{"id":2217,"date":"2017-10-23T10:30:20","date_gmt":"2017-10-23T15:30:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sparkleprom.com\/blog\/?p=2217"},"modified":"2018-05-21T11:23:58","modified_gmt":"2018-05-21T16:23:58","slug":"how-to-pick-perfect-homecoming-or-prom-music-6-top-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sparkleprom.com\/blog\/how-to-pick-perfect-homecoming-or-prom-music-6-top-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Pick Perfect Homecoming or Prom Music: 6 Top Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re in charge of the music for prom, three cheers to you! You&#8217;ve scored one of the most fun jobs on the planning list. Sure you have to juggle numbers for the budget, and you can\u2019t just list all of <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">your<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> personal song favorites for the band or DJ. But still, lucky you because this simple guide will help you make all the right choices for prom, everything from budget to DJ plus a couple of creative ideas to create unforgettable memories for everybody!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/sparkleprom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/kevin-lee-89432.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-2240\" src=\"http:\/\/sparkleprom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/kevin-lee-89432-751x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"751\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sparkleprom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/kevin-lee-89432-751x1024.jpg 751w, https:\/\/sparkleprom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/kevin-lee-89432-220x300.jpg 220w, https:\/\/sparkleprom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/kevin-lee-89432-768x1047.jpg 768w, https:\/\/sparkleprom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/kevin-lee-89432-610x832.jpg 610w, https:\/\/sparkleprom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/kevin-lee-89432-434x592.jpg 434w, https:\/\/sparkleprom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/kevin-lee-89432-450x613.jpg 450w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 751px) 100vw, 751px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Set Your Budget<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First, check with the prom committee how much you can spend. Some high schools have resources that will accommodate a popular local artist while others will need to make do with a decent DJ. Wherever your budget falls, gather as much price info as you can and consult with the rest of the committee every step of the way.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Band or DJ?<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you can afford a local band, a live group that\u2019s known for playing popular and contemporary music\u2014and playing it <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">well<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014book \u2018em! Do remember that a live band will take breaks, so you\u2019ll need to fill time between their sets with either a DJ or something like an iPod with pre-programmed songs to run through your sound system.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it comes to DJs, they know <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">exactly<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> what to play, both on the \u201csafe side\u201d like tried and true classics and also the most current upbeat tunes. Some DJs like to create their own mixes which can add a memorable spin to prom night. Do ask to listen to a sample of the custom mixes first, though, and make sure the rest of the committee is in agreement.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Extra Entertainment: Recruit Student Talent <\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instead of just using iTunes for fill-in music, why not book schoolmates with their own band or who are good at rapping or acoustic music, either instrumental, vocal or both? If they\u2019re into performing and you <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">know<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that they sound good, schedule them to play at different times during the evening. They can fill in for both DJs and live bands. Also, depending on the number of talented student acts, you might be able to save money by cutting the professional band or DJ down one set or so.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additionally, if you have a classmate whose part-time job is a successful DJ in a local hot spot\u2014book him or her immediately! Of course, you don\u2019t want them to work for free. You\u2019ll want to pay for their talent, but you won\u2019t have to pay as much as a professional. If you have two DJs in school, you\u2019re totally set because they can trade off sets. You can also sweeten the pot by offering to put the group or DJ\u2019s name on the tickets as headliners.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>One Note:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It is <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">perfectly OK<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to ask student talent to audition! Never hire a student based on reputation alone. <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Let Your Prom Program Guide Your Songs<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Again, if you have a DJ or band, they\u2019ll do most of this job <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">for<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> you, but if you\u2019re on your own to pick music\u2014or if the professional actively wants your suggestions\u2014keep these ideas in mind. (These are also handy if you plan to play Spotify or iTunes or other background music and have the band or DJ start later in the evening.)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your program should be your guide in deciding which songs will work best for particular segments of the night. For example, it might be more appropriate to play light contemporary tracks during the opening while people are just arriving. If there\u2019s a dinner, smooth jazz or down-tempo love songs would be the perfect. Use \u201ccouple\u2019s songs\u201d for crowning prom king and queen. Then ramp up the tempo to get the party started and draw people to the dance floor.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One thing you will need to consider when it comes to arranging the order of songs is to keep a healthy mix of alternating fast and slow songs. A safe formula would be two or three fast or up-tempo songs and then maybe two slower songs. You\u2019ll want to give people a break to catch their breath, grab a drink, or rest their tired feet. The slow songs also give the couples a chance to snuggle, and while they\u2019re doing that, then the rest of the party can mingle, have pictures taken, or grab some fresh air outside.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Prom isn\u2019t an all-night affair, and four hours into it, you\u2019ll probably think of winding down. The way to ease people into leaving is to switch from alternating fast-slow songs to songs that gradually become consistently slower until the last ten minutes you have left in the venue.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Invest in a Good Sound System<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No matter how good your DJ or band, or even the song list you put together yourself to run through iTunes, all that work will be for nothing if you have an inadequate sound system. The pro\u2019s you hire may or may not have their own speakers. Whether you\u2019ll have your prom in your school building, or you\u2019ll be the one responsible for getting speakers to an outside venue, you\u2019ll need to do a thorough sound check. No buzzing, hissing or crackling allowed!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If what you have is old (or just older) get the committee together to have a listen and make a decision whether you need to invest some of this year\u2019s prom budget into better speakers or connections. Also when using the school\u2019s equipment, recruit someone in the know to make sure either the mixers you have will work fine, or if you need to buy a mixer or two instead of new speakers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The good news is that both speakers and mixers are items you can rent, so once you make your entertainment decision\u2014especially when you know whether or not they\u2019ll bring their own equipment\u2014look into your sound system needs.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Personal Music Choice Possibility: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.etsy.com\/listing\/191688168\/annabelle-editable-wedding-song-request?utm_source=Pinterest&amp;utm_medium=PageTools&amp;utm_campaign=Share\">Prom Song Suggestion Box<\/a><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.etsy.com\/listing\/191688168\/annabelle-editable-wedding-song-request?utm_source=Pinterest&amp;utm_medium=PageTools&amp;utm_campaign=Share\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2239\" src=\"http:\/\/sparkleprom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/2017-10-23_2026.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"464\" height=\"475\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sparkleprom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/2017-10-23_2026.png 464w, https:\/\/sparkleprom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/2017-10-23_2026-293x300.png 293w, https:\/\/sparkleprom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/2017-10-23_2026-434x444.png 434w, https:\/\/sparkleprom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/2017-10-23_2026-450x461.png 450w, https:\/\/sparkleprom.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/2017-10-23_2026-50x50.png 50w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 464px) 100vw, 464px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you use a DJ, he or she will know what songs to play to keep everybody on the dance floor. But it\u2019s also thoughtful to solicit your fellow students\u2019 opinions. So you might consider stealing an idea people use for weddings and make a \u201cProm Song Suggestion Box.\u201d Print up slips of paper with \u201cI\u2019ll dance at Prom if you will play\u2014\u201d and then a fill-in-the-blank line with the name of the song and the artist. Put the box in a common area like the cafeteria. Then give the DJ the list to include as many of the requested songs as possible (within reason and still keep the majority of the crowd on the dance floor). <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Song Request Card Resource:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> You can download a file to print the cards in the photo above. There are several options online but for the card in the above photo, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.etsy.com\/listing\/191688168\/annabelle-editable-wedding-song-request?utm_source=Pinterest&amp;utm_medium=PageTools&amp;utm_campaign=Share\">CLICK HERE<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Planning for prom music involves a lot of decisions, but it\u2019s still a great job to be assigned to. Just remember to do your prom homework based on our 6 steps here, and not only will prom night be memorable, but the effort involved in making great music happen will be, too!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you\u2019re in charge of the music for prom, three cheers to&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2240,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[8,172,13,150],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v16.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sparkleprom.com\/blog\/how-to-pick-perfect-homecoming-or-prom-music-6-top-tips\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Pick Perfect Homecoming or Prom Music: 6 Top Tips - 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