by Andrew Alvarez

Created on: June 15, 2007

For those who like music, a mobile disc/karaoke jockey business may be the way to go. This job is both rewarding and fun. There are some basics to know before you start.

First thing's first. Get legal. With the potential to make 1k in 1 night, you really want t protect yourself and your investment from fines and the IRS. Most states offer a business license free, and that, along with proper tax forms and you'll be good to go.

Second thing is equipment. You'll not only want sound, but lighting as well. This is where it get's expensive fast. If you're passionate about music, chances are you like quality sound. The same applies for you customers. Why sacrifice quality for a little money. Take a magazine such as a catalog from Musician's Friend or 123 Music. Both are free publications and contain tons of equipment. You can either order from these or, as I do, use them as a guide and purchase my equipment locally. Most local music stores now days match prices (at least closely) to the major distributors. You will more than likely still pay slightly higher than a catalog, but you can inspect the equipment before you take it home.

Sound equipment should consist of, speakers, a power amplifier, a mixing unit, cables, and a head at the very least. There are multiple configurations that would suit a larger venue, we're discussing the minimum needed.

An optimal speaker set up, to start off with, would consist of four units or cabs. You'll want two subwoofers and two full range cabs. The subwoofers should have a single 15in or 18in driver in it as well as a built in passive crossover. This allows you to connect the subwoofers to the full ranges without external crossovers and cables. The full ranges should consist of one or two 12in or 15in drivers as well as a horn. These should sit on top of the subwoofers.

You'll need an amplifier to power these speakers. A good way to calculate the power needed is to take the program rating for each cab, and add them all together. Get as close to that amount as you can with your amplifier. You may need to get two amplifiers if your cabs are rated too high.

The third element of your sound system consists of your head and mixing unit. The standard today is compact disks. There are various head units (CD Players) units that allow for beat matching, sampling, and many other features. It's important to use a head designed for DJ use as home stereo equipment is made for the shock and the starts are delayed. You can get a head that's a dual player,

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