4 Steps to Get Foggers or Hazers at Your Event

by Allan Reiss, product manager for CHAUVET®

Fog or haze adds more spice to your event in any setting that might be: ballroom, hall or school auditorium. But getting permission to use foggers or hazers can be a complicated process. Be prepared to hear ‘NO.’ Each city works differently, so some cities might not allow foggers at all and there’s nothing you can do about it. If your client really wants it and you’re determined to go through with it, follow these steps, and you shouldn’t have a problem.

Start planning everything
Once you find out the venue/city allows foggers, start scheduling, planning and working with them in advance.

• Contact the city and start coordinating – Let them know how many fog machines you want to use, for how long you’re planning on using them, the type of machine used and that you need the smoke alarm turned off. Important tip! – The fire marshal will be the one to deactivate/reactivate the alarm. Don’t do it yourself, you can end up in jail!

• Use only water-based foggers – Most likely a fire marshal will come before the event to inspect the machines and to make sure the fluid is water based. Most fire marshals won’t accept oil-based ones because of the residue and safety concerns. Luckily most CHAUVET® foggers and hazers are water based.

• Make sure you know the cost – A fire marshal needs to be on site for the entire duration of the event, and sometimes before and after, when you set up/break down your rig. This service costs money. Rates may be by the hour, so the best thing to do is to plan properly. Keep in mind small events won’t even bother with this because the cost of the fire marshals ends up being the same as the cost for a DJ. Also, know if your client will pay for the entire bill or if you will contribute. Sometimes you can split the bill with the client, other times you will have to include it in your budget. Each event is different and fire marshal is never guaranteed.
• Approvals from the venue – All foggers/hazers are capable of triggering smoke detectors due to the particles they emit. Talk to the managers of the venue to see if you need approvals from them as well. Have them sign a contract if needed – cover all angles.

Now that you’ve gone through all this, remember to use foggers wisely, don’t run them nonstop throughout the entire event, just set the timer and let them work on their own. Most CHAUVET® foggers and hazers have a built-in timer or optional timer available. Some even have DMX and/or wireless options for optimal control. Fog and haze significantly enhances light effects and creates a distinctive atmosphere that clients love, so it pays off to fight for it!

2-Step Guide to Plug-and-Play Fixtures

by Allan Reiss, product manager for CHAUVET®

If you’re looking to host a party or small event, plug-and-play fixtures can change the entire atmosphere. Before making an investment in a new fixture, read below to ensure you make the right decision.

Step 1 – Ask yourself these questions:
Do I want simple operation or do I want programmable lights?
What type of effects do these fixtures project?
What can I expect to see from these lights?
How many fixtures will I need?

Step 2 – Remember these facts:
1. Simple to use
You literally plug it in and let it operate. These fixtures include a built-in microphone to trigger sound-activated programs that move and groove to the beat of the music. The built-in automatic programs continue to operate even if there is no sound present.

2. Multiple beams
There is no programming or customization required. If you’re looking to create a customized show, you should consider a fixture with DMX instead. Plug-and-play fixtures create desired effects by using multiple beams and motion.

3. Expect effects
Effect lights do just that – create an effect. Different fixtures can project multicolored, razor-sharp beams, moonflower effects, flame effects and more.

4. Size is everything
The size of your venue and type of event will help determine how many and what types of fixtures you will need to include in your set up. There are two quick-and-easy steps to setting up your rig, as well as selecting effect lights.

Quick tip! – If your venue permits it, add a little bit of fog or haze to the room so your guests see the beams and really get the full effect.

Motion LED Drapes from Chauvet coming this fall

CHAUVET®, a leading manufacturer of LED lighting, announces the release of three new LED drapes that will drastically change the appearance of your setup and add life to any event: MotionDrape™ LED, MotionFacade™ LED and SparkleDrape™ LED. Turn a bland background into one with pizzazz with SparkleDrape™ LED and MotionDrape™ LED backdrops, and make your DJ booth pop with the MotionFacade™ LED front board drape system.

MotionDrape™ LED, MotionFacade™ LED, and SparkleDrape™ LED include sound activated and automatic programs and can be operated using eight channels of DMX or in stand-alone mode. All three drapes allow you to control the speed of all patterns as well as their static color selection.

MotionDrape™ LED is an animated, 9.8-by-6.5 foot backdrop drape powered by 176 high output, tri-colored SMD LEDs for full, color-mixing capabilities and wide viewing angles. This drape features 30 eye-catching motion graphics, ranging from a multicolored rain effect to a graphic equalizer effect, and also includes dimming capabilities.

MotionFacade™ LED is a perfect companion to MotionDrape™ LED. MotionFacade™ LED is an animated, 6.5-by-3.3 foot front board drape system powered by 66 high output, tri-colored SMD LEDs. MotionFacade™ LED has the same great built in motion graphics as the MotionDrape™ LED, which are accessible in standalone mode or via DMX for a synchronized show.

SparkleDrape™ LED is a 9.8-by-6.5 foot backdrop drape powered by 120 RGBW SMD LEDs that has 17 built-in programs. You can easily control colors individually to accommodate any theme.

For added convenience, SparkleDrape™ LED and MotionDrape™ LED have grommets on all four sides to make installation a breeze and both are designed to hang perfectly on the CHAUVET® CH-31 portable trussing system. MotionFacade™ LED includes grommets, hanging loops and Velcro® to allow for multiple mounting options. Each drape is crafted from certified flame retardant velour fabric and includes a free bag to simplify storage and transport.

Rane releases MP26 CLUB MIXER

MP26 CLUB MIXER

Building on a 25 year tradition of delivering the very best in DJ mixers, Rane is proud to introduce the MP26. The MP26 satisfies the audio and ergonomic demands of performing DJs, in a 19” rack format preferred by nightclubs, with a recessed-jack 5U design that drops easily into a mobile rig. Sporting two microphone inputs, four studio-grade phono preamps, four analog aux inputs, four low-latency stereo USB inputs, analog and USB effects insert loops, a powerful internal effects engine featuring Filter, Flanger, Phaser, Echo, Robot, and Reverb effects, and a variety of analog and digital outputs; the MP26 remains rooted in analog tradition while reaching new heights of digital connectivity and performance. Front and center, the MP26 also features Rane’s patented, no-bleed, no-noise, no-wear, magnetic crossfader.

Integrating a twenty-two channel USB audio interface, the MP26 enables simultaneous playback of four stereo sources, recording five stereo channels, and inserting computer-based effects. Reliable, low-latency, multi-client ASIO and Core Audio drivers interface the MP26’s twenty-two USB audio channels directly to your favorite multi-track mixing, beat-making, looping, effects, and recording applications. Additionally, the MP26’s front panel controls are MIDI enabled, allowing manipulation of software parameters directly from the mixer’s control surface.

The MP26 also features Rane’s powerful FlexFX architecture, allowing DJs to apply a variety of effects to any combination of mic and program inputs. Insert effects into individual channels, a sub-mix of channels, or the entire main mix. Combine outboard effects processors with VST effects running on your computer and the MP26’s internal effects processor. FlexFX makes it easy to create unique, compelling mixes in a variety of mixing styles.

Two microphone inputs put the DJ and other entertainers in direct contact with the audience. Each microphone includes independent Talkover control . Engage a mic to put it into the mix, or engage Talkover to put the mic in the mix and duck all other sources. Talkover makes it easy to jump into the mix for quick, intelligible announcements.

About Rane Corporation

Rane Corporation is an established innovator in problem-solving audio tools, professionally engineered with a focus on science, price/performance, and not frills and hype. Designed and manufactured exclusively in the United States, Rane’s product distribution is worldwide. Marketplaces are DJ (performance, club, mobile & recording), Live Sound (FOH and monitoring) and Commercial (music & paging, networked systems) featuring innovative analog and digital audio products for each category. For more information, visit www.rane.com

Old school mixes are cool but old rules of marketing are not by Steve Parry

Old School Mixes are cool but old rules of marketing are not.
By Steve Parry

Opportunity can be defined as, “A favorable combination of circumstances.” In the business world this usually involves the exploitation of trends favorable to the endeavor. As the saying goes, “An idiot in a straight-up trend defeats an expert in a flat one every time!” Further, it has been said that success happens when opportunity and preparedness meet. We hope to help prepare you and show you not only the tools but the why behind social media with these post. Even if you’re not interested in computers it is difficult to ignore the impact the internet and electronic commerce has had on our society in the past few years with social media.

John R Levine, author of The Internet for Dummies, “…we gave to say the internet is totally mainstream and you’re falling further behind the curve if you haven’t gotten started.” Michael Dell, billionaire founder of Dell Computer Corporation, said “I believed – and still believe – that the Internet will become as pervasive and invaluable as the telephone.

In a USA today article with Emily White director of Facebook’s Local who works with business on Facebook tools she was asked: Many small businesses are concerned about taking on another project – social networking. Why should they take the time? White says, “the web is changing from an information web to a social web. The way people are interacting with online materials is really starting to mimic what they’re doing offline. A small business not on Facebook is missing a ton of opportunity. People are already talking about them, but all the positive things they’re saying are going off into the ether – and not getting shared broadly. Your page becomes a living breathing representation of your business.”

Now that you see that your online business is a “breathing representation of your business” what does that mean? Let me ask you when was the last time you looked in the yellow pages for a service and you had no clue who or where you were going to start? Have you even thought about or used the yellow pages in the past six months? If you’re not using them why would you expect others to call you from that same ad that you have had in there for years? It’s the normal thing to do, everyone else is doing it……really it’s just one of the old rules that you could be wasting money on. With so many of the old rules there is no way to measure its effectiveness. How often do people get a new phone book every six months to a year, maybe. It could be 3-4 years and different yellow page ads to find the right and effective one. While online you can see something is not working and change it on the hour if needed.

Thinking in real time is the key, as a Dj, for example you do this all the time. A song is being played but no one is dancing and you still have 4 minutes left. Do you let it keep playing? I didn’t think so…..with marketing you have to think in real time as well. People all over are wrestling with the challenge, and most are not at all comfortable with adopting a real time thinking process. It’s not something you learned in school or read in the best seller business book when you started your business. When the notion is put in front of them, many dismiss quick response to opportunities and threats as “reckless” or “risky” but like the opening statement of this post opportunity can be defined as, “A favorable combination of circumstances.”

Attitudes are so ingrained that even when confronted with an iceberg off the bow, companies persist in choosing slow and cautious over quick and nimble. Way too much time is spent checking, getting permission, researching, and running it past “experts” by the time decision is finally reached its time to call in the rescue team and abandon ship.

What have we been taught in the past:
Wait to make certain.
Work from checklist.
Make five year business plans.
Measure results quarterly.
Get yellow page ads.
Mail out flyers.
Post ads on billboards.
Run all decisions by staff.
Do all your research.
Aim for perfection before the public has the release.
Respond to customers on YOUR time frame.
Make newspaper and magazine ads stand out.
TV/Radio commercials.

Nothing on this list is wrong. Clearly research, planning and working as a team are important. The problem is that speed and agility are all too often sacrificed for the sake of process. Testing ads, the plans and checking things on that quarterly level have a problem when it comes to trying to find out the results that work and the ones that don’t. To overcome that you need to consciously and proactively adopt a real time thinking process.

Now that the gears are turning in your head and thinking about you’re marketing plan. What do you have in place? Yellow page ad vs ads on the internet (new rule, by the way), TV ad vs you tube channel, article in the local wedding publication vs your own blog. I think you can see where I’m going with the end of this post. So now after your done reading I have something that I want you to do. Call it a small challenge. Take a sheet of paper (or make a new document on your computer) and write out all of your marketing and public relations and on the top make a T down the middle writing OLD RULES on one side and NEW RULES on the other. Write them all out and if you think they are old or new. Think about it, if you don’t know write them in the middle. If your thinking they are new write them on that side, keep the paper for in the next post we will start going over the New Rules of Marketing in the next and following post.

Steve Parry and Justin Williams are the owners of Socially Xcepted a social media management and coaching company to help you with your needs on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Visit them at www.SociallyXcepted.com or email them at getsocial@sociallyxcepted.com

5 Reasons to Switch to LEDs

by Allan Reiss, product manager for CHAUVET®

Highly efficient, LEDs, or light emitting diodes, are becoming the norm in the lighting industry. As a DJ you’ve probably wondered why LEDs are that much better than traditional fixtures that use lamps. Read below to see why you should make the change now.

1. Energy efficient/cost efficient.
On average, an LED fixture consumes 40-50 percent less energy than traditional fluorescent lighting with the same light output. Lighting accounts for 30-40 percent of the energy consumption in a typical office building. Installing efficient LED fixtures on your rig immediately reduces the amount of power you use.  You’ll also be able to use more fixtures and consume less power – sounds contradictory but that’s the beauty of LEDs!  Venues hosting small bands and their lighting rigs can and will appreciate this.

2. Long lifespan.
LEDs have a much longer lifespan than traditional lamps. They last 35 to 50 times longer than incandescent lighting and two to five times longer than fluorescent lighting.  Not to mention that LEDs don’t just suddenly “die.” They typically dim over time rather than abruptly failing like traditional lamps. So, don’t worry about blowing a bulb in the middle of a wedding reception!

3. Variety of colors.
LED fixtures can emit light of an intended color by using additive color mixing.  For example, a fixture with RGB LEDs will add blue and red together to create magenta – there is no need for color wheels or gel sheets. Additive color mixing saves time and money because you won’t have to buy and change gel sheets.  Using gel sheets and color wheels to obtain your desired color is called subtractive color mixing. For example, a moving head with a white LED will use a color wheel to project magenta (or any desired color).

4. Low heat.
Compared to most light sources, LEDs radiate very little heat. You can break down your setup in record time because you no longer have to wait for your fixtures to cool down. You’ll also notice that your electricity bill will decrease because you won’t have to pump the room with air conditioning to compensate for fixtures that emit a lot of heat.

5. Strong and sturdy.
LEDs don’t have a filament like regular incandescent bulbs. No broken filaments means you can spend less time fixing your lights and more time showing them off. You will also have lower maintenance costs over the life your fixture. LEDs are solid and hold up well as you’re trying to cram everything into your car and rush to the next gig.

Are you ready to make the switch? Your investment will pay for itself before you know it, especially if you upsell during events. These efficient fixtures are becoming the norm, so don’t get left behind!

Win a Light a Month in 2012 with American DJ’s 12 for 12 Contest

Win a Light a Month in 2012 with American DJ’s 12 for 12 Contest
Winner to Receive a Dozen Lights Up to $6,000 in Value

LOS ANGELES – All DJ’s should love 2012, since American DJ will be rolling out a dazzling array of lights in the coming year. For the winner of ADJ’s latest contest, though, 2012 will be an especially exciting once-in-a-lifetime memorable type of year!

Running from now to December 30, the company’s new “12 for 12” contest will see one lucky winner receive one American DJ lighting fixture per month (up to $500 M.A.P) in 2012. That’s 12 fixtures in all, for a prize total of up to $6,000! Entering the contest is easy – simply go to ADJ’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/americandj), “like” the page, click the “contest” tab, and fill out the entry form.

With this contest, it pays to enter early, as ADJ will have a sweet “pre prize drawing” for those who enter before October 13 – a Mega Par Profile Uplighting Kit worth $500! This kit consists of four Mega Par Profiles, one RGB 3C controller and four 10-foot Accu Cable DMX Cables. Best of all, the winner of this early entry prize is still eligible to win the main 12 for 12 contest!

No purchase is necessary, but only fans of American DJ’s Facebook page are eligible to win. The winner of the 12 for 12 contest will be drawn from all entries received by 5 PM PST on December 30, 2011 and announced on January 10, 2012. The early entry contest winner will be drawn from all entries received by October 13, 2011 and announced on October 20. For a complete list of rules, please visit http://www.fucinipro.com/AmericanDJ/fb/rules_1212.htm.

For more information, contact American DJ at 1-800-322-6337 or visit the website at www.americandj.com

Blizzard Lighting Joins Phillips Electronics LED Program

BLIZZARD LIGHTING JOINS PHILIPS ELECTRONICS’ LED LUMINAIRES LICENSING PROGRAM

Move will fuel exciting new product developments for Blizzard’s growing line

Waukesha, Wis. ‐ Blizzard Lighting, LLC announced today that they had entered into an agreement with Philips Electronics to license Philips’ full portfolio of patents and other intellectual property relating to LED‐based lighting, as available through Philips LED Luminaire and Retrofit Bulb licensing program.

Through the program, Blizzard will have access to dozens of Philips’ patents covering LED color changing and tunable‐white luminaires, as well as Philips‐patented technology for control and dimming of LEDs and other SSL’s (solid‐state‐luminaires).

“We are very pleased to conclude this agreement with Philips, and look forward to a long and innovative partnership with their team,” said Will Komassa, President of Blizzard Lighting. “Philips embodies innovation and without their contributions to LED lighting, many of the products we take for granted would never have come to market. Like Philips, we are committed to constant innovation, so this agreement is a great fit on many levels.”

Blizzard Lighting, LLC, headquartered in Waukesha, Wis., is a leader in LED entertainment lighting, with products like its well‐known Puck® series in use throughout the US and world.

For more information please contact:

Frank Luppino Director of Sales & Marketing Blizzard Lighting, LLC +1 414 395 8372 frank@blizzardlighting.com

How do I market my business NOW? by Steven Parry

Since the age of the “dot com bomb” we have seen a change in the way marketing is done. From calling people out of the phone book to finding out what cool business owner had a fancy fax line. Then it came down between car phones and email, followed up by if you don’t have a website how do you expect to stay in business. Now the tables have turned again, everyone wants to know “are you on Facebook, please like our page” or “make sure you follow us on Twitter” so the question poses itself. Is your business on these mediums? If so are you doing well? Are you using your time effectively and not planting that crop on your virtual farm? This is a start of a new blog series being hosted by Mobile Beat with Ryan Burger,Justin Williams and myself Steve Parry the owners of a social media management and coaching company called SociallyXcepted. Together with Ryan and his staff, we have develop a program that will help your business move forward with anonline marketing plan. For some business owners this will be a new venture all together and for others this maybe a walk in the park, either way we hope to be able to help you learn and move forward.

In this blog series on social media you will learn how marketing has changed and what you will need to do to make it in today’s business online world. In the process of learning you will also be introduced to tools, techniques, and the new process of marketing and how to successfully market your business online. The overall blog series is a part of a smaller program that will be a video series with downloadable videos that will guide you step by step using Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. The main program will have an initial package with follow up videos, online books, and updates. Not only will wecover what is important within these site but how to use them effectively with personalities, using the DISC theory and The Five Love Languages. Now you may be asking yourself why would you need those in running a mobile disc jockey business and the answer is everything. Business’s are built on relationships, if you learn how to use them and build them effectively you will be more profitable with more success. Our goal is so that you understand, learn and use them to your advantage.

Using social media has changed the RULES of the game within marketing. The first step starts now. Many of you have been coming to the Mobile Beat Las Vegas show for years, some of you this is your first time. For the young and old this all applies now, for some of you it will be harder to do than others but this is the start. Getting your thinking in the right place is key. Did you read or skim over that last sentence? Here it is again, the first rule is getting your thinking in the right place. As you have been in business for yourself you have come across many different people from clients to vendors to other guest at events. When you go out again and plan another wedding and you ask your bride and groom how the search for the right photographer (florist, cater, ect) is coming and their expression is concern or worry what do you do. Naturally you have the thought of “I know someone” comes to mind. Stop!!!Let’s get on their same page and think like them for a second before we just throw some business cards at them. Ask them what kind of pictures they are looking for, narrow it down. From your experience in this field you know a little bit about your other vendors you have worked with and their style and know someone that is going to be right for them. You then tell them about Jack and his photo company because you have worked with them in the past, you know think that this would be a perfect match. You have a team a select few people that will help the event as a whole move in the right direction, your job at the wedding is not just another gig at a wedding but it is the event of a lifetime for this couple.

You already know this and are asking yourself what does this have to do with social media and using it for my business? Everything, do you see what I did, got you thinking in the place where you would understand it. Now I’m going to say that the “old rules” that you will learn about the next post vs.the “new rules” and how they have changed and how you are going to have to think like the clients to be able to find new and have old ones come back using your online networks. If you get the right thinking, with the right marketing plan, throwing out the old marketing plan (if you actually had one), then you will figure out how to have personal relationships grow not only for business but with family and friends. This series will help you to expand to new levels. So here is the old saying “back to the drawing board” comes into play. Let’s have fun, learn a lot and we will see you on the next post.

Chauvet ORB explodes with beams!

EXPLOSION OF DIFFERENT BEAMS FROM ONE ORB™

SUNRISE, Fla. – CHAUVET®, a leading manufacturer of LED lighting, announces a new effect light called Orb™. Orb™ is a mushroom-style effect light that rotates thick and thin beams of bright red, green and blue LED light, illuminating any room, club or bar. Different-sized lenses produce beams of various diameters, making the Orb™ a must-have fixture for any rig.

Orb™ can be easily installed as a centerpiece unit or to cover the dance floor from any angle. It can be controlled via DMX, or can work on its own with auto or sound-activated programs. Multiple units can be power linked, saving time running cables and extension cords. The single-channel DMX control offers flexibility and remote triggering.

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About CHAUVET®
CHAUVET® is a leading manufacturer of professional luminaires fulfilling the needs of various industry sectors, from DJ/club to architecture to production/tour. CHAUVET’s strategy is to pursue every market segment where it has a competitive advantage in terms of value, innovation and performance, with an emphasis on LED technology. For more general information, please visit www.chauvetlighting.com

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