hey there,

A mate and my self are thinking about getting into the mobile DJ business. Due mainly to my work I seem to be collecting more and more lighting equipment and thought it would be a good idea to start using the equipment to bring in a bit of revenue.

I've been researching DJ'ing for a while now, and the more guides I read the more confused I seem to be getting. So, so many acronyms........

We both have a background in the computing industry, so we feel a computer based setup would suet us best, instead of CD or vinyl.

Neither one of us knows anything about DJ equipment so we're stuck as to what to buy to get us started.

I know we need: a mixer, amplifier, laptop/software, speakers, mic, headphones and some lighting, but that's all I know.

I would greatly appreciate any help! Such as setup suggestions. We have quite a bit of money to put into this so we're not interested in buying cheap basic stuff.

I'd quite like to get a DMX Lighting Control desk to go with the setup, preferable one that can sync with the music some how, if that's possible?

I was looking at the Hercules DJ Console Rmx combined with Traktor DJ Studio 3, is that a good choice?

Cheers!

Hi X-Sauto,
This is a pretty big question- and depends on many things.

I guess a starter is - look at the previous posts, you'll see lots of good advice and comments. Also look at the "how was it for you" posts - people will be posting their experiences.

If you're using MP3/WAV format, things could be complicated by a new Licence called "Pro-Dub". There is a specific licensing thread which covers this in much details.


Lighting is a interesting topic - us "DJ's" love getting new lights (well I do!!). However, most clients don't actually notice if they are DMXed, providing they turn on and off with the music.
My personal advice - get DMX lights in pairs that you can run in Master/Slave. They'll look neat, and both will be synchronised. When you feel you've done a few gigs, then look into a DMX controller.

Sound wise, there are many options (active/passive), and also a choice of sizes and models. Check out the equipment review posts.
Your choice of amp+speakers can be set by the type of gigs you plan to play. If you're looking to do 18ths/21st/16th etc, then they'll probably want it loud and bassy (so budget for a sub/s) Bear in mind those gigs may not pay as well as more adult parties!
30th/40th+ parties may be more restrained, with ~100 people, some of who may want to chat - so a good 300W RMS Pair may be fine.


From a paperwork standpoint, you'll need to be organised - lack of contracts/booking forms can leave you open to abuse (ie, "we asked for 1am finish, not 12am!!!") Some people just turn up and play, others will need full payment and a signed contract before leaving home.

You'll also need to register with the Inland Revenue, either as a partnership, or a sole trader. Consider what will happen if one of you does not want to DJ anymore, or you fall out? Would you be able to put your differences on hold whlst you complete the booked jobs?
You'll also have to complete your tax returns and could be liable to pay income tax and ni on your dj earnings..
However, if you note down all expenses, your costs will be very high, and declared profit very low for a year or so.

When you're ready to start gigs, you should also have Public Liability Insurance. You'll note the "DJ Association" has a low-price deal for this, and its worth checking out the site;
http://www.djassociates.org/
Some venues will require this to play, but its really just insurance - if a speaker falls on someones legs, can you afford to pay their loss of earnings+what ever else they come up with?

To finish off - from a quick tally, you've got at very *least* £1,500 to spend. That would be budget gear. You should also get a stand for your speakers, and your set-up.
With this kind on money, you should read the advice given, check out previous posts and I'd recommend visiting a local DJ store who may be able to cut some deals... Simple things like buying a pair of DMX lights and asking for a free DMX cable to link them! They'll be deals on speakers+amps+speaker stands, and its probably a good idea to get the parts in stages (separate visits).

Welcome to the forum!
Jason

I'd advise the following ....

Denon HD2500 Music Controller - £650
Denon DNX500 Mixer - £350
Transcension DMX Controller - £130
10u x 2u Slant Top Flight Case - £100

The 3 units are all rack mountable and will fit exactly into the flight case. This is what I use and I'm very happy with. People are always amazed by it all when I show them behind the decks. They always ask where the CD players are.

You'll get more than your fair share of laptop fans advising you to get a laptop and that fine, whatever floats your boat. But I personally prefer dedicated mixing equipment. If you have your heart set on Traktor then get a Black Macbook.

Moderator Edit

We have a dedicated for sale area of the forum which can be used to advertise items for sale, please do not continue to SPAM here, as forum discussion threads are not your own personal ebay!.

Yes, unfortunately the new produb license is probably going to be the thorn in your side on that score. If you intend to work the general mobile disco route attending weddings and other family events you will need to build up a fairly comprehensive collection of music from all genres over the past 5 decades on CD and Vinyl as a lot of DJ use material isn't available on any form of legal download.

You will then need to convert (rip) those original cd / vinyl tracks at high quality into your prefered digital format, and pay the MCPS - PPL a license fee for the privilege. As you don't know how successful your business is going to be in the beginning, and no doubt you'll probably want to maximise your spend on equipment and advertising, then I would recommend that you use CD at the start, and then perhaps graduate to digital when the business will support the political 'costs' of doing so. After all, you'll more than likely have to buy a fairly large collection of original CD's in any case.



Have you budgeted for costs elsewhere too?. The initial start up costs of getting a comprehensive music collection together is not cheap and may cost well into four figures.

This DJ Only 100-CD collection is a good start and will get you most of the DJ 'must have's' and Wedding cheese etc.

http://www.soundlightuk.com/Mastermix/classiccutsfull.htm

Have you also budgeted for advertising costs?, how are you going to get work, who and where are you going to advertise too?. Also allow for stationary and business cards too.

Public liability insurance is a must have too, as a lot of venues and pub chains will insist that Deejays and other entertainers have their own liability insurance. If you don't have cover, then more often than not you'll be refused to work in them.

DJ Associates seems to have the cheapest pli policy at the moment and it comes bundled with their membership @ £69.00 / year - here:- http://www.djassociates.org/