Frequently Asked Questions
I’ve been asked the following questions at different times by different clients, so I thought I put them all together in this FAQ page to help my future clients with their decision-making-process!
1. How long have you been DJ-ing?
→ Since 2010. I started out as a hobby, but word spread quickly, and friends & community members started reaching out for my services. I didn’t know how to price myself in the beginning, so I would give everyone deals back then, and even do free charity events. A bulk of my gigs have always come through word-of-mouth or client-referrals. I enjoy helping my clients build amazing memories that I know they will cherish for life. By now, I’ve worked with countless couples from all cultures, and all walks of life. I did not officially have a proper website up until 2020, and I taught myself how to build this site from scratch.
2. Do you have a contract that you normally do?
→ Yes. I’ve been using a simple one-page contract, and I usually take a small retainer-fee/deposit to lock-in the date(s) on my calendar, and the remaining balance can be paid closer to the date of the event.
3. Can you MC/Make announcements? What’s your style of mixing?
→ Yes! I can MC, make announcements and can also do grand-Introductions while keeping the flow going based on the event-timeline provided. I keep intros short, sweet, simple, fun, respectful, and professional. I do most of my music prep in advance. I also jump on the mic to hype-up the crowd during the open-dance-floor as well. My style of mixing is all about keeping a nice flow of good music going with smooth transitions while staying on the beat. Here’s my SoundCloud Page: https://www.soundcloud.com/djkashif for you to listen to some of my original re-mixes & mashUps that I’ve put together when I used to have much more free time.
4. How do you get the crowd moving if no one is dancing?
→ Every wedding is not the same because I work with clients from different cultural backgrounds. I don’t think I recall doing any event where people did not dance 🙂 … I plan ahead of time to learn about the couple & the style of music that they will enjoy, so I prepare a good list in advance to mix live while helping my clients celebrate with their guests & family members. I normally engage with the crowd by encouraging song-requests throughout the night. I keep a consistent flow of good music coming with smooth transitions, so guests have no reason to be bored or leave the floor until it’s time to end of the night!
5. What happens if you can’t make it?
→ Once I book an event, I’m fully committed. I once fractured my thumb right before an event while loading the equipment in my vehicle before heading to the venue, but I still went and performed with a little make-shift caste because the show must go on. Once I book an event, I find a way to make it happen; No excuses! but life does happen to all of us, so if I ever can’t personally make it, I do everything in my ability to find another experienced local DJ to get the job done for my clients at the same rate.
6. How involved can we be in the music selection?
→ I encourage feedback from clients so you are welcome to share your favorite tracks in a Spotify or a YouTube playlist, so I have something to build on. You can stay involved from start to end. I let all of my clients give me a playlist so I can take inspiration from it, and offer them a fully customized experience based on the type of music ‘they’ like. I have experience in doing weddings from many mixed/blended-cultures. Having a playlist of your favorite tracks allows me to provide a more customer-focused experience from start to finish.
7. When can we send requests for music?
→ The sooner the better; and definitely don’t wait till the very last week before the event date because things can get hectic. You can share a Spotify playlist of your “must-have” favorite songs, and I will create proper sets in advance to be played during different segments of your event based on the timeline provided.
8. Do you let guests make requests?
→ Yes, of course! I don’t mind taking song-requests throughout the night from guests. I try my best to get those played during the open dance-floor session as I see them best fit.
9. When do you normally arrive at the venue?
→ I try to arrive about 3 hrs in advance depending on how big the event is, so that I’m not rushing to finish the proper set-up & sound-check before the event starts. It all depends because bigger events require longer set up & breakdown times, but I always arrive early to setup.
10. How do you dress up at your events?
→ Once I’m done with the set up, I usually change into a professional attire; either a suit-&-tie, or jeans with a dress-shirt and a coat.
11. Do you require a meal? and what about a hotel for out of town bookings?
→ I’ve never worked an event where I was not offered a meal as a vendor, so I’m used to having that added as part of the deal, and most of the time, I just quickly grab a bite & get back on the decks, so yes, I do require a meal; Thank You! … If the venue is more than 1.5 hr away then yes, I do require a hotel because most events don’t finish until 11 pm or closer to midnight, and then the pack-up time adds about an hour or so, which means I don’t get out from the venue until close to 1 am, so that’s why I require a hotel to avoid being on the road late at night after a long day of running the event.
12. Are you insured?
→ Yes, I carry a small-business plan as a backup, but I’ve never ever had any issues with any of my clients or any venues that I’ve worked at before where I had to rely on using insurance, or someone else had to claim for anything. I simply come to the venue, do a simple/clean set-up, perform the show, help my clients build memories, and I’m outta there like I was never there. 🙂 I sometimes feel like its a waste of money, but yes, I do have a plan if that makes you feel comfortable. 🙂
13. Do you require a break during the event?
→ No, I do not smoke, drink or anything like that, so breaks are not required. I keep a continuous mix of music going in the background during dinner while I eat something quickly to recharge, and I’m back on the decks before its time to open up the dance floor.
14. Do you have a backup during the event?
→ Over time, I’ve invested in top-quality equipment made by reputable brands such as QSC, JBL, Shure, Bose, ADJ, RCF, and Mackie, so I trust my equipment well, and have never had to switch to a backup before, but I do travel with extra lights & speakers, just in case…
15. Do you have wireless mics? and what kind of lights do you have?
→ Yes, Of course! I can provide hand-held wireless mics, wired mics, and a hands-free / lapel wireless-mic if needed for the officiant during the ceremony. → I own a great set of DJ lighting tripod stands (Gig-Bar style, with multi-colored LED lights, and wash-lights). They are full of different sound-activated LED lights that look great on the dance-floor. I also own multi-colored wireless Up-lighting as well, which I can provide at an additional cost. Each up-lighting unit is costly, and requires extra time to set up & program. More details about pricing can be found under my ‘Pricing‘ page.
16. What does your setup look like?
→ I have a few different setups that I use for different events depending on the size of the venue or the guests count. It all depends on the logistics of the wedding or event. I own QSC / JBL / Mackie / Bose / Shure, Crux, Both, SOUNDBOKS, RCF and ADJ branded sound & lighting equipment. All of my equipment is top quality with thousands of dollars invested in them over time. Everything will sound crisp, clean & clear. You & your guests will have an awesome overall experience.
17. How many events or weddings have you done so far?
→ I didn’t quite start keeping track of the number of my events until much later, and I still don’t keep an exact count, but I’ve done a LOT. I also didn’t start asking my previous clients to leave me positive reviews on a regular bases until many years later in this field. However, I do have a good amount of great reviews & testimonials posted on different platforms now, such as Thumbtack, WeddingWire, TheKnot, Zola, and Google. You are welcome to read my reviews directly on these platforms by clicking the links, or you can just go to my Testimonials page to read them all in order!
18. If we are ready to move forward to book you, what are the requirements?
→ Once we’ve discussed your event-details, and you feel comfortable in moving forward with everything, then I usually put a one page contract together with further details on it, and email you the PDF file for review. Once you’ve reviewed the contract, you fill in the blanks, and return that to me with the deposit, and we are all set & locked in for your date. Once the initial paperwork is out of the way, then we can start discussing your music requirements and other logistics. I look forward to earning your trust, and working with you very very soon! 🙂
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