Why do DJ’s charge so much.

The Good:
Most DJ’s are there for the art prospective. They will play music because it is what they love to do, not because of a paycheck which is why you see so many DJ’s that will perform for free at community events to give back.

The Bad:
Equipment and music is expensive. Granted you can find a DJ with an IPOD full of stolen music and cheesy low powered speakers that will do your party for little to nothing. There are different levels of the game. Personally my set up costs over $3000.

E.G.
Mixer $300
Turntables $1000
Needles $100
Serato Scratch Live $500
Laptop $700

As you can see above, I am already at $2600 and even not including the costs of purchasing music, costs of my speakers, amps, signal processors, cables, insurance, or lights. A mobile DJ should expect to recoup at least 10 percent of his/her equipment costs while at your party. So in this example it would be at least $300. Think of it this way, how much would it cost you to rent the sound equipment, have someone motivate the crowd, and have someone operate it for you? Many events also require more work put in before hand such as weddings. You wouldn’t want your DJ to show up unprepared for your wedding missing your song requests and not knowing the order of agenda would you? This is one of the reasons you see such a vast range of pricing when it comes to DJ Services. Experience counts as well. A DJ that has done 100’s of events will normally cause your event to run a lot smoother than a DJ that has only done a handful. Peace of mind is a high commodity. Not to mention that there is a risk that the equipment could be stolen or damaged before, during, or after your event.

The Ugly:
Dj’s are people too. They can get stiffed just like anyone else, they get written bad checks, get last minute cancellations, etc. Also, even the most reliable equipment can break down at any time, which is why the most professional ones will have a back up plan or in some cases a back up set of equipment. You see many craigslist ads stating that they will DJ your event for $100 dollars. How professional is the DJ’s setup? Can they MC? Ok, great, so they tell you that they have a Mic, but what type? Handheld? Lapel? Wired or Wireless? How many? Do they have a method of reducing feedback? Will they get people dancing? Just research ahead of time to make sure that you know WHAT you are getting, make sure you know WHO you are getting, make sure they have and KNOW how to play the type of music that YOU want to hear, make sure they are RELIABLE, have a BACKUP plan, will they give you a CONTRACT if you ask for it, and never make any decision based on PRICE alone. Ask around, ask your friends, someone is bound to know a good DJ.