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Last week, we went through some “pick hit” new releases, and this week for fun, here are some opposites:

Hits and misses - the misses

The following are examples of “what were they thinking” and (in my view), won’t be of interest for any demographic, and perhaps a study of what sort of artists and/or songs NOT to invest in. I challenge any who disagree to email me a compelling counter-argument.

LaToya Jackson “I Don’t Play That”. And you shouldn’t either. In a pointless attempt to be relevant, LaToya sing/raps about her “glock” in this rock/rap song that succeeds neither as rock or rap, complete with blanked out profanities. Let me try to be positive (this is hard). She looks pretty on the promo shot.

Jay-Z… um, pick a single! I think I’m happy to see that the “keep it real” ethic of hip hop appears to come around (and what goes around, comes around, so I hear). If you’re going to retire, retire. Or, at the very least, make the “comeback” have more impact. For a few weeks recently, it seemed like every week there was a new Jay-Z single, and in the end, none of them are doing well.

Ashley Tisdale “He Said, She Said”. I think we’re at the saturation point for new, teen-oriented pop performers. This year may be a slugfest for who gets the fame and glory. Fresh from her role in High School Musical as Sharpay (I have a kid, I have to watch this stuff), Tisdale releases her debut solo album (of course). I hope there’s better material on the cd, because this one is just kinda “typical” and has gotten lost in the shuffle.

Medley!

While I’m a fan of remix services, they don’t generally get coverage here, as we focus instead on new releases (good, and sometimes bad), and overall music and music business trends. If the song is good, a structured remix of it is probably also good for those who beat mix and prefer it (as I do). However, on the latest Funkymix issue (105), there’s an outstanding medley of hip hop from 2006: DJ 2nd Nature’s 2006 Hip Hop Medley is a radio friendly, just under 20 minute tour of all the prime hip hop hits of 2006, in ascending BPM. Exceptionally good!

Timba!

I’m spending some time with the new Timbaland album “Shock Value” and it’s good. Tim Mosley’s at the top of his game, and this could be his peak. With his production on “SexyBack”, and “Promiscuous”, Tim made a stylistic right turn to more up-tempo tracks, and it’s worked like a charm. Is he stuck in a production “sound” rut (again)? Well, it depends on how quickly you tire of a “sound”. Pre-album single “Give It To Me” with both Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado is doing well, and the next single “Release” (another cut with Timberlake) will be next. Tim’s smart in that he knows his best work has been with guest artists. Every cut features at least one of a host of guests like 50 Cent, to newcomers to rock acts, like Fall Out Boy, and even Elton John.

And now, our exclusive Special Offer - Save money!

Months in the making, we’ve excited to have arranged an unprecedented special offer for readers of this column! For new subscribers, mention Steve Sharp when you sign-up for the weekly Prime Cuts CD service from JonesTM between now and the end of April 2007, and take $5 each month (for up to three years) off the price of your subscription. Get all the new music you need, in every significant musical genre (in the English language - or add their Latin service, too!), every week, shipped right to you. Mention me (Steve Sharp) and they’ll drop their already low prices another $5 per month, every month. You’re welcome!

Steve Sharp is a DJ in Southern California who has been spinning since 1981. In addition to running his own successful single-op business, Signature Entertainment, he also creates a weekly radio remix show for Bo’s Saturday Night Party on B95.1 FM. Steve is one of the few people who can not only play the hits, but gets involved in the story behind them and can often tell you who produced, directed and published the song and how their actions affect the music industry.

If you would like to contact Steve, he can be reached at thatdj@aol.com

Getting Your Site Noticed

So you have a website but you aren’t getting and hits to your website. My first recommendation is Pay-Per-Click advertising since it’s the fastest and can yield the best results. If you’re looking to do it the old-fashioned way here are a few websites that can assist with your submitting your website to the various search engines. Just remember, since most are free, they aren’t guaranteed to work and it will take some time (4-6 weeks, at least) for your site to start showing up (for both paid & free submission). Also, don’t submit your website to the same search engine more than once a month…otherwise the search engine may consider you a spammer and it may affect your search engine position.
Add Me: http://www.addme.com (free & paid)
Traffic Blazer: http://www.godaddy.com/gdshop/traffic_blazer/landing.asp (paid)
Web Position Gold: http://www.wpgsales.com (paid - downloadable software)
Submit Express: http://www.submitexpress.com (free & paid)
Website Review

http://www.digitalmusicent.net

Good:

Clean & professional look/design.
Good color scheme.
DJ Intelligence pages look good and blend in well with your website.
Suggestions:

No location anywhere on the home page (city or state)….add both somewhere.
How about some bio information on the About Us page?
In your e-mail you gave me the website www.digitalmusicent.net and the e-mail on your website is .net. However, it seems that you own the .com. Any reason why you promote/use the .net more than the .com? Unless you have a really good reason you should switch to the .com as it’s more memorable.
Testimonials page makes it look like you don’t DJ very much. Can you get 3-4 more on there?
You could use some text on the Events page.
It seems like weddings are your main focus-why no weddings page? The website seems geared toward weddings so it seems weird there isn’t a page dedicated to that type of event.
A footer at the bottom of your pages with your contact info and maybe the links to the various pages would be a good addition.
Jim Weisz has been a DJ since 1999, primarily serving the wedding and school dance markets. Jim is originally from Chicago, having lived there until relocating to Dallas in 2003 to take a position with JonesTM (formerly TM Century). Jim has spoken at several national DJ conventions about websites. He has also written more than a dozen articles for Mobile Beat magazine about websites and a variety of other topics. Jim can be reached at jim@discoverydjs.com.

Browser 101

In response to all the requests, I thought I’d focus on web sites this week. In response to you, here we go…Website reviews

http://www.djtylert.com

Good:

Pleasing colors & nice logo.
Good images at the top of the home page.
Location right at the top of the home page.
Weddings packages page is nice & neat.
Suggestions:
I opened your site and I didn’t see any navigation buttons, images at the top were all screwed and overall the site looked very messed up. Then I opened it in Internet Explorer and it looked much better. For more info read back a few columns when I reviewed someone else’s website with the same issue. Basically, you want to check your website in a few different browsers (at least Internet Explorer & Firefox) to make sure it looks OK. You definitely want to get the site fixed for Firefox as it’s getting to be more & more popular.
A rule of design is to have places for the eye to rest-also known as white space. I think you can create some more of that by dropping the date & time that you have below your logo.
It’s really weird that I have to click a box over your buttons before actually clicking on a button…it’s kind of a pain. I’m guessing this is a template website and that’s why you have to do that. If it’s not and you can remove that I’d recommend it.
What’s up with the @msn.com e-mail address? Drop that and use an e-mail @djtylert.com.
You have many links on your website that lead to your contact page…but they don’t seem like a link that should go to that page (like ‘wedding party’ on the wedding packages page). I’m guessing this is done for search engines. However, it’s very annoying & misleading to the website visitor.
http://www.atmospheredjs.com.au

*Note, this website review request came from Jarrod Brake of Australia. Thanks for reading the column all the way in Australia and I’m looking forward to seeing how your website compares with US DJ websites

Good:

I really like the look/feel of the site….good color scheme & buttons.
Nice letter that you have linked to on the home page. Maybe you can make that link yellow or green to make it stand out?
Great pictures at the top above your buttons.
Weddings page looks great (again, drop the music/have a play button for music though).
Contact/quote button at the bottom of pages is a great call-to-action.
Suggestions:
A pet peeve of mine is audio that automatically starts upon page loading. While the audio on your website is very professional, I was listening to music when I went to your site so I could barely hear what you were saying (until I turned the music down). Then, every time I went to the home page it started again. Maybe you could put a little button at the top by the home button to play the intro? If not, can you set a cookie so it only plays once per visit to the site?
Drop the song lists and replace with a music search tool (like the one available through DJ Intelligence).
There are several misspellings on the Christmas parties page. Also, it looks a bit plain compared to all the other pages.
What about a ‘Company Info’ or ‘DJ Bios’ page? For something like a wedding, most people like to know who they’ll be working with.
Jim Weisz has been a DJ since 1999, primarily serving the wedding and school dance markets. Jim is originally from Chicago, having lived there until relocating to Dallas in 2003 to take a position with JonesTM (formerly TM Century). Jim has spoken at several national DJ conventions about websites. He has also written more than a dozen articles for Mobile Beat magazine about websites and a variety of other topics. Jim can be reached at jim@discoverydjs.com.

The Perfect Wedding DJ by Tom Haibeck

One wonderful reception: a brilliant event and the DJ/MC behind it

A few years ago, I had the privilege of watching one of the world’s top wedding disc jockeys work his magic at a wedding in Long Beach, California. Having been in the wedding industry for the past 25+ years, I’ve seen my share of great weddings-along with a whole lot of bad ones. This one ranks right at the top.
The reception was held outside, at the Long Beach Museum of Art (visit www.lbma.org for a look at the venue). It’s a magnificent facility, with a grass patio overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The weather was California-perfect that day, with neither a breath of wind nor a single cloud overhead. And as the sun melted into the horizon and night fell upon us, the evening came alive with candle-lit tables and twinkling lights all around.
Adding to that night of perfection was the presence of a great group of guests. The marriage enjoined a firefighter with a police officer, so the audience was mainly comprised of their colleagues. And while the mixing of the police department with the fire department can sometimes spark fireworks, in this case there was just a friendly rivalry that spawned some hilarious toasts and evolved into some hardcore partying (the hosts even chartered a bus to drive everyone home afterwards).
But the key factor in the success of that particular event was the masterful work of the man at the podium. He was like a seasoned conductor who used all his tools to quite literally “play” his audience, bringing them from a comfortable mellow to a glorious high, then back down to a pleasant finish that focused on the collective joy of a wedding well-celebrated.

The Perfect Start to a Perfect Night
Having organized and presided over my share of special events over the years, I can say with absolute certainty that one of the keys to a great event is to make guests feel welcome the moment they arrive-and music can play a big part in that (along with friendly “greeters” at the door offering flutes of champagne). If you can put a smile on their face when they arrive at the event, it will often extend right through to the end of it.
And that’s precisely what happened that afternoon: guests were warmly greeted, the champagne flowed and the “vibe” was immediately defined with a selection of light orchestral pieces that said “this promises to be a fun, classy event.”
Once everyone was seated, the wedding DJ (now serving as event MC) offered a formal welcome (on behalf of the bride and groom) and then immediately oriented them as to how the event would unfold. He was gracious with his approach-upbeat, sincere and genial-but slightly low key and self-effacing. His focus was on the bride and groom; they were the stars, not him. His goal was to honor them and to lead their guests through an evening that would celebrate their marriage (rather than showcase his talents).
He took immediate command of the event with the kind of confidence and professionalism that is the hallmark of all great MCs. While he had great presence and a deep, melodious voice, I think the main reason he was able to so effectively engage his audience was the fact that he was so thoroughly prepared.

Doing Your Homework
He rolled into his intro like a kid entering a classroom on the day of an exam, totally confident in the knowledge that he had done his homework and would ace the exam. This was his event-he was the guy who had helped the bride and groom plan it from start to finish-and he could hardly wait for it to get underway.
He had met with the couple well in advance of the wedding to map out a detailed agenda (in this case, he had filled out five pages of notes that accounted for every element of the event, from the manner of welcome to the eventual wind-down and bidding goodnight). In his words, it was the “script” he would use to direct the wedding (in the same way that a movie director would use a script to guide the production of a film).
He had made sure to get final approval of that agenda from the bridal couple so as to avoid any misunderstandings. And he had shared copies of that agenda with each of the other vendors involved (photographer; videographer; caterer; wedding planner) to help ensure everyone was quite literally on the same page throughout the night.
He had also reviewed a detailed checklist with the bridal couple that covered everything from the availability of power for his gear to the selection of music throughout the event. He knew precisely where the event was to be held, when it should start, when it should end and what it should “look like” through the eyes of the host (in this case, it was decidedly laid back, informal and designed for lots of dancing and frivolity).

The Grandest Entrance Yet
He orchestrated a grand entrance like none other I had seen. Again, he had done his homework by asking the bride and groom to provide background on each member of their wedding party; then, with the couple’s permission, he had contacted each one to conduct a brief interview designed to draw out a bit of “color” for their introduction (e.g. “How did you meet the bride and groom?” “What words of advice would you offer the bride about living with the groom?” “What’s the best thing that’s ever happened to you?” “If you could have dinner with anyone in the world, who would that be?”).
He then used that information to assemble some insightful-and often hilarious-introductions that were accompanied by a particular song to match the personality of each person being introduced. He even added sound effects and pre-recorded material to each intro. The guests loved it, the members of the bridal party each felt recognized, and with the audience now primed and ready to party, the bride and groom made their grand entrance to an absolute roar of cheers, laughter and applause. Believe me, this wedding was off to a great start.
The energy from that opening had everyone sky high, and the only thing I can liken it to is the experience of being “warmed up” by a comedian prior to the star’s big entrance (if you’ve ever attended a taping of “The Tonight Show” or “The David Letterman Show,” you’ll know what I’m talking about). And that buzz carried right through the entire event.
A formal dinner followed, and our MC recognized a few special guests and read some congratulatory notes and e-mails from guests unable to attend. He also entertained everyone with a little “game show” routine that tested guests’ knowledge of the wedding couple’s history together…and that, too, resulted in some truly hilarious moments.
Again, music set the mood. In this case, it was comprised mainly of jazzy little numbers that were never overwhelming but which nevertheless got the audience tapping their feet and primed for the dance that was to come.

Wedding Toasts Made Easy
Dinner was followed by a round of toasts - and again, the MC truly impressed me with his professionalism and attention to detail. Each of the “toasters” had been briefed in advance about the approximate time they would be expected to speak, the suggested length of their toast (no longer than three to five minutes, max) and their particular spot in the order of toasts.
They had also been given a quick lesson on the use of the microphone and offered the opportunity to experiment with it prior to the start of the reception. And finally, the MC made sure to offer a brief but classy introduction for each of the people chosen to speak (”And now I’d like to welcome the Bride’s brother, James O’Brien, to offer a Toast to the Bride.”).
The toasts were excellent-no drunken diatribes, no horribly unprepared ramblers and no material that could be considered Restricted Adult (and pardon the plug, but that’s because each of the speakers had been provided with a copy of my book, Wedding Toasts Made Easy six weeks prior to the wedding along with a personalized note from the bride and groom to thank them for their time in preparing the toast and to offer the book as a gift to guide them in their efforts).
The traditional cake cutting and round of first dances followed-again, seamlessly coordinated by our master of ceremonies (who had also “blocked out” the best locations for the photographer/videographer to set-up and capture the moment).

Dancing Under the Stars
But it was the dance that proved to be the highlight of the event. And again, I credit the DJ for making that happen.
Like the event itself, the playlist was carefully designed to offer a steady “build” in intensity, followed by a gradual return to the more mellow “good-night” numbers. The guests had a rollicking good time; the dance floor was pretty much full the entire night. And our party host shared a couple of secrets with me that I think helped make that possible.
First of all, with the agreement of the facility manager and wedding planner, he had recommended a slight reduction to the size of the dance floor. Through his trained eye, he had immediately determined that the relationship between size of guest list vs. size of dance floor was disproportionate. There simply weren’t enough guests to keep the dance floor full (as was originally configured).
But through the magic of downsizing (in this case, simply moving some tables closer to the dance floor), just a handful of dancers could provide the illusion that the floor was active and the party was non-stop. That, in turn, seemed to encourage a steady influx of dancers throughout the night. (Of course another theory was based on the vast amount of booze consumed by the off-duty fire and police officers, knowing that a bus was waiting to drive them home).
Factor #2, however, was perhaps the key reason for a flooded dancefloor. And it’s an incredibly simple concept that’s often overlooked by wedding disc jockeys. Our “spinner” in this case had presented the bride and groom with a suggested song list that was pretty much entirely based on “dance-ability.” He also got permission from the bride and groom to refuse to play any request that wasn’t similarly “dance-able.” The result: No sudden transition to the kind of heavy metal or country classic that can clear a dance floor faster than a cowboy with his boots off.
The evening concluded with a heartfelt “farewell” for the couple. The reception was a huge success, and everyone seemed genuinely happy for the new couple.
I also noticed a steady stream of guests asking the disc jockey for his card. That’s apparently the primary source of new business for him-guests who see him perform and referrals from satisfied clients. There is no better way to build a service business-focus on providing exceptional value and the phone will continue to ring.
So who was this mysterious master of wedding entertainment? You might know him. His name is Peter Merry-DJ, author, seminar speaker and past-president of the American Disc Jockey Association. And on a near perfect night beneath the stars of Southern California, he was about as perfect as you can get (unless, of course, I had been the MC).

Tom Haibeck is the author of The Wedding MC handbook and Wedding Toasts Made Easy, both of which can be purchased from his website at WeddingToasts.com or at major bookstores throughout North America.

—

He was like a seasoned conductor who used all his tools to quite literally “play” his audience.

Team Player: Working with Other Wedding Vendors by Mike Ryan

You can only win the reception game as a member of the team

When I was asked to write about my experiences working with wedding vendors, a couple of words immediately sprung to mind: respect and teamwork.
My perspective goes beyond a simple “us and them” relationship: I’ve walked a while in their shoes. During a short stint with a theme party production house I must have put on hundreds of tablecloths, chair covers, chair cover sashes and an equal number of centerpieces; in case you had any doubt, it is definitely laborious and boring. In the Navy I had my share of galley (kitchen) duty-swabbing decks, cleaning tables, washing pots, pans and dishes-not fun. During college I took a photography class. I hated the developing chemicals and squinting into a camera gave me a reverse sense of claustrophobia. No doubt, you’ve had some similar experiences along the way. Welcome to the wedding vendor’s world.

Reception Team Roster
I firmly believe that good DJ karma starts from the bottom up. Many times after I’ve packed up my equipment and I’m ready to leave I’ve noticed the catering staff still toiling away, cleaning up the mess left behind. I always clean up my area, whether it’s leftover gaffers tape, soda cans or just removing the tablecloth and those little plastic thingies that hold it on. Someone had to set up the table and tablecloth for me-why not return the favor? More often than not, I’ll ask the catering staff if I can help them finish up. They always say “no thanks” but I know they appreciate the offer. And who knows, maybe, just maybe, they’ll tell their boss and more work may come my way. But like in the movie Pay It Forward, I don’t count on it. It’s a team effort and the event isn’t really over until the venue is locked up.
This example equally applied to all wedding vendors in some way. You can team up with the photographer by keeping him/her informed of different activities coming up that need to be photographed. Then, when you ask for a picture of your full dance floor he or she may be more amenable to sending you a copy.
How important is teamwork and respect to caterers? A past article on working with caterers quotes kitchen pros as stating: “The DJ is key to a smooth running event,” and “It’s critical for everyone, including the DJ, to be on the same page” and “The relationship with a mobile DJ is based on trust, consistency and fulfilled expectations.” If the catering staff gets slammed I try to help them out. It blows away guests when they see me, the DJ, helping the catering staff clear away plates. Again, it’s about team work.
Teamwork is paramount in the hotel industry. The hotel’s catering managers and coordinators have the heavy responsibility of putting together teams of experts, including DJs, for most if not all of the non-corporate parties. One catering manager says, “Any DJ I hire must be a team player and they need to remember that all aspects of an event are important!”
A sense of comaradery is also important. With so many Spanish-speaking employees in the hotel industry here in my Southern California stomping grounds, I like to play Latin music for them while I’m setting up before an event.
Talent agents also weighed in on teamwork: “If you want to approach a talent agent, let them know that you are willing to become part of the sales process, thus becoming part of their ‘team!’ And the team is there for one reason only: to give the end client the best event possible so they will come back time after time and recommend us to others.” All the talent agents I interviewed for a previous article agreed: “If you work with a TA you should be ethical, loyal to your agent, and you should remember that you are part of a team whose job it is to make the client’s dreams come true.”
Other wedding team members who need to be mentioned include wedding planners and ceremony officiants (ministers, rabbis, etc.). My experience working with officiants has been an easy and mostly enjoyable one, except for the occasional one who shows up late. Wedding planners, on the other hand, can be more of a challenge to work with. A new trend in the wedding planning world is the “Day Of” wedding planner.” These planners are the “iPod weddings” of the wedding planning profession and are a real thorn is the side of traditional WPs. The first “Day Of” planner I worked with gave me her convoluted reception schedule at the very last minute before the Grand Entrance. She had the couple’s last name wrong; I announced them as it was written and ended up looking like the fool.
Most mobile DJs appreciate how difficult a job a traditional wedding planner has. I hear horror stories from my WP friends about their dealings with brides-to-be. They have a lot more patience than I will ever have. I always defer to them because of the nature of their business; they can spend hundreds of hours with the couples in the planning stages of a wedding. Of course, some WPs think they are the absolute rulers of reception schedules. Personally, I would like to see wedding planners just deal with everything up to the ceremony and leave the reception planning and coordination to the professional entertainers-the DJs. With that said, most WPs appreciate what mobile DJs bring to the wedding team.
When you’ve graduated to the professional level (which you probably have, if you’re reading Mobile Beat) you’ll find that you’re working with many other team members of equal status. They know they are professionals and act accordingly-and you should too.

Join the Club
Surprisingly, the best teams I’ve experienced are my two local DJ associations. I have been truly impressed and am proud to report that all members share extra work, ideas, music and even equipment with each other. When one of our association members had all his equipment stolen everyone pitched in to help him. I gladly gave him two spare speaker stands.
One little concluding postscript: Some people disagree with me when I say that, even though DJs are entertainers, I think we’re more aligned with the hospitality industry. I get far more work through caterers, meeting planners, destination management companies, photographers and wedding planners (ie., the hospitality industry) then I ever do from members of the entertainment industry! And from my experience the hospitality industry is a very tight club. Once you’re in it, respect the team and you’ll have plenty of work. Respect and teamwork is what being a professional wedding reception vendor is all about.

Mike Ryan started writing for news radio. He also DJ’d on KGB and KSDS. He mobiles as Mike on the Mike and is also the inventor/owner of Frankenstand Powered Speaker Stands! Mike also works part time as a DMC tour guide. He has been the President of the San Diego Professional Tour Guide Association, a board member of his local NACE chapter and is currently the secretary of the San Diego Chapter of the ADJA.

—-

DJs need to remember that all aspects of an event are important.

Odyssey Glide-Style Cases Offer Solutions for Laptop DJs

Odyssey Innovative Designs has a new line of cases designed specifically for mobile DJ professionals who utilize laptop playback systems. These ATA cases feature a patent pending gliding platform that allows ergonomic placement of a laptop in various rigs. It slides forward when needed but smoothly glides back and out of the way when accessing gear controls beneath it.

Glide Style Racks are available in a variety of sizes, from a single slanted eight-space to a combination rack featuring an upper mixer section and a lower rack. Taller configurations are available with heavy duty casters on a dolly plate.

The Glide Style DJ Coffins are available in a wide variety of combinations allowing for most popular CD and mixer, or turntable and mixer configurations. Smaller mixer versions feature a special compartment for the popular Serato interface.

Glide Style Racks and Coffins are shipping now.

Rock and Roll To Go FX Wireless Review

Today’s DJ has a lot on his mind: professional service, professional sound, and professional lighting. Most DJ lighting rigs are either too pricey and complex or too cheap and cheesy. The new FX Wireless package from Rock-N-Roll To Go Lighting Systems will break neither your back or your wallet, and has the look of a professional Lighting setup.The package consists of two custom made 14″ square truss towers standing (when assembled at full height) at a stunning 10′. The trussing system breaks down into three sections that will stack and roll, providing relief for ever-aching backs of DJs everywhere, and will accommodate for halls with less “headroom.”

In the same way, the custom structure and fixtures are rock solid, after being tested both by a co-worker (tip over in transport-user error) and by U.P.S. without any significant damage. Fixtures, controller, and cords are all well-protected and ready to hit the road in this system. I would, however recommend the extra investment of the fleece “toaster cover,” as it will protect the finish of your trussing from transport (and co-workers/employees).

Each tower contains (6) Par 38 cans with standard bulb sockets, (1) Vertigo, (1) Mini Moon with 15 RPM motor, (1) Snapshot II Strobe and a wireless relay pack. All fixtures are pre-wired and ready to plug into any standard 110-115V outlet, via a normal extension cord. At the heart of the package is the Elation Co-Pilot II wireless lighting controller, which will operate without pesky data cords in most line-of-sight applications at impressive distances.

With its slick packaging, the FX Wireless System is a must have. With all of the lights involved, it is refreshing to see a visually pleasing appearance that will only add to the professional look of your sound and light show. Additionally, the system comes in two finishes: powder coated black or traditional aluminum.

At each event I brought the system to, the clients and hall staffs were impressed at the ease in which the system rolled in and was set up, and all involved appreciated the tear down efficiency afforded. Additionally, at the three events it capably performed (middle school, high school, and corporate), the system was very practical and was not overbearing in smaller setups, as some rigs can be.

Coincidently, to buy the fixtures and mount them yourself to t-bars, it would cost you a lot more and look a lot less inexpensive than the comprehensive package offered by Rock-N-Roll To Go. At only $2,995.00, this package is a steal, with its sleek looks, light weight, ease of transport and use, and its reliability. If you own one trussing system, make it rock-make it Rock-N-Roll.

Pioneer Ups Ante on Video/Audio Mixer

Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. Professional Sound and Visual Division today unveiled the SVM-1000, the world’s first reference audio and video combination mixer designed for elite DJs, VJs and club venues to enhance their audio/video performance and provide their patrons and fans with an all encompassing sensory experience.In addition to mixing audio and video, the SVM-1000 mixer incorporates a built-in 11-inch LCD touch-panel display, symmetric channel layout, 4-channel audio and video inputs, Still Image Sampler and hundreds of combinations of video effects. Features and audio mixing capabilities of the SVM-1000 are similar to the industry standard Pioneer DJM-1000/800 mixers, which give DJs and VJs the creative freedom to easily build and create synchronized visual effects to accompany their audio mix for a complete entertainment encounter.

“Traditionally, the roles of DJs and VJs were separate - the DJ mixes the
music while the VJ controls the visuals - their performances awkwardly
coordinated with one another. With the SVM-1000 the audio and visual
effects are seamlessly controlled in one master area,” said Matt Dever,
vice president of sales and marketing for Pioneer’s Professional Sound and
Visual Division. “Best of all, operation of audio and video mixing are
done similarly to our popular DJM audio mixers making the SVM-1000 an easy
transition for any DJ and/or VJ.”

The SVM-1000 mixer was designed to easily integrate into a club
environment’s DJ booth due to its physical traits. The face of the mixer
incorporates a “channel symmetric layout” featuring an 11-inch LCD touch
panel in the center of the mixer. With a quick touch of the screen, video
manipulation follows the audio with fluid transition.

SVM-1000 Features Include:
Multiple Video Blending Technology
DJs can synchronize audio and video with up to four sources simultaneously.
Each of the four channels features independent fading and equalization for
traditional mixing techniques. The mixer is also capable of sound-only or
visual-only control for creative mixing according to the DJ/VJ style. For
enhanced visuals of any mix, the cross fader is capable of various video
effects such as FADE, WIPE and CHROMAKEY.

Audio Video Effect Function
An Audio Video Effect function enables the user to fully synchronize audio
and video effects utilizing a built-in 11-inch touch-panel LCD display.
With up to 30 built-in audio and video effects, users have the ability to
quickly create exciting visual treatments orchestrated to music. When
video isn’t available from a source, such as a CD, the DJ can still create
a visual performance through pre-loaded graphics and images accessed from
an animated on-screen icon for quick selection.

Pioneer SVM-1000 Mixer pg. 2

AV Beat Effect: The mixer automatically detects the tempo of the music and
synchs it with the video content. Twelve beat effects are available
including Delay, Echo, Pan, Transformer, Filter, Flanger, Phaser, Reverb,
Robot, Chorus, Roll and Reverse Roll which can also be combined with other
visual effects such as Inverse, Edge and Hue for numerous arrangements.
AV Touch Effect: Taking advantage of the large touch-screen display, users
can quickly access 12 touch effect patterns including Ripple, Lens, Spot,
Radiation, Cube, Block, Kaleidoscope, Twist, Zoom, Drop, Blur and
Distortion. Each effect contains four parameters to create different
variations on the screen.
Text Effect: Custom text messages can also be displayed to the tempo of the
music in various beat-linked expressions. Six text patterns are available
including Random, Zoom, Block, Rotation, Crush and Slide which can also be
inputted through its built-in USB connection.

JPEG Viewer Function
The SVM-1000 lets users incorporate their own images and photos from an
external memory device for use in their performance through a SD slot and
USB connection. Its “Still Image Sampler” further enhances visuals by
mixing images, such as logos of DJs, events or sponsors with videos or
other still images with the ability to loop and play them as a slide show.

Audio and Video Quality

Audio: The mixer employs 96 kHz / 24-bit digital sampling and a 32-bit
Digital Signal Processor (DSP) for the highest quality audio. The SVM-1000
integrates various features to maximize audio quality: high rigidity
chassis for minimizing unnecessary vibration, dual-shield structure for
eliminating digital noise and high performance / low noise power supply for
clean and powerful sound.
Video: The video signal input through the Analog to Digital Converter is
image processed at 600MHz / 32-bit / 4800MIPS (Million Instructions per
Second) to maintain high dynamic range and minimized noise resulting in
accurate and clear visuals.

Other Performance Features Include:
Video Trim: Enables adjustment of brightness for each input video channel
Video EQ: Assignment of video parameters such as RGB, contrast, hue or
saturation allows equalization and synchronization of audio and video
Fader Start: Allows the cross fader to start other Pioneer players
Fully Assignable MIDI: Control of external MIDI equipment such as effectors
or DJ/VJ computer software
Video Monitor Select: One touch on-screen video selection

The SVM-1000 will be available in February 2008 with a manufacturers
suggested retail price of $5,999.

Pioneer offers a complete line of professional DJ equipment through its
Professional Sound and Visual Division. Their DJM, CDJ and DVJ
Professional DJ equipment are known for their high quality sound and
reliability and considered the industry standard at clubs, studios, mobile
rigs and homes around the world. For more information, visit
http://www.PioneerProDj.com.

Numark Ships TTXUSB USB Turntable

Numark is now shipping the Numark TTXUSB turntable; an improved, USB-capable version of the industry standard, Numark TTX professional turntable.TTXUSB is a unique industrial-grade performance turntable that also makes digitizing your vinyl record collection a breeze by harnessing USB plug and play compatibility for both PC and Macintosh personal computers.

With TTXUSB, Pro DJs have a wealth of unique options available to them including the patented, interchangeable use of S-Shaped or straight tone arms, industry-leading variable torque, and flexibility to adapt the TTXUSB as a battle or club style configuration. The TTXUSB’s solid-core, reference-quality construction insures durability under the most demanding situations.

TTXUSB comes standard with all the necessary cables to interconnect with both a computer and has connectors for pro DJ rigs, along with software to remove clicks, pops, and other undesirable characteristics of vinyl, the TTXUSB is a comprehensive package that easily breathes new life into older recordings while maintaining its professional DJ lineage to the original TTX.

As an added benefit, the vinyl-to-digital conversion takes just a few mouse clicks thanks to EZ Vinyl Converter by MixMeister; a new program available exclusively to Numark that quickly converts vinyl tracks directly to iTunes®.

Additional features include an adjustable anti-skating control for increased stereo balance, support for 33, 45 and 78 RPM playback
speeds, an adjustable pitch control (± 8%, 10%, 25%, and 50%), and switched Line/Phono output connectors for connection to a receiver or
amplifier. A keylock feature is also included to allow DJs to adjust tempo without changing pitch.

Numark’s TTXUSB Turntable package includes the turntable, a USB cable for interconnecting with a computer, an RCA cable for patching into a stereo system, and an adapter for 45 RPM recordings.

Numark’s TTXUSB Turntable is perfect for aspiring DJs and professionals alike. The TTXUSB Turntable is currently available from most musical instrument retailers.

American DJ: New Ear Buds for DJs

Earbuds are all the rage among musicians today who require high-quality on-stage personal monitoring systems, and lately DJs have been asking for them, too. American Audio has “heard” this demand and breaking new ground with the introduction of the EB 700, comfort-fitting earbud-style headphones designed specifically for professional DJs. The company also has added to its existing HP line of traditional headphones with the new HP 200 and HP 900 models.

Earbud-style headphones offer numerous advantages over regular headphones and floor monitors, as they allow greater on-stage mobility and provide much clearer sound at safer decibel levels - not to mention the neater look they provide. American Audio’s new EB 700 powered earbuds provide all this, plus a fit that’s so comfortable DJs might forget they’re even wearing them.

“Our EB 700 earbud-style headphones give DJs an attractive new option that will heighten their monitoring abilities and help raise their performances to new levels,” said Tom Freret, national sales manager for American Audio. “Until now, earbuds have been used primarily by performing musicians who want to hear a clear, feedback-free monitor mix from anywhere on stage. With the EB 700s, DJs can get in on the action and start enjoying these same exact benefits while they’re spinning tunes on the job. It’s exactly what they’ve been asking for, and we’re proud to deliver.”

The EB 700 Pro Earbuds offer extended bass response and are powerful enough to provide great sound even in areas with high levels of ambient noise. Their compact design and handy carrying case make them perfect for the working professional, but they’re also great for personal use with MP3 players and laptop computers.

The EB 700 Pro Earbuds carry an MSRP of just $129.95.

In addition to American Audio’s new EB 700 Pro Earbuds, the company’s popular HP Series of headphones has been extended to include the new HP 200 and HP 900 models.

The entry-level HP 200 is a comfortable, lightweight pair of basic headphones with a compact, flexible housing design that folds up for easy transport. The headphones feature high output for clear sound in any environment, no matter how noisy. And they include a mini plug with a right-angle 1/4″ adapter for added flexibility. “Now, with the HP 200, entry-level DJs can enjoy the same great American Audio sound quality in a super-affordable pair of headphones,” Freret said. “And for experienced pros, they also work well as backup headphones that you can keep right in your gig bag at all times.” HP 200 headphones carry an amazingly low MSRP of just $24.95.

The HP 900 is the new top-of-the-line model, with an MSRP of $129.95. These professional-quality, high-performance headphones come with an extra set of ear pads, so you won’t have to buy a whole new pair when the original pads eventually wear out. They feature a removable cable that screws on and off securely, and they include a 1/4″ angled connector as well as a straight 1/4″ gold connector for greater versatility and noise-free operation. The HP 900 also includes a semi-hard transport case outfitted with a shoulder strap and an internal pocket for connector storage.

For more information, contact American Audio at 800-322-6337 or visit www.americanaudio.us

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