50,000 songs. Wow, that's alot. I am up to maybe 10,000 now. Weddings can be fun, but also very stressful. For a DJ it does not get fun until all the formalities are over. The best advice is to know your music well. Generally start in the 50s and 60s and work your way up. Use Mobile Beats top 200. These are the songs most people request anyway. As saif before mix up some slow and build faster. My first wedding turned out good although I still cringe at all the stuff I did wrong. I had no clue then, but they told me I did wonderful. Sometimes, we are out own worst critic.
Weddings New girl here
- Thread starter cjmrsdj
- Start date
You guys are such a help 
I do know some about sets. Usually I start with the older stuff (50's and 60's) and then a couple slow ones (always 2 in a row) before the oldest of the crowd leaves. Typically, the ages are 40 and up where I have played. So it's kind of easy because it's all older, no newer stuff. Most of it is disco, lol. Easy for me, I love the older stuff and know it.
Weddings, um, I don't even know what this Chris Brown sounds like. :sqembarrassed: I'm sure I have heard him on the radio but most of the new stuff I'm sort of clueless. My family is more into the classic rock and new rock (nickleback). So I think I will be doing a lot of research on new stuff (I did see a post in here somewhere of what's new thank you).
Dapperdan, what did you do that you cringe at? Care to share your mistakes?
I do know some about sets. Usually I start with the older stuff (50's and 60's) and then a couple slow ones (always 2 in a row) before the oldest of the crowd leaves. Typically, the ages are 40 and up where I have played. So it's kind of easy because it's all older, no newer stuff. Most of it is disco, lol. Easy for me, I love the older stuff and know it.
Weddings, um, I don't even know what this Chris Brown sounds like. :sqembarrassed: I'm sure I have heard him on the radio but most of the new stuff I'm sort of clueless. My family is more into the classic rock and new rock (nickleback). So I think I will be doing a lot of research on new stuff (I did see a post in here somewhere of what's new thank you).
Dapperdan, what did you do that you cringe at? Care to share your mistakes?
You guys are such a help
I do know some about sets. Usually I start with the older stuff (50's and 60's) and then a couple slow ones (always 2 in a row) before the oldest of the crowd leaves. Typically, the ages are 40 and up where I have played. So it's kind of easy because it's all older, no newer stuff. Most of it is disco, lol. Easy for me, I love the older stuff and know it.
Weddings, um, I don't even know what this Chris Brown sounds like. :sqembarrassed: I'm sure I have heard him on the radio but most of the new stuff I'm sort of clueless. My family is more into the classic rock and new rock (nickleback). So I think I will be doing a lot of research on new stuff (I did see a post in here somewhere of what's new thank you).
Dapperdan, what did you do that you cringe at? Care to share your mistakes?
First of all I cringe at having only a chorded mic, no wireless, everyone had to come stand behind the DJ booth to speak as it wasa short line too. Also, I had maybe 700 songs total going into this wedding and all on CD. Also My CDmix 1 kept skipping on me. I started off back in 2003, so that was a looong time ago. I didn't know anything about hiding chords, or table skirts or anything. Plus I only got paid $250. Is that enough cring worthy stuff? lol
Welcome....Couple things I do...when talking to the bride/groom we get the given songs...first dance father/daughter..mother/son that type of thing
I then ask for 7 songs that you have to hear above and beyond the givens mentioned above. I also ask for another 7 to 10 songs that they would like to hear if we can work them in. This gives you 7 to 20 songs to work with and a pretty good clue as to what they want ....from there while at home listen to all the songs and begin to get an idea the flow of the songs.
Sometimes we dont want to slow it down but keep the energy going and yet we really need to change the style...thats when a transition song comes into play. Say your playing an 80's set and want to get to country....try Girls Just Want to Have fun and go to Man I Feel Like A Woman..It usually keeps the energy and the women on the floor yet you have now changed the style your playing....
I then ask for 7 songs that you have to hear above and beyond the givens mentioned above. I also ask for another 7 to 10 songs that they would like to hear if we can work them in. This gives you 7 to 20 songs to work with and a pretty good clue as to what they want ....from there while at home listen to all the songs and begin to get an idea the flow of the songs.
Sometimes we dont want to slow it down but keep the energy going and yet we really need to change the style...thats when a transition song comes into play. Say your playing an 80's set and want to get to country....try Girls Just Want to Have fun and go to Man I Feel Like A Woman..It usually keeps the energy and the women on the floor yet you have now changed the style your playing....
Dan, cordless I have and maybe because I'm a girl but I hate looking at cords. Hubby didn't think a table skirt was a big deal but I insist on them. lol
Silly side question: you say only cd, so do you work from mp3 or records? I'm all on computer, no cd's at all.
Dogman, thanks. I am working on her list so far but I am still waiting for her to send me more info. How long do people wait to pick out their songs? I know there is time but I usually spend hours going over music and what fits with it.
Silly side question: you say only cd, so do you work from mp3 or records? I'm all on computer, no cd's at all.
Dogman, thanks. I am working on her list so far but I am still waiting for her to send me more info. How long do people wait to pick out their songs? I know there is time but I usually spend hours going over music and what fits with it.
I only bring the mobile beat top 200 songs on a few CD's I burned and all of my Full Tilt CDs as backup. I was using Virtual DJ on my laptop but just recently purchased a Denon HD2500, so I am loading as many songs as I can onto the Denon and using my backup drives, so now my laptop is just for backup.