Is my DJ going to be too loud?

In short…no your DJ shouldn’t be too loud.

Experienced DJs know how to utilize volume properly, as a tool. There are many components to a room’s acoustics for a DJ to consider, (flooring, ceiling height, number of people in the room, room size, chatter level, just to name a few) when designing sound for your event, but generally speaking, your DJ should have that under control. Of course, when your guests are up and dancing, the music is likely to be a bit louder, but that shouldn’t mean guests closest to the DJ should get blasted.

One thing your DJ should probably practice…

To ensure a comfortable volume for all your guests, especially during dinner or cocktail, your DJ should  direct their speakers diagonally across the dance floor, instead of directly across it. This ensures that the guests closest to the DJ aren’t suffering under loud speakers while those on the edge can barely hear.

One thing you should consider when booking your DJ…

By default, many mobile DJ’s have setups that work in 95% of situations but depending on the occasion, you might want to check if your DJ can provide enough sound for your event.  If your room is a highly irregular shape, you might want to do a little extra consulting with your DJ. Especially in rooms with long hallways, or non-contiguous designs, it can be uncomfortable or inappropriate to crank the volume up high enough to cover the whole event space, so be sure your DJ can accommodate with enough speakers accordingly.

 

Planning Your Volume

Likewise, volume can also be pre-arranged before your event. Some DJ’s are always in “club mode” and want to crank it even when it’s not called for. If you want the DJ’s sound subdued, it’s perfectly acceptable to say that when planning.  If you know you have guests with hearing issues, bring that up ahead of time, and design a seating chart accordingly. Many events like weddings or bar mitzvahs bring out a wide range of ages; consider seating younger guests closer to the DJ, as they’re less likely to mind a higher volume than other guests. With attention to small details like these, you can a big impact on your guest’s enjoyment and keep the volume reasonable for everyone.