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If you’re like most folks who have ever taken on the challenge of planning a large party or event, you probably waver back and forth between the excitement of everything going right, and the fear of everything going wrong. There is an endless list of things to do, and it seems as though the more you do the longer the list gets. At the very top of the list is the entertainment, and rightly so, because the entertainment will likely make or break the party. If you are feeling just a little apprehensive about getting the best entertainment value for your event, then the following article is a must read educational necessity. If you learn nothing else, by the end of this article you will at least know how to choose a Disc Jockey for your event.
So you're having an event and you require some musical entertainment. But how do you begin your quest? Maybe you start with the Yellow Pages, yeah, that sounds reasonable. So you grab your local phone book, turn to the Yellow Pages, flip through until you come to the section marked Disc Jockeys, and then sit back with a stunned and puzzled look of amazement as you begin to count…40…50…100…how can there be so many Disc Jockey’s in your area? The answer…… no credentials required! It seems as though we all know a friend, or a friend of a friend who either is or was a disc jockey. And what made him a disc jockey? He lived near a local Radio Shack store, purchased a really neat stereo, had an awesome CD collection of classic rock sitting on the shelf, and somehow got stuck playing music at some college party on a Saturday night. And now he's a DJ. Look carefully at that list of Disc Jockeys in the Yellow Pages, you just might find him there. And if he doesn't have his own business, he's probably working for some other local DJ company to earn a few extra bucks working weekends while he puts himself through college. Really great for him, but not so great for you if what you're looking for is some really high-end professional entertainment for your event. If you were looking to buy a car, you could simply turn to Consumer Reports to help you make a good decision. But unfortunately, the last time we looked, Disc Jockeys were not a category in Consumer Reports. Because there are no legal standards of quality that a DJ company must adhere to, any company can claim to be the very best, and yet the quality provided from one company to another can be as vast as a listening to your favorite artist on a boom box versus listening to your favorite artist live in concert. Yup, buyer beware!
So how do you wade through the masses of yellow page ads and stand a reasonable chance of getting a good disc jockey? The answer is knowing the right questions to ask. Many companies build their business on what you don’t know. It sounds as if you need a PHD in Audio Engineering along with a good attorney at your side in order to prepare for your party, but you really don’t. Just understanding a little about the business and a few tips on asking the right questions should get you well on your way towards getting what you need and avoiding potential pitfalls. The first thing you must understand is that you're not just hiring a disc jockey, you are hiring a disc jockey, master of ceremonies, host, event coordinator, sound reinforcement company, audio engineer, and in some cases a light jockey, video jockey, dance instructor and all around entertainment Superman/woman. And you want all that for under 500 bucks right? Do you want fries with that?
There are 2 categories of DJ companies - those who promote QUANTITY and those who promote QUALITY. Each is likely to be good at what they do, but how they function is very different. (Please Note: These two categories define a companies primary focus and business objectives only. This information is not intended to either demean nor promote one category over another. There is a need for both categories, this guide only offers the tools for differentiating between the two. It’s up to the individual to decide which category best suits their needs.)  It's All In The Math!
With QUANTITY it’s all about the math. Their goal is simply to get as many DJ’s in the field as possible on any given night. Example: If a company invests $5,000 or less in its DJ systems, and they have 8 DJ’s in the field on a Saturday Night earning an average of $500, then the math tells us the company brought in $4000 that night on an investment of only $40,000. QUALITY loses to QUANTITY by a landslide. So if QUANTITY is more profitable, why do QUALITY? Because for a select few companies, it’s still about the music!  What Are You Looking For?
At this point, if your primary concern is finding entertainment to fit a tight budget, then there is no need to read further, most QUANTITY category DJ Companies are competitive with one another. Choose the company whom you feel most confident with after speaking to them and/or after reviewing their literature and website. If your primary concern is top QUALITY and performance, or perhaps even somewhere in between, please read on. Your first objective is to find out which category your potential DJ Company belongs to, QUANTITY or QUALITY. Start by asking the potential company how many DJ’s they employ. Their answer will be your first clue as to the category in which they belong. If they employ 4, 5, 6 and sometimes more DJ’s, their primary business objective is QUANTITY in the field. QUALITY focused companies are likely to spend considerably more time working with their clients and working with other individuals and companies who have a part in the success of the event. You’ve discovered for yourself just how difficult and time consuming it is planning just one event, can you imagine trying to successfully promote seven or eight per week? Just how much time could you truly devote to each event? Well, no one else can promote many events effectively either!  Trick-of-the-Trade
At the other end of the spectrum, because a company employs only a few DJ’s does not necessarily mean that they fall into the QUALITY category either. There are plenty of hobby DJ’s who enjoy music and earning a few extra bucks on the occasional weekend. The next question is sort of a “trick-of-the-trade” secret and will help you further weed out low-end DJ’s as well as the amateurs. A little technical knowledge, ALL professional audio gear is designed to be rack-mounted, unlike amateur and home usage consumer grade equipment which is stackable, like in an entertainment center (For an example of professional rack-mounted gear you may refer to the home page of this site). So this next question may seem a little odd, but simply ask your potential DJ if a table is required in which to set up their gear. If a table is required it will indicate at least two things:
Your next question might be to ask how many song titles will be available to you and your guests. If you are hiring a DJ, then it is all about the music. How many song titles should a DJ provide? As many as possible! There are quite literally hundreds of thousands of songs roaming the planet and of course no one can have them all. But if company “A” advertised that they provide 3,000 songs and company “B” provides 30,000 song titles, that means that company “B” is 10 times more likely to have your request on hand and available. Quite a difference. QUANTITY focused companies rarely have 6, 8, 10 or more complete music libraries, one for each DJ. Typically they pull music from their library and distribute them among their DJ’s based upon their bestguess of their customers needs, making sure that they have the basics only: Y.M.C.A., Mony Mony, Brick House, you get the picture. If your seeking more than typical, choose a company that provides a larger music library for you and your guests.
The very first question asked by 9 out of 10 Yellow Page shoppers is “How much do you charge?”. If you were shopping for a new car you would never call a dealer and just ask “How much is a car? If you did he would probably respond by asking “What kind of a car are you looking for?” In order to answer the big $$$$ question you first need to know what kind of Disc Jockey your looking for. 
Vinyl, CD, Computer, does it matter? Most long time DJ’s will always have a soft spot in their heart for vinyl, but when it comes to performance in the field, computerized systems win hands down over vinyl or CD’s. The freedom and performance offered by today’s hi-end computerized systems allows the new era of DJ quick access to huge music libraries previously far to impractical using Vinyl or CD’s. This new technology allows DJ’s superior control, greater freedom to interact with the audience, and the ability to find requests at lightning speed, all of which highly benefits the audience on the receiving end of the technology. Professional rack-mounted computer systems are still very expensive, therefore it is likely that QUANTITY category DJ companies are still toting CD Players or Turn Tables.  Are We There Yet?
If you have read the preceding information you should now have the tools necessary to decode the mystery of categories, QUALITY vs. QUANTITY. It is for you to decide which category best suits your needs. Once you have chosen your category, it is a matter of comparing features from one company to another. Check out their website, they should have an outline clearly showing what they will provide for the fee that they charge. It is most important that you feel comfortable and confident with whomever you choose to be your DJ, as that individual will play a very special and important role in overall success of your event. Reputable businesses should clearly outline what their role and degree of involvement with your event will be and they should be willing to answer any an all questions without justification. The entertainment industry is no different than any other industry in respect to doing your homework, your motto in all things should be “Buyer Beware”. We understand that our services do not fit within some budget restraints, and quite frankly we cannot accommodate all those who wish to use our services due to limited availability. But information and recommendations are absolutely free and always available, please feel free to use us as a guide and informational resource. Unfortunately, we have heard many entertainment horror stories over the years and it would be tragic to add yours among the list. Best Wishes, Arizona Thunder Productions |
