USDJ Services

Frequently Asked Questions and things you should know.

What is your coverage area?

We serve most all of Massachusetts and will travel to most areas in New England. There will be a small surcharge for gasoline on any event 45 minutes or more away from our location in Gardner, Massachusetts.

Do you offer a written contract?

Absolutely. Our contract outlines and establishes our every obligation to you and your event. In addition, with our contract we provide you with the following forms that we request you complete no later than 2 weeks prior to your event: An itinerary for the event, any special announcements you'd like to have made, and a "Must Play" and "Do Not Play" song list.

May we meet with you in person before we sign a contract?

Yes. While we think that phone & email interviews are great, we completely understand that there is no substitute for a face to face meeting to determine if a DJ is a good match for you and your wedding or other event.

Do you perform for more than one event in a day?

Usually not. Never on the same day as a booked wedding. Our focus is on your event, and we don't believe any DJ can provide the attention you and your guests deserve when they're stretched thin between multiple events in the same 24 hour period.

What makes you different from your competitors?

There are many competent and professional Disc Jockeys in our service area. All have their own strong points. At USDJ Services, we can simply tell you what we do best: We keep a low-profile when appropriate, kick start the party into action and dancing at your request. We make well-spoken announcements only when it's deemed appropriate or necessary. We do this with a professional demeanor at a fair price. You may want a DJ with a shiny bow-tie who'll lead the Chicken Dance however that's not us. We're not going to bash any DJ who fits this criteria........ it's simply not our style.

Have you played at our reception site before?

Probably. We've played everywhere from VFW halls to the top wedding venues in our area. That said, if we haven't been to yours, be assured we'll adequately prepare prior to your event by visiting the venue and/or speaking with the site contact and familiarizing ourselves with the floor plan. Every site poses different challenges – different load-in and security procedures, different room sizes and configurations, different acoustics etc. We'll always ensure familiarity with your site so that you won’t have any surprises on your wedding day.

Do you act as the “emcee” and make all of the announcements?

Yes. We get great joy from being the voice at your event. The level of our interaction is entirely up to you, but our general focus is on the most important announcing: Enthusiastically introducing the newlyweds and their wedding party, your first dance, announcing the cake cutting, bouquet & garter toss events or other formalities you opt for, and keeping most other announcements to a minimum. We're not the star of the show, you are.

How would you define your "style" when making announcements?

We believe in an understated low-key and elegant approach. No tacky jokes or off topic talk. We are interactive to the point where we make fun for all our guests, without being overbearing. 

What do you do to motivate the crowd if nobody is dancing?

We use our knowledge to select great music to have your dance floor pop! We're glad to announce that the dance floor is open and ask guests to make requests. We have never needed to resort to begging people to dance. People will dance to the music they love. We're very good at finding just the right song to get people motivated. Sometimes it's a classic, sometimes it's something brand new. Reading the crowd is just one of the important abilities a good DJ can bring to your event.

What if something happens to you and you can’t make it to our event?

While the situation has never arisen, as responsible professionals we have a backup strategy in place in the unlikely event of an emergency. We're active members of the Massachusetts professional DJ community and have relationships with many professionals in the area. We have an entire network of DJs to choose from and would match you with a like-minded DJ who is fully abreast of your musical tastes. We'll provide them with the complete itinerary for the day. Rest assured regardless of any tragic circumstances, you will have a qualified, prepared DJ.

Can we visit you at a performance?

Unfortunately no. Just as we'd never invite prospective clients to your wedding, we respect our clients’ privacy and cannot offer this as a possibility.

How do you keep your music collection up-to-date?

We subscribe to multiple major music update services. We are current with new, radio edited music, often before it is heard on the radio.

 How involved can we be in selecting music for our event?

You can be as involved as you wish. We've had clients submit very long detailed "Must Play" and Do-Not-Play" lists, and we've also had clients submit no "Must Play" or restricted songs at all. In both circumstances, we're confident we can keep your guests happy. We're eager to gather a play-list of songs you love, and we're happy to "fill in the blanks" with similar music that we feel will fit your tastes. We're also great at reading your crowd, and catering to everyone. Keep in mind by hiring a qualified DJ, you are paying for their knowledge of music and ability to make the dance floor popular.

When do we need to submit our music requests and event details?

With your contract we'll include an itinerary planning worksheet to communicate the details of your event (this will also be available online). To ensure a well-planned event, we ask that this information be submitted no later than 2 weeks before your event. We do understand that things change, and we're willing to accommodate later changes to this information (For example: deciding on a different first dance song, or altering the order of guest toasts).

Do you take requests from our guests?

Gladly! Unless a requested song is specifically on your "Do Not Play" list we are glad to fulfill requests. We also reserve the right to refuse any request we deem inappropriate, and may delay a request if the musical style is totally different from what is working currently on the dance floor. We strive to keep all our guests happy and entertained at all times however an empty dance floor due to a poorly placed request is not in anyone's best interest at your event!

Can we hook up our I-pod to your system?

We do not allow personal music players or home burned CD's on our systems, however we always have the capability to play commercial music CD's you may bring at every event.

Can we submit a “Do Not Play” list?

Yes. With your contract we'll include a planning worksheet to communicate the details of your event (this will also be available online), and a "Must Play" and "Do-Not-Play" list. We'll adhere as strictly to your list as you'd like, and avoid any songs or styles of music you'd prefer not to hear at your event.

When do you arrive to set up for our event?

We aim to arrive at least a full hour before our scheduled start time. While setup can generally be completed in 30-45 minutes, we spend the extra time organizing as well as setting up our equipment to the hall. We have computer controlled EQ for our systems and analyze the sound of the room for the best possible sound.
We make sure as well the presentation of our equipment is clean and uncluttered.

What will you wear to our event?

We feel it's important to dress appropriate for your event. If your event is formal, we'll usually wear dress casual, if your event is a backyard BBQ, we'll dress for a backyard BBQ. One thing we will not do is outshine you or your guests. Our attire is classic, and understated. We do not wear flashy, shimmering or patterned vests and matching bow-ties. We will be happy to wear a suit if the client deems it necessary.

How much of a deposit is required to secure our date?

We require a deposit of 50% of your total event's cost as a retainer at contract signing in order to secure your date. This is for your protection and ours.

What is included in the cost of my event?

Unless you specifically request otherwise, the cost of your event includes a DJ to provide appropriate music and announcement (sometimes 2 DJs), and a full sound system. Upgrades are available at an additional cost. Our pricing has no hidden fees unless otherwise agreed upon. If your event is outside of our regular coverage area (45 minutes from Gardner), there may be an additional travel charge, which is only to cover the high cost of gas, not travel time.

How much would you charge for overtime?

Should you decide you'd like to extend to time of your affair at the end of the night, our overtime rate is $100 per hour.

Overtime is at our discretion, and is not always available. In certain circumstances, we simply cannot stay, however we'll always do our best to accommodate you.

What do you require from us?

Our needs are very basic. We require adequate shelter, electricity, and a 6 foot table for our equipment as well as adequate room for us and our equipment set up. If no table will be available, just let us know in advance and we can bring one. Whenever possible (especially at weddings), we recommend that you speak with the venue/banquet manager and have the DJ's table dressed with an appropriate, matching table cloth. This is sometimes overlooked, but it can ultimately detract from the beautiful decor of your event if one table isn't matching.

Do you require a meal at our wedding reception?

That's entirely up to you. While some DJs require that they receive a meal at a wedding, we're not so demanding.

We'll likely graciously accept if you offer to feed us, but in no way would we ever expect such an offer.

Are gratuities expected?

No. We never expect a tip for our services. We appreciate any tip that is offered if you feel that we went above and beyond, but the nicest thing you can do for us is to write a glowing review and recommend us to others at our Facebook site. Regardless, be assured we'll give it our all every time.

Are you insured?

Absolutely. USDJ Services is insured with a one million dollar liability coverage policy.

Many venues require this in the Facility Rental Agreement, also requesting proof of the venue's addition directly to the DJ's policy. We're happy to add your venue to our policy, and provide a certificate of proof in preparation for your event. Just ask.

Do you take any breaks?

No. Aside from using the restroom and a meal if offered, we do not take any breaks. There will be no breaks in the music at any point during your event.

What is your policy on alcohol during our event?

It's funny that we should even have to answer this one, but unfortunately, we do.

We do not drink alcoholic beverages at any event! We'll be happy to enjoy water with lime if you or your guests insist on buying us a drink!

What kind of equipment do you use?

We use only professional-grade equipment. Our gear is 100% digital and capable of rich, full sound. We prefer to sound great over sounding LOUD. Some of the brands we use are; Denon, Mackie, QSC, JBL, Shure, Crown, Numark & more. For software based mixing & music management we use either Serato Scratch Live, Serato Itch or OTSAVPro software. All music is backed up redundantly on internal and external hard drives and we always have a backup method of playing music in the unlikely event of a failure.

Do you have a wireless microphone?

We use quality Shure wireless microphones for all announcements to be made. We also have at least one backup Shure wireless microphone with us at all times.

Do you have a “light show”?

Yes. If you choose, we can  provide simple dance lights up to a full club quality computer controlled light show at additional charge. The level of dance lights at your event is entirely up to you.

Do you set up a sign or banner with your equipment?

No.  We feel this practice is extremely unprofessional.