And even changing to it if it's not queued could be a good thing - but I will not risk an event on a stream.
Spotify - crossing over to the dark side
- Thread starter rickryan.com
- Start date
And even changing to it if it's not queued could be a good thing - but I will not risk an event on a stream.
In my opinion, I don't care what I have the ability to pull up.
I'm more concerned whether it's appropriate for the event or not.
As arrogant as it sounds, If I don't already have it, I don't need it, and that's my algorithm!
Again, who cares what some drunk assed guest wants that in many cases won't even remember what they requested 15 minutes later? Like I said, with all the great music available, why do you care about having anything outside of what whoever is paying you wants?
Why do some dj's seem to think that having access to every track available is important when you are only playing 60-80 tracks a night???
If you can't rock the party playing the best tracks already in your inventory (provided it's up to date), you have much more serious problems to worry about than worrying about want someone wants to hear right here right now!
If anyone thinks that will somehow make or break the party or give them some competitive edge, then they haven't done a very good job of educating their event hosts on what will make their party a success in the first place!
I'm more concerned whether it's appropriate for the event or not.
As arrogant as it sounds, If I don't already have it, I don't need it, and that's my algorithm!
Again, who cares what some drunk assed guest wants that in many cases won't even remember what they requested 15 minutes later? Like I said, with all the great music available, why do you care about having anything outside of what whoever is paying you wants?
Why do some dj's seem to think that having access to every track available is important when you are only playing 60-80 tracks a night???
If you can't rock the party playing the best tracks already in your inventory (provided it's up to date), you have much more serious problems to worry about than worrying about want someone wants to hear right here right now!
If anyone thinks that will somehow make or break the party or give them some competitive edge, then they haven't done a very good job of educating their event hosts on what will make their party a success in the first place!
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I have a similar discussion with my clients. generally I get accept all requests under the promise I won't play anything inappropriate for the event or the mood
You're kidding yourself if you think clients rate you on your 'whole package.' They don't - what they remember is that one lame excuse you gave for not doing the obvious, and missing the moment. You're not fooling anyone - you can't walk around with a smart phone in your pocket and expect people to buy into these narratives for not using what is clearly available to you.
If the requirement you pose is that a single guest whom I've never before met, requests a song and because they saw me play it from Spotify using a pearl black satellite phone, while dressed in a red velvet jacket, and matching gloves, on a Tuesday in May, under a rainy sky, dodging sketchy internet access, books me immediately because streaming is so sexy - then no, I guess I've realized no benefit to being fully engaged and responsive to customers and their guests.
You would then be right but, still out of touch.
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There's no artist or publisher compensation for music played at private events - it's expressly banned under U.S. Copyright law.
Yes, there is no additional fee for performance at private events however there is still an initial licensing/royalty fee that's paid to whomever if you are leasing music through an authorized hard copy subscription service or a downloadable dj pool.
If those pools change their delivery method from downloadable content to streaming content, the method of delivery does not change the requirement of those initial licensing fees to be paid.
If those pools change their delivery method from downloadable content to streaming content, the method of delivery does not change the requirement of those initial licensing fees to be paid.
You're kidding yourself if you think clients rate you on your 'whole package.' They don't - what they remember is that one lame excuse you gave for not doing the obvious, and missing the moment. You're not fooling anyone - you can't walk around with a smart phone in your pocket and expect people to buy into these narratives for not using what is clearly available to you.
If the requirement is that a single guest whom I've never before met, requests a song and because they saw me play it from Spotify using a pearl black satellite phone, while dressed in a red velvet jacket, and matching gloves, on a Tuesday in May, under a rainy sky, dodging sketchy internet access, books me immediately because streaming is so sexy - then no, I guess I've realized no benefit to being fully engaged and responsive to customers and their guests.
He just liked the way you look.
Being fully engaged and responsive to customers has little to do with the instant gratification of playing a song this second via the web.
You're kidding yourself if you think clients don't rate you on your 'whole package' - with one aspect being fully engaged and responsive with the people. You're not fooling anyone by thinking that one song that was not with you will make an event a success. I have never had anyone leave an event upset because I didn't play blah blah blah. This poses another problem, specifically if you cater to this methodology. You then have no recourse or excuse for not playing everyone's request (explicit or not) or whether your client likes it or not because you never know who might book you because you played their one song - especially because you believe everything is available all the time from everywhere.
At the root of all of this - a request is just that, a request.
You're hallucinating if you believe that a single guest hired you for an event simply because you streamed one song that you didn't have.
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He just liked the way you look.
Being fully engaged and responsive to customers has little to do with the instant gratification of playing a song this second via the web.
You're kidding yourself if you think clients don't rate you on your 'whole package' - with one aspect being fully engaged and responsive with the people. You're not fooling anyone by thinking that one song that was not with you will make an event a success. I have never had anyone leave an event upset because I didn't play blah blah blah. This poses another problem, specifically if you cater to this methodology. You then have no recourse or excuse for not playing everyone's request (explicit or not) or whether your client likes it or not because you never know who might book you because you played their one song - especially because you believe everything is available all the time from everywhere.
At the root of all of this - a request is just that, a request.
You're hallucinating if you believe that a single guest hired you for an event simply because you streamed one song that you didn't have.
Not having a particular request is not a (necessarily) make-or-break issue, usually. I believe it has become the defacto expectation that a DJ should have access to pretty much anything and everything, and at a moment's notice. If you think that guests (and clients) are forgiving then I think you're kidding yourself. It can and does become a very real factor in their perception of you and there are plenty of times where a single guest, running their mouth about the "sucky DJ", turned a happy client sour on my performance. It's best to do all we can to meet expectations, across the board.
Mike, while I agree, today's technology has given anyone the ability of hearing TONS of music and choosing what they like from NUMEROUS sources - and the heck with the guests. Old f*rts here when they were youngin's had to rely on AM or FM radio and Casey Kasum to know what's new and what's hot - that's it.
HUGE change ay?
Being an old fart....I know what ya mean.
When I started in the 80's....all I had for dinner/cocktail music was a 90-minute cassette of instrumental piano music.
But I like to use dinner hour to play the client's requests that are not danceable.
They get to hear the songs they like, the guests are treated to a playlist customized by the bride and groom...
and I don't spend time during open dancing, trying to figure out how to work in songs you can't dance to.
Cocktail and dinner permits us to play to the "older" crowd at wedding receptions. However, adding to that mix the songs the client has pre-selected that are (in our opinion) non-danceable, alerts the younger guests that the dancing segment of the reception may not be as bland as they might have envisioned. I'm really old school and like to play "rat pack" and instrumental versions of old and current hits...and amp up the style as the end of dinner to change the mood I had intentionally created. What works for me may not be your cup-of-tea. Never was a "mix" artist, but playing the hits that keep guests on the dance floor is also an art form.
Me too. I thought it was pure gold when I bought air Supply's greatest hits and people liked it at dinner lol
I don't have that problem... I started collecting original instrumental music in the mid 80's, so I have thousands of CD's of New Age and Jazz music. Not elevator music... I only buy original compositions, so it's not instrumental versions of popular songs. Most of the stuff I have would be unknown to most people. I started with the Fresh Aire series by Mannheim Steamroller; they were using it to demo a stereo system I was getting ready to buy, and I ran out and bought a copy. I get a lot of compliments on my dinner/cocktail hour playlists.
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I agree - however it is delusional to believe that you can get anything at anytime from anywhere - or to believe that a single song can or will create a success out of nothing. By the same token, playing a 'bad' request at a successful event may ruin that event. By broadcasting that you are a media God and can get anything, anytime from anywhere - you're setting yourself up for failure. It's just a matter of when and how.
You need to be prepared for that person that claims you're a sucky DJ could be at any event. You can't please everyone all the time - and to believe you can do so is 100% wrong.
Like I said, 60-80 songs per event.
Subtract from that client requests that you already know about pre-event.
Subtract from that top tracks that you already plan on playing.
When it gets right down to it, how many requests can you realistically accept within that time frame that you will have a reasonable chance of playing anyways???
Like I also said, if the track is that good you should already have it and have planned on how you are going to incorporate it into the playlist.
If it's a new and emerging track you don't know about that someone requests and may be available on a streaming service, simply take the request but tell them that you already have too many requests and it's not likely that you will have time to play it. Since you don't know the track you also have to take the time to listen to it (and for more than 30 seconds) to make sure it's going to not only fit the flow of the event but not contain overly explicit language or innuendos (odds are it will, given the majority of today's crap).
Do you really want to take your focus off of the event for that time period to perform those safeguarding tasks?
No, you note the track and play it later at your convenience and decide then if it's a track worth keeping.
As I and @ittigger already mentioned, allowing the guests that much instantaneous power and leeway does not make you "in touch" it only opens you up for self-sabotage.
Subtract from that client requests that you already know about pre-event.
Subtract from that top tracks that you already plan on playing.
When it gets right down to it, how many requests can you realistically accept within that time frame that you will have a reasonable chance of playing anyways???
Like I also said, if the track is that good you should already have it and have planned on how you are going to incorporate it into the playlist.
If it's a new and emerging track you don't know about that someone requests and may be available on a streaming service, simply take the request but tell them that you already have too many requests and it's not likely that you will have time to play it. Since you don't know the track you also have to take the time to listen to it (and for more than 30 seconds) to make sure it's going to not only fit the flow of the event but not contain overly explicit language or innuendos (odds are it will, given the majority of today's crap).
Do you really want to take your focus off of the event for that time period to perform those safeguarding tasks?
No, you note the track and play it later at your convenience and decide then if it's a track worth keeping.
As I and @ittigger already mentioned, allowing the guests that much instantaneous power and leeway does not make you "in touch" it only opens you up for self-sabotage.
If you're not playing their songs then you're not engaged or responsive. How you managed to formulate that sentence without noticing the glaring contradiction is a wonder.
You're arguing at the level of a 4th grader. Surely you can do better.
I don't believe that. Those are your words, your grandiose fictitious scenario, not mine. Have the decency to take responsibility for the nonsense of your own postulations..
Experience has taught me to be in the "no requests" camp. I try to play music for everyone on the floor - too often the request is for a singular person. Unless that person is paying the bill, it's not happening. Then you get the real bozo's who request a song, you start it, and here they come for the mic - they want to sing to it!! No thanks.
Spotify, Streaming, and mp3 downloads. The #1 thing that irks me is the poor quality of mp3 encoding we seem to be accepting. The Baba Bahia Club Remix I referenced earlier is a good example. If you were to buy it, download it, and open it in Audacity (with clipping indicator on), you would see the file is solid red - the whole freaking file. If you now zoom in on the waveform, you would see that so much of the waveform has been clipped that it is now a square wave. There is another name for a square wave, it is pulsating DC, and one of the properties of pulsating DC is that it passes right through a crossover network. This file is so bad that IMHO if you play it loud enough and long enough, it will probably damage the voice coil of a tweeter that cannot handle high power (i.e. low to medium priced speakers). I would like to say it's unique, but sadly it's not. My copy has been processed with Relife - no clipping and rounded off waveforms.
Spotify, Streaming, and mp3 downloads. The #1 thing that irks me is the poor quality of mp3 encoding we seem to be accepting. The Baba Bahia Club Remix I referenced earlier is a good example. If you were to buy it, download it, and open it in Audacity (with clipping indicator on), you would see the file is solid red - the whole freaking file. If you now zoom in on the waveform, you would see that so much of the waveform has been clipped that it is now a square wave. There is another name for a square wave, it is pulsating DC, and one of the properties of pulsating DC is that it passes right through a crossover network. This file is so bad that IMHO if you play it loud enough and long enough, it will probably damage the voice coil of a tweeter that cannot handle high power (i.e. low to medium priced speakers). I would like to say it's unique, but sadly it's not. My copy has been processed with Relife - no clipping and rounded off waveforms.
Seriously? I would suggest you seek out new experience. None of this serves to enhance you as a DJ. The #1 responsibility of this job is hospitality. Waveform analysis is much farther down the list - just below: using a suitable breath mint.