3 Easy Steps to Managing Cables

 

by Wallace Greenaway, CHAUVET® DJ Product Manager

Trying to manage hundreds of feet of cable can be a daunting task — especially for DJs who are trying to set up and breakdown in a limited amount of time. If you carelessly toss your cables in a duffle bag at the end of your gig, you’re going to end up with a tangled mess the next time you set up. Following these three easy steps will make for an easy set up that will decrease your level of frustration and save you money replacing damaged gear.

1. Keep it clean
Always clean your cables before you wrap them and store them away. If you have an outside gig, your cables can get covered in grass, dirt, mud and all kinds of environmental remnants. Be sure to wipe them down with a damp rag. Personally, I use rubbing alcohol because it gets the job done and evaporates almost immediately. Indoor events usually require cables to be taped down which in turn can leave a sticky residue behind. Invest in a bottle of Goo Gone® for tougher jobs.

2. Properly wrap your cables
Properly wrapping your cables after each gig will save you a lot of frustration and money. If you wrap your cables incorrectly, you run the risk of damaging or breaking the wires inside and having to replace them. Simply tossing your cables in a bag or box can lead to a tangled bird’s nest of wires. Click here for tips on how to (properly) wrap cables.

3. Storage
Once you have properly wrapped your cables, consider tagging them so you know what size you’re working with. Staying organized will help decrease your set up time because cables will be clearly labeled and will unravel flawlessly. For safe storage and easy transportation, invest in a road case or plastic bin with a secure lid.

Debunk Perceived “Limitations” of LEDs

by Allan Reiss, CHAUVET® DJ product manager

We read more and more about LEDs in industry magazines and see them used in various applications every day: from traffic lights, to medical use, to the classic purpose of entertaining in clubs, on stage and at private events. We know that overall, LEDs stand for a breakthrough in the lighting industry—this is undeniable! But you might also read how in certain areas LEDs are “limited,” or you will hear lighting designers loyal to the incandescent era who would not acknowledge the advantages of LEDs and just stick to what they think works best. LEDs are constantly improving, so they might not have reached perfection—yet—but are those “limitations” that some people talk about truly real? Read on to understand more:

1. “LEDs cost too much”—Not true! The upfront cost of LEDs is higher compared to the price of incandescent or fluorescent lights. But over the years LEDs are simply a good investment. The low energy consumption, not having to replace bulbs frequently and their reliability save a lot of money in the long run.

2. “They don’t really last 50,000 hours”—This is not the case! LEDs can in fact last between 50,000 to 100,000 hours of operation. What rumors out there are trying to convey, is that some other parts in the fixture, such as the power supply, might fail before the LEDs can reach their lifespan. Again, this is not accurate since not only have LEDs grown brighter and more versatile, but the lights and fixtures as an ensemble are built to keep up with the actual LED diode. If used in the proper conditions and maintained carefully, there is no reason why an LED fixture shouldn’t last for years and years.

3. “Not ideal for camera use”—Think again! The reality is that LEDs offer a rather wide spectrum of illumination. “Warm” and “cool” LED fixtures are now flicker-free, which makes them ideal for safe use on TV sets or for other video applications. CHAUVET® fixtures like the Q-Wash™ 560Z-LED or the COLORado™ Batten 72 Tour, COLORado™ Batten 144 Tour, COLORado™ Ridge IP, COLORado™ Range IP, all feature RGBWA LEDs for great color rendering.

Remember! LEDs are not only a great choice for various lighting usages, but they are also “green”! With zero mercury used to manufacture them, disposal after years of operation doesn’t pose a risk to the environment.

Website Rookie Mistakes!

My last piece, Grammar 101 for DJs, was based on common mistakes that I saw on various websites. This led to a couple of requests to discuss some awful website elements seen even today. Brace yourself, some of these items sound like they came form a 1990s Geocities website!

GIF IMAGES

Oh dear God, why?!?! I would say at least 30% of DJ sites that I saw have some sort of moving GIF. Lose it. It’s cheesy, old, retro (not the good kind) and just plain awful. As a matter of fact, lose ANY GIF whatsoever. Should you need it because of a transparency, save it as a PNG. You don’t lose any colors this way.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Technically, all websites are under construction. Get rid of this. It’s very annoying when you want to read information and that annoying notice pops up. Rule of thumb: never create a link to a page until said page is created.

MUSIC

I’m not going there. I’m serious. You know your target market (you better), and so you (should) know where they will be visiting your site from. Our wedding site is quiet whereas our school site has music.

STOLEN IMAGES

Seriously? No no no no. I’m writing an article on this on Mobile Beat Magazine. Stay tuned.

STOLEN TEXT

See above. Then slam your head against concrete. haha.

WRONG COLOR PSYCHOLOGY

Colors mean things. Every fast food restaurant uses red and yellow because it creates a sense of urgency. This could be good in a page with a call to action; however, too much and you can create a frequent bounce rate. (Your clients click in and out of your site). Consider using blues, whites, browns, and earthy colors as these instill a sense of calm. Blue portrays honesty. Think about this when choosing ties to wear, too!

IRRELEVANT PHOTOS

Saw a website with a picture of a Corvette (stock image from GM’s site), but NO DJ related photos. What the..? o.O

SPEAKING OF PHOTOS…

Make sure that your photos are legal for you to use. Don’t flood a site with tons of photos either, unless it’s a blog. Choose images that are eye-grabbing and show off what YOU do. Almost every website has a photo of a couple doing their first dance. Our site has a photo of the bride and groom fist pumping and screaming with 100 other guests. Guess which image will grab the couple’s attention?

DON’T MAKE SCROLLBARS LONGER THAN MY…

…mouse swipe. Scrolling is OK, but unless it’s a blog, I shouldn’t have to continuously keep scrolling. Make your website as clear and concise as possible. This leads to….

…KEEP TEXT CONCISE.

Text should give info and have keywords. That’s it. Cut the fluff out. I saw one website that had over 1,000 words in one page. Why? No one, and I mean NO ONE, is going to read that.

GEAR IS OK!

It’s OK to talk about gear, but don’t list the recipe. Instead, talk about how your gear will enhance the event. Why are your wireless LED uplights better than wired halogens? Why is a good sound system important? What about the importance of a computer system with redundancy? We get good gear to keep our events top-notch, brag about it! At bridal shows, we set up our DJ console and the grooms always come over to play with it!

BROKEN LINKS

Please make sure EVERY link leads to an actual page, otherwise you’ll get penalized by Google!

STOCK PHOTOS

Really? No. Stop it. STOP IT NOW. Buy a camera and learn to shoot or network with photographers. There is ZERO reason to use stock photography. This is even worse if its stock photos of an event. You are lying to your client about what you offer.

That’s it… for now. There may even be a part 2. Sadly enough, too many sites have the garbage I listed above. Check your website out and make sure it’s representing your company to the best of its ability. Remember that your website will give out more first impressions than you ever will!

5-Hour Friendships

That older couple over in the corner of the dance floor…they’re the Johnsons.  That’s their corner.  Their daughter Amanda went to school with the bride.  Every time I play a ballad – especially an old school ballad – something from The Righteous Brothers or The Four Seasons, they head straight to their corner and hold each other tight.  They’ve been married for 32 years.

Uh-oh.  Here comes Skip…again.  A frat brother of the groom, Skip is the “Aggressive Requester”.  I knew he would be the one when he greeted me at the beginning of the night with an eloquent “You ‘da DJ?” and a high five so hard I had to retrieve my hand from the other side of the ballroom.  Sure enough, he’s on his 22^nd rum and coke and he hasn’t heard “Shout” yet.  I’m praying my mixer is drool proof.

There’s Candy and Crystal, the two hottest girls at the reception, smack dab in the middle of the dance floor.  Crystal is definitely the better dancer as Candy suffers from a bit of white girl disease, but both little black dresses make up for any rhythmic challenges either might have.  I’ve convinced myself they both find me attractive despite the fact that I’m old enough to be their father, I’m married and they both have large boyfriends that skulk on the outskirts of the dance floor acting like they’d rather walk across hot coals than actually cut a rug with these two beauties.  The girls have told me a thousand times they love Pitbull and Enrique Iglesias.  If I hear either artist one more time I’m going to jump out the window, but I’m willing to suffer for my art.

Jessica, the bride, is happy, dancing and smiling.  So far, so good.  The wedding party has ties off, flip-flops on and they all have boozy looks of contentment.  Excellent.  The dance floor is pretty full but there are still some table sitters.  I’ve already talked to some of them to ask if there are requests they’d like to hear.  Ned, the off-duty cop and friend of the family likes Thin Lizzy and Molly Hatchet.  Can’t help him.  But the Wojitskys, Bob & Linda told me they’d love more Frank Sinatra.  Definitely gonna’ hook them up and get more bodies on the floor.

It’s been a great party.  There’s just one thing.

None of these people actually exist.

Actually, at most events these types of people do exist.  It’s specific back stories like this I sometimes find myself creating.

During a typical 5 hour reception or special event, I find myself so focused on the personalities on the dance floor and in the ballroom that I feel like I really get to know most of the guests.  Of course, I already know the bride and groom and probably their parents as well.  But I’m working to reach a goal of a full dance floor all night so I need to focus on the guest list at large.  Often, I really do get a chance to talk a bit with some guests as they make requests or as I introduce myself to guests during the cocktail hour or dinner.  As I line up and prep the wedding party for the Grand Entrance I often tell them, “I may not know you well enough to put the names with the faces yet, but by the end of the night, we’ll be like old friends”.  And we usually are.  Each event is like a 5-hour relationship with friends, most of which I’ll never see again.

It’s about paying attention to the guests, observing the ebb and flow of personalities on the dance floor (and those not on the dance floor) and responding accordingly to keep it full.  And sometimes, when I’m so focused on the guests, my imagination kicks in and I can’t help but let their song requests and dancing patterns color in an outline of what I imagine their personalities to be.  DJs should never get lost in their own music preferences, thoughts about sore feet, or how much time is left on the gig.  I want to create an environment where 200 of my closest friends are having a blast on the dance floor all night long.

Even if they don’t really exist.

Headed for Disaster…the Show Must Go On

There may be nothing that attracts Murphy’s Law better than live entertainment.  That’s part of the thrill of any live performance.  The audience knows that the performer could fall flat on their ass at any given time.  This has actually happened to me.  I was singing with my band when my foot got tangled in a cord and I literally fell on my ass right into one of the horn players’ horns.  Not only did I bend this poor guys mouth piece, but I almost ended up with a trumpet up my butt (which would have given new meaning to “tooting”!).  But I digress.  From the performer’s perspective we know that at any time the electricity could blow (which has also happened to me – of course) or a sandbag could fall on their head.  It’s navigating this sort of tight-wire dance between performer and audience and how we handle these potentially armageddonous (yes, I made that up) moments that really makes us entertainment professionals.

I’m not talking about back-up gear.  That’s easy.  Any good, professional DJ already is prepared with back-up systems and gear and there are a multitude of online resources from experts with advice about back-up gear.

But what about performance skills in case of a gear melt down or event disasters, some of which may have nothing to do with your gear at all.  Bad weather, delays from the wedding party, even fights can spell disasters in the hands of an unprepared artist.  As a theatre veteran and life-long singer,  I have seen first hand some of the funniest and unfortunate mishaps on stage that can happen to a performer.  Missed entrances, forgotten lines, falling set pieces all are almost expected. I have also learned from the best performers over the years how to handle these crises.  Here are a couple pieces of advice from someone who could fill a thousand blogs with embarrassing performance mishaps.

• Create a team with the audience -  Once you have created great rapport with the audience, they will be on your side – no matter what happens.  The best way to do that is with honesty.  I call this the Restaurant Rule.  How often have you been at a restaurant that is having some sort of problem in the kitchen?  If you’ve been left to sit there with no communication, waiting for a long time or worse, given some line of BS about the food coming out any second, you don’t sympathize at all with the server. There’s nothing they can do right after that. You most certainly won’t leave a tip.  But if the server communicates with you about the challenge, shows empathy and offers solutions like a free drink or appetizer and brings you frequent updates, you end up pulling for them.  You are more likely to forgive the problem.  Everybody makes mistakes, right?  Do the same thing with your audience. Create a team with the audience and they will be on your side.

• Don’t panic.  Above all else, keep cool.  You’re a DJ.  You know how to be cool. You can’t do anything if you’re a panicked, unorganized mess.

• Improvise – If any group of entertainers are experts at improvising, it’s DJs.  I have seen countless brilliant solutions to challenges related to gear from our community.  We invent ways to haul our gear, set-up our gear, even invent… gear.  DJs are hustlers that know how to solve problems.  But how fast do we think on our feet in performance?  If we apply that same do-it-yourself ingenuity to our performance, big problems can seem like little bumps in the road.  This is also where a theatre class or improv workshop can help develop these skills and really come in handy.

• Rehearse – Planning for the un-planned is the best tool for handling mishaps.  Rather, controlling what can be controlled frees your mind and body to be able to improvise solutions when something goes wrong. The more you know and are familiar with your gear, the event, the venue, etc. the more prepared you will be to come up with spur of the moment solutions.  Think about what you would say if the power went out or a fight broke out and practice it.  If your event timeline is completely organized, you’re better prepared if it needs to change suddenly.

• Know and LOVE the other vendors – Going back to the Restaurant Rule – there is perhaps no better friend in the world for a struggling restaurant server than the cook.  They can choose to quickly change an entree helping the server solve a problem as fast as possible.  But only if treated with respect, given information, made part of the team and even maybe given a piece of the tip they helped save.  The same is true for other vendors at a special event.  Creating an onsite team not only helps the event run smoothly, but can also be a great help in improvising solutions in an emergency.  If the power blows, can the photographer improvise some quick and fun group shots?  Can the bar deliver everyone a drink?  By the way, industry networking events are great ways to create relationships with other vendors.  Here in Cleveland, a group of photographers started an informal group called “Super Taco Tuesday“.  It was just a chance for them to get together socially.  Soon the group grew to include other vendors including entertainment vendors.  At the company I work for,  Jerry Bruno Productions we have made some great friends through the group.  This helps so much when we’re on special event gigs together.  It really becomes working with friends. Mutual respect, communication and teamwork can overcome any event glitch.

• Embrace Mistakes – There’s a saying that goes “mistakes are the beginning of discovery”.  Everything is a learning experience if you treat it that way. Mistakes can help prepare you for future mishaps and even help you develop new tools.

Finally, I think the most important element in keeping things in your favor in emergencies is experience.  Over the years, I have developed an almost innate sense of what to do, or, more accurately how to act when things don’t go as planned on a gig.  There’s not a gig that goes by with my band that I don’t forget some lyrics.  Dozens of songs, thousands of lyrics all while juggling all the other aspects of being the MC and Band Leader and dropping some lyrics is inevitable.  But the audience never knows. Keeping the show moving, being inconspicuous about mistakes and coming up with entertaining ways to cover them have become life-long habits.  The same can happen with any veteran performer and will happen with any new performer.

Stuff happens. Especially in show business.  And above all else, the show must go on.

But thinking about some of these things may just help you prevent ending up with a trumpet up your butt.

Grammar 101 for DJs!

In my spare time, I like to check out other DJ websites or promo materials. I think we all have done this to see what others are doing and to get inspiration for new updates or ideas. However, one of the things that drives me absolutely batty is grammar. Although I encourage DJs to use slang on a teen-based site, writing “you and your friends will be able to TXT us on the big screen” is a tad different than “you and you’re guest can text us on teh big screens.” In fact, the mistakes I am about to go over are so elementary yet very common.

Since we are in the BUSINESS of COMMUNICATIONS (unless you don’t talk AT ALL during events), it is very important that we speak with proper grammar, even if we use a bit of slang for marketing purposes. Is this possible? Did I give you the ultimate paradox? The answer is “yes” on both counts. It’s like me asking others to show me some cool DJ attitude without sagging their pants or wearing their hat backward, but it CAN be done!

Get ready for a third-grade lesson that many slept through. Yes, you WILL use this stuff in the future.

You’re autocorrect won’t help you, your going to get this wrong.

As exemplified above, the two words above are used incorrectly. You’re is a contraction for you are, while your is a possessive noun. Don’t switch them around, please!

The Three Themigos:

The word they’re means they are. For example: “They’re going to use this word wrong; I just know it!”

The word there describes the state of a noun or verb’s location. “We are going to set up over there.”

Finally, their is the possessive noun of they. “Their new school setup is phenomenal!”

Understand the three meanings above because if I see “Your guests will have the time of there lives” one more time, I will DDOS your website! Hahaha.

FOREVER ALONE?

Speaking of guests, you DO know that is a plural noun, correct? Far too many websites have “you and your guest will . . .” written all over. Unless your client invited a +1 and that’s it, they have GUESTS in THEIR wedding. (See what I did there?)

Possessive Plurals DON’T EXIST on DJs’ websites! <– Unless it’s like that.

This is perhaps my favorite mistake; and by favorite, I mean I WANT TO PUT A BULLET IN MY HEAD WHEN I SEE THIS.

The plural form of DJ is DJs.
The plural form of MC is MCs.
The possessive form of DJ is DJ’s.
The possessive form of MC is MC’s.
The possessive form of more than one DJ is DJs’.
The possessive form of more than one MC is MCs’.

Never again should the sentence “We have interactive DJ’s and MC’s” appear ANYWHERE. Actually, even in proper grammar form, that sentence should be obliterated from existence.

Shakespeare and Snoop Dogg make up words, not we.

DJ is short for Disc Jockey, not DeeJay.
MC is short for Master of Ceremonies, Mike Chanter, Microphone Controller, one who “moves the crowd,” or Music Commentator. Many of these come from hip-hop culture.

MC can be spelled out as emcee if you’re a rapper. This has crossed over to our industry, too. “He is the emcee for the reception.”

Emcee and DeeJay can be found in the dictionary. So can the word ain’t. Enough said.

DJing is not a word. DJing says Disc Jockeying, which is a load of rubbish. You aren’t Master of Ceremoniesing a wedding either, unless you mean you are emceeing a wedding. If so, you’re laying down fresh beats while laying a hot flow over them. Kudos, yo.

DJ and MC are nouns, not verbs. You are not “DJing” or “MCing” a wedding. You are the DJ of a wedding reception. You will be the MC for so and so’s wedding. We’re all guilty of this, myself included.

Welcome the bridal party! EFF THE GROOM!

When you introduce the bridal party, you are introducing just the bride’s side. Wait, you wanted to introduce the bridesmaids AND groomsmen? In that case, you are introducing the wedding party. A huge kudos goes to Peter Merry for pointing out that rookie mistake in me years ago!

These examples are just a small, but common, set of mistakes I’ve seen on many DJs’ websites. Look through yours and get it fixed ASAP. Maybe grammar isn’t your strong suit; you can speak well, but writing isn’t your strong suit. Leave it to a professional! Have a proofreader go over your materials and fix any errors!

I recommend Tiffany Morgan with Write Word Edit. http://www.WriteWordEdit.com/

Good luck!

The Art of the DJ

Is DJing a performing art?  If it were considered a performing art by our clients – that is, if DJs were considered artists – our profession could be elevated to a point where we could overcome stigmas of DJs being no more than glorified serving staff or musical bartenders (no disrespect to serving staff or, particularly, bartenders, without whom I’m sure I could not live). Then could corresponding prices be far behind?

When I think of “entertainment”, I think of performances in disciplines that would most likely be considered performing arts. Things like theatre, dance or music performance. I’m a singer in a band as well as a DJ. I consider a band performance a performing art. A band is actually “performing” music live with skills we have worked a lifetime to develop – our “art”. Artists who have practiced for hours each day and spent years perfecting musical talent and skill generally don’t think twice about what to charge a client for their time and talent. But DJs do.

At Jerry Bruno Productions, I work full time booking all of the bands and DJs we represent. This gives me a unique perspective from both the artist viewpoint and the agent’s. There seems to be an almost universal expectation among clients booking live bands to pay premium rates. This expectation goes beyond the simple math of “more musicians equals more money”. There seems to be an inherent respect for a musician’s skill that manifests itself in an expectation to pay more. That’s not to say that everyone who wants to book a band has a bottomless wallet. They don’t and band clients present many of the same budget-related challenges that we deal with with clients looking for DJs. But what’s not the same is the almost automatic price objection from DJ clients. I tend to spend a lot more time defending, explaining and justifying DJ prices than band prices. Clients consider musicians artists.

Price haggling is rare if it exists at all among patrons of the arts. Concert tickets are what they are. Theatre fans will pay $100 a ticket or more to see a Broadway show. What about DJs? Wouldn’t it be nice to demand the same respect – and proportional price. As a DJ, do you consider yourself an artist? If so, (and I believe you should), how can you translate that to your clients?

A brief Google search for the definition of “Performing Arts” yielded this definition:

“Forms of creative activity that are performed in front of an audience, such as drama, music, and dance.”

OK. “Creative activity”. Preparing, programming and presenting music is certainly creative activity. Add to that other creative DJ skills of acting, dancing, narrating and writing just to name a few and DJing fits that criteria. And all of those skills should definitely be rehearsed (if you have any level of professionalism) and are certainly “performed in front of an audience”. Many DJs have spent a lifetime immersed in popular music. Through study and practice, they have exceptional knowledge and skill that should be respected (and paid for) every bit as much as that of a ballerina or an orchestra conductor.

Skeptics might point out that a DJ is not actually creating something original. I would argue that neither is a revival of a stage musical created long ago by writers that often have nothing to do with the current production. The sculptor who creates a “work of art” out of mechanical parts or even garbage is using material she didn’t create. But she is interpreting that material in her own way to make something new. DJs can do the same thing.

There are even some DJs who seem to be held in higher regard as actual performers. High profile turntablists or controllerists, whose gear seems to be considered musical instruments are viewed as artists on a much different level than professional mobile DJs. If the glass is half full, these high profile, DJs/Producers will raise awareness of the profession in general as a true art.

All of us DJs know our profession has a sort of an identity crisis. Just spend a few minutes in any DJ forum and try to navigate through the sea of insecurity disguised as “my speakers are bigger than yours” or threads regarding bottom feeders. One cure for this crisis is to realize that we are artists. We have developed and honed skills that can enlighten, challenge and, of course, entertain an audience. DJs can elevate an audience experience to a level that can create memories for a lifetime.

What could be more artistic than that?

5 Tips for a Smooth Setup

by Allan Reiss, CHAUVET® DJ product manager

1. Manage your inventory
Before you start loading your vehicle, make sure you have everything you need. Create a list of all the necessary items needed for the gig, gather them together and lay everything out to assess your inventory. If possible, bring spare fixtures with you. There’s going to be a problem if your client paid for a custom gobo and your gobo projector decides to stop working the day of the event. Once the gig is over, refer to your checklist to ensure you are leaving with everything you came with.
2. Pack properly
It is your responsibility to ensure your fixtures arrive in one piece when traveling to and from a gig. Do whatever you have to do to ensure they don’t break during transport by investing in a quality travel bag or roadcase. Safely pack as many fixtures as you can into one bag or case to avoid shifting and bouncing around — this will also save time making trips back and forth to your vehicle.
3. Cables
Attach a power cable to each fixture prior to packing. Pre-attaching cables saves time during setup and ensures each fixture is ready for installation upon arrival. If you choose to use DMX, make sure your DMX cables are properly wrapped and organized to avoid having to unravel a bird’s nest of knotted wires.
4. Survey the space
Take time to visit the venue prior to the gig. Pinpoint the exact location of the event and decipher the best place to park and load/unload your gear. Also, pay attention to any obstacles you might encounter such as: covered walkways that won’t allow your trailer through, stairs, limited electrical outlets, etc.
5. DMX addressing
If you decide to use DMX control, pre-address your fixtures to save time during setup — especially if you are unfamiliar with the process. You don’t want to arrive at the venue and have to figure out the proper address for each fixture and hope they work correctly.

3 Easy Tips for Using a T-stand

by Allan Reiss, CHAUVET® DJ Product Manager

Are you considering using a T-stand for your gigs? It’s easy to transport, assemble and pack, lightweight and you can position it independently in your setup. Why wouldn’t you? Do you know the best angle to place one in order for your lights to work properly? Or how many lights to load on a T-stand? Read on for some quick suggestions that will make a huge difference:

1. Placement. The best angles for a T-stand are behind or side of your DJ setup. Your effect lights look best when placed at a 45-degree angle to spread beams from above and cover a large area. Keep it stable and sturdy, especially if mounting several lights, you want it to maintain its balance. Also, keep your T-stand (and your lights) at a safe distance from overly happy partiers.

2. Watch the weight! Not yours… just make sure you don’t overload the T-stand with fixtures. If you’re using a simple tripod T-stand, read the manual for maximum load capacity and balance each side with lights, not only for weight, but for design purposes as well. You wouldn’t want to hang two moving yokes on one side and nothing on the other side. If you are using a double stand with a connecting bar, make sure you don’t place too many fixtures in the middle. The bar can bend! Also, make sure the legs on each tripod face each other for stability. You can also lay sand bags over the legs. They make one specifically for stands that you can buy from online grip supplies stores.

Quick tip: Don’t forget to use the safety pins! They usually come with the stand and make your setup much more safer – hence “safety” pins.

3. Manage cables! Avoid accidents and maintain a professional look by responsibly hiding your cables. You can use cable ties or gaff tape to place the cables next to the bar. If you forget to bring those tools, just grab the cable and loop it around the bar. Keep in mind this isn’t the safest and most secure method of cable management.

Since knowledge is power, after going through these simple tips, feel strong and confident that your setup looks professional and is safe. Happy DJing!

New equipment… does the client even care?

Who are you designing the show for- your clients or other DJs?

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