Stuff People Say to the Dee Jay

Top ten things you should never say to a DJ:


1. PLAY SOMETHING GOOD...SOMETHING WE CAN DANCE TO !
The DJ has to play for more than one person...so what you hate may be another's favorite song and EVERYTHING played here can be danced to one way or another.

2. WOULD YOU PLAY SOMETHING WITH A "BEAT" !
BE SERIOUS! We know of NO songs played in a club that don't have some sort of BEAT!

3. I DON'T KNOW WHO SINGS IT AND I DON'T KNOW THE NAME OF THE SONG, BUT IT GOES LIKE THIS....
PLEASE don't sing for the DJ. They have to put up with smoke filled rooms and dangerous decibel levels all night long...Do them a favor and DON'T give them a rendition of your favorite song.

4. EVERYBODY WANTS TO HEAR IT !
Oh, sure... you polled everyone in the club and, as their spokesperson, you're requesting the song.

5. EVERYBODY WILL DANCE IF YOU PLAY IT !
The DJ won't. I guess that blows a hole in that theory!

6. I CAN GET LAID IF YOU PLAY IT !
Why settle for one night? Buy the album and get laid for a whole month!

7. I WANT TO HEAR IT NEXT !
The ONLY people who can get away with that statement write the DJ's paycheck!

8. WHAT DO YOU HAVE ?
It's a lot easier for you to go have another beer and figure out what you want to hear than it is for the DJ to recite the name of every record in the booth!

9. HEY, MAN, NOBODY CAN DANCE TO THIS !
It's NOT advisable to say this when the dance floor is packed (but some people do anyway) ! HOWEVER, even if there is only ONE person on the floor, it STILL contradicts the statement!

10. PLAY IT SOON, BECAUSE WE'RE LEAVING !
If your gonna leave after he plays it, why shouldn't he wait till the very last song so you stay all night!

SOME ASSORTED THINGS NOT TO SAY TO A DJ:
1. If you ask for a song and the DJ says he just played it, DON’T SAY "Well I just got here." It makes absolutely no difference.

2. DON’T SAY "Is this the only music you play?" If you go to a Chinese restaurant, you wouldn’t ask for Italian food.

3. If you ask for a song...BE SPECIFIC. DON’T SAY "I wanna hear something....anything but this!" Try going to the bar and saying,
"I wanna drink something....anything but this..." You can’t complain if you're not SPECIFIC.

4. HOWEVER, if you are specific and the DJ says he doesn’t have that song, DON’T SAY "What!?!? What do you mean you don’t have it? what kind of DJ are you? HE MAY SHOOT YOU!!!!!

5. SPECIAL NOTE! A night club DJ gets very little RESPECT. They are expected to play everything for everybody. It is impossible to satisfy all of the people all of the time, yet club DJs are expected to do just that. If a radio DJ tells his listeners a song is a hit, the majority of the people figure it must be "Because they say so on the radio." However 80% of the time that same song was being played in a club long before radio DISCOVERED the NEW song.

So give the DJ a break! The next time you request a song, stop and THINK before you speak.

And above all....if the DJ has one hand on the mixing board, one hand on the turntable, and the headphones on....Don’t bug him

....HE’S MIXING!!!!
 
"did u have a free AC space so I can charge my phone/nintendo/camera?"

"did u have an extra multiplug or electrical extension?"

"our amp just blew away. can we plug our console to yours?"

"did u have this artist song that only a Disney channel die-hard fan knows and I have no intention to dance with because I'm too shy".

first guy: "music is too loud!" following next guy .5 seconds later: 'I can barely listen to the music".

people who sits too close to speakers and complains about how loud they are all night long.

a drunk that can't even stand by himself: "one more song, please!... I'll help you with the heavy stuff later!"
 
It's all very funny, just one comment from me: I think the DJs should take very seriously if people complain that the music is too loud. I have complained about this when my ears were literally in pain, made no difference. Anyway it is possible to determine objectively if the volume is dangerously high/normal/too low. So, it's preferable to check whenever people are complaining. If it's not dangerously high, I would accept that the DJ determines the volume. The truth however is that in the majority of cases it is too high and some people are more bothered by it than others. Don't dismiss it just because you don't feel it the same way, check just in case.
 
It's funny how some play so loud even though there is only about 5 people in the place. The more the place gets packed the louder it goes. No point in making people's ear bleed if there are only so few in the place. The music should be at a volume that does not cause ear fatigue due to distortion. We have to always check our levels so it is at a volume that can be appreciated by the dancer's.
 
It pains me to watch people (esp girls in their 20s) sit literally 2-3 feet directly in front the speakers at events I play for. While it's a nice clear ~95dB or whatever in the middle of the floor. It's easily 100+ dB @ 2 feet.

I try and tell them they are destroying their hearing but I get a lot of "It doesen't bother me" . Already gone..... :(
 
bohahahahah! funny.

That's why I never cared to do weddings, office parties, bar mitzvah etc when I was a DJing. I stuck to house music, and all those who came to my gigs or listened to my radio shows knew what I was all about and what product I was selling and not one dared asking me these questions!

:)
 
SalsaGipsy said:
It's all very funny, just one comment from me: I think the DJs should take very seriously if people complain that the music is too loud. I have complained about this when my ears were literally in pain, made no difference. Anyway it is possible to determine objectively if the volume is dangerously high/normal/too low. So, it's preferable to check whenever people are complaining. If it's not dangerously high, I would accept that the DJ determines the volume. The truth however is that in the majority of cases it is too high and some people are more bothered by it than others. Don't dismiss it just because you don't feel it the same way, check just in case.
Click to expand...
I recall a very sweet and endearing lady who eventually became a good friend of mine, who would complain about the volume of the music. She would say that it made her "ears ache."

Anytime someone makes such a complaint, I always first listen to it again myself and then turn the music down, if only just slightly. However, with this particular lady, every other DJ that I knew would complain to me about her! She always would be the only person complaining about the music wherever she went. In fact, they would prefer to her as "the one that always complains about the volume."

So, while DJs definitely want to cater to everyone, there are some people who have issues that everyone else does not have. Hence, we have to weigh every scenario to make sure that we are doing the right thing.

There are many, many examples where the patrons are being unreasonable, but I'll mention just one more. I do a monthly event at the State building, downtown Chicago. It is called "Salsa/Mambo/Bachata on the Concourse." Despite the title of the event, I have had people requesting cumbia, merengue and even reggaetón.
 
Chris F said:
It pains me to watch people (esp girls in their 20s) sit literally 2-3 feet directly in front the speakers at events I play for. While it's a nice clear ~95dB or whatever in the middle of the floor. It's easily 100+ dB @ 2 feet.

I try and tell them they are destroying their hearing but I get a lot of "It doesen't bother me" . Already gone..... :(
Click to expand...

Speaking of which; when el gran combo came to town for a concert I was standing right at the edge of the stage and noticed that Jerry Rivas had ear plugs. I wondered how does he hear the music and able to sing when his ears are blocked. I soon found out that those were not regular ear plugs but musicians earplug made specifically to lower the level of music while mainting the quality.

You can find many sites talking about these devices by just googling "earplugs for muscisians"

I am actually shopping for a pair for my own use.
 
El Caobo said:
I recall a very sweet and endearing lady who eventually became a good friend of mine, who would complain about the volume of the music. She would say that it made her "ears ache."

Anytime someone makes such a complaint, I always first listen to it again myself and then turn the music down, if only just slightly. However, with this particular lady, every other DJ that I knew would complain to me about her! She always would be the only person complaining about the music wherever she went. In fact, they would prefer to her as "the one that always complains about the volume."

So, while DJs definitely want to cater to everyone, there are some people who have issues that everyone else does not have. Hence, we have to weigh every scenario to make sure that we are doing the right thing.

There are many, many examples where the patrons are being unreasonable, but I'll mention just one more. I do a monthly event at the State building, downtown Chicago. It is called "Salsa/Mambo/Bachata on the Concourse." Despite the title of the event, I have had people requesting cumbia, merengue and even reggaetón.
Click to expand...

It's true that you cannot please everybody. What bothers me though is that I've never seen a DJ actually measure the level of the sound. They rely on their own ears but many have already (slightly or significantly) damaged hearing. Then they are not going to believe anybody who complains and will damage other people's hearing in the process. I see regularly people with ear plugs, surely that's a bad sign.

Anyway that's just a rant, not directed at anybody in this thread, I'm sure you are doing a great job at your gigs :)
 
TwoCentsTipper said:
Speaking of which; when el gran combo came to town for a concert I was standing right at the edge of the stage and noticed that Jerry Rivas had ear plugs. I wondered how does he hear the music and able to sing when his ears are blocked. I soon found out that those were not regular ear plugs but musicians earplug made specifically to lower the level of music while mainting the quality.

You can find many sites talking about these devices by just googling "earplugs for muscisians"

I am actually shopping for a pair for my own use.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I see that regularly with musicians and I've considered getting these ear plugs as well. I use normal ones when things get really bad but they give you awful sound.
 
SalsaGipsy said:
It's true that you cannot please everybody. What bothers me though is that I've never seen a DJ actually measure the level of the sound. They rely on their own ears but many have already (slightly or significantly) damaged hearing. Then they are not going to believe anybody who complains and will damage other people's hearing in the process. I see regularly people with ear plugs, surely that's a bad sign.

Anyway that's just a rant, not directed at anybody in this thread, I'm sure you are doing a great job at your gigs :)
Click to expand...
I would love to be able to measure the level of the sound. Unfortunately, I don't have the equipment to do so and doubt if any DJ has purchased that type of equipment. I guess I'd also have to say that the infrequent times that a customer has complained about the volume of the music at one of my gigs, s/he hadn't measured it either. Fortunately for me, this is not a problem.

Even though the lady that I mentioned would be the only person complaining about the volume, I would still lower it some for her. I just wonder if she ever realized that she was the only person complaining and doing so whever she went.

The problem for her might have been medical. In any case, it is appropriate for the DJ to try to accommodate her; within reason. :)
 
Chris F said:
There are cheap decibel meter apps available for iPhone and Android. While they are not scientific study accurate they are still good enough for quick and dirty measurements.

If you want fancy/sound engineer type stuff there are full spectrum analysis ones as well.

Edit: Here is an example one for iPhone:
https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/spl-meter/id309206756?mt=8
Click to expand...
Anything for a customer! I'll actually get that app! Why not? :)

But, I have to add that I can already imagine a customer saying "I don't care what that thing says. It's too loud for me." Just as some customers want to hear what they want to hear when they want to hear it, despite the obvious enjoyment of the majority, the same holds true for the volume level. In any case, I appreciate the tip about the extra tool.
 
the DB meter might tell you if you have passed the recommended level. but it doesnt really tell you much about peoples comfort.

bad quality speakers will be painful at any volume, and 'good' speakers with strong tweeters will potentially be uncomfortable at high volume aswell, especially with the trumpets on some salsa songs.

a cheap and cheerful option:
just look around the room for people who are trying to talk to eachother.

screaming in someones ear is never a comfortable way to communicate

if they can hold a brief conversation face to face, on the dancefloor. then its a good thing IMO, though not essential.

at least in some place away from the dancefloor it should be possible to maintain a conversation without chewing somebodys ear off :D
 
El Caobo said:
So, while DJs definitely want to cater to everyone, there are some people who have issues that everyone else does not have. Hence, we have to weigh every scenario to make sure that we are doing the right thing.
Click to expand...

Just because only one person is complaining doesn't mean others don't think it's loud, it just means they choose not to say anything to the DJ because they don't see anyone else complaining so they think they would be the only ones. I wear a cheap version of musician's earplugs EVERYWHERE I go dancing--in my experience the music is too loud almost everywhere--and I never talk to the DJ because, well, I'd probably be the only person complaining. People think this is "normal" and since loud music doesn't cause any immediate acute problems, they just ignore the issue. Fairly regularly, other dancers ask me about my earplugs and agree that the music is too loud and they need to get earplugs as well.

Easy test: if your ears are "ringing" when you get home, it means the volume was loud enough to be damaging to your hearing. Some places I go to have such loud volume that even with the earplugs I get ringing in my ears afterwards.
 
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