One of the questions that DJs get asked all of the time before they get hired is “Can I hear a sample of your work?” It seems like a reasonable request, but more often than not, the answer is “No.” There are a number reasons for this, but in an attempt to pull the curtain back a bit, I’ll share why I think most avoid it like the plague.
1. You Might Not Like the Demo Music
In my humble opinion, this is a legitimate fear. Any wedding entertainer worth their salt is going to spend time to understand your vision and desires for your wedding soundtrack. We spend a lot of time understanding the songs that have a special meaning for our couples, the songs that they love, and perhaps most important – the songs that they hate. You might hear a playlist I’ve put together for another couple and absolutely HATE it. But it is likely what you really disagree with is their taste in music, not my execution of their vision. So keep in mind that everything done for your event is always custom.
2. They Don’t Want You to Hear Their Schtick
Weddings are different from most other kids of DJing because you get a “fresh” audience every week that hasn’t heard you before. Many DJs use this as an opportunity to never refresh their sets and are still playing the same combinations of songs that they used a decade ago. They have never been forced to change. Yuck.
Nothing sounds more boring to me than playing the same set every week. We are constantly working to refresh the way we put music together, finding new fun combinations to keep your dance floor lively. I’ve been blessed that many of my couples have been kind enough to refer me to their family and friends. One couple had seen me DJ 3 or 4 times before they hired me for their own wedding. How embarrassing would it have been to be using the same routine at their wedding that they had heard 3-4 times before? I owed it to them to keep innovating and mixing it up, and we owe it to you as well to push ourselves musically and not perform tired old routines.
3. Laziness.
Plain and simple. It takes effort to create and share a sample of your work. Even if it is purely a recording from a gig – it takes time to process and present it. Or, perhaps they aren’t mixing at all and their set just sounds like you’re running your iTunes library and nothing more. There is more to being a wedding entertainer than purely mixing music – but you will surely notice the difference between a creative combination of songs and something you could do yourself on Spotify.
—
We reject these fears and excuses. Its true, the songs we chose for our Sample Mixes might not be the same ones you’ll enjoy at your reception, but you’ll still get a feel for how we put music together. You’ll hear that we don’t lose all of the momentum on the dance floor between songs because the songs are blended seamlessly together.
So, go ahead! Give our work a listen and let us know what you think. We’d love to chat with you about the music you’re passionate about!