I did a HS graduation family party and it was mostly adult family members. No one but the little kids were dancing. At the end, the mom said, "I'm so glad we went with a DJ". A Club DJ needs people dancing. A mobile DJ needs to fit the need of the event.
Veritas! Club DJ’s are very focused on bpm…and dancing! I have done many events in the last year…where no one danced. Yet they hung out for hours- talking and laughing and bobbing their heads! I knew that I had done my job…as an event/Mobile DJ!
I've been saying this for years. I've done events where no one has danced but at the end of the night people came up to me and told me, "loved everything you played. Thank you." I've got plenty of gigs from people who didn't danced but simply enjoyed the evening.
My wedding this weekend? When dancing should have been starting I told people to go outside. The golden hour lighting was incredible, as was the setting, so I told them to take advantage of it. They did. They did a large unplanned family picture out there and the photographer actually thanked me for doing it. When it got darker I had them come in so we could do a large group picture with everyone (planned)...then I opened the floor. The crowd will let you know when they want to dance. The floor was light until people were done chatting. It was a clear line between the two. From 10 people on the dance floor to a hundred-ish. My job is to give everyone an incredible experience. Those family pictures will live on long after they've forgotten about the dancing.
I used to have an issue with no one dancing... But over the years I realized that if you pay attention and if no one is dancing, just play good music that the crowd likes. After a few drinks, they will start to ask for dance songs... then hit them with the dancing bangers... until then, good sing alongs work well.
Yep had it this weekend they hadn't seen each other for a while...didn't dance till the last hour..but that hour was amazing .I was getting nervous thinking I was doing something wrong..but I got applause at the end.
Love this & totally agree. A DJ's job is to try to enhance the moment that people are currently experiencing & to make it more enjoyable & memorable. I recently did a party where my first set was in a private garden in the afternoon. The hosts had imagened this as a few hours of dancing outdoors, but in the moment it turned out that guests were relaxing in the sun, some people were making pizza in an outdoor oven etc and I soon realised that I could just enjoy playing a soundtrack to enhance this experience for the guests. Theres no need to force anything, just go with the flow and enjoy the moment you are in. It also may give you an opertunity to play music you wouldn't normally get to, which is always a nice bonus!
100 percent correct. Nearly 50 years in the business and the biggest skill I've learnt is to read the room. As others have said in many cases you, your lights and music do not need to be the star of the show. Your job is to enhance and make the whole event enjoyable for all...young and old... But especially the hosts.....one extra tip I use is if you pick up they are not dances and happy just to chat use your interactive mic skills and announce something like " great to see your all happy chatting and catching up so I'm going to keep it down to a reasonable volume but if you have any requests feel free to come ask especially if you know a song that brings back a significant fun family/friend memory. Now keep enjoying the catching up and I will provide a good vibe soundtrack for you all enjoy !!!"...i.e the DJ should show a bit of personality and understanding of what's happening and if you like even go out to chat to people yourself. I reckon I have had more people asking for business cards/repeat work with events like this compared to other nights when the dance floor was pumping and packed all night.
I should add going out and chatting to guests makes you feel part of "the family event" and even more guests will respect that. They will realise what your doing and often get up and dance later anyway...... bottom line if your playing music they are enjoying, asking for requests,the body language is good..i.e some are taping their knees, smiling and singing subconsciously along and the room vibe is great your doing a brilliant job
As not only a DJ but someone who attends weddings etc...THANK YOU Brian. I actively dread going to weddings. I look forward to seeing friends and relative I don't often get to see, but hate that we cannot even hear one another right across the table the whole night. Don't get me wrong, I am a dancer. I can dance to jazz, hip hop, all the ballroom dances, all the swing dances, all the country dances, freestyle, line... I go dancing sometimes 2-3 times a week. I love it. Social events are totally different from when I DJ a dance event, where dancers come specifically to dance, and I'd best not empty that floor! But when I haven't seen my great aunts and uncles in over a year...and they are getting older, and who knows when or even IF I will see them again, I want to hear what they are telling me. To be with people you care about and then be denied the chance to visit with them because some arrogant DJ feels like the night is about them showing how loud they can make the music and being sure to cover over any conversation instead of...you know...creating an environment for the guests comfort and enjoyment. The fact is a very large portion of the guests hate when the DJ does this stuff, and they do often leave early because of it. Especially the older hearing impaired who may no longer be ABLE to dance...and are forced to sit there, unable to even converse. Just a little lower dB will still engage the dancers and yet give people a chance to connect...and when they have caught up with everyone...they WILL get up and dance. This is why I follow and absolutely love your work Brian. You speak the truth. I just hope a few DJ's have their headphones turned up for this one.
This is why when I DJ and I’m bringing my own stuff and not DJing a plug and play event… I bring satellite speakers for the back of the room so that way I’m not blasting music, it’s loud enough but also people can talk still and I get a lot of great feedback from couples who appreciate the level I had the music at and tell me how other weddings they went to, the DJ was so loud and booming, it wasn’t fun to be on the dance floor and felt more like a concert they didn’t want to be at.
Great Video Brian, I just scan the crowd and if people are tapping their hands on the table in time with the music or tapping there feet or even singing along. I guess they are enjoying what I'm doing. Good Luck.
I have done many events where hardly anyone danced, however if you look around the tables people are tapping there feet on the floor and there fingers on the tables. If they want to dance they will just do your best and at the end of such events I have had people thank me for a great evening and been told "You have played some great music tonight' and this video is a good lesson to all new aspiring DJ's just because people do not dance it does not mean they are not enjoying themselves. I have 2 Chauvet gigbars and if the night is kind of quiet I turn off the strobe lights on them in fact I dont like them, I also have no lasers on and put the gigbars on 'Fade' which makes them slowly cycle through the colours, if people start to dance I will switch the lighting on to sound active and if it really livens up I will turn on the lasers. You are right lighting plays a big part to create the right atmosphere, if I play slow music at the end of the night I turn all the lighting to a slow fade and turn off anything like strobes and laser lights and moving head lights, there is far far more to breen a good mobile DJ then just pressing the Play button, a great video.
I can show you an image that summarizes it up. I played at a work party last Christmas, there was my floor, empty, over at the photobooth was 99% of the room. Luckily, the photobooth was mine as well. When a situation like this arises, pull back, don’t play all your best tracks, still play good tunes, just not your absolute best. Now every 15-30 minutes try a great tune, if they start to bite, bring things up.
Im a dj from the 80s and trust me 😮i been there and done that, it can play tricks on the djs mindset feeling like your not that good 💯 at that point it really makes sense to just play good music, i also experience seeing people dance to maybe 2 or three songs and then stop. Most of all people enjoy the vibe of good music being played.
I always interview the event holders to plan the night to learn their expectations and the demographic of the patrons, the latter contributes to both listening music and dance music. When I started doing events in the late 80s/early 90s I made this mistake with the opposite happening at a high school prom - I ended up with a packed dancefloor when meals were served. These kids were determined to get their fill of fun.
Guests who attend today’s events do “socialize” more today than ever! Like you stated, family and friends hardly all get together often as we used to do years ago. Therefore, DJ’s shouldn’t be offended when the dance floor is empty, and believe me, if the guests weren’t happy with your music selections, they’ll ask for requests. So no worries!
Brian, love this take. You always keep it real and your very genuine to the point agree or not is always awesome. Your perspective may not be everyones,but neither does the persons perspective who watches this and disagrees with you. Keep keeping it real!!!
my first ever event i djed was for the middle schoolers when i was in high school. this was the friday before hurricane sandy was scheduled to hit asbury park. a town thats about 20 miles south of where i went to high school. I wasnt expecting much out of the dance, as i was very, very new to DJing, but they really didnt want to dance too much. i think all they wanted to dance to was gangnam style. i probably couldve played it 3 times and they wouldve been happy. but they were socializing. i didnt see any phones out, nobody seemed bored, they were just chatting in social circles in the back. i think they also had movies playing on the projector, too without the audio, but i wasnt super disappointed with that.
Great view Brian! - It's all about Vibez a DJ puts out. If someone is bobbing their head or just resonating with the vibez in the room, they don't have to or need to dance. I've had events like that, and didn't care cause I knew the music I was playing was gold for the event. As a DJ i feel if I like it and am feeling the groove, I like to think others are feeling my vibe as well. We are what we put out! And DJ'ing is always about moving the spirit that is in people!
I sort of disagree a little with the verbiage you used, “if we are vibing, they must be too” don’t be one of those DJ’s who plays what YOU want to hear and not your audience cuz I hear that a lot from couples who were at someone else’s wedding where the DJ did not play anything the bride and groom asked and just played their own set lol
@@vjbrunzy1621 - I guess I could just play the same music every trash DJ on the planet plays at events, with nothing new! Every DJ plays the same old shit because they view it as tried and true! I still get song requests from brides and grooms as well as guests that I do play. But I trust my musical judgement and instincts to play great new tracks for people to enjoy and explore. It's always about the vibez you put out. If you suck you suck!
I think today so many DJ’s get on CZcams and hit on the Click Bait DJ’s about how they Killed the Wedding, Dance floor was Packed all Night or How they Crushed this wedding. Lot of these so called Killed, Crushed The Wedding (s) have their videos edited. They never show a dance floor with maybe 2 people on the floor. So I say to these DJ’s that fall for these Click Bait DJ’s take a step back and analyze the video you can see where the video was edited. I watched a video from a Quick Mixing DJ and they missed a couple edits where the DJ was quick mixing and the crowd turned and looked at the DJ was a look like WTF, we were into that song. If I see the guest singing along with the song or dancing in their seat I know then they are having a Good time, Dancing is only the icing on the cake.
And it's really no need for quick mixes 😂just have the next jam locked and loaded to mix in or ready to go, that's why you have to have a ear for music 🎶 🎵 👌
How about a topic for cost effective lighting instead of having to pay $600-$1,000 for one light? I think that's why the Gigbars are so popular! All in one!
Hey Brian. Love your videos man! Curious if you could do a full tutorial on how you would VJ in 2024. From necessary minimum equipment, to software, content and how to mix. I'm interested in "being different" than others in my small town. Considering offering VIDEO DJ services...
I have a topic idea for you. I'm wondering how to define your own style as a DJ when I see the DJ Intelligence Top 200 pushed so hard? Everyone seems to play the same music. There's a lot of great music out there. How do you breakout and explore different music when you are constricted by that Top200 playlist? Has it become a circular-reaction where audiences expect those songs because DJ's always play them and DJ's play them because audiences always expect them? Hopefully that made some sense. Thanks. I enjoy your channel.
That would be a great topic. People can put together their own playlist (easy enough to get lists of the 'top 200' online and download) if that is what they want. They are paying us to not only play to the audience, adjust to the mood and manage sound/light levels as appropriate, but to mix in good music that they don't hear all the time. There is SO much really good stuff out there that rarely gets played. Millions of potential REALLY GOOD options. To me these are the the things that set pro DJ's apart. ( Not talking about marketing or equipment or library here because in the end it is what you DO with all that on the floor. It's interesting, because I could shuffle in my picks of good music in real time, and you could shuffle in yours, and the songs could be equally as 'good' but totally different, and the moods both could be awesome but different. Because as long as we are capable of picking good solid but also diverse tunes, our own personalities can't help but make us sound different, and that, I think is a very good thing. I put a lot of thought into how each song choice will impact the floor and blend one to the other to vary the energy. I'm always looking to get better and I bet Brian has some good tips on how to finesse that flow. It's a hard thong to teach though....
This is on par for club work too as you should know because it’s all about the figures at the end of the night to the owner/manager who hired you. As long as bar sales are happening, that’s the bottom line.
On dance nights we used to every so often deliberately play a 'not so great' pick so people would get a little bored and hit the bar for drinks. The owners and barkeepers appreciated that.
@@nanettesulik4196 That's one way. Another way is just playing a different genre type, still a good song or two, as to get other folks on the dance floor while the ones exiting the floor go to the bar.
Yep, some people like to enjoy their music seated. That's ok too...right? I mean, just because people don't dance, doesn't mean they don't enjoy good music?? BTW, I am a dancer (trained) , and I DJ almost exclusively for dancers, and if I play something that clears the floor I'm going to not be invited back (these are recurring gigs). But weddings are not dance events. They are family reunions, and should be treated as such, not like a club venue.
@@jsunhack far from knowing everything, was just giving my opinion 👍🏽 or just let people know that you're a dj and cut them a deal to dj their next event and the audience will want your contact information.
@ignoranceisnotatrend4669 just seeing how others do it. That's what forums are for. I have been doing this since 1984. I've seen it all. I dont know it all . Just wondering but it seems like, You folks on the east cost have better luck. Here people think $500 for a dj is outlandish, I don't do weddings anymore.
@@jsunhack I started djing in the 80s also on turntables and im getting ready to retire and im thinking about getting back into djing small gigs, I'm currently trying to decide on me a controller 😅 I still know how to scratch and still understand the concept of djing but I need to learn the whole using a laptop with the controller way😒back in our day it was a mixer , speakers and 2 turntables and a power Amp that connected everything to RCA cables 💯👍🏽I been educating myself by looking at CZcams videos and im slowly getting the understanding of the laptop and controller way. Any advice.
If there is an "expectation to dance " (ex. a wedding ) and no one dances, its on the Dj. that is your report card. you need to read the crowd better. Also, Gigbars and lights like it enhance the excitement on the Dance floor and may be part of the reason why you experience non dancing crowds. Are there events where no one is "expected to dance" , of course but they should be the exception.
I have a gig and I always turn it on when it's go time I start with my opening go to songs, turn on the lights and sound and people usually get the point.
This is the tone-deaf Dj that makes me ( and many) HATE going to weddings. Trying to FORCE people to dance (like monkeys) when they don't want to. (I go out dancing 2-3 times a week, I love it.) But a wedding is not a club, and there should NOT be an expectation that everyone came to dance- they in fact DID NOT. Some physically cannot, some don't want to. But almost EVERYONE came to SOCIALIZE. I don't assume everyone is like me about dancing. There should be space held for those off the floor, and they should not be silenced because the music is so loud they can't be with the people they came to see being left to sit close to others ... yet in isolation, until they can finally with a sigh of relief, get out of the din and go home, still not having spent time with those they came to see. A wedding more than anything is a social - a family reunion...not a DJ performance. If that is what you like to do, work in a club, and leave the wedding guests to a Dj who will take care of them. Your 'report card' has nothing to do with the floor, the floor isn't going to recommend you. Your report card is if the guests had a good time. And by guests, I mean ALL the guests, not just the dozen or so 20 somethings that will dance to just about anything anyway.
Cop out. You are a Dj. You are hired to make everyone have a good time. They could have just brought a Spotify Playlist and a speaker if you were correct. They hired a DJ instead to have everyone ( who is able to ) dance and Celebrate this beautiful occasion.
I did a HS graduation family party and it was mostly adult family members. No one but the little kids were dancing. At the end, the mom said, "I'm so glad we went with a DJ". A Club DJ needs people dancing. A mobile DJ needs to fit the need of the event.
Veritas! Club DJ’s are very focused on bpm…and dancing! I have done many events in the last year…where no one danced. Yet they hung out for hours- talking and laughing and bobbing their heads! I knew that I had done my job…as an event/Mobile DJ!
I've been saying this for years. I've done events where no one has danced but at the end of the night people came up to me and told me, "loved everything you played. Thank you." I've got plenty of gigs from people who didn't danced but simply enjoyed the evening.
💯
My wedding this weekend? When dancing should have been starting I told people to go outside. The golden hour lighting was incredible, as was the setting, so I told them to take advantage of it. They did. They did a large unplanned family picture out there and the photographer actually thanked me for doing it. When it got darker I had them come in so we could do a large group picture with everyone (planned)...then I opened the floor.
The crowd will let you know when they want to dance. The floor was light until people were done chatting. It was a clear line between the two. From 10 people on the dance floor to a hundred-ish.
My job is to give everyone an incredible experience. Those family pictures will live on long after they've forgotten about the dancing.
I used to have an issue with no one dancing... But over the years I realized that if you pay attention and if no one is dancing, just play good music that the crowd likes. After a few drinks, they will start to ask for dance songs... then hit them with the dancing bangers... until then, good sing alongs work well.
Yep had it this weekend they hadn't seen each other for a while...didn't dance till the last hour..but that hour was amazing .I was getting nervous thinking I was doing something wrong..but I got applause at the end.
I started in 1978 as a Nightclub DJ and Radio DJ and Wedding DJ...I agree with everything you said. Thank you for sharing.
Love this & totally agree.
A DJ's job is to try to enhance the moment that people are currently experiencing & to make it more enjoyable & memorable.
I recently did a party where my first set was in a private garden in the afternoon. The hosts had imagened this as a few hours of dancing outdoors, but in the moment it turned out that guests were relaxing in the sun, some people were making pizza in an outdoor oven etc and I soon realised that I could just enjoy playing a soundtrack to enhance this experience for the guests.
Theres no need to force anything, just go with the flow and enjoy the moment you are in.
It also may give you an opertunity to play music you wouldn't normally get to, which is always a nice bonus!
100 percent correct. Nearly 50 years in the business and the biggest skill I've learnt is to read the room. As others have said in many cases you, your lights and music do not need to be the star of the show. Your job is to enhance and make the whole event enjoyable for all...young and old... But especially the hosts.....one extra tip I use is if you pick up they are not dances and happy just to chat use your interactive mic skills and announce something like " great to see your all happy chatting and catching up so I'm going to keep it down to a reasonable volume but if you have any requests feel free to come ask especially if you know a song that brings back a significant fun family/friend memory. Now keep enjoying the catching up and I will provide a good vibe soundtrack for you all enjoy !!!"...i.e the DJ should show a bit of personality and understanding of what's happening and if you like even go out to chat to people yourself. I reckon I have had more people asking for business cards/repeat work with events like this compared to other nights when the dance floor was pumping and packed all night.
I should add going out and chatting to guests makes you feel part of "the family event" and even more guests will respect that. They will realise what your doing and often get up and dance later anyway...... bottom line if your playing music they are enjoying, asking for requests,the body language is good..i.e some are taping their knees, smiling and singing subconsciously along and the room vibe is great your doing a brilliant job
4:22 thank you for not saying “conversate” which so many people incorrectly do!
As not only a DJ but someone who attends weddings etc...THANK YOU Brian.
I actively dread going to weddings. I look forward to seeing friends and relative I don't often get to see, but hate that we cannot even hear one another right across the table the whole night.
Don't get me wrong, I am a dancer. I can dance to jazz, hip hop, all the ballroom dances, all the swing dances, all the country dances, freestyle, line... I go dancing sometimes 2-3 times a week. I love it. Social events are totally different from when I DJ a dance event, where dancers come specifically to dance, and I'd best not empty that floor!
But when I haven't seen my great aunts and uncles in over a year...and they are getting older, and who knows when or even IF I will see them again, I want to hear what they are telling me.
To be with people you care about and then be denied the chance to visit with them because some arrogant DJ feels like the night is about them showing how loud they can make the music and being sure to cover over any conversation instead of...you know...creating an environment for the guests comfort and enjoyment.
The fact is a very large portion of the guests hate when the DJ does this stuff, and they do often leave early because of it. Especially the older hearing impaired who may no longer be ABLE to dance...and are forced to sit there, unable to even converse.
Just a little lower dB will still engage the dancers and yet give people a chance to connect...and when they have caught up with everyone...they WILL get up and dance.
This is why I follow and absolutely love your work Brian. You speak the truth. I just hope a few DJ's have their headphones turned up for this one.
You can't FORCE people to dance. If they enjoy the music, that's all that matters.
This is why when I DJ and I’m bringing my own stuff and not DJing a plug and play event… I bring satellite speakers for the back of the room so that way I’m not blasting music, it’s loud enough but also people can talk still and I get a lot of great feedback from couples who appreciate the level I had the music at and tell me how other weddings they went to, the DJ was so loud and booming, it wasn’t fun to be on the dance floor and felt more like a concert they didn’t want to be at.
Great Video Brian, I just scan the crowd and if people are tapping their hands on the table in time with the music or tapping there feet or even singing along. I guess they are enjoying what I'm doing. Good Luck.
That's how I read my crowd eventually they'll get out there.
Same here.
Nobody dancing? Time to dig into the aunt folder.
I so much appreciate your positivity.
I have done many events where hardly anyone danced, however if you look around the tables people are tapping there feet on the floor and there fingers on the tables.
If they want to dance they will just do your best and at the end of such events I have had people thank me for a great evening and been told "You have played some great music tonight' and this video is a good lesson to all new aspiring DJ's just because people do not dance it does not mean they are not enjoying themselves.
I have 2 Chauvet gigbars and if the night is kind of quiet I turn off the strobe lights on them in fact I dont like them, I also have no lasers on and put the gigbars on 'Fade' which makes them slowly cycle through the colours, if people start to dance I will switch the lighting on to sound active and if it really livens up I will turn on the lasers.
You are right lighting plays a big part to create the right atmosphere, if I play slow music at the end of the night I turn all the lighting to a slow fade and turn off anything like strobes and laser lights and moving head lights, there is far far more to breen a good mobile DJ then just pressing the Play button, a great video.
I can show you an image that summarizes it up. I played at a work party last Christmas, there was my floor, empty, over at the photobooth was 99% of the room. Luckily, the photobooth was mine as well.
When a situation like this arises, pull back, don’t play all your best tracks, still play good tunes, just not your absolute best. Now every 15-30 minutes try a great tune, if they start to bite, bring things up.
Im a dj from the 80s and trust me 😮i been there and done that, it can play tricks on the djs mindset feeling like your not that good 💯 at that point it really makes sense to just play good music, i also experience seeing people dance to maybe 2 or three songs and then stop. Most of all people enjoy the vibe of good music being played.
Great content, Brian. I feel more at ease now. I'm the dj that stress out cause no one is dancing. Lol!
I always interview the event holders to plan the night to learn their expectations and the demographic of the patrons, the latter contributes to both listening music and dance music. When I started doing events in the late 80s/early 90s I made this mistake with the opposite happening at a high school prom - I ended up with a packed dancefloor when meals were served. These kids were determined to get their fill of fun.
Brilliant video about the dance floor and interaction surrounding it 👌🏻
Guests who attend today’s events do “socialize” more today than ever! Like you stated, family and friends hardly all get together often as we used to do years ago.
Therefore, DJ’s shouldn’t be offended when the dance floor is empty, and believe me, if the guests weren’t happy with your music selections, they’ll ask for requests. So no worries!
When you're in a bind, play Madonna's Hung Up, that ABBA sample wakes up everyone and will move the room.
Brian, love this take. You always keep it real and your very genuine to the point agree or not is always awesome. Your perspective may not be everyones,but neither does the persons perspective who watches this and disagrees with you. Keep keeping it real!!!
my first ever event i djed was for the middle schoolers when i was in high school. this was the friday before hurricane sandy was scheduled to hit asbury park. a town thats about 20 miles south of where i went to high school.
I wasnt expecting much out of the dance, as i was very, very new to DJing, but they really didnt want to dance too much. i think all they wanted to dance to was gangnam style. i probably couldve played it 3 times and they wouldve been happy. but they were socializing. i didnt see any phones out, nobody seemed bored, they were just chatting in social circles in the back. i think they also had movies playing on the projector, too without the audio, but i wasnt super disappointed with that.
Great view Brian! - It's all about Vibez a DJ puts out. If someone is bobbing their head or just resonating with the vibez in the room, they don't have to or need to dance. I've had events like that, and didn't care cause I knew the music I was playing was gold for the event. As a DJ i feel if I like it and am feeling the groove, I like to think others are feeling my vibe as well. We are what we put out! And DJ'ing is always about moving the spirit that is in people!
I sort of disagree a little with the verbiage you used, “if we are vibing, they must be too” don’t be one of those DJ’s who plays what YOU want to hear and not your audience cuz I hear that a lot from couples who were at someone else’s wedding where the DJ did not play anything the bride and groom asked and just played their own set lol
@@vjbrunzy1621 - I guess I could just play the same music every trash DJ on the planet plays at events, with nothing new! Every DJ plays the same old shit because they view it as tried and true! I still get song requests from brides and grooms as well as guests that I do play. But I trust my musical judgement and instincts to play great new tracks for people to enjoy and explore. It's always about the vibez you put out. If you suck you suck!
agree with you 💯
I think today so many DJ’s get on CZcams and hit on the Click Bait DJ’s about how they Killed the Wedding, Dance floor was Packed all Night or How they Crushed this wedding. Lot of these so called Killed, Crushed The Wedding (s) have their videos edited. They never show a dance floor with maybe 2 people on the floor. So I say to these DJ’s that fall for these Click Bait DJ’s take a step back and analyze the video you can see where the video was edited. I watched a video from a Quick Mixing DJ and they missed a couple edits where the DJ was quick mixing and the crowd turned and looked at the DJ was a look like WTF, we were into that song. If I see the guest singing along with the song or dancing in their seat I know then they are having a Good time, Dancing is only the icing on the cake.
Quick mixing is the bane of my existence.
And it's really no need for quick mixes 😂just have the next jam locked and loaded to mix in or ready to go, that's why you have to have a ear for music 🎶 🎵 👌
Make video about tip jars best practices or favorite moments you’ve dj’d at club nights. Maybe moments you thought were learning lessons etc
How about a topic for cost effective lighting instead of having to pay $600-$1,000 for one light? I think that's why the Gigbars are so popular! All in one!
Hey Brian. Love your videos man! Curious if you could do a full tutorial on how you would VJ in 2024. From necessary minimum equipment, to software, content and how to mix. I'm interested in "being different" than others in my small town. Considering offering VIDEO DJ services...
I have a topic idea for you. I'm wondering how to define your own style as a DJ when I see the DJ Intelligence Top 200 pushed so hard? Everyone seems to play the same music. There's a lot of great music out there. How do you breakout and explore different music when you are constricted by that Top200 playlist? Has it become a circular-reaction where audiences expect those songs because DJ's always play them and DJ's play them because audiences always expect them? Hopefully that made some sense. Thanks. I enjoy your channel.
That would be a great topic.
People can put together their own playlist (easy enough to get lists of the 'top 200' online and download) if that is what they want. They are paying us to not only play to the audience, adjust to the mood and manage sound/light levels as appropriate, but to mix in good music that they don't hear all the time. There is SO much really good stuff out there that rarely gets played. Millions of potential REALLY GOOD options.
To me these are the the things that set pro DJ's apart. ( Not talking about marketing or equipment or library here because in the end it is what you DO with all that on the floor.
It's interesting, because I could shuffle in my picks of good music in real time, and you could shuffle in yours, and the songs could be equally as 'good' but totally different, and the moods both could be awesome but different. Because as long as we are capable of picking good solid but also diverse tunes, our own personalities can't help but make us sound different, and that, I think is a very good thing. I put a lot of thought into how each song choice will impact the floor and blend one to the other to vary the energy.
I'm always looking to get better and I bet Brian has some good tips on how to finesse that flow. It's a hard thong to teach though....
This is on par for club work too as you should know because it’s all about the figures at the end of the night to the owner/manager who hired you. As long as bar sales are happening, that’s the bottom line.
On dance nights we used to every so often deliberately play a 'not so great' pick so people would get a little bored and hit the bar for drinks. The owners and barkeepers appreciated that.
@@nanettesulik4196 That's one way. Another way is just playing a different genre type, still a good song or two, as to get other folks on the dance floor while the ones exiting the floor go to the bar.
@@RunTFC Yeah, we eventually figured that out also...lol
Dont forget about the ones asking for good music and still not dancing 😮😮😮
Yep, some people like to enjoy their music seated. That's ok too...right? I mean, just because people don't dance, doesn't mean they don't enjoy good music??
BTW, I am a dancer (trained) , and I DJ almost exclusively for dancers, and if I play something that clears the floor I'm going to not be invited back (these are recurring gigs).
But weddings are not dance events. They are family reunions, and should be treated as such, not like a club venue.
That is a $hit load of vinyl ! ...hope, ur doing OK, bro. 😊
How bout a video on how to get gigs
Self promotion dude😮😮
@@ignoranceisnotatrend4669 Sounds like you know everything. Why are you on this channel then?
@@jsunhack far from knowing everything, was just giving my opinion 👍🏽 or just let people know that you're a dj and cut them a deal to dj their next event and the audience will want your contact information.
@ignoranceisnotatrend4669 just seeing how others do it. That's what forums are for. I have been doing this since 1984. I've seen it all. I dont know it all . Just wondering but it seems like, You folks on the east cost have better luck. Here people think $500 for a dj is outlandish, I don't do weddings anymore.
@@jsunhack I started djing in the 80s also on turntables and im getting ready to retire and im thinking about getting back into djing small gigs, I'm currently trying to decide on me a controller 😅 I still know how to scratch and still understand the concept of djing but I need to learn the whole using a laptop with the controller way😒back in our day it was a mixer , speakers and 2 turntables and a power Amp that connected everything to RCA cables 💯👍🏽I been educating myself by looking at CZcams videos and im slowly getting the understanding of the laptop and controller way. Any advice.
If there is an "expectation to dance " (ex. a wedding ) and no one dances, its on the Dj. that is your report card. you need to read the crowd better. Also, Gigbars and lights like it enhance the excitement on the Dance floor and may be part of the reason why you experience non dancing crowds. Are there events where no one is "expected to dance" , of course but they should be the exception.
I have a gig and I always turn it on when it's go time I start with my opening go to songs, turn on the lights and sound and people usually get the point.
This is the tone-deaf Dj that makes me ( and many) HATE going to weddings. Trying to FORCE people to dance (like monkeys) when they don't want to. (I go out dancing 2-3 times a week, I love it.) But a wedding is not a club, and there should NOT be an expectation that everyone came to dance- they in fact DID NOT. Some physically cannot, some don't want to. But almost EVERYONE came to SOCIALIZE.
I don't assume everyone is like me about dancing. There should be space held for those off the floor, and they should not be silenced because the music is so loud they can't be with the people they came to see being left to sit close to others ... yet in isolation, until they can finally with a sigh of relief, get out of the din and go home, still not having spent time with those they came to see.
A wedding more than anything is a social - a family reunion...not a DJ performance. If that is what you like to do, work in a club, and leave the wedding guests to a Dj who will take care of them.
Your 'report card' has nothing to do with the floor, the floor isn't going to recommend you. Your report card is if the guests had a good time. And by guests, I mean ALL the guests, not just the dozen or so 20 somethings that will dance to just about anything anyway.
Cop out. You are a Dj. You are hired to make everyone have a good time. They could have just brought a Spotify Playlist and a speaker if you were correct. They hired a DJ instead to have everyone ( who is able to ) dance and Celebrate this beautiful occasion.