Tipping the DJ for playing music you brought in
I want to bring a CD in for my DJ to play during my stages. How much extra should I tip him? I go on stage 0-5 times in a 5hr shift for 1 song (usually 3-4min). My club is also not a big stage tipping club. Usually only $1-5 on a normal night.
Normal tipping: We are required to tip 10% or $8 minimum. Alot of the dancers only tip $8. I tip $30-50 on a normal night. Bad night $20. Also all the others dancers have said the club raised our house fee because the djs were complaing about not making enough money. I've gotten a glimpse at the house fee check list and they write our house fee as $15, but we pay $25. I don't know if they get the full $10 or if part goes to the club.
Do you think I tip sufficiently as is, or should I hand him an extra $5 for playing my music?
Edit: Before you wonder "Why would she care if there's practicaly no stage tipping?" I usually end up getting dances later because the custy enjoyed my stage. If the dj is playing me crappy music I hate and dont dance well to then my stage sucks. Sucky stage = fewer dances sold.
Re: Tipping the DJ for playing music you brought in
They are most likely getting that $10. As for a tip for playing your requested music I think an extra five with a here's a little extra to say thanks for playing my stuff should do just fine. You could check with Mr. Christopher or Djoser though and see what they advise. Both seem to be cool dj's and neither appear to have their head up their ass so I think they will give a very straight up reply to your question.
Re: Tipping the DJ for playing music you brought in
Quote:
Originally Posted by
snow white
I want to bring a CD in for my DJ to play during my stages. How much extra should I tip him? I go on stage 0-5 times in a 5hr shift for 1 song (usually 3-4min). My club is also not a big stage tipping club. Usually only $1-5 on a normal night.
Hard to say since apparently my head appears to be lodged in my ass but I will attempt it anyway. There will not be one correct answer to your question as every club and every single Dj has their own customs in regards to music policy and tipping, in general though as long as you are tipping it isn't necessary to tip extra for playing your cd (although you might get benefits if you do). Since you do not know for certain that the Dj is receiving the $10 in question I would not assume he does, clubs are notorious for fucking staff as hard as dancers in regards to money. As a general rule, if you have a question it is best to speak personaly about it with the Dj. If they are an asshole after you have dealt with them in an upfront, respectful and professional manner than it doesn't really matter anyways as they should go fuck themselves with a burning cactus as far as you should care.
Re: Tipping the DJ for playing music you brought in
I give $5 for playing my music and $10-15 to DJ's who are extra helpful and help me get on/off stage. This is on top of minimum tipout. DJ fee is $20 but I think he only keep $4.
Re: Tipping the DJ for playing music you brought in
I actually think it is funny that you feel you have to tip extra for giving them music when the claim is that they deserve tips for going through all the trouble of "picking good music" for you.
I just don't understand this. Is this really a service?
Re: Tipping the DJ for playing music you brought in
Quote:
Originally Posted by
snow white
I want to bring a CD in for my DJ to play during my stages. How much extra should I tip him? I go on stage 0-5 times in a 5hr shift for 1 song (usually 3-4min). My club is also not a big stage tipping club. Usually only $1-5 on a normal night.
Normal tipping: We are required to tip 10% or $8 minimum. Alot of the dancers only tip $8. I tip $30-50 on a normal night. Bad night $20.
If you are tipping this well already, relax, he ought to be glad to extend a little extra effort. I would bend over backwards to accommodate such a courteous, charming, and professional dancer as you seem to be, from this and other posts of yours. The mutual respect vital to any sort of productive working relationship between dancers and DJs should be a given, in your case.
But sometimes dancers bringing CDs in can absolutely mean extra effort, like if the club has no CD players for instance, which is increasingly the case in the better, more sophisticated clubs. One of the junior DJs who doesn't have his own laptop just brought in his own ancient CD player which is almost more of a pain than it's worth, and there's no room for it so I have to duck around all the computers and light shit to get at it, it doesn't work half the time, etc. So dancers bringing in CDs can easily be a pain in the ass for me sometimes.
The other option is to rip the CD in my laptop, which other than being a bit of extra effort depending on the kind of comp it was burned on, etc., might not even work, or might be complicated. Since I have a new Mac which perversely automatically rips CDs using Itunes and then they are almost impossible to find (Itunes sucks monkey balls, BTW) I am not fond of doing this. Maybe the excellent Traktor program I have will rip CDs, I need to investigate that further. On my old PC it was easier, but not a guaranteed thing.
Also, sometimes dancers bring in some questionable shit on their CDs, or the CDs are scratched and in a big club having a CD start skipping or just stop cold while the DJ is maybe taking a leak or off dealing with a problem with the manager or whatever is not at all a good thing to have happen. It is always automatically assumed by managers, customers, and dancers that it is the DJ's fault when this happens, too, every fucking time.
I'm sure Snow White has excellent taste in music and would be courteous enough to follow the music format the club is supposed to have, but I have had dancers bring me ridiculous shit that not only is against the rules but sucks monkey balls as well. Consequently I usually have to listen to the CD to make sure it's going to work. On a busy friday night, cutting the songs at less than 3 minutes and with all hell breaking loose, as it invariably does, it's usually just not possible to do it at all.
One dancer brought in two CDs, explaining that since she just had a baby she could no longer dance to what I used to play a year ago at the last club for her. Not only did the CDs hiss, pop, and suddenly refuse to work at any given moment, they were also filled with slow, whiny, ancient songs from the 50's and 60's that didn't follow the format of the club dictated by ownership, or consider in the least the inclination of the clientele.
Nonetheless I played what I had from them that would work from my own laptop, using the slower stuff at the beginning and the end of the night. Really, though, her bringing in those CDs created a great deal of extra work, and she sure doesn't tip as well as Snow White, lol.
In summation, I commend you, Snow White, for your courteous and professional attitude in dealing with your DJ. I doubt it will be necessary to tip him extra, since you take such good care of him as it is. Please feel free to take a working vacation to Key West anytime, lol!
ETA--and bring some CDs with you, lol!