20 Questions To Ask Your DJ

Hiring The Right DJ For Your Party

Whether it’s uncle Murray’s 70th birthday bash or a jacked-up backyard barbeque, the right DJ is vital to the overall vibe of any get-together. The key to hiring a competent, confident DJ is to ask all the right questions before hiring. This ensures that everyone’s expectations are on the same level, and that you and your guests will have a great time.

1. Can We Meet To Discuss My Event?

Whether it’s uncle Murray’s 70th birthday bash or a jacked-up backyard barbeque, the right DJ is vital to the overall vibe of any get-together. The key to hiring a competent, confident DJ is to ask all the right questions before hiring. This ensures that everyone’s expectations are on the same level, and that you and your guests will have a great time.

2. Will You Be The Person DJing My Event? If Not, Can I Meet Them?

Two questions that often get asked with each other. Not to be confused with a disc jockey not showing up last minute and sending a friend. A DJ service is sometimes a group or company of a few DJs who collaborate and share gigs. The person you meet may tell you someone else will show up the day. You should always know in advance exactly who is showing up at your venue, and have the chance to speak with them so that you are comfortable.

3. What Will You Need From Me Before My Event?

Good DJs love to get interactive with their crowd. Before the event, little things like shoutouts, contact numbers, favourite songs, VIP guest names are usually provided in advance. Your DJ should also be able to provide you with a list of information they need to help set up and perform properly – everything from a timeline to music selections, including a do-not-play list.

4. Are You Insured?

Liability insurance is a good signal of whether your DJ takes their work seriously, or if it’s just a hobby. Any time there’s a crowd, there’s the possibility for an accident, and liability insurance will help put minds at ease.  PRO TIP:  If you’re also looking for insurance options (yes, you should also protect yourself), www.duuo.ca has great single day insurance options at extremely affordable rates.

6. What Exactly Is Included, And What Is An Add-On?

A clear definition of customer and performer expectations is essential to a good experience. Knowing what comes with what you requested and what is extra is crucial. Always ask in advance if there are any additional charges beyond the ‘ticket price’.

Make sure you know what you are getting for what you pay. Remember, the DJ is a person there to give you a good time at a fair price. They don’t want to gouge you for the usage of a dry ice machine, but there is cost in buying it, there’s work in loading it, and the dry ice isn’t free either.

7. What Is Your Refund/Cancellation Policy?

This can make some people uncomfortable to ask. You should know what happens in the case of a cancellation. A cancellation policy can and should be established by both parties like any other contractual agreement. A “what to do if” plan, as it were. Given the uncertainty of today’s climate, it’s important to know what happens if your event is not permitted to proceed.

8. What Is Your Plan For Backup Staff And Equipment?

So the client’s event day comes and you as a DJ find that the ripple effect of COVID-19 has affected your business. Your set up team at the venue is down to 3 from 7. Two sub-woofers you needed got damaged. There’s no way to have them repaired on time. It’s looking like a major ball drop and it’s not even a New Year party.

A great DJ will have their own back up staff they can contact, either in their company or within the DJ community. Interconnectivity is the name of the game for many DJs as they thrive on referral and word-of-mouth business. A prepared DJ service can save the day in many cases. Make sure you ask if they have backups before assuming.

9. Have You Been To My Venue Before?

This will help greatly in setting up your DJ service at the venue. They will not only be more familiar with the layout but also probably know who to talk to so things get done properly. If they haven’t been there, ask what their plan is to contact the venue in advance. You have enough to worry about with your event, no matter what it is. The last thing you want is the stress of a DJ who can’t find your banquet hall, or is loading in the front door and causing a scene.

Whether it’s uncle Murray’s 70th birthday bash or a jacked-up backyard barbeque, the right DJ is vital to the overall vibe of any get-together. The key to hiring a competent, confident DJ is to ask all the right questions before hiring. This ensures that everyone’s expectations are on the same level, and that you and your guests will have a great time.

10. How Long Have You Been A DJ And How Many (Chosen Event Type) Have You Done?

You don’t want to hire a DJ who’s never done a university commencement party to throw your last giant dorm bash. The reality is you want the DJ who’s been entertaining at the type of event you are planning for years. Hiring a night club DJ for your wedding could be a recipe for disaster, as they would not be familiar with all the ins and outs of the evening.

11. What Genre Of Music Do You Typically Play?

This has a simple answer. Generally what the paying customer wants unless it’s hard to obtain. If you request ’90s grunge rock polka covers, okay. “Benny And The Jets” on repeat, cool. As long as your DJ can find it they will most often play whatever you request. Make sure they are positive they have your playlist, genre preferences, and any special requests beforehand.

13. How Do You Handle Requests?

Some DJs are okay with requests. Some absolutely insist on the art of what they do and will not take them. No matter the case, make sure their plan matches yours.

14. How Do You Keep Your Music Up To Date?

You want to be sure that your DJ is playing all the hits your crowd wants to hear. If all they have is “Mega Hits of 2016” it’s not going to be the music a lot of your guests may like. Even if it is a throwback ’80s reunion party, you want to make sure they have the most complete collection of ’80s music. With so many options for music library subscriptions, most DJs have services that provide massive amounts of songs. You can always ask what service they use, because if they’re only playing from Youtube videos the audio quality is not likely to be very high.

15. How Involved Can We Be In Choosing The Music?

This will again depend largely on the DJ. Generally speaking, you should be as involved as you want to be. It’s your event, after all. Keep in mind the time constraints of the event – don’t give your DJ a list of 400 songs and expect them all to be played in an hour.

Also, don’t forget, you’re hiring a professional entertainer. While it’s important that you contribute to make the event a reflection of what you are looking for, don’t be afraid to give them the leeway to work with the crowd and make changes on the fly.

16. Do You Belong To Any Professional Associations?

The CPDJA (Canadian Professional Disc Jockey Association) and many other such associations provide DJs with advantages non-members cannot get access to. From discounts on equipment at select vendors to newsletters and special gig offers, associations for DJs are a great asset.

From the client-side, having a professional affiliation means that there is more than just the DJ’s word that they are upstanding entrepreneurs, as all professional associations have a code of conduct.

17. Can You Help Me Choose Songs For Special Times In My Event?

A DJ would be very hard-pressed to deny this one. Maybe you have special choreography planned or a flash mob for the groom to be. The music needs to be just right. The timing needs to be just right.

19. How Will You Co-Ordinate With Other Staff At The Event?

While still working as an independent party, your DJ should be able to coordinate with other staff to help your event go as smoothly as possible. Everything from announcing what course of the meal is next to another birthday or special event from someone in the crowd should be doable for the DJ. A good DJ will make sure the photographer / videographer is ready to go before bringing someone up for a speech, not to mention making sure the person they introduce isn’t outside the room.  

20. Any Other Things I Should Know Before I Hire you?

This is a crucial question to leave off on. It may reveal something you forgot about, or give you some insight into how your DJ’s mind works when it comes to your kind of event. It’s unlikely to reveal anything earth-shattering, but you might get an ‘oh yeah!!!’ moment when you least expect it.

Spinning To Conclusions

DJs are great resources for any party. They can change the tide of any event. They can calm or excite. The very nature of their business demands that they have personality and can read a room. When hiring a DJ make sure that you know exactly what will be delivered from them on the date of the event.

Asking your questions will also help your DJ determine if they’re the right person for your job.  In 25 years, I can say there have been times I’ve turned an event down because I wasn’t well versed enough in the music they wanted, or I didn’t feel we were a good match to work together.

Remember everyone at your event serves a purpose, especially your guests. Keep these things in mind and you will hire the right DJ for your celebration.