POST MALONE AND SWAE LEE SUNFLOWER
ARIANA GRANDE 7 RINGS
MARSHMELLO AND BASTILLE HAPPIER
POST MALONE WOW
SAM SMITH AND NORMANI DANCING WITH A STRANGER
BENNY BLANCO , HALSEY AND KHALID EASTSIDE
KHALID BETTER
A BOOGIE WIT A HOODIE LOOK BACK AT IT
BAD BUNNY FT DRAKE MIA
FLIPP DINERO LEAVE ME ALONE
CARDI B MONEY
J COLE MIDDLE CHILD
HALSEY WITHOUT ME
LIL BABY AND GUNNA DRIP TOO HARD
KODAK BLACK FT TRAVIS SCOTT AND OFFSET ZEZE
MEEK MILL FT DRAKE GOING BAD
A wireless microphone relies on a receiver and looks nice. They can be place on a microphone stand next to the officicant and one can be placed close to the couple so you can hear their vowels. A concern for wireless microphones is it may drop the signal. Wireless microphones can work well but there is always a slight chance of the signal dropping or the battery running out of juice. It can be tested before the ceremony and work well but with wireless technology it can drop at any moment.
A lapel microphone is placed near the collar. One does not need to hold it with the hands so the hands can be holding a book or other objects. The speaker can talk normally and the sound is sent to the speaker. Since the lapel is wireless there is a slight chance that that the signal may drop. Also if the lapel is turned on early, guest may hear the groom say something before the wedding starts that can be embarrassing. With the wind, it can be heard on the speaker since the lapel is sensitive and there is a slight chance of feedback.
A corded microphone may not look as fancy as a wireless microphone or a lapel but one does not have to worry about it dropping any signal. It can be put on a microphone stand so it does not need to be held.
It does not matter what microphone you chose there is always a chance of feedback. It happens when the speaker moves in front of the speaker or standing in certain areas. It is the dj’s job is lower the volume of the microphone and gradually increase the volume.
Every time after an event, I think about what would make it better. Often I would think what other songs would have been appropriate and what equipment would be better to make the set up faster. I like the fact that I believe in having back ups to my back ups. I always bring my main Pioneer controller. It is a work-horse and I can use it without fail. Earlier this year, I would bring another Pioneer controller just in case. Just in case never happened but it was peace of mind and there was no worry since I had my back up.
I learned of a mini controller that would fit on the laptop. Maybe it was too good to be true but I looked into it. Many folks thought it was a nice piece of equipment. The Numark DJ2GO2 is a matter a fact to go equipment that can be set up in minutes. There was no learning curve and it was easy to mix music. If there is a fear that someone can not mix with it, but one can actually beat-match and throw in a song at the appropriate time. One of the only downsides is one cannot get down with the scratching on this equipment. It is a simple controller to manage your music. Also if one is going on a trip, he or she can prepare their set since its very mobile. This piece of equipment is a good back up and can rock any party if needed.
Halloween Playlist 2018
Some of the best Halloween songs come from movie soundtracks. When people do hear these songs from the movies, they think of the goosebumps they hand during the movie.
Micheal Jackon Thriller
Tubular Bells
Gerard McMann Cry, Little Sister
Oingo Boingo Dead Man’s Party
Blue Oyster Cult Don’t Fear the Reaper
Nine Inch Nails Dead Souls
Ray Parker JR Ghostbusters
Warren Zevon Werevolves of London
Rockwell Somebody’s Watching Me
Mc Hammer Addams Groove
Bobby Pickett Monster Mash
John Carpenter Halloween Theme Song
Rob Zombie Dragula
Marilyn Manson This is Halloween
Dj Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince Nightmare on my Street
Creedence Clearwater Revival Bad Moon Rising
AC/DC Hells Bells
Radiohead Creep
Ella Henderson Ghost
AC/DC Highway to Hell
Little Mix Black Magic
Eminem and Rihanna The Monster
Imagine Dragons Demons
Nina Simone I Put a Spell on You
Evanescence Bring Me to Life
Katy Perry ft Kanye West E.T.
Rihanna Disturbia
Marilyn Manson Sweet Dreams are Made of These
Lady Gaga Monster
The Smiths How Soon is Now
Dusty Springfield Spooky
Alice Cooper Feed My Frankenstein
Metallica Enter Sandman
Primus The Devil Went Down to Georgia
The Ramones Pet Sematary
I always had my style and way of doing things. If it is my business, then I can run it any way I see fit. When you do a job a certain way and always get it done a certain way, then I may become difficult if one switch things up since you are used to do it a certain way. Sometimes it is good to step back and learn from the change.
During the September month, I had a Saturday off and decided to help out another Dj Company with a wedding. I met with the company and I was impressed with their structure and that they have been around over 20 years in the business. They have multiple djs under their wings and keep busy the whole year. This is what I learned and want to incorporate in my business.
Dress to impress. Weddings should be djed in suits or tuxedos. I enjoyed wearing suits but it would get super hot setting up heavy equipment. I understood one can wear a polo while setting up then put on the tie and jacket once everything is set up. Now in my business, I make it a standard to wear a suit and tie for weddings.
I also learned to do a walk though with the venue if I never played there before so I can be at ease on the day of the event since I know where the set up is going to be and know where all the outlets are going to be.
Last but not least, I was able to use a dj cart during the wedding event. Before I would carry all my equipment by hand and make 4 to 5 trips . With this dj cart, I can make two trips and it made a huge difference and felt way more efficient.
A way to save some dollars is to get married on a Friday or Sunday. If a Sunday is selected, then make sure a holiday Monday follows it to ensure your guest will stay longer.
If there is an option to have the ceremony and reception at the same location that can save time of commuting and places often give discounts since the couple are having both events at the same place.
Having a buffet at the reception instead of a sit-down dinner will save money for the couple. Even if that is too much of a cost then appetizers can be served instead of a whole buffet. Brunch and lunch can be served instead of dinner to save on money.
Having liquor at the reception can be a high cost. It is more economic to have beer and wine at the reception and it can be done for a few hours or done the whole night unless the couple decides to do a paid bar.
Sometimes weddings are just for a small group of folks and it can be held at a restaurant. There is no need to pay for a rental space but only for the food and drink. Some restaurants have private rooms that may be reserved at no cost or a small fee.
An Officiate can help you with your budget or go over it. In California, officiants range from 250 to 500 dollars for the ceremony. And that does not even cover if they need extra audio for the ceremony if the venue does not provide it. In certain states, friends and family can be ordained and perform the ceremony. Please check if your state allows this.
It is just music and anybody can push play.
In essence, a monkey can push play, but are you going to trust a monkey with one of biggest days of your life? A professional dj prepares the playlist based on what the couple wanted. A true professional knows the keep the cocktail and dinner music at a lower volume, so the guests can socialize and not have to yell over the music. The party music is at a louder volume to get the party really started. With the excitement of the wedding, time zooms by and a true professional keeps the wedding within the timeline.
They play the same music for every wedding.
You must be tired of the YMCA or the Chicken Dance or Celebration. To make sure the songs are not played at your wedding then make a DO NOT PLAYLIST. Bride and groom work with the DJ to make a customized playlist. Cocktail hour can be classic Jazz sounds or can be 90’s R & B. Dinner music can be classical music or 80’s soft rock. Every wedding is different so the playlist will be different.
All DJs are the same.
This is not true by any means. Some Djs have the gift of gab on the microphone while others stand behind their music collection. Some djs do not know how to mix and fade songs out and put new songs in. Some djs can mix songs like you hear on the radio with a smooth transition. Equipment is not the same also and some djs would like a lot of bass and volume while others focus on the clarity of the music. Like other wedding vendors, there are so many choices out there.
One cannot run a dj business over night. They have to build their song library, get their contracts in order, and have the best equipment available, and pay for the all time committed and marketing.
For djs to have all the newest latest music they are involved in digital record pools. Djs are able to download daily the latest songs. If the song is an older one, they can search through the database to get the classic.
Anyone can play music with entry-level sound system but you get what you pay for. Ideally one wants professional equipment to be played at their event that sounds like a million bucks not like equipment you buy at a garage sale.
Contracts are in place to protect the client and the dj. It holds the dj accountable for what services will be provided with the times permitted and it holds the client accountable for paying for the service.
Setting up for a wedding is not a piece of cake. It takes hours to find the right songs and labeling the songs so they go on at the right time. Often times, I meet with the couple more than once to figure out we are on the same page. This wedding is the couple’s wedding not your own, so it is their custom playlist that you are playing. The dj has to set up the equipment before the wedding and have to take everything down after the wedding.
Djs have to market themselves. They cannot sit around and hope someone contacts them. They have to pay to be at a Wedding Expo and pay for postcards. Also they can do online advertisements, which can lead to hundreds to thousands of dollars depending on the service they are using.
