Beautiful Events Ruined By Ugly Cables
Before taking my job at Sound in Motion nearly four years ago, I didn't care one way or another about the appearances of my own home electronics setups. My computer desk was a mess of cords, hanging freely and tangled to oblivion. My only concern was that everything was plugged in and working. This is not the case anymore. I have now found myself obsessing about how I set up my home entertainment systems, going the extra mile to install cable moldings and using zip ties to bundle appropriate cords together. What I am now left with is a precise, clean look to my computer desk while still getting full functionality. I can easily identify which cords go where for maintenance and troubleshooting reasons, and visitors always comment on the clean appearance. They wouldn't have noticed it either way had everything been crazy like before, but they definitely notice the organized difference. For my new life obsession with what I call “cabling”, I thank Sound in Motion.
Over the years, I have seen wedding and club DJ's outside of SIM with great sounding equipment that looked like trash. The DJ mixer is often placed on a table top, with cords and electronic equipment strewn everywhere. The speakers are spaced at awkward and uneven distances from the DJ booth, and wires are run haphazardly across the floor with a rushed and ugly looking tape job. At a professional event, where much thought is often put into the décor and appearance of the function, this DJ setup can be a huge detriment to all the hard work spent decorating the venue space.
This is not the case with Sound in Motion. SIM places a very large emphasis on appearance. This goes for the staff, office spaces, website, you name it. Having a professional appearance is a very important part of our company. The DJ equipment setup is no exception. We are trained extensively on how to maintain a professional appearance with our equipment setups. We always pay attention to detail when setting up, making sure that our cords are run as cleanly and discreetly as possible. Where cords are exposed, we make sure to carefully tape them down. While doing this, we focus on clean lines and safety. Our speaker stands are always splayed equally for the main DJ rig, so the speakers are sitting at the same height, giving a symmetrical and aesthetically pleasing appearance. A major piece of equipment we use at Sound in Motion is the facade. As mentioned earlier, many DJ's out there place their mixers directly on a table which does not obscure all the electronics and cords from the guests. We use a facade in front of our DJ stand which obscures all the behind the scenes stuff from everyone except the DJ. It gives us a functional workspace that does not take away from the beauty of the event space. The facades themselves are very clean and professional. We do not advertise or put logos on them, and the setup blends seamlessly into the décor of any venue.
I must say, I am proud of my new found OCD with clean lines and good-looking setups. It is something I now use in my personal life, and enjoy doing while on the job. I am always happy when I hear a pleasantly surprised comment by a coordinator or staff member in relation to my clean DJ setup. Thanks Sound in Motion for teaching me the art of “cabling”!
-Nick Conforti