GOOD NOTE DJs (Steve Hoffman)

Steve with Good Note DJ was absolutely wonderful! I would highly recommend him. Very professional, thorough, attentive and insightful. We had a wonderful time at our wedding, and everyone had a great time and danced the night away!

Our experience with Steve as our wedding DJ was tremendous! From the first meeting to follow up emails and phone conversations to the big day, Steve was professional, organized and highly responsive. His business is well-established, and he took the time and energy necessary to give us individual attention. I honestly felt like we were the only clients on his plate in our wedding planning experience! (Of COURSE that wasn't true, he is quite popular!) Steve manages to find this wonderful balance between your musical choices and what he thinks a crowd would want to get moving. He also is terrific at keeping a nice pace for the evening, and being very IN ADVANCE about extensions and his expectation for knowing the plans of the bride and groom. As an organization freak, I really appreciated his clarity. We would hire Steve again in a heartbeat, and have already given his information to friends. Check his availability and book now! He might not be the cheapest gig in town, but it's because his service won't cheapen your wedding reception! Worth every penny. Happy planning...

We used Good Note DJ for our wedding and it was great! We met with Steve twice before the wedding to go over what we like, don't like, and listen to his valuble suggestions. The event went perfect and the music was great! Steve really took all our suggestions and it was great to hear the music we love during our event. I would highy recommend Good Note to anyone!

Steve was the perfect wedding DJ. He provided advice about our music selections and helped us plan the timeline for entire event. Our taste in music is eclectic and our choices were somewhat unconventional, but Steve was able to find every song that we requested. Steve also provided a touching introduction to our first dance. He took the time to meet with us and get to know us in order to give us the best service. Steve also worked very well with all of our other wedding vendors.

We hired Steve for out October 2011 wedding reception. The wedding was small and was held in an indoor/outdoor pavilion. We were initially turned on to Good Note DJs by the several positive reviews on various wedding websites and the wealth of information on his own website. Our only apprehension with getting a DJ was that our wedding was small and the challenges with getting at least one side of the family to dance. Once we contacted Steve, he sent us plenty of information and helpful direction to make this part of the wedding process easy to plan. We met Steve to discuss our desires and thoughts on the reception. Steve was very easy to work with in planning the reception. He covered all the bases, even when we forgot a few things. We didn’t have many specific requests, but we did ask to incorporate a game and some crowd interaction into our reception. Steve was very receptive to this and worked it in perfectly. On the day of the wedding, Steve showed up well in advance and was ready to go. Steve was professional, fun, and helpful on a day where we were running around with a mind full of excitement. Everything we asked of Steve, he did it, and more. The game we suggested went off without a problem and our interaction with our guests (with his microphones) was a lot of fun (despite the groom’s inability to use a mic properly). But the most important thing was that our gests had a GREAT TIME. His selection of music and when to play that music was excellent. It was all about the music and people having a good time, not about him or to talky. All of our worries about people not dancing were unfounded; the dance floor never seemed to be dead. Steve was bombarded with requests and did a great job of balancing requests with the music types that we suggested to him prior to the wedding. He was prepared for anything. Thank you Steve. I highly recommend Steve with Good Note DJs to anyone with any type of event.

Steve Hoffman went above and beyond our expectations for DJ services for our September wedding on Maryland's Eastern Shore! We feel blessed to have had excellent wedding vendors across the board for our event, but of all of them, Steve was the most organized. He responds promptly to questions and always has good suggestions when needed. His flexibility was much appreciated and he went to great lengths to fullfill our particular needs. He is pleasant and fun to work with, his prices are very reasonable, and he is always professional. On the day before our wedding, Steve noted that one of the street signs on the route to our wedding site was down and was concerned that guests might get lost on their way to the rural bed and breakfast where our wedding was to be held. Without any prompting, he went to a craft store, hand made a new sign, and drove out to the intersection to post it. I only found this out from my aunt and uncle a few days after the wedding, but I mention it because it sums up how Steve really treated us like family. He is terrific, and if he is available for your wedding weekend, we absolutely recommend him!

We hired Steve from Good Note DJs off of a referral from our amazing photographers (Ever After Visuals). I was pretty lost when looking for a DJ and after reading a million Wedding Wire reviews thought it might be smart to ask someone who attends weddings all the time if they knew someone who had stuck out in their minds as a great vendor. Mindy, our photographer, mentioned that she had worked with a DJ on a wedding that mixed two different cultures and she could tell that the DJ had put a lot of time and thought into planning how he would mesh the two together – she added that there was a great mix of people on the dance floor all night. I called him right after speaking with Mindy and was told that he had another couple that had inquired about our date, but hadn’t signed a contract yet. We met at a central location that evening and after spending about an hour with Steve, my fiancé and I decided that he would put lots of time and effort into insuring that our event went exactly how we wanted and sent in our deposit the next day.

I work in the hospitality industry, and I know how rare it is to find a vendor who really cares about the quality of their work enough to have meetings (we had 2 that lasted over an hour), send e-mails, and make numerous phone calls to ensure that his part of our celebration was the best that it could possibly be. His equipment was small but powerful (one of my biggest requirements was nice looking equipment to avoid big black box speakers in every one of our reception pictures) and was all but hidden during the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception. We provided some CDs for him to use to make sure that we had the correct arrangements that we wanted for our ceremony and he was quick to return them after our event. He even noticed that on one of the CDs there seemed to be a lot of music that would work for the feel we had talked about for our cocktail hour and asked if it had any special meaning. I told him that my dad had made the CD of his favorite songs and it would be a great touch if he could incorporate them. He did, and even came to find me during our event to make sure I found my dad before he started playing the special songs. What a great touch!

One of the best parts of our wedding was the personalized introductions Steve did for our bridal party. It was Steve’s idea, and my fiancé and I ran with it. We wrote a little personal blurb about each one of our attendants and it was a complete shock to them when he said their name and read not only some facts about them, but some of our inside jokes as well. I still get comments about the looks on our best friend’s faces – priceless!

Overall, Steve did a great job! It is obvious how much he cares about his profession and the job that he does for people on one of the most special days of their life. His price was lower than I was expecting compared to others and he is definitely a choice we never second guessed.

Steve is the most organized person I’ve ever met. I never had to worry about making sure that everything was taken care of because he was on top of everything. He works with a ton of brides but will treat you like you are his only client. He will sit down one on one with you and come up with a concrete timeline for your whole day. It definitely helped relieve some of the stress during the planning process. He works super hard to make sure that your day is exactly what you want. Plus, he will put personal touches to your day that you won’t get with any other DJ. During the reception, he played exactly what I wanted and the music compilation that he selected was exactly what I had envisioned. The dance floor was packed the whole entire night! I highly recommend Steve if you are looking to hire the best DJ for your wedding. I loved working with him!

Steve is fantastic. He is much more than what you may think of as a DJ, and he will do much more than show up and play some songs you selected. Steve will think about your event and ways to make sure everything runs smoothly, from the readings to the first dance to the end of the party when people are tired but still want to move. He will take your music preferences and create an event that has everyone dancing, from the young to the old. We've gotten numerous compliments on what great music we had at our wedding, and Steve is the one to thank.

If you want a stress-free wedding, Steve is one of the best vendors to work with. He is so organized that while planning your music, you will find yourself pulling together your whole wedding timeline and making key decisions about all aspects of your wedding. Steve has the experience necessary to make your wedding music flawless. He plans so well in advance that he is prepared to handle anything that comes up at the last minute. He is also an excellent communicator. We were thrilled with our decision to use Good Note DJs for our wedding, and our guests were happy too! We can tell by the photos of everyone dancing with smiles from ear to ear.

Fabulous service! Steve was amazing to work with. He is very detailed oriented and helped me plan every minute of the wedding. We got married in a unique venue that had acoustic problems, but Steve had done his research and offered solutions to get the best sound at the venue. We also wanted different genres of music, to include latin music, and Steve was very well versed in each genre and was more than willing to download any music he didn't have. He was really good at keeping the dance floor alive! I would definitely recommend him!

We loved Steve! We interviewed a number of DJ's but Steve definitely was above them all! He is extremely knowledgable, professional, and fun! We were worried (being an older bride and groom) that we would have modern music that we didn't recognize all night but Steve balanced the new and the old so everyone had a great time. He even noticed I had missed my favorite song so he played it again! Thank you Steve, for the perfect music for our wedding!

Steve was wonderful to work with. He is very thorough with phone calls, emails, follow-ups after meetings, and gives you peace of mind with his organization and detailed plans. He has great ideas to make the day special! We had a small wedding party and he suggested we write something about each person as they were announced into the wedding reception. Everyone seemed to really enjoy that moment!
The music at both the ceremony and reception were great and exactly what we wanted. Everyone had such a great time at our wedding and I know the music was apart of that reason!

Steve was fantastic from the beginning. He is incredibly detail oriented. At first, the level of detail he asked from us in the planning stages was a bit much, but as the wedding day came, it became clear why. Steve paid close attention to our tastes and was able to perfectly match both his own style and the musical selections to the tastes of our guests. We also had a number of little things to deal with given out New Year's Eve wedding, and Steve was well prepared to deal with any contingencies. Wherever we did not give very specific musical selections, Steve managed to put together a playlist that worked perfectly for the night, with the dance floor never emptying out (and people spilling out well past the edges of the floor dancing). He was also able to react quickly to some of our last minute changes.

Steve was the DJ and MC at my daughter and son-in-law's wedding in Dec. at the Key Bridge Marriott. Steve's services are very reasonably priced. He's an incredible professional and has a commanding knowledge of music. He is dedicated to personalizing the reception and provides a long list of music selections and options. He met with us initially and closer to the wedding to finalize things including introductions of the wedding party and helped time all the major reception events. He was very flexible the entire evening with anything we wanted. The reception was a huge success and the complete dance party that we wanted. My son-in-law is a musician and he and his groomsmen played for and serenaded the bride. Steve was very willing to make that happen and he supported and helped the band with equipment, timing, etc.
I would HIGHLY recommend Steve since he was a VIP in making my daughter's reception flow well and our guests continue to rave about it!

My wife and I are music snobs. I am an audiophile and she has a Masters in Musical Theatre. Steve was the first DJ we interviewed and we decided almost immediately on him. His catalog and knowledge went far beyond the dance floor standards I expected into the obscure indie tracks I wanted and anachronistic Broadway hits my wife was looking for. He has a sleek equipment setup that is unobtrusive, but does not skimp on sound. Our reception was at a high-end location which generally only has live musicians, but Steve was able to maintain an elegant atmosphere that made having a DJ seem like the conscious choice it was rather than a compromise. Most importantly, his delivery and personality were spectacular. Not overwhelming, but not flat. And he knew how to work in all of our unusual song choices in a way that kept everyone happy and everyone dancing. I'll hire him for my next wedding too! OWW! (My wife just hit me.)

We had a tricky venue to work with and Steve did an incredible job getting the sound to work in all of the rooms and incorporating all of the special requests we wanted to make our night what it turned out to be! His advance work was phenomenal and he made himself very available to us - plus, you can't beat his price for the quality of service you are getting!

We had an idea on how we wanted the music to flow for us the entire evening and Steve went beyond our expectations. We received many comments that the selection of music was the best they've ever heard at a wedding.

The importance of a good DJ can not be understated. Overlooked by most couples, the DJ can truly make or break a reception. Steve was the perfect choice for us. Using his vast knowledge of both weddings and music he was able to set up the perfect reception with regards entertainment, music, and most importantley flow. So many weddings have awkward pauses were the guests are unsure what to do. Steve worked it so everything fit nicely and the events merged one in to the other. His music selection was fantastic. We are not addicited to music but had a few songs in mind. Steve was able to take that and provide a variety of genres that kept everyone on the dance floor. Not one of our guests were left out because they did not know how to dance to a certain type of song.

I did not truly recognize the quality that we had at our wedding until I recently went were the DJ did a disservice to the reception. the music selection did not include all age groups and it turned out being awkward at best.

Thanks Steve!

I want someone who is organized to be a vendor at my wedding. Steve was incredibly organized. He provided a schedule and gave us a list of songs as possible choices for first dance, introductions, etc. Steve was wonderful. I would highly recommend him to anyone. We really liked his introduction of the wedding party. Thanks Steve!

Steve was a great DJ. He set the mood for every different time during the reception. He played perfect music for dinner and perfect music to dance to. He listened to what my guests wanted to listen to and chose perfect songs. Older family members and young were on the dance floor.

During the planning process, Steve was very attentive to our needs and responded within hours, sometimes minutes of me calling. He was open to new ideas and gave great input.

I would recommend him highly to anyone thinking about using him. He was well worth the money!

I am not sure where to begin! Steve will take your vision of what a DJ will provide to your wedding, and take it to a completely different level. Steve was by far the most professional and responsive of our vendors. When I say "on top of it", that does not begin to cover it. If he tells you that he will have a list of possible song options or a draft reception schedule to you by tomorrow morning, you will have it by midnight. As a bride and a type-A personality, I was EXTREMELY appreciative of it.

Steve is also very good at working with brides and grooms. We met for an hour-long meeting to go over the details of the reception and create the timeline. I have to say that cake-cutting songs or garter-tossing songs were the furthest things from our minds, but he makes it easy. I so much as mentioned a song that I loved that was not in his library, and he had it by the next time we spoke.

In the days leading up to the wedding, I did not get around to sending Steve our list of song ideas or suggestions. I barely had time at the wedding to enjoy or dance to the music, but I could not help but notice every time a song would come on that I had casually mentioned in our meeting (including, even, Teach Me How to Dougie - hehe). He even intuitively played several of our family members' own first dance wedding songs (which scored many bonus points with them!).

I was unsure about including the personalized introductions for the bridal party and for my husband and me. I thought maybe people would become impatient and just want to get the eating/drinking/dancing on. But it turned out beautifully. I am still, to this day, getting compliments on how personal the introductions were, and how much of a nice touch it was. The fact that he drew some really personal sentiments out of my husband and surprised me with them at the intro is truly priceless. Note for brides who are busy: I took the write-ups from our wedding website for all of the bridal party, and sent it verbatim to Steve - he revised it as needed and ran with it.

Steve's cost is a little higher than some, since he is a one-man show. I can't lie, I thought about putting a 4.5 for value for cost - but I can't, because he really does put in work above and beyond what any other DJ (or even most vendors) would do. He worked with the other vendors, including our inside day of coordinator, outside day of coordinator, and my husband's aunt, who was our cocktail hour singer. You may think Steve is a little quirky when you meet or speak to him at first, but he really is a musical genius. I do not think there is a song that Steve does not have in his library that he could not have by tomorrow.

Steve is a consummate professional. From the first phone call to the last dance, his expertise and experience were supremely apparent. In a gentle way, he steered us more successful musical choices and showed us how to enhance a very tight time schedule at the venue. He worked well with our other vendors. He was always totally responsive. He helped us develop a play list and then wove our choices together skillfully, leaving out none of our preferred music. Older guests were thrilled that the sound volume allowed conversation to flow easily--often a rarity at weddings. And he really got the party going. I found Steve on Wedding Wire when I first started to help my daughter plan her wedding and I wondered about choosing someone for whom I did not have a personal reference. However, after the first phone call and first meeting with him, I knew he was the perfect choice. Look no further--if you want a superb DJ who will give you not a moment of uncertainty or concern, engage Steve to do your event.

The only regret we had about hiring Steve as our wedding DJ was that we couldn't keep him for more time! Six weeks after the event, people are still telling us what a great time they had, and it was due in large part to Steve's skills in reading the crowd and keeping them on the dance floor. He has a wealth of knowledge and suggestions for making the reception flow smoothly, which is invaluable, since so many of us (hopefully!) only make these plans once! Steve was very responsive and honored his contract with us to the letter. We would heartily recommend him to anyone.

We had a great expierence with Steve. He was very professional from beginning to end! He met with us twice in the months prior to the wedding to make sure we were a good fit, and to learn about the types of music that we wanted to hear at our reception and ceremony. He was also quick to respond to our emails whenever we had questions. His equipment worked perfectly. His assitant was also very professional. Steve also worked well with our "day of coordinator" to make sure everything ran smoothly for us.
Our guests had a great time and were on the floor dancing the entire night! We are still hearing from guests about how well they enjoyed the great variety of music.
Thank you Steve! We will definately recommend your services to anyone we know that is getting married!

Steve provided so much more that just DJ services. He helped us with our wedding timeline, worked with our hotel in support of getting the venue just right and provided many tips on the best way to keep the party going. Our wedding was planned from a distance as we live in Florida and were married in DC. Consequently we only had one opportunity to meet Steve prior to the event. Steve asked lots of great questions and listened to our desires for music and artists. As the evening progessed it was obvious that he had paid close attention to our desires as ALL of the artists we had hoped to work into the evening were played at just the right time. Once the dancing started the dance floor was never empty, Steve keep the party going all evening. In addition Steve acted as our MC during the evening, introducing the speakers, family, cake cutting, garter toss, etc. We HIGHLY recommend Steve, you won't be disappointed. Bill and Dan

Steve was a fantastic DJ for my wedding. He attention to detail was something that is very hard to find with a wedding vendor. He is quick with all correspondence, which is extremely important when planning a wedding. Steve came into our wedding 100% prepared, and did an excellent job with the music for our wedding and reception. He kept the reception moving, but was not intrusive with his speaking at all. He was able to get the whole party dancing, from children up to grandparents. I would recommend him to anyone looking for a top-notch DJ for their wedding.

Steve was very responsive and flexible. He created a great cocktail and dinner playlist based on our suggested genre, wedding guests even commented on how good the music was.

Steve was a FANTASTIC pick for our DJ. Not only was he very knowledgeable and easy to work with leading up to our wedding, he was wonderfully professional at the wedding itself. We had many discussions with him about the types of music and variety of song choice and once the wedding began he was able to execute the plan we came up with together seamlessly. When we had to change some things the week before he was more than ready to accommodate the change and add another staff member to his team. Two months later, our guests (and other vendors) still rave about how much fun dancing at our reception was, and as we reflect on our wedding we wouldn't have changed a thing about our DJ Steve!

He played our ceremony music and reception music. He worked with us to create a unique experience for our guests that reflected who we were so that our wedding was not like every other wedding you attend. We love country music and he helped us incorporate it into our ceremony and reception. He was always available to help us select songs during the planning process and offered great suggestions.

Steve was a fantastic DJ. We gave him lots of latitude in song selection, and he did a great job of tastefully engaging the guests and keeping the party going.He was absolutely amazing!

All the reviews we'd read about Steve said how he really listens to his clients--and wow--did he ever. The music was perfect, Steve hit it on the nose--I told him at the end of the reception, I've always wanted my wedding to be one with a full dance floor of people having a great time--and Steve made it happen. I couldn't be happier. He read the crowd, suggested on-the-fly changes (timing of certain dances) that were perfect, and provided the perfect soundtrack to a joyous occasion. My husband is still talking about how amazing it was sitting down to dinner and hearing the CDs he put together for Steve to play during dinner/cocktail hour – Steve couldn't have been more flexible.

We were married on 2/6/10--in a blizzard. As my guest list fell and numerous complications arose due to the snow, Steve never made me doubt for a minute that he'd be there--he was so flexible and reassuring. He got all his equipment delivered to the hall the day before the wedding & storm, and was there to absolutely rock our reception. Talk about dependability. He knocked it out of the park--we're so, so happy and our guests can't stop raving about what an amazing time they had.

We couldn't decide - band or DJ. Here's what happened. I've never seen a DJ work a reception where the music just filled the space without an obvious source. Steve Hoffman's setup hides the business end of what he does, there are no lights, he is in a shadow and his speakers are amazing. Having enjoyed a night with Steve we realized that a band would have been "entertainment" and distracting from the real focus, the bride and groom and all of the guests. Music selections - in one word, incredible. Dance floor filled every minute, all ages. He's a friendly, chatty guy who offers relevant input and understands the complexities that come with weddings.

Steve was great to work with. Looking on his website, compared to other DJs, showed his professionalism and down-to-earth approach to being a DJ. Our pre-wedding consultations with him were nice because he made us think about ideas and approaches we had not previously considered. No matter what song you want at your wedding, no matter how obsolete, he will find it! He even found a rare record (yes record!) of an old song that my husband's dad had wanted and not been able to find. During the reception, he played a great mix of music and reads the crowd very well! The most compliments we've received are from the personal introductions Steve made about my husband and me and how we met. Steve provides extra touches and goes the extra mile to make your reception great! :) We would HIGHLY recommend him.

I met Steve once and knew he was the perfect DJ for our wedding- music is his passion and it shows in his work. Steve was an amazing DJ and really knew how to get the crowd dancing! I would highly recommend Good Note DJs for your upcoming wedding! Five Stars all the way! Thank you, Steve!!

Steve Hoffman at Good Note DJs was an absolute pleasure to work with. He met with us several times prior to the wedding to hash out the details of the reception and make song suggestions. Steve was always prompt with responses to our questions, and I felt comfortable on the days leading up to the wedding that he would do a great job. His services on our wedding day were wonderful; he was professional and kept everything running smoothly. Highly recommended!

Steve is professional and efficient. He did a fabulous job as a DJ at our wedding this past weekend. I would hire him again. It is definitely worthwhile to spend the extra money for his services.

We recently used Steve as our wedding dj at a historic mansion in southern Maryland. We've heard nothing but compliments over the past week about how great the music was, how cool and collective he was and how he was the perfect DJ -- not too talky, with a great mix of music and a classy vibe. We were THRILLED with hid performance and absolutely loved the intro he read to the crowd for us prior to our first dance. It was romantic and true! Everyone is singing his praises. We couldn't have had such an organized, perfectly timed wedding without him. From our first meeting until the very last moment of our reception, Steve was a true professional! My husband said the cost was completely justified -- the quality of his services is impeccable and he's so responsive!! We are so pleased with our choice and would recommend Steve Hoffman of Good Note to anyone :)

Steve was great. He was on the ball and responded to our questions almost immediately. He is very reliable and definitely made our reception memorable. We highly recommend him.

We highly recommend Steve for a wedding DJ. His attention to detail and professionalism was impressive. He was very helpful in the planning stages and took the time to map out the entire night, down to the minute. When our guests wanted to surprise us with some special traditions that were out of the plans, he was very flexible and made things run smoothly.

Steve was fantastic. He was very thorough, organized and responsive to all of our requests. He did his job and we didn't have to worry about a thing. If you want a DJ that is responsive to your needs, does a great job and keeps people dancing, he's your guy.

Mr. Hoffman was very professional. Always got back to us right away. Had great suggestions when we need assistance.

We were very pleased with the DJ services Steve Hoffman (Good Note DJ) provided for our wedding. Our guest are still talking about the wedding and how great a job Steve did with the ceremony music and the music for the reception. They also enjoyed the way Steve personalized the wedding reception by reading the script about how Steve and I met. Steve is a true profession and he takes the time to listen to the desires of the bride and groom. He will also help you if you are having trouble selecting music for the wedding ceremony and reception. We would highly recommend Steve if you are looking for a DJ that will make your wedding enjoyable and stress free for you and all of your guest. It has been a month since our wedding and all of our guest are still talking about Steve and the outstanding job he did at our wedding and reception.

Steve & Tina Dawson

I cannot say enough good things about Steve Hoffman. He took our vague ideas about the kind of music we wanted, and added his expertise and creativity to come up with music for both the ceremony and reception. He listened to everything we said and made helpful suggestions, and he made our vision come true into a beautiful wedding. Our entrance music was fun, classy, and perfect. The cocktail music was ideal--fun without being at all intrusive. And the dancing music at the reception? The dance floor was NEVER empty. If we didn't have a time limit for the reception hall, I think people would have stayed and danced all night. Many of the guest have commented to me since then that this was the most fun they've ever had at a wedding, and Steve was a huge part of that.

Steve was great all around. He was very proactive in meeting with us and would always respond to emails or phone calls the same day. He had a great feel for the pulse of our reception and tailored the music accordingly.

He helped out a bunch beyond just being our DJ as well, offering advice on venues, timelines, transportation, and a number of other areas. He is certainly more than a DJ and will be as helpful and involved as you want him to be.

Would recommend with the highest of accolaids!

I had a very specific idea in mind for my wedding and the music was either going to make or break my entire theme. Steve helped me develop the song list and had a natural sense or intuition of what to play. It complemented my wedding extremely well and the guests really had a great time. His service and level of professionalism was exceptional. I was very pleased! You can't go wrong with Steve Hoffman. I would recommend Steve without reservation.

I cannot recommend Steve Hoffman highly enough. He met with us several times before the wedding to help plan the flow and organization of the ceremony and reception. He knew what would work and what would not. We gave him the idea of what we were looking for and he came back with the perfect compilations of music for each part of the evening. It set just the atmosphere that we were looking for.

Family, friends, the reception hall manager and even the caterer commented on how good the music was. The dance floor was full all night. He even suggested the song I walked down the aisle to, it fit our personalities and the mood of the wedding.

Goodnote is worth every penny. You will be getting much, much more than a few hours of music.

Steve was outstanding to work with from the beginning. He is extremely responsive, and he knows his stuff! For weddings, he is the perfect DJ. He took our suggestions to heart, and had great advice to offer as well. We met in person a few times to make sure everything was set in advance, and all the planning made the music for the day of our wedding just what we wanted with no worries at all. I would highly recommend him!!

Steve will pay very close attention to every detail of your event. He is very professional and overall was a great DJ!

Steve Hoffman's organization and communication is excellent. He kept the dance floor full all night even with the difference in age groups at my wedding. His professionalism and flexibilty go beyond the call of duty.

Steve Hoffman is a superb DJ and I highly recommend him. He is a consummate professional and really takes the time to make your wedding special. He isn't cheesy or silly and he makes sure that YOU are happy with the musical selections. He met with us several times to plan the entire evening out and coordinating all of the details until everyone was satisfied. Steve's attention to detail impressed me and I knew that if there was one thing I didn't have to worry about, it was the music.

Steve was my first hired DJ service and I can only say how lucky I was to pick him. He is very thoughtful and knowledgeable about both the music and the presentation. Steve worked extensively with the both of us to provide a professional production of the wedding reception and played host as well. We spent hours working out the music and timing of the reception events to create smooth and seamless transitions from the introductions to the last dance. Steve has the experience and knowledge to conceptualize and predict actions both before and during the event that allows a flexibility to respond to the participants as the event unfolds. My wife and I were very grateful for all his help and wisdom in creating a presentation that made the evening a fun and joyous occasion for all involved. I would highly recommend Steve and Good Note DJ’s to anyone looking to present a fun and professional music service to their event.

Sincerely,

Greg Beattie

Steve did a great job - he was professional, thorough in the planning and extremely organized and kept people on the dance floor the whole night. Highly, highly recommend him.

Steve's attention to detail and effort to really personalize our wedding reception was excellent. He really went above and beyond the call of duty to make our day special. It was a refreshing change from some of these larger DJ services to have such one-on-one attention.

Book Steve Hoffman as your DJ! My groom and I continue to get compliments from our guests about the wonderful job Steve did at our wedding. Steve knew exactly what to play and when. He has a wonderful ability to read the crowd and get (and keep) people of all ages on the dance floor. Steve was professional, cared about the details of our wedding reception, was always very prompt about responding to any questions or concerns we had along the way, took the time to meet with us to go over every detail of the reception from the timeline to the name pronounciations for the members of our bridal party he would be introducing, and was great about coordinating with the other vendors. His equipment (particularly the speakers) were at the perfect volume and were the perfect size/shape. (I had feared those big clunky boxes atop of poles - Steve has these very thin tall speakers that were hardly noticeable visually and therefore blended easily with the decor of our reception room.) I highly recommend Steve Hoffman.

From the start, Steve was very organized and was able to share with us the breadth of his experience (having worked a large number of weddings and all other types of events at a wide variety of venues in the area).

Steve worked through every detail with us in a very efficient manner. He gave us a handy packet of popular songs to take home and explore together, marking songs that we liked as well as those that we definitely did not want played during the reception. He provided suggestions for songs to mark special events throughout the night, such as the entrance of the wedding party, the father-daughter dance, the mother-son dance, the cake cutting, and the bouquet toss. He was actually much more than just a DJ as he also helped us think through a logical flow of events for the reception and took on the task of acting as emcee and helping the evening run smoothly.

At the reception itself, Steve's enthusiastic introduction of the wedding party set an upbeat and celebratory tone which he sustained throughout the evening with a seamless mix of music appealing to guests of disparate ages and backgrounds. He really got the crowd going and made our reception a great party.

As advertised, Steve was fantastic! It's really apparent how much time he puts into each wedding and in choosing music that works. He clearly reviewed our music preferences beforehand as he did not play any song that was on our "do not play" list, yet managed to include all of the artists we wanted to hear. Our dance floor was packed the entire night and he did a great job in managing the flow of the evening. The personal introduction he gives before the bride and groom's first dance was a real highlight that the crowd just loved. Thank you Steve for making our wedding so special!

Steve was amazing! We didn't have a wedding planner so Steve grabbed the reins by making a schedule for the event that we wound up giving to the rest of our vendors. Steve was responsive and professional; it was clear that he has been doing this for years.

Steve from Good Note was terrific!!!!
My husband is a music geek - really really into it! My husband has thousands of LP's for example so he is big on listening to music. For example, not only did my husband want certain songs played, but also specific versions of the songs.
DJ Steve really met our needs. We wanted to specify a type of music, style and specific songs and we did that effortlessly.

DJ Steve really cared about doing a great job! He was always responsive. Very reliable, dependable, easy to work with and loves music too. He always was prompt in getting back to us, wanted to take the time to understand exactly what we wanted at our wedding, and he really did an outstanding job!
My husband and I were both thrilled!!
The dance floor was packed thanks to him.
We wanted a non-theatrical DJ. Not over-the-top. We wanted good music and not a show. DJ Steve delivered!!!!

Steve did a great job getting everyone on the dance floor and excited about the wedding. He was very professional and was more than happy to meet with us a number of times before the wedding to iron out all the details. Steve worked with us to create sports themed introductions for our wedding party with different upbeat music for each couple. He also pulled together and read (based on separate questionnaires from myself and my husband) a really cute story of how my husband and I met, got engaged, and so forth. Overall, Steve did an excellent job with the music selection and all of the details. Very highly recommended!

It seems a bit odd to provide 5-stars across the board in this review; I'm not trying to drop a straight ballot, but Steve simply made our life easier (something I learned was atypical in the wedding industry). He offered plenty of recommendations and voiced his suggestions to help us figure out what we wanted to do, yet he was willing to go with our plan when it came down to it. He took the time to understand what we were going for.

Bottom line: Professional. Detail oriented. Flexible. Why can't all vendors be like Steve?

Steve was fantastic. Before finding GoodNote, we tried to hire another DJ that a friend had used for his wedding. Unfortunately, all our attempts with this other DJ met with either silence, or vague promises to get back to us. Steve was different... from our very first e-mail, his responses were always immediate and complete. During our meetings, his demeanor was professional and considerate; he went to great lengths to make sure we got exactly what we wanted. In fact, one of our meetings took place right after another couple was finishing up with him; that other couple passed on to us that their family was so happy with Steve that this was something like the 5th time the family was hiring him to DJ for them. The music during the ceremony and reception was outstanding. Many of our guests complemented us on our choices, but really we had left most of it up to Steve, with just a framework of basic guidelines. His taste is superb, and his music collection is impressive. We could not be happier with his service, and would eagerly recommend him to anyone looking for a skilled, professional, and extremely cool DJ.

Steve was great! He is the consummate professional -- none of that cheesy "wedding DJ" stuff. He thought of everything and didn't leave anything to chance. He met the challenge of an outdoor ceremony setup, and exceeded my expectations! My guests have been telling me for weeks that the music was great, and that Steve was great, and he really seemed to be enjoying himself. Our parents were really touched by the introduction to our first dance. Steve is well worth every penny -- My husband and I enthusiastically recommend him to other couples!

Steve was a great wedding DJ. He met with both of us twice in person before the wedding to go over details, some of which we didn't even realize ourselves. We both appreciated how thorough he was: he had us pour over a 20 page list of songs that we might want to hear at the wedding as well as a run-of-show that helped us figure out when the toasts would happen and when he would or would not be speaking. He was also available by phone whenever we had a question.

We gave Steve a list of songs to play and he played every single one, spaced out throughout the evening. The sound was good, the microphones all had backups in case of an emergency and most importantly, people were dancing all night long.

Steve was a little more money than some of the other people I contacted, but for an extra $250 he was so much better prepared and more organized than the rest.
He had a do not play list, a must play list and took requests.

We highly recommend him to our friends if you're getting married in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Goodnote DJ, Steve Hoffman, was a professional and a delight to work with every step of the way. The DJ and the music can make or break a wedding, and in our case, Goodnote DJs made our wedding. DJ Steve Hoffman was always accessible when I had questions or ideas, and he did not hesitate to offer up his experience and opinion. He was on time and prepared for all appointments and to the reception, despite having to travel some distance. When he arrived at the reception, he was dressed appropriately and his equipment was in working order.

Wonderful music was not the only thing that Goodnote DJs contributed to our wedding, though he certainly kept the dance floor hopping all evening. His enhanced introduction was the highlight of the entire evening. It only took us a moment to answer his questions, but it was a wonderfully humorous and touching way to include our guests in the story of our romance. It is a wonderful feeling to know that your reception is in good hands and will go off without a hitch. We received dozens of compliments during and after the reception regarding Goodnote DJs’ performance. We have nothing but the highest praise for Goodnote DJs and we are satisfied in every way that we received the greatest value for our investment.

My husband and I were more than overwhelmed at the prospect of planning our wedding, and Steve Hoffman at Good Note DJ's walked us through everything we needed to know and decide about the music for our special day. Steve was responsive and eager to help us to choose the appropriate music, but also had a quiet manner of steering us in the right direction in regard to "setting the mood," especially when we really had a hard time deciding on our sound. Steve was always punctual at our appointments, had great ideas for us, and always returned phone calls promptly. On the day of our wedding, he arrived ahead of schedule, stayed professional through our entire ceremony and reception, and discreetly informed us of when a request came from the guests that we had discussed not playing. Steve was also respectful of our decision to NOT play certain wedding themed songs, and generally was a great DJ with which to work. We place Good Note DJ's and Steve Hoffman in the highest regard on all counts and would recommend him to anyone. Whatta guy!

Jamie and Emily Griffin
Columbia, Maryland

Steve Hoffman was the DJ for our wedding in April 2007. However, I consider him to have been the Master of Ceremonies for our reception. My husband and I hired Steve after we heard him perform at a friend's wedding. We didn't want anyone else. While he might charge a little more than your run of the mill DJ, the services he provides are well worth the extra cost. Steve is an extremely conscientious planner. We talked on the phone several times about both ceremony and reception music before meeting (for 2 hours!) at the venue several weeks prior to the event (he had never worked there before and wanted to get to know the place). He helped us plan different moods for the cocktail hour, meal, and dancing based on our tastes, the location, and the vibe that we wanted to achieve. On the big day, several things I had planned for the reception wouldn't have happened if Steve hadn't been keeping track of time and watching how things were moving. And, he always quickly checked with me or my husband before beginning another phase of the event (cake cutting, toasts, first dance, etc.) so we were never caught unawares. Most importantly, the man knows how to work a dance floor. He paid close attention to how the guests reacted to each song and crafted a play list that kept people on the dance floor the entire time. I can honestly say that my parents friends had as much fun as mine did -- and that's no small feat.

Good Note DJ's was wonderful! Steve did a wonderful job playing the music we wanted (avoiding the music we did not want) and our guests had a great time. Dean - the groom - even mentioned that everytime he was listening Steve was playing a song that we really liked. Thank you Steve - it was a wonderful time!

My husband and I were very impressed with Steve Hoffman of Good Note DJs. I found him using the internet and found his site to be very simple and to the point, but don't let it fool you he is a great DJ! After sitting down with a couple different DJs we were most impressed with Steve's willingness and ability to personalize the music to our taste and those of our guests.

He is absolutely responsive and flexible! Our wedding took place in Maryland, while we lived in Arizona. So most of our communication with Steve after we hired him was via e-mail or on the phone. He responded to e-mails within 24 hours and even let us know when he was out of town in case we had any immediate questions. He was also willing to make last minute changes to the introduction, an additional toast, and announcing our flower girl's birthday.

We are so glad we hired Steve for an outside wedding ceremony and reception (under a tent). Steve coordinated with our venue and set up his equipment in time. I was impressed that the speakers he used for the ceremony were tall, slender and unobtrusive, but sufficient for our needs. Unfortunately, there was a slight hiccup with recessional music. Steve accidentally played the processional song for our exit, but quickly corrected it. During the reception he did apologize and explained that it usually doesn't happen when he's using his iPod for the ceremony. The reception was amazing and full of dancing thanks to Steve. We did not provide a list of "must play" songs because we felt that he had a good idea of the music that we liked and we were so happy we did. After dancing with our parents we asked Steve to invite our guests to join us on the dance floor and I don't think any one left except briefly for the cake. My husband and I found it hard to leave the dance floor at the end of the night because we were having such a great time dancing with friends and family.

Several of our guests have commented to us how much they enjoyed dancing to such great music. We would absolutely recommend Steve Hoffman for your wedding!

To all those who read this far, enjoy your wedding and have a wonderful marriage!

Steve is easily the most detail oriented vendor that we had for our wedding. We knew from first contact that we would never have to worry about the DJ! Steve spent a lot of time working with us and you can tell just from emailing with him how much he loves what he does.

The FANTASTIC

Steve is an organizer. We weren’t entirely sure on the timing of things and he sat with us for 2+ hours working on a minute by minute schedule. Without Steve’s leadership here, we would have probably been at a huge loss.

Steve is incredibly knowledgeable. Every time we named a song or band that appealed to us, he immediately knew what we were talking about.

When we mentioned different ideas that we had for the wedding (ex/the Mardi Gras items we had brought out after the cake cutting) Steve had lots of ideas on how to make each thing more fun by adding great music.

I never had to worry about how Steve would show up or when or how the DJ issues would be handled with our venue. Steve spoke directly with our venue and worked everything out directly with them. It made my life SO much easier!

Steve’s set up is incredibly discreet. I’ve been to weddings before where it felt like the DJ was screaming “HERE I AM…OVER HERE…LOOK AT ME!” and Steve is so not like that. He works at blending into the evening, which was phenomenal!

The GOOD

While we are Hokies and LOVE the Hokie Pokie, it might be nice to not play the entire song. This is by no means Steve’s fault, just something to perhaps think about should you also want this song played. Once you start getting into “you put your right elbow in…” people are starting to feel a bit blah about the song.

The So-So

After the Mother-Son dance we felt that the music was a bit oddly organized, this could easily have been a miscommunication on our part, as Steve was playing songs that we requested, we just felt that the order was a bit off (almost like all requested songs were played in order.) There were, what we felt too many slow songs in a row (guests were pointing this out to us as well) and then a few songs that we thought we had discussed playing towards the end of the night. As soon as the groom and myself pointed out that we wanted to pick the music up a bit, Steve was quick to change directions. So while we listed this under So-So, Steve was quick to bounce back AND we probably should have been more clear during our meeting with him.

I had told my family that we had a wireless microphone coming from the DJ and I guess in all of the wedding hoopla they forgot and requested one from the hotel. They felt like Steve's response was a bit harsh and were a little confused by it. Since I wasnt there, I cant really comment on it, but I thought I should throw this in as well.

Overall Steve helped to make an absolutely amazing night for us!

Steve was great! He writes very detailed notes about your day and stays on top of everything! He also did the ceremony which was perfect. He's not overpriced at all and is highly recommended!

Steve Hoffman is everything a DJ should be, and then some. He truly caters to your needs and will ask every detail, even those that you might not think of as a bride. When I asked about a few music selections for certain parts of the wedding and reception, I recieved an e-mail with attachments for things I needed. Our wedding location had a hard stop to it, as it was at a Historic Home and he was very aware of that. He made sure we had plenty of time for dancing, which was very important to us, without making it seem "rushed" to get there. He made sure he was in background, while his talent with the music and announcement were in the foreground. I would hire him again in a minute!

Excellent service and very professional. Steve fulfilled every promise and even offered to extend his services for an additional hour. We received many compliments. Thank you Steve for all of your pre-planning, it really did pay off.

Steve is a wonderful DJ, very professional and serious about doing his job. He even installed speakers in separate areas of our wedding location (we rented a house with a terrace). He read the crowd well and everyone commented on how much they liked the music. I did provide him with a detailed list of songs that I wanted him to play and that was fine with him. I only wish, I would have also told him exactly what song should follow the first dance because "Celebrate" by Madonna would not have been my first choice.

He was easy to work with, especially considering that we were planning an out-of-town wedding.

I really think that all that needs to be said about Steve is that he is confident enough in his services that he offers a money back guarantee. That really says a lot about how good he is. The dance floor was packed all night and I attribute that a lot to Steve being able to read the crowd.

My review (I'm the groom) of this is some combination of both my and my wife's thoughts.

The "GREAT":
- Steve was very attentive to each and every detail ahead of time. He made sure that we walked through each detail ahead of time to make sure that hiccups on the day of were kept to a minimum.
- Steve was knowledgeable about the music choices and while he catered to our wishes, he filled the rest of the time with great music that our guests really enjoyed.
- Steve was very good at reading the crowd and while we missed a few of our personal favorite songs, he saw the reaction that some of the "oldies" were getting and he kept it going in that vein. I'm sure some people may not like that, but we wanted an active and fun dance floor and he helped deliver that.
- Steve worked around a location change (outside to inside) and the setup on the day of...
- Steve took care to be sensitive to a non-traditional wedding (Parsi Ceremony) and to various folks names throughout the evening. Misprounouncing names would be cause for issue for us and we were happy that he took the worry out of that by repeatedly making sure he had all names correct.


The "GOOD":
- Steve arrived on time and was prepared for the event.
- Steve met with us as much as needed, as well as conversations on the phone, to talk about all details for our wedding.
- Personality: I'm sure many would describe Steve as "quirky" in terms of his general demeanor, but to us it was a personality that was clearly passionate about what he does and music in general. We met with him after choosing a different DJ and switched after our first meeting.

The "Room for Improvement":
- There were a couple key moments for us where the music was either misplayed for a moment and it changed the feeling of the moment. To be fair, a couple examples. When I (the groom) walked down the aisle, a loud note (just one note) blared on the speakers. One other point when the groomsmen did a dance upon our entrance to the ballroom, the music that was supposed to stop looping kept on looping which got me nervous.. (if it hadn't stopped, we'd have been totally confused on what to do). Lastly, and most importantly to me, the music for the bridesmaids stopped early while they were still walking and Dita's music started before they were clear of the aisle... it was confusing for many i think because they werent sure if the bride was coming or not.

The only reason I gave a 4/5 in QOS is because of the notes above at what I considered critical times. He was very responsive, very professional, gave great value and was flexible for meeting and on the day of...

We would recommend that you use him and use all his resources to plan your day down to the finest detail. It will go off well!!!!

Steve Hoffman was the DJ for our wedding on June 20th and did a great job throughout the night. Probably more important were his services leading up to the wedding. Steve pays great attention to detail and was instrumental in helping us develop a schedule for the evening and keeping things moving during the reception. At the same time he was very flexible and adjusted the schedule on the go to keep things moving. As for the music, he had it all and did a great job working the crowd to keep everyone dancing. We would definitely recommend Steve to anyone else getting married in the area!

We found Steve through Wedding Wire and we were impressed by his website and the rave reviews. Our priorities in picking a DJ were: someone who had DJed at our wedding before (not a first timer), someone who would not be talking on the mic unnecessarily or using corny props/sound effects, and someone who would help our wedding be a fun party. Steve rose to the top in all of those categories and we arranged to meet him in person. He is VERY responsive (almost instantly) via e-mail and phone, which was great. He is VERY thorough and his packet of songs/lists/questions really sets you (the bride and groom) up for success. He provides you with a lot of options to customize the vibe and flow of the evening, which was great.

The day-of, he arrived on time and was very professional. He captured the vibe that we were looking for and played all of the right songs.

Why the imperfect rating? There were at about 3-4 times during the evening when speakers squealed, songs skipped, or songs ended abruptly, including our INTRO song skipping multiple times, making for an awkward start to the reception. We went over our budget to book Steve because we thought it would be worth it. Obviously, there are MUCH worse DJs out there, but we were disappointed. It may not seem like much, but it really does throw off the vibe of the dance floor when a CD skips.

Regardless, everyone had a good time on the dance floor and Steve did a good job. We just cannot give him a perfect rating.

I will agree with most of the people that Steve knows his stuff in terms of the reception... But.. he did ruin my wedding when he played the wrong song for my bridesmaids to walk down to. He also started the recessional music before the minster could say introducing Mr.and Mrs...Which ruined my wedding ceremony for me.. the bride. He is also really pushy on the phone and insisted the whole time that HE is the professional... Honestly I think I would have been better off with my Ipod...

Steve you are incredible and a pleasure to work with. You have great attention to detail in which I can appreciate! Again, it was joy working with such a professional! You know your music.

Jennifer, Pink Swan Events

Steve is a joy to work with. No matter the situation (outdoors or in) he always comes prepared. AND he has LOTS of variety in the music he makes. I look forward to working with him in the future and I know my couples will too.

Steve Hoffman (no relatiion) is an exceptional DJ. He will accommodate all of your needs in a very professional manner.

One of my favorite, he is extremely pleasant, never plays the same songs at different event.He always is the crowd and client pleaser. EXCELLENT!!!!
Darla
Darla...

It was a pleasure to work with Steve for a wedding at Whitehall Manor in Bluemont, VA in 2010.
He was professional, cooperative and extremely helpful during the wedding and even to follow-up a few days later with some equipment advice. I look forward to working with him again in the near future and based on his professionalism alone, any bride or client would be very wise to enlist Steve's GOOD NOTE services at their next event.

I've worked with Steve several times and he always makes the event fun. He is a true pro.

Steve does an excellent job of making sure your guests are having a great time while never being overbearing. Awesome music library too! I have recommended him many times and he is at the top of my list of DJ's to work with.

Steve of Washington DJs offers a wonderful service.

We've worked with Steve on three separate occasions by coincidence alone and on each occasion Steve was a consistent professional. He is detail oriented, always on top of things and just overall great at his craft. We would not hesitate to recommend Steve Hoffman of Good Note.

Steve has the best music collection around!

Steve is one of our favorite DJ's to work with by far. He is professional, ALWAYS on time, really knows how to fit the music to the guests, and is just a classy guy. He does a great job of tailoring the music to the crowd. We highly recommend him!

Very lively DJ, wonderful attitude. Great with Names and making sure the clients get what they want in their reception music. Would certainly recommend.

Steve Hoffman's quality is visible the minute you walk into your reception venue. I've seen other DJs using some ratty old speakers putting out distorted sound. Steve has some beautiful, costly, and top quality Bose L1 systems that mirror the excellence of his other electronics. Like his electronics, he goes out of his way to personalize your party, including talking to you about how you met and fell in love, so he can relay this at the reception. Special musical requests don't phase him. He'll find the song versions you want for the special dances. And through it all, he maintains his professionalism, his sense of humor, and his great cooperation with other vendors. He makes all of our jobs easier!

We love Good Note DJ's. They are incredibly talented, professional
and fun to work with. They are wonderful at getting a reception
going while being relaxed, low key and easy to work with. Every
event we have worked with Good Note DJ's on has been a seamlessly run
event. A fabulous DJ makes all of the difference in the world!

I have worked with Steve several times He is unbelievably organized and it is clear that he works closely with his wedding couples in advance. He also coordinates well with other vendors such as photographers -- which helps to make the entire wedding event go smoothly .... Steve keeps me updated during the wedding day to ensure that I am always aware of what is happening next (as well as my second photographer and assistant). This is crucial to the flow of the wedding day.

Steve always goes above and beyond for his clients. For example he takes the time to write special personalized introductions (for the reception) in which the bride and groom each separately answer a set of questions about how they met, etc .... then he takes their exact words and edits them into a script which he writes and than reads at the reception. This is a VERY special touch and the guests and couple LOVE it.

I also need to mention that he uses state-of-the-art equipment which speaks to his professionalism. He is a professional DJ and MC.. Not someone that does it on the weekends for fun. He knows how to get the guests involved and gets people out of their chairs and on the dance floor!

I would hire Steve for my own wedding.

Steve Hoffman is one of the best DJs I have seen in action at numerous DC events over many years. He has the latest, streamlined equipment that makes his setup quite unobtrusive comparatively and he always wears a tux, MCs events tastefully, has an enormous breadth of music available to his clients and is friendly to boot! He also makes a concerted effort to update all the other vendors on changes to the timeline, helping us to be sure to be in place to capture any last-minute speeches, toasts or special dances that aren't otherwise on the schedule. I highly recommend him to any bride looking for a high-end, quality DJ!

Steve is a great choice for offbeat hip sounds to standard classic DJ mix - his sound system is state of the art. Our last event together was at Harmon Center For The Arts and the site has 4 levels, all of which our lovely bride utilized - he managed to have multiple speakers and systems in each area and the sound was incredible. Steve has been in the business for years, and has the professionalism that goes with the territory, but he also stays on top of current trends - which is just one of the reasons why there continues to be such great "buzz" about him.

A true professional, Steve is a joy to work with. He is a wonderful DJ and such a great help during the reception. Highly recommend!

Great selection of music! Professional attitude. Easy to work with! I recommend them highly for every wedding and special event!

Steve Hoffman has a sophisticated sound system and a cool, New York look and sound. He takes pride in his music selections and keeps the bride's guests dancing! We enjoy working with him.