DJGold

DJPete · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 1:33 pm Post subject: 2007 Prom

Here's a Prom we did last Sat. -- Small -- about 50 kids total

TheBartman47 · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 4:26 pm Post subject:

interesting lighting effects. I'm guessing the things in the middle of the trussing moves around to give a shimmering look?

DJPete · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 6:50 pm Post subject: Re: 2007 Prom

White Netting is what's wrapped in the truss giving the shimmering effect -- Lit up w/ Mini-LED Lights --

We thought the Netting gave a more 'formal' look for Proms -- I don't use it for standard school dances --

dokai · Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 7:57 pm Post subject: Re: 2007 Prom

DJPete wrote: White Netting is what's wrapped in the truss giving the shimmering effect -- Lit up w/ Mini-LED Lights --

We thought the Netting gave a more 'formal' look for Proms -- I don't use it for standard school dances --

Great effect! I love hearing/seeing DIY ideas like this.

Looks like the kids were having a blast!

DJPete · Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2007 2:37 am Post subject: Re: 2007 Prom

Thanks for your comments,

Today I have adopted the KISS principle -- when we started DJ'ing, I'd go whole hog, full Truss, 2-3 hrs of set-up time, then learned over time that in our market, value added was not increasing Gigs, nor $$ we could charge, so we changed our marketing direction to selling ourselves as DJ's you can trust -- This particular Prom -- last year's DJ played every dirty song -- The Prom this year was scrutinized from Dresses that had to be pre-approved and a list of guidelines printed in the local newspaper for the parents/kids to follow.

Set-up is about 45 minutes and the kids love the effects.

This Prom was DJ'ed by my Daughter and Myself -- Casey does 99% of the music selection for Proms -- She is a Junior and knows just about every requested song/artist by this age group -- My wife did a sweet 16 party that night --

TheBartman47 · Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 9:54 am Post subject: Re: 2007 Prom

DJPete wrote: This Prom was DJ'ed by my Daughter and Myself -- Casey does 99% of the music selection for Proms -- She is a Junior and knows just about every requested song/artist by this age group -- My wife did a sweet 16 party that night --

Whoa!!! Excellent whole family business going on there.

DJPete · Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 12:39 pm Post subject: Re: 2007 Prom

Was forced to head this way when my 2nd DJ went to work for Dell Last Oct -- we had double booked several events -- I personally am good with equipment, but not that great on current music -- I'm an 80's person! -- So enlisted the daughter -- she's great -- knows her stuff! -- I'm proud to take her -- kids like her, adults like her -- Now If I can just get the 13 yr old son involved -- He's not bad, but not quite up on every end like his sister!

LYoung116 · Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 5:17 pm Post subject:

My 22 yr old daughter Casey booked the DJ for her college's dance in Maine. He used a laptop also. I always keep up as much as I can on the new music. I can always ask my 25 yr old daughter, too.
Guess u can call me DJ Grandma! :hahaha:

DJPete · Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 4:02 pm Post subject: Re: 2007 Prom

Last Night handled 2 Proms and 1 after-Prom --

Here's the big set-up from one of them

LYoung116 · Posted: Sun Apr 22, 2007 8:08 pm Post subject:

Neat setup! Very unique.
Weird coincidence- my ex-hubby's name is Pete and our daughter is Casey! No, he is not a DJ.
I use OTS also. Do you notice if you search for a song while one is playing, the volume drops a bit? Any way to counteract that?
I have yet to do a Prom (my friend says I don't charge enough $, therefore they are leary of me).....

DJPete · Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 4:25 am Post subject: Re: 2007 Prom

Small world! My wife got me involved in DJ/Sound years ago when she wanted to perform -- I learned the equipment, she got on stage. Our business evolved from KJ to DJ over the past 10 years. My personal involvement is equipment -- I mainly leave the music selection to my wife and now also my daughter when we head out --

Prom's it took us 2-3 years of hard work w/ local schools (within a 100 mile radius) before we got our 1st Prom -- since then we've averaged 8-12/year --

OTS -- I've never had a reduction in volume from searching for a song, but have experienced a 'jitter' -- that one eluded me till I learned a little more about the output configuration of OTS -- they have a calibration which was helpful, but what helped me most was reducing the master volume control on Windows to about 50% -- that ended most of my
headaches. I do have 1gb of RAM -- that is most helpful as well --

Set-up --- We're in a market area where I can't charge enough to cover the light show I'd like to have (all Intelligent) -- so have slowly added pieces over the years -- I now have Moving Headlights and Scanners, but with our lack of competent DJ's in the area, have also moved to handling 2 gigs/night when absolutely necessary. This necessiated 2 'acceptable' light shows as well as sound equipment -- quite a punch in the pocketbook! So, I do lots of thinking ahead about what lights/sound equipment goes to which venue -- and when we work the extreme ones, I bring out everything!

Hope this helps!

TheBartman47 · Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 7:39 pm Post subject:

Here's a news story about a prom this year (2007)...
http://video.msn.com/v/us/v.htm?g=3d8158fd-3dde-4601-95d0-05706245197d&f=imbot_us_default&fg=rss

I can't believe it's 2007 and they're just now finally doing this. :shock:

DJPete · Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2007 8:17 pm Post subject: Re: 2007 Prom

I had heard about this -- we've had several interesting 'race' related prom events -- Very Distinctive different music styles wanted -- a real challenge for the DJ!

DJPete · Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2007 3:03 am Post subject: Re: 2007 Prom

Last Week's Prom

DJPete · Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 4:27 am Post subject: Re: 2007 Prom

Wife did a Prom last night while my daughter/I did a wedding -- I think there was something in the stars -- Her Prom was one from @#$$@# -- the kids and sponsors were an experience -- Friday the sponsor called and 'told' us that she wanted a band and that our 'DJ' hadn't pleased the kids at the previous 2 x dances -- well -- Cara had done one herself -- upon questioning the sponsor -- the sponsor wasn't at either dance, neither were the complainers! -- Cara offered to let them find another DJ or BAND -- but alas, not -- (wish they had!) -- Set up her gig Sat morning -- Sponsor was sweet -- helpful etc. -- but come Prom time -- kids asked for every dirty song in the book! -- and then complained to the sponsor for her not playing them!

This school won't be on our list to discuss next year's activities with!

My Wedding went well -- Long, Hot tiring evening -- The bride could have been on BRIDZILLAS -- but her 'planner' (not professional) was wonderful -- we worked perfectly together and resolved many many things that the DJ wouldn't be involved in (Seating, ushering, chair gathering etc.) This was a Wedding w/ 250 guests -- I used 4 speakers -- Lav on Preacher, and 2 handheld's for singers -- sound was wonderful (comments from the singers later confirmed what I thought)

My Daughter did an excellent job -- this was her 1st wedding -- she handled everything they threw at us like a pro!

(Of course my main job was fixing stuff -- ours/theirs - facility's)

Glad this weekend's over -- next weekend -- 2 proms -- and one is our daughter's -- so get to decorate for that one this week -- have to create a freestanding 23' long backdrop to hide the extra tables/chairs in the venue -- good old EMT , Light Stands, Speaker Stands, and PVC will be my trick for this one!

DJPete · Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 3:00 am Post subject: Re: 2007 Prom

My local school (and Daughter's) Prom was Sat Night

DJPete · Posted: Sat May 12, 2007 7:28 am Post subject: Re: 2007 Prom

Merrit Oklahoma's Prom was last night!

My Camera and flash are telling off on me -- in the Dark none of the cables showing here were visible -- Unfortunately I didn't know (until the prom actually started) how to turn off those can lights in the ceiling, so I didn't get a picture of how the actual light show looked --

Don Niles DJ · Posted: Sat May 12, 2007 9:33 am Post subject: Re: 2007 Prom

DJ Pete: Where did you get that Truss you have?...What is the approximate cost? I am looking for an easy and quick way to set up a few lights.

DJPete · Posted: Sun May 13, 2007 10:15 am Post subject: Re: 2007 Prom

Truss -- I built them -- I had seen some that were 10' and 7', but after looking at some of the building we work in with 8' ceilings, decided that 5' truss would be much more versitile.

These are made of EMT (Electrical Metal Conduit) w/ 1/16" bottom (Trianglular) and top (circular) steel plates. I use 'studs' that I Lock-Tite a nut in the center to attach to the Moving Head Lights then drop the MHL on the circular plate (holes to match the MHL's bottom) and then finalize the installation w/ wing nuts -- the bottom attaches to the truss w/ 1 3/8" bolt w/ special (homemade) nuts w/wings welded -- I use LED's w/ special adapters that are a piece of pipe that just fits over the 3/8" bolt -- so you just set them on the protruding bolt.

I've probably got less than $50 in materials, but it did take about 3-4 hrs each to cut/weld together --

The Base is 2 pieces of 3/8" plywood -- the bottom is 4' dia, the top is much smaller with a wedge of steel plate (1' square) sandwiched between -- this made for a very solid base --

I'll take some better pictures of the actual truss/base later when I get a chance and post them.

Don Niles DJ · Posted: Sun May 13, 2007 10:41 am Post subject:

I better forget about it then...I have absolutely no skills or knowledge about things like that..The best I can do is maybe four lightweight lights on a T-Bar or a few on a table or even on the floor..But I do have what is the best light I have ever owned...A Martin Mania EFX 500...It can fill up a room pretty well even sitting on the floor. I also have an Aggressor..Looks like you do too.