IPOD vs. DJ

Http://www.adja.org/general/ipodwedding.asp

Today, the trendy topic is DIY receptions by using an ipod and a rented sound system instead of a professional wedding entertainer, the DJ. This idea is fraught with peril, because a great event is more than simply gear and music. It is the talent that a qualified professional brings to the event that matters most. It is what allows for a smooth flow to the event, with no embarrassing surprises. A Professional DJ from the ADJA provides you with confidence that your event will flow smoothly and will be an event that you, your family and guests will never forget, instead of one they would like to.

In order to show you, the consumer the effects of using an ipod, we decided to let video tell the story. What you are about to see is real. It is video from an actual wedding where they chose to use an ipod. The video is untouched other than to insert some dialogue slides from time to time.

You would be surprised how affordable good DJ service actually is. Give us a call, and I can work with you on the pricing. 303-308-9700

I met with a bride last night who said her biggest goal for her wedding was good flow. She went to a big wedding last summer, and there were so many awkward pauses and unsure moments. The DJ was a guy who does club work, so his music was great, but he didn't know how to MC a wedding. I'm sure he was expensive, but he was almost like an I-pod. No narration and announcing.

I know a lot of people have chimed in on this, but I thought I would give you some advice after having photographed 2 weddings this past year that used iPods only... DO NOT DO IT! The first bride spent a fortune on a wedding at a fancy hotel in Estes Park and then was upset that everyone was leaving when the dancing began because music was coming from a tiny iPod docking station. Not to mention there was no one for announcements etc. We were done photographing the wedding an hour early! The 2nd bride was at a new facility that had a state of the art system so they said... but it could not handle the bass of the music coming from the iPod so the music kept cutting out. She also had no one to organize anything and it felt very haphazard. A reception is about entertaining your guests without a professional guests are seldomly entertained. I would cut flowers, cake, favors, etc. before I would risk cutting the make or break of your wedding reception.

AHHHH!!! As a former bride myself, I almost want to start pulling my hair out. I could not have imagined my wedding reception with the DJ. A professional Disc Jockey's job is not just about music. I would say only 50% of a DJs job consist of playing music and keeping the dancing floor going. The other 50% of our job is running the event behind the scenes, making announcements and keeping the event flowing. I'm so glad that these discussions are available, because no matter what your budget is, DO NOT CUT OUT THE DJ! Djs are the ones who help create the moments for the photographer and videographer capture. Before we even play the first song, we probably invest about 30 hours in the pre-planning and preparation for your wedding.

Good Luck Ladies!

This link is a great resource for couples considering using an iPod. It offers several pro's and con's, and gives an honest, objective assessment of what it takes to put on a successful iPod wedding. It may even raise a few issues you didn't consider:

http://www.discjockey.org/ipod-wedding-guide

Bottom line, an iPod is nothing more than just a mass music storage device. It has no input, it has no feelings, no emotions or ideas, it can't make any suggestions and will not talk to matter how much you want it to. And now you want this piece of plastic to perform? It can't mix music, it can't edit music, it can't beat match music, it can't cross fade from track to track. I'm not sure what everyone will be doing when the last 30 seconds between songs? You know where the song just repeats, repeats, repeats, then fades away into nothing. They you have that dead air for about... oh another 5 to 10 seconds while the other track in the play list loads. Then the next song begins. Now lets say that song has an intro. Example, Pit Bull (Calle Ocho). Ever hear that song? It has a 15 second intro or him talking about the song before the beat actually hits. So your looking at like a 30 second loss. To say nothing for the fact you want to keep your dance floor bumping. If the music dies so does the dancing, PERIOD! Now 30 seconds might not sound like a lot. But the average song is approx 4 minutes to 4 1/2 in length. If that’s the case, then your iPod will be able to produce on average 12 sounds per hour. Not taking into account any lag or dead air time. That 30 seconds now will start adding up right about... now! Your songs per hour now go down to approx 10 songs per hour. An experienced DJ (like myself) Will mix at 3 min a track and NO lag or dead air to produce 20 tracks per hour. That equals more music, more requests and a lot of happy people. If you don't believe me, Its really simple to do the math. It’s a DJ's job to mix the music. And this is just one argument. How about the case of, what do we hook the iPod to? Are you planning on renting a high end sound system to produce the sound? that’s going to cost a few bucks (lets say $200.00), how about setting it up? If you don't know how, or can't fit the equipment in your car. You have to pay someone to deliver and set, (lets add another $150.00) how about lighting effects, or will dancing in dim lighting be ok? (another $200.00 for lighting set and delivery) Lets also not forget purchasing the music to fill not only your request list but your guest request list. (another $100.00 or so and that’s only if you already own the iPod) How about who will be ruining the system? Further more, who do you plan on operating that iPod? A family member or friend that you want to be having a good time, is now working on your wedding day. Besides, you just spent $650.00 to get all the ingreediance but now you have to have someone cook the meal (cooking analogy) Take the worry out of having to do the job of a professional and give yourself some peace of mind. Hire someone that has the knowledge of this business, this is what I do for a living.

There are so many people that consider the route of an Ipod over a Dj. Yes dj's are going to be alittle concerned for a number of logical reasons. It's not every day you hear "he's too expensive", because when you use budget as a reason for cutting entertainment... you're telling him he or she is overpaid. How would you take it if your potential boss told you you were not worth the price on your paycheck.

That being said..... A dj's job is so much more than just playing music... From melding and molding a crowd's musical tastes, interaction, and general flow from first song to last... It's far from an easy fit, and it's something you don't even know about until you've seen a disaster wedding reception.

I do think that the comment about "not sharing negative comments" regarding bad experiences is completely true... Just like if they pick a bad dj... Same concept!

Has anyone seen a video of a successful iPod wedding reception? Anyone at all? It is reasonable to assume that someone who had a great experience with an iPod would want to share it with the world on YouTube. Why, then, is it so hard to find video success stories about iPod weddings?

I appreciate that some couples simply can't afford a professional DJ, and have no choice but to seek cheap alternatives. But is it necessary for those couples to smear all DJs with the word "cheesy" to justify their decision not to use a professional? Our own site has dozens of recent references, with phone numbers. And prospective clients are welcome to ask any of them, or all of them, whether the DJ service we provided was "cheesy." I'm sure other professional DJ firms would also be happy to refer fence-sitters to some of their past clients, too.

If cheesiness is an issue, then stick with DJ companies that have earned the Better Business Bureau's perfect A customer satisfaction rating.

IPod? How cumbersome. Use a laptop with iTunes.

Check out our article on the iPod vs DJ

http://www.scotiaentertainment.com/UploadFiles/ipod-vs-dj.pdf

Always hire a professional, don't rely on consumer products and your friends or family for your special day. It is well worth it to have a professional dj or entertainment for your wedding. Look up some of the disaster videos of using an iPod at your wedding and think if you want that to happen at your wedding.

Use an iPod??? this just screams "YOU ARE CHEAP". you might think you are saving a few bucks, but you will be paying MUCH MORE in the end. think about it...your wedding DJ does MUCH more than just play music. he's hired to entertain! he will handle the intros, have a wireless mic, and lighting.

bottom line...if you can afford to have a wedding reception, then you can afford to hire a DJ...even if it means ditching the limo, chocolate fountain, or disposable cameras. many DJ's have payment plans and aren't as expensive as you might think. we found our DJ for less than $500!! he allowed us to make payments and because we only invited our closest family and friends to the wedding (about 60 guests), we saved $$$. the DJ gave us a discount as there were not as many guest to play for and we didn't have as many mouths to feed.

an Ipod is NEVER a good idea. you'll only end up ruining your wedding day and your guests will laugh at you behind your back.

Ps: have u seen this? forget the ipod. hire a wedding DJ (that's what they are for!) or your reception will end up like this one...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXj4P3iz2yg

An iPod can never replace an experienced DJ. But, if you are really set on saving cash in the entertainment department, you might want to find a hobbyist DJ that is willing to play all your stuff. They will do the job cheap, and at least you will have a live person to manage the tunes. Letting a player with a bunch of songs running auto pilot is not recommended, it will kill the party. www.beat-crazy.com

Related to iPods and song lists: It's a good idea to have someone experienced to manage the music and make changes on the fly.

Two things that can kill the dance mood:

1) A pre-established song list that is not editable. (iPod)

2) Allowing guests to have control of the PC which is playing the music. (Yikes)

Better to spend some money on a good DJ who will take control of the fun and allow you and your guests to just enjoy.

I went to three weddings this past summer. Two hired DJs, one used ITunes on a computer. Based on this limited experience, my advice is this is similar to those listed here.

If you need to save money, go with music on a computer and have a friend dedicated to monitoring the music and the ebbs and flows. Basically, your DJ on the cheap. My one friend did this and it worked out very well and it was a lot of fun. She also didn't have your traditional wedding. At a traditional wedding, not having a DJ will look cheap and can be risky if the computer crashes or freezes, etc.

DO NOT hire a cheap DJ. You get what you pay for. It was obvious my one friend hired a cheap DJ. He showed up in khackis and a scruffy plaid shirt and the music jumped 20-30 years at a time, with no flow, and some of it was not even dance music.

My other friend had an elegant wedding and a good DJ that kept the music flowing. It was a clasy and fun event.

We got married last week and used www.shoutindj.com in orlando area and they were great. Professional and fun. Not cheap but reasonable and less than alot of others. If we had an ipod i dont think my guests would still be talking about it like they are.