How I structure your bespoke wedding music set list
One of the most important bits of information I need to get off the Bride and Groom is what type of music they like. The simplest way to get this is to ask them to send over a list of their favourite songs and artist.
Many people ask me about how it works when they give this list. They wonder whether I just play all of the requested songs first then just play whatever I like after, others worry I might not play their list at all. Neither of these could be further from the truth.
A DJ set that has been created specifically for your tastes
The first step is to let me know your favourite song
Once I receive your list I will create a folder on my DJ programme and fill it with all the requested songs. I then head to ITunes or Spotify to find other artists and music that is similar to make sure that type of music is played more heavily throughout the night.
Let me know the songs you dislike.
This is another aspect that is really important. Obviously I tend to stay away from really cheesy music but some people might decide that there are certain songs that they do not want played at all costs. I have had people say to me before “what ever you do, please don’t play Amy Winehouse, even if requested”. Other people say, “no rap”.
Ultimately this is your big day and the last thing you want me to do is be playing music that you hate. Let me know and I will make a note not to play these tracks no matter what.
It also goes without saying, if you are on the dance floor and I play a song you don’t like, this is not a problem, just pop over to the booth and tell me. The songs I played are not structured. I am simply watching what people like and going with it. My set list can be changed moment to moment.
How I structure the playlist
That brings me onto my most important point which is structuring the music. The basic theory behind DJing is to slowly build the energy throughout the night (usually as people get more and more drunk). The way I do this is to organise the tracks by their beats per minute (BPM). Then I sort the music from slower songs to faster songs so throughout the evening the music I play will get faster and faster in tempo. The reason for this is generally the more fast pace the music, the more people are dancing.
However this is not gospel! I will sometimes play quite slow songs later in the evening if I feel like people need a bit of a breather.
Structuring the songs from fast to slow works perfectly with songs that I am given at the start as it means your songs will be played through out the evening based on their tempo. That way not all your requested songs are played at once.
What do I do if no one is dancing to the music that has been requested
If I am playing music that has been requested and no one is dancing I often try a few different genres to see if it gets people up. At the end of the day I am a dj but really I am there to get the party started. My main job is to get people up on their feet. Some DJ’s like to speak to the audience and ask people to get up and dance but this is not my style. I like people to get up and dance because they want to dance to the music I am playing, not because I have asked them to.
Ultimately if I am playing music that people don’t want to dance to I begin to look for music that people do like to dance to. Generally this doesn’t happen as most Brides and Grooms ask for classics that everyone loves to dance to but it is important to know that I do play around with music to see if I can get more people up on their feet.
My main goal is to get the party started and to keep the Bride and Groom happy. Feel free to ask me to play anything you like on your day and your wish is my command. If you don’t have any preference and just want to see people up dancing, you are in safe hands!