Being Prepared. The Boy Scouts know what's up!

What separates a solid DJ from a great DJ? Preparation and execution. This worksheet will focus on all of the commonly used techniques a great DJ will use to be
completely prepared for their performance.

The following are the “behind the scenes” responsibilities you should take note of.

• Call your client EARLY! 2 weeks or more out and discuss date, time, location, music selections (first dance, parent dances, intro or cake cutting music etc.), party dances, special
  requests and announcements and what your approach to the event should be
  (lively, less-interactive, somewhere in between).

• Create a burned CD of all of the most important selections (intro, first dance, parent dances, bridal party dance, cake, garter bouquet and special
  dedications). By creating this one disc with all special dances in the order
  will make it easier to manage the music and eliminate miscues (playing the wrong
  song) and fumbling for the song.

• Before the event date, check your collection to make sure you have the songs you need. Check to make sure the CD is in the sleeve. Pull it out to make sure
  it's not cracked (last weekend a DJ pulled out the first dance and the CD had a
  crack across it).

• Leave plenty of drive time. Arrive 1 hour to 1 ½ hours before the start time. Take your time unloading and setting up. Rushing through a load in and set-up can
  cause your performance to suffer. Before you leave the car, check your contract
  and refresh yourself with the names of the bride and groom. Be prepared if you
  happen to bump into them or family members. Also a plus to show the banquet
  manager you are familiar with who you are performing for.

• Greet the Banquet Manager to quickly go over place to set-up and time line of events. You must have a Pros T-shirt on and look professional.

• Test your sound and microphone before guests arrive. Check your sound in front of the speakers. You sound should be bass-y and muffled behind your equipment. Don't
  adjust from there. Evaluate the sound from the dance floor. Check your wireless
  microphone. Walk out to the dance floor. Change the battery if the light is
  dimming.

• Organize your music. Lay it out on your table in the order it will be played.

• Take a business card, turn it over and write the bride and groom's names on it and place it on your mixer in plain view to refer to during the evening. Refer to
  the “bride and groom” by using their names, “John and Mary.”

• Meet with the bride and groom about 20 minutes before show time to go over names and order. Also confirm whether parent dances will follow first dance or will be
  after the cake cutting (most will opt to do them together at the beginning).
  Rewrite the names phonetically if they are difficult to pronounce.

• Go back to your equipment and recheck your cued music to make sure it is ready. Practice names over and over as you wait.

• Return to the bridal party and assist the banquet manager in the “line up”. Go over names with each couple one last time and they are getting lined up. Return to
  your equipment and wait for the sign from the banquet manager.

• Hit Your Introduction...and off you go!

Thought for the Month
"The one thing worse than a quitter is the one who is afraid to
begin."



~unknown