DJ Services

Q. Describe the most common types of jobs you do for your clients.

A. Starfire does just about any kind of DJ dance imaginable. If you need music, professional videography, lighting, sound equipment and reinforcement, or special services, Starfire is the company to call! You save a lot more by packaging services together (you get free digital videography and music planning with every DJ event, for example). But we've also been hired in Cincinnati and Columbus to offer individual professional services like videography & still photography. One wedding planner hired us to take over 840 individual still pictures of her ceremony & reception, and also provide music and videography services for both her church ceremony & reception. And we still have on file the wonderful written reviews she provided, and she (like all of our previous customers) is willing to speak with you about the excellent work we provided for her & her guests.

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. Quite simply: hire Starfire! There is no other DJ company like us anywhere else. You'll get the most for your money. And each of our customers receives a 2-page list of helpful suggestions and FAQs with quality answers to enrich your dance experience and knowledge. One of the top suggestions is to locate your DJ as close to the dance floor and head table as possible, and turn out as many lights as possible to maximize our lighting effects. We love to be a part of the dance experience, and it's hard to do it if you're off in a corner by yourself. At Starfire we put all the focus and attention on you: this is YOUR special night. We do everything we can to make you, your family & guests happy all night! And no other DJ can match our prices or include all you get for free with Starfire!

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. Starfire Professional DJ Entertainment Service has been doing dances for over 32 years! We have been mixing music longer than anyone else, and we know what songs (both new and old) that people love to dance to out on the floor. We've seen and experienced just about everything, so there's really nothing new or surprising to us! Above all else, we know what goes into a dance to make it a great time! We spend hours & hours before a dance even starts preparing your custom music playlist to maximize you, your family's and guest's happiness! And we bring only the top names in professional equipment and enough backup equipment to equip a second dance (in the past we've actually done 4 separate kinds of dances simultaneously in the same building). We are listed as among the top 5 DJs in Ohio, Texas & Michigan! No additional charges either!

Q. What important information should buyers have thought through before seeking you out?

A. Starfire suggests you communicate as much and as often as possible with us. Be sure to poll your family and guests for their favorite songs, and list them on our pre-reception questionnaire which we provide as soon as you sign a contract. We provide a simple, 1-page contract that clearly outlines what we expect you'll provide, and what we'll provide to you in terms of services, times, locations, etc. so everyone's on the same page...literally! We also suggest you prioritize your songlist into two divisions: "must play" and "try to play." And don't list too many songs, since requests (if you want us to take them) will subtract from the time we have to play the songs you like. And don't just list your favorite songs and restrict us from playing requests, since your guests are there to dance and enjoy their favorite songs, as well. Sometimes people leave because the bride won't allow requests. However, we can and sometimes do censor dirty lyrics either all night, or up to a certain time, so our dances can be "family friendly" and "kid approved." We sometimes even play some songs so the kids can have their own fun dances! At Starfire, we make dances fun for everyone!

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. We've been providing professional, high-quality DJ entertainment longer than anyone else in Ohio: over 32 years! We are record collectors, and have over 500,000 songs: a larger variety of all types of music than any other DJ in Ohio. And probably our biggest selling item: we have the most unique, digital, sound-activated, professionally-manufactured combination of club-style Chauvet and American DJ LED and analog lights anywhere in the country, including the new "up-lighting." We have 18" & 22" mirror balls & 24' of black lights. Our light show has been independently valued at over $10,000 and is included with every event absolutely free!

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. Pleasing people and giving them a great time! We love hearing all of the compliments afterward from your family and friends about how much they enjoyed the music and lights, how professional we are, and how they hadn't heard some of the songs in many years! Many of the dances we do are repeat business coming from previous dances we've successfully done!

Q. What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A. Both before & after dances, people often ask "Why don't you charge more?" Considering the economy, a lot of people don't have a lot of money to spend on a DJ for their ceremony, reception or other event. We love doing what we do, and would rather make less and do more business than sit at home wishing we had charged less. We are far less than anyone else out there and we offer so many additional services free that others charge for, including 2 DJs at every event, free video of your reception, free mileage & set up-tear down time, etc.

Q. Do you have a favorite story from your work?

A. We could easily write a book about all the wonderful experiences we've had in providing top-notch, professional DJ experiences to people at all kinds of dances. Weddings are definitely our specialty, and there really isn't any DJ-MC related service we can't or haven't provided in the past. Since every single event is custom planned and set-up to match the room, we maximize the best qualities of each element of our lighting and sound equipment for the best audio and lighting effect possible. If you could hear all the wonderful stories and testimonials from our past customers, you'd be amazed!

Q. What do you wish customers knew about you or your profession?

A. We wish a lot more people knew what a great job we do, would take the time to read all the pages of wonderful evaluations and comments from previous dances, and browse the 540 digital color pictures of actual events we've uploaded at www.freewebs.com/starfiredj to see the wonderful variety of lighting effects we offer free at every event! Every other DJ charges extra for extra lights, but with Starfire DJ Service they're included absolutely free! And we here at Starfire know how to operate and mix our lights for the maximum lighting experience on the dance floor!

Q. How did you decide to get in your line of work?

A. I decided at a very early age (while still in junior high school doing "sports party dances") that I just loved the entertainment business. Watching people dance to their favorite songs, finding their requests almost instantly, and my love of music got into my blood. People say I'm a "born entertainer" who loves to interact at a party, but I only do it as much or as little as you want. I also have the uncanny ability to provide the kind of service you and your guests will like, from tastefully professional to raunchy, and always within your own guidelines. I've been doing it long enough that I quickly learn about your personality, and have never missed at giving people the professional service they want. Over 25 pages of positive, perfect evaluations from past customers is outstanding proof of their extreme satisfaction with Starfire Professional DJ Entertainment Service!

Q. Tell us about a recent job you did that you are particularly proud of.

A. Sometimes Starfire even provides emotional support for brides. At one event, some of the brides own family members and guests left before we started to play. Other family members related to us there were some "family politics" going on. I took the time to speak with the bride, calm her down, got on the microphone and explained that those guests who remained were the ones meant to be there and we were going to have an absolutely great time. The reception continued, everyone got out on the dance floor, and it was one of the best dances they said they'd ever attended, and one of the best dances we'd ever done. So Starfire has the "human element" and can provide you emotional support, if you need it, to help save the day!

Q. Do you do any sort of continuing education to stay up on the latest developments in your field?

A. Absolutely yes! We are members of several organizations including the American Association of Professional DJs. I am also a professional educator in the areas of audio production, video production, and sound mixing. And every week we check out the latest songs so our music library contains the latest hits, as well as the wonderful variety of past hits (over 500,000 individual selections) that makes us #1 in variety over any other DJ company in the Midwest.

Q. What are the latest developments in your field? Are there any exciting things coming in the next few years or decade that will change your line of business?

A. One of the most exciting developments is in the area of digital music and computers. We naturally bring at least 2 computers to every event as backups. But with external hard drives with capacities in the terabyte range (close to a million songs) and the ability to find a specifically requested song before the song that's playing finishes is simply amazing, and continues to amaze people that we can play their request next, and sometimes immediately before they leave our table! In lighting, LED lights with vivid colors, sound-activated changing pre-programmed patterns of up to 16 styles, and very low power consumption and heat dissipation have saved the day! We use a combination of the latest LED lights as well as the old-fashioned, sound-activated, motor-driven analog lights for the maximum lighting experience on your dance floor. We've refrained from using strobe lights years ago when we learned they can trigger epileptic seizures. And we've given up using pyrotechnic displays like we did in the old days, although we still remember the vivid "flashpot" endings" of our dances fondly!

Q. If you have a complicated pricing system for your service, please give all the details here.

A. The ONLY additional options available from STARFIRE DJ SERVICE are: 1)Closeups of your event recorded directly onto DVDs for an extra $50. (This is a GREAT deal since we supply the mini-DVDs and bring a second person to get those special moments of your life permanently recorded and given to you right at the end of your event, the same night! 2)Ceremony services: we can provide up to 3 discrete (different frequencies to eliminate interference) wireless microphones (2 clip-on & 1 handheld Sennheiser & Shure, simply the best!) for the bride, groom & officiant) including an additional sound system. Starfire can also provide the processional, recessional and chamber music throughout the event customized to your desires. Starfire will also use 2 cameras, tripods & 2 camera operators to get professional close-ups as you each take your vows and throughout the ceremony. Each service is an additional $50, or get all services for a package price of only $100. And with Starfire, there's no additional charge for outdoor venues! Evening outdoor services include mood lighting to your choosing, free with the package. It's totally awesome!

Q. If you were advising someone who wanted to get into your profession, what would you suggest?

A. Find a mentor, stick like glue, and learn as much as you can by doing dances with him/her. I've personally trained a lot of DJs and college students who have gone on to build their own careers and businesses. If you've been in the business as long as I have, you come to learn you've been blessed with a gift, and the only right thing to do is to share it with others and pass on the legacy, which I've done for our own 4 children. All of our children and my wife have gone with me to literally hundreds of dances, and our 2 youngest children (now teenagers) still take turns going with me to do dances. Yes, I guess you could say I've passed on a legacy with our children and a lot of other understudies!