Saxophonists

[rth_discos]

I do whatever is required to make the evening a success.

If that means plugging in to my system, then go for it.

I charge a fee that means I'm happy to do anything (within reason).

We've all purchased professional equipment, so I think the fear of 'damaging the equipment' is a very remote risk. If it's a concern, then have a proper limiter in place before the speakers.

I'd much rather run a singer through my system than have a second system (theirs) set up alongside it, that they then start taking down as soon as they're finished.

[yourdj]

I don't let anyone use our system....

If they are being paid to do a job, then they use their own equipment as far as i'm concerned.

rant over

Exactly.

I would never use anyone else sound system especially if I was a musician and have no idea what the DJ has. I think its lazy and unprofessional. I feel like saying 'are they giving you a discount for not bringing/setting up PA? If not then my charge is, payable from the artist'. Lets face it they all have PA systems at home and if not then hire a professional PA person to deal with the sound, especially with bands.

Having said that, depending on the client and artist I would let people plug into my system, especially if its a family friend doing it for free, or a singing waiter etc. I tend to draw the line when, drums and louder bands etc are involved, but for a 2-3 piece semi acoustic then fine. I would more than happily set up a second system with a mixer and charge them for it (although they would have to wire/mic it all up).

[Daryll]

Any one can plug in to my pa.............

I presume they have a Russian 17 pin organic molecular plug ( new type only), and thorium plated cable , cause thats all I use.............

[Imagine]

I do whatever is required to make the evening a success.

If that means plugging in to my system, then go for it.

I charge a fee that means I'm happy to do anything (within reason).

We've all purchased professional equipment, so I think the fear of 'damaging the equipment' is a very remote risk. If it's a concern, then have a proper limiter in place before the speakers.

I'd much rather run a singer through my system than have a second system (theirs) set up alongside it, that they then start taking down as soon as they're finished.

(within reason and each case is different).
For instance, I wouldn't allow a band to plug in....I'm not set up for that sort of thing.

However, I have a gig in a couple of week's time where a Blues Brother's tribute will be making a surprise appearance (it's going to be a good 'un!).

I've been liaising with said tribute for a couple of weeks now and have actually OFFERED to let them plug into my desk for an output to the PA for free. He was going to bring along tops, subs and everything but there isn't the space in the venue for it all to be set up, and with two sets of gear on-show...it'd sort of give the game away that something else was going to happen.

At the end of the day, it's nothing more than a couple of mics and a CD player going through his own desk and then into the back of my mixer for the final levels and it's going to make things run a lot smoother on the night and give the B&G a brilliant evening....and that's what I always set out to achieve.

[Nakatomi]

I regularly allow others to 'plug in' to my PA but make sure I'm the one doing the plugging in & level setting. I don't leave anybody to it either & always monitor the proceedings. a 2 piece acoustic with one singer is no problem but any more than that they need at least their own mixer.

A few weeks ago I had a phone call from a bride getting married later in the year to ask if it'd be okay to have a singer go through my system. I can't say here who it is because I swore to secrecy & it's a big surprise for her partner. We've concocted a plan for the reveal & it's looking like it's going to go off the charts epic. It might also have potential to go a bit viral.

When it's a family friend or whatever the results can be mediocre at times but any inaction or reticence on my part would look too much like obstinacy & that really isn't what I'm about. There was a wedding last year where the bride's mother sang & her guitar accompanist insisted on her going through his tiny (tinny) little amp. It would've been bad enough the act made everybody (B&G included) cringe but it sounded awful on top of that.

Playing alongside bands, some have been very generous & let me go through their systems. I don't resist when it's offered - it saves a lot of duplicated gear & space is usually at a premium anyway. Plus it gives me an opportunity to listen to different rigs with music I'm familiar with It's been a while since I've met a band who were both awful & nasty - I can cope with anything as long as they're not confrontational throughout the proceedings. Bands, DJs.. they're all as much to blame. Why can't we all just get along?

Back to the sax players though - more often than not they'll be using radio mics which aren't difficult to deal with but there's also the fact they often bring their own music to play along with. Can you just shove this unvetted USB stick into your playout & go? :O Yeah but I'm gonna scan it in my backup laptop first!

I firmly believe that as a DJ of any flavour you should have the tech skills to be able to cope with just about anything a night can throw at you & be equipped to cope. I've employed walkin DJs who seemed savvy before the gig end up asking me how they plug a laptop or a mic into a mixer. They didn't get asked back - but how can anybody not know that & call themselves a DJ?!?!?!?! BTW they were actually pretty good as performing DJs they just had no clue with any tech Those guys were supposedly mobile DJs in their own right too. Just bonkers.

[Excalibur]

I do whatever is required to make the evening a success.

If that means plugging in to my system, then go for it.

I charge a fee that means I'm happy to do anything (within reason).

We've all purchased professional equipment, so I think the fear of 'damaging the equipment' is a very remote risk. If it's a concern, then have a proper limiter in place before the speakers.

I'd much rather run a singer through my system than have a second system (theirs) set up alongside it, that they then start taking down as soon as they're finished.

Give that man a coconut!

At the end of the day, it's nothing more than a couple of mics and a CD player going through his own desk and then into the back of my mixer for the final levels and it's going to make things run a lot smoother on the night and give the B&G a brilliant evening....and that's what I always set out to achieve.

Correctamundo.
In many ways, the ideal solution. Live act uses their own mixer, and you keep it all green at your end off a pair of phono cables. Simples.

I firmly believe that as a DJ of any flavour you should have the tech skills to be able to cope with just about anything a night can throw at you & be equipped to cope.

Ah yes, but nowadays there aren't the apprenticeship schemes we had to go through when I was young. Why most of the time, we even had to build our own gear, and we certainly had to know how to repair it on the hoof.

Bands, DJs.. they're all as much to blame. Why can't we all just get along?

Peace and love, Brother, peace and love.

[Pe7e]

We've all purchased professional equipment, so I think the fear of 'damaging the equipment' is a very remote risk. If it's a concern, then have a proper limiter in place before the speakers.

Not as remote a risk as you may think, I've got 3 amp modules currently awaiting repair, people don't always respect your equipment

[rth_discos]

Not as remote a risk as you may think, I've got 3 amp modules currently awaiting repair, people don't always respect your equipment

How did that occur?

As Peter says, I'll be the one in charge, looking after levels etc if anyone plugs in to my system.

[Nakatomi]

How did that occur?

As Peter says, I'll be the one in charge, looking after levels etc if anyone plugs in to my system.

Plugging a powered mixer's speaker outputs into the inputs of an active speaker would be a good way. After that, high voltages on instrument or mixer cabling could do it.. Those & just general abuse through negligence or lack of knowledge.

[mattydj50]

(within reason and each case is different).
For instance, I wouldn't allow a band to plug in....I'm not set up for that sort of thing.

However, I have a gig in a couple of week's time where a Blues Brother's tribute will be making a surprise appearance (it's going to be a good 'un!).

I've been liaising with said tribute for a couple of weeks now and have actually OFFERED to let them plug into my desk for an output to the PA for free. He was going to bring along tops, subs and everything but there isn't the space in the venue for it all to be set up, and with two sets of gear on-show...it'd sort of give the game away that something else was going to happen.

At the end of the day, it's nothing more than a couple of mics and a CD player going through his own desk and then into the back of my mixer for the final levels and it's going to make things run a lot smoother on the night and give the B&G a brilliant evening....and that's what I always set out to achieve.

That's the difference isn't it. Its all about dialogue and agreeing to what can be done. I don't mind a friend/family singer of comic or compere using my 2nd mic, but I object to paid acts coming along, seeing me there and assuming they can simply use my PA. One singer even asked me if I had any backing tracks with me.

I don't like gear being attached to mine though for the fear of damage, physical or acoustic, plus the risk of detaching the wrong cable when they are packing away.