Music is a fundamental requirement in a perfect event, therefore, the choice of DJ is very important.

What should I consider when choosing the DJ for my event?

There are several things to consider before hiring a DJ. Let's take a step-by-step look at everything you need to know and, if you consider the following information, it will be very easy to get it right every time.

The type of event

First of all, you should consider what kind of event you want or need a DJ for. This will help you determine what kind of music you will need.

Is it a night out in a nightclub with a party atmosphere? A wedding where the atmosphere is more family friendly? Or perhaps a DJ for corporate event with a more formal tone?

Once you know the type of event, the music and the equipment you need, it's time to start looking for the DJ that best suits both the desired style and, of course, the budget you have available.

The DJ is open to your music suggestions and will make sure he knows all your musical tastes and adapt to them so that the event is perfect and to your liking.

The DJ, apart from playing the right music for your event, can provide the sound equipment with microphones, lighting, screens, monitors, etc. to create a party atmosphere. Therefore, the DJ is involved in customising your event according to your requirements. Therefore, it is advisable to choose a DJ who is in accordance with the type of event, whether it is a wedding, a private party, a corporate event, etc.

How much does a DJ cost

There is no doubt that the price of a DJ can be confusing because varies a lot depending on the type of DJ and the service/package you hire. 

DJ prices come in all sorts of ranges, depending, of course, on the popularity of the DJ and all the add-ons they can offer in addition to the music.

Depending on your needs, you can hire only the DJ or a personalised pack that includes both the DJ and all the necessary sound and lighting equipment for your event. The cost of also depends on where the event is organised., especially if there is displacement from one municipality, city or region to another.

There are big, famous DJs who can charge tens of thousands of euros for a single night, but that doesn't mean that the quality of the music is any better - far from it. Typical DJ costs range from €200 to €3000., The DJ's popularity, experience, location and other concepts that we can include depending on the type of event we are talking about.

Below we show you different situations to give you an idea of the prices of the different services a DJ can offer:

1. DJ

If contracted only the DJ, The price for a 3-5 hour performance may vary depending on your experience:

2. DJ + Sound System + Lighting

If contracted DJ plus sound and lighting equipment, The price may vary depending on the elements added to the pack. The average cost in 2021 for a standard event pack including sound equipment and some lights would be around €400-900 for events of up to 200 attendees. For more than 200 attendees, the cost may be higher as larger equipment may be required, being in the region of €900-4000.

3. Overtime

If you need the DJ to be available for more hours than usual, he/she will normally charge a extra per hour which is usually between €60-150 depending on the quality/popularity of the DJ hired.

4. Other costs:

There are DJs who not only offer their music as the sole instrument of entertainment. It is possible to additionally hire other accessories to accompany the music, thus giving more life and movement to the dance floor or listening area. Extra lighting, laser, projectors, mobile discotheque or smoke machines are just a few examples, and technology is providing us with more and more.

The following can be considered extras you will have to add the following elements to the pack offered:

• Garden and/or living room lighting: 50 - 100 €
• HDMI projector and screen: 100 - 150€
• Karaoke: 70 - 100€
• Smoke machine: 75 - 150 €
• Backlit DJ booth: 70 - 100€

Other factors to take into account when calculating the price:

• The assembly and disassembly of all equipment is usually included in the price.
• Depending on the DJ you hire, they can offer you different types of packs, some more expensive and some cheaper, some simpler and some more complete.
• Depending on the event and its duration, food may be included in the budget.

It is important to negotiate with the DJ an overall price including add-ons. Depending on what, the costs can vary quite a lot, always taking into account the quality and usefulness of the devices or equipment being offered.

It is worth mentioning that the DJ will also be doing hours of work from the moment he/she prepares the event, coordinates with the event organiser (wedding planners, coordinators, etc.), prepares the playlist, loads and unloads the equipment, sets up, etc. Generally, these costs are included in the final budget.

Where to find a DJ

Finding a DJ nowadays is easy thanks to the tools provided by the networks. Once you know exactly what you are looking for, a simple search in your preferred browser will suffice.
It is normal for a good DJ to have some sort of portfolio. where you can listen and judge their work for yourself before proceeding with any kind of contact.

Once you have found the DJ of your choice, all you have to do is contact him or her through the channels he or she provides, be it through his or her own website, social media, a production label or others.

How far in advance should I book the DJ?

The answer is: depends on the event.

In the case of If you are planning a wedding, it is advisable to hire the dj 6 to 8 months in advance. Keep in mind that a DJ has a lot of events and most of them are on weekends. If you don't hire him in time, he may not be available for your event or he may not have enough time to prepare all the details for your wedding.

It may not seem like it, but it takes time to close the various aspects of a wedding in detail, such as:

• Pre-production of the event
• Meetings with the bride and groom
• Study of the property and its possibilities/visit
• Preparation and coordination of the ceremony with the wedding planner
• Music at the cocktail and banquet
• Musical performances at the different parts of the wedding
• Third-party procurement, etc.

In the case of other type of event, If you are not available, recruitment should be carried out as soon as possible due to availability issues.

Steps to hire the perfect DJ for your event

Once you have made contact with the professional to be hired, it is advisable to seek advice from them in order to obtain information relevant to the event where they will be performing:

1. Availability

This is the first thing you will need to confirm, as we receive a lot of applications at weekends and in high season (April-September).

2. Experience

This is undoubtedly one of the most important facets to consider as experience is key and will undoubtedly determine the success of the performance at your event.

See if you have held similar events, as each event requires a specific way of dealing with the public and different ways of acting. This will tell you with greater certainty whether the professional will be able to act with greater agility in front of the public.

In other words, different audiences require different interactions on the part of the DJ, who will know how to channel the moments with more or less mood through the music itself, his gestures and, to define it in some way, ‘’converse’’ with the spectators.

3. Music

You should be aware that the vast majority of DJs specialise in certain types of events and genres of music. Generally the DJ does not accept music requests as he goes with a collection of music he already has., After years of experience, he accumulates his musical collections through his own taste.

Other DJs will be more flexible in this respect and allow guests to make requests.

At DJ Aleea we try to be 100% flexible in this aspect when requested, as the music determines the atmosphere of the event, and there is no one better than you in certain cases to determine what music should be played. We will always bring the music planned based on your taste. You will be able to choose the musical style and suggest songs, you can even give us directly a playlist for the whole event.

If your meeting requires specific songs or themes, such as the selection of a song for the opening of a corporate event, a bride and groom choosing a playlist for their wedding or any other wish for a song chosen by the party hiring the DJ to be played, It will be of utmost importance that this is clarified and prepared prior to the time of the performance and event.

If you have a preference as to what music should and should not be played, it is best to make this clear beforehand.

If during the DJ's performance the DJ is interrupted for any kind of unplanned request, the performance may be affected. He or she is still a professional who should be provided with information in advance in order to act more effectively.

On the other hand, if you want to play a closed playlist lasting x hours with your own selection of music, it would not really be cost effective to hire a DJ. For that you could burn a CD and play it during the event, but obviously it would not be cost effective. would not be the same as a DJ knows how to deal with an audience, he is attentive to their reactions to choose the best moment to play each song.

In addition, a DJ will give your event an extra boost when it comes to getting your guests dancing, It is not the same to dance on a dance floor where a CD is played as it is to dance on an illuminated dance floor with a DJ booth.

In the case of a corporate event, hiring a DJ can add an extra dimension to glamour and cachet for your event, This will help to convey to your customers and employees how much attention you pay to detail.

The important thing is to communicate what kind of music or, alternatively, what kind of event and audience you will be attending; the DJ will know how to be professional.

4. Attire

Different types of people and different types of encounters may require a particular form of attire or manner of dress. There is no harm in consulting, if the situation calls for it, about the professional's manner of dress during the event. If it is a more formal situation, it will need to be discussed beforehand so that it can be properly prepared.

This industry is extremely diverse and you can find all sorts of different forms of dress, sometimes even being part of the same performance.

5. DJ needs

Again, depending on the type of event you are holding and the number of hours you will need to consider and include the DJ in external costs if required, such as catering, hotel, food, transport or other expenses.

It is acceptable that for example in nightclubs and discotheques DJs receive at least a couple of drinks on the house, that food is included for the DJ at a corporate event or that a hotel room is booked for an international trip of the professional.

It is also important to take into consideration the needs that the professional may have with regard to equipment. You may need to do some sound checks beforehand, time to set up or any other requirements necessary for the preparation of the event to be performed. If the event takes place inside a room with a sound system in place, it will be necessary for the sound system to be set up and ready for the DJ's performance beforehand.

For example, a room with pre-equipped sound equipment always has a sound technician for the same equipment, who will prepare the acoustics in advance of the DJ's performance.

During the event

There are things you should consider before hiring a DJ. These are usually things that we don't think about until the day of the event, for example:

• The location where the DJ and the booth are to be placed: There should be sufficient power outlets, the sound should be tested and a location should be considered where all guests of the event can enjoy the music.
• The location of any extra elements such as projection screens: It is advisable to study where they will be placed so that the guests do not interfere with the projection, trip over any cables, etc. Safety first.
• Changes of location (in the case of weddings): If different sound equipment has not been hired for the different spaces in a wedding (ceremony, cocktail, banquet, etc.), the professional will have to move the equipment from one space to another, which will take X amount of time while the DJ makes the change.
• Other unforeseen events: As with everything in life, unforeseen events can occur that no one could have imagined. A power cut, the failure of the sound system or any other electronic device, bad weather, traffic accidents, etc. The professional in many cases will have a solution to many unforeseen events, because the more experience he has, the better solutions he will have. However, there may be cases in which the situation is beyond the professional's capabilities and we must be sympathetic to the situation. We recommend that you check the contract very carefully to see what happens in case of unforeseen events.

Conclusion

If you follow these simple steps with the priority of informing yourself in advance, defining your event and the complements to be included along with the DJ's performance, the music, the negotiated price and the needs of both the professional and the contracting party, you will have no problem in finding the DJ you are looking for in a suitable and simple way.