Today’s approach to music and music entertainment by any DJ has to be solid, concise and fundamentally sound. This is needed as preparing for any wedding; private or corporate event requires a process that must be personalized and unique. Restaurant, clubs, lounges and bars market their entertainment for a particular niche. A particular segment of society that they feel will benefit their establishment. That being said, people will now go to those venues to hear a music and entertainment format that they know will be featured. For all other types of events, research is needed to insure perfection.
Back in 2000 when I came to Washington DC and started Disc Jockeys On Call, I began working with several other DJ agencies as a subcontractor so that I could get a solid feel of the market. When contacted by an agency I would receive basic information on the event that would generalize the client’s need. Music surveys were completed by the client that would say that they wanted music from the 80’s, 90’s, Top 40, Big Band, Jazz, etc. Performing music for many years prior to this I knew that this approach was too presumptuous.
As a DJ, when you are doing an event, you need to know your crowd. You need to know all of their likes and dislikes so that you can get your finger on the pulse of the crowd to control the dancing. Performing at a club in which the patrons are aware of the marketing format, allows you flexibility by building on artists and music titles that have been proven effective time and time again. With your private event your intelligence comes from the client. You need to know all of their specific likes and dislikes so that you will have a true understanding of your soon to be audience. A music list does not accomplish this at all. Why? Because DJ’s are not iPods.
Let’s look at a particular scenario: when I meet with a client I am very specific when I set up an account for them on my website. As I begin my music consulting process, I ask them to tell me everything that they like. EVERYTHING. I advise them that a list of 20 specific songs is a “compilation CD” and that they are hiring me for my knowledge, professionalism and talent. I need to pick their brain and I request their help in doing this by asking them to trust my judgment. I must have a complete understanding of the crowd that will be attending. Now, the list of 20 songs is a great start, as I know the client wants to hear these specific songs listed. We now take this and begin to build a extensive music profile that may or may not be similar in style to the listed genres.
Why do we do this? Well, let’s look at the facts. Clients are not going to pay $1,000.00, $2,000.00 and $3,000.00 for any DJ or musician who just wings it. Like anything in life, if you want to succeed, you have to have a plan in place. And as a DJ we have to take into account that maybe the initial selection of songs may not set the mood that the client desires for their event. What if those songs are just a list of two or three artists? What do you, as a DJ, do as backup? Do you just wing it? No as professionals play for their audience and hobbyists play for themselves. In other words, Professionals never wing it, but we will improvise (smile).
(To Be Continued 10/14/2009)
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