Sunday, December 26, 2010
The Beatles!
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Tips for Hiring a Reputable DJ
I recently published an article on several sites with some tips on how to hire a reputable DJ. Event if you don't choose Tunes 4 My Party (but why wouldn't you ), these tips are still valid for your search. The contents of the article are below:
Not all DJs are what you may expect. In fact, cheap DJ equipment is now so common, there are a lot of "budget" DJs showing up who are willing to play weddings and parties for very little money. Watch out though, you get what you pay for. Here are some things to look for to help make sure you've selected a DJ who won't ruin your wedding reception, party, or corporate event:
1. First, take the time to meet with your DJ and discuss your event in detail. Meeting them in person will help you to know what you're getting in to. Don't be afraid to ask them questions as if they were on a job interview. You need to know if this person really can do what they say they can.
2. Make sure that you understand who will actually show up to DJ at your event. There are companies in the area who will sell you their services, but will send out someone who's very inexperienced, and who is paid very little to work your event.
3. Ask the DJ how long they need to set up and tear down. Depending on the size of the event, a good DJ will need a considerable amount of time to set up the equipment, do sound and lighting checks, then change clothes (and shower if possible) to become presentable. If the amount of time they need sounds low, question them on it.
4. Check into what sort of equipment your DJ uses. Budget DJs are more likely to use very inexpensive equipment which most likely won't sound all that great, and even worse, is prone to breakdown. Make sure your DJ is using well respected name brand equipment if you want lessen the likelihood of problems.
5. Make sure your DJ is fully insured. Don't simply take their word on it, ask for documentation. If they provide documentation, and you're not 100% sure, call the insurance company on the documentation to verify coverage. If a DJ damages the floor or something else at your venue, or even worse, someone is hurt because of the DJ's negligence, you don't want to get stuck with the bill!
6. Make sure your DJ actually buys his/her music. A lot of the above mentioned "Bargain" DJs steal their music from the internet. Reputable DJs will subscribe to one or more music services as this is much less costly than buying the CDs for every new release. Ask them specifically where they obtain their music. If they don't convince you that they are legit, check them out. Artists need to be paid in order to continue to produce music. Don't pay a DJ to steal it!
7. Find out if your DJ has a backup in case of accident or illness. A reputable DJ will have one or more "backup" DJs they can call in case of one of these emergencies. A reputable DJ will also have backup equipment in case of a last minute failure.
8. Make sure your DJ plans to dress appropriately. It's never out of the question for a DJ to be required to wear a tuxedo at your event. This of course is completely up to your taste. The DJ should be willing to dress however you feel is appropriate, and should not charge extra to dress up.
9. If you want to have specific music played, make sure your DJ is willing to use your playlist. Some DJs will even have an online music selection tool. The more accommodating the DJ is to meet your wishes, the better.
10. Finally ask your DJ for references, and call or email them. Make sure others have been pleased with their services.
Much of this information is common sense, but hopefully this list will help you get started. Unfortunately, many times the DJ is one of the last items to be budgeted for, and often there isn't a lot left. When this happens, the party planner is looking for a real "steal", but a bad DJ can totally ruin a wedding reception, party or corporate event. Remember that if your event is important enough that you need professional entertainment, set aside enough budget to afford a reputable DJ.
What should a reputable DJ cost?
Keep in mind that for a four hour event, a reputable DJ is liable to devote 8 - 12 hours in total time. Starting with the meeting(s) with the client, music list preparation, equipment preparation, travel to and from the event, loading and unloading equipment, setup and teardown, etc. On top of that, DJs have a lot of capital investment in their business. Its not uncommon for a reputable DJ to show up with $15,000 - $30,000 worth of equipment, and that doesn't even account for the cost of the music library. Add to that vehicle maintenance, warehouse rental, advertising, attire, association fees, insurance, etc. It can really add up if your DJ is doing everything right. You should expect a reputable DJ to charge a minimum of $200 per performance hour, and more depending on what equipment, lighting, or other options you are looking for. That may sound like a lot, but if you take into consideration all of the above, a four hour event for $800 translates into $66/hour in actual time spent. If you pay much less, you're not likely to get what you are expecting.
Not all DJs are what you may expect. In fact, cheap DJ equipment is now so common, there are a lot of "budget" DJs showing up who are willing to play weddings and parties for very little money. Watch out though, you get what you pay for. Here are some things to look for to help make sure you've selected a DJ who won't ruin your wedding reception, party, or corporate event:
1. First, take the time to meet with your DJ and discuss your event in detail. Meeting them in person will help you to know what you're getting in to. Don't be afraid to ask them questions as if they were on a job interview. You need to know if this person really can do what they say they can.
2. Make sure that you understand who will actually show up to DJ at your event. There are companies in the area who will sell you their services, but will send out someone who's very inexperienced, and who is paid very little to work your event.
3. Ask the DJ how long they need to set up and tear down. Depending on the size of the event, a good DJ will need a considerable amount of time to set up the equipment, do sound and lighting checks, then change clothes (and shower if possible) to become presentable. If the amount of time they need sounds low, question them on it.
4. Check into what sort of equipment your DJ uses. Budget DJs are more likely to use very inexpensive equipment which most likely won't sound all that great, and even worse, is prone to breakdown. Make sure your DJ is using well respected name brand equipment if you want lessen the likelihood of problems.
5. Make sure your DJ is fully insured. Don't simply take their word on it, ask for documentation. If they provide documentation, and you're not 100% sure, call the insurance company on the documentation to verify coverage. If a DJ damages the floor or something else at your venue, or even worse, someone is hurt because of the DJ's negligence, you don't want to get stuck with the bill!
6. Make sure your DJ actually buys his/her music. A lot of the above mentioned "Bargain" DJs steal their music from the internet. Reputable DJs will subscribe to one or more music services as this is much less costly than buying the CDs for every new release. Ask them specifically where they obtain their music. If they don't convince you that they are legit, check them out. Artists need to be paid in order to continue to produce music. Don't pay a DJ to steal it!
7. Find out if your DJ has a backup in case of accident or illness. A reputable DJ will have one or more "backup" DJs they can call in case of one of these emergencies. A reputable DJ will also have backup equipment in case of a last minute failure.
8. Make sure your DJ plans to dress appropriately. It's never out of the question for a DJ to be required to wear a tuxedo at your event. This of course is completely up to your taste. The DJ should be willing to dress however you feel is appropriate, and should not charge extra to dress up.
9. If you want to have specific music played, make sure your DJ is willing to use your playlist. Some DJs will even have an online music selection tool. The more accommodating the DJ is to meet your wishes, the better.
10. Finally ask your DJ for references, and call or email them. Make sure others have been pleased with their services.
Much of this information is common sense, but hopefully this list will help you get started. Unfortunately, many times the DJ is one of the last items to be budgeted for, and often there isn't a lot left. When this happens, the party planner is looking for a real "steal", but a bad DJ can totally ruin a wedding reception, party or corporate event. Remember that if your event is important enough that you need professional entertainment, set aside enough budget to afford a reputable DJ.
What should a reputable DJ cost?
Keep in mind that for a four hour event, a reputable DJ is liable to devote 8 - 12 hours in total time. Starting with the meeting(s) with the client, music list preparation, equipment preparation, travel to and from the event, loading and unloading equipment, setup and teardown, etc. On top of that, DJs have a lot of capital investment in their business. Its not uncommon for a reputable DJ to show up with $15,000 - $30,000 worth of equipment, and that doesn't even account for the cost of the music library. Add to that vehicle maintenance, warehouse rental, advertising, attire, association fees, insurance, etc. It can really add up if your DJ is doing everything right. You should expect a reputable DJ to charge a minimum of $200 per performance hour, and more depending on what equipment, lighting, or other options you are looking for. That may sound like a lot, but if you take into consideration all of the above, a four hour event for $800 translates into $66/hour in actual time spent. If you pay much less, you're not likely to get what you are expecting.
New website almost done!
I've been working on a new look for my Houston DJ website, along with much more information that I had available before. I've also signed up for the DJ Intelligence service which provides my site with a lot more features for my clients. Clients will now be able to get instant quotes online, as well as book and pay for services, and fill out planning forms for their events. This is all really exciting, and I can't wait to launch the new site. I hope to have it live by Monday, December 27th.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
New subwoofer pair ready!
For those that don't know, I started my DJ service, Tunes4MyParty (Houston's Premier DJ Service) as a means to fund the gear for a country music band that I'd like to start. I started off purchasing commercially produced speakers and equipment, but while I was on a quest to build up a bigger arsenal, I found myself down a path of building my own speakers using plans available on the internet.
My first pair of new subwoofers is ready, and they kick some serious booty! I'll post photos of them later, but they are folded horn subs, and I'm currently driving them with an old rock-solid Peavey CS-800. I plan to build at least one more pair of the subs, as they are designed for stacking. I also plan to build some really cool horn loaded mains here in the coming weeks, so stay tuned.
A friend of mine is a bass player in the Houston area, and he took one of my subs out on a gig last Saturday night with him. The sub blew everyone away! They couldn't believe how full sounding it was, and how it filled the entire club. Just imagine what two or more of them are going to sound like when added to my DJ setup!
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