Weddings Brides wanting different/hard to find music

To many ads? Support ODJT and see no ads!

trafficgoo

Weight lifting Music Guy
Apr 1, 2008
4,435
40
Gilbert, AZ
www.musclemanmusic.com
Is it just me or is anyone else having this situation? I've had more brides wanting music for ceremonies that I don't have or can't find. It seems like everyone is trying to be different but many want anywhere from 5 to 10 songs that I'll most likely never use again. I do whatever I can to make a bride happy but sometimes it's tough. I'm now having some of them provide the hard to find songs for me and they seem to be good with it.
It feels tacky to do this but how do you handle it?
 
I've been doing the dame thing - if they want some B side hit from 1987, then they have to provide it. You can't have EVERY song ever issued, or played at Bob's Bar in 1995.

Yep... ask them to provide some of them, at least.
 
Look I have said it before and i'll say it again
- dont take this the wrong way but you are ALL looking at this the wrong way

this is why I have one statement that I stick by and NEVER have had a problem


" ALL MUSIC IS SUBJECT TO AVAILIBILITY "

So you think you have EVERY song ever released - I dont think so!!!

this way if I cant find it and it is a hard to find song then I am covered to 100% of any contract that they think they can get me on because I didnt have said song

plus all songs MUST be submitted prior to an event,
as I can not carry everything ever released....

have a nice day
 
The J Mac and I tend to limit the new purchases to the special songs and maybe 1 or 2 must plays. However, we've found that a lot of the clients who request obscure music know it's obscure and offer to provide a lot of it.

We do not have a lot of music that is off-the-wall this year. However, we do have one wedding where we will be working with a lot of Persian music. The bride and groom are providing us with all of it; they just seem happy that there is a DJ in town who is somewhat familiar with it and willing to play it. :)
 
Is it just me or is anyone else having this situation? I've had more brides wanting music for ceremonies that I don't have or can't find. It seems like everyone is trying to be different but many want anywhere from 5 to 10 songs that I'll most likely never use again. I do whatever I can to make a bride happy but sometimes it's tough. I'm now having some of them provide the hard to find songs for me and they seem to be good with it.
It feels tacky to do this but how do you handle it?

Can you give some examples? I always find this kind of post useful, because even if I haven't had "that client" yet, it's always possible that I soon will, and I could possibly prepare before they ask. What are they asking for?


This really hits home when they want 2-3 T Carter music selections. The only place to get them is from his site, and the songs run about $10 ea well for 4 versions of the song.

http://www.tcartermusic.com/index.html

I loathe the custom-recorded, direct-to-my-website only releases. I feel bent over when compelled to purchase them, often because of the high price, versus the faux-sentimentality of them. Ugh.
 
I have to disagree a little bit...

Personally I don't see a problem spending up to $40 on music for a gig.

If a song is a major label release you can get it for $.99 from Amazon MP3 or $1.29 or whatever for iTunes plus.

People could put together there own music for their reception and ceremony...buy a bunch of CD's, legal MP3's or scour limewire and torrents. But they hire a professional to do it so they can just say here's music we like...bring our day to life.

If we're talking a $150 craigslist DJ I would not expect him or her to get all of the requested music but when you pay a professional $500 to $3,000 I think we should have an attitude of "no problem, I'll have it ready on Saturday" for the most part...

I can see the annoyance if they want a whole bunch of specialty stuff but in all but the most extreme circumstances I say get it done...and impress them by providing every last little detail that they want.
 
Point well taken. My grumblings about this topic do not extend to the clients.
 
I have to disagree a little bit...

Personally I don't see a problem spending up to $40 on music for a gig.

If a song is a major label release you can get it for $.99 from Amazon MP3 or $1.29 or whatever for iTunes plus.

People could put together there own music for their reception and ceremony...buy a bunch of CD's, legal MP3's or scour limewire and torrents. But they hire a professional to do it so they can just say here's music we like...bring our day to life.

If we're talking a $150 craigslist DJ I would not expect him or her to get all of the requested music but when you pay a professional $500 to $3,000 I think we should have an attitude of "no problem, I'll have it ready on Saturday" for the most part...

I can see the annoyance if they want a whole bunch of specialty stuff but in all but the most extreme circumstances I say get it done...and impress them by providing every last little detail that they want.

It's not so much the reception...I will pay for the downloads. It's the ceremony where you're playing :30 secs of a song that you'll never use again. One of my brides wasn't even able to find some of the songs that she requested. There were about 15 songs on that list.
 
Don't have it? It's probably not worth having it.

Can't readily obtain it? It's definitely not worth having it.

You still want it? Be happy to play your provided version. Might even take a shot at remastering it to try and make it a little bit danceable even though perhaps one other person in the entire room knows what it is.

If the additional off-the-wall music needs were expressed at contract signing, those fees would be built into the quote. Racking up obscure musical needs post-contract is unfair and should not be expected.
 
Can you give some examples? I always find this kind of post useful, because even if I haven't had "that client" yet, it's always possible that I soon will, and I could possibly prepare before they ask. What are they asking for?




One of the latest...
The Vitamin String Orchestra (rock instrumentals)

that is neither hard to find or obscure. I have had no less then 10 brides request songs off the "Rock N Roll Wedding" in the last 2 months. It is a great album and available for $9.99 on iTunes.

I had a bride in last week who thought her music was all very strange and hard to find. She went to Virgin Megastore at Disney and bought all of the CDs. Turns out we had every song and she was able to return the CDs and get her $215 back! Among her strange songs : "Unchained Melody" & "The Way You Look Tonight"...:sqwink: If only every bride was so thoughtful....
 
that is neither hard to find or obscure. I have had no less then 10 brides request songs off the "Rock N Roll Wedding" in the last 2 months. It is a great album and available for $9.99 on iTunes.

I had a bride in last week who thought her music was all very strange and hard to find. She went to Virgin Megastore at Disney and bought all of the CDs. Turns out we had every song and she was able to return the CDs and get her $215 back! Among her strange songs : "Unchained Melody" & "The Way You Look Tonight"...:sqwink: If only every bride was so thoughtful....

She actually typed it wrong...I ended up finding it, but to me it's obscure. Most likely I will never use it again.
 
It's not so much the reception...I will pay for the downloads. It's the ceremony where you're playing :30 secs of a song that you'll never use again. One of my brides wasn't even able to find some of the songs that she requested. There were about 15 songs on that list.

One of the latest...
The Vitamin String Quartet (rock instrumentals)

I see your point. Apparently, finding something in a list, somewhere on the internet means that every D.J. has it (or should have it).

May I add to this madness?

How about when people ask for things that do not exist at all? I spent two hours at this very computer, scouring the world (or world wide web, at least), looking for "Unforgettable" by Frank Sinatra. I can say with a great deal of certainty that Frank Sinatra has never sang that song. I was "this" close to changing my ID3 tag for the night.
 
I see your point. Apparently, finding something in a list, somewhere on the internet means that every D.J. has it (or should have it).

May I add to this madness?

How about when people ask for things that do not exist at all? I spent two hours at this very computer, scouring the world (or world wide web, at least), looking for "Unforgettable" by Frank Sinatra. I can say with a great deal of certainty that Frank Sinatra has never sang that song. I was "this" close to changing my ID3 tag for the night.

I've actually searched that same thing...I had someone wanting Frank and Unforgettable. I never found it then asked a friend of mine who is a Sinatra fanatic...he agreed...no such thing. It's just hard to have everything for everybody...I'd be broke if this was the case. A couple of songs here and there...fine...10-15 songs...no can do.
 
Don't have it? It's probably not worth having it.

Can't readily obtain it? It's definitely not worth having it.

You still want it? Be happy to play your provided version. Might even take a shot at remastering it to try and make it a little bit danceable even though perhaps one other person in the entire room knows what it is.

If the additional off-the-wall music needs were expressed at contract signing, those fees would be built into the quote. Racking up obscure musical needs post-contract is unfair and should not be expected.

thats why I have the Clause in my Contract stating as I have above

" ALL MUSIC IS SUBJECT TO AVAILIBILITY "


I see your point. Apparently, finding something in a list, somewhere on the internet means that every D.J. has it (or should have it).

May I add to this madness?

How about when people ask for things that do not exist at all? I spent two hours at this very computer, scouring the world (or world wide web, at least), looking for "Unforgettable" by Frank Sinatra. I can say with a great deal of certainty that Frank Sinatra has never sang that song. I was "this" close to changing my ID3 tag for the night.

lol and your actually looking for Nat King Cole"s version Unforgettable...
 
I guess i'm the dumbazz here then....

I dropped $65 bucks for an Elvis box set that i needed 1 song from!
(it was a mastered, studio version of "My Way")

It was a special request from a groom, for his father. (Dad's Favorite song)

Seeing the FOG's face light up into the biggest grin when it started playing was worth it.

People hire me because of Me, My Equipment, and My MUSIC COLLECTION,
And music knowledge, and the ability to find those said songs...

I've been known to buy entire CD's for people if requested...10 songs to me is nothing. I enjoy collecting music. I for one get sick of hearing the "hits" all the time, and readily welcome a good "B" side track.

The only time i will ask a client to provide me music is if i cannot locate it anywhere.....I've had to get vinyl and convert to MP3 for a 50th anniversery.

But it wasn't a big deal to me, and they were thrilled.
 
Thanks Brian I am of the same mind. I love music and having done so many ethnic events I relish the collection of music I have gained. I likely have 250,000 songs on vinyl, CD and Mp3.