Bad DJs

To many ads? Support ODJT and see no ads!
Pierre said:
Guys, I have a question, how do you deal with the one person who at the end of the evening never wants you to end.... and you know that person , has had too many drinks....
Click to expand...

If you know them, you cannot be afraid to be honest.
Simply explain that the client has not paid you to go overtime...
and the venue is expecting me to stop at a specific time.
Going over could allow the venue to charge the client more money...(not good)
And you don't want to make the venue manager mad, because you will have to play here again.

Actually that works well even if you DON'T know them.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ittigger
Pierre said:
Guys, I have a question, how do you deal with the one person who at the end of the evening never wants you to end.... and you know that person , has had too many drinks....
Click to expand...

I do two things to help with this... the first, I call the encore ending. I typically end events with one last slow dance, and then one more big party song at the end. It has the feel of ending the event, and then doing "one more song." But, it's planned, so I still end on time.

Beyond that I routinely end my events and close my laptop, and disconnect it from my controller. It's a pretty clear signal that we're done.

However, I don't put a time limit on my events. So, if the client wanted to extend, I'm happy to. It just depends if their venue allows it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ittigger
The local Firehall says I am the best DJ she sees in there, and refers me to all her wedding clients. Unfortunately, many of them do not choose me because I am out of their price budget range. However, the times I am there, her biggest complaints about the other DJs she sees in there are ;

1. The DJs sit down wearing their head phones the entire time
2. They blear the music so loud her staff can't even talk to each other in the kitchen, and in the bar area.

3 (Because these DJs sit the whole time) they do not flow the wedding reception well like I do.


My Dad has an account at a local Elks Lodge in Ocean City, MD. One of the other DJs that was there for a number of years got let go because he was always sitting down, and he was simply the customer's least favorite DJ. He didn't work the crowd at all like my Dad does. My Dad is 73 years old, about 15 years older than that particular DJ, and he stands 90% of the night. He does bring a DJ Stool with him to sit in from time to time, but he is rarely sitting for more than 3 songs at a time.

I could sit down, and probably play music just as I do standing up on my laptop, but it's a bad perception. Standing up is more engaging with the crowd. Also, I think it would just be weird to have guests coming up to you as a DJ to request stuff, and you remain sitting in your chair while they stand over you. ...I wouldn't be comfortable in that situation.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dunlopj
I don't think it's sitting or standing that's making a bit of difference. I believe when people don't like the DJ's attitude or song selection, they will find fault in everything the dj does.

If I'm tired and need to sit, I do. But I rarely am

If a guest is bored and sees the dj sitting, the guest will see that as a negative. If a guest is having a great time, they won't notice or care that the dj is sitting

Same thing with texting, drinking, etc
 
  • Like
Reactions: DJ TJ, Jeff Romard and ittigger
The reason why every little thing make a difference is because we have to remember that we are not the only DJ that potential clients see. If you're the one sitting down, and then there's another dj having a blast, dancing, and moving behind the booth showing that he loves what he does... who do you think is gonna be viewed at in a more positive way. If you're texting while the toasts are going on, compared to another dj who appears engaged, smiling and laughing with what is being said... who is going to appear more sincere and caring about their clients. I often watch videos from friends events that they're attending, or random videos on instagram, and I can't tell you how bad dj's appear. Lasers, and crazy lights during first dances, dj's mcing and trying to be funny but really just appearing corny, announcing the artists of the song they're about to play or having pauses in between songs/not mixing, dj's still dressing from the 90's, lacking wire management, and SO much more.
 
  • Like
Reactions: maestro, awalker19, Albatross and 2 others
Jeff Romard said:
I've always wondered why sitting down makes you a bad DJ? Is there a button on your ass that makes you lose your skill?

I've always stood most of the night but I would sit at times. This year I've been not well and my energy is pretty low and I'm in almost constant pain (unless I medicate so I guess that's two strikes against me) so I've been sitting a lot more. I see no real difference in how the crowd reacts to what I'm doing
Click to expand...

I sit a good amount of the time.[emoji4] At my age, I'd be in traction for weeks if I stood up for four hours straight.[emoji1] I have a directors chair and a tall table, so people can't tell if I'm standing or sitting... it works for me. Never had a single customer ask if I sit or stand, nor have I had one complain because I sat.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jeff Romard and ittigger
The client is paying the DJ $100 or more per hour. Making that much money while sitting on the job must make clients feel they aren't getting their money's worth. Sr. citizen Walmart greeters stay on their feet for less than $10 per hour don't they?

No one is gonna complain about a DJ that sits, but what are they thinking about a DJ that sits more than stands? What if you advertised that you text and drink while sitting there selecting songs? Would that yield more gigs?

I feel guilty when I sit for just 10 minutes. As a singing guitarist I'm still doing something entertaining while sitting, but what's entertaining about a sitting DJ?

Taso, the second half of your post cracks me up because what you describe is the perception of wedding DJs by most people. Add those things up and you certainly don't have a good DJ let alone a great one.
 
Jas said:
The client is paying the DJ $100 or more per hour. Making that much money while sitting on the job must make clients feel they aren't getting their money's worth. Sr. citizen Walmart greeters stay on their feet for less than $10 per hour don't they?

No one is gonna complain about a DJ that sits, but what are they thinking about a DJ that sits more than stands? What if you advertised that you text and drink while sitting there selecting songs? Would that yield more gigs?

I feel guilty when I sit for just 10 minutes. As a singing guitarist I'm still doing something entertaining while sitting, but what's entertaining about a sitting DJ?

Taso, the second half of your post cracks me up because what you describe is the perception of wedding DJs by most people. Add those things up and you certainly don't have a good DJ let alone a great one.
Click to expand...

First of all, let's say you get paid $100 per hour. That does not include load in/load out, travel and prep time... so it's really closer to $50 an hour. That's less than I made as a computer programmer, which I did mostly while sitting.[emoji1]

My ex-wife was a Walmart greeter, and though she did not stand for four hour stretches, she did stand a lot... too much. Ended up having to retire because it caused so much damage to her hips that she could not walk anymore. She eventually had to have hip replacement surgery. Did Walmart pay for that? Nope... Medicare did.

When YOU are the entertainment, that's one thing, but not all gigs are like that. When I emcee, I stand. If I'm supposed to have the attention of the audience, I stand. When someone else is the center of the audience's attention, I can sit... nobody's watching, and in my director's chair, behind my booth, nobody can tell if I'm sitting or standing anyway.[emoji4]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jeff Romard, steve149, scgstuff and 1 other person
DJ Bobcat said:
First of all, let's say you get paid $100 per hour. That does not include load in/load out, travel and prep time... so it's really closer to $50 an hour. That's less than I made as a computer programmer, which I did mostly while sitting.emoji1.png
Click to expand...

That's why I set my rates so I make $100 an hour, including consultations, travel, set up, strike and performance. Standing doesn't feel so bad :)
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Jeff Romard and ittigger
Albatross said:
That's why I set my rates so I make $100 an hour, including consultations, travel, set up, strike and performance.
Click to expand...

Don't get me wrong... $50 an hour is not exactly peanuts. $100 per hour is better, though.[emoji4] It's great if you can get it. Would I stand up for an entire gig if I was makin' $100 or more an hour???... NOPE.[emoji1] As most of you know (especially if you work alone), there's a recovery time after every gig. I don't do anything the next day... except nap.[emoji4] I don't mind a one day recovery time, but if it gets to the point that it takes longer, I may just stop DJing. My health is more important than the money.[emoji4]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jeff Romard and ittigger
I agree with Bobcat .. stand when you need to, sit when you have the opportunity, eat if you're hungry and drink if you're thirsty. Most of us here are not "THE" reason people are at the event (exceptions can be noted), so it kind of smacks of self-righteousness (maybe that's too strong) to say the DJ "needs" to be standing all the time.

To each their own.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jeff Romard, ittigger and DJ Bobcat
In all honesty, I find to mirror the guests behavior being most appropriate. During dinner when guests are seated... I have no problem sitting for a few minutes - or sneaking away for a quick vendor meal. During dancing when everyone is partying and giving me energy from the dance floor, I never sit.

Obviously everyone can and does make their own decision based on health, comfort, and the style of events they are taking on.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jeff Romard, DJ Ricky B, dunlopj and 4 others
Jas said:
The client is paying the DJ $100 or more per hour. Making that much money while sitting on the job must make clients feel they aren't getting their money's worth. Sr. citizen Walmart greeters stay on their feet for less than $10 per hour don't they?
Click to expand...

I seen my Lawyer today and he sat the whole time for $250/Hr ;)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Andy A, ittigger, Jas and 1 other person
Jeff Romard said:
I've always wondered why sitting down makes you a bad DJ? Is there a button on your ass that makes you lose your skill?

I've always stood most of the night but I would sit at times. This year I've been not well and my energy is pretty low and I'm in almost constant pain (unless I medicate so I guess that's two strikes against me) so I've been sitting a lot more. I see no real difference in how the crowd reacts to what I'm doing
Click to expand...
I feel you on that one. I just had my first treatment of Acupuncture. It did help somewhat. I go back for another treatment this Wednesday.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back