Monday, July 16, 2012

How to have music at your party and hear it at your volume



A lot of time and money can be spent planning and having a party. You want to be able to hear the music at the volume you like. When renting a hall check with the management beforehand on any volume restrictions. In a restaurant or hotel even when you are renting a separate room the music can leak out and disturb other guests. As a DJ I have been told by management to turn the music down even at volumes that were appropriate for the event. Guests have come up asking the music be turned up and I have had to tell them I couldn’t. This can be very upsetting when you paid a lot to have the party and can’t have the music the way you would like.

I’m not talking about a heavy metal rock concert type volume but the expected volume for dance music. This also happens during karaoke parties as some of the less talented (bad) singing really gets to people outside the party. Some places have movable walls to separate rooms. These walls can vary in how they block sound. If you can scope out some parties being held in that room before you book. This will give you an idea of how loud the volume can be. Please be careful not to intrude on the event taking place. I don’t want to encourage any wedding crashers.

Some hotels have outdoor spots for parties. Outdoor areas can look beautiful and seem like a very tempting place to have a party. These can be fine for the ceremony part of a wedding but I have usually found they don’t work for the main party. The outdoor area is often surrounded by the guest rooms. The overnight guests complain to the management the music is disturbing them. Most hotels also have a strict 10 P.M. quiet policy. Sometimes this is due to the local ordinance. I have entertained at several events where the host wanted to go overtime but the management told me the music had to be shut off exactly at ten.

There are a few exceptions to these rules. If you want the music at a low volume, for instance, at a cocktail party. Check what time the hotel quiet policy is. It is most often ten but there maybe a few exceptions. Many banquet rooms at hotels and restaurants work perfectly fine to block sound and allow you to have your music at your volume.


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