Im at Dunsley Hall doing a wedding right now.

Nik

I logged in during yesterdays garden party. A few geeks there, so comparing phones etc. Was also very casual, and ended up with a bunch of them dragging guitars out for a folk music session.
We made our excuses and left them to it

For most of the party, we just left a queue of music on the system, and kept topping up- the host expected us to chat and relax.

On a normal gig, I'd not have time (and would be working!)

Jas

I personaly never go on line while working.

I don't see a problem during downtime (when you might otherwise be nipping outside for a smoke/drink/food/chill), but that's not really working time.

I remember the DJ's reading a book during the buffet of my wedding (years ago). It wasn't a problem for me at the time, and they were sitting behind the decks, so mainly out of view.

I agree with your definition of working time and i too dont see a problem when music is not playing.
The exception would be going on line for a music request

I personally try to focus even more when the quiet times come ie buffets etc and i feel going on line would detract from that focus.

This is not a critisism of the way others work just the way i like to do things.

I usually have the back up laptop on line and have found it invaluable for purchasing the odd track, (Music or karaoke) that a guest asks for that is not in my collection. I also use everyhit.com to find out chart positions and dates for old tunes etc.

Some people have a snobbery about the internet when DJing but I see it as another tool. The gig I did last Saturday was a closed play list and I was just there as an engineer more than a DJ. I guess the consensus is that people don't use the net to surf seeing as only you have replied to this post but over 50 have viewed it lol.

I agree with UK hero that it is a very useful tool and i too can see uses for going on line but i feel audience opinion may be that the DJ was on the internet all night which is completely wrong but that may be the opinion formed.

Often these are the same people who see a laptop and think your a dodgy illegal software and media DJ etc etc if they saw google on the screen this would just re enforce there pre conception.

I actually think use of going on line could enhance my shows but i am nervous and cautious of what people think.

so hence i wont go on line while working

On another note i was dissapointed when i came back off my holidays to find facebook posts by a DJ Aquaintance of mine , they were at the time he was covering a residency gig of mine while i was on holiday. Now i know this is not what the original poster meant and i am sure you wouldnt go on social networks or start playing on line poker or bingo etc but some audience members seeing one web page can assume many things.

I did get comments from the audience that the DJ aquaintance was on his facebook account while Djing... they knew as he also on there friends list and they got notifications on there phones! They also said it was a good night and he did well (so can't complain) but for me it just doesnt sit well going on facebook while working ! I just have higher standards than my DJ aquaintance.


For me thats not professional at all and using going on line for fun and not work while at a gig.. and for me that is certainly not a good thing.

but yes in principal i agree going on line is potentially a very useful tool

I've never done it, but I'm not opposed to it. I have no strong feelings either way.

I did this weekend as the function was a little strange and I had time to kill as I was only playing background music.
I wouldn't normally go on line when I am working.

I don't see the problem with it myself. There is a difference between being on line and spending the night surfing the net though.

I have for a long time believed that one day DJs will log onto a central server and have just about every track ever recorded at there disposal. Along the lines of spotify I guess. For a monthly subscription of cause.

This thread is not how I envisaged it but I am finding peoples thoughts on the internet very interesting.

Nik

Apple have invested mega bucks in a massive data centre. It's thought that a cloud based iTunes is going to one use for it. Would be good to pay a monthly sub and have unrestricted access.

Unless the net goes down midway through a set

I wouldn't be surprised if iTunes was already on a cloud-based system anyway. At least on some sort of CDN (content-delivery network).

With regards to being online at a gig.. Have done it a couple of times, to purchase the odd request. Although I'd rather not do this unless I have to. Usually i'll tweet before and after a gig, and this usually forwards to facebook automatically anyway...

The mobile usually ends up in the CD case out the way and forgotten about - if its near the mixer then it only interferes with things anyway!


David

Then you must have an unscreened cable somewhere as I can place my mobile on my mixer with no problem.

Nik