A Mic for a Mobile DJ Is Like a Fire Extinguisher for a Fire an Absolute Must!

0:00 My name's Jonathan Ellaskins, The DJ Tutor

Right, ladies and gentlemen, my name's Jonathan Ellaskins, The DJ Tutor. And this video potentially could save you from absolute disaster for many reasons. First of all, a diary. It's always good to have a diary to keep an idea of what you're doing. This was from last year, but of course nowadays you can just bung it on your iPhone, can't you? The other one is a torch. See where you're going in the dark. Otherwise you'll walk into stuff. Not a good idea. You'll hurt your nose. The other one is a bag to... Yeah, alright, I'm just doing random stuff here. And a helmet. But this video really is about one of the, I would say, beyond shadow of a doubt, and again in a comment if you think I'm wrong, let me know. But it is one of the most important pieces of kit that a mobile DJ can have. And that is...

A microphone. Now, a microphone, I'm going to use an analogy similar to, well, I'm going to put an analogy based on a fire extinguisher. This is a really simple fire extinguisher. But in a way, they both serve the same purpose. They will get you out of hot water. Well, not necessarily hot water, but they'll get you out of a sticky situation when you're in a room. With smoke and flames everywhere, of course the fire extinguisher should theoretically be able to extinguish the flames which means you'll survive. Now the same applies with a microphone because this piece of kit here can get you out of numerous sticky situations but before we go into that there is something I want to talk about which is possibly important to you.

The DJ Tutor So you don't want to use it because you're embarrassed. You don't want people to look at you. Well, at the end of the day, if you're a mobile DJ especially, you are sort of the centre of the attraction. Again, it depends what gig. If it's a wedding, of course, the bride is the centre of the attraction. But being the DJ, you know, a regular, say, 18th, 21st birthday party, apart from, of course, the person whose party it is. You're really the main guy, you're the main person, you're the entertainer. So you've got to have a bit of pizzazz, panache, which is another video in itself and in the future I'll explain how you can go from being Mr DJ Norm sat there with a t-shirt on to someone who looks a little bit more like a DJ. But anyway, microphone.

Let's imagine you turn up to your event, you don't like using a microphone, you're very embarrassed and someone comes to ask you can you say that the bar is closing in 10 minutes. What do you do? You put the volume down and you scream at the top of your voice. After doing that people will look at you as if to say what an absolute prat. Also let's imagine you get someone saying please you know can you give a request to the birthday girl or the birthday boy or the father of the bride Would like a mention about his wife and so on. So, of course, again, you put the volume down and you scream at the top of your voice only to, again, look like an absolute prat. On the other hand, if you've got a microphone, you can now not, well, you don't have to shout, you can just talk as you normally would, which brings on this subject.

4:25 I pretty much explained it

You've probably heard in the past and even now, as soon as a DJ seems to go on the microphone, they go from Jim to some kind of magical being who's now just almost their voice has changed. You know, hi, hello, my name is Jonathan. Hi, hello, my name is John. It's like, why do it? Those days, in my opinion, are gone. If you're going to use the microphone, just... Use it as you would normally. Talk into it. You don't have to start to have this persona of being this big, bold, brashy person. Just be yourself. So that's the first hurdle to get over. To not have to think that you have to change your voice when you're using the microphone. Also, back to the job at hand. Why have the microphone? Well, I pretty much explained it.

Communicating with the crowd, okay? Because especially as a mobile DJ, you could be the best mixer, scratcher, turntablist. You could be pristine at putting tracks together to form that set that just flows for the whole night. And that's great. That's all well and good. You probably will get away with it without using the microphone. But then... Just an added string to the bow. If you can also use the microphone, it will get you out of sticky situations. Now this is why it's very similar to a fire extinguisher. Because all of a sudden you are there and some idiot starts coming up to you and poking you about or just generally being a twat. And if you've been in the industry as long as I have, you will of course have had members of the public come up to you and start being obnoxious and acting like idiots. Well, a microphone could potentially get you out of that situation because you could just turn the volume of the music down, say on the microphone, excuse me.

Can you please go away? Now, all of a sudden, everyone's going to be looking at you. They're going to also be looking at the person next to you because you have said yourself, can you go away? It doesn't take people that long to put two and two together and then that person next to you very likely may move out of the way. If they don't, then of course, if you are in, let's say for example... Hold on, I'll start again. Let's say you're in a venue that's licensed, which hopefully most are, and there's security. You can always ask for the security to come along and remove the person for you. But also, let's imagine there's a fight on the dance floor. All of a sudden, a glass is broken on the dance floor. A window has been smashed. There's some kind of small disaster that needs attention, not in five minutes, but straight away. As soon as you're on that microphone...

6:50 You can, at the drop of a hat, solve a situation

You could potentially save someone's life, stop you from cutting themselves, stop an altercation on the dance floor or anything. So that's why it's very much like a fire extinguisher because as soon as you turn this on, point it at the flame, it should distinguish the flame. Extinguish, distinguish. Oh dear, extinguish. All right. Just the same with... Just the same with a microphone. You can, at the drop of a hat, solve a situation. Now there's a lot of psychology behind using a microphone. It's not just a question of picking it up and talking. There are ways of using it. Now, a tip here... If you're not used to using the microphone and you're scared of using it, the first thing to do, and I've talked about this before but I'm going to talk about it now so we can wrap up one video with loads, is start holding it. Walk around the house with it, get used to physically holding it because some people are even scared of holding a microphone. The next one is start talking into it. I know that sounds bizarre, doesn't have to be plugged in, just talk into it by yourself otherwise you're going to look an idiot.

And then what you do, now this is the key, this is you getting used to watching and listening to yourself. So first of all, you're listening to yourself. The next thing you do is you go in front of a mirror and you look at yourself talking into the microphone. Now that's going to ease yourself into using it and also ease yourself into you used to Using it, if that makes any sense. Okay, there's psychology there somewhere. Please enlighten me. And then of course the next thing to do is to plug it into a little PA in your house and start talking into it so you get an idea of what you sound like. Record that, listen back to it. In other words, what I'm saying here is if you can use it as much as you can, then you're going to get used to you using it more and more and more.

9:07 It's an ongoing cycle

It's an ongoing cycle. The worst thing in the world is for you to have a microphone and to not use it. Now, in my professional opinion, and I've been in this industry a very long time, I've been doing weddings for God knows how long. From day one, a microphone was needed. Ladies and gentlemen, please can we welcome the bride and the groom on the dance floor. You don't want to turn the volume down and shout that. Ladies and gentlemen, they're now cutting the cake. Ladies and gentlemen, the bride is now having the father-bride dance. You know, last orders at the bar. They're serving cocktails at the bar. Ladies and gentlemen, the buffet's ready. Ladies and gentlemen, please make your way to the dance floor because it's time for the bride to throw the bouquet of flowers. The list goes on.

And you do not want to be put in a position where you're sat behind the DJ booth, screaming your heart out, trying to get people to listen to you. Because as soon as you're on the microphone and there's a lot of volume to your voice, people will listen. And also it's how you say it. I'm going to finish this video with this, alright? For example, the first dance. The wrong way to do it. Ladies and gentlemen, it's time for the first dance. I mean, you might as well fall asleep. You honestly might as well not even bother. On the other hand, ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please? It's now time for the bride and groom to have their first dance. Make your way to the dance floor. That's it. Something like that anyway. Alright, hope that's been a help. Please don't forget to like and subscribe but also leave a comment. Do you agree with me? Do you disagree with me?

What do you think? Are you scared of using the microphone? Do you like using the microphone? Have you heard DJs who use the microphone too much? Have you been into a venue where you haven't heard the DJ use the microphone at all and they've just looked an idiot because, like I said, they've just turned the volume down and talked. What do you think? Let me know in a comment. Thank you for watching. Practice and enjoy.

This transcript was produced automatically from the audio of the video and may contain mistakes.