Issue 181 - April 2017 - Getting Better Sound by Mobile Beat Magazine

ISSUE 181 APRIL 2017

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GETTINGBETTER BETTERSOUND SOUND GETTING GETTING BETTER SOUND

Choosing Speakers • Set-Up Tips • Noise Concerns Graphic by Kjpargeter - Freepik.com

GETTING

BETTER SOUND PLAYLIST T H E W E E K DAY G A M E.................................................... 6

The Sound of Silence? By Rob Johnson

ADVERTISERS

F E AT U R E . . .................................................................... 8

An Organic Approach to Better Sound By Bob Lindquist T E C H TA L K. . ............................................................... 10

Gain Structure Concisely Explained

Blizzard Lighting

www.blizzardlighting.com

DigiGames

www.digigames.com

Electro-Voice

www.electrovoice.com

Elite Outdoor Movies

http://eliteoutdoormovies.com

Famous Stages

www.famousstages.com

Frankenstand

www.frankenstand.com

Innovative LED

www.innovativeledsales.com

Mobile Beat Cruise

www.mobilebeatcruise.com

Mobile Beat Digital Plus

www.mobilebeat.com/digital-plus

Odyssey Innovative Designs

www.odysseygear.com

QSC

www.qsc.com

Stage Spot

www.stagespot.com

By Ben Stowe, CTS T H I S I S H O W W E D O I T................................................ 1 2

The Right Speakers for the Job By Joe Bunn F E AT U R E . . ...................................................................14

Your Speakers: Your Voice By Stu Chisholm F E AT U R E . . ...................................................................16

The Risky Six By Lei Wang S O C I A L M E D I A K N O W H O W . . ....................................... 18

Instagram-Ready Pictures By Staci Nichols F E AT U R E . . .................................................................. 20

Is It Sound or Is It Noise? By Matt Martindale B R I L L I AN T D E D U C TI O N S............................................ 22

To Repair or Capitalize, 2017 Style By Mark E. Battersby T H E L AST W O R D.. ....................................................... 26

Patience and Perseverance: Part of Reaching for Excellence By Jason Weldon

Publisher Ryan Burger Mobile Beat Editor-in-Chief Dan Walsh

Gear Editor Jake Feldman Circulation Manager Kitty Harr

Editorial Assistant / Writer Rebecca Burger Events Director Emeritus Michael Buonaccorso

TO ADVERTISE IN MOBILE BEAT OR EXHIBIT AT A MOBILE BEAT EVENT, CALL 515-986-3344 x300 OR EMAIL SALES@MOBILEBEAT.COM

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THE WEEKDAY GAME

PRESENTED BY

How to Fill Your Calendar with Cash

The Sound of Silence? By Rob Johnson

was challenged by the editor of Mobile Beat to come up with an article that fits the topic of SOUND for this issue. Challenge accepted and it might be one of my best ideas yet. Who knows? So, let me talk to you about the “sound of silence” -- the silence you MIGHT be experiencing with calls for MIDWEEK MONEY work. (See how I did that? Genius.) My main goal with this article each month has always been, and will always be, to help you increase your bottom line. Is your phone ringing, or is it silent? Are you getting contacts through social media and your website? If not, why? Are you offering things that potential customers need outside of the “wedding industry?” Over the years I have touched on many different options you can offer your customers to add value to what you do. I don’t really discuss weddings or weekend type work. There are lots of experts out there and, quite frankly, you are probably already successful at that aspect of your business. You already have the mashed potatoes. I am trying to give you a little gravy to go with it. Midweek Money is really a mindset. If you are caught up in a certain price you must get every time you leave your house, perhaps this advice isn’t for you. That’s ok too. We all have our own plans. What I am talking about is that little extra you can make in your “slow time” to help pay the bills and allow you to go full time if that is what you choose. There are lots of people looking for entertainment on a regular basis during

the week: schools, churches, community centers, assisted living facilities, camps, bars and nightclubs, hotels, malls, conventions, stores and most importantly, corporate events. If you tap into these markets and offer your services, I can pretty much guarantee your phone will not be silent. The sound of money coming in will be deafening. I have been talking about game shows and trivia for years. In the last year we have seen the amount of this type of

entertainment explode many times over. Are you in on it yet? It’s not too late. There are a lot of options out there for you to consider. DigiGames has expanded their products recently and offers many competitive options. Hosting trivia and game shows is a lot of fun. You get to entertain and have a great time right along with your guests -and the best part is that you get paid to do it. People love playing games. They love winning things. People are competitive by nature and will come back time and time again to participate.

Rob Johnson has hosted trivia parties and game shows for over 17 years. He is the current spokesperson for DigiGames and uses their equipment exclusively. He has performed throughout the United States, Europe and the Caribbean. Rob is the owner of The Music Man, Inc. and performs comedy stage hypnosis shows as The Hypno Man. He has also presented his “Midweek Money” seminar at many conferences and conventions, including Mobile Beat, WEDJ, Wedding MBA and various ADJA events. If you would like Rob to speak at your local event or demonstrate DigiGames gear to your group, contact him at 701-710-1657 or rob@digigames.com. Don’t hesitate to contact Rob if you are looking for ways to increase your bottom line and put more money in your pocket.

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The business model I have used over the years is to find a dollar amount that you need to gross monthly to have a great life and then do whatever it takes to make that money. Let’s use round numbers to illustrate this. Everyone has a different amount they need. Fill in whatever yours is. If you need to gross $10,000 per month to accomplish everything you want for you and your family, there are lots of ways to get to this. Obviously you could figure out a way to clear $10,000 for one show and then you could work only one night per month and you would be good to go. If you figure that one out, let me know how you did it. You could do 10 gigs at $1,000 each or 20 gigs at $500 each. They all add up the same dollar amount you are targeting to achieve financial freedom. Using my Midweek Money formula is much easier to get to your target number. Let’s say you do 4 weddings a month at $1,200. That’s $4,800. You are almost halfway there. Throw in two quick trivia nights at local drinking establishments each week for $250 per show and you just added $2,000 to your month. Now go find a retirement or assisted living center and do two shows during weekdays, for an hour each at $100. (not a lot of money but it IS only an hour and I promise you will feel better about yourself after entertaining this population). You just added $800 to your total. We are at $7,600 and it really hasn’t been too much of a commitment. Find a church that has Wednesday night classes for kids and book a fun interactive games show or trivia event every week for $250 per week. $1,000 more per month brings you to $8,600. So, how do you get the last $1,400? Easy: corporate work. Find companies looking for entertainment (or better yet, TEAM BUILDING events). Get two shows per month at $750 and you have reached your goal of $10,000.( Actually you grossed $10,100 so you have an extra $100.00. Please send that to Rob Johnson. Email me at rob@digigames. com for the address.) How do you like the SOUND of that?

FEATURE

An Organic Approach to Better Sound By Bob Lindquist

n a perfect world, these tips would be strictly for beginners. Novices. The newbies in the room. But this is not a perfect world and while most Mobiles have figured out how to get passible sound quality out of their travelin’ gear (most of the time), there are still those who wrestle with painful distortion, wompy bass, and needle sharp highs. So that’s why we’re having this little chat—I’m not here to be critical, but to help. I personally have no particular problems with processing or equalization—truth be told, I have a passion for compression that borders on insanity. But everything in moderation. I call this the organic approach because it relies less on electronics and working with the available acoustics. First thing—Learn what good sound really is. If you are at all like me, you listen to music constantly—and you typically don’t listen at the same level you would play a dance set. Listening volume is far lower. So get to know what music sounds like without any electronic alterations. Set everything flat (no boost or cut on the EQ) and get to know what the people who produced the music intended it to sound like. Why? Because you can’t boost was isn’t there. Without pointing fingers, I have heard DJs try to get more bottom from recordings (particularly older stuff ) that have non to give. Start by picking a few tunes you play at most every job. Listen to them at home with no processing or equalization. Now, when you are back out on the road, and doing your sound check, play those same selections through your system—see if you can bring the volume up to “dance set” level (between 105-110 dB). After a 20-year broadcast radio career, Robert Lindquist built a successful mobile DJ business, and by the late '80s he had also written his first book, Spinnin', a DJ how-to. In 1990, he became the founding publisher of Mobile Beat. With the Live2Play Network (www.L2pnet.com), aimed at the live sound realm, he has pioneered online publishing. Along with being a broadcaster, publisher and Internet pioneer, he's also a sax player, writer, gear reviewer and one of the regulars behind the board at his local church.

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Now, walk around the room and listen critically. and Note where different frequencies drop off. Before you make any adjustments to the EQ, try moving the speakers closer or further from the wall, or directing them in slightly different ways. While many venues dictate that DJs place their speakers on stands, one to each side of their table or podium, that doesn’t mean it’s where they will give you the best sound or coverage. With a little experimentation, you’ll find there’s a sweet spot where the sound is perfect. Once the room fills up and you crank the volume, do a few more walk arounds and take some notes on how the sound varies throughout the room. Every venue is different. Every room has it’s own resonant qualities. Moving a sub woofer just a few inches can make a substantial difference in the sound on the dance floor. Most quality name brand loudspeakers are designed to reproduce a full-range sound with adequate bass for average size venue. But if that’s not enough, here’s…

A SIMPLE TRICK TO MAKE IT LOUDER While we would all love to have a kick-butt sound system like the one that powered the main Graphic by Kjpargeter - Freepik.com room at the Mobile Beat Show in Vegas, lugging around that much gear for a typical mobile job isn’t practical—and beside, the crowd probably wouldn’t appreciate it. On the other hand, you don’t want to take the one system fits all approach either. Dance music is meant to be played loud with butt kicking bass— all the EQ in the world won’t help when you have a system that is down on audio horsepower. So, if you are finding that you are routinely pushing your levels into the red (DISTORTION), and cranking the level on the speakers to the max, you need to BUY MORE SPEAKERS! If you’re lacking low end, don’t try to fix it by cranking the bass on your mixer—get a sub-woofer. One good sub paired with two 2-way 12” top boxes is sufficient for most typical events. If you do a lot of proms, club-style jobs or simply love having lotsa headroom (like me) then set aside all the bread you can and two or more subs and larger top boxes with 15 inches for the lows. In the long run, your speakers will last longer, your ears won’t ring as much, and who knows, you may even get a compliment or two from that small smattering of clients who appreciate music played loud through a great sounding system.

TECH TALK

Gain Structure Concisely Explained By Ben Stowe, CTS

“G

ain structure” is a topic that probably confounds more DJs than any other. Mastering this will lift you head and shoulders above the crowd. I often see DJs frustrated when they “clip” their powered loudspeakers or amplifiers, even when they don’t feel that they are getting the maximum output from their system. Let’s try to clarify this for you. First, we should understand our goal. Our goal is to achieve the greatest signal to noise ratio, while maintaining sufficient headroom to prevent clipping. In order to understand our goal, we need to understand the terminology. All equipment has an inherent noise to it. The “hiss,” if you will, that comes out when it’s switched on. This is typically at a very low level within each component, and we call this the “noise floor.” The level difference between the highest point of the noise floor and the lowest point of your audio signal is called the “signal to noise ratio” (sometimes seen as SNR). Looking from the lowest point of the signal to the highest point, we see the “dynamic range” of our signal. The maximum level at which a component can reproduce the audio signal before distorting is called the “clipping level” and exceeding this causes “clipping.” And finally, the level difference between the highest part of your signal and clipping is called “headroom.” (Visual learners can see the accompanying illustration.) If the signal to noise ratio too low, we hear a hissy, noisy signal. Not enough headroom, we clip and distort our signal. Most audio amplifiers only have 3 dB of headroom. This is because they are typically specified using a signal with a crest factor of 3 dB to make their specs look good against the competition. Not

Ben Stowe’s love for electronics began early on and led to years of schooling in electricity, electronics, robotics and lasers. Fast-forward to today, and Ben has built NLFX Professional, a premier gear supplier, and his AV installs have been featured in almost every major industry trade magazine. He holds a number of certifications and accreditations, including the InfoComm CTS.

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sure which amp company started that mess, but pretty much everybody has to play that game now. Since amplifiers have the least headroom of anything in your system and they are the last thing before your speakers, we will adjust them last. We should also note that mixers can have as much as 30 dB headroom from unity to clip. We are limited by the overall maximum and minimum signal dynamic range of all the components in the system, so if the amplifier only has 3 dB, then that is the max. So if amps are last, what’s first? Your input signals. Many mixers have an input “gain” control that allows you to adjust the level of the signal before it reaches the faders. Adjust your input

signals so they are consistently in the -6dB area to provide plenty of gain while leaving some room for peaks. Now, bring your mixer output up to unity output, and then slowly turn up your amps to the desired listening level. You should have a clean, powerful system free from noise and distortion. The headroom you have left yourself allows for the occasional peaks in the signal, and the increased signal to noise ratio allows softer signals to still sound clean.

THIS IS HOW WE DO IT

The Right Speakers for the Job A QUICK OVERVIEW OF SPEAKER TYPES FOR VARIOUS USES By Joe Bunn the outs of the sub to go up to your 12s on your stands. Many times you can even hide that single sub under your table for a really clean setup. If you want more BOOM, double up on subs, one on the left and right. Not only do you get more low end, you get rid of tripod speaker stands. Another option for more bottom, if you are really anti-subwoofer, is getting a bigger cabinet. Go with a 15” speaker. (Something like a QSC KW152 will get the job done, but keep in mind that it’s 64 pounds.) For other applications, like running PA for a ceremony The first thing you want to do is be honest with yourself or cocktail hour in a separate room, I would recommend about what types of events you are actually performing at. For something much smaller. Not only do you want to get that example, you don’t need a line array system and a stack of sub- stuff up and down fast, you want it to be inconspicuous. Keep woofers if you are mostly doing private events and weddings it small! After all, this part of the day is about background for around 150 people. That’s insane. It’s not only going to kill music and good, clean lavaliere or handheld mic vocals. It’s not about boom or oomph. For the majority of my ceremony your back, but it’s going to kill your wallet as well. setups, I use a single QSC K8 speaker, line mixer, and some For events with of 50 to 150 people in attendance, I would really good Sennheiser suggest getting a really good set of 12” speakers. I’m a QSC fan, microphones, all rackso I choose the K12s, but there are several mounted in one small out there that are great amp rack. I’m up in ten minutes flat and know that I can break it down just as fast when a random summer rainstorm creeps up on me. I also want to mention a couple of what I call “stick” or “tower” systems. I’ve owned the L1 stuff from Bose and, with a similar design, the Maui stuff from LD Systems. They are the best-looking speakers on the market for this application. Get a really nice set of stands (I like Ultimate and you’ll get a ton of compliments on that. Both sounded and the Gator Frameworks stands personally), a good set of dual great, especially for cocktail hour, dinner, introductions and cables (the power and XLR in one fat cable) and call it a day. Your announcements, but they lacked the gain and bottom end I really needed heading into that final 90 minute dance set. entire setup shouldn’t take more than about 20 minutes. Many people would disagree, that’s just my opinion of course. What if you want more “oomph”? Well that’s when the There is a lot out there, so you’ll have to do your research. show usually calls for subs or a single subwoofer. Again, before Most importantly, GO AND LISTEN to whatever you’re thinking you buy subs, think about your back and your vehicle. You about buying! While you’re don’t want to hurt yourself there, pick them up and put loading them in and out. Do them on a stand to make you even have room for them sure you can handle them. in your current vehicle? My Joe Bunn started his DJ career over 30 years ago. His company If you’re lucky, the store may point is THINK BEFORE YOU has four offices and now does over 1000 weddings a year and even let you demo a pair at another 400 private, corporate and charity events. He still DJs BUY. You’ll find that most of your gig before buying. almost every weekend, but also helps other DJs grow their the time you can get away businesses as a consultant, writer, and speaker. Visit www. If you have any questions, with one sub. Come straight djjoebunn.com to learn more or purchase any of his products. as always, feel free to reach out of your mixer into the out to me. sub left and right, then use

just got back from Mobile Beat Las Vegas a few weeks ago and I gotta say, there are a TON of speaker manufacturers in the game these days. Back when I was a kid, there were a couple; now there are dozens! I don’t want to get really into tech specs here, but I do want to try and help you choose your next set of speakers with a few pointers.

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FEATURE

Your Speakers: Your Voice

GOING DEEPER TO AID YOUR SPEAKER DECISION-MAKING By Stu Chisholm

f you attended MBLV in 2015, you might recall my article, “Good Sound Doesn’t Happen By Magic,” being included in the special expo issue of Mobile Beat. In it, I wrote about the differences between active and passive speakers (powered vs. unpowered) and all of the various signal processors that are designed to help make them sound better. Since then, I have become concerned about the attitudes among some of my peers and colleagues, especially the entry-level DJs, about speakers. All too often, a DJ will research and pay a ton of money for the computer they use, their controller, their lighting, etc. and leave the remaining crumbs of their budget for their speaker systems. And this is—what’s the technical term?—Oh, yeah: “bad.” Very bad. If you look at it from a certain perspective, for mobile Stu Chisholm had been collecting music since he was about age 8 and began his DJ career in 1979. After a stint at the Specs Howard School of Broadcast Arts, he studied the DJ arts with famous Michigan broadcaster Bill Henning, interned at Detroit's rock powerhouse, WRIF, and later added voiceover work and club gigs at Detroit's best venues. He has shared his extensive DJ experience through MB columns, as a seminar speaker and through his book, The Complete Disc Jockey: A Comprehensive Manual for the Professional DJ.

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DJs, our “product” is our sound. Note that I DIDN’T say “music.” Regardless of whether we’re spinning tunes, being an emcee/ host or presiding over an activity, it all comes out through our speakers. When it’s all said and done, our speakers are the voice of our DJ systems, and your DJ system can only be as good as your speakers.

THE SPEAKER RULE OF THUMB So let’s talk about that budget for a moment. When I started out in the DJ business, a sound engineer told me that, no matter what my budget for my DJ system was, fully half of it should be dedicated to the speakers. These days, if you’re using not using passive speakers (with an external amplifier), then this should be modified to about 60-70% of your budget. Speakers are expensive because they are, at their core, engines. They take electricity and use it to move air. While speakers have been tweaked over the years, using amazing new high-tech materials in the voice coil, cones, domes and cabinets, not to mention the purpose-built internal amps and built-in DSP power, the way they work has remained basically unchanged since their advent in 1925. The things that really make a difference to a mobile DJ are less about technology, then, and more about how a speaker can actually perform.

OKAY, BUDGET SET. NOW WHAT? Next we need to pay attention to the specifications of the speaker, the first one being watts. This is the #1 most touted spec in the ads. For active speakers, watt specs usually refer to the output of the on-board power amp, whereas for a passive speaker it refers to its nominal power handling capability. Watts

are units of power, and as you might guess, if all things are equal, a higher wattage speaker will be able to produce more volume than a lower wattage speaker. Of course, this isn’t absolute, as other factors can come into play. One such factor is RMS vs. peak power. This should spring to mind if the speaker you’re considering has gazillions of watts at an unbelievable price! Peak power is not the nominal operating power, but a rating of the maximum spike that a speaker is designed to handle. This can be more than DOUBLE the actual operating level. Still, some advertisements use this to make their speakers more attractive to gullible buyers. RMS is the measurement of continuous power, which is a more reliable metric. No specification sheet is a substitute for actually engaging your ears. Yes, that means you need to get up off of your butt and actually go to your local audio dealer. It’s a good idea to bring along a piece of music that you know very well, and maybe something to play it on. (Yes, there are test discs available for engineers, and if you know how to properly use one, go for it.) As you listen, ask yourself: Does the bass have a tight, controlled sound, or is it muddy and/or distorted? Do the other frequencies overpower the bass? If so, you might want to consider adding a subwoofer or two. (And then I suggest listening again, preferably with the high end cabinets you will be running with it/them.) Do the high frequencies sound shrill and piercing or are they crisp and detailed? Can you hear any artifacts in the music that you didn’t hear before? If so, are they sounds that were there, but masked by inferior speakers, or are they distortions? As a sidenote, I would also hope that Mobile Beat readers would be classy enough to make their purchase from the store where they audition them rather than going home and buying them online. Unless there’s a truly significant price difference, why not buy local? After all, you did monopolize their time for a

All too often, a DJ will research and pay a ton of money for the computer they use, their controller, their lighting, etc. and leave the remaining crumbs of their budget for their speaker systems. while, and besides, if you’re anything like me, I like to have real people to talk to should something go wrong down the road and I need service. On average, we mobile DJs need to fill a room about the size of a tennis court with sound. That part is easy. Filling it with GOOD sound is the real challenge! Hopefully the basics above will give you a leg up towards meeting that goal. Until next time, safe and crystal clear spinnin’.

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FEATURE

The Risky Six SIX KEYS TO SHED FEAR AND TAKE SMART PROFESSIONAL RISKS By Lei Wang

ike all the knowledge and skills that people learn, fear of failure is also learned. And as you age, you gain more and more mental constraints. Those mental constraints remove creativity and replace it with yet more fear. Fear is perceived risk; it is learned, and it can be unlearned through practice. The ability to overcome fear—to combat fear—is like a muscle. It can be trained and can get stronger through exercise. Through deliberate practice, you can become courageous, and harness your fear to take informed, intelligent, and potentially lucrative professional risks.

1. HARNESS FEAR’S POSITIVE POWER Fear is an extremely powerful emotion— and thus, an extremely powerful motivational tool. When facing fear, the normal response is fight-or-flight. Flight is to let the fear and the worry take control of your mind. Fight is turning fear into a positive risk management response, forcing you to focus and actively do the best to overcome the present situation. When you take a leap of faith to confront a new career challenge, instead of worrying “What if I fail?” imagine you have no opportunity to back out. Instead of letting the fear hold you back, take that first step, and turn fear into a positive strength that compels you to focus and to make your best effort.

2. ACT EARLY, ACT DECISIVELY Rather than waiting until your industry or department becomes dispensable, proactively manage your career growth; learn

new skills and think ahead of the curve continually to prevent a career crisis from happening. Anticipate problems and dangers before they occur. Once danger does arrive, it is often too late to do much in response. Act early and act decisively, because waiting diminishes the chances for success. Practice facing fear by taking chances. Even if you fail the first time, you should try again. Start with a small task, such as a new project, something you have never done. The more you try, the easier it will become to overcome fear.

3. SEPARATE PROBABILITY FROM CONSEQUENCES Many working professionals are afraid of taking risks because the probability of success appears low and the consequences of failure are frightening. When you

Lei Wang is an internationally-recognized adventurer, motivational speaker and author of After the Summit: New Rules for Reaching Your Peak Potential in Your Career and Life. The first Asian woman to complete Explorers Grand Slam (climb the highest peak on each continent and ski to both poles), Lei channels her experiences to convey a message of perseverance and steadfast determination that her audiences can use at work or at home. For more information about Lei Wang, please visit www.JourneyWithLei.com.

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think about the consequences of a failure, it is important to recognize the difference between the immediate consequences and the ultimate consequences. Yes, the probability that a new startup will succeed is low, and the immediate consequence could be losing investment money. For any new product launch or new job, there is a chance of failure, and losing your current position. But that is only temporary. Not taking the risk means that the ultimate consequence is failure. A low probability of success should not be the reason holding you back, as long as the temporary consequences of failure are recoverable. Be more mindful of the ultimate consequence of not taking that chance.

4. KNOW YOUR RISK MANAGEMENT CAPACITY When approaching a risky situation, some people—often those who have some special talents or experiences—would go all-in and aim to grab the opportunity fast by taking bigger risks. Others take time to build a more solid foundation through each step so they have more control of the risk—at the cost of slower progress. Which style should you choose? It depends on the situation, your skill, and your risk management capacity. There

is no right answer for everyone or every instance. Consider what the cost and return of taking those risks may be. Think about the alternatives you have and what the risk and return of those alternatives will be. Evaluate what losses you can afford, and consider what the temporary losses and permanent loss might mean. Ask yourself what your options are in the event of a soft loss, a hard loss, or a replaceable loss. Think about how you would recover from these possible losses. Keep in mind ways you could prepare yourself for the best outcome. You have to balance your skill level and risk management ability.

you take a risk. How do you decide which advice to heed when they conflict with each other? It is important to discern the intention behind each person’s perspective. Some might be over-protective of you because of emotional attachment, such as friends or family; some may be driven by personal interest. Everyone has a bias; it is important to learn to recognize the value of different feedback. Do not just listen to the feedback that you want to hear. Do not brush aside opposing opinions too easily. Learn to form your own judgment based on those who give you advice.

5. BE A SMART ADVICE-TAKER

6. PUSHING TOO FAR VS. NOT PUSHING FAR ENOUGH

It can be difficult to measure your own capability against the risk you are considering taking, because it’s hard for people to see themselves completely objectively. But there are mirrors to help you see yourself better. That mirror is the feedback from people around you, such as a mentor, colleagues, or your boss. Seeking advice is imperative before

The line between pushing too far and not pushing far enough is a fine line, especially when the stakes are high. In business, not pushing enough causes mediocrity and may eventually lead to a company’s demise. Pushing too far causes burnout and unsustainable growth, or pursuing economic return

without regard to the wellbeing of the environment or community. Managing this delicate balance is a skill that can be learned, like courage and other risk management skills. In order to avoid costly mistakes on either side of the line, you need to learn the skill of heeding the feedback you receive and improve your ability to make sound judgments. Through practice, you can gradually develop objective criteria before real danger arrives, and become better at calculating risks. Fear of failure is not the reason to avoid taking risks. Of course it’s not smart to jump at every opportunity—you have to calculate and make the best decisions under the circumstances and constraints of your knowledge and vision. Even a calculated risk can prove wrong sometimes, but when you take a chance you have the opportunity to learn and grow. If you are afraid of failure and never risk anything, you will risk everything in the end.

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SOCIAL MEDIA KNOWHOW

Instagram-Ready Pictures 5 PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS FROM JASMINE STAR By Staci Nichols

“B

ut Staci, Instagram is for photographers, hair stylists, and make-up artists, isn’t it?” Kindly direct your eyes to the screenshots showing how I booked Robin’s wedding by simply searching #SanDiegoWedding on Instagram, leaving a non-spammy

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comment on her post about venue shopping, and having a non-salesy profile that resonated with her (i.e. not a “gig log” or a bunch of promotional flyers). And did I mention she’s definitely an ideal client, her wedding is in November 2018, and I’m the first vendor she has booked? OK, so now that I have your full attention ...

BONUS TIP: To take a desktop picture (like those so trendy on social media right now), put your objects on a piece of white posterboard, stand by a sunny window, and follow the rest of the tips from this article.

Wedding photographers have pretty much all heard of the legendary Jasmine Star. She is one of the top wedding photographers in the world, and I was lucky enough to meet her in March at the Social Media Marketing World Conference in San Diego. Not only is she a $10,000 wedding photographer, but she is a marketing/ branding expert for creatives. Who better to get Instagram tips from?

TIP #1 – USE NATURAL LIGHTING The first thing Jasmine recommended was using natural lighting. For indoor pictures, she suggested snapping your pics by a sunny window. She recommended standing so that you are facing the window (versus having your back to the window).

TIP #2 – DON’T TAKE PICTURES IN THE INSTAGRAM APP Use your cell phone camera, not the camera in Instagram. Jasmine pointed out that you have more opportunities to edit

Staci will be speaking about Pinterest Marketing at the Wedding MBA Conference in Las Vegas, October 2-4, 2017 (www.weddingmba.com). your photos if you do this, as well as the ability to add a grid overlay to help you align images.

TIP #4 – USE THE “RULE OF THIRDS” Remember the camera grid I mentioned in Tip #2? You’ll need that in order to use the Rule of Thirds. In a nutshell, photos have the extra “je-ne-sais-quoi” if horizontal and vertical lines run along those grid lines (so a skyline, for example, is lined up at the bottom 1/3 of the screen instead of running straight through the middle). If you are photographing a solitary object, to use the Rule of Thirds, you would place that object in, say, the bottom quadrant of the screen rather than dead center.

TIP #5 – EDIT THE IMAGE IN YOUR CAMERA BEFORE OPENING INSTAGRAM As I mentioned in Tip #3, open the photo editor in your phone’s camera and play around with your image before uploading it to Instagram. Adjust exposure, saturation, warmth, contrast, crop it, and so on. Then when you load your edited image to Instagram, it should already look pretty fly, but after editing it again in Instagram and adding a filter, your final product should be truly gorgeous. And, as Jasmine said, “Focus on how this COULD work for you instead of all the reasons why it won’t.”

TIP #3 – SHOOT AT VARYING DISTANCES Jasmine recommended using a real “photo shoot” mentality. By that I mean taking a lot of photos at slightly different angles and distances in order to end up with one “winner.” Think of the 50+ pictures a photographer takes of the First Dance so that the couple ends up with THREE finalized, edited, truly memorycapturing First Dance pictures. She also recommended snapping pics at varying distances so that all your Instagram pics are not close-ups or panoramas. In other words, mix it up for better visual appeal.

DJ Staci Nichols is based in San Diego and specializes in spinning “country fusion,” Latin/Spanish, and mainstream music. Her know-how has appeared in San Diego Style Weddings, Offbeat Bride, Wedding Planner Magazine, and Book More Brides. She offers consulting at WeddingBizConsultant.com or check out her DJ biz at SanDiegoDJStaci.com. IG/FB/ Pinterest/Twitter: SanDiegoDJStaci

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FEATURE

Is It Sound or Is It Noise? KNOW THE DIFFERENCE, WHEN IT COMES TO THE VENUE AND THE LAW (PART 1 OF 2) By Matt Martindale ore and more municipalities are enforcing strict “noise ordinances” against venues, levying fines, or simply shutting down wedding receptions due to unprofessional DJs. Every DJ should know the differences between sound and noise when it comes to their venues and their local laws. Nothing can dampen a fun party faster than a bad DJ who doesn’t respect nor know the difference between sound and noise.

through the air. It’s what we hear. So, let’s go on a quick audio journey. First, to pleasant sounds... It’s a nice, warm day. You’re at the beach, you close your eyes and feel the warmth of the sun wrap around you. The waves are gently crashing on the rocks, how do you feel? How about hearing a soft, babbling brook in a quiet, serene forest as you pause on a winding path? Maybe thunder gently rolling in the distance as a soft rain lightly patters against a window. A baby laughing?

Most of us can hear just fine. It’s one of our primary senses, but it’s also a complex one too. Hearing is really our ears’ ability to detect sound (vibrations of air), and then our brain’s ability to give those sound vibrations a meaning. It plays a tremendous role in our lives by allowing us to communicate, warns us of danger and allows us to enjoy the form of entertainment known as music. But as I said, sound is nothing more than just vibrations

Then there’s noise. That’s a sound that is an unpleasant or unwanted. It causes a disturbance. It’s, well, undesireable. According to several studies, scientists put these unpleasant sounds into two categories: annoying (like a car alarm or snoring); and those that trigger an immediate negative visceral reaction, like nails on a chalk board.

Matt Martindale has been a professional DJ and MC since 1989, performing at more than 1,400 wedding receptions since then. Along with running his award-winning, multi-DJ company, Amoré DJ Entertainment (www.amoredjentertainment.com), he has accumulated extensive entertainment experience including training in audio production, sound engineering, lighting and design, improv comedy, voice over artistry, magic, and much more.

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SOUND VS. NOISE: IN THE EAR OF THE LISTENER What’s the difference between sound and noise? Determining whether a sound qualifies as noise requires an understanding of the interplay between these 3 ingredients: • • •

the listener their interpretation the circumstances in which the sound is heard

Basically, it’s completely subjective. You see, “sound” to one person can also be a “noise” to another person. Remember, a noise is just an unpleasant, or

unwanted sound in a circumstance that typically causes a disturbance. Sound, is, well, desired. It’s something the listener wants. Sound can be noise based on magnitude (how loud it is), its characteristics, duration (how long), and time of occurrence. For example, you are excited to attend a rock concert. In fact, it’s your favorite band. It’s going to be a great show and you certainly expect it to be loud. In fact, rock music can be pleasurable to one person, while also being annoying to another person. It’s subject to the listener’s tastes and expectations. Some people like rock or rap, others don’t. Then there are the circumstances. Even if you love the genre, the same rock music heard from your neighbor’s yard for a BBQ at 1:00 PM can have a very different impact at 1:00 AM when the baby is trying to sleep. It’s the same song, same sound system, same house, same distance, same volume...but a very different circumstance, obviously Another example: You are trying to concentrate for a big exam while studying at the college library, but you are repeatedly distracted by a whispered conversation among a group of people next to you. Or, maybe the same whispering is happening non-stop during a church service. That’s classified as noise, not because of the volume, but because of the time of occurrence and the settings in which it’s (inappropriately) heard. So, it really is subjective when it comes to the three ingredients that distinguish between sound and noise. In the context of entertainment, a qualified, competent wedding DJ will know the difference. To make sure the sound at an event is pleasant and not becoming “noise” to anyone in attendance, he or she will repeatedly walk the room to monitor the level and quality of the sound. Reading the crowd to see their reaction to the sound is also necessary. It’s a matter of setting a standard, measuring it, and making adjustments if needed. Building on the foundation of this brief discussion of sound versus noise, in the next issue we’ll look at the three primary reasons why many venues now have DJs (and brides) sign a noise compliance agreement as part of their venue contract.

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BRILLIANT DEDUCTIONS

To Repair or Capitalize, 2017 Style By Mark E. Battersby

very mobile entertainment business owner/ operator faces the nagging question: When is a repair really a capital expenditure? Properly classifying repair, maintenance and improvement expenses is important because improvements to business property usually must be depreciated over many years -- as many as 39 years for some business property. On the other hand, no matter how much they cost, repairs to business property are currently deductible in a single year. If, for example, a mobile entertainment business spends $1,000 to repair a business vehicle, it can deduct the entire amount in one year. However, if the $1,000 amount is to improve the vehicle it must be deducted a little at a time over five years. Obviously, it is preferable for an expenditure to be classified as a repair rather than an improvement so the entire amount can be deducted in one year. Code Section 263(a) of our tax law requires all amounts paid to acquire, produce or improve tangible property to be capitalized and recovered via depreciation deductions. Alternatively, Section 162(a) allows all “ordinary and necessary” business expenses incurred during the taxable year, including the cost of supplies, repairs and maintenance to be immediately written off. Unfortunately, distinguishing between a repair and an improvement has not always been easy. Fortunately, the IRS has issued “final” regulations for deducting repairs and improvements. The gist of the repair regulations is that a business owner must depreciate any expense incurred to: • • •

make a long-term asset much better than it was before restore it to operating condition, or adapt it to a new use.

The guidelines contain a unique expensing “safe harbor” for repairs that increases the amount allowed as an immediate deduction for materials and supplies. The safe harbor increases per-item expensing limits for those mobile entertainment operations without a so-called “applicable financial statement” or AFS. An AFS is a certified, audited financial statement such as those statements required to be filed with the Securities and

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Exchange Commission (SEC), certified audited financial statements accompanied by a CPA report, including a financial statement provided for a loan, reporting to shareholders, or for other non-tax purposes. Under the final regulations for tangible assets, a DJ, VJ or KJ can choose to apply the de minimis safe harbor to the amounts paid to acquire or produce tangible property so long as those amounts are deducted on the operation’s books and records. With an AFS, this safe harbor can be used to deduct amounts paid for tangible property up to $5,000 per invoice or item (as substantiated by an invoice). Without an AFS, the safe harbor may be used to deduct amounts only up to $2,500 ($500 prior to January 1, 2016) per invoice or item. These limitations are for purposes of determining whether particular expenses qualify under the safe harbor; they aren’t intended as a ceiling on the amount that can be deducted as business expenses under the current tax rules. A “small” mobile entertainment business, one with annual gross receipts of $10 million or less, is not required to capitalize as an improvement, and therefore may be permitted to deduct the costs of work performed on owned or leased business property, e.g., repairs, maintenance, improvements or similar costs, that fall under this safe harbor for small taxpayers. The requirements for the small taxpayer sale harbor stipulate the property can either be owned or leased but must have an unadjusted basis of $1 million or less. Furthermore, the total amount paid during the year for repairs, maintenance, improvements, or similar activities cannot exceed the lesser of two percent of the property’s unadjusted basis, or $10,000. Fortunately, an annual election is not a change in the method of accounting. Therefore, it is not necessary to file Form 3115, Application for Change in Method of Accounting, to make this election or to stop applying the safe harbor in a subsequent year. When it comes to routine maintenance, a mobile entertainer is not required to capitalize, and therefore may deduct, amounts paid for recurring activities that are expected to be performed, expenditures resulting from use of the property in the mobile entertainment business and the cost of keeping the property in its ordinarily efficient operating condition. The “final” tangible property regulations were issued to provide guidance for every mobile entertainer when distinguishing between a currently deductible repair and a capitalized expenditure. Obviously, professional guidance may be necessary in order to ensure that repairs will remain repairs in the eyes of the ever-vigilant IRS.

Mark E. Battersby is a freelance writer based in the Philadelphia area. His features, columns and reports have appeared in leading trade magazines and professional journals since the early 1980s. When not actually writing, Mark spends most of his time digging for exciting tax and financial strategies to write about.

SCOOP

Getting into the Game with SpeedQuizzing By Ryan Burger

ver the last nearly 20 years of being an amateur game show/trivia host I’ve used all kinds of hardware and software; and honestly nothing is like what I experienced just before Mobile Beat Las Vegas when doing a test run on a new game show system called SpeedQuizzing. The atmosphere was exciting and people had a blast playing. And the icing on the cake was that I even had a great time hosting! Let me set it up: For the last couple of years, the local Kiwanis chapter in Grimes (Iowa) has been holding a trivia night as a fundraiser for its other activities. Set on a weekend night, this year on Sunday, it was scheduled to include two hours of game time with a one-hour social time before the event. I dropped in, plugged into the venue’s sound system and configured my computer to work with their wall-mounted television LCD screens. That’s when the fun began. SpeedQuizzing USA brought the SpeedQuizzing system,

which has been extremely popular in the UK, across the pond a bit over a year ago and it’s taking off like wildfire. I got to see why at my event. After about 30 minutes of phone training and one quick tech support call during the event, I had an absolute blast, to say the least. The trivia questions are downloaded from a mass database during the set up of the game and you can choose from categories of questions already built or in the end you can enter your own. The database is large and builds it specifically for YOUR game usage; no pre-canned sets of questions or certain games on certain days. The system works by using a wifi router that all of the participants link into using an app on their phones, called Virtual Buzzer. Once all of the participants have chosen the wifi network 24

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and their apps are up, they pick the team name, are authorized by the trivia host, and are ready to begin. The game begins and various types of questions are beamed down to the handsets. For new trivia hosts, it walks you through everything, even telling you on the screen what to say as to the rules of the round or the question at hand. For answering in multiple choice, it presents the A-B-C-D-E-F buttons; for answering with a fill in the blank it gives you a virtual keyboard; and so on. The power of the SpeedQuizzing system also comes from the tie-in between the router (I recommend getting a pre-configured unit through the the company) and those handsets, with beaming down pictures for them to put a name to, and seeing who is the first to get in. The speed factor of being the first one in was one of the most fun portions of the night. After it comes up as to who got it right and awards points, it also visually displays the fastest fingers to the buzzers. Tied in with the action, in addition to what is showing on the teams screens, the system puts everything up using extended desktop of your PC or Mac. Although this is already a very mature product, I would love

to see a basic playlist-level music system built into the app for added hosting convenience, and possibly some more flexibility on timing and scoring. (But that said, the system works amazingly without that flexibility, so maybe not messing with the flexibility is the right answer.) With a start-up investment of under $500, the SpeedQuizzing trivia/game system that really lowers the financial bar for entry to the lucrative world of game hosting. If you’re considering adding trivia to your services, you owe it to yourself to check it out.

www.speedquizzingusa.com

THE LAST WORD

Patience and Perseverance: Part of Reaching for Excellence By Jason Weldon

here are two key things that are overlooked when trying to be being successful in the DJ segment of the entertainment industry. Matter of fact, these are really two things that are overlooked no matter what you want to accomplish in life. Both are pretty freaking hard and are what stop almost every single one of you reading this right now. The first thing: being the best you can possibly be at one thing. And the second, which is even harder: waiting around. These, (along with a few other things) rise to the top of the list of ingredients necessary to get your business flourishing throughout the years. But hey, what does anybody in today’s age know about those two things? I don’t care how high up in SEO you are. I don’t care how many DJs work for you. I don’t care how awesome your website is. I don’t care about any of that crap. If you are truly, genuinely, flat out good at what you do, the people will find you. Eventually. If you suck, no amount of time will ever fix that. However, it will take some time until those people find you. So, having real patience is the second big part. Some people rise more quickly than others. And I have

Jason Weldon is a wedding business consultant who specializes in small to medium-sized companies that want to grow their business. His objective is to help guide people through organizing their thoughts and laying the groundwork for a better, more successful start-up. He currently lives in Philadelphia and is also the president of Synergetic Sound and Lighting, Inc. and DJ and A/V company.

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found that some of the best of the best tend to take their time, honing their skills and building their systems—getting things right, so when the time comes to act, it happens with full force. But I also see so many people bail out. Thinking things aren’t falling their way. Thinking that it isn’t fair. “What’s the point of doing this if I can’t get the jobs I want?” they might ask. Well, true success usually requires patience and perseverance. You have to keep being great. Every single time. Every single day. Stay in the game long enough and fix the things that you aren’t good at. Take your lumps along the way, but always remember that you are pretty damn good. And eventually, the right people are going to find you. Simply because you are there. Because you stuck it out through all the ups and downs. Because you found ways to not take yourself out of the hunt. (Kind of like that animal in the Madagascar movies that keeps trying to get back to King Julian.) My company started back in 2001. And to this day, I am still waiting in lines to either work with certain people or get in front of certain venues or heck, just trying to get an email back from a big-time producer. But you know what, I am still here. I still try every single month to get to the next level and I try to be somewhere I wasn’t last month. And I still hear from people ask “How come we have never heard about you before?”—as if we are a new company! You have to do the same. Practice the crap out of everything you do until you dominate it. Get in front of people so they can see you at your finest. Wait in as many lines as you can, knowing that the person in front of you is going to mess up or need to get out of line and you will be right there waiting. Just being present—having patience—is a skill that many can’t learn. Just keep at it. I promise, things will start to change.