The Birthday Party Music Guide
Essential Advice on Providing Cheap Party Music
Is it possible to organise party music ‘on the cheap’?
No-one wants to spend money unnecessarily in any situation; however, do bear in mind that at a special celebration it is the music which sets the scene and creates the atmosphere. These are the aspects of the event that remain in everyone’s memory long afterwards. The music is a key feature in the potential success of your special day and, as such, is probably not the best area in which to try to cut corners.
However, if impecunity is a defining issue, here are some suggestions on how to include music in your birthday or anniversary party without breaking the bank.
Involve musical friends or relatives in your party music.
Do you have a friend who is a keen amateur musician, or a relative with children who are up-and-coming musicians in the making? Maybe it is possible for that person to organise the music for your celebration party as their ‘anniversary gift’ to you. Aspiring musicians are often keen to find opportunities to try out their fledgling skills in real performance situations, and the involvement of friends and relatives in this way gives the wedding music a truly personal touch.
Easy arrangements of popular tunes will fit the bill perfectly in this situation. A simple, heartfelt performance by a friend will help make your special day really memorable.
Ask ‘training bands’ of music students to perform your party music.
Do you have a university or college nearby with a music department – even a sixth-form college – that has a good reputation for training musicians? If so, contact the director. Keen musical instrument teachers are always looking for opportunities that enable their pupils to try out their skills in ‘real’ performance situations. You may be able to persuade a budding string quartet or wind group to come and play for you for travelling expenses and a good feed.
If you take this route, remember that you cannot reasonably expect the same level of performance and reliability as you would from professional musicians. A hands-on approach on your part is essential to the success of this strategy. Go and listen at length to the group in rehearsal before making an affirmative decision. Make sure that you arrange for the group to arrive early enough to be set up well in time, and that they have adequate repertoire prepared to fill the time-slots allocated.
Find a local band to provide your evening birthday party music.
Maybe you have friends or relatives who know of an aspiring group of youngsters who have formed a pop band and would be delighted to try out their skills on a real audience. Possibly you know of a good pub band that might fit the bill. Either way, these guys are likely to have the PA equipment required for the performance, and will cost considerably less than a professional function band.
Again, hands-on involvement in the process is essential for success. Make sure you watch a full performance by the band in front of an audience, and that the repertoire that the band plays is suitable for a mixed family party. Check that the band has all the PA equipment required to carry out the performance in the venue of your choice. Arrange for the guys to arrive well in advance to be certain that they will be fully set up when their first set is due to start. Do also be aware that reliability way well be an issue. A phone-call from the bass-player a week before the event saying, ‘We’ve broken up’, can throw your celebration plans somewhat awry!
Use an ipod to play your party music.
It may be possible to find friends to perform for short periods at key points in your special party, but background music will also be required for the rest of the event. Intelligent use of an ipod can solve this problem. Do you have a friend who is heavily into computer-generated music? Maybe he can provide the music for your party as his ‘special present’ to you. With the necessary skills it's not a hard task to carry out.
Well-known classical tunes or easy-listening jazz create excellent background ambience for the earlier part of the event. These styles of music are easy to source over the internet, and tracks can be dovetailed to provide continuous music for the period required. If you need music for dancing, a good-quality PA of a specification suitable for the venue is essential. If this cannot be sourced through friends, it can be hired locally for a modest sum, along with a small set of sequenced dancefloor lights.
Create a compilation of your favourite dance-tracks on your ipod, dovetailed to play consecutively for the period you require your home-made ‘disco’ to run. Finally, make sure you provide the correct lead to operate an ipod through the PA system on the day and you're up and running. You now have all the necessary prerequisites in place to fill the dancefloor, while keeping most of your money safely in your pocket.
