10 Questions You Should Ask Every DJ

1 - Ask about the DJ’s presentation.

Ask them to explain how they will handle the details of the introductions, first dance, cake cutting, bouquet & garter and special requested dances. You want to be comfortable with the DJ’s style and personality. 

2 - How long have you been a Disc Jockey?

Experienced Disc Jockeys have the knowledge of common problems and situations. Make sure to hire an experienced DJ to host a wedding celebration. A less experienced DJ may be adequate for a school dance or a back yard party. DO NOT TAKE A CHANCE on your "once in a life time" event. 

3 - What will you be wearing for our event? 

Your DJ should be dressed to fit your event.  Some DJ’s wear suits or tuxedos…but don’t count on it unless you ask. Your Acclimated Sounds DJ always wears a Tuxedo to formal events. 

4 - What's the size of your music library and what format is it in?

Can you choose from a song list. Can you choose a "no play" song list. Does the DJ have a wide variety of song selections? Can the DJ play songs to suite the tastes of ALL your guests (maybe two or three generations). A library of 10,000 songs should be the absolute minimum (comparable to about 600 CD's). Acclimated Sounds brings more than 80,000 audio songs, 10,000 music video's, and thousands of Karaoke selections to every event. Our music and music video's are updated direct from Radio Management and the entertainment industry!

What format is your music in? Most modern, professional DJ's have made the transition to digital music. This is an expensive transition so it's one way to weed out the amateurs from the professionals. Digital music stored on a computer in MP3 format eliminates the issue of scratching CD's or music skipping in the middle of an important dance. At Acclimated Sounds, we have been using digital music in the MP3 format since 2000. Acclimated Sounds uses only 320 kbps MP3's, for the absolute finest in sound quality.

 5 - Are you the DJ that will be performing at our Event? 

Make sure you ask who will be performing at your wedding and that you meet and consult with this individual. You aren’t just hiring someone to play music, you’re hiring a personality that will interact with your guests. It’s important you ensure their personality fits your expectations. 

6 - Are you insured?

Homeowners and businesses carry insurance to protect themselves from the unforeseeable.  Much the same way, a Professional DJ will carry liability insurance to protect you, your guests, and the DJ.  

Acclimated Sounds carries a $1,000,000 liability policy.

7 - What type of equipment do you have?

A Professional DJ should have professional sound equipment - not "home consumer" gear. You’re looking for brand names like Crown, Rane, Alesis, EAW, Samson, Benchmark, and American DJ.  Professional sound equipment is very expensive, thus lower-priced DJ’s may not be using top-quality gear.  Be sure that the DJ’s speakers and sound system will accommodate your reception location. (loud enough but not overpowering!)

8 - Do you carry back-up equipment?

This is a must. Absolutely nothing can go wrong during your once-in-a-lifetime event.  Equipment failures are rare but they can happen.  Ensure that your DJ has back-up equipment with him.  Some DJ's advertise they have equipment “on call.”  In the event of a problem, would you want to put your event on hold for an hour while equipment was being delivered? 

At Acclimated Sounds we take this issue very seriously.  We provide two independent systems at every event.  If there ever was an issue, you and your guests would probably never know. 

9 - How much time do you allow for equipment set-up?

You want to make sure your DJ has everything set-up and ready prior to your guests arriving.  Set-up time varies by the event and the equipment required.  Make sure your DJ has planned for this.

At Acclimated Sounds, we arrive between 1 and 3 hours prior to the event start time.  While sound and lighting equipment may take only an hour to set-up, we make sure we are always on time and have never been late. 

10 - Do you belong to any professional organizations?

Through the years, Acclimated Sounds has been a member of the Michigan Disc Jockey Network, The Association of Mobile Entertainers, The DJ Alliance, and the American Disc Jockey Association.