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DJ Training

Here’s one I prepared earlier … Mark and Rebecca Ferrell

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I was going through my files earlier this week and found this video I made a year ago, it’s about Mark and Rebecca Ferrell. Now I’ve decided to post it because the content is still relevant and, I’ll be honest, I’m too lazy to make it again!

So this post is really for DJs who might be considering training options and also for couples who want to find DJ’s who really want to give their clients more than just music.

I first became aware of Mark and Rebecca around 2009 when I started to look for training opportunities and people offering something more to their clients. I found their Marbecca website (CLICK HERE) and was very taken with their ideals, but they were based in the States and it was unlikely (for numerous reasons) that I would be able to travel to train with them.

A few years later when I was on my first training course with Derek Pengelly and I met Alan Marshall who told me all about his Marbecca experiences. Alan was then responsible for bringing Mark and Rebecca to the UK and so I got the opportunity to train and develop my skills using the Marbecca Method. They visited the UK twice and I was so lucky to train with them at five of their Marbecca workshops, as well as hear Mark speak to gatherings of DJs and just spend time with them.

Mark & Rebecca Ferrell

I love working on my performance and Mark and Rebecca helped me enormously but my time with them has meant so much more to me. To have the opportunity to help couples create WOW Weddings is a real blessing and so much of what I do, how I do it and why I do it is down to Marbecca.

I see many people on social media criticising Mark and Rebecca Ferrell and questioning their motives and ability – I can honestly say from the bottom of my heart that these are two of the kindest and most honourable people I have ever met. I also see many arguments from DJ’s as to why this isn’t for them and that’s fine, BUT if you are a DJ looking to improve your skills I would 100% recommend you consider Marbecca, AND if you are a couple looking for a DJ I’d 100% recommend you look for one who has been trained by Mark and Rebecca Ferrell – and the more training they’ve done with them the better!

I’ve blogged about Mark and Rebecca several times before …
Mark Says (CLICK HERE)
Marbecca 2013 (CLICK HERE)
and Keeping Focused (CLICK HERE)

This is my video, as I say I made it a year ago. If you would like to find out more about them CLICK HERE or just give me a call.

September weddings

Mark says

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Mark says …
so, what’s this post about I hear you ask.

Well it works on two levels.

First it speaks to people looking for a DJ who wants to give his clients the best possible service. The “Mark” in question is Mark Ferrell who, along with lovely wife Rebecca, is behind the biggest change in DJ standards, training and education of the last twenty years. I certainly wouldn’t be doing what I do, the way I do it, if it wasn’t for Mark and Rebecca and the five workshops I’ve attended with them.

Secondly it’s for the benefit of other DJ’s and I know there are a few who keep an eye on what I post. Mark can help you, it CLICK HERE to find out more about Mark, Rebecca and MarBecca Without Mark and Rebecca I wouldn’t be where I am today – if you want to know more please ask me.

The MarBecca Motto: “It’s all about Love.”

The MarBecca Slogan: “It’s not WHAT you do. It’s HOW you do it.”

The MarBecca Mantra: “Teaching People To Change Lives Through Entertainment And Speaking Skills.”

Mark posted a couple of things that really resonated with me this week and I wanted to share them here.

If you’re hiring a DJ only for music, you’re really limiting your reception to a “dinner dance” and limiting the full richness of its true potential.

This is so true, most couples looking for a wedding DJ are just looking for music because they don’t know what else a great DJ can offer. They are looking for a DJ because they haven’t seen one who they liked enough to ask for a card. Many people think that DJs are cheesy because they’ve only seen.

Then he posted this …

To do a truly GREAT job as a Mobile DJ, you have to wear a lot of hats. To be exceptional, you must gain mastery of 3 distinct vocal skills:
* Announcing
* Master of Ceremonies
* Storytelling
Each of these vocal/mic skills play different roles in someone’s event, and accomplish different objectives.
Let me put it this way… If I was looking for a DJ for my niece’s wedding, I would hire only the DJ with those skill sets.
Let me put it another way… If I was putting together a team of DJs, they would each have to master those skill sets.

Mark Says

To find out more about training with Mark and Rebecca PLEASE CLICK HERE

The Party Hosts

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Studiorouge Commercial

As well as trading as The Party DJ I’m also very proud to be part of The Party Hosts with Alan and Gary. The Party Hosts came about because the three of us are great friends, share values, had all trained with Mark and Rebecca Ferrell among others, and live fairly close to each other. We originally got together to offer back-up for our clients in the event of something unforseen happening to any of us just prior to a booking. We then decided it might be a good plan to develop a brand that we could market and build together.

It’s now about a year since we got together and things are really starting to take off. Yesterday we launched our Wedding Entertainment Show – our weekly video tips on planning your wedding from an entertainment perspective.

We also started The Party Hosts blog here The Party Hosts

This weekend will also see the start of another of our Party Hosts projects … but we’ll tell you about that next week, when we should have some pictures.

Finally, for now, we have also been entered for the 2014 Wedding industry Awards
Wedding DJ Hampshire

Studiorouge Commercial

Marbecca 2013

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May has been an amazing month for me. I’ve had some fabulous events, met some new couples who have chosen me to share their special day, finally found a van, and I got to spend more time with Mark and Rebecca Ferrell who came back to the UK again.

I spent six days with Mark and Rebecca, training and developing my presenting skills and learning more of how they honed their craft drilling down to the importance of every word.

Marbecca Stretch

For three weeks I spent every Monday and Tuesday in their workshops. Last year I did two Marbecca workshops and really felt stretched – this year was even more fun!

It was brilliant spending time with like-minded DJ’s especially on the Gold Master of Ceremonies workshop which included Alan and Gary, my colleagues from The Party Hosts.

Party Host Gold

Mark and Rebecca’s signature piece was the Love Story and I’m thrilled to have spent time with them understanding and practicing the skills to deliver it.

Love Story

The Love Story is something that Mark and Rebecca created to emotionally involve all of the guests at an evening reception. Last year I saw Alan deliver a Love Story for one of his couples and I’ve been looking forward to learning the methodology ever since. I am now one of only ten people in the UK who have done this training.

Marbecca Gold Curry

We even found time for a few meals together – well it would have been rude not to.

Until next time, thank you so much Mark and Rebecca for crossing the ocean to share your knowledge, skills and love.

Sunday 10th ~ Lovely and Vintage Wedding Fayre

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It’s been a very very busy week, especially considering that I don’t have a booking this weekend. I’ve had meetings with two couples whose weddings are fast approaching and two more with couples who have now booked me to play at their weddings.

Gary, my colleague from The Party Hosts and I also had a very exciting meeting with a very prestigious venue to talk about mood lighting and entertainment. Meanwhile Alan, the other Party Host, has been in Vegas at the annual DJ convention and training with the amazing Mark and Rebecca Ferrell – Gary and I have to wait until May for our next sessions with mark and Rebecca when they visit the UK again.

I’m eally looking forward to my first wedding fayre with Lovely and Vintage on Sunday at Victoria House in Hamble. I was over that way yesterday visiting one of my new couples and it was great to see some nice big yellow signs directing people to the event. Gary’s at the Southend Barn’s wedding fayre So come and say hello ~ bonus points if you come and see BOTH of us!

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Keeping Focused

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This week I’ve been very privileged to spend time with some fantastic people from the world of DJ’ing. I spent much of the week studying and working on my skills as a Master Of Ceremonies with Mark and Rebecca Ferrell.

Mark and Rebecca are from California, they were asked to come to the UK and run some workshops by very good friend Alan Marshall. They have done what very few others have attempted and actually analysed how we carry out our duties in the most minute detail. They focus on every word you use and the way you say it.

There were eight of us taking the course and I’d met all the guys previously, all great DJ’s, and I felt very humbled to be working with such brilliant talent. We had such a brilliant time learning together, there were also plenty of “banter” and laughs, a good time was had by all.

To say that I found my two days with Mark, Rebecca, Alan and the lads rewarding is an understatement! The great news is that I’m taking part in the Silver workshop with them next week – I can’t wait.