How to Choose Your Ideal Wedding DJ
Taking the time to do your research can really pay off when it comes to choosing your wedding DJ.
Music is key to your big day, and can almost dictate how the evening celebration will go
Read on to find out what to look into and what you should consider to find the ideal DJ for your big day…
Reviews… The easiest way to check out if a DJ might work for you is to read online reviews. You’ve probably got a pretty good idea of the kind of Wedding DJ that you would go for.
Equipment…
The quality of the sound, the mixing and the music options can all be limited if the DJ has basic equipment.
Pricing
When it comes to comparing prices, look into why one DJ might be cheaper than the other, to ensure you’re getting the best service
Presentation
Look at photos of DJs at work, check out what they are wearing to be sure you’ll be happy with how they fit in with your theme
How To Choose DJ Equipment For Beginners
Getting into the art of DJing is a challenging yet rewarding experience. One of the most difficult decisions to make is choosing the right DJ equipment for beginners. When setting up your home DJ studio you want to make sure that the equipment you spend your hard earned money on is going to meet your needs. You want it to allow you to have heaps of fun while also giving you all the tools to become a master DJ.
Technology has opened the doors to budding DJs with a massive amount of equipment available. From the ultra-budget options to the top of the line industry standard gear there is something for everyone. Picking through all the choices can be daunting so this guide is designed to make that choice easier. Let’s dive in and explore everything you need to know when it comes to DJ equipment for beginners
Types Of DJ Setups
In the old days, there wasn’t much choice when it came to DJ setups but as technology has evolved the options have expanded. Before you look at getting your first bit of gear it’s good to know the various benefits and drawbacks of the various DJ setups available.
Turntable DJ Setup
The original and still considered to be the best by many DJ’s. A turntable setup is the purest form of DJing. Up until about the year 2000, it was the only way someone could get into the art of DJing.
CDJ DJ Setup
As technology evolved so did the DJ setup. When CDs exploded in popularity it was only a matter of time before the DJ world had to adapt. This revolution transformed the DJ scene and to this day the CDJ setup is the primary setup you will likely find at any club
How To Get DJ Gigs: 8 Tips for Beginners
As a new DJ, one of the first questions many will ask themselves is how can I start actually getting DJ gigs? Maybe that describes you: you’ve learned how to become a DJ, but you’re not sure where to go next. How can you utilize these new skills, and share your new craft with the world? How can you find your audience?
Build an Appealing Website
As a DJ or any other kind of artist, it’s important to have a home base. Though much of your promotional efforts will happen on social media, it’s crucial to have a centralized location for all of your work and important information.
Power Up on Social Media
Don’t treat social media as a bullhorn. Treat it as a portal to interact with your current and future fans.
Prepare an Electronic Press Kit
A page with dedicated press kit elements is a great way to impress potential bookers, especially when reaching outside of your network
Create a Promo Video
A short video which showcases your talents and exemplifies your brand can be a great way to stand out amongst a sea of attention-seeking DJs.
How To Choose A D.J
Choosing a DJ for your function is one of the most important decisions you can make to insure the success of the event. Everything else can be perfect, but if the music isn’t good, the party will fizzle. Selecting the right DJ can be confusing. There are over 80,000 DJs in America, all promising they’ll do a great job for you. So how do you pick the right one for you? This article will provide some guidance to help you make the decision easier.
The best and easiest way to find a DJ you’ll like is to hire one you’ve already seen. If you’ve been to a wedding or a party where the DJ was great, find out who he or she was. If you didn’t get their card, ask the host or the manager of the function room where the party was held. If you haven’t seen a good DJ recently, ask your friends. Your friends probably have the same taste in music as you. Maybe they’ve been to a function you missed. Let them know ahead of time you’ll be looking, and ask them to keep their eyes and ears open. If the first two suggestions don’t work, your job gets tougher. You might have to go to the Yellow Pages. Look under Disc Jockeys, Music and Entertainment. You may find DJs listed any of these categories. Circle the ads in which the DJ mentions the type of party you are planning. For example, if you’re planning a wedding, a DJ whose ad says “We specialize in weddings” would be a good one to call. You’ll probably find several DJs whose ads look good.
How do you tell which one is best? Probably the worst way to choose a DJ is on price alone. Some DJs are more expensive than others. Prices can range from $100 to $2,000 for a 4 hour event. That’s quite a difference, and it would be very tempting to choose the cheapest alternative. If that’s all you can afford, than you have no choice. But, consider the law of supply and demand. There is a reason some DJs can charge more money than others. They are usually worth it. More expensive DJs tend to be the more experienced DJs. They can charge more because they are in demand and have a lot of jobs, and they have a good reputation. Generally, the DJs on the low end of the price scale are new to the business, and trying to get established. They could do a great job, and might be worth a shot if your party is on the informal side. But there is definitely more risk with a less experienced person. When it comes to a special event like a wedding, or other types of parties, you want a professional entertainer, not crossed fingers. As you speak with the DJs, pay attention to their professionalism over the phone. It tends to spill over into their DJ style.
The most important thing to ask about is their experience with your type of event. If you are planning an event like a wedding, school dance, or company party, it would be normal to expect a professional DJ to have performed for at least 20 of these events. A number in the hundreds is actually common for a DJ who is well established. DJs with less experience might also do a good job. And they’ll usually cost less. If you talk to one who sounds interesting, ask him or her for references. Get 5 or 6 names and phone numbers of people who have recently hired them. Call these references and ask about the DJ’s performance. Any DJ can easily give you 2 or 3 names. Getting more names is a better test of the quality of their performance. If you see a DJ at a live performance, (ie; nightclub, private party, etc.) observe how they interact with the crowd. Are people having fun? Are people dancing? Is the music too loud? Is the DJ dressed appropriately? Does the DJ keep the event moving? These are all good clues to the DJ’s skills and personality. Always ask the DJ about their policy on requests
Many DJs boast about the number of songs they have. While variety is great, the fact is that they will only be able to play about 60 to 70 songs in a four hour show. Having the right 60 songs is a lot more important than having 20,000 songs your crowd doesn’t want to hear. After you tell the DJ what type of party you are having and who the audience will be, ask them what type of music they’d suggest. You should feel comfortable with most of his or her selections
DJ Mixing
One of the first decisions a beginner DJ must make is deciding what type of DJ he or she will be. This doesn’t mean your performance style, but that is something we’ll get to at a later date. What type of DJ you will be means what kind of music you will play.
Once you’ve decided what type of DJ you’ll be, you can begin to find the right DJ equipment and software to fit your needs, and more importantly, where you can start looking for DJ gigs. But choosing the right DJ music isn’t just about choosing a genre and buying up all the music you find; it is also about defining who you are as a DJ
Many new DJs don’t exactly know how many types of music are out there and by default most choose to play what they love. This isn’t a bad method for choosing your DJ music, but it may not be the most effective if you’re looking for a paid career as a successful DJ
What you love, whether it’s house, hip hop, electronica or dance, is a great place to start because you have plenty of knowledge on what you love. BUT if you’re a music purist and like very obscure artists that aren’t likely to draw a crowd, you may want to consider something a bit more…mainstream
Not sure what the kids are listening to today? No problem, all you have to do first is take a look at the music topping the various charts. Believe it or not, there is more than just pop and Top 40 charts and this can really help you find your musical niche.
