Do Live Bands Cost More Than Moble DJs?
Music Technology: Competing for Gigs with Mobile DJs
Music technology emerges during the holiday season, as a lot of parties use mobile DJs rather than union musicians. I hate to see it, but it's a fact of life. They're out there. Nothing is worse than losing a gig to music technology. You take music lessons, spend thousands and thousands of dollars, practice for years to become a professional musician, then someone right out of high school buys a few CDs, gets some sound equipment, and starts stealing jobs right out from underneath you through music technology. Those gigs they're grabbing include weddings, corporate events, private parties, school dances, etc. Take a look in the yellow pages of your local phone book and you'll find more of them than you do bands and orchestras. They're becoming more prevalent than pizza shops. Music technology can replace live music with one person playing recorded tunes on discount-store speaker systems for less money.
At least that's how it seems. The only trouble is that perception of music technology is not reality. My suggestion is to go to a party or wedding where one of the better mobile DJs is working. You could be in for a jolt. I've met these people. They are young and aggressive. You might find that one-person CD show is charging more than a four-piece group. And he or she has enough music technology equipment to fill up a good-sized U-haul truck. Also, it might not be just one person. It could be a technician and an entertainer-host.
Before you think that those DJs are stealing the good gigs and working for next to nothing, do a little reality check. Some of these guys and gals are charging in the thousands. Find out how you can compete in areas they can't. To do that, you also have to compete in their areas of expertise as well. And to compete, you need to find out who you're competing with. There are DJs and KJs. KJs are Karaoke Jocks who sing along with the CDs, entertain, and get the audience involved. Many DJs and KJs provide constant entertainment, cater to the audience, and have sophisticated lighting equipment. They bring along fog machines, bubble machines, and confetti guns, and they charge big bucks.
If you're going to compete in the "big bucks for entertainment" category, what can you bring to the party? What can you do that's really exciting, different, and creative? The music technology thing isn't as easy as some may think. Many DJs bring as much equipment as a band carting around a Hammond B-3, two Leslie speakers, several drum sets, six big guitar amps, and a complete professional audio system. It's a lot of stuff. And they play nonstop. They get the audience involved.
How about you? When you take a break, is anything going on? Do you have music to play through your sound system on the break? How about lights? It's not enough just to play well any more. You have to look spectacular for some of these events. And audience involvement? If you don't know what's hot right now, you'd better learn quickly. Infiltrate their industry. Pick up one of the mobile DJ magazines on the newsstands. See what tunes they consider hot right now. Find out how they involve the audience, and how they get their work. See what niches they go after. Find out where the better-known ones are working and go see their shtick.
How about your promotional materials? Are your business cards and brochures up to date? Do you have them at all? How about a demo CD? Demo video? The DJs do ... at least the ones that get a lot of work. Do you have an 800-number, a Web site, and an e-mail address? Are you in the yellow pages under "entertainment" as well as "bands and orchestras?" Are you registered with your local's referral service? Do you have a particular niche where you can excel as a band, or orchestra, or a single? And as a union musician, you stand out as being serious about your work. You're a professional. You have the advantages of filing a union contract to make sure you'll get paid, plus there's the pension fund, and many other benefits.
Most people would rather hear live musicians than a recording. That's in your favor right away. For dancing, most people prefer a band to a CD. Take advantage of it. Promote yourself and your group in ways that music technology can't. "Live music is best" is not just a slogan. It's true. Many people think DJs are cheaper than a band. They're not. At least not all of them. And even if they are, your talent and everything else you can bring to the party can run rings around the CD spinners. Just make sure you can compete in entertainment as well as talent. Your bookings could increase dramatically.
-- Bob Popyk is a member of Local 78 (Syracuse, NY) and Local 47 (Los Angeles). He is also a nationally known columnist and speaker on sales and marketing strategies.
Music technology emerges during the holiday season, as a lot of parties use mobile DJs rather than union musicians. I hate to see it, but it's a fact of life. They're out there. Nothing is worse than losing a gig to music technology. You take music lessons, spend thousands and thousands of dollars, practice for years to become a professional musician, then someone right out of high school buys a few CDs, gets some sound equipment, and starts stealing jobs right out from underneath you through music technology. Those gigs they're grabbing include weddings, corporate events, private parties, school dances, etc. Take a look in the yellow pages of your local phone book and you'll find more of them than you do bands and orchestras. They're becoming more prevalent than pizza shops. Music technology can replace live music with one person playing recorded tunes on discount-store speaker systems for less money.
At least that's how it seems. The only trouble is that perception of music technology is not reality. My suggestion is to go to a party or wedding where one of the better mobile DJs is working. You could be in for a jolt. I've met these people. They are young and aggressive. You might find that one-person CD show is charging more than a four-piece group. And he or she has enough music technology equipment to fill up a good-sized U-haul truck. Also, it might not be just one person. It could be a technician and an entertainer-host.
Before you think that those DJs are stealing the good gigs and working for next to nothing, do a little reality check. Some of these guys and gals are charging in the thousands. Find out how you can compete in areas they can't. To do that, you also have to compete in their areas of expertise as well. And to compete, you need to find out who you're competing with. There are DJs and KJs. KJs are Karaoke Jocks who sing along with the CDs, entertain, and get the audience involved. Many DJs and KJs provide constant entertainment, cater to the audience, and have sophisticated lighting equipment. They bring along fog machines, bubble machines, and confetti guns, and they charge big bucks.
If you're going to compete in the "big bucks for entertainment" category, what can you bring to the party? What can you do that's really exciting, different, and creative? The music technology thing isn't as easy as some may think. Many DJs bring as much equipment as a band carting around a Hammond B-3, two Leslie speakers, several drum sets, six big guitar amps, and a complete professional audio system. It's a lot of stuff. And they play nonstop. They get the audience involved.
How about you? When you take a break, is anything going on? Do you have music to play through your sound system on the break? How about lights? It's not enough just to play well any more. You have to look spectacular for some of these events. And audience involvement? If you don't know what's hot right now, you'd better learn quickly. Infiltrate their industry. Pick up one of the mobile DJ magazines on the newsstands. See what tunes they consider hot right now. Find out how they involve the audience, and how they get their work. See what niches they go after. Find out where the better-known ones are working and go see their shtick.
How about your promotional materials? Are your business cards and brochures up to date? Do you have them at all? How about a demo CD? Demo video? The DJs do ... at least the ones that get a lot of work. Do you have an 800-number, a Web site, and an e-mail address? Are you in the yellow pages under "entertainment" as well as "bands and orchestras?" Are you registered with your local's referral service? Do you have a particular niche where you can excel as a band, or orchestra, or a single? And as a union musician, you stand out as being serious about your work. You're a professional. You have the advantages of filing a union contract to make sure you'll get paid, plus there's the pension fund, and many other benefits.
Most people would rather hear live musicians than a recording. That's in your favor right away. For dancing, most people prefer a band to a CD. Take advantage of it. Promote yourself and your group in ways that music technology can't. "Live music is best" is not just a slogan. It's true. Many people think DJs are cheaper than a band. They're not. At least not all of them. And even if they are, your talent and everything else you can bring to the party can run rings around the CD spinners. Just make sure you can compete in entertainment as well as talent. Your bookings could increase dramatically.
-- Bob Popyk is a member of Local 78 (Syracuse, NY) and Local 47 (Los Angeles). He is also a nationally known columnist and speaker on sales and marketing strategies.
posted by The Indie Music Store | 10:24 AM
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