Q. What time will you arrive at the event?

A. DJ arrival time varies but normally anywhere between 1 to 2 hours before guest arrival time can be expected. Please be sure to include the estimated guest arrival time and not just the start time listed on an invitation. There is a section for both of these fields on your event planner so that we can make an informed decision. If you require an earlier setup time beyond your included hours, this can be done for a small fee.

Q. Does The Music Man DJ Service provide a contract?

A. The Music Man DJ Service offers a free consultation previous to your event where we can go through your needs and desires for your special night. A contract is created to protect both parties and to make the event official. This can also be signed and sent by fax or email.

Q. Why are prices so different when it comes to different disc jockeys?

A. When it comes to pricing, there is much to consider for hiring a disc jockey. You should find out from your DJ if his price includes a light show, a microphone, dinner music, master of ceremonies work, length of play time as well as other things such as how many songs the DJ has and the quality of their equipment. There could also be tax on top of the price or even extra hidden charges such as an extra $200 to $300 to guarantee you are getting the actual disc jockey that you are meeting with. This is a common charge with many DJ companies and charges that The Music Man DJ Service does not believe in. Experience, expenses and expertise also help to determine the cost of a DJ. Many DJ's who are just starting off will keep their price as low as possible to try to acquire a few clients to “practice” on. If you're serious about having a professional who will do a good job, you should try to avoid choosing a DJ based on price alone.

   The ideal scenario would be to hire an established DJ who performs full time as a disc jockey because he will be more experienced and professional than for say, a part time employee who DJ's on the side as a hobbyist. At the Music Man DJ Service, this is our full time job!

    The Music Man DJ Service offers master of ceremonies services, an interactive light show, dinner music, a wired/wireless microphone, free overtime as well as a night of entertainment! Our +25,000 songs are brought to every event and our equipment consists of high quality American DJ products as well as Fender speakers, heavy duty cabling and Shure microphones. We offer top service at very fair prices. All these extra features come at NO extra cost! Many additional features are available such as fog effect, a bubble machine, a kissing wheel, projectors and screens, custom monograms, uplighting, dry ice, an interactive light show and much more!

Q. What kind of music do you play?

A. The Music Man DJ Service offers many types of genres for our clients to select from based upon their needs. We are able to do a traditional format and cover some of the bigger hits that always seem to give good results or we are able to use a custom format where you are able to choose what you want to hear throughout the night. One of our specialties is knowing how to appeal to mixed aged crowds.

     Some of our music genres are as follows:
Alternative, big band, bachata, Christian, classic rock, country, dance, dinner, disco, dubstep, folk, hip hop, holiday, house, Italian, jazz, Latino, Lebanese, merengue, metal, musicals, Motown, oldies, pop, Portuguese, r & b, rap, reggae, retro, rock, salsa, slow set, soft rock, techno, top 40 and more!

Q. Do I have to worry about any hidden charges that come up?

A. No, the price quoted covers the total cost of entertainment for the evening provided by The Music Man DJ Service including tax. There are no extra traveling charges or additional costs that haven't been put into writing. Optional features such as Master of Ceremonies services, a wired/wireless microphone, an interactive light show, dinner music and a complimentary meeting to coordinate your event are all included at no extra cost. Some DJ companies will charge extra for these features.

Q. What type of events do you specialize in?

A. The Music Man DJ service specializes in traditional, non-traditional and customized weddings as well, Italian and European weddings, Christmas and other holiday events, school dances, proms, frat parties, birthdays, anniversaries, corporate events and any party that requires new, up-to-date music or old classics.

     We are experts at handling parties that involve mixed age groups as well as parties that require a fun, creative DJ to get involved with the crowd. We have handled many other types of unique events as well and are qualified to do so.

Q. How much experience do you have?

A. I, Rob Salvati, as the head and founder of The Music Man DJ Service have been in business since the year 1999. The Music Man DJ Service has come a long way in developing a standard system of operation, organization and function as well as establishing unique traits and qualities that separate us from other DJ companies.

     Previous to The Music Man, I worked with Kim Owens from Owens and Company DJ Services for 2 years, formerly Son of Man Entertainment. There I was able to learn many skills to transform The Music Man DJ Service into what it is today.

     I have also created alliances with other companies such as Dynamic Sound where we have been able to combine expertise to raise the quality of service in the DJ industry as well as maintain my alliance with Owens and Company.

Q. How long are your breaks?

A. We take no breaks when the dance floor is open. The music is always continuous and “the show must go on”! If a quick break is absolutely needed, the music will not stop! If you are holding an all day event however, we will need a quick lunch break at some point.

Q. What happens if by the end of the night, the crowd is having too much fun partying and says “let there be music”?

A. Not a problem! If the crowd is screaming for more, we wouldn't just “cut your night off” and pack up unless informed to do so. if the crowd isn't ready to quit, neither are we! Generally speaking, banquet halls will cut events off at 1:00am, some being more strict than others. We have been known to play for an extra half hour for free if the crowd can't get enough!

     If you wish for your event to go later than 1:30 am however, there may be a small hourly charge. You should ask any future prospect DJ ahead of time what their company policy is. Some companies are flexible with this while other DJ companies only include 4 hours of standard service and charge anywhere from $50 to $150 hourly for events beyond 4 hours.

Q. What types of things do you do to “pump your crowd up”?

A. There are many things I can do to pump up the crowd. This can include anything from leading certain group dances to passing out different themed hats or props to interact with the crowd upon request. I like to feel the crowd out to figure out what they will respond best to. Shout outs are always effective and that's why it's good to give some background details in your event planner so I know who I am speaking to.

     Speaking on the microphone at appropriate points while I'm performing and interacting with the crowd to get them involved in certain songs is another effective tool. If you are ordering our blow-up guitars or other giveaway items, I can hold dance contests for best moves on the dance floor to choose prize winners as well as other games. Different things appeal to different people and I am very flexible and versatile with my style of performance.

Q. What is the total capacity of people you are able to play for?

A. As a guideline, a standard event can be anywhere as small as 20 people to events totalling up to 2000 people. There is no hall I have come across where sound has ever been a problem. An average event consists of roughly 200 guests for a wedding reception but may vary. We are able to perform both outdoors and indoors and the more guests, the merrier. Having more people means that the dance floor will be full!

     With larger public parties, you may want to consider having some sort of security there to ensure no disturbances arise. It's just something to consider and is completely up to the individual.

Q. What are the travelling boundaries for The Music Man DJ Service?

A. The Music Man DJ Service now covers all of Ontario! Our mobile DJ service reaches anywhere from Essex County all the way to Thunder Bay! Further distances are also possible. Stay tuned for expansions covering service in United States in the near future.

     Here is a list of just some of the cities within our traveling range.
Acton, Ailsa Craig, Ajax, Alma, Amherstburg, Ancaster, Ariss, Arkona, Arva, Atwood, Aylmer, Ayr, Baden, Bayfield, Bayham, Beachville, Beamsville, Belle River, Belmont, Blenheim, Blytheswood, Bothwell, Brampton, Brant, Brantford, Brights Grove, Burford, Burgessville, Burlington, Caledonia, Cambridge, Campbellville, Canfield, Centralia, Centreville, Chatham, Chatham-kent, Clarkson, Clear Creek, Clinton, Colchester, Comber, Concord, Copetown, Corunna, Cottam, Courtland, Courtright, Crediton, Dashwood, Delaware, Delhi, Dorchester, Dresden, Duart, Dublin, Dundas, Dunwich, Dutton, Eden, Eden mills, Egmondville, Elmira, Elora, Embro, Emeryville, Enniskillen, Eramosa, Erie Beach, Essex, Essex County, Etobicoke, Exeter, Fergus, Fingal, Fisherville, Flamborough, Flesherton, Floradale, Florence, Forest, Fort Erie, Fullarton, Georgetown, Glencoe, Goderich, Grand Bend, Grimsby, Guelph, Hagersville, Haldimand, Halton Hills, Hamilton, Hannon, Hanover, Harriston, Harrow, Hawkesville, Heidelberg, Hensall, Hornby, Ilderton, Ingersoll, Innerkip, Iona, Jarvis, Jerseyville, Kent Bridge, Kimberly, Kingsville, Kitchener, Komoka, La salette, Lakeshore, Lambton Shores, Langton, Lasalle, Leamington, Lighthouse Cove, Limehouse, Linwood, Listowel, Lobo, Logan, Londesborough, London, Lucan, Lynden, Maidstone, Malahide, Markdale, Markham, Mcgregor, Meadowvale, Meaford, Melbourne, Merlin, Millbank, Milton, Milverton, Mississauga, Mitchell, Moffat, Monkton, Mooretown, Mossley, Mount brydges, Mount pleasant, Muncey, Nanticoke, New Dundee, New Hamburg, Newbury, Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-lake, Norfolk, North Bay, North Buxton, Norval, Norwich, Oakdale, Oakland, Oakville, Ohsweken, Oil springs, Oldcastle, Oliver, Orangeville, Oshawa, Owen Sound, Paisley, Paris, Pelee Island, Peterborough, Petrolia, Pickering, Point Edward, Port Alma, Port Burwell, Port Dover, Port rowan, Port Stanley, Preston, Princeton, Puce, Puslinch, Ravenswood, Ridgetown, Rockwood, Rodney, Ruthven, Saint Mary's, Salford, Sandwich, Sarnia, Seaforth, Shakespeare, Sheffield, Simcoe, Smithville, Southampton, Sparta, Springfield, Springford, St. Agatha, St. Catharines, St. Clair Beach, St. George, St. Jacobs, St. Joachim, St. Marys, St. Thomas, Staples, Stoney Creek, Stony Point, Stratford, Strathroy, Streetsville, Tavistock, Tecumseh, Thamesford, Thamesville, Thedford, Thorndale, Tilbury, Tillsonburg, Toronto, Townsend, Turkey Point, Union, Vanessa, Vittoria, Walkersville, Wallaceburg, Wallenstein, Walsingham, Walton, Wardsville, Warwick, Waterdown, Waterford, Waterloo, Watford, Wellesley, West Lorne, West Montrose, Westminister, Wheatley, Wilsonville, Windham Centre, Windsor, Winona, Woodbridge, Woodslee, Woodstock, Wyoming, York, Zurich

Q. Will you take requests in person?

A. Unless opposing instructions are provided, yes, of course we will. My main concern as a DJ is trying to please as many people at an event as possible while following the event planner. Requests are ordered in a format that will flow smoothly with the music in a logical sequence or if appropriate, first come, first served. There is a company policy in place not to play profanity that would offend people attending your special event. We do maintain clean edited versions of songs to avoid this.

Q. I see you offer additional services. How do I order a rental or additional service through your company?

A. We offer a wide variety of payment options. You can either checkmark any desired rental items on your event planner at the bottom of the form to order a rental/service or you can call or send an email. If your rental requires a deposit ahead of time, you will be notified by email. Some rentals require no deposit ahead of time if you have already booked our DJ services.

Q. How much will it cost for additional rentals?

A. Prices for customers that are also booking DJ Services can be found using this link. This will save you the cost of delivery fees. We also offer most of our rentals and additional services to the general public even if you are not booking DJ Services; however, there may be price adjustments for delivery and pick-up costs. Most of our rentals allow the option for customer pick-up and drop-off to save on some of these costs. A security deposit is required for client pick-up/drop-off which is refundable upon safe return of the rental in the correct timeframe. This security deposit does not apply to clients booking DJ Services.

Q. How soon should I book DJ services before my event?

A. Ideally, you want to book DJ Services at least a year before your event date to guarantee availability. It is first come, first served so there is no definite answer but generally speaking, a year is usually enough time to guarantee a spot.

Q. Will you help promote and run games at our buck and doe?

A. Of course, just let me know what you want me to promote and I will be sure to make multiple announcements!

Q. How many song requests should I send you?

A. In a standard 4-hour timeframe while the dance floor is open, a DJ can only play between 60 to 70 songs. I recommend between 10 to 20 maximum requests. You should not bombard the DJ with more songs than can fit into the timeframe or we may be forced to take music selection into our own hands. On the other hand, giving too few or no song requests means we will have to play psychic to what your guests want to dance to. It's best to give at least a few requests in advance to help the DJ get a feel for the crowd. Of course, everybody has different music tastes!

Keep in mind that we have a lot of experience in selecting music and the DJ will likely know which songs will and won't fill the floor, sometimes even when you are convinced otherwise. (Unless there is a special family song you have that we aren't aware of. You should point this out ahead of time if such song exists so we can decide the best time to "bust it out").

Q. Do I need to fill out the online event planner?

A. It is not required but highly recommended. The more prepared we are at your event, the more likely it will be a successful party. Keep in mind you don't need to fill out every detail if you don't wish to. We try to include all details in the planner that are relevant to the DJ for customers who wish to fully customize their events.

Q. How soon before my party should I start filling out my event planner?

A. This is completely up to you. We send out the first email reminder 3 months before your event. If you have rentals you wish to order, you should specify them at least 2 weeks before your event at the very latest. You can make changes to the event planner up to 2 days before your event. If any closer, you should also inform us of the changes in case we don't catch them on the updated planner.

Q. How do I know you received my event planner that I filled out?

A. This is a common question. The easiest way to know is after you hit submit at the bottom of the form, if it takes you to the next page and says the form was submitted, then that means there were no errors and we received it. Another way to tell is by checking the option to email yourself the planner when you submit it. If you receive that email then the data was definitely saved on the server. If you want to be even more sure, just exit your browser after you submit the form. If when you reopen it, the updates show in a new browser window, then we can see all the updates as well.

Q. Why is the event planner asking me for a password, where is the password?

A. You password is a series of random numbers conveniently attached at the end of the URL link we provide by email. You are logged in just by clicking on the link provided. You can also copy and paste this code from your email into the password field on your event planner.

Q. In full, what do you require from me before my event?

A. Unless you are ordering a custom gobo monogram, all the details we need from you can be filled out on your online event planner. The only other tasks required would be to sign and send back the contract and provide a down-payment to hold your date. On your event date, all we require is a dedicated unshared outlet within 50 feet of the DJ booth and a table. We also include the option for a table rental if you are not able to provide one.

Q. What is the charge labelled shipping and handling when I am trying to pay by credit card?

A. If you choose to pay by credit card, you will receive a charge usually somewhere between $9 to $15 dollars. This is a service fee for paying by credit card collected by the processing agent and cannot be avoided unless you pay by another method. I normally recommend etransfer or cash if you wish to avoid the service fee.

Q. Something happened and I need to change my event date, what do I do?

A. Cancelled or changed event dates are handled on a case by case basis depending on the scenario and DJ availability on the new date. We will try to be as reasonable as possible in every circumstance. You wouldn't lose your entire deposit for a changed date, however, there are times when we have to pay out-of-pocket for date changes so this could reflect on the price.

Q. What happens if the DJ doesn't show up to my event or needs to cancel last minute?

A. This has never happened before in the 18+ years I have been in business. I would not be able to maintain a customer base if this was the case. I, however, always have a backup DJ ready and on call as well as backup equipment if there is any sort of dire accident that causes me to not be able to make it to an event or if any equipment fails. The Music Man DJ Service would hand over your event to a trusted professional whom we select based on our own standards and expectations as a professional DJ.

My policy, however, is rain or shine. I have never yet needed to take a sick day! In the case that all of these options fail, which again has never happened, you would of course get a refund for any services you did not receive.

Q. I am holding an outdoor event and the forecast says no rain. Do I need to provide an overhead shelter for the DJ booth/setup?

A. Yes definitely. We do not leave this to chance. Even if the shelter is as small as a 7' by 7' covered gazebo, we require some sort of protection as there would not be enough time to bring in all the electronics if it did rain out of the blue. The only exception would be if you choose to order a wireless speaker as this can be brought inside much faster if the weather makes a turn for the worst. Failing to abide could result in denial of service or required DJ booth relocation.

Q. Can we use your microphone?

A. If a microphone is part of your DJ package, you can assign whoever you want to use it throughout the night as long as it returns to the mic stand after they are done speaking to avoid it from rolling off tables, etc. and so the DJ can find it when he needs it. Generally there are no issues with people using them, however, mic use doesn't include singing on the dance floor along to songs unless you are ordering karaoke service (which still requires a roughly designated singing area to avoid it getting bumped or getting dropped, etc). We may also restrict use if we believe someone is overly intoxicated, for any profanity use or overuse of the microphone on top of a song when dancing is occurring. Some use can be acceptable. Another thing we don't allow microphone use for is for someone to make an announcement to stop the party for everyone to look for a lost items such as a set of keys. We find an announcement like this reflects very poorly on our service and cripples the dance floor so we ask for you to handle this on your own if you wish to assign guests to the job. Other than that, you can use a microphone as needed!

Q. I have a band playing as well, will you coordinate with the band to figure out who performs when and for how long?

A. If you do not provide the band and DJ service with a timeline of who is playing and when, we will coordinate with the band to figure out a timeframe. Please note, I highly advise against this as it leaves both parties without instructions and can cause confusion or can lead to unshared playing time by one of the parties. I find that things go much smoother if you assign a timeframe for the band and DJ before the event date and all parties are aware of these times.

Q. Do I need to feed the DJ?

A. If you require the DJ to be at a location for more than 4 hours total, we ask for a meal equivalent to what you will be feeding your guests. If there is no meal provided for the guests, then we do not require a meal but this must be pointed out in the event planner so that preparations can be made ahead of time. If your event is an all-day event from 8am to 5pm for example, we would require time for a lunch break at some point if a meal is not available. You may request that the DJ eats in a different area or at a guest table if you don't wish for him to eat at the DJ booth in front of your guests.

Q. Can I send you a list of requests or other instructions by email?

A. Requests or instructions can be added to your online event planner or provided at the event. Additional instructions can be pasted into the bottom column under "Additional Comments". I will answer your questions by email to the best of my ability, however, please keep in mind that we do cover quite a lot of events and I won't necessarily remember what you asked of me in an email a month before your party come the day of the event if it isn't documented.

The best option is to always include notes, requests and all details in the event planner provided. This is linked to my phone and I can see all updates as they change so I know which changes are current. This is the viewing format that we are already familiar with and I go over this in detail before every event. I do not necessarily go through all emails the day before your event as we have found it to be unreliable. Often, multiple people can email instructions for a single event which can cause confusion as to who belongs to which event. Instructions can also change and a client doesn't necessarily remember what he or she previously told me or if I have been updated on changes. Sometimes emails can also get missed or lost. Therein lies the problem with email.

Q. Can I email you an audio or video file to use at my event?

A. We would need to first verify what you are sending and if it is legal to send. We cannot accept copyrighted music through email. We have a large library of music, this normally isn't necessary to begin with.

Q. Can I provide you with a list of songs to play in an exact order for my event?

A. In short, it would depend. There is an art to DJing and not all songs blend smoothly back to back. I will follow your request list as much as I possibly can but if I find it isn't working and guests aren't responding to it, I may need to try something else. However, if your request list is for non-dancing portions of the evening, I can be more flexible.

Q. Do we need to meet after we book your services?

A. This is completely up to you. All I require to DJ an event is a filled out copy of the event planner and a down payment. Some customers prefer to do this in person but it can also be completed online.

Q. Will you play songs with profanity in them?

A. The Music Man DJ Service has a policy to avoid playing any profanity in songs. We have a collection of clean edited versions of different explicit songs so that they are still available.

Q. Will you hold my date open while I'm still deciding about booking?

A. Generally, we do not do this. Spring and summer months can be very busy and to be fair to other clients who are ready to book, we serve clients on a first come, first served basis. Signing a contract or giving a deposit is the only way to guarantee your event date.

Q. Will you honour our request to change the volume of the music?

A. To reiterate my previous points, at all times I am trying to serve my customers to the best of my ability. That being said, this isn't as simple of a request as it seems. Every song normally requires some tweaking to volume and other controls and I don't necessarily know what decibel level you previously asked for because I constantly have to adjust the settings to make each song sound its best or sometimes to match the previous song's volume.

At events that don't require dancing and events where the dance floor is currently closed, this isn't a problem at all because the volume of the music doesn't reflect much on our service in these circumstances if you prefer very low volumes. When the dance floor is open, there is such a thing as the volume being too low which in turn causes guests not to dance. We try to find a comfortable compromise and position our speaker in such a way that guests who want to sit and talk at tables can hear themselves and guests who want to dance are engaged enough by the music to keep dancing. We are, however, not able to sabotage our reputation upon request by DJing parties where nobody dances because the volume is too low. Keep in mind as well that there are often times where one person can be strongly demanding the volume to go one way while another person is strongly demanding the exact opposite. The best answer I can give is that we try our best to make everybody happy.