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Q: Why should I book a DJ?
A: DJs are more flexible and more competitively priced than bands... more...
Q: What music do you play?
A: The music I play is the music you ask me to play... more...
Q: Will you have all of MY music?
A: With over 25,000 songs in my archive... more...
Q: Why should I book you as my DJ?
A: I have over a decade’s experience DJing... more...
Q: You seem quite expensive compared to some other DJs I’ve looked at, why?
A: DJs who compete on price necessarily have to cut corners... more...
Q: Aren’t you just ‘pushing play’ though?
A: At the absolutely most basic level, yes... more...
Q: How many songs can actually be played?
A: It takes between 60 and 90 minutes to play 20 songs...more...
Q: Why don’t you have any song-lists on your site?
Q: I do have a couple of lists built into the questionnaires... more...
Q: Do you offer MC services?
A: I don’t at this time. That said... more...
Q: Why should I book a DJ?
A: DJs are more flexible and more competitively priced than bands, more responsive to you and
your guests’ tastes than a jukebox, iPod or Lap-top, and have the ability to play a more varied range of music
than either a band or a jukebox. DJs can offer the musical knowledge and performance experience that many people look
for in a band, but do so playing the songs that you know, usually the version you know. DJs can play YOUR songs, all
of them, not just the ones they know – the way a band does – and are therefore able to fill more
wide-ranging requests. DJs can also be responsive to the tastes of the crowd, on the night, both through requests
and by watching the way the crowd responds to the music.
For a full explanation of the pros and cons of DJs versus bands and other forms of entertainment please see the
article Why Should I Book a DJ?
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Q: What music do you play?
A: The music I play is the music you ask me to play – I always look for the best possible
balance between your tastes, your guests’ tastes, and the songs that usually work, unless you want to tell
me every individual song you want.
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Q: Will you have all of MY music?
A: With over 25,000 songs in my archive I have a lot of popular (and some obscure) music readily
available to me, and with iTunes there’s not much I can’t get. If, however, you have a particular
song that you want played that I don’t have and can’t readily get then I will ask you to provide it for
me on CD. (Having to remember to give a CD to the Best Man or MC to give to the DJ is about the last thing you need
on your big day, so the best time to do this is during our final meeting - this will also give me a chance to listen
to the song(s) beforehand.)
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Q: Why should I book you as my DJ?
A: I have over a decade’s experience DJing pubs, clubs, corporates, 21sts (and other
birthdays, including an 80th), school balls and weddings. Since 1998 I have DJed between 60 and 80 functions,
every year, of which 40 to 50, have been weddings, and prior to that I DJed once or twice a week, every week, at
one of two regular pub/club jobs, for about three years. I understand the need to strike an effective balance
between the music that you want and the music that is keeping your guests entertained, and I put the time in
making sure I know what songs will achieve this – see my page The Music Man
for more information.
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Q: You seem quite expensive compared to some other DJs I’ve looked at, why?
A: DJs who compete on price necessarily have to cut corners to be able to offer their services
at the price they do. Most will have a day job and can only put a little bit of thought into what they will play
for you on the night – if you are lucky it will be your requests plus the usual wedding songs. I spend time
talking with you and five-to-six hours researching the right music to put on your play list. I also spend around
$100/£40 a week keeping up-to-date with music (as well as filling gaps in my archive). Finally, the sound
and light system that I use all or part of for your function would cost between $400 & $800 (+ GST)/£150
& £300 (+ VAT) to hire, and that’s without music or the person to run it.
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Q: Aren’t you just ‘pushing play’ though?
A: At the absolutely most basic level, yes, on the night, I’m just pushing play, but
consider what would happen if you took all of the songs you want played at your wedding, for example, and
pressed play on shuffle… maybe you’d get a favourite dance number then, just as you were getting into
it, you’d have to slow right down for a lovely ballad, then you’d have to change gear again for an
up-tempo rock number. It’s an extreme example, but you get the idea, the right songs in the right order
with smooth transitions and continuity are an important part of an enjoyable dance experience – having to
change gear for every song is actually very tiring and means your guests probably won’t last as long. Of
course, actually picking the right songs on which to push play is a bit of a trick, too.
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Q: How many songs can actually be played?
A: It takes between 60 and 90 minutes to play 20 songs, less if they’re classic 50s
rock‘n’roll or hardcore punk and more if they are certain types of electronic dance music or epic rock.
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Q: Why don’t you have any song-lists on your site?
A: I do have a couple of lists built into the questionnaires on my Booking Form page. Other than
that I don’t have any lists on my site because I create every play list from scratch, for weddings
particularly, based on how you fill out my questionnaire. The alternatives are either I put up a short-list of
songs, half of which you won’t like or care about, or I put up a list of everything. I can send you the
list of everything, if you really want to wade through more than 20,000 songs!
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Q: Do you offer MC services?
A: I don’t at this time. That said, unlike a great many people, public speaking doesn’t
terrify me, so if you are stuck for an MC or have had a last-minute cancellation I would be happy to fill the breach.
This would be at no cost if you have selected one of the packages that would see me on-site at the time of the
speeches, or charged at my hourly rate if I would be required on-site earlier to discharge these duties.
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If you are still unsure as to what option will best suit you please Contact Me - I’m not in the business of getting you to hire me at all costs, if a band or an iPod is a better option for you and your guests I will say so.
For a full explanation of the service that The Music Man provides and the Packages and pricing please click on the appropriate links, or go to Booking Form.
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