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The list below covers most Frequently Asked Questions you should as any Disc Jockey before booking them.
Click the link below to jump the the answer to your question.
Please don't hesitate to contact us directly with any questions as well. We look forward to hearing from you!
Questions:
If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to contact us directly.
What is your coverage area?
Based in Central New York, we cover all surrounding counties in Upstate, NY Onondaga, Oswego, Madison, Cortland, Tompkins, Jefferson, Cayuga, Oneida, Lewis and others. Due to the rising costs of gas, events at great distance may incur a nominal fee to cover fuel only. This is on a case by case basis.
Do you offer a written contract?
Absolutely. Our contract outlines and establishes our every obligation to you and your event. In addition, with our contract, we'd provide you with the following forms that we request you complete within 2 weeks of your event: An itinerary for the event, any special announcements you'd like us to made, and a "Must Play" and "Do Not Play" song list.
Could we meet with you in person before we sign a contract?
In most cases, yes. Face to face meetings are always best, especially for wedding clients. Sometimes distance and schedules make it difficult, so we're glad to have phone and/or Skype meetings anytime as well.
Do you perform for more than one event in a day?
Generally no. Especially the same day as a wedding. Our focus is on your event, and we don't believe any DJ can provide the attention you and your guests deserve when they're stretched thin between multiple events in the same 24 hour period.
What makes you different from your competitors? Also see 'About'
There are many competent, and professional Disc Jockeys in Central New York. All have their own strong points. At CNY Select, we can simply tell you what we do best; We keep a low-profile when appropriate, kick start the party into action and dancing at your request, make well spoken announcements only when it's deemed appropriate or necessary, and do it all with a professional demeanor. You may want a DJ with a shiny bow-tie who'll lead the Chicken Dance, that's not us. We're not going to bash any DJ who fits that criteria, but it's simply not our style.
Have you played at our reception site before?
Probably. We've played everywhere from VFW halls to the top Ballrooms in CNY. That said, if we haven't been to yours, be assured we'll adequately prepare prior to your event by visiting the venue and/or speaking with the site contact and familiarizing ourselves with the floor plan. Every site poses different challenges – different load-in and security procedures, different room sizes and configurations, different acoustics etc. We'll always ensure familiarity with your site so that you won’t have any surprises on your wedding day
Do you act as the “emcee” and make all of the announcements?
Yes. We get great joy from being the voice at your event. The level of our interaction is entirely up to you, but our general focus is on the most important announcing: Enthusiastically introducing the newlyweds and their wedding party, your first dance, announcing the cake cutting, bouquet & garter toss events or other formalities you opt for, and keeping most other announcements to a minimum. We're not the star of the show, you are.
What's your "style" when making announcements? Also see 'About'
This is an important question to determine whether a DJ is a good match for your guests and the atmosphere you’re trying to create. A cheesy "radio" DJ can destroy the mood at an elegant, understated wedding. On the same token, public speaking skills are important, and a DJ who's not comfortable on the microphone, is probably in the wrong field. We try to strike a balance, by making professional, brief but well spoken announcements at the appropriate times. We're not convinced your guests are there to see and hear us.
How will you motivate the crowd if nobody is dancing?
Careful song selection is our #1 motivator. We're glad to announce that the dance floor is open and welcome your guests to make requests. That said, we've never needed to resort to begging people to dance on the microphone. People dance to the music they love. We're keen at finding just the right song to get people motivated. Sometimes it's a classic, sometime's it's something brand new. Reading the crowd is just one of the important abilities a good DJ can bring to your event.
What if something happens to you and you can’t make it to our event?
While the situation has never arisen, as responsible professionals, we have a backup strategy in place in the unlikely event of an emergency. For Weddings we almost always have a 2 person team. For other events, we're active members of the Syracuse DJ community and have relationships with many professionals in the area. We have an entire network of DJs to choose from, and would match you with a like-minded DJ who is fully abreast of your musical tastes, and complete itinerary for the day. It's never happened, but rest assured regardless of any tragic circumstances, you will have a qualified, prepared DJ.
Can we visit you at a performance?
Unfortunately, no. Just as we'd never invite prospective clients to your wedding, we respect our clients’ privacy and cannot offer this as a possibility.
How do you keep your music collection up-to-date?
We subscribe to multiple major music update services. We're "up to the minute" current with new, radio edited music, often before it is even playing on the radio.
How involved can we be in selecting music for our event?
You can be as involved as you wish. We've had clients submit very long detailed "Must Play" and Do-Not-Play" lists, and we've also had clients submit no "Must Play" or restricted songs at all. In both circumstances, we're confident we can keep your guests happy. We're eager to gather a play-list of songs you love, and we're happy to "fill in the blanks" with similar music that we feel will fit your tastes. We're also great at reading your crowd, and catering to everyone.
When do we need to submit our music requests and event details?
Our online planning tools provide an itinerary planner, a timeline, and a music request planner. You can update these and make changes at any time. Once you've booked us, we'll send you a login password to access your own personal Client Area. The day of your Wedding we'll gladly provide copies of your timeline to your catering staff and photographer. This helps your vendors stay on the same page, so you can relax and enjoy your guests.
Do you take requests from our guests?
If you wish, we'll gladly take guest requests, while keeping with your musical tastes and playlist preferences.
Can we submit a “Do Not Play” list?
Yes. We'll adhere as strictly to your list as you'd like, and avoid any songs or styles of music you'd prefer not to hear at your event.
When do you arrive to set up for our event?
We aim to arrive at least a full hour before our scheduled start time. While setup can generally be completed in 30-45 minutes, we spend the extra time organizing, neatly wrapping cabling the stands and ensuring the presentation of our equipment is clean and uncluttered.
What will you wear to our event?
We feel it's important to dress appropriate for your event. If your event is formal, we'll usually wear a dark suit and tie, if your event is a backyard BBQ, we'll dress for a backyard BBQ. One thing we will not do, is upstage you or your guests. Our attire is classic, and understated. We do not wear flashy, shimmering or patterned vests and matching bow-ties.
How much of a deposit is required to secure our date?
A non-refundable retainer of 30% of your total event's cost will secure your date. Once received, the date is reserved specifically for your event on our calendar and other business is turned away.
What is included in the cost of my event?
Unless you specifically request otherwise, the cost of your event includes a DJ to provide appropriate music and announcement (sometimes 2 DJs), a full sound system, and dance lighting in most cases. Our flat-rate pricing has no other fees unless otherwise agreed upon.
How much would you charge for overtime?
Should you decide you'd like to extend to time of your affair at the end of the night, our overtime rate is $100 per hour.
Overtime is at our discretion, and is not always available. In certain circumstances, we simply cannot stay, but we'll always do our best to accommodate you.
What do you require from us?
Our needs are very basic. We require adequate shelter, electricity, and a table (6 foot) for our equipment. If no table will be available, just let us know in advance and we can bring one. Whenever possible (especially at weddings), we recommend that you speak with the venue/banquet manager and have the DJ's table dressed with an appropriate, matching table cloth. This is sometimes overlooked, but it can ultimately detract from the beautiful decor of your event if one table isn't matching.
Do you require a meal at our wedding reception?
No. We'll likely graciously accept if you offer to feed us, and most clients do since events are often celebrated during dinner hours, but it's entirely up to you. One thing we don't want, is for you to incur additional cost.
Are gratuities expected?
No. We never expect a tip for our services. We appreciate any tip that is offered based on our performance. The nicest thing you can do for us is to write a glowing review and recommend us to others. Regardless, be assured we'll give it our all every time.
Are you insured?
Absolutely. CNY Select is insured with a one million dollar liability coverage ($2,000,000 aggregate) policy underwritten by the top A+ rated insurance carrier in the country for mobile entertainers.
Many venues require this in the Facility Rental Agreement, also requesting proof of the venue's addition directly to the DJ's policy. We're happy to add your venue to our policy, and provide a certificate of proof in preparation for your event. Just ask.
Do you take any breaks?
No. Aside from using the restroom and possibly eating a meal quickly, we do not take any breaks. You can expect there to be no break in the music at any point during your event.
What is your policy on consuming alcohol or smoking cigarettes during our event?
At no time will we ever consume alcohol or take any kind of breaks, smoking or otherwise (other than bathroom breaks) during your event. Any DJ that needs a couple drinks to "loosen up", is not a professional.
What kind of equipment do you use?
We use only professional-grade equipment. Our gear is 100% digital and capable of rich, full sound. We prefer to sound great over sounding LOUD. Some of the brands we use are; Electro Voice, Denon, Mackie, QSC, JBL, Shure, Allen & Heath, & more. For software based mixing & music management we use Native Instruments Traktor Pro. All music is backed up redundantly on internal and external hard drives and we always have a backup method of playing music (usually CDs) in the unlikely event of a failure.
Do you have a wireless microphone?
Yes. We use a quality Shure wireless microphone for guest toasts, blessings, and any other speeches or announcements to be made. We also have at least one backup, wired microphone with us at every event.
Do you have a “light show”?
Yes. If you choose, we provide dance lights at no additional charge. The level of dance lights at your event is entirely up to you. We can keep it subtle with an updated version of the classic mirror-ball effect, which is a low-profile classy choice. Alternatively, we can provide state of the art intelligent LED lights synced together that move with the music and motivate the crowd. Whichever you decide, we try to keep our lights as low profile as possible, without the large trussing systems and messy wires that clutter up an otherwise beautifully decorated reception.
Do you set up a sign or banner with your equipment?
We will not use a sign, banner, printed tablecloth etc. to advertise our business at your Wedding or other private event. Unless you'd prefer otherwise, we may use a small banner at a Class Reunion, Corporate Event or similar.
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DJ Services in Syracuse, NY | 315.407.1CNY (1269) | info@cnyselect.com
