I'm a DJ not a jukebox
Making a song request to a DJ!!! Over the summer we have notice people becoming more demanding when making song requests at events. So hopefully this will educate some of you on the issue.
DJ’s perform and many different types of events and depending on the type event depends on if the DJ excepts requests or not. Now it is always up to the individual DJ but this is a good guideline. First we have the club or bar DJ. Normally at a bar/club a DJ will not take requests. These DJ’s have a specific music set/style they have practiced and are playing that set. Now not all stick to a certain set and can change it up. At a bar or a club the DJ’s are concentrating on mixing the music and beat matching each and every song. So taking the time to answer a music question or take a request is not usually easy for them. Sometimes they are constantly mixing not just at the end of each song. That is why you’ll will notice a lot of DJ shirts that say “No requests” or other slogans related to this topic. The DJ is there to perform, read the crowd and do his job as a DJ. Each DJ has a different style so taking a request might not fit into his/her style. Or the song might not be at the right tempo for the set they are playing. Whenever at a bar or club this is one place to really avoid making requests. Just let the DJ do his job.
Next you have your mobile DJ. This is the DJ you see at weddings, corporate events, school dances and private parties. Normally these DJ’s do take requests and are usually up for playing them also. But please be clear when you make a song request. It is a request and the DJ is not required to play it. It is the DJ’s job to determine if that song is appropriated for the dance floor. Determine if that song will fit in with the type of music he/she is playing and over all make the choice if your request get’s played. I recently was the DJ at a wedding and had a song requested to me. I felt the content of the song was not appropriate for the wedding and the beat did not mix in well with what people were dancing to. The guest argued with me about the song and how he felt it was a great song and demanded i play it and even went as far as bothering the bride about it. It was during the last song of the evening so I still did not play it. Sometimes at events the DJ will have a “Do Not Play List”. A list of songs the clients have asked not to be payed at the event. Now if you request one of these songs we can not play. Most guest’s tell us “oh they won’t notice”, Well yes they will notice. Your professional mobile DJs sit down with there clients and go over what music they would like at the event. The event may have a pre-determined style of music and your request may not fit into this. All we ask is be respectful to the DJ and if he/she does not paly your song don’t take offense to it or take it personally. The DJ is hired to provide a service and playing a song that he/she does not feel will go over well that clears the dance floor directly reflects back on them not you. This is why in the end let the DJ make the final choice on music.
Here are a few common remarks to avoid when talking to a DJ about music.
Top ten things you should never say to a DJ:
1. PLAY SOMETHING GOOD…SOMETHING WE CAN DANCE TO !
The DJ has to play for more than one person…so what you hate may be another’s favorite song and EVERYTHING played here can be danced to one way or another.
2. WOULD YOU PLAY SOMETHING WITH A “BEAT” !
BE SERIOUS! We know of NO songs played in a club that don’t have some sort of BEAT!
3. I DON’T KNOW WHO SINGS IT AND I DON’T KNOW THE NAME OF THE SONG, BUT IT GOES LIKE THIS….
PLEASE don’t sing for the DJ. They have to put up with smoke filled rooms and dangerous decibel levels all night long…Do them a favor and DON’T give them a rendition of your favorite song.
4. EVERYBODY WANTS TO HEAR IT !
Oh, sure… you polled everyone in the club and, as their spokesperson, you’re requesting the song.
5. EVERYBODY WILL DANCE IF YOU PLAY IT !
The DJ won’t. I guess that blows a hole in that theory!
6. I CAN GET LAID IF YOU PLAY IT !
Why settle for one night? Buy the album and get laid for a whole month!
7. I WANT TO HEAR IT NEXT !
The ONLY people who can get away with that statement write the DJ’s paycheck!
8. WHAT DO YOU HAVE ?
It’s a lot easier for you to go have another beer and figure out what you want to hear than it is for the DJ to recite the name of every record in the booth!
9. HEY, MAN, NOBODY CAN DANCE TO THIS !
It’s NOT advisable to say this when the dance floor is packed (but some people do anyway) ! HOWEVER, even if there is only ONE person on the floor, it STILL contradicts the statement!
10. PLAY IT SOON, BECAUSE WE’RE LEAVING !
If your gonna leave after he plays it, why shouldn’t he wait till the very last song so you stay all night!
SOME ASSORTED THINGS NOT TO SAY TO A DJ:
1. If you ask for a song and the DJ says he just played it, DON’T SAY “Well I just got here.” It makes absolutely no difference. A good DJ does not play a song twice.
2. DON’T SAY “Is this the only music you play?” If you go to a Chinese restaurant, you wouldn’t ask for Italian food.
3. If you ask for a song…BE SPECIFIC. DON’T SAY “I wanna hear something….anything but this!” Try going to the bar and saying,
“I wanna drink something….anything but this…” You can’t complain if you’re not SPECIFIC.
4. HOWEVER, if you are specific and the DJ says he doesn’t have that song, DON’T SAY “What!?!? What do you mean you don’t have it? what kind of DJ are you? HE MAY SHOOT YOU!!!!!
5. SPECIAL NOTE! A DJ gets very little RESPECT. They are expected to play everything for everybody. It is impossible to satisfy all of the people all of the time, yet DJs are expected to do just that. If a radio DJ tells his listeners a song is a hit, the majority of the people figure it must be “Because they say so on the radio.” However 80% of the time that same song was being played in a club long before radio DISCOVERED the NEW song.
So give the DJ a break! The next time you request a song, stop and THINK before you speak.
And above all….if the DJ has one hand on the mixing board, one hand on the turntable, and the headphones on….Don’t bug him
….HE’S MIXING!!!!
