Is MCing a must for every DJ - Ep#8

From singer to spinner, I've ridden the wave from stage fright to stage might, and in this sonic journey, we're bringing you the naked truths about DJs, the mic, and the hypnotic pull of the crowd. No stone is left unturned as we tackle the inner battle of the mic-shy DJ - should the maestro of music also command the crowd with their voice? Every DJ has pondered this, especially for the introverts among us. Step into the booth with us as we unpack the essentials of microphone mastery, from squashing that cringe feeling to engaging with the audience using a well-crafted quip, all while navigating the expectations that come with modern events like weddings, where connection is paramount.

Peek behind the curtain to witness the nuanced dance between DJing and MCing—the thrills, the spills, and the art of not stepping on the toes of a hired hype master. My stint with Toastmasters wasn't just for kicks; it honed my public speaking prowess, a skill that’s now a golden turntable in my professional DJ toolkit. We don’t just spin tracks; we share war stories of awkward mic moments and debate whether a tipple might actually untangle a tongue-tied MC’s woes. It's a mix of insight and humor, ensuring you hit stop with a newfound grasp on commanding the stage—whether you're behind the decks or gripping the mic.

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Chapters

• 0:20 DJs on the Mic
• 14:00 Learning to MC and Boost Confidence
• 18:31 McIng Etiquette and Challenges

Transcript

Ilia 0:20

Hello, hello, welcome back everyone. Welcome back to another episode of the clever DJ, episode number eight.

Nino 0:28

This is Ilia and I'm Nino. Welcome back, guys. Long time it's been a week.

Ilia 0:35

It's been a week man.

Nino 0:36

Yeah, so we have another topic for you guys.

Ilia 0:41

That's it. That's like your topic.

Nino 0:43

Yeah, another topic. It's kind of like your thing.

Ilia 0:45

So you do, I'm still. I'm still working on it. Is it working on it? I'm still working on that skill.

Nino 0:51

So the topic is should DJs get on the mic right and how much is too much on the mic Right, Mm?

Ilia 0:59

hmm, yeah.

Nino 1:01

So the matter of the fact is not all DJs are comfortable on the microphone. Yeah, no, it's. It's scary. It's scary for a lot of DJs, very a lot of DJs are introverted I'm actually introverted, honestly but I just grew accustomed to talking in front of crowds, right, I was a singer before, so we used to talk in front of people, so it gave me a kind of an edge that way.

Ilia 1:33

But you know what? I have a lot, of, lots of experience with working with people, very specific experience, and even for me it wasn't that easy. It's a different kind of skill, it's different easier, much easier.

Ilia 1:47

But it's how I was. I was like what's the problem, I'll do it. And then, when you're there in the moment, you're like yo, what should I say? Yeah, because you feel like you're gonna look pretty stupid saying that and I know it's not gonna sound the same. Yes, right, this other DJ I work with has this like radio voice on the mic, like completely different than what he really sounds like. Of course man, of course, it's just a skill, it's a skill that you have to develop.

Nino 2:11

It's it's. It's like DJ, it's a total skill on its own Right. It's. It's not something that you're born with, unless you're a natural locker in front of and if you talk in front of people all the time it's, it's something. Even if you like talk in front, like on the phone, all the time it's, it's different. It's not the same thing. No, it's not the same thing, because you have to know what to say to the crowd to engage them Right, and you want that, that engagement with the crowd, to make them want to dance because you could be a terrible MC and you can turn them off completely.

Nino 2:43

Yeah, I've seen a lot of crash and burning DJs, MCs out there. That just it's it just it's cringe.

Ilia 2:52

Yeah cringe, yeah cringe, yeah. One the other episodes, some stuff, they say my god or the none, like pro MCs, yeah, but we're not talking about like regular, like you know, just I didn't have anyone that's my MC, is my uncle, or something like that. Yeah, djs we're talking about.

Nino 3:10

DJs and actually getting on in the mic, right, yeah, so it takes practice to actually get better, like in speaking in front of people. You have to be in that situation in front of crowds to get better. And the little tip is I like to write down certain things like phrases, like certain stuff that you're going to say for certain parts of the night and just just remember them, and then as you go along you kind of will veer away from that, depending on people's reactions. So I take notes and stuff and memorize it and then that's usually how you would learn. That's what I did.

Ilia 3:58

But that one gig at that bar you, you, you told me you were doing gig that same night. You couldn't even cover it, right. I just ad libt, I just, I just went for it. Yeah, and actually pretty good.

Nino 4:13

You just have to right, even if it's if it sounds cringe, you have to get on the microphone. It's almost a must nowadays for DJs to to be able to talk on the microphone, because we're in charge of the music. We're in charge, it's our microphone, it's our system. It's almost a must.

Ilia 4:32

It's a have to. Right, it's to me it's kind of cringey to give the mic to someone else. Oh, can you say that the the food's ready. Everyone can go to the buffet. If I were to give her the mic, I would feel so wrong about it. I just said, yeah, yeah, I'll do it. Sometimes they're like, oh, I can make the announcement for you. I'm like, no, no, I'll do it. Because you feel how wrong it is to let them talk for you.

Nino 4:58

It depends if they're good from the mic, it depends on the gig.

Ilia 5:02

But most of the time I feel like you should be the one in charge.

Nino 5:05

You should, you should.

Nino 5:06

You take that initiative and the client doesn't know that Sometimes you're very awkward on the mic yourself, but you're forced to get on the microphone. You have to. You really really do so. A little thing on how DJs and MCs were back in the day.

Nino 5:31

Back in the day, I'd say around the 70s, 80s, there would only be DJs and only be MCs, so it was never like we did it together. There's always someone there to just DJ, play music. They would never touch the microphone. There would always be an MC doing the formalities, hyping up the crowd, and that was their job. Eight mile, yeah, eight mile, just like Fresh Prince and Jazzy Jeff. There was always the rapper, he was the MC, and then Jazzy Jeff was always just the DJ. There's so many of those instances where that's just how it is and how it was back in the day. Nowadays, however, it's just a given that you need to get on the microphone, especially when it comes to weddings. I find formalities. You need to be able to just talk and just say announcements, and that's even separate from hyping up crowds. That's club DJ stuff, which you've seen me do a lot. I like to do that. That separates me from a lot of DJs out there as well, that just DJ and won't get on the microphone at all. You know what?

Ilia 6:49

I tried the three two, three, two one. And then in my head I know how it should sound. But the first one was very bland, very like three, two, one, Not this bad, but nowhere near as hyped up as you make it, Because I felt shy. Of course. I was like what if I yelled too loud? And then I did yell too loud?

Nino 7:12

In your head. You're like OK, what if I say the wrong thing? What if I don't say it with and nobody does anything?

Ilia 7:17

Yes, and then I just went for it and it worked. Yeah, it was so easy. You have to do it confidently, right? You have to. You have to Shot in the dark until OK.

Nino 7:26

That's how it should be, and it's going to be cringy the first couple of times you do it right.

Ilia 7:32

The literature looked at me like what's this guy doing? What. This is loud. I'm close to the speaker, Like can you tone it down a little? And then I gave it like 10 minutes and then I did it again. You know what Everyone liked it.

Nino 7:45

Honestly, too, it's all about the crowd. You can't, you shouldn't be doing that for every single crowd as well. Even me, I tone it down a lot Certain crowds. If they're more timid and shy, I'd be like, ok, I'm not going to get on the mic at all, I would let the music speak for itself, my mixing. So you have to know when to do it and when it's appropriate for certain crowds. So some crowds are just like, ooh, more of a party crowd. You can hype them up and get them going that way, right? Yeah, some won't even respond at all. They'll be like this guy doing it. It just makes you feel awkward because they're awkward. Listening to you, right? Just makes sense. Yeah, makes sense that way, yeah. So once again, for DJs for weddings, especially corporate, it's almost a given that you need to. But for club DJs, now I feel like it's a given. Now you need to be able to rock crowds, get on the microphone and just hype them up. It's becoming more popular, right?

Ilia 8:53

It is.

Nino 8:53

It is Back in the day, it wasn't, it was just DJing, but now it's more hybrid. You have to do a little bit of both right, and it raises your value as an entertainer as well if you can do both.

Ilia 9:07

Make sense, make sense. I go to clubs from time to time. Most of the time I don't hear them MC, and if they do, it's very like, very light, very light yeah. Yeah, a couple times. A couple times, you know, like two out of ten times, I did hear like there was a lot more heavier like MCing, but different type of MCing, different type of MCing, very different yeah.

Nino 9:32

A lot of clubs will also have a dedicated MC, so they won't be DJing, they will just be MCing the night, because sometimes there's like four or five DJs on the card. So there will be a dedicated MC that just will hype up the crowd. So it's just a known thing. So yeah, but nowadays yeah, you have to be able to MC Now. It takes. The benefits now of actually MCing when you're DJing is you can charge more. Yeah, yeah, you can't you technically can't, because, if you think about it, how much is it?

Nino 10:13

How much is an MC? Like several hundreds, at least the ones I know, are from 1200 to even go up to 2000.

Ilia 10:23

Yeah, yeah. Well, I thought like six to eight hundred bucks, maybe eight hundred bucks yeah.

Nino 10:29

If you're starting depends on your reputation as well. Not much man. Yeah, trust me.

Ilia 10:33

Maybe I'll just do that.

Nino 10:35

Why not?

Ilia 10:37

Wait, maybe I would just I love to talk, maybe I'll just do that Right. So it, I just got to do like three, two, one go.

Nino 10:46

Three, two, one go on the whole night, and that's that's the thing. It's a lot more than that.

Ilia 10:49

It's a lot more than that. It's like almost being comedian sometimes and I want to say, like some of them like literally get on the mic and coordinate half the night. Yeah, that's the thing. It's what gig it is Right.

Nino 11:03

And I have a guy that would MC and coordinate literally the whole night, Like from beginning to end. He will add in his games and stuff and he will charge up to two thousand dollars, which is what an awesome gig.

Ilia 11:18

I'd love to do that.

Nino 11:19

Well, think about it, it's in demand, right? You want somebody running your actual event because you don't want a boring event.

Ilia 11:26

That's what we should do. Going forward, I'll become your MC. Yeah.

Nino 11:30

Yeah.

Ilia 11:32

You can be a slash videographer, slash photographer, slash sales you can do. You can do everything. No, like for real, though like that's. That's actually a nice idea for the future, once I get this whole DJ game figure out, yeah.

Nino 11:47

It's a, then again it's a. It's a skill on its own, but you can take the MCing to the next level, Like you can add so much to it. And it's for couples. Nowadays they're looking for an MC they want. They don't want the boring wedding and they will charge for a separate MC.

Nino 12:05

So if you can DJ and MC at the same time, oh man, you're, you're golden, you're like golden right. And there's a difference between MCing like formalities and hyping up a crowd. It's not the same thing, man I have. I have a really, really good MC that my friend of mine. That's very cringy, amazing MC. He can talk up a storm, make people laugh, and he can speak three different languages as well. But when it's time to, I don't know what made him want to hype up a crowd, but it's like put your hands up in the air, but it's, it's. So it's the wrong timing, like you have to have the right timing.

Ilia 12:52

Are you serious?

Nino 12:52

Yeah, he just doesn't feel it he just doesn't feel it and everybody is just like and just doing it. But is this? Are we getting robbed? Yeah, exactly.

Ilia 13:03

It doesn't make sense because it's not the right time.

Nino 13:08

But yeah, it's, it's, it's, it's a skill man, it's something that you have to learn. Hyping up the crowd, like doing it at the right time You've seen me do it right, like before a drop comes.

Ilia 13:21

I know exactly when you're going to do on this, like you're when you're going to say something and what you're going to say is you're ready for your entire system. I've seen it enough times. I know what tracks. If it's a different track, I know. Ok, I think he's replacing this on. This track Sounds like the same kind of I know when and what you know. I think I, without realizing that, mc training from you.

Nino 13:48

But exactly, you know, you know exactly what you anticipated and you see it right, but it's another thing actually doing it to the beginners out there.

Ilia 14:00

If you can shadow a professional DJ who knows how to MC, there's nothing better than that to learn. It's just. This is the way to learn in my opinion, the best way if you have access to that Speak to someone, try to get them to let you come to their gig. Say you'll help them set up and everything. Learn how to set up some of the stuff, so you actually have a skill to help them. But definitely a very good way to learn.

Nino 14:27

Very good way. It'll enhance your actual performance, not just as a DJ. You'll be able to MC as well, which is more valuable in the end. And then you don't have to actually just learn through the DJ. You can actually take courses like talking. Public speaking does help, especially for the more of the formality sakes, but there's Toastmasters, exactly Toastmasters.

Ilia 14:50

Fantastic example. I wonder once, twice maybe.

Nino 14:54

You did.

Ilia 14:55

I did Toastmasters.

Nino 14:57

How was it?

Ilia 14:58

It was great. It was very wholesome, very accepting of you, and everyone gives you a chance, even when you screw up. They try to make you feel comfortable. They know it takes time.

Nino 15:10

Did you do that through your work or?

Ilia 15:12

I wanted to actually start at work and apparently they already had something that was right before COVID. So it was really hard to Really that's when I started right. And it was really hard to find a meeting when I was available. But I found another one in a neighboring city and I just went there and said, hey, I'm new, and they just accepted me and it was just a lot of fun.

Nino 15:37

Why did you join though? Why did you end up joining?

Ilia 15:40

I don't really have an issue speaking and not saying like basically, pretty much all those filler words. I don't have a huge issue with that usually, but I find that the way you articulate yourself is so important, whether you're at court, like with my previous jobs I used to work security I used to work certain jobs where you would have to go to court and explain why you did something or why you didn't do something right. I never had to do that, but in that industry you would have to do it and I used to want to be a cop many, many, many, many years ago, and that's important and that's kind of like you know. That's where it all started. You need to know how to speak correctly, right?

Ilia 16:36

But, then my sales jobs. You know all the clients.

Nino 16:41

That's what I would think that you would need it more right, Not just that right.

Ilia 16:45

I used to be shy and I wanted to know, like, how to like get certain into certain groups of people, right, like, but that was many years ago. And later I just I'm like okay, I really know how to speak, I know how to articulate myself, but I want to get to the next level. Yes, that's why I joined.

Nino 17:01

Yeah, yeah, no, and that's another thing about learning how to MC. It boosts your confidence overall. Question for you.

Ilia 17:11

Let's say you're at a wedding or a corporate gig. Let's say wedding, maybe corporate does not. I think I already have my answer. Okay, and there's an appointed MC or even like a hired MC. So a point I mean, like you know, let's say, one of the colleagues that they're MCing for free or whatever, or even a hired one, like you know somebody who's getting paid like 2K to MC, can you kind of like interrupt them, or can you like help them, or like kind of like you know, if you had something to say to say something no, not even, not even.

Ilia 17:45

You just you know, you thought, hey, that's a good point where I can say something, what I do personally.

Nino 17:50

I always tell them like, especially if they don't really have a lot of experience, I'm seeing. I tell them hey, whenever, whenever you need to, you need me to jump on, I'm there to back you up. So if you need help or anything, I'll jump on anytime, anytime and just ask me if you need help as well. And then, of course, we have our cues. Like when he starts talking, I tell him okay, when you start talking, I'm gonna turn down the microphone, the music, so you can talk clearly.

Ilia 18:23

I remember you actually doing that when you were like you have to communicate with them.

McIng Etiquette and Challenges

Nino 18:27

You have to communicate very well with the actual MC. We're DJs.

Ilia 18:31

But my question was specifically if somebody's already a decent MC, they know like you have a system, both of you guys fine, but then you wanna say something.

Nino 18:41

Like what do you mean? Like how what's saying?

Ilia 18:43

Maybe like you're. You know you're DJing and you wanna do your three, two, one, or maybe you actually had an announcement or something.

Nino 18:50

Well, that's different. It depends too if they're there, for usually an MC is hired just to MC. They're not actually a hype person, Right? Because there's a big difference between a formal MC doing all the formalities and a hype person.

Ilia 19:06

So maybe that's what I'm talking about. Maybe that person's a hype person. Can you do that?

Nino 19:10

If they're actually there to hype them up and not just formalities. Yeah, they're doing everything.

Ilia 19:17

You don't need to do anything.

Nino 19:18

Well, if they're good, I'm gonna let them just do their thing right, Cause it enhances you. You can just, you can just solely think about them.

Ilia 19:26

You just wanna answer my question, then I'm not gonna. I just wanna know if there's an etiquette where you should not ever interrupt them, I wouldn't yeah.

Nino 19:37

No, you're shitting on their line. It's like them getting on the decks when you shouldn't.

Ilia 19:42

Really it's not that bad, it's the same thing? Yeah, of course I'm thinking you're doing their job, but you're the one playing the music. You feel it differently in a moment. Right, you wanna say something.

Nino 19:51

It also depends. Yes, I've been in that situation where there's an MC and they're supposed to hype you up, but it was like, okay, this part. Usually I know I'm gonna hype them up and say this, right, and they're like quiet yeah and they're quiet. I'm like, why don't you say something? I'm thinking in my head why don't you say something? But I'm like, yeah, I wanna get on the microphone and do it, watch it both, go together Woo. But no, I try not to. But at those moments I probably-.

Ilia 20:18

That's what a man.

Nino 20:19

Yeah, I know, I know it.

Ilia 20:20

Okay, okay. Do you really have to get me through like three minutes of explaining?

Nino 20:25

Well, at least you know that's the situation. But maybe I would yeah, I think I did when I went I definitely would. You would, right, I would. But no, I definitely would Probably get on the microphone for that split second. I wouldn't like overdo it. No, don't overdo it, because you're shitting on their lawn, especially if they're paid to do it.

Ilia 20:46

Right, I'll be able to listen to that. I had four lines, 50 bucks.

Nino 20:52

I always say this at this moment, so just let me say it, please. So yeah, of course.

Ilia 20:58

All right, what else can you say that you experienced in a gig MC related which really cringed you out? Remember how I told you were Okay, that wasn't a paid DJ, but that one wedding. I'm not going to give too many details in case they're watching, but the stuff that that guest who was appointed as an MC, the stuff he was saying it was so sexual.

Ilia 21:33

Do you remember what I'm talking about? It was so sexual, it was so inappropriate. I'm like, oh my God, somebody take the mic away from him. You don't remember what I'm talking about. No, I don't remember that one bro Describe it without actually giving it away.

Nino 21:46

Where was it Up North? It was in Toronto, in Toronto.

Ilia 21:50

Yeah, and it was. We had to go from the side door, side door the floor. The florist, like the flower lady, was there.

Nino 22:00

I have no idea. But what's your question again?

Ilia 22:05

What's the cringiest thing you've experienced Because to me that was the top I'm like is this guy? Was he paid to do this, to crash the wedding or something, or that's just normal, you know what?

Nino 22:22

Some people just don't know how to talk on the microphone.

Ilia 22:26

They check before they ask them.

Nino 22:28

Yeah, man, A lot of those are not paid people to as well, they're just appointed. It's like. It's like Harry. Hey, he talks a lot at family parties. Let's give him the MC at our wedding, Does he talk?

Ilia 22:42

with substance. That's the only thing.

Nino 22:45

Yeah, you don't know how he's actually going to be at the time, so it's kind of like a toss up. It's like you're playing roulette with that stuff.

Ilia 22:56

Yeah, I should give a pretty good example. The guy was like hands up and it's not the right moment. It's not the right moment. Yeah, she already gave a good example.

Nino 23:03

But there's so many instances like that.

Ilia 23:06

Drinking and MCing. Drinking and MCing Do you think it enhances it? I mean drinking, you know, drinking alcohol, I believe. If you, is that the same thing as DJing, yes, as bad as doing that when you're DJing.

Nino 23:20

I wouldn't blatantly take, go get shots or drinks all night. If you need one to get loosened up, to just be able to talk in front of people, then take one. So one bottle, one bottle, god damn, no one drink. One drink just to loosen you up, right yeah?

Ilia 23:42

But if you need two.

Nino 23:43

I guess you can take two. One won't do anything, man, I know An empty stomach won't do anything, I know, I know.

Ilia 23:49

But yeah pretty much it. Honestly, I just thought MCing man. I'm not trying to disrespect, but I thought MCing is much simpler.

Nino 23:59

No.

Ilia 24:01

And again comes from me, and I said that it wasn't simple for me. But when you already know how to do it, I thought it was just like a second nature and if you drink, you become more fun. But DJing, I can see how many things you have to do, no matter how pro you are. I don't like drinking or even eating too much when I'm DJing, because it just takes away from my experience and my skill right.

Nino 24:22

Sometimes you're just into it so much. You see me. I hardly eat when I got to feed you yeah.

Ilia 24:28

I'm like no, I want to have some food. No, come on, that's a transition.

Nino 24:32

Go this guy would literally feed me. I'm like no, I'm on a diet and I don't eat after a past a certain point.

Ilia 24:39

Yeah, 10 pm, yeah, almost nights.

Nino 24:42

Yeah, no, MCing is hard man. It's a total skill and you see me doing it. But it took years of me learning how to DJ first, Well, before actually getting on the microphone.

Ilia 24:57

Yeah, you told me that I would never do them.

Nino 25:00

Learn them both at the same time. Yeah, it's a total different skill, man. Not unless I have mixing down pad, I would get on the microphone.

Ilia 25:09

Yeah, you told me that when I was offered to do that wedding, yeah, and the DJ offering it to me said I know you're a beginner. Are you comfortable MCing and DJing? And I'm like I'm going to both, I'm going to conquer that way, bro, you're going home. That's how. That's how I want to remember it. The wedding got canceled. They got Wait, that was the one. It was the one that's when the bride broke her leg.

Nino 25:37

I'm pretty sure that was the one, so I wasn't my gig.

Ilia 25:40

No, no no, it was the other guy, so was it this episode we spoke about it or was a previous episode? Okay, that was the one, though.

Nino 25:49

Okay, yeah, I have no idea what we're talking about, right?

Ilia 25:52

now. Well, now they can watch the previous episode. Well, yeah, previous episode, but yeah, I mean, that's it really Not much more we can say about them seeing today?

Nino 26:00

That's pretty much it. Maybe we'll say something else. For sure, this is just the intro episode. We'll talk about it again next time. Thanks for joining us and we'll see you in the next one, guys.

Ilia 26:11

Take care.