They had an event at SCU and they asked if we can dj it. Of course we obliged. Then they mentioned we will be adding silent disco to our set up. We have seen it on Instagram but never had used it till this day. We brought our gear and set it up but didn’t not set up the speakers. Even though I knew we did not need speakers, I brought them for plan b but it worked perfectly so we didn’t need a back up plan

   SCU put out all these headphones and we had a transmitter hooked up to our system. The headphones had 3 channels with each one with a selected color. It would be possible to set up 3 djs with 3 transmitters and listeners can decide which dj to listen to. There was no latency. If the dj scrathed But all we had today was one dj. We went with new hip hop and some reggaeton.

The rec center was separated into three areas. One for the silent disco, one for ping pong and corn hole and the last area to shoot hoops. People could get involved with the music and get involved in the other activities.

 Silent disco is a cool concept. It seems to be way easier on the ears. One can adjust the volume of each headphone. One can do different activities while listening to headphone.

 They had a cool 360 photo booth students were able to use.

Music can totally change the vibe of a store. I lived the majority of my life in the bay area. Recently I have moved to Southern California and I noticed a few differences. I noticed the lines are longer in Southern California and they are a little more adventurous with their music selection.  I noticed it at a Trader Joes. I saw people lip syncing to the words and grooving to Young Michael Jackson and played Hey Jealousy by the Gin Blossoms. Music does enhance the customer experience and that is what Retailers should strive for.

 First and foremost, you have to know your clientele. If your clients are over 40 then you can do 80s and 90s music. Thanks to the popularity of Tic Tok and lot of the younger generation has been influenced by older music. Some managers of retail stores may make the mistake of suggesting music that they like but what is important is that the dj is playing music for the shoppers. They want to feed into the brand.

  Different stores require different playlists. The dj should know about the shoppers to create a playlist. This playlist is used as a base but at the same time they can add songs on the fly at the event.

 Not every store would want wedding dance music, but the dj should be an open format dj which means they have expertise in different genres of music. Maybe it is an indie vibe and the dj can play covers of popular songs. Maybe the store would benefit from some electronic music (house music). The dj should have an idea in mind but may need to change songs in the playlist.

Also a store does not need subwoofers but the dj can bring some 8inch to 15 inch speakers would suffice. Music does not need to be loud where the customers have to raise their voice to talk.  

If people are bobbing their head or smiling when a transition takes place the dj is doing a good job.

Consider Black and White Affair (www.bwadj.com)  as your retail dj. We play all sorts of music and would provide a custom playlist for each event. If Spanish Latin hits are needed, then we have all those songs up our sleeve. We do love old school and setting cool vibes for all retail stores we play at.

DIY Versus Hiring a Pro DJ

Anyone with a phone and a Bluetooth speaker has the potential to be appointed a DIY DJ at your next event. But being a DJ is more than simply playing music. That's why when you are choosing between a DIY DJ or hiring a pro DJ, you should consider the pros and cons.

Pros of Being a DIY DJ

There are numerous advantages to being a DIY DJ. Those benefits primarily revolve around saving time and money, but only a limited amount of time and money.

Save Money

To hire a Los Angeles DJ, you'll need to fork over approximately $750 for a four-hour event. If you decide to take the reigns, you can save money, as you'll only have to rent audio-visual equipment.

You could get a subwoofer for about $140 per day and a portable speaker for $60 per day, saving you nearly $550 for the day. Then, you'd save time looking for and vetting a DJ but not much time on the day of the event as you'd need to control the music and the AV equipment you've rented, leaving little time to enjoy the show.

Save Time Vetting DJs

Regardless of the event, you'll typically have to spend a few hours vetting DJs you've shortlisted before you hire someone.

Vetting DJs requires listening to their portfolio, calling previous clients for testimonials, and creating a contract agreeable for you and the DJ.

Cons of Being a DIY DJ

Despite the pros, there are far more cons, but we'll only focus on three of the most significant drawbacks.

The Moment isn't Memorable

Since DJs are the most significant entertainment for most events, their impact on the event extends far beyond music selection. Instead, they shape the event with music that dictates the mood and atmosphere. This mood can make moments within the event memorable and far more enjoyable for guests.

As a DIY DJ, you have zero experience shaping an atmosphere or environment to get a crowd — drunk, sometimes hostile, often tired or disinterested — to get engaged in the event and entertainment.

Music Becomes Monotonous

DJs have to enjoy a variety of music and genres. If you're controlling the music, the tracklist becomes monotonous. The music will reflect your taste with a likelihood of some trendy songs. Even if your music taste is more eclectic or trendy a DJ will always know more songs and how to incorporate these songs to add to the kind of event you're hosting.

There's an obvious line between tasteless and tacky placement and selection that's far more appropriate. A professional DJ represents the latter.

There's No Room for Last-Minute Changes

If the playlist isn't drawing the response you want, as a DIY DJ, you likely won't be able to make a last-minute change to your playlist without ruining it. A DJ can make necessary changes to the playlist and often uses the response from the audience to determine the direction the playlist should take.

Unless you want your event to be the but of any joke, don't skimp on your entertainment budget. Because the nominal savings you make on doing it yourself will lead to a lackluster event. The better choice is to hire a pro DJ. You're guaranteeing your guests — and yourself — a great time.