After all, it is often the live music for your Christmas party entertainment that you are providing is going to make the biggest impression with your guests. This is true, regardless of whether you are looking for Christmas party entertainment in New Jersey or if you are looking for any other type of holiday party entertainment, like Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, or any other holiday where you want your guests to enjoy music and have a memorable time together in New Jersey or metro New York. Here are some things to consider to make sure that the evening is flawless when choosing your Christmas party entertainment.

One of the first things that really needs to be considered is the specific type of Christmas party entertainment that you decide on. As far as that is concerned, a New Jersey live pianist for your holiday party is really going to be difficult to top. Often, a talented NJ pianist can provide you with all the music necessary for Christmas party entertainment in order to make the the evening go by very smoothly and memorable for you and your guests.

There are also times when a pianist can provide you with additional musical Christmas party entertainment for the celebration.  For example, New Jersey pianist Arnie Abrams can provide you with the Christmas party entertainment music necessary for your holiday party but at the same time, Arnie can also provide you with additional musicians and even vocals if you like. Arnie has musical artists that he works with on a regular basis, so it is a very comfortable choice for you to make.

If you do hire a NJ pianist as your Christmas party entertainment, are you going to be providing the piano for your musician or is he going to need to bring his own keyboard? If he is going to be bringing his own equipment, it is absolutely necessary for you to check into the type of equipment that he has. You want to make sure that the keyboard that your NJ pianist uses and the sound system that goes along with it can provide the optimal sound that is necessary for your Christmas  party entertainment and your specific situation.

Of course, everybody that throws a Christmas party in New Jersey, Philadelphia or metro New York City who expects great Christmas party entertainment is going to want to have some type of Christmas carol sing-along during the evening. A sing along involves those songs that are familiar to everyone and it tends to be a real crowd favorite.   Your pianist should have the lyrics for your guests, if possible, and that really makes for a fun evening of holiday joy!  At the very least, your New Jersey Christmas party entertainment must offer this service.

You need to keep in mind, however, that just because the crowd is going to enjoy some holiday songs at one point in the evening, that does not necessarily mean that they want to hear them over and over again throughout the night. Make sure that you choose the NJ pianist has a large repertoire of music that will provide your Christmas party entertainment for people of all ages. Arnie Abrams can play over 600 songs by memory, and they are the songs that are generally recognized by anybody in an audience.

These are a just a few things that you need to consider when hiring a New Jersey pianist, and certainly is not something that you should just throw together for your holiday party a the last minute. With the right choices, however, your holiday or Christmas party entertainment is going to go off without a hitch and everybody will have a great and memorable time.

Perhaps one of the more important things about hiring a keyboard player in NJ, NYC, or Philadelphia, is making sure that they are versatile enough to be able to handle almost any situation. By having a large repertoire of available music, your keyboard player should be able to handle anything from a large outdoor wedding to a small dinner party or anything in between. Your musician should have  a wide selection of music from the 20s, all the way up into the 90s and even from today.  In having such a wide range of music available, your wedding or party musician should be able to handle almost any situation and to provide music that people of all ages will love.

Not to be overlooked, however, is that a keyboard player must have equipment available and that equipment should be professional.  Many keyboard players are going to come with substandard equipment, and what I would consider “toys”, but this is really going to make a difference in the type of sound that you and your guests experience.  With high quality keyboard and sound equipment, the keyboard player is going to be able to make the sounds that you really want, so that a piano is going to sound like a piano, and strings are going to sound like strings.  You do not want to expect an authentic piano sound, only to receive carnival music!

One final thing that I would like for you to consider is that a keyboard player should also be versatile and available for almost any event.  Many entertainers are not going to want to do any outdoor entertaining, such as outdoor weddings or parties.  Or, more often than not, they may say that they can, but do not have the resources to do so.  Make sure that your NJ keyboard player is willing to be able to use his best equipment, and that he has equipment that will match whatever venue you happen to choose.  Not only will this make a difference in the sound, but it will especially enhance the probability that you will have chosen somebody reliable who is providing your keyboard music.

NJ piano player Arnie Abrams

This is the scenerio of more couples that you may think.  Let me give you some cheap advice (uh oh) on what to do. 

Google a few local New Jersey DJ’s on the internet and check out their sites.  There are millions of them (well….1.3 million to be exact).  Check out the first AND second page of Google, because, you really want to make the extra effort to make the right decision here. 

See if their websites are professional looking.  Look for testimonials and/or reviews.  See how often their names pop up when you Google them directly in the search field.  Pick 2 or 3 (or more) that you think you can imagine providing the music and entertainment and contact them for a quote.

Then Google a few local New Jersey pianists (or guitarists or musicians) and do the same.  There are not nearly as many. 

Again, see if the musicians’ websites are professional looking.  Look for testimonials and/or reviews.  See how often their names pop up when you Google them directly in the search field. From their sites and online presence, pick 2 or 3 that you could imagine having them perform for your ceremony, cocktail hour, or reception.  Check out their sites, their talent levels and their offerings, and contact them for a quote.  Essentially, go through the same routine you did for the DJ.

Grab a piece of printer paper, list the DJ’s and list the musicians at the top row, and accross the left side, make columns and list their cost in one column, professionalism in a second column, talent in a 3rd, and ‘perceived personality’ (you REALLY do not know this, which is why it is perceived) in the 4th.

Now, pour yourself a glass of wine and think about what you and your guests will remember and enjoy about your wedding day.  The venue.  The food.  And the music.  Look at the cost difference (if any), since sometimes, I understand perfectly that can be a very strong factor.  I’m in the same boat as everyone else.

You may be shocked to find that you can have exactly what you want.  You may opt for live music for the ceremony and the cocktail hour, and go with a DJ for the reception.  Or, you may wish to have live music for the entire day. 

Keep in mind that if you are having a smaller or more intimate wedding, you may not need a 10-piece band, and a duo, trio or quartet may just do the trick.  There are some very talented NJ duos, trios and quartets out there who are versatile enough to do a wedding, and the cost can be comparable to a DJ.

But also keep this in mind.  Live music is live, and nothing else compares to it.  You know it and there is no sense debating it.  And everyone knows that live music vs. recorded music is MUCH different.  Not better - but different.

But if you are looking for a playlist for your guests to dance to, maybe a DJ is the way to go.  The live band only knows a few hundred songs that they will perform at your wedding, while the DJ can cue up literally thousands.  DJ’s will play all of the dance music you want and more.  But it is not live (it’s Memorex….sort of literally).

Whatever you do, conduct the quick research that I outlined above (it won’t take you long at all), and you will at least have investigated your options and will be happy that you made the right decision in your heart.  After all, it’s your special day and your wedding music….

All the best,

Arnie

Although it certainly is possible for you to go with something that is traditional, there are many times whenever you want to include your own personal likes and dislikes in this very important music that will be played. After all, these are songs that you will look back on for the rest of your life and remember this most important day. Choosing your wedding ceremony music, therefore, requires a lot of careful thought on your part.

One of the first things that you can do which will help you in choosing your wedding ceremony music is to think about the surroundings of the occasion itself. For example, an outdoor beach wedding would give you a lot of leeway as far as the music you are able to use while a wedding held in a more traditional location would probably give you fewer choices. By matching the style of music to the style of the occasion, you will help to make the walk down the aisle something that seems to fit together seamlessly.

Your wedding pianist can provide a number of different song selections for wedding ceremony music. At times, this is going to be a list of traditional or classical music that can easily be played by a wedding pianist. If you’re going with something out of the ordinary, however, you may want to make sure that you give the wedding pianist your overall plan in order for them to be able to prepare well in advance for the occasion.

You can also ask your wedding musician for suggestions on what type of music to play during the wedding ceremony. At times, your musician may be able to give you a general idea of the types of music that are usually played at your type of wedding. An experienced musician may be able to give you specific suggestions and even to help you to think along the lines that you may not have considered before.

Don’t overlook the importance of choosing your wedding ceremony music wisely.  Not only is it something that will set the tone for this special day of yours, it is also something that will be remembered for many years to come.  Here is a list of wedding songs that may be appropriate for many wedding ceremonies.

Much of the time the cocktail hour is exclusively just for your guests (not so much for you or your immediate family), since the photographs are taken during this time, and you and your immediate family are usually somewhere else with the photographer snapping photos.  That is precisely why you should plan to get the most talented, professional, and most qualified musicians that will ensure that your cocktail hour will properly prepare your guests for the reception.

The wedding cocktail hour is the hour (or in some cases, longer) that takes place just before the reception begins. The cocktail hour these days is synonymous with the term social hour, and should be treated as such.   It is the crucial time to have light entertainment for your guests to prepare them for the higher intensity partying music at the reception.

The cocktail hour music should not be loud, since your guests would love to socialize and catch up on old times. Your experienced musician(s) should be able to provide the appropriate music so that it is a wonderful way to begin the party of your wedding day.

Typically, this music is played as background music to create a better, relaxing but upbeat atmosphere.  Vocals are OK, so long as they do not interfere with the conversation between the guests.

Your professional pianist, guitarist, or jazz ensemble should have great suggestions for your cocktail hour music, and if they are experienced, they will be able to provide a fantastic atmosphere for your guests to chat and at the same time, enjoy music that they know and love.

Prelude:

Music is performed during this portion of the ceremony as people walk in the ceremony area, whether it is a church, temple, outdoor garden or other location. Usually, this is soft background music, and popular instruments are the piano or guitar. The music should have the effect of setting the dramatic scene so that your guests know that the ceremony is about to begin.

General Processional:

Music as the bridal party begins the walk down the aisle.

Bridal Processional:

As I experience so much these days, it has become fairly common to do away with the traditional “bridal march” and instead play music that is more meaningful to the couple. e.g.” Groovy Kind of Love – Phil Collins”, “I’ll Stand By You – The Pretenders”, or hundreds of other appropriate wedding song selections. This is an in-depth topic that really deserves some additional thought.  Your best bet is to talk to a seasoned wedding music professional who performs lots of ceremonies.  He or she can give you ideas that have worked well, as well as discuss song selections that have not been successful for one reason or another.

Interlude:

Traditionally, music played just during or after the prayer or the lighting of the candle, the sand ceremony, or some other customary practice during the ceremony.  Many times, a vocalist performs during this time, and can be a wonderfully dramatic portion of your ceremony.

Recessional:

Music is played as the newly married couple and the wedding party leave the ceremony area, whether it is a church, temple, or other venue. This is generally a very upbeat musical selection.

Postlude:

This is the exit music played after the wedding party has left the ceremony area, and when your guests begin leaving the ceremony area and proceed on their way to the cocktail or reception area.  There are many song selections appropriate for this portion, and should be upbeat and happy giving the final musical finale on the wonderful journey you are now going to take with the love of your life.

Final Comments:

I typically suggest to couples that they should think about their wedding ceremony music as far in advance as possible so they can have a perfectly tailored wedding to their exact specification.  Usually the officiant will go over the wedding ceremony and the music only a couple of weeks to a month before the wedding date, which does not leave a lot of time for the bride and groom.

It’s always better for you to be able to choose your music rather than to have someone else choose it for you.  Be sure to talk with a professional musician who has significant experience in this area and you will always be the wiser.

Religious Wedding Ceremony Music
If you are going with a religious wedding ceremony, selecting the wedding music can be especially challenging since the church usually has standards regarding your choices. For example, there may be a vocalist or even a choral group that will be singing the hymns prior to your processional. As the performing musician, at the couple’s request, I often interface with the church music directors, ministers, priests, rabbis, cantors, and other officiants, to “clear” the music selections with them.

However, if you don’t want to or need to stick with traditional or religious guidelines, you can choose your wedding music by talking to the officiant, music director, or a professional musician who has the required experience in performing for ceremonies. The key is to make sure that the music you select is appropriate and that it will be suitable to the tone of the service that will be conducted.

Civil Wedding Ceremony Music
If you and your fiancé decide to have a civil wedding ceremony like an outdoor garden wedding or one at your reception venue, there are a wide range of musical styles for your wedding music. You can select romantic music, conservative jazz, mild R & B, modern love themes, traditional folk tunes, and other romantic kinds of music that may possibly match your style. Aside from this, you can also hire live musicians to perform during the ceremony and not just be limited to a choral group and church organist.

Wedding ceremony music is integral to the overall character of your ceremony. That is why you really have to take some time in deciding which music to select. Your wedding ceremony, whether it is religious or civil, will be much more memorable if the wedding ceremony music is chosen by you rather than for you.

I always recommend that brides talk to a professional to bounce around ideas about their wedding ceremony music.

Best,

Selecting your wedding music is obviously SO important because the music is what you and your guests will remember for a long, long time after the big day. 

Here are a few tips on choosing your wedding ceremony music:

When thinking about songs for your wedding ceremony, you just want to make sure you choose music that is appropriate, and use songs that you would not mind listening to in 20 or 30 years.  This is especially true if you intend to record your music selections for your guests as a special keepsake wedding favor, which is something unique that I offer for my clients.

Songs that are appropriate are the ones that are suitable in terms of the music AND their lyrics.  For instance, there are many songs that have beautiful melodies.  But if the lyrics to those songs involve a guy losing his girl to some other guy, or a girl who falls in love with her guy’s best friend, you’ll want to avoid those at all cost.  I know this sounds like common sense, and it is to a great extent, but I run into this issue quite often.  Often enough to bring up.

Keep in mind that many of the songs you may choose for your wedding can be interchangeable with different portions of your wedding ceremony.  For instance, some songs can be commonly appropriate for the Prelude (10-20-minutes prior to the ceremony while your guests are being seated) as well as the Interlude (any portion of the General Ceremony). 

Some tunes can be done for the Processional (segment that heralds the beginning of the ceremony), as well as the Interlude, and the Recessional (portion that completes the ceremony).  But also remember that some songs are specifically designed for certain parts of the ceremony as well. 

Common sense plays a big part here, and you should enjoy choosing the songs that you and your fiance really desire for your wedding music.  After all, it’s your day and no one else’s. 

Talking to an experienced music professional about choosing your wedding music is always a great idea.  Pick his or her brain for music recommendations and you’ll always be the winner.  People call me or email me on a daily basis to bounce ideas off of me.  I even have a wedding music guide available.

Taking care of your wedding ceremony music choices early in the process will give you one less thing to worry about for the big day!

Topics can include any of the items with which I am familiar.  Those include live piano music, live wedding music, ceremony music, cocktail hour music, portable musical equipment, outdoor weddings, indoor weddings, traditional vs. nontraditional weddings, civil union ceremonies, bridal or baby showers, music for parties and sing alongs, holiday parties, or other events and topics that involve live piano music.

I have been a professional pianist for over 20 years performing at hundreds of different venues.  If I can’t answer a question, I’ll either direct you to a person who can, or I’ll find out the answer and get back to you.

I’m looking forward to your questions and comments.  And thanks again for stopping by.