How Can You Protect Your Digital DJ Equipment

Essential Steps To Secure Your DJ Gear

 

As a digital DJ, your very most important task is to protect your equipment and keeping it in excellent condition as it’s the heart of  every single inch of your business or even hobby.

Needless to say, electronic gear is always delicate and needs special care when transported or during set up and break down.

if you haven’t played a public gig yet, I must remind you that the DJ booth you’re in will be exposed to external disturbance and it can cause damage to your controller, laptop, any other piece you bring in, just name it.

First, let’s make a list of risks you face when you DJ in public.

 

Spillage (Drinks all over your DJ gear)

Loose cables

Not enough space in the DJ booth

Power surge

 

I can count more, but these are the most serious facts about bringing your own stuff to a public place.

Follow simple rules and practices and you should avoid most of these risks to happen.

 

Carrying Cases

 

To begin with a precaution, I will advise all of you to get either padded or hard cases for your DJ controllers and laptop.

Almost for every make and model, there’s a special carrying case for DJ control devices. Just search on internet and you’ll easily find something like this one.

Same thing for your laptop. Always carry it in a padded special case.

The reason I’m giving this advise is that you may have to leave your equipment unattended for a while in the venue and never know who will bump into it. Woops !

Magma has a multi purpose DJ bag (All-in-one) which you can fit everything in, check it out.

 

Laptop Stand

 

Using a stand for your laptop has advantages like saving space in the booth and keeping it elevated right in front of you so it’d be hard to reach.

If you decide to get one, make sure it’s sturdy enough to hold your computer. here is an example from On-stage.

 

Duct Tape

 

I’m not kidding ! Get a roll of duct tape. It’s strong, sticks well and will secure your cables. Especially loose power cords on the floor are your biggest enemy.

Imagine you trip one and all your stuff comes down ! You don’t want that happen. Or you unplug your system by mistake right in the middle of the night.

Duct tape my friends ! Secure all your cables.

 

Power Surge Protector

 

Buy a high quality extension cord with power surge protection and always keep it with you. You definitely need one in a DJ booth when setting your system up.

One thing you need to pay attention. Make sure the switch is all clear on it when placed either on the floor or booth area. Turning it off by mistake means killing the music.

I said ” spillage ” at the beginning. This is something you must really be careful about.

In the middle of your gig, people will reach you and make requests. At that moment, some of them will be holding drinks with very little attention of where they hold it.

And that ” where ” is usually on top of your controller, mixer or laptop.

In order to avoid a fatal damage to your DJ equipment, you need to have your eyes open all the time for such a situation.

I may tell you to cover the controller and laptop with plastic wrap, but this may cause overheating on the computer or making it difficult to use the faders and knobs on your controller.

You may also be able to find special transparent covers for your devices.

It’s your choice. You can go that way or really be careful and don’t let anybody get close to the booth with drinks in hand.

DJ booths are usually narrow spaces and require a well planned set up for external gear. And don’t forget, it gets a bit dark in there too. So, keeping a flash light handy is a life saver most of the time.

 

 

Follow these simple rules when you have a public gig and you should be %99 on the safe side. Even at home, most of these advice will work.

 

 

 

Last updated by Murat Celikbas on December 6, 2017.