Est. 1995

10 Questions to ask when searching for a wedding DJ:

 

1.) Are you insured?

All professional DJs should have at least a one-million-dollar liability policy to play at a large portion of venues.  Your venue will require proof of insurance from your DJ.  FM Sound Productions, LLC has a two-million-dollar liability policy that we will provide to your venue.  We will also include your venue as an “additionally insured” on our policy.

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2.) Do you have back-up equipment with you in case something happens?

If your DJ lacks a complete backup system for their equipment, any malfunction could quickly ruin your event.  FM Sound Productions, LLC carries a trailer equipped with full back-up audio and video systems, along with backup photo booth units.

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3.) Do you have back up DJs in case you get sick on my wedding day?

A reliable DJ company will have back-up staff on hand and will not sub out to another DJ company.  It is important that you find this out in the very beginning.  FM Sound Productions, LLC has a complete staff of back-up DJs.  (side note: we never had to use them since 1995)

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4.) Do you have music on your devices, or do you stream your music at my wedding?

If you have a DJ that says they are streaming the music or they need Wi-Fi…run away! First the music they are using is unstable and can cut out mid song if the Wi-Fi glitches or cuts out.  Do you really want to take this chance for your first dance or parents dances?  What about when the floor is packed, and the music cuts out?  Your DJ will make a memory alright, just not the one you wanted!  FM Sound Productions, LLC has over 250,000 songs right on our devices (computers, mixers, etc.) that we can retrieve within a split second.  We even have new music that was not even released to the public yet!  We take our music very seriously!  This leads to the next very important question/topic.

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5.) Are you paying royalty fees for the music you are using at my event? (legal music)

If the DJ cannot prove they are paying music royalty fees on a regular basis, they are using illegal music.  Let me break it down into simple terms.  You go to work; at the end of the week you get paid for what you did.  What if at the end of the week you did all that work, and they decided not to pay you?  This is a very basic principle of how using other peoples’/artists’ content/music for your monetary gain is illegal.  This is why a professional DJ is required to pay royalty fees.  Otherwise, they are stealing, and you should contact the RIAA about this DJ!  If the DJ is streaming it is a definite sign they are stealing music.  Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Sirius/XM, and all other streaming platforms are not LEGAL for playing music for monetary gain.  FM Sound Productions, LLC uses music from legitimate music sources and can provide licensing for their music when requested.

 

6.) Will you play song requests? What about questionable content songs?

If the DJ will not play your guests song requests, what is keeping them happy?  A good DJ will take song requests and mix them in to flow of music.  An excellent DJ will know what songs are acceptable to play based on context and lyrical content of song.  FM Sound Productions, LLC will take requests.  Does this mean all requests are played?  Not necessarily, because we factor in several things: Is the song appropriate for a family wedding because of lyric content or song meaning. Is the vibe of the song going to match the energy in the room.  Is it on the newlyweds “Do Not Play” list.  If there is a song that is requested but it could be considered questionable, we will ask the newlyweds for their input and explain to them why we feel it might be questionable.

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7.) How long have you been in the wedding business?

True professional wedding DJs will have many successful weddings logged and should have a minimum of three years’ experience to be considered professional along with referrals and reviews.  FM Sound Productions, LLC has been doing this since 1995.  (Heck, most of our clients aren’t even that old!) However, we stay on top of music and wedding trends to stay fresh!

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8.) Do you have referrals and online reviews that we can read/contact?

Professional DJs will always have reviews online, referrals from past clients, and even written letters from clients thanking them for a great time.  If your DJ does not have excellent reviews or some are questionable, you may want to consider other DJs.  FM Sound Productions, LLC is proud to have made so many people happy with 5-star reviews on multiple platforms.  You can search us on any search engine to see our reviews.  You can even go to our website to see what clients have said about our services.  We even include the names of the people who wrote all of the nice things about us.  Heck, if you want we even have permission to give you their contact information for you to ask them direct questions.

 

9.) What are your business hours when I can talk to you with any questions that I may have?

All professional DJs should have a reliable contact source, prompt responses, and be able to answer all the questions you have for them, but their hours may vary.  FM Sound Productions, LLC took regular business hours and ramped it up.  We are available for you to call and text 24 hours a day, and believe it or not, we will respond because we know you need answers now, not later!  We understand that everyone works a different schedule and sometimes regular business hours just don’t mesh with your schedule.  This is why we like to make things as easy as possible for our clients.  We will even meet with you in the middle of the night to discuss your wedding details if this is the only time your schedule allows.  We have done this on so many occasions for doctors/nurses, emergency personnel, and even some local newscasters who have a non-typical work schedule.

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10.) Do you have equipment that can be used in areas where there is no electricity?

Professional DJs understand that a wedding ceremony in the middle of a vineyard, farm field, or remote area may not have an easy to access electrical outlet.  They will have a professional-grade battery operated system that should be able to provide sound for hours on end without interruption.  FM Sound Productions, LLC is no stranger to remote locations without electricity.  We even have complete professional photo booths with real photo printers that can run on battery power for 6 hours at a time.  We are always prepared! And now you should be prepared as well!