Tag Archives: Professional DJ

Professional BBQ DJ

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Over the years I have had the opportunity to be a professional DJ at some outdoor events. They are fun and simple. They have the benefit of typically being laid back parties with plenty of good food and atmosphere.  It is also different for us as professional DJs to be at events that people are dressed so casually, as opposed to a wedding or corporate event where we are all dressed more formally. But a professional BBQ DJ?

Outdoor parties give us chance to spread our wings a bit more than usual since they are typically longer and less structured than indoor events. Besides, when do you get to smell freshly cooked BBQ at an indoor event?  If you are the professional DJ at the right event, the professional DJ PA system is cranked up pretty loud and fills a backyard or park area with great music.  Nothing like corn on the cob with Marvin Gaye or The Beatles!

Choosing which music to play at an outdoor event requires a bit of a different touch. Since generally the dancing won’t get into high gear till the sun is fading and the moon is making its appearance, guests will want to hear the music that they listen to at home and with friends.  This often means a professional DJ needs to prepared to  play Bob Seger, Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, Bobby Darin, Bob Geldoff, Bobby McFerrin, The Bobs and The Bobbettes! Or Michael or Donna or Rihanna.  That can mean you may end up playing Eric Clapton, The Temptations, Sly and The Family Stone, Lauryn Hill and The Fugees, Lady GaGa, Led Zeppelin, Bruce Springsteen, Barry White and India Arie all in the same afternoon before it gets dark and the dancin’ begins!

It’s July and the summer season is in full swing here in the NJ, NY & PA area. I am excited about the one time of year we get to play music for these types of events.  Put on the charcoals and break out the baked beans because Summer and outdoor parties are here and we are ready to rock them out! Can you pass me the potato salad please?

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DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

What makes a Real Professional DJ, A Real Professional DJ?

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Yesterday I was reading an article in Skratchworx, a professional DJ magazine, titled “DJ? Who says so?” by Gizmo.

inMusic buys Stanton — some DJ industry analysis

 

It was an interesting to read the writer and the comments by the readers on the subject of what makes a professional DJ, a DJ versus just being someone playing songs. It is a topic I have reflected on many times. In some circles among the professional DJ community, a ‘DJ’ is only someone who works with turntables and scratches. In other segments of the community, a DJ is only a DJ if they know how to use the mic and MC. And still there are others that think a DJ is anyone who plays music and gets people to dance. The answers to these questions are not clear, nor perfect. Most of this is just opinion, and why is mine any more correct than yours?

 

I would like to take the opportunity to share my views on what makes a professional DJ, a professional DJ. I am certain if I wrote this again in a week or a month, my answers would be a little different. When I think of a professional DJ, I think of a man or woman who is using some kind of electronic equipment and playing somebody else’s recorded music through speakers for others to appreciate, dancing or just listening.  I have an image of them putting together a playlist of songs either in advance or preferably live to match the energy of the crowd. I feel them matching the beats and vibe of the music to keep the energy flowing and the audience lively. There seems to be a need for the DJ to have enough humility and respect for the people to honor their request when possible. But most of all, they need to be interested in music and its affect on people,; how people get energized, inspired, moved and pumped-up by music, sound, beats and rhythm. Music and people seem to be the keys to being a professional DJ.

 

I know there are folks out there that will disagree and say that DJing is about technical skills like scratching and beat-matching. I will not argue with them these are helpful skills to master on some level but professional DJs were professional DJs before both skills were invented and will continue to be DJs after the next set of skills are created.  I was a much better technical DJ with vinyl than I was with CDs. I never quite got the feel for CDs that I had with vinyl.  Since using a MacBook, I am less inclined to use those skills since some of them MacBook does for me, although I still do my own mixing of songs probably 95% of the time, if not more. Today I rely on my sense of what is working and what the person who booked the gig and the guests as my ‘ruler’ for what to do. Sometimes I will feel a crowd will enjoy some DJ ‘tricks’ to add some flair, others if it does not feel productive or desired I will stay away from that kind of stuff.

 

I stand by the idea that a professional DJ’s best ‘skill’ is their ability to read and respond to the crowd and the host(s) of an event. The technical skills are nice, but not the essence of what being a professional DJ is for me.

 

What do you think makes a professional DJ, a professional DJ? Is it their skills on the turntable or Vestex? How well and often they scratch? Their knowledge of music? Their willingness to honor hosts and guests? Their feel for the crowd? What makes a DJ a DJ?

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DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

Why djay Software for Mac for Professionals DJs?

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When at a gig, almost without exception, someone comes up and asks which professional DJ software package I use. When I tell them djay, they look surprised, especially after I tell them it is only $49 for the whole package. I think they imagine making everything work as seamless and precise as it is, I would need to buy some fancy expensive software that has all kinds of bells and whistles.  I do not think they take into account that I have been doing this for 30 years and do not need to cheat to make it sound the way it does.

There are many features about djay that I like. the first and most important is its ease of use with my MacBook and iTunes. It lets you access your entire iTunes library directly form djay, no extra downloads and exporting/importing needed. Just open djay and start spinning your music. You can drag and drop a song right from the library to the ‘turntables’ for mixing, that simple.

I also appreciate the design simplicity of the package. I figured out most of the features within a couple of hours! Everything is labeled clearly and easy to understand for pro and novice alike.

Some of the fun features it comes with are looping, scratching, reverse play, built-in equalizer for each ‘turntable’, Beats per minute sync and ID and the ability to record your mixes in real time without anything additional.  Djay has an auto-mix function that allows you to choose a playlist and then push the auto-mix button to let djay mix your songs without you doing anything! It can also alter the tempo of a song to match the beats of the song that is playing if that is something you want to do.

Truthfully, I do not use most of the features. I have known how to mix, blend, scratch and find the right beat for a long time. I do however like to use the loop feature. It is fun when the dance floor is crammed with people having fun to pick certain samples of the song playing and loop it for a few seconds to add some spice and personality to the vibe. Two of my favorite songs for this are Prince’s “Kiss’ and David Guetta’s “Sexy Chic” (clean version), especially the part where Akon sings “without being disrespectful”. I like to loop ‘disrespectful’ several times and then release it back to its natural rhythm. You can really play with this feature and shift the feel and energy of a song with little knowledge or experience.

If you are a new professional DJ or one that is switching from vinyl or CD to computer, I definitely recommend djay. You will be up and running in no time. I downloaded djay on a Wednesday night and was using live at a gig on the weekend with no screw-ups or embarrassing moments, as if I had been using it for years.

If you want to just create your own mixes and music for yourself or for a party, djay is perfect.  Have fun and enjoy learning how to be a professional DJ!

http://www.djay-software.com/

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DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ 

How Does A Professional DJ Know It Is Working?

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Sweat. Sweat is the easiest clue to knowing that what you are doing as a professional DJ is working. When the guests at an event have sweat dripping down their faces you know you are doing your job. Saturday night was one of those nights for me. Guest after guest approached about the music or requests or just to take a break and they had sweat all over the faces and clothes. It doesn’t look good but it sure lets me as a professional DJ feel good about we are doing.

Other signs are when the person(s) who coordinated and booked the event don’t come and talk to you much, meaning they are enjoying the event and there is nothing wrong.  They smile at you when they walk by and ask you if you had enough to to eat and drink.

It was fun for me to see everybody up playing and dancing on the dance floor. Since it was outdoors under a tent, as the night got darker, the LED Quest and Scorpion Storm lights seemed to sneak up on everybody without startling them. I got some decent photos that we added to our Photo Gallery. There were actually a bunch more but didn’t want to flood the page with every fun and goofy thing I saw.  The technical part of the photos were not good but I think they captured how much fun folks were having.

I felt good after breaking down, loading up my vehicle and heading home after this event, i usually do. I find being a professional DJ is very rewarding.  How many other jobs to you get to make people happy as your job function? I remember when there was a time when people doubted that we could actually be an alternative to a live band for making great events great!

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DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

Professional DJs Need Good Clean Sound

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One of the things that has been a quirk of mine is the need for good clean sound when providing music at an event as the professional DJ. I grew up with a Dad who was a bit of an audiophile and this was passed on to me. I have always had at least decent, if not more than decent audio equipment at home.

As a professional DJ, in some ways it is even more important to have high-end equipment that you can count on. For me, this is why I feel so comfortable using the Bose L1 Professional DJ System. I know what I am dealing with. Bose like Apple make good stuff. Working in a recording studio, we see a lot of equipment and get to know what holds up and is supported and what isn’t, Bose and Apple are two brands that we know what we are getting, know they work and are designed well. This kind of confidence is such a plus when showing up for a professional DJ gig with maybe only 30 minutes to set-up and get the system cranked up.

 

Good, clean sound. The Bose L1 system is just so clean. I feel like I am with the musicians while in the studio! I have heard things on the Bose L1 that I did not know were part of songs that I have been listening to for 30+ years and never heard before. To be able to produce that kind of sound in a PA system is unheard of. You can get the pounding and thunder in most systems, like a huge car stereo system. But not that kind of clarity and clean sound.  I have fiddled with this a bit when setting for gigs to test the acoustics of the room or space. Each time I start out by cranking up Prince’s “When Dives Cry” first. It has that guitar, percussion and clean sound that allows me to hear what I need to hear before everybody is present. When I have the time, I ask the other folks setting up for the event; wait staff, bartenders, catering crew, event coordinators, etc, what they want to hear while we are alone. The requests are varied, which allows me to hear the system with diverse music. One night it will be Mozart’s “Moonlight Sonata”, the next it will be U2’s “The Sweetest Thing” and Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” and the next maybe they will want to hear MJ’s Thriller. It does not matter what they choose, I will have the music and more importantly, it will sound better than maybe anything they have ever heard before. Not that over-equalized, synthesized bass and treble sound that is popular with electronic systems today- it is good, clean sound that everyone will and does appreciate. You can feel it in your belly, it is that clean!

If you are a professional DJ and want the best for your events, I highly recommend the Bose L1 System with Bass and Tone Match.¨Oh yeah, I almost forgot. The L1 system also has a unique feature. It sounds equally good from all angles- front. sides and anywhere in between. This means that every table at the wedding will have the same quality of sound!   Why would we use anything else as a professional DJ?

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DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

A Professional DJ Prepping For A Gig

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A recent professional DJ gig, the Hoboken International Film Festival, required a bit more preparation than I am accustomed. For this particular event, I needed to create a playlist for the acceptance of awards at the Awards Gala. These songs were needing to be for when the winners would walk up to receive their awards and then return to their seats after an acceptance speech. Sounds easy?  Maybe not so much. For each award, I needed to have a different song that ‘matched’ the feel for the award and had a dynamic beginning and intro to create energy for the award recepients and the crowd. In all there were 21 awards/songs needed. Coming up with a playlist for this took about 4-5 hours of searching through my nearly 250GB library for songs that met the criteria needed. Fortunately, it came out OK:)

 

Today I will be preparing a playlist for a HS graduation party on Saturday night.  This special young lady has very diverse taste for a teenager. Most teenagers when they say they have diverse taste, they usually mean they like several different forms of the same genre of pop music; dance/Top 40/club.  This particular young lady wants Grunge, Pop, Top 40, Country, Rock, Classic Rock, Sinatra, Chuck Berry, Elvis, Billy Idol and of course, Michael to go with Slides (Electric and Cha Cha), and current popular dance songs like Akon and PitBull. When I was her age my musical tastes were also diverse. Back then, this was not acceptable because music defined social groups more and there was little opportunity for stepping over social borders as there is today. I am excited about getting the opportunity to share in her big event. She has even let me know what songs she wants to dance with her Dad, boyfriend, best friend and a dedication to her Uncle who recently passed.

 

All this fun and I haven’t even gotten to the gig yet! Can’t wait to see what surprises the party itself will present.  Time to get back to putting some stuff together for Saturday night.

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DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

Not All Professional DJs Do Business The Right Way

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This week I had the misfortune of doing business with a less than reputable DJ Agency in Illinois. I will not at this time add their name till I am certain the deal has gone sour.  This national DJ service recruits other professional DJs to work specific events for him and sends them an e-contract to sign.  The e-conctract is returned to him automatically. 
As a subcontractor, I feel ultra-responsible for producing an excellent event. This is due to the fact that I am now representing me and HIS agency when I professional DJ this event.

It turns out after some research, that this particular agency does not pay their professional DJs but they do accept full payment in advance from the client. Meaning, they get paid $400 and the professional DJ gets nothing without the client knowing, or the professional DJ, that the professional DJ is about to work for free while producing an event.

This is sad. It would be sad regardless of the industry but I have been part of this particular industry since the late 70’s back when there were only THREE of us doing mobile professional DJ gigs at the time. I take this personally. This really burns me up! How can people sleep at night when doing business like this.

My anger wants me to name these folks to ‘get them back’. But that is not the answer, at least not out of anger. Soon I may move to a place of listing them out of service and protection to all of you and our colleagues in the industry.

Bottom line: watch who you do business with! We encourage you to take the time to research who you are doing business with BEFORE you send them money or agree to sub-contract work with them. We can together make it harder for scammers to make money off hard-working people with integrity.

Let us know if you have any ideas or suggestions on how we can make this happen together.

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ

Bride to Wedding DJ, “We Aren’t Dancing People” (DJ Smiles)

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Every now and then a Bride or Groom says to their Wedding DJ genuinely, “Michael, we are not dancing people and neither are our friends or family.” I smile and keep my mouth shut. I know better than to tell a Bride or Groom what they think will happen or not happen at their Wedding. Fear is a strong force and can convince of all kinds of things, one of them being that there are ‘dancing people’ and ‘not dancing people’. I do understand what they mean when they say this; “We don’t dance much and neither does our friends or family”. This makes sense to me and I did once actually DJ a Wedding that few people danced at. They had lots of fun and asked for many requests, they just don’t like to dance and enjoyed their music as part of the fun they had. I won’t lie, even though the music they chose in advance was not made for dancing, my ego could not believe I was not able to shift the energy, although a lot of Indie Rock and Alternative songs are not very danceable.

Bride and Friends on Dance Floor at Wedding with DJ Mystical Michael - Rhode Island Wedding DJ

I pride myself on being able to adapt to the crowd at any event. Weddings are special because of the importance and diversity of the group. You may have people from four generations, regions of the country/world, races, cultures and that is before we get into styles of music! An exceptional professional  Wedding DJ is ready for anybody ad everybody that approaches the DJ station for a request. This is not 1985 when we had excuses for not having the correct music for each event. An exceptional professional DJ is prepared in advance and has a musical library that reaches across age, language, culture and genre seamlessly without making the guests feel like there is something wrong with them for asking for their favorite songs.

Friends and Family Fun on Wedding Dance Floor with DJ Mystical Michael

On Saturday Night, they danced, a lot. I just received an email form The Bride thanking me for such a great job and for knowing exactly what songs to play when. I smiled broadly. This is the goal for me as a professional Wedding and Party DJ; make sure that Brides, Grooms and Party Planners have such a good time they complain that their legs hurt from dancing so much (Bride from two weeks ago). She swore to me in advance that the Groom would not dance and hates to dance. Not only did he dance, a lot, he asked me to play songs, “So I can dance with my new wife”.

Party on Wedding Dance Floor with DJ Mystical Michael

I feel fortunate that I get to perform such a wonderful service for great people and have fun doing it. There is a lot of work I do way before I get tot he Wedding or Party. That is where I am focused and diligent so there are no mistakes during your Wedding or Party. Being a professional Wedding and Event DJ means you are prepared enough that no matter what happens,nobody will no know anything changed or shifted but myself.

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ