Event Services FAQ
Spectrum Sound
DJ Company

What’s included in the cost of my Event Entertainment Services?

As a caring professional, we are committed to making your event planning experience stress-free and enjoyable. We understand that planning an event can be overwhelming, so we have designed several forms that will help us gather all the necessary information to ensure your event is a success. We are here to provide you with advice and support throughout the entire planning process, and we are available to answer any questions or concerns you may have via phone or email.

Once we have received all the information we need, we will assign you an Event Planner who will help you choose your preferred music and gather any additional relevant details about your event. We will then create customized playlists based on your preferences, ensuring that you and your guests have the best possible experience.

On the day of your event, we will arrive 60-90 minutes before the scheduled start time to set up our equipment. We understand that punctuality and reliability are crucial, and we take pride in being prompt and efficient. We will play for the duration specified in your contract, which includes our tear-down time (generally 15-30 minutes), and there are no hidden fees. You can rest assured that the total amount you pay is exactly what is stated in your contract.

At the heart of our company values is transparency and providing our clients with exceptional service. We are committed to ensuring that your event is a success and that you and your guests have a wonderful time. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about our services, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We are always here to help.

How much is required to secure our date?

Currently,  a retainer of 50%. The rest of your balance is due two weeks before your event date. If you want to arrange a different payment schedule, we are usually happy to accommodate you. Please note the retainer is non-refundable.

How do I hire a DJ?

It would be best if you asked questions. Consult with the DJ to see if there is a fit. Check the years of experience they have and the type of equipment they use. Ask if they have a backup. When you hire SpectrumSound.com DJ, you get a seasoned veteran. With the ability to successfully run your event Entertainment Services or wedding.

Entertainment Style
An essential factor in choosing your DJ is their style. Is it low-key or highly interactive? SpectrumSound.com can do both! If it’s a wedding, we know that the Bride & Groom are the stars, not us. So we will not stand on tables or scream at our guests on the microphone. We will not wear silly wigs or ask your guests to dress like the ‘Village People.’ Instead, we will put on a ‘cheese-free’ show, keeping the spotlight on the Bride & Groom, great music, and fun!

Corporate and other types of events sometimes require more interaction. If that’s the case, just let us know. We will happily interact and have fun with your guests but always in good taste. We are skilled with introductions and formalities, so it would be our pleasure to take care of it for you if anything needs to be announced. SpectrumSound.com is always at your service!

Have you played at our venue before?

This, of course, depends on the site. If it is in the area, then we have most likely played there at some point. We welcome the opportunity to visit the venue with you.

What do you require from my event site?

We need at least one 6-foot banquet table with linens and adequate power (120-volt, a 15-amp circuit on a grounded outlet) within 25 feet of where the DJ will be set up.

Do you act as the emcee and make all the announcements?

We will make every announcement you would like us to make, which is usually the norm. However, occasionally, a client wants someone special in their lives to make a statement, and we always oblige them.

How would you define your style when making announcements?

Confident and clear. We use our regular voice and do not “cheese it up” insincerity. While we can use a booming radio baritone, most people can see right through that, creating distrust between the guests and ourselves.

Do you have a wireless microphone?

Yes, we have a Shure wireless mic with a range of about 50 yards on it, “half a football field” in most cases. We prefer to limit the microphone to those you told us we would need (toasts or other announcements). We choose NOT to share the mic with anyone that wants to have a few drinks and address the guests. Those moments tend to slow the momentum down, or worse, can be awkward and embarrassing.

Do you take any breaks?

Not at all. Unlike a band, you get continuous Entertainment from a DJ.

Will you bring an assistant?

Short answer? Rarely. Unless you’re planning a highly interactive, “New York-style” wedding that needs a sole emcee/party motivator to dance with your guests (something we rarely offer), deejaying a wedding is a one-person job. DJs who always bring an assistant do so because they don’t want to carry the equipment, want someone to fetch them drinks, or break down and get out of there faster at the end of the night. We don’t believe that’s something for which you need to pay.

Can we visit you at a performance?

The only performances you can visit me at are the occasional public performances for charities (and we always encourage potential clients to do that). We announce all public events on The Spectrum Sound Facebook page and this website. But as most of our performances are private weddings, we respect our client’s privacy and do not have potential customers visit their parties. However, our references, online reviews, and the information we provide you in our initial meeting will speak volumes about our experience, style, and professionalism. Each performance is designed to fit each client’s wishes, so what you hear at one party may not be what you are looking for at yours, which may cloud your judgment on our abilities.

What will you wear to our wedding?

Ninety percent of our weddings are performed in a black suit or tuxedo. We usually switch the coat for a vest if any portion is outside during the summertime. All other parties performed in either a suit or shirt and tie. We will most likely wear shorts if you have a backyard pool party. We try to dress just like your guests or slightly better, but we’re never underdressed.

What will you wear when you set up and break down your equipment?

It honestly depends on the weather and the time of year. For example, if you are having an outdoor event in July, we will most likely arrive wearing shorts and an oversized shirt, as setting up equipment in 90-degree heat can get a guy a bit sweaty. However, some of your guests may see us; we will have changed into our formal wear when most guests arrive.

When do you arrive to set up for our event?

We typically come between 60 and 90 minutes before the start of an event if we are familiar with the venue and two hours if this is our first time to avoid any setbacks. We always allow more time for Pics, photo booth setup, and Event Lighting.

Will we meet again before the event?

If you need to meet for whatever reason before your wedding, it can be arranged, but usually, there’s no need unless we need to view the venue one more time before the big day. After the initial meeting, most correspondence is exchanged via email, telephone, text, or even Facebook if you want to friend me there!

Do you pay “kickbacks” for referrals?

Never. Spectrum Sound does not pay kickbacks or referral fees through money, gifts, or other incentives. Instead, we are proud to have earned referrals and endorsements from the area’s best wedding planners, venues, caterers, photographers, and other event professionals based solely on outstanding service.

Do you offer live ceremony musicians?

Again, we believe in focusing on the service we can provide. Some music agencies will “up-sell” live musicians, serving as a “middleman” and taking a cut of the proceeds, but we’d prefer to refer you directly to the players. Please feel free to ask for our recommendations — we’ve worked with just about everyone!

How involved can we be in selecting music for our event?

We believe that avid music fans deserve incredible music on their wedding day. We encourage you to be involved if you’d like to be! Most of our clients value music and probably have distinct ideas about what they want to hear. If you are a music fan, you will probably remember the first single you bought as a teenager. Everybody at Spectrum Sound knows how it feels to be passionate about music. If you would like to select every song, we will accommodate you. Please choose up to 50 pieces and give us a Do Not Playlist for songs you do not want to hear. This usually provides us with more than we need. Requests are based on danceability, popularity, and your audience. For instance, we will often play Cupid Shuffle over most Metallica songs! Most of our couples prefer to discuss their preferences and at least a few specific requests with their DJ in-depth. We pride ourselves on listening to our clients and respecting their input and wishes while providing additional suggestions and guidance. You will never hear songs you don’t want to hear or genres you have told us you don’t like.

We believe in working tirelessly to ensure that every second of the music at your wedding is programmed brilliantly.

A wedding DJ is responsible for the success of the second half of your wedding. If they do a good job, your friend will discuss your Reception for years. But, if it goes badly, people will remember it for all the wrong reasons. If you love music, you need to find a DJ that loves music as much as you do. Our DJs spend hours every day surrounded by music. It is their life, their passion, and their love.

A good DJ is also a music expert that can look at the do and do NOT plays that a client submits online and curate the perfect playlist for the event. We spend a ton of time prepping for an event-from created edits of ceremony songs and first dances to picking the ideal mix or remix of the hottest songs. Prep work is a crucial piece of being a good mobile DJ.

We believe the time we spend building your playlists and preparing your requests will help us become better DJs.

How do we choose the songs for our wedding playlist.?

I recommend starting to think about your music today. I cannot imagine anything more stressful than leaving the music to the last minute and then panicking about picking the first dance song or trying to remember all your favorite songs. Has anyone ever asked you what music you like, and you have suddenly gone blank and forgotten the name of every piece you want? I am sure that you know what I mean.

To avoid this stressful situation a couple of weeks before your wedding, I recommend you create a note on your phone called ‘wedding playlist.’ Then, every time you hear a song that you like (or hate), you can note it. Then, when your DJ asks you for your music requests, you will already have a pretty impressive list of songs. Talk about making things easy!!

If your wedding has a theme, it might be cool to integrate this into your music. For example, with a Disney or Gatsby theme, you could easily pick a piece that reflects this.

You should separate the music in your playlist into five main categories:

1. Traditional Dances – The traditional dances that you can have for your wedding include the first dance (for the couple), second dance (bride and father), third dance (groom and mother), and last dance (for the couple). The traditional dances may or may not work similarly for same-sex marriages, families with parents who have passed away, families with step-parents, etc. The most important thing is to pick any particular dances you would like for your wedding and let the DJ know who will be dancing. You can even choose not to have the first dance. It is entirely up to you!
2. Your Favorite Music – This is where you get to pick your favorite “must-have” songs that you want to dance to on your wedding day. It can be fun to each build up your list of favorite songs. There will be times when only one of you is on the dance floor during the evening, so who cares if your fiance loves the music you hate? A good DJ will mix and match your music choices to have an excellent time. The songs and styles of music that the couple like. Separate your favorite songs into two lists then the DJ will know what tunes to play for each of you when you step onto the dance floor.
3. Songs For Your Guests – You will likely be sharing your wedding day with another 50-150 people, and to have a fantastic evening, you will want your guests to be up dancing with you all night long. Your DJ should be able to read the type of music your guests enjoy, but if you know any “must play” songs that will get your friends and family up dancing, you should add them to your playlist.
4. Niche Music – If you are passionate about a particular genre of music and would like your DJ to play a set of this music at some point during the evening, send a list of your favorite tracks if you think the DJ will not have the songs in their collection. Unless your DJ is an absolute expert in your chosen Niche Genre, you should send over some tracks to help them out. Make sure to select the music you can dance to and be realistic about how much you think should be played. Is it just you who likes this music, or do your friends and family like it? Perhaps list your top 10 must-play songs and others if it goes well on the night.
5. Music That You Hate – Let the DJ know if there are songs they cannot play. Perhaps you have a particular piece you do not want to hear at your wedding, or maybe you hate An individual artist or type of music. Be quite thorough and honest. For example, if you hate ABBA, tell the DJ and ask them not to play any…even if a guest requests the night.

Can we submit a Do Not Playlist?

Definitely! But please limit it to songs that would utterly ruin your evening. For instance, if a new husband was married before, you probably do not want to hear the music that was his first dance with his first wife! But remember, just because you hate the Electric Slide does not necessarily mean that your guests hate it too. So please have some flexibility in your Do Not Playlist.

I want to ensure all of the music is “clean” at my event. Is that an issue?

Not at all! All our music is the clean, edited versions of the songs. However, just because a piece has offensive words removed from the song doesn’t mean that the song’s meanings don’t change. We always cite “My Humps” by the Black Eyed Peas as an example. We have a clean version of the song, but that doesn’t change the song’s message!

How is an entire evening’s playlist decided?

A three-hour evening consists of about 50 to 70 selections. Six Hours equals 100 to 140. You should concentrate on picking just the music that is vital to you. We advise leaving the rest of the selections to your experienced DJ and your guest’s requests at your Entertainment event.

How will I know that our guests will like our songs?

A successful evening combines our experienced DJs knowing what to play, your guest input, and special requests. We strive to ensure that you and your guests have a great time.

Is the Don’t playlist important?

Yes! We do not want to upset or offend you or your guests.

Do you take requests from our guests?

That’s up to you! The majority of parties that we do include taking requests from guests. Some clients prefer no requests from the guests, and we respect their wishes. But when guests are allowed to request and hear the songs they like to dance to, they become more emotionally involved with the event and walk away with fonder memories of the evening. We do not play inappropriate requests at events and have developed subtle ways to satisfy guests without offending them.

How do you keep your music collection up-to-date?

I subscribe to several different DJ Record Pools. We religiously check the Top weekly 100s on Billboard, Amazon, and iTunes. In addition, we listen to Sirius Hits One and read music and trade magazines. Music is not only our job, but it’s also a lifelong hobby and passion!

When do we need to submit our music requests and event details?

Naturally, the sooner, the better. Wedding details are usually due two weeks before the wedding, so we can draw up a plan that fits your needs. To provide you with a stress-free event, we try to keep you on a weekly schedule, reminding you of what needs to be done for the six weeks leading up to your Event Entertainment Services.

What do you do to motivate the crowd if nobody is dancing?

This is usually not a problem because we have done this for a long time. However, we have developed many tricks for getting people to dance when it does happen. Some are subtle, while others are more to the point. I will say that a DJ can never go wrong with a classic love song or a fun group participation dance to get people on the dance floor. Beyond that, we would much instead share our secrets while you are on the dance floor!

Do you use party props?

No. Our performers do not dress in costumes or distribute funny hats and inflatable instruments. We do not harass your guests to join us on the dance floor or teach people to line dance. If you seek a performer to motivate your guests this way, you would probably be happier with another deejay company.

What do you require from us?

We need a table (at least six feet long) at the Event Venue and a table skirt that reaches the floor to hide our carrying cases and cables underneath the table. If you do not mind the unsightliness of such a mess, you can leave out the table skirt. We also ask that we be situated no more than 25 feet away from an electrical outlet. If we are going to be further than 25 feet from an outlet, we need to know this ahead of time to plan accordingly. We prefer to be situated close to the dance floor.

Do you have a light show?

Upon request, we can bring four lights that fit my DJ table, including a mirror ball, a Moonflower, and two laser lights. We use the mirror ball during “special” dances and slow dancing while the others light up the room during the dance portions of the evening. If you want uplighting or another lighting effect, it’s available for an extra fee, including additional men, vehicles, staff hours, etc. Once we determine what you need, we can estimate the lighting.

May we meet with our DJ in person before we sign a contract?

Absolutely! Not every client can do so due to logistics, but we encourage meeting in person whenever possible. ZOOM meetings or facetime works at this time.

What are the terms of payment if I book your services?

A 50% non-refundable retainer is due with your signed contract within two weeks of your initial meeting with your DJ. The balance is collected 30 days before your Event Entertainment Services. SpectrumSound.com accepts cash, personal checks, and certified checks or money orders. We also accept MasterCard, Visa, Discover Card, and PayPal.

How long will you hold our date for us?

Once you have a contract, you have seven days to sign the contract and put down a retainer to hold your date. After seven days, if you have not returned the agreement, the date is opened up to other potential clients.

Do you offer a written contract?

We have an extensive contract that details everything; The contract protects you and Spectrum Sound. The retainer is 50% and is non-refundable. A retainer secures your date. You can view it here. 2017-spectrum-sound-contract

Can we have overtime if the event goes longer than expected?

We certainly stay and continue to entertain as long as reasonable. We ask that you not wait until the last song to ask us. Give us some time to take it into account in our music programming. There is an extra fee for each hour of overtime.

Most importantly, why should I choose SpectrumSound.com for my Event Entertainment Services?

We provide exceptional Entertainment and the most helpful and attentive customer care in this industry.

We provide VALUE to our Bride’s Groom AND guests. Do not compromise and accept anything less.

 Please READ OUR REVIEWS                     

  Testimonials

I have a question that you haven’t answered here. You must pick up the phone and CALL (812) 401-4931. You’ll be greeted by a friendly voice that is more than happy to answer your question. You will benefit from your decision and planning process by reading our blog.

https://spectrumsound.com/blog/

Does this sound like the kind of experience you hope to receive? Great!

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I want to hire SPECTRUM SOUND – How does it work?

Learn & Browse

Dear valued visitor,

Thank you for taking the time to visit our website, spectrumsound.com. We understand that planning your event can be overwhelming, and our goal is to provide you with the necessary information to make an informed decision regarding your Event Entertainment Services. We hope you find our website helpful and informative, but if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Initial Meeting and Consultation

At Spectrum Sound, we must ensure we’re a good fit for each other. Therefore, we offer several convenient options for our initial meeting, such as meeting in person, via video conference, or over the phone. Once we meet, we automatically hold your date for one week, allowing you to make an informed decision without any pressure.

Booking Process

If you decide to move forward with us, we will hold your date on the calendar and draft a contract covering all your requirements and wishes. We require a retainer payment of 50% of the contract value to secure your date. Once we receive the contract and retainer payment, we will set up your account and send you “welcome and plan emails” within a week.

Long-Term Planning

Over the next few months, we encourage you to develop ideas, draft song lists, and come up with any questions or concerns. We’re here to help; you can contact us anytime.

Final Planning Meeting

As we near your event, we’ll have a final planning meeting to finalize the details, including timeline/agenda, music selections, event entertainment services, and anything else critical to your event. We spend 1-2 hours reviewing everything to ensure a detailed picture of how everything will flow, look, sound, and feel.

Preparation and Event Day

Within the final week of your event, we’ll work with the venue, coordinators, and vendors to ensure that every detail is covered. Then, on the day of your event, you can rest assured that everything will run smoothly, and you and your guests can have a stress-free and enjoyable time.

If you have any additional questions about our Event DJ Entertainment Services, we’re here to help. We book up quickly, so call today to reserve your event. Thank you for considering Spectrum Sound for your Event Entertainment Services.

Sincerely,

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