Selecting your music for your event

Selecting your music for your event

As I reminisce about my first party, I distinctly remember a certain nervousness I felt as I was setting up my equipment. To calm myself down that evening I assured myself this was a very common occurrence for someone in the driver's seat for the first time. But why was I nervous I thought? oddly enough, I realized it wasn't because I was unsure of my ability to perform my arsenal of newly learned activities, but rather it's stemmed from my unproven ability to choose the right music for the next 4 hours.

 Years of experience and trial-and-error have given me the ability to master the task of choosing the right music. Music selection should come from three sources. Here they are in order of importance:

1. Client’s Requests - In most cases a client will request five to ten songs if any at all. These requests should always be honored whenever possible. If the songs requested aren't danceable, play them during cocktail hour or dinner.
2. Guest’s Requests - By visiting the tables you'll get a nice list of selections preferred by the guests. We realize as disc jockeys most requests are similar from party to party.
3. Perennial Favorites - This is the group of 25 or so songs you find yourself playing at every party. Selections such as “Celebration”, “Uptown funk”, and “I got a Feeling” are ones that always get people to the dance floor at every party.

The songs from these three sources will overlap because perennial favorites or songs people request the most. A disc jockey must realize the importance of all three sources and learn how to effectively juggle them throughout the party.

You should generally find yourself playing the same 50 or so songs at most parties. You're selection of Music should primarily come from at least one of the three sources and should not come from your personal opinion. DJ's who avoid playing “Celebration” because they dislike the song are missing the whole point.

It is easy to enter into a routine at parties, playing the same sets in the same order week after week. That's not how to be truly successful in this business. Customize the music you play to your clients and guests needs. One of the simplest ways to make an individual impression on a party guest is to play the song they ask for. Remember, that one nondescript person at the table in the back of the room is potentially your next referral.