’t go quite far enough in describing what “good” is.  We first have to dig into what is bad.

One of the most common negative sounds is a nasal sound.  The nasal sound is usually described as “whiney.”  It’s very unpleasant; piercing, thin.  DJs with a nasal sound often don’t know that they have it.  These are often the guys who are gigless and can’t figure out why.

A nasal voice is created when too much of the air that is expelled during speech is coming through the nose.  Usually the only sounds that should come through the nose are the consonants “N” and “M.”  The rest comes through the mouth.  Some exceptions apply, but generally this holds true.

Conversely, when no sounds come through the nose the person is said to have a “de-nasal” sound quality.  A de-nasal sound is one where Ns and Ms sound like Ds and Bs.  For example the pronunciation of the word “dumb” using a de-nasal delivery would sound like you are saying “dub.”

A “gravel” voice is just as you would imagine.  It sounds like someone who has gunk in their throat.  Gravel voice people usually are “sucking down” their voice to get it to sound deeper.  They are not speaking with their “optimum pitch.”  I don’t know why, but someone who is sucking their voice down lower than it should be reminds me of a guy with a comb-over hairstyle.  Both are in denial of what they don’t have and are deluding themselves.

A “brassy” voice sounds harsh.  It’s too sharp.  Think of Fran Dresher and you’ve got it.  It is almost the opposite of what you would call a smooth DJ voice.

There is another voice called the “glottal fry” which is how Henry Kissinger talks and to some extent, Bill Clinton.  It is sometimes called “frog-like.”  This type of voice not only sounds bad, but will ruin your voice quickly.

The best way to figure out what you sound like is to record yourself reading or speaking; then listening back and giving yourself an honest critique.  This is sometimes difficult to do because it’s hard to be objective about yourself.  If you can find a good voice teacher and take even one lesson from him or her, you will go a long way to finding out about you “DJ voice.”  Just be careful with voice teachers that only teach singing.  I’ve actually heard some horrible misuse of the voice by college voice professors!

It’s hard to explain everything without a demonstration, but I’m hoping you get the idea.  I recommend a book to anyone that is interested in voice that comes with a CD packed with exercises, and talks about the styles of voice I’ve discussed.  It’s called “Set Your Voice Free,” by Roger Love.  It’s only about $6 at Amazon.  It’s the only voice book you’ll ever need and the exercises are easy and fun to do and will have a big impact on your sound.

Remember, if you want to be a good, or even great, DJ, you’re not going to get there with a weird or annoying “DJ voice,” no matter what style of DJ you are.  Get the DJ voice thing under control and watch your bookings and cash flow increase.

It’s not fun to have another DJ pestering you while you are performing.  Most DJs are cool and just want to introduce themselves and check out your equipment.  No real mobile DJ problem here.   But not all Djs are friendly.  Some can be downright hostile.  Here’s how to handle them.

Some DJs want to tell you how great they are and how bad you are.  Don’t worry too much about these pests as they can usually be handled with ease.  Unless they are actually disturbing your performance or hindering you, simply let them talk.  Don’t turn it into a DJ problem by getting into a spitting contest with them.

If you let them tell you what they know, it accomplishes 2 things:

1). It disarms them; they are less likely to be on the attack.

2). It may be hard to accept, but you may actually learn something.

I ran into a guy like that who told me what he charges, when and how much he charges for “extras,” how much he charges for travel, how he handles certain crowd activities, how he sets up his lights, and he gave me some tips on hiding my power cords on my lights.  I learned a lot.  He wasn’t interested in anything I was doing, except to tell me what I was doing wrong.  But, by letting him talk, I disarmed him, and I picked up a few things.  That’s turning a “DJ problem” into a “DJ solution.”

The worst DJ you can run into however is the guy who wants to take over the show; your show.  There are few things more annoying.  It happened to me this past week.  Everything was set up.  I was playing dinner music when a guy who looked like he was part of the wedding party asked me for a mic so he could make an announcement.  Without thinking, I handed him the mic.  The announcement was something along the lines of: “Ron and Eddy, please check in with the bridal party, we’re getting ready to do the Grand Entrance.”  I got the mic back and never gave it up again.  Not really a DJ problem… yet.

During the evening he continued to make requests.  Often returning to ask when they would be played.  At one point he began to tell me about his “DJ business,” …how he’s got a bunch of Sub-woofers and stuff like that.  Here comes the DJ problem: he asked for a wireless mic so he could “do a little show” for the crowd to “Grease Megamix.”  I didn’t give him the mic, he got mad and called me a few names, then left.  He didn’t bother me again.

The key is, never give up the mic. If the pestering continues, let him know he’s bothering you.  Tell him you are working and you need to concentrate.  Hopefully that will work.  If it doesn’t, you may have to have a bartender or someone from security talk to him.  (That’s if the venue you are at actually has security!)  If you give someone you don’t know your microphone, you then have a DJ problem.

One thing to remember: a lot of the people that come up and tell you they are a DJ are probably not DJs; at least not in the sense that they are working and making money.  They are probably someone who hangs around a DJ business “helping.”  First of all, why aren’t they working?  After all, they aren’t booked!  Second, why didn’t the bride hire this guy to do the wedding?  He certainly has an “in!”

If you think it through in advance, it’s usually easy to deal with someone like this and not lose your cool.

A DJ mixer is the foundation of your mobile DJ setup.  I started out with giant rotary faders on a “Harris Presidential” mixing board.  It was the top of the line in its day.  Over the years equipment has improved and so have DJ mixers.  The rotary faders disappeared.  We were finally able to fire turntables and CD players from the board.  The sound quality improved, and everything got more rugged.

When I became a serious mobile DJ, I was a little miffed at the lack of DJ mixers that would work well for mobile work.  There were boards that were great for live bands and recording studios, but nothing that worked great for a mobile DJ.  Finally, a top quality, reasonably priced,  DJ mixer is available; and it’s from Pioneer.

I started with a Samson powered mixer with some JBLs.  I ran my Shure SM57, a laptop computer with OTS software, and a wireless mic into the Sampson.  While this was not the top of the line, it was enough to get me started.  The events I was doing didn’t require much power.  The mixer did it’s job, but it was a little on the “clunky” side.  There was occasionally dead air when I went live with the mic and then had to fire from the computer.  The Samson wasn’t really designed to be a DJ mixer, although the set-up sounded great for being relatively inexpensive, and was a good starting point.

I then stumbled into a pair of new JBL EONs that I couldn’t pass up and I upgraded my board to something I already had: a Roland 1880EX recording unit.  It worked, and was a little easier to operate than was the Samson.  The slide faders made it easier to see what was turned up and down.  The problem with using something like this for DJ work is that it’s not rugged and the in/out configuration is not very user friendly.

I decided to “downgrade” the DJ mixer and bought a Mackie 1202-VLZ3 mixer.  This was much better suited for live work.  It was rugged and reliable.  I recommend this DJ mixer for someone on a budget who needs something good.  However, it’s not rack mountable (don’t bother buying the rack mounts; they just don’t work.)  In addition, if it’s important to you, the customer service at Mackie is non-existent.  If those two things don’t bother you and you need an inexpensive DJ mixer, pick one up, they’re only about $300 at Musicians Friend.

But if you want the Rolls Royce… The mixer that announces to the world that you have arrived, the Pioneer DJM-5000 is without equal.  This DJ mixer has all the features you would want, and them some.  One I really like is that I can plug my laptop directly into the mixer.  No more dinking around with external sound cards.  No more awkward plugs coming out of the headphone jack.  Just plug it in and it works.

The second thing that I like is something Pioneer calls the “Advanced Talk-Over.”  This is similar to a “ducker.”  A ducker is a form of compression that will automatically lower the music when you talk into your microphone.  You don’t have to ride gain to get the levels right.  The Advanced talk-over works in a similar way with a slight twist.  When you talk into the microphone, the full music track doesn’t go down in volume; instead, it turns down the frequencies of the music that correspond to the human voice.  The audience can hear you and the music clearly.  This feature really makes life easy as a mobile DJ, especially if you are doing something in the audience with a wireless and can’t fade the music down when you talk.  The DJ Mixer takes care of it for you.

Since I am using a Pioneer dual CD, player I am able to make use of another feature.  The CD player and the mixer synch together so I can fire the CD players from the mixer.  When I bought the DJ mixer, I didn’t think I would ever use this, but now I wouldn’t be caught dead without it.  I simply fade the CD pot up on the mixer and the CD player fires immediately.  This has encouraged me to make use of the CD player more extensively than just the computer.

There is also another feature that I didn’t really care about at first, but again, once I started using it in the field, I’ve found some excellent uses for it.  It’s the “multi-zone mode.”  You can run two separate systems with one mixer.  I often do weddings at a local country club.  The layout of the room is in an “L” shape.  I have to set up in one area, which leaves guests in the other area straining to hear.  The disc jockey often is blamed.  Now I have 2 separate systems set up for both sections of the room.  Everyone can hear.

There are a lot of other features of the Pioneer DJM-5000 that I haven’t really made use of, but I’m still glad it has them.  I don’t use the EQ that much, except occasionally to cut the bass, especially on the microphones.  I haven’t really made much use of the “Dynamics” and “Clarity” functions.  OTS software has a built in audio processor that makes the music sound great.  But, If I’m ever in a situation where the computer breaks down and the CD players get a full night of use, I’m sure I will be tweaking the built in processing.  I also haven’t really found a use for the built in digital effects for use on the microphone.  I like a dry mic sound.

The Pioneer DJM-5000 is also built extremely well.  At my radio job, I’ve been using a $15,000 Radio Systems Millennium board for the past 10 years.  It’s worked flawlessly, with four DJs beating on it 7 days a week.  The Pioneer DJ mixer uses the same type of buttons and switches.  These things just don’t die.

I know you can spend more for a DJ mixer, but for what I do as a mobile DJ, I haven’t had a reason to need more.  It’s solid, easy to operate and sounds great.

If you were only to buy one book for your mobile DJ business, this would be it.
There are only a few books written for the mobile DJ market.  Some are OK, some not.  The one book that I highly recommend is “The Mobile DJ Handbook” by Stacy Zemon.

Stacy has been a DJ for over 25 years and her experience really shows through in this fine book.  While I don’t agree with everything she says, most of the information is so valuable that it’s a “must read.”

I disagree with is the chapter called “The Interactive DJ.”  A DJs style is a personal one.  Not all DJs are of the type that plays constant games and gets out and dances with the crowd.  Also, a lot of clients don’t want the stereotypical DJ who dresses up like Humpty Hump and runs around with a plastic, inflatable guitar.  If that’s you, great.  If it’s not, that’s great too.  When learning your own style, study really good DJs who you like and emulate what they do.  Eventually your own style develops.

You are also not going to get the best equipment advice, as most of it will be outdated by the time a new version hits the shelves.  The part about lighting is very limited.

But, the rest of the book is packed with information about how to be a good mobile DJ and run an efficient mobile DJ business.  The business section alone is awesome with DJ tips on setting up your accounting and bookkeeping, advertising, insurance and all of the other office things you need to really be good at running your business.

Information on preparing for events is helpful, as is the chapter on selling your services.  She’s a little light in the internet department, as many DJs get 80% or more of their business from online searches and a great website.  But that would be a book unto itself.

The sample contract she provides is a great starting point, which you can tweak to fit your own particular situation.  She also includes a sample “wedding party introduction sheet” which is very good.  These aren’t the only forms you’ll need if you are a wedding and party DJ, but it’s enough to get you pointed in the right direction.

Whether you are just starting out, or you want to tighten up your DJ business that’s developed organically over the years, pick this thing up now.  I can almost promise you that your competition already has.  I got mine from Amazon for about 20 bucks.

If you are missing any DJ equipment from the following three items, you are working a lot harder than you need to.   You need all the energy focused on your performance. 

Rock N Roller Multi Cart.

Loading DJ equipment in and out of venues is probably the worst part of the job.  While a couple of the things I have to carry in already have wheels (JBL EON in bags), most of the stuff I move doesn’t.  I would simply haul it in.  Some DJ equipment,  such as lighting gear, is both heavy and awkward.  And although I’d love to build up my physique, I was finding that I wasn’t packing on much muscle; and instead ended up with backaches, smashed and cut fingers and pulled muscles.  And that was before I even played my first song of the night.

I’ve had this piece of DJ equipment for three years, and I’ve had virtually no problems.  The only thing that happened was the non-skid tape has come off after dragging heavy DJ equipment across it.  I haven’t had any problem with the wheels, and I have loaded this down with a lot of weight. I’ve pulled it up hills, over somewhat rough terrain during the occasional outdoor gig, and through the snow.

The one I’ve been using is the 8-in-1 R6 model.  The best price I could find, $129.99 at last check, was at Musicians Friend. I’ve always gotten great service and I have bought a lot of DJ equipment over the years from Musician’s Friend.  They also have free shipping. 

If you haul your equipment through tougher terrain, such as setting up at outdoor venues, or you live in a snowy climate, you may want to pony up a few extra bucks and get the all terrain model.   American Musical Supply offers free shipping and has them for $229.95.

Furman M-8×2 Power Conditioner.

I never thought I needed a Furman power conditioner until I had one.  The only reason I bought it to begin with was to clean up the cords on my table.  With the Furman, I could plug all of the rack mounted equipment inside my rack… plus it didn’t cost much more than a decent power strip.

Well, it did clean up the cords.  In fact, I realized I could plug everything into it; powered speakers, lights, CD players, mixer, laptop… and it handled it all just fine.  What I didn’t expect was that it would improve my audio quality. The JBL EONs that I use always had a little hiss to them.  I wasn’t sure exactly where it was all coming from until one day I accidentally forgot to hook the power up to the laptop and was operating on the computer’s battery.

Sure enough, plug the power cord into the computer, noise… unplug it… clean audio.

The problem is, you can’t run a laptop all night on battery power, I had to plug it in somewhere.  Once I got the Furman, my problem was solved.  The noise was simply gone.

The M 8×2 also allowed me to plug light cords and audio power cords in at the same time with no problem.  Often, it’s recommended that you should keep your lights and your power amps on separate circuits due to noise problems.  No worry with this thing.

This is Furman’s cheapest power conditioner and it’s worked great for me.  In addition to filtering noise, protecting from surges, and a 15 amp rating with circuit breaker, it has 9 outlets, including a couple spaced apart for wall-warts.

I got mine at American Musical Supply for 59.95.  They have the same one, for the same price at Musicians Friend.  This is DJ equipment no mobile DJ should be without.

Shure SM57 Microphone.

The perfect microphone for a mobile DJ.  Great, warm sound and simply rugged.  A buddy of mine had one that he used for years.  It was dropped, had beer spilled on it and years of crud.  A few years ago I bought a brand new one and brought it over to his place.  We compared the sound between the two.  There was no difference whatsoever.  His sounded just as warm and clean as my brand new one.

I’ve always loved Shure microphones, and this just made me love them even more.  Robert Plant used one in all of his years with Zeppelin.  That’s good enough for me.  Plus… you can’t beat the price… $99.00 at Musicians Friend.

If I could only have one mic for DJ use, this would be it.

Buy yourself some DJ equipment that you’ll use and that won’t break the bank.  Once you have any one of these three items you’ll be wondering how you got along without it.

The disc jockey landscape is filled with potholes of potential trouble.  But if you give it a little forethought you can anticipate and prepare for the problems you will surely face.  Here’s a difficult one for a lot of DJs:  CLOSING TIME.

You’ve rocked the place for the past 4 hours.  Everyone is having a good time.  You can’t wait to start packing up and maybe enjoy the rest of the night yourself.  You announce the last song.  It ends.  And then the fun begins. An angry crowd starts chanting for “one more song.”  Guys come up and actually threaten you.  If you think this is an exaggeration, then you haven’t been doing this very long.

I use a signed contract, that often states that the ending time is 12 midnight.  This often goes hand in hand with the closing time of the venue.  One hotel, where I often do weddings, has a strict policy to end exactly at midnight.  They aren’t too happy if you go long.  In fact, they may block you from coming back, or at least, take you off of their recommended DJ list.  Whatever the contract says, that is the time I end, unless it’s  ok with the nightclub, and it’s paid for by the client.

So, back to the problem… you’ve just played the last song and now you have an angry mob on your hands.

This can often be avoided with a little help from the nightclub employees:

Have the employees turn on the house lights halfway through the last song of the night.

This does two things:

First, it announces to the crowd that, yes, things really are over.  And second, it takes the heat off of you.  When the lights go on it’s clear that the DJ is not calling the shots to end the evening, it’s the venue.

This has worked for me ALMOST every time.  Just in case it doesn’t, have one more song ready to go.

Occasionally, you might need to play one more last song, (with the lights on) for the message to truly sink in.  As the song is playing, gradually turn the volume down to about three-quarters of your normal setting to give another subtle message that it’s really over.

Just remember… it’s a huge compliment that the crowd wants you to keep it going!  Enjoy the fact that you just completed another fantastic performance!