There are many good reasons to start a mobile disco:

  • Do you enjoy music and good vibes?
  • Are you fascinated by the glow of lights?
  • Do you love tinkering with programming lights?
  • Or are you captivated by playing with the cool professional equipment required as a mobile DJ?

Whatever ignites your dream for a mobile disco, here are my personal experiences and a general guide to starting your own mobile disco.

What you need to consider before you start?

When you delve into the world of mobile DJing, you quickly encounter many gadgets and gizmos that are needed for one thing or another in your setup.

It can quickly become an expensive affair, but it's also entirely possible to build up a mobile disco at a reasonable price.

Building up a mobile disco is a lot of fun. Personally, I find it enjoyable to play around with different setups of equipment, program the light show, and be the one setting the mood with the right music.

Before you start, though, you should be aware that you will be coming home very late - the party may end at 3 or 4 am, but it can easily take 1-2 hours to pack up, plus 1-2 hours of transportation, as well as unloading equipment to the warehouse, and possibly returning a rented trailer after the job is done.

It can be a bit of a challenge to maintain a normal sleep schedule. That being said, in my opinion, it's all worth it! It's a joy to go all out behind the "stove" (DJ booth) all night in the company of happy guests. It should also be noted that as a professional DJ, you are at work and not at the party as a guest - you are the party! Therefore, you should be careful not to drink excessively. That's not to say you should stay 100% sober - one or two drinks at the beginning of the evening can be good to calm your nerves.

Depending on the size of the setup you need, it may often be worth considering whether you should have a partner or more to help you with both setup, teardown, and possibly driving. It's also always nice to have someone who can take over if you need a break during the evening, as it's often many hours you're on.

The price of a mobile DJ varies greatly. When pricing a gig, there are many variables to consider. First and foremost, you need to figure out how much time you will spend overall preparing for the job: setup, teardown, transportation, packing equipment into the van/trailer/truck, and possibly meetings with the organizer beforehand. Then, you need to calculate what expenses you have in terms of purchases such as music, renting a van, wages for assistants, and depreciation or possible rental of equipment. Your hourly rate as a DJ is determined by yourself and should reflect your experience. However, always keep an eye on the consolidated mobile discotheques in the market and look at what they charge for their gigs. That way, you can assess how competitive your price is compared to some of the other mobile discotheques, which your potential customers will undoubtedly also ask for a quote for their event. Make it clear to yourself whether you want to run a mobile discotheque as a hobby project alongside your school or job, or if you want to go full-time on the project.

🤷‍♂️What does it take to start a mobile discotheque

When starting a mobile discotheque, there are several things you should have. In this section, we will go through what equipment you need, how to get gigs on the calendar, and what you should be aware of.

🎶 Music

One of the most essential things you need as a mobile DJ is music.

You should always have your music available offline. This means you need to have purchased a lot of tracks through a music service like iTunes. Some DJ software offers playback from Spotify or other streaming services, but it's not reliable because you will likely be standing in a community center in a small village where the internet connection is nonexistent or very poor.

🎚️ DJ Console

Pioneer CDJ-RR

Next, you'll need a DJ console in the form of either a DJ controller or a DJ mixer with a minimum of 2 associated DJ players and a good set of headphones that can block out the sound from your PA and the audience.

Also, make sure to have a microphone so you can talk to the party guests. We have previously described the advantages and disadvantages of some of Pioneer's controllers in different price ranges in a previous guide - read more here.

🔊 PA System

Mobile Disco PA system

In addition, you'll need a PA system to play the music on. This can be set up in several ways, but for a beginner, we recommend 2 active full-range speakers on stands, which are connected directly to the console.

💡 Lighting

Mobile disco lighting

With the above setup, you are covered to play small parties and start gaining some experience. Additionally, you can also go a long way with a T-bar on a stand with various lighting effects / PAR lights and a small to medium-sized fog machine machine.

 

Types of Events

As you cruise around the Danish roads with your mobile disco, you'll have the chance to encounter many different types of gigs with a plethora of different types of organizers and guests.

Let's go through the most common types of events here in this section - from one mobile disco owner to a prospective one.

Birthday Parties

For many years, it has been very popular to book a mobile disco for a birthday party. The age range varies, whether it's a 15-year-old or a 60-year-old birthday, a mobile disco is often used to get the party started.

Most birthday parties have a number of guests ranging from 70-200 people, so you'll usually need a small to medium-sized setup. Always discuss this with the customer before planning the job.

When you, as a mobile disco, play for an 18th birthday party, there should generally be more emphasis on the bass, and you can also easily allow yourself to create a wilder light show and play a broader selection of the latest music. It's also customary for the birthday person to drink 18 shots during the evening. Here, you should have a track ready, such as Lil Jon's "Shots," while the ritual takes place. Afterward, you have a perfect opportunity to really get the party going, as everyone gathers around the birthday person on the dance floor.

For a 50th birthday party, consider that the guests' age range is wider. Here, the use of a smoke machine may not be desired, and perhaps not wild laser effects either, as you would have for parties with a younger target audience. The music for a 50th birthday party, for example, will often reflect a broader range, to accommodate the wishes of as many guests as possible. If you have music from the 70s, 80s, 90s, and some of today's most popular hits, you're on the right track.

Most importantly, talk to the organizer/birthday person before the job and listen to their music preferences. They know their guests best! This doesn't mean they should dictate everything you play all night, as that wouldn't be much fun for you as a DJ, but it can often give a good indication of which tracks resonate with their circle of friends.

Weddings

Mobile disco wedding

Mobile discos for weddings usually have a simple and elegant setup, which fits well with the bright theme often seen in table decorations, etc. Therefore, it may be a good idea to bring your white equipment if you have any.

Something often seen at weddings is that the DJ has hidden their stands away with white tripod covers. These are incredibly elegant and can be illuminated by one or more PAR lamps to set exactly the mood you desire.

In addition, the bridal waltz is a must-have. As a general rule, this is played at midnight - but always remember to discuss the details and align expectations with the bridal couple well in advance of the big day.

School Parties

This type of party usually requires a larger setup and preferably a good sound pressure level - go for it!

If you're playing for younger classes in elementary school, this year's MGP hits are always good to have. Kids also love games like musical chairs, freeze dance, limbo, and boogie-woogie. Unlike the other two types, these types of jobs require you to be much more active with the microphone.

For high school parties, the music can vary - usually, classics from the 80s and 90s work well, but also make sure to have a top 50 of the newest music. In many cases, the party committee has planned a theme for the evening such as an 80s theme, traffic light party, or rave theme.

Rave parties have become very popular in recent years. Here, it's essential that you, as a mobile disco, set up with UV lamps so that guests' UV paint is highlighted. Many mobile discos even offer their customers to buy both glow sticks and UV paint for the purpose, as they fit perfectly into the theme. It's both good service and there may be an opportunity to make a buck or two on it.

 

⚡ Upgrading Your Lighting Setup

As you play more and more gigs, you can begin to upgrade your setup. With a larger setup, it becomes possible to play at larger events that require more sound and lighting.

There's no definitive answer to what you should buy first, but here are some suggestions on what you have to choose from.

If you want to upgrade your lighting, you can either buy another T-bar or a set of wind-up stands with corresponding truss. These come in different sizes and can handle different weights. It may be a good idea to buy something that can withstand a bit more weight, so you have the option to build on your setup later. This is a more costly solution but also much more future-proof.

On your truss, for example, you can expand with more PAR lights, which have the good feature of providing a relatively large light output at a relatively low price. These will also always be able to function as basic lighting later on.

If you want a slightly more advanced lighting setup, you can expand with moving heads - however, these require programming with a DMX lighting control - read more about how to use DMX here.

Additionally, you can enhance your light show with laser lights, scanners, disco balls, and other beautiful light effects.

🎛️ Upgrading Your Audio Setup

When it comes to upgrading your PA system, there are several ways to do it.

If you already have active speakers on stands, the first obvious choice would be to purchase a set of active subwoofers (subwoofers) as well as a set of mid-range speakers that can be mounted on your subwoofers and elevate your top speakers (full-range speakers) so that the treble can be spread well throughout the room you're playing in.

Now you might be asking, "Can these two sets of speakers play well together?" and yes, they can.

Most of the time, your active subwoofers will have a built-in crossover filter that divides the frequencies, so the low frequencies are played in the subwoofers and the upper part of the frequency spectrum comes out of the top speakers.

Another option is to use your full-range speakers as monitors on the stage so you can easily hear the music while you mix. Additionally, you can choose to purchase passive speakers with corresponding amplifiers or more or more powerful active speakers, to be able to play larger venues.

 

Read also: How does a speaker work?

 

🚚 Logistics

As you acquire more and more equipment, you'll need space for storage. Since we're dealing with electronic devices, it's important to ensure that they are stored dry and safely. This minimizes the risk of them breaking - there's nothing worse than arriving at a job half an hour before the party starts, and you can't turn on your amplifier, or finding that your expensive mixer has been damaged by moisture.

If you don't have space for this yourself, you can rent a heated storage unit from various providers at reasonable prices, or go all-in and buy a small warehouse somewhere near where you live.

Also, consider how you transport your equipment easily and safely. Lamps, mixers, and microphones are best transported in a flight case - it will last much longer that way. A good flight case is sturdy and lined (usually with foam) so that the fragile part of your equipment doesn't get knocked around during transport. Fortunately, there are flight cases available that fit most things perfectly. If you can't find a flight case for your specific device, it's possible to have them "custom made". A cheaper solution for small items is flight cases with foam inserts.

Speakers and large racks can often be cumbersome to move around, so I would recommend buying flight cases with wheels or installing them yourself on your heavy items. This way, they can easily be rolled back and forth in your transport vehicle with a ramp. This minimizes the risk of back injury.

 

🎧 How to get your first DJ job

Like any other business, getting a mobile disco up and running requires some effort. There are various ways to do this.

Perhaps you have a friend or family member who is hosting a party? Ask them if you can come and DJ. This way, you'll gain experience and potentially new customers. If the guests are happy with what you provide, there's a good chance they'll reach out to you when they need a DJ for their own party.

It's also important for people to find you online. You can open a Facebook page for your mobile disco, or even pages on several different social media platforms - it's 100% free!

You can also create your own website for a small fee using Wordpress, Wix, or similar platforms.

Another option for promoting your name could be through promotion (free or paid) on various online portals for party entertainment, where people often search for bands, entertainers, and especially mobile discos.

When talking to the organizer of the event you'll be playing at, it's important to agree on how the job should be performed.

 

Here's a checklist you can use as you see fit:

  • Time when the music should start
  • Playing style
  • Music during dinner?
  • Calculate transportation costs and travel time
  • Renting a van/trailer
  • Estimate how long it takes to set up and pack down
  • Do you need one or more helpers?
  • Can you take pictures for use on your website / social media?
  • Food and drinks for the DJ
  • Power - how many phases do you need?
  • Stage/location - where will you be positioned?
  • Can you use a smoke machine? (There may be a fire alarm connected directly to the fire station - you don't want to activate it.)
  • Music that suits the audience
  • Good mood 😁

 

 

Remember that we're always here to assist you with advice for purchasing new equipment via phone, email, & chat.

Enjoy!