General business bands are versatile bands used for wedding reception entertainment without the services of a Disk Jockey. They play a number of musical styles, as opposed to specializing in one particular genre of music as is common with a Toronto DJ. During dinner sets, soothing swing and jazz is the choice of this period in the wedding.
Once dinner and announcements have concluded, the band launches into its dance set. This normally comprises of current hit tracks, top 40, classic rock, and Motown. Requests are also taken during this set, such as a popular ethnic tune or two. With some Toronto Deejays, the music is pre-recorded and the guests cannot request for any special songs.
The bandleader’s duty is to read the mood of the assembled wedding guests, as this is a very crucial ingredient to successful wedding band music playing. An experienced band leader allows for moments of speedier music, which are better suited to a Disk Jockey, which songs work best in what circumstances, and when to slow the tempo to accommodate the wedding party, and most importantly, the groom and bride slow dance. This is not accomplishes to great effect with a Disk Jockey. Low key periods in the wedding program calls for understated music and a wedding band can provide this admirably.
Cocktail hour music usually needs a soothing jazz combo, consisting of a three, four, or five member instrumental group, without a vocalist in attendance. The mainly acoustic, quieter bands provide elegant and sophisticated atmosphere to any wedding cocktail interlude, in indirect proportion to a Toronto DJ. A swing orchestra or Big Band is a larger version of the other kinds of bands, as they have more members and generally more equipment. They can comprise of members ten to twenty, of whom a number are the horn section. These are best for weddings in which the wedding couple prefers an original rendition of swing era big band classics instead of pre-recorded music played by a Toronto DJ.
Because of the nature of their size, the wedding reception location needs to be spacious enough to accommodate them. They play repertoires of famous big bands such as Tommy Dorsey, Duke Ellington, amongst others. Dee Jays lack the big sound to play the big band compositions.
There are also bands of every ethnic group, which can be also played by a Disk Jockey and some ethnic wedding couples call on their services for that special ethnic touch during the music and dancing section of their special day. Some of the best ways to locate bands to play at weddings is favorable recommendations from friends and relatives who are married or have attended a wedding that featured a Toronto DJ or band they liked. Another is wedding periodical that list wedding bands in your area, found at local malls, or as inserts in wedding magazines or newspapers.
Searching through the internet is also a helpful guide, where online directories list into categories the various bands in your area. A number of these sites screen the wedding bands before posting links to their sites on their web indexes.