What makes a Great DJ?
What is necessary to make it to the top in todays club scene?
There is no limit for a skilled and innovative DJ. Everything is possible: worldwide travel, vast fees for gigs, unrivaled pulling power, hedonistic days and non-stop party-filled nights. DJ's has become the gurus,rockstars, and spokespersons for their generation.
DJs must have their own style and musical genera taste. DJs that change style tend to be seen as confused and uncommitted. Besides, no one could afford the cost of completely re-tooling their record collection anyhow!
Landing your First Gig
Take any and every gig on offer, regardless of its value.
Tell everyone you know that you are available.
Be prepared to travel and know your directions!
Always carry business cards, demo tape or cd.
Update your music library weekly.
Spend your nights in many different clubs/venues.
Learn from your experience and apply it next time.
Your music selection is what gets you into a club. Aside from everything else, you can't get a gig without tunes.
Promoters are a vital role in how successful you are. Promoters are generally one-man operations though some agencies do exist and thrive. The whole trade is about word-of-mouth relationships - its who you know.
Pays to be on time. Don't be late. Its always interesting to see how one DJ finishes a set and how the next one starts, and this gives you a chance to check out the sound of the club and the crowd's mood. You can also pick up on which tunes in the DJs set the crowd are going for, and get an understanding of what tunes you need to play. Plus you will save your promoter from having a heart attack and give you the infamous saying, "YOUR FIRED!"
Be unpredictable,keep the crowd guessing,create a story with your music.
Also crowds need to hear and demand new tunes, but are not adverse to old ones as well. You must react to your audience no matter how fickle or pathetic they might seem. Be wary of the constant proclamations of whats hot and fresh on the scene. Don't ever let up on listening carefully to the endless flood of new vinyl that is your life.
There's no substitute for practice, but don't think that private practice is all you need. Bedroom rehearsal is a good and necessary start, but it doesn't teach you everything. DJ'ing is also about people skills. A DJ doesn't just play music; he plays music to an audience..therefore,reads a crowd.
Its not enough to simply transfer what you do in your bedroom to a club. Of course, its possible that someone might naturally rise to the occasion and spontaneously know how to handle a huge, sweaty, impatient, inebriated mass of clubbers. More likely, you'll need to cue up a few times. People behave quite differently at their first ever gig, but its often along the lines of 'terrified and passive,' if not downright frozen to the spot.
You could do a lot worse than to study other DJ's in their native habitat. When you go out spend alot of time observing DJs. Note their demeanor and how they deal with the people immediately around them. Check out how they deal with the punters who approach them. Try to get close enough to hear or guess what people are saying to them. How do they deal with the inevitably naff requests?
A good DJ is a bit like a priest. They have to say the right things to the whole crowd to inspire and comfort them. To do this you need to watch the crowd and feel their joy and their pain. React to what the crowd is doing and saying and react quickly. Ride them like a wave, by teasing a bit sometimes and then delivering the knockout tune at the peak. Remember that no one can stay in the same gear for too long.
When an individual punter approaches you with a request, you'll need to be friendly and receptive because of what you can learn from him. Maybe hes a mad drunk with appalling taste (in which case you can safely fob him off with a 'dont got it with me tonight brotha,or thanks for the info.' On the other hand, even if his request sounds ridiculous at first, its possible that he could be telling you that your current selections aren't pleasing the crowd.
"Good DJ's love this shit, they have skills, and they can read a vast crowd."
- DJ Scene (Wild 94.1)
"Knows when to throw a certain song and build momentum. A True DJ has heart."
-DJ Kazaa (Hollywood DJ)
"A wide range and good Music selection and also know your BPM (Beats Per Minute for a clean mix. Your originality truly means a lot and sets you apart in the long run."
- DJ Eddie One (Heavy Hitter)
"You have to have Confidence, Passion, and creativity."
- DJ Krupps (Infamous Rockers)
"Do It because you love Music and do it for yourself. Take chances, If you play it,trust me,they will dance to it!"
- DJ Swift69
"A DJ's reputation for music will always overshadow his reputation for technique."
- DJ Spryte (Hollywood's DJ)
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