What is a "real D.J."

The majority of my wedding clients do not want the DJ to try to be the center of attention, because it's their day, not the DJ's.

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I don't think there is anyone who wants the DJ to be the center of attention (except the DJ himself).

The problem is how you define interactive - to most DJs that means games. This works well in the teen market - but then these same DJs try to bring this style into adult formal events.

These are the guys who have been conditioned through working with children to believe it's their emcee skill and their voice on the mic that motivates people. These are the cheeseheads who you see walking around in dead air proclaiming: "right now - I need everyone on the dancefloor!"; (This can go on for a full 10 minutes - unless the DJ is very expensive, in which case it might last 15.)

Once it really goes to their head they'll start to touch things - so their subliminal powers can focus the rooms energy and attention on inanimate objects like doors, etc.

BTW - don't try this without the benefit of many hours of professional development found only on privately produced DVDs!

Real DJs never have to beg - because most everyone would already be on the dancefloor. A real DJ knows that the party train is just a song. What we really drive is an escalator - everybody rides but we don't stop too pick up passengers!
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Ah, but not every crowd is a dancing crowd.

Ah, but not every crowd is a dancing crowd.

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Well, then you're back to it all being about the music aren't you?

By and large however, the big money is with people who want to dance - and those who can make that happen.

Good background music isn't that hard to come by, and consequently it's price never really rises. When was the last time you got paid 5 figures to add musical "ambiance" to a cookout?

DJ Ducky said:

What really gets me, though, is when I sit down with clients, especially a couple who are planning their wedding and they ask me questions about interactivity. This even happens over the phone! They want to know how much we typically announce songs or if we play games, because THEY DON'T WANT ANY OF THAT. So here I am, thinking that "oh crap, they want one of those cheesy DJs and I might not deliver" and then they breathe that sigh of relief after I tell them that while some announcements are made, we tend to let the music do the talking. The majority of my wedding clients do not want the DJ to try to be the center of attention, because it's their day, not the DJ's.

One such occasion happened at a Sunday morning meeting. They had asked over the phone, but this was the first time the groom had met us and the bride pretty much wanted to reassure him. Well, they told us some horror stories from some other wedding experiences and I found myself telling them about a DVD of games that I received. One of the games had to do with scavenging for business cards and giving them to the DJ to keep. They had the same mortified looks on their faces that I had when I saw this.

I guess that the point to my rant is that I've found that as a DJ, people expect me to play music and not talk all night. If they wanted an entertainer, per se, they'd have hired a magician or a clown.

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It's funny that you should say that. I sat down with a guy the other day, who booked me for his wedding. He asked, "Do you know any good games?" I said, "Oh, I know a few, and I could research more if you want, but I am not a gamester." He looked me in the eyes with a serious look on his face, and replied, "GOOD!"

Proformance said:

Well, then you're back to it all being about the music aren't you?

By and large however, the big money is with people who want to dance - and those who can make that happen.

Good background music isn't that hard to come by, and consequently it's price never really rises. When was the last time you got paid 5 figures to add musical "ambiance" to a cookout?

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I don't charge "5 figures." :yosick:

In Abbotsford, the BIG MONEY is in drugs.

What was the $1200 Real DJ hired for then ?

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I never said either was a real DJ. You're equating price with ability and that's simply not possible in a field where ego trumps experience.

It's also not possible to simply take your personal evaluation of the other DJ at face value. You're not the person who hired him. I also don't have to tell you what it looks like when a DJ doing a $100 favor complains about the guy next door doing the same thing for $1200.

I don't charge "5 figures."

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You might, if someday you're interested in being more than all about the music.

Proformance, I will never charge that much for an event and I will never find myself concerned about the person who does, or even the $1200 DJ. Also, I will never stop focusing upon the music, because I believe that the music is the most important part of my job as a DJ. For me, the money is just a nice bonus added to the fact that I'm doing what I love.

..because I believe that the music is the most important part of my job as a DJ.

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EXACTLY! ....so now you understand the difference Mr. K put forward between a Disc Jockey and Entertainment.

Proformance, I'm really not understanding what YOUR point is. You were implying that events where people don't dance pay less, and you were saying that there is a greater potential for a DJ to get paid "5 figures" by a dancing crowd than a chilling crowd. At least, that's what I got out of it. I stated that I don't charge that much and never would consider charging that much. Now, you're saying that's the difference between a DJ and an entertainer. The question put forth on this thread is about what a "real DJ" is and not about an entertainer; at least, that's what I understood from that very open-ended question. So, what's your point?:sqerr:

Let me ask you this: "What is it that makes you a real DJ?"

Is it your ability to get hired? Is it your price? Is it your opinion of yourself? Is it the opinion of others? Is it the songs you pick or the order you play them in? Is it your proferssionalism? Is it your marketing? Is it your reputation?

Is it your music knowledge? Is it your ability to mix/edit? Is it your ability to over-dub? Is it your ability to read a crowd? Is it you're ability to play with musicians? Is it your ability to keep your mix within the running choreography? Is it your basic knowledge of music theory?

Here's the irony:
It's the second set of questions that would measure the skill level of a real DJ however, it's the first set that defines the success of a mobile DJ business.

So, DJ as Mr. K so aptly put it - can mean anything you want it too. All that matters is that you find an audience willing to accept your definition.

:yoDur:

For me, I feel the most basic definition of a DJ is someone whom plays music for others to enjoy.

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That definition would include both my 4 yr old daughter with a toy, and the teenager with his car stereo blasting across the beach.

I think you have to define "DJ" as either something marketable, or a technical skill set not possessed by others.

To get labelled as a Disc Jockey - you either have a tangible entertainment service or a marketable skill set. Without one or the other you're just one more person with a record collection.

Proformance: A:

Is it your ability to get hired? Is it your price? Is it your opinion of yourself? Is it the opinion of others? Is it the songs you pick or the order you play them in? Is it your proferssionalism? Is it your marketing? Is it your reputation?

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B:

Is it your music knowledge? Is it your ability to mix/edit? Is it your ability to over-dub? Is it your ability to read a crowd? Is it you're ability to play with musicians? Is it your ability to keep your mix within the running choreography? Is it your basic knowledge of music theory?

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Absolutely brilliant, sir.

Will you care to comment on your perspectives of a person who has a relatively firm grip on both the A & B elements? Is it possible?

Proformance said:

That definition would include both my 4 yr old daughter with a toy, and the teenager with his car stereo blasting across the beach.

I think you have to define "DJ" as either something marketable, or a technical skill set not possessed by others.

To get labelled as a Disc Jockey - you either have a tangible entertainment service or a marketable skill set. Without one or the other you're just one more person with a record collection.

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Proformance said:

To get labelled as a Disc Jockey - you either have a tangible entertainment service or a marketable skill set. Without one or the other you're just one more person with a record collection.

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I would just like to say, all the people and DJs who started the entire idea of being a DJ were nothing more than people with record collections, a turntable, some speakers and a desire to share their love of music with others.

To me, that is still the essence of a being any kind of "real" DJ, you gotta have the love of music and the desire to share it with others.

Will you care to comment on your perspectives of a person who has a relatively firm grip on both the A & B elements? Is it possible?

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Possible, but very rare. Entertainment can be packaged and replicated in a way that a personal technical skill set cannot. Thus, there's a real scalable difference in the path you choose.

Selling and doing are separate talents, and if you can sell very well - the actual definition or what you mean when you say disc jockey isn't likely to matter all that much.

Consider the larger more successful of what we call DJ businesses. Many are really selling entertainment and are formulas built around the music that require only minimal actual DJ talent.

The most obvious example of that is the Bar Mitzvah. If you peel away the surrounding carnival - you quite often find that behind the formula and the emcee is a need for only minimal talent at the DJ mixer.

A lot of wedding muti-ops are also unwittingly set in formula. Partly from the commonality of the traditions; from a lack of exposure to alternatives, and from the need to make ready employees in a timely manner. Just look at the wedding playlists thread to see how many people are using similar formulas without even really thinking about it.

To sell DJ skills you have to go where the skill is acutely required, or develop a corresponding client list to secure those connections.

I doubt anyone really exists or freelances as strictly one or the other unless they limit themselves strictly to one vertical. Even if you have the skills you probably cater entertainment too, because that is what people often want to buy. Also, even the most persistent perveyors of "formulas" will find an occasional need for; and have available deeper DJ talent.

I would just like to say, all the people and DJs who started the entire idea of being a DJ were nothing more than people with record collections, a turntable, some speakers and a desire to share their love of music with others.

To me, that is still the essence of a being any kind of real DJ, you gotta have the love of music and the desire to share it with others.

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I disagree.

What you describe is historically known as the record changer and is the pre-cursor to the first DJ.

In those days, hit singles were distributed on 7in. 45rpm vinyl, and people stacked them up on a special auto-loading spindle so that each song would play in the sequential order they chose. Each of them had a love of the music and a desire to share it with others. That didn't make them DJs.

The trouble was, those songs were typically really short (around 2:00 or 2:30).

The first DJ was the person who used two turntables to simultaneously play and mix two copies of a hit song to make it longer for more dancing time, or greater playback length. (i.e.: The disc jockey was born.)

It's always been what you do with the music not just the act of playing it. An iPod is not a DJ - and you're not a DJ until you do something with what comes out of your iPod.