A moment ago I posted an entry entitled “How to hire a DJ, part one,” where I quoted from the American Disc Jockey Association. At this point, I’d like to go ahead and add a few more criteria myself. These criteria are based on my years of experience as a DJ (both in a club setting; in addition to working as a mobile DJ, previously for large DJ firms, and now for my own boutique DJ firm, Beat Train Productions).
1: Can I listen to some of your music mixes?
All DJ’s are not created equal. If you were going to hire a band, you probably wouldn’t hire them without having listened to them. With DJ’s, its equally essential to hear them before you hire them. Unfortunately, despite the fact that any DJ with a personal computer and a simple audio chord from Radio Shack could instantly record a mix, very few actually have a mix posted to their website. If they don’t have a mix available, you should insist on having them provide you with one.
Once you have a chance to listen to the mix, there are a couple things you should particularly listen for:
A) A better DJ will immediately stand out from a lesser DJ by their ability to mix/transition from one song to the next. Does the transition seamlessly combine the current song with the next, or does the transition sound more like a train wreck.
B) Does the DJ have taste?
With the time and effort, just about any one could become a proficient Disc Jockey (Sadly many professional DJ’s have not put in the time and effort to achieve an intermediate level of proficiency). While proficiency is something that can be learned, taste, for better or worse, cannot be. You either have it or you don’t. Does the DJ mix you’re listening to have a tasteful mix of good music, or does it have a tacky mix of bad music?
For instance… if a DJ’s demo consisted of a medley of Boyz II Men, Village People, The Electric Slide, The Chicken Dance, and The Macarena-that would constitute, in my humble opinion, a lack of good taste (and believe it or not, at a recent bridal expo I attended, this was an actual medley of music that I was subjected to).
Of course, keep in mind, the music in their mixes, will not necessarily be the same music they will play for your event. That said, by listening to a DJ’s demo, you can get a nice glimpse into their style and personality as a DJ.
If you’re curious, we have about 10 mixes posted that you can listen to on our website or download to your computer-you can find them at the BeatTrainProductions.com Media Page
2: Do I know exactly what person will be DJ’ing my event?
This is question is only relevant if you are considering going with a large DJ agency. In this case, it’s quite possible that the agency is going to send a random person to DJ your event. The quality varies greatly from one DJ to the next, so it is essential that you know exactly who you are hiring. When you hire a DJ, you want to know exactly what you’re getting.
3: Is my DJ able to offer me personalized service?
Everyone’s event is unique and it’s important to find a DJ that can recognize that fact. Part of a DJ’s job is to work with you to help realize your vision. Is the DJ you’re considering willing to put in the time and effort to work with you to help you realize your vision for your event? Or do you get a sense that they play the exact same songs at every event and consider all their clients to be interchangeable? Does the DJ encourage their clients to meet with them prior to the event? Or do they act like their time is too precious to spend with their clients?
