Our business depends on our interaction with people, making a positive impression is crucial and not only with our music and mixing skills. Every one wants to know the DJ. When they see us at our clubs ,at our events on the street they all want to acknowledge you as their buddy. The current climate , has many of us on edge, especially since we are constantly interacting with our public, the ones that come out and make us look good. We must now step back and evaluate every aspect of our DJ routine.
The Coronavirus,is a respiratory illness, that has infected thousands of people across the world. The outbreak began in China, but the virus has emerged in several countries, including the United States, as it has continued to spread. Fear of the spreading the virus has led many people to consider abandoning niceties and recommending against handshakes or physical contact.
Hand to hand Contact can transfer germs that can cause disease, such as respiratory infections like colds or the flu. It appears by some studies that have been conducted that “fist bumps” reduces the amount of bacteria that transfers from person to person, because of the smaller surface area and shorter amount of time the hands are in contact. A person with NO symptoms may be shedding the virus and could make others sick.
Coronavirus can remain infectious on in animate surfaces at room temperature for up to 9 days. The virus tends to live longer in colder, more humid conditions. Controllers, Headphones, Microphones, even laptop keyboards all are surfaces where the virus could potentially live, sharing those now come with an added liability, our clients use our microphones and then hand them back so we can announce ” The Buffet line is open” DJ friend forgets his Headphones , the girl that hands you their iphone. The scenarios are endless. New procedures must be implemented in our routines during set up and breakdown. We now must be aware about potential forms of transmission without appearing to over-react, Drink glasses left on our subs, must be handled differently than before. Holding purses and coats, phones for guests. Singers and musicians handling your wireless mics.
So, how do we greet our clients , our fans, fellow music industry professionals? Avoiding complete physical contact in my opinion is an option for now . Let them know you are being cautious and not rude although” Fist Bumping” can seem awkward or inappropriate in certain situations. Someone who is coughing and sneezing close to you is more likely to infect you . The standard Handshake is part of doing business, especially with older people. You can’t ( or shouldn’t ) fist bump or High Five a 75 year old lady contracting you for $7,000 gala at a prestigious hotel although the way things are going everything may change in the near future, with cases on the rise.
AJ Falcon member of the South Florida DJ Association say ” It will be business as usual , but with heightened precautions such as having hand sanitizer more available , interchangeable foam microphone windscreens. Respect personal space. I would not stop shaking hands. This form of greeting is essential, particularly in the latin community”
Because there are no specific treatments for COVID-19, many experts are focusing on prevention. Basically, clean everything ! Agents, including hydrogen peroxide, ethanol, and sodium hypochlorite (a chemical in bleach), can all inactivate corona-viruses.
A good DJ Prevention kit could contain the following;
Hand Sanitizer ( Any Brand) Some DJs are even custom labeling their own bottles to hand out
Clorox Wipes Lysol Spray Disinfectant Alcohol ( 60-70%) Tissues
Foam Covers for Microphones Buy Here
At the end of the day , just a few BASIC precautions could dramatically reduce the chance of transmission.
DJ Alex Gutierrez
South Florida DJ Association
Way back when I started to DJ we were content to playing the records. We admired the musicians that made the music. The skill it took to put the words and notes together to create the songs on the albums that we would play over and over. Short of learning to play an instrument we had to be satisfied with listening and enjoying these great compositions by these very talented musicians. Technology pressed ahead and slowly the studio crept into our bedrooms , but still to make the music ,we had to learn to play the music. In 1985, Apple released a music sequencer named Performer, also based on the Mac platform, for arranging and performing with synthesizers and other instruments that would recognized the -newly developed MIDI standard. Still a person would have to know how to play music in order to make music
