Getting Along With Your Gear by Paul Kida

Treat your gear setup with kindness and it will be your friend for a long timeHow do you get along with your gear? Do you know its needs and what it takes to keep it in tip-top shape? Do you pamper your gear so that it will always provide you with the best possible service? Do you take your gear for granted, looking at it as just a bunch of circuits, wires, chips and casings that you load and unload every weekend? Do you think that your gear is the very foundation, or the life-blood of your DJ career?

Most of us have a viewpoint somewhere in the middle. We know that our equipment plays a critical role in the success of each event and we try, to a certain degree, to take care of the gear that we own. How about doing some things that will step it up a notch; things that will not only keep our gear looking great, but also functioning at peak levels, providing us with years of service?

Ask yourself a few questions, such as: When was the last time I thoroughly cleaned the outside of all my gear? Have I vacuumed and/or wiped down my speakers, utility poles and stands, cords, mixing boards, etc.? Does my equipment look as good as it should, or as it could? Regular cleaning of your gear will not only help keep it working great, but it will add years of life to various parts of your set-up. Regular does not mean that you have to wipe down every part and wire after every gig. Simply have a written schedule for yourself to clean it periodically, whether it be weekly, monthly or every other month. It also depends a lot on how often it is used, if it is in custom cases (which should keep it a lot cleaner) as well as where it is stored when not in use.

There is nothing wrong with taking extra care of your equipment by cleaning it after each event, but here is a word of caution for those who feel this is the best route for them: Clean it on your own time, NOT on the time of your event facility and their staff! More likely than not, these people have worked hard all day and want to get out of there and go home as quickly as possible. They should not have to wait for you to wipe down and clean every last piece of equipment that you pack up. So, if you must clean your gear after each gig, just load it up and clean it at home or the office before you store it. Trust me, you will definitely make more friends at your event center, which will lead to more referrals!

Now that you’ve got a handle on having your gear look good, let’s move on to keeping it in good working condition. Every three to six months, depending upon how often it is used, clean out your amplifiers, especially the older models that have cooling fans. Along with the air that cools the unit comes dust and small debris. While most of it passes through the system, a portion of it remains behind coating the inside of your amplifier with an ever-increasing fine film of dust. The more dust and dirt, the greater chance for unnecessary heat build-up that will eventually lead to equipment failure.

A quick removal of the outer casing, then blowing out the dust and debris with the exhaust end of your vacuum will keep your gear in top running condition. When you are using your home vacuum, make absolutely sure to put a new, clean filter in the vacuum, then blow the exhaust away from the amplifier unit for a few minutes to make sure it blows clean before you use it on the equipment. Otherwise, you could dump even more debris and dust into the amplifier. If there are some stubborn spots of dust and/or debris, you can use a soft detailing brush to remove them. ONE WORD OF CAUTION: If you are not sure how to go about the cleaning process, ask your fellow DJs or contact your local DJ servicing store for assistance. Don’t take a chance if you are not absolutely sure about what you are doing. It is better to ask an expert than to damage your equipment. By the way, as with anything involving screws, nuts and bolts, be sure to put all these in a safe place so they will not get lost in the cleaning process.

If you are using CDs, remember that they are also a part of your gear. Treat them gently; clean them if necessary and they will last for years to come. Regularly clean your CD/MP3 players, keeping the pick-up lens free and clear of any and all debris. The simple cleaning discs sold in most entertainment stores are suitable for this job.

Your speakers also may need special attention. Check to make sure all screws and connections are tight. Your speakers are pounding out sound at every gig and this continuous vibration can cause a loosening of the screws throughout the speaker(s). Check them all and tighten as necessary. Again, if you are uncertain about anything regarding your pieces of equipment, check with a professional dealer before taking them apart. It is better to have it done right than to do damage to your hard-working gear!

Aside from a regular cleaning inside and out of your gear, always, and I mean ALWAYS, use TLC when handling and storing all of your gear. Dropping, banging and otherwise rough treatment will only decrease the life and efficiency of the very things that help make you a living, so be kind to your equipment! Many times we are in a hurry to get things done and tend to cut corners. Don’t cut corners with your gear. Give yourself enough time to load and unload carefully, and do your set-up and take-down methodically instead of just throwing things wherever they may fall. Keep your microphones in good order and in a safe, secure, padded area so they do not end up on the floor. One of the things I keep always in my mind is, “The less abuse, the longer the use!”

Please send any comments on this article, suggestions for future articles or questions to djcoach@mobilebeat.com.

Paul Kida, The DJ Coach, is a founding member and the current president of the Colorado Disc Jockey Association. He owns JAMMCATTS DJ Entertainment (www.jammcattsdj.com), and is a regular speaker at the Mobile Beat DJ Show.

Bright Lights, Small Money: Building a Basic Light Show

Suggestions for getting a light show up and running on a budgetIn the last ten years there have been major advancements in sound (lighter, more powerful speakers and amplifiers), source material for your sound and video (high-tech mixers, digital media players, DJ computer software and hardware systems); but for anyone interested in DJ lighting the excitement in that arena has equaled if not surpassed the audio/video buzz.

The first major advancement to occur, just before the turn of the century, was affordable DMX lighting, giving those of us without a Broadway show-sized lighting budget digital control of our fixtures; which meant a lot more creativity with a lot less expense in money and time. To put it more succinctly: We could do more than just put our lights on “spin and puke” mode. The second major advancement has come in only the last two years and has really exploded in the last six months: LED-based DJ lighting. As Toby Velazquez covers in the “ABC’s of LEDs for DJs,” (page __ ) there are many reasons to go LED, including reduced electrical demands and heat production, refined control, and much more.

Different Roads to Same Destination

Here, I’m going to show you a few possibilities for building a basic light show, while keeping the cost between $1000-$1500, and using “traditional” halogen style lights along with LEDs. I’ll also show the additional lighting that can be purchased if you stay with halogen lighting. This light show will be equivalent to what my company has used for the last 10 years at weddings and middle school dances. I’m not a lighting technician or even a major gear head, but this is based on practical experience with what has worked and what hasn’t. This level of a light show is perfect for the average mobile DJ to roll out easilyd and be able to set up in about 10 minutes. With these systems, the goal is not to overwhelm the crowd with a lighting array that would rival clubs, but simply to accent what the DJ does with the music and set the right mood for the audience. Once you make the leap into larger events such as college and high school dances, this kind of light show won’t cut it anymore; that’s when it’s time to make the move into trussing, yoke heads, etc.-in other words, more expense and more time for setup and teardown.

The pricing I have based this all on is the MAP (manufacturer’s advertised price) and we have chosen to research this based on the two largest manufacturers in the mobile DJ market, American DJ and Chauvet. I started with suggestions made by the manufacturers and then customized the lists to my tastes and to keep them within the parameters that I had set.

When choosing these lights to compare across the board we tried as much as possible to keep with similar lights from each manufacturer and from each type of technology. Each show was built around a base of par cans and a strobe with control by a non-DMX controller that allows you to run one power cable and one control cable for all the lights when mounted and placed together. We then went with a standard 4000 to 5000 cubic-feet-per-minute fogger, some basic effects lights, including wide-spreading fixtures like the Vue III or a the barrel-based Electra.

Tons more detail on the listed products and other similar models can be found in the lighting chart section of the Gear Book. Even more info, including links to the manufacturers for complete specs, and to dealers that carry the products, can be found at Mall.ProDJ.Com. The four exact packages shown here will also be listed at Mobile Beat’s online Gear Guide at Mall.ProDJ.Com. These are just suggestions-it’s important to rely on a full-line disc jockey equipment dealer to guide you toward the specific products that will work best for you.

Casing The Cabinets

From the automotive world, a creative way to update your speakers with spray-on bed linerScented candles, linen cloths, and centerpieces are the décor. Here you are performing a reception at the most prestigious hotel in town-a market which you want desperately to take hold of. Ratty speakers, scuffed lights, and ugly orange cords pollute the atmosphere. You’re a DJ with a budget, and your system has been on the road for too long. But a new set of speakers will cost some serious capital; yet a professional and prestigious appearance will generate you referrals. What do you do when forced to choose between great sound and nice appearance? One possible solution is to pick the best of both words by coating your cabinets with spray-on truck bed liner.

Retrofitting speakers is not a new practice; however it is usually reserved for upgrading internal components. Now, however, with companies like Line-X, RhynoLiner, or Herculiner, in a day’s work the exterior of your favorite cabinets can become wedding-worthy once again. Gone are the days of stage taping torn and aged carpet, replaced by the security of a professional coating with a cool name.

Strip ‘Em Down

First things first. Most bed liner installers will not allow you to drop off your cabinets with carpet and or drivers (subs and tweeters) still installed. Unfortunately, the most tedious job of the whole experience is all yours: stripping your speakers. It is important, no matter how painful it may seem, to devoid the cabinet of all carpet and components, except for any crossovers (circuit boards) that may be attached (more on this ahead). Make sure you save EVERYTHING.

Next, make sure your wood cabinet is sanded and free of carpet residue, which can cause irregularities in the finished product. Also make sure that all metal edges, handles, wheels, and brackets (tripod cups) are removed.

Finally, make sure that any non-detachable crossovers (circuit boards) and wiring are covered up, as the bed-liner installation pros may not be particularly versed in the audio world. Think of your speakers as a human body and your crossover as the brains-please protect them.

Back in Business

Once the speakers are dropped off for the spraying appointment, you have the opportunity to make any special requests. For instance, I insist that no liner be applied to the inside of the speaker, to avoid any risks related to the electronic components of the speaker.

When you are satisfied with the work, you may re-install all of the components you stripped, save for the metal corners that are unnecessary. Remember that the coating may add as much as a quarter-inch to the outside of the cabinets, so reinstalling handles and grilles may include an extra challenge.

Interestingly, the effects of adding spray-on bed liner to your speakers will be immediately noticeable. Even though they are the same cabinets with the same shape and sound, you will be surprised at just how many people are visually oriented, and will respond to the new look. In a wedding setting, where appearance is important, your newly coated speakers will have the same effect as a new pair, although I would be hard pressed to find a speaker on the market with this particular coating. At the same time, you may just be saving a piece of you. Speakers that have been on the road with you for years are almost like old friends. For a small price, wouldn’t you want to save your loyal comrades?