Most DJ's have access to a large variety of music. The good ones know how to put that variety to best use.

My approach to music begins with a simple assessment of the audience. What do they want to hear? What volume is most appropriate? How do people want to enjoy the music... dancing, casual listening? The experienced DJ answers those questions then proceeds to play to the audience - not at them.

Music selection depends largely on the situation and setting. My playlist at a company's formal Holiday Party will probably differ from what I played at their summer employee picnic.

Because I play to a wide range of ages and musical tastes in a variety of settings, my repertoire runs the gamut from Bach to Beyoncé... from Salsa to Toby Keith... and most everything in between.

The #1 priority for wedding reception and party guests is to have a great time. For a few that means sitting around a table and talking. For most it means DANCING. The DJ has to play music that you can dance to (many seem to forget that simple principle!).

When the goal is to pack the dance floor with a varied audience, I find a nice mix works best... 50's & 60's Oldies, Motown classics, 70's, 80's, 90's rock and R&B, and danceable selections from the current Hit Radio and Country charts. The mix also includes a few Big Band and Frank Sinatra style classics plus audience participation favorites like "The Electric Slide" and "The Macarena." If the situation calls, we can also do Latin, Polkas, etc. (see the right sidebar for some of my most requested artists and songs).

Other situations call for different music. Lite background and dinner music might include Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong and modern jazz instrumentals. Classical favorites like Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" are ideal for outdoor wedding ceremonies. John Denver's "Take Me Home Country Roads" is a favored request at many summer employee picnics and family reunions.

My music library consists of hundreds of retail CDs collected over 25+ years in the business. Since mid-2001, I've also subscribed to a DJ music service, Promo Only, which provides monthly compilations of current Hit Radio (Rock and R&B) and Country chart-toppers. My collection, while varied, remains fairly "mainstream" in keeping with the events I typically play. I shy away from particular genres like alternative, techno, heavy metal and gansta rap - not because of personal preference, but rather due to audience demand.

With access to a great collection of music, it's important for me to play what the client wants to hear. That's why I always discuss music with clients beforehand and actively encourage audience requests. Clients and guests are also welcome to bring their music and have it played (a practice frowned-on by many DJ's). If it plays in your CD player, it should play in mine!

As a DJ, you've got to "Get Into The Music"!

Playing my infamous "air guitar" (or is that "air fiddle") at the Walker / Fansler reception, October 19, 2002 at The Purple Iris in Martinsburg, WV. Good DJ's don't sit down to do their work. After all, how can a DJ sitting on his or her butt motivate the audience to get up and dance?! Photo submitted by the bride along with the caption "Rick, you enjoy your work a little too much!"

To really enjoy music, it has to SOUND good. That's where a state-of-the-art sound system -- using professional grade equipment (not the glorified home audio systems used by many "cheap" DJ's) -- comes into play.

My system's two "cases" are built on the components of two legendary names in professional audio -- Peavey and Gemini. The "Power Case" features all Peavey components... an 800 watt CS 800 power amp, Q215 Equilizer, and the company's acclaimed "Kosmos" signal processor. The "Music Case" includes a Radio Shack Pro mixer, Shure UHF Professional wireless microphone and Gemini's new MP3000X CD/MP3 player (which plays both standard audio CDs and MP3 CDs). Two Peavey stand-mounted Impulse 200 speakers complete the typical setup. When needed for larger venues, I add two Peavey SP2 speakers to bring the total to four.

Perhaps no component sets my audio system apart from others more so than "The Computer." People often ask, "What's the computer for?" Why, to play music of course! Custom built by Frontier Technologies of Berkeley Springs, WV, this Pentium III boasts everything needed to play today's digital MP3 and WAV music files. Currently, I'm in the process of converting my entire CD collection to these computerized digital audio formats.

To ensure equipment reliability, I carry a second complete "Music Case" with a Peavey power amp, equilizer and BBE signal processor. A Dell laptop computer provides a backup of the main desktop computer system and hosts my Promo Only song database.

Equipment setup plays a large role in overall sound quality and listening experience.

To surround the listener in sound, I employ a true "stereo" system (different sounds coming from the left and right speakers) as opposed to the "mono" systems (same sound coming from both the left and right speakers) used by many DJ's. My speakers must be spaced from 25' to 50' apart to achieve optimal stereo separation.

The ideal setup for most indoor receptions and events has my equipment centered along the edge of the dance floor with the speakers placed equal distance to the left and right as shown below...

Speaker placement is critical. As you can see, the dance floor serves as a "buffer" between my Peavey speakers and the ears of your guests.

Please note my requirements include easy access to two (2) grounded 120v electrical outlets and two (2) 6' or 8' banquet tables (preferably skirted) for equipment and CD's. The tables may be placed side-by-side, front-to-back or in an "L" configuration. Feel free to supply me a chair, although I usually don't put it to much use! (see my thoughts above on the topic of "sitting")

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Here's an unscientific sampling of my most requested tunes in a variety of categories. This is by no means an all-inclusive list...

HIT RADIO
DANCE TRACKS

"Drop It Like It's Hot"
Snoop Dogg feat. Pharrell

"Soldier"
Destiny's Child

"Disco Inferno"
50 Cent

"Let Me Love You"
Mario

"Let's Get It Started"
Black Eyed Peas

R&B DANCE
FAVORITES

"Hot In Herre"
Nelly

"Baby Got Back"
Sir-Miix-A-Lot

"In Da Club"
50 Cent

"Da Butt"
E.U.

"Rappers Delight"
The Sugarhill Gang

HARD DRIVIN'
ROCK N' ROLL

"You Shook Me All Night Long"
AC/DC

"Sweet Emotion"
Aerosmith

"Gimme Three Steps"
Lynyrd Skynyrd

"Mony Mony"
Billy Idol

"Old Time Rock N' Roll"
Bob Seger

70's & 80's

"Play That Funky Music"
Wild Cherry

"Stayin' Alive"
The Bee Gees

"We Are Family"
Sister Sledge

"YMCA"
The Village People

"Brick House"
The Commodores

"Celebration"
Kool & The Gang

"Love Shack"
The B-52's

CLASSIC MOTOWN

"Let's Get It On"
Marvin Gaye

"Respect"
Aretha Franklin

"Ain't Too Proud To Beg"
The Temptations

OLDIES BUT GOODIES

"The Twist"
Chubby Checker

"Twist & Shout"
The Beatles

"Soul Man"
The Blues Brothers

"Unchained Melody"
The Righteous Brothers

"Shout" from Animal House
Otis Day & The Knights

BIG BAND / SWING

"In The Mood"
Glenn Miller Orchestra

"Moonlight Serenade"
Glenn Miller Orchestra

"The Way You Look Tonight"
Frank Sinatra

"Return To Me"
Dean Martin

COUNTRY...
PRESENT & PAST

"Party For Two"
Shania Twain w/ Billy Currington

"Save A Horse, Ride A Cowboy"
Big & Rich

"Amazed"
Lonestar

"I Hope You Dance"
Lee Ann Womack

"Friends In Low Places"
Garth Brooks

"Crazy"
Patsy Cline

AUDIENCE
PARTICIPATION

"The Electric Slide"
Marcia Griffiths

"The Cha-Cha Slide"
Casper

"The Macarena"
Los Del Rios

"The Booty Call"
Bass N Effect

"The Chicken Dance"
Traditional

"Limbo Rock"
Chubby Checker

"The Locomotion"
Little Eva