About Us
Music Makes The Difference is a business based in Los Angeles that creates & provides unrivaled, quality music for just about anything. Events, shows, films, businesses, advertisements, videos, daily life…we enhance all of it with the right, hand-selected music.
What sets us apart is a keen understanding of the important role music plays in our lives. We take a personal, sociological approach to providing music, finding the emotional connection that suits the occasion. There are essentially two sides to what we do: curating music for your project or business (Music Supervision/Licensing & Custom Programming), and DJing (Events). On the music supervision side of things, here are just some of the brands we’ve worked with:
On the DJ side of things, you can click over to our Events page to see where and what we’re up to these days, or if you’re not into leaving the house much, check out our DJ Mixes page for your listening enjoyment. For bookings or inquiries, email us here.
You can also find us listed in THUMBTACK, an online directory that connects consumers with trustworthy, local businesses:
Music Makes The Difference is founded by Ben Klinger. Here’s a little background on the man.
Ben, also known by his DJ moniker El Dopa, is committed to the belief that quality music can make anything better. And quality music comes in many different forms, from all corners of the world. DJing since 1997, Ben’s knowledge and breadth of musical selections are rivaled by few, and his ability to mix and weave them together to take the audience on a unique journey…to tell a story, even…is rivaled by none. With a degree in Sociology, minor in Anthropology, and emphasis in Ethnomusicology, from UC Irvine, Ben’s approach to music supervision and DJing goes beyond the music to the people. His keen understanding of people and the role music plays in our lives gives him a huge advantage in using music to deliver an unforgettable experience.
DJ Chart – URB Magazine, 2004
Radio, clubs & bars, restaurants, hotels, marketing & advertising agencies, weddings, retail stores, art openings, and house parties are some of the places where Ben has worked his musical magic, from his native Southern California to Miami, New York, Vegas, San Francisco, Austin, Houston, Denver, and even overseas. 2011 saw El Dopa open up for high profile acts such as Fitz & The Tantrums and platinum recording artist Kate Nash (UK), and in 2012 Dopa embarked on his first international tour, playing 4 gigs in 3 cities in Brazil. He’s also produced, managed, & licensed music projects on a national scale for brands such as Lexus, Casio, and Scion, for whom he helped direct the musical focus of the brand’s marketing strategy during the brand launch and for the next 5 years. The success of the groundbreaking campaign is now a subject of discussion in marketing courses, and countless brands have since followed suit.
In 2009, Ben completed the course Music Supervision For Film & TV at UCLA Extension.
THE STORY OF…
“EL DOPA”
1997 was drawing to a close. I was a sophomore at UC Irvine and was about to start my own radio show on KUCI 88.9 fm. My first official stint as a DJ. I’d call the show Extreme Possibilities, but what would I call myself? I needed a DJ name. Something told me this was a very important decision although I had no specific plans for becoming a DJ, I just knew I loved music. The name couldn’t be just anything that sounded cool. But it did have to sound cool, too. I dwelled on it for several days, as did my buddies of course. “How about DJ Klinger-The-Zinger-Bringer?” Hmmm…
So the TV was on, and playing was the movie Awakenings, with Robert DeNiro and Robin Williams. It’s based on a true story, and Williams plays Dr. Oliver Sacks, who is trying to treat DeNiro and several other patients suffering from a strange and rare neurological disorder that leaves them in a catatonic state. They have very limited awareness, and cannot move. The only time they can move on their own is by a reflexive reaction.
Dr. Sacks experimented with a drug known as L-dopa, which derived from the neurochemical dopamine. When released by our brains, in short, dopamine makes us feel good. After several attempts with different doses, L-dopa was finally able to “wake up” DeNiro’s character, his mind and body, and he was able to experience the world for the first time in 25 years, captivated by all its beauty. In fact, music helped tremendously with “awakening” these patients to get up, walk, and even dance, whereas before, they were lifeless shells of themselves.
So I put my own spin on the spelling, and voila! DJ El Dopa was born.
