Taking Requests? What do you do?

As a DJ, one of the best habits you can develop is how to effectively take song requests from your audience.

While it can be challenging to balance your own musical vision with the preferences of your crowd, learning how to handle requests can help you engage with your audience and keep them on the dance floor. In this blog, we'll share some tips on how to take song requests as a DJ and how to navigate past the bad ones.

Tip 1: Be approachable and friendly

The first step in taking song requests is to be approachable and friendly to your audience. Greet them warmly and make them feel comfortable approaching you to make a request. Smile and maintain eye contact to show that you're listening and that you value their input.

Tip 2: Set clear boundaries and expectations

While it's essential to be open to requests, it's also crucial to set clear boundaries and expectations with your audience. Let them know what types of music you're willing to play and which genres or songs are off-limits. This will help prevent any misunderstandings or conflicts that may arise from inappropriate requests or drawn out conversations. If you were hired to play a specific style let people know. Also, avoid letting people encroach on your personal space when they want to look at your library. Your priority is cueing up the next song and they are not entitled to interrupt your process.

Tip 3: Keep a notepad handy

Keeping a notepad or a note-taking app on you can help you keep track of requests and avoid forgetting any of them. Write down the name of the song, the artist, and potentially even the person who requested it. Or better yet, make the notepad accessible on your DJ table so the crowd can write it down and all you have to do is point. This will help you stay organized (remembering someone's request while in the middle of a mix is harder than you think) and make it easier to fulfill requests later on.

Tip 4: Mix requests into your set

When taking song requests, it's important to find the right balance between playing what your audience wants and maintaining your musical style and flow. Instead of playing requests immediately, try to mix them into your set in a way that fits with your overall vibe. This will help you maintain control of the dance floor and keep your audience engaged. You don’t want to lose half the crowd just to please one person.

Tip 5: Have some streaming resources on hand

Using streaming services like Beatsource or Tidal can be a really effective way to open up the door to having access to almost any request that comes your way. If you add a track to your streaming library while mixing, switch over to a locally stored song on your laptop, then go to your DJ software settings and disable then enable your streaming services option so it can repopulate any additions you made.

Tip 6: Utilize a four channel DJ controller

Most DJ’s ignore decks 3 and 4 because all the action is on deck one and two. Don’t forget that DJ consoles like the Pioneer DJ DDJ 1000SRT or Pioneer DJ XDJ-XZ give you easy access to those two extra channels so you can cue up a request on those decks to use later. Sure, you can do this on a most channel DJ controllers too (one of the exceptions being the DDJ REV7) but it can get tricky when switching back and forth if you’re not used to it and you don’t want to make any game changing mistakes like selecting the wrong deck when hitting play.

Pictured Top to Bottom: XDJ-XZ, DDJ-1000SRT, DDJ-REV7

Tip 7: Be honest and transparent

Finally, it's essential to be honest and transparent when taking requests. If you're unable to fulfill a request for any reason, such as if you don't have the song, let the requester know politely. Honesty and transparency will help you build trust with your audience and maintain a positive relationship with them. Alternatively, adopt a policy and mindset that you take suggestions, not requests. Not every request is right for that moment and it’s up to you to choose the best tunes for the room.

Taking song requests can be a great way to engage with your audience and keep them dancing all night long. By being approachable and friendly, setting clear boundaries and expectations, keeping a notepad handy, and then mixing requests into your set, you can take requests like a pro while throwing down a set on your DJ console. Practice these tips, and you'll be well on your way to becoming a skilled and respected DJ in no time.