Don't give away our secrets! Spotify might take away the download button (which I totally don't use for dinner music at all...nope ;) I still add to que day of and don't just let my lists play for dinner depending on the day and couple, sometimes I'll sprinkle I'm more country or Motown or bubbly love pop from the 2000s. One wedding I got a bad google review afterwards for not playing a couples' 200 song 'dancing must plays' and took too many guests requests. The review said I didn't play from their carefully handpicked list so I wouldn't have to take requests. They never made me aware of their wish to not take requests and I played over 60% of their songs anyways not sure what their problem was and their guests were dancing. Can't please everyone
Great advice. It's becoming more and more common for couples to provide huge spotify playlists for us to get a "feel". It's all about your perspective on it, I love to give the customer what they want and will sort mixes/tracks out beforehand so that they get as much of their playlist as possible.
I wish my wife and I had found you during our DJ search for our wedding in 2017. Our DJ didn’t play a single song from our couples playlist… we brushed it off, probably shouldn’t have.
Great thinking here Nick. I played to a crowd from DC here in the UK last night. Great to see the difference in the vibe between UK and US crowd. The floor was jumpin all night. B&G put a great playlist together
I love receiving playlists from my clients and the more extensive, the better idea I get as to what they really like. The biggest and most gratifying challenge for me these days as a private event DJ is taking each list and customizing it just how the client requested, as well as adding bangers I feel will work with their selections.
9:24 Oh man such a big truth. You can ALWAYS find something new for your crates from requests. For me its almost mandatory to bring new songs to my playlists. Requests are the greatest source of hits that you already forgot. If you play the same shit all the time you going to burn out fast...
On the topic of lists. What’s your approach when the the couple gives you a long list of must plays and you know they are songs that’s aren’t going to work at all for dancing? And if at the wedding it turns out that you were right, their list ain’t working, do you still stick to the script?
I love playlists. I was once given a list with over 150 songs and was told to just play them. I mixed the shit out of that list and blew their fricken minds. Truth be told I practiced a few fail safe mixes that lasted about 30 to 40 mins each that I knew would rock the party and then just filled in the blanks as the night progressed. It was a blast and they gave me a huge tip and an awesome review. But sometimes I like doing my own thing. I guess it depends on the couple and what is moving the crowd. You may not get them all in there. But don't be afraid of the list. Great topic Nick.
Honestly I have my first wedding I am doing where the couple told me "DJ Choice" for mostly everything. It is the most anxious I have been about a gig hahaha. I have definitely changed my perception on requests and without a doubt they should be used strategically.
I keep many playlist from past weddings- could be cocktails or the dancing- then I create other folders- where all the tracks get dumped into- OPEN MINDED WE NEED TO BE
This is why I value and even prefer song requests live.. the person giving me a song request know the bride & groom and bigger- the entire wedding guest list BETTER than I do.
Some playlists are shockingly bad. Music that is dance floor killers that you know from experience but I aways ask them to give me one to see where the party’s go music wise and I work from that but my god there is some shockingly bad ones lol
Spotify is my go to for clients but i ask for 25 to 35 songs With must plays and to seek genres for the evening. Now my twist is i have tidal So i migrate the spotify to tidal and now have that tidal playlist tied to Serato for live play. I do use my hot spot on cell or venue internet for tidal stream to run. Of course i have my hard drive also for the night.
Here are the two questions I always ask them: 1) What song if I don't play will ruin your wedding? and 2) What song if I do play will ruin your wedding?
Absolutely agree with that! I also like to increase my music radar by listening to other playlists and grabbing the best out of it for other weddings...
Don't give away our secrets! Spotify might take away the download button (which I totally don't use for dinner music at all...nope ;) I still add to que day of and don't just let my lists play for dinner depending on the day and couple, sometimes I'll sprinkle I'm more country or Motown or bubbly love pop from the 2000s. One wedding I got a bad google review afterwards for not playing a couples' 200 song 'dancing must plays' and took too many guests requests. The review said I didn't play from their carefully handpicked list so I wouldn't have to take requests. They never made me aware of their wish to not take requests and I played over 60% of their songs anyways not sure what their problem was and their guests were dancing. Can't please everyone
Great advice. It's becoming more and more common for couples to provide huge spotify playlists for us to get a "feel". It's all about your perspective on it, I love to give the customer what they want and will sort mixes/tracks out beforehand so that they get as much of their playlist as possible.
I wish my wife and I had found you during our DJ search for our wedding in 2017. Our DJ didn’t play a single song from our couples playlist… we brushed it off, probably shouldn’t have.
Great thinking here Nick. I played to a crowd from DC here in the UK last night. Great to see the difference in the vibe between UK and US crowd. The floor was jumpin all night. B&G put a great playlist together
I do a lot of what you said- I totally get it- The more songs that are given to me- It makes much STRONGER! great you took time to talk about this.
I love receiving playlists from my clients and the more extensive, the better idea I get as to what they really like. The biggest and most gratifying challenge for me these days as a private event DJ is taking each list and customizing it just how the client requested, as well as adding bangers I feel will work with their selections.
9:24 Oh man such a big truth. You can ALWAYS find something new for your crates from requests. For me its almost mandatory to bring new songs to my playlists. Requests are the greatest source of hits that you already forgot. If you play the same shit all the time you going to burn out fast...
Pure gold like usual
On the topic of lists. What’s your approach when the the couple gives you a long list of must plays and you know they are songs that’s aren’t going to work at all for dancing? And if at the wedding it turns out that you were right, their list ain’t working, do you still stick to the script?
Client meeting will not give you a full idea what the client listen to or like… Playlist Do. Period
I love playlists. I was once given a list with over 150 songs and was told to just play them. I mixed the shit out of that list and blew their fricken minds. Truth be told I practiced a few fail safe mixes that lasted about 30 to 40 mins each that I knew would rock the party and then just filled in the blanks as the night progressed. It was a blast and they gave me a huge tip and an awesome review. But sometimes I like doing my own thing. I guess it depends on the couple and what is moving the crowd. You may not get them all in there. But don't be afraid of the list. Great topic Nick.
Client playlists are gold! They make me look like a musical genius.
Can’t wait to see how you do this when you have a little one running around! Congrats again man fatherhood is amazing!!!!
I love the "I smoke a ton of pot but I still femember" line. You are my kind of people
Always great stuff. Yeah, I have a “Must Play” section and a “Play stuff like” section in my online planner they can log in.
Honestly I have my first wedding I am doing where the couple told me "DJ Choice" for mostly everything. It is the most anxious I have been about a gig hahaha. I have definitely changed my perception on requests and without a doubt they should be used strategically.
I downloaded a whoooooole playlist of 150-200 songs and played like 10 songs.
I keep many playlist from past weddings- could be cocktails or the dancing- then I create other folders- where all the tracks get dumped into- OPEN MINDED WE NEED TO BE
This is why I value and even prefer song requests live.. the person giving me a song request know the bride & groom and bigger- the entire wedding guest list BETTER than I do.
Some playlists are shockingly bad. Music that is dance floor killers that you know from experience but I aways ask them to give me one to see where the party’s go music wise and I work from that but my god there is some shockingly bad ones lol
Spotify is my go to for clients but i ask for 25 to 35 songs
With must plays and to seek genres for the evening.
Now my twist is i have tidal
So i migrate the spotify to tidal and now have that tidal playlist tied to Serato for live play. I do use my hot spot on cell or venue internet for tidal stream to run. Of course i have my hard drive also for the night.
I like DJing in the street. I get to play how I like.
Some video I sent this to a Dj that was bitching about a playlist..
Good advice 😊
Here are the two questions I always ask them: 1) What song if I don't play will ruin your wedding? and 2) What song if I do play will ruin your wedding?
I totally agree with you and within the same market you will use a lot of repeats for later
Yolo
Absolutely agree with that! I also like to increase my music radar by listening to other playlists and grabbing the best out of it for other weddings...