Becoming a DJ?
Becoming a DJ? Posted on: 28.11.2012 by Jaunita Herren Hi all,I've never played in a club but am also only 15 years old, do you believe I still have a future in DJ'ing if I continue to mix in my bedroom for another year? Please leave some tips on how to get noticed by clubs. I've spent an hour trying to make this a good thread but I can't do any better, sorry. Anyways here's my latest mix, please check my 'channel' out Click here to see it on Mixcloud Bram | |
| Jaunita Herren 28.11.2012 | Hi all, I've never played in a club but am also only 15 years old, do you believe I still have a future in DJ'ing if I continue to mix in my bedroom for another year? Please leave some tips on how to get noticed by clubs. I've spent an hour trying to make this a good thread but I can't do any better, sorry. Anyways here's my latest mix, please check my 'channel' out Click here to see it on Mixcloud Bram |
| Pasty Vancor 02.12.2012 | And remember to stay dedicated! You got so much time to play with the tools of the trade so you can put them to work one day. I was getting frustrated from a couple of practice sessions but seeing you're post built confidence in me to keep practicing so I would be able to play out one evening too. but like everything in life you have to be patient. best of luck to ya brotha! |
| Shae Asel 02.12.2012 | i read the following from Matt Tolfrey in DJMag last month: "don't just be a dj. don't just make music. don't just throw parties. do it all!" I honestly believe Matt is on the ball here. I'm sure to follow his advice. Good luck. |
| Linda Chavda 30.11.2012 | You're under 18 but don't have time for production? Wow man. |
| Tamela Batara 30.11.2012 | With the style of music you play being (to my ears at least) generic pop house/trance, I suspect there are 1001 Dj's in your area all looking for their break. If you do get a gig, even playing for free, you will have that at least seperating you from them. At least you would be playing out. The experience and confidence gained from your first few gigs will be worth much more than any nominal fee you might expect to get from these gigs anyway. And after being asked back a few times, you can start asking for some money. Or if you are approached by other venues off the success of whatever gigs you have played. I wouldn't expect to get a controller for christmas and be playing Amnesia by the Summer anyway. It will take a lot of hard work to get decent gigs, paying or otherwise. Producing a belter of a track will help immensely though. |
| Kyla Amerio 30.11.2012 | Being a full time DJ takes a lot of work and dedication. I have one friend that is a full time DJ but he practices constantly, is always learning new music, and creating new ways to mix it. I have another friend that is a tour DJ, he DJs with Wiz Khalifa, and he has done much the same as my other buddy. He started out in clubs and bars and worked his way up. The best way to get clubs to know you is to do the leg work. You have to be willing to put in the time for promotion and your age shouldn't speak for you, leave that to your demos. If you can make solid demos and get a good following then you can get into clubs no problem. New DJs have something we older DJs never had before, social networking. Get a following on FB and Twitter and when you go promote in a club tell the owners that you have a lot of followers. Also, create a FB page for your DJ persona and get likes on there so the club can visit the site and see your popularity. I would invest in a logo and creating a name for yourself so you are prepared for the exposure. Oh and by all means, never DJ for free. That's a mistake that is hard to recover from. You need to make club managers and owners feel that you know your worth. Paying a DJ gives them the feeling that they are working with a professional. |
| Jaunita Herren 30.11.2012 | Thanks for the responses again.. I don't wanna be a full-time DJ, I know I should make time for producing then.. Here in The Netherlands I could walk into pretty much any place being 15, but I don't believe I'd be taken seriously. Is offering to DJ for free a smart idea? I mean, if you do one "gig" for free, you can't ask for much the next time I guess, but you do need the reputation. |
| Renee Casciotti 29.11.2012 | maybe do some online broadcasts , invite your friends.... offer to dj at local parties for free , being 15 limits you from the club but that only means you got 6 years to become a hell of a dj. and theres nothing wrong with being a bedroom dj, its a lifestyle choice. |
| Michell Wehrmeyer 29.11.2012 | If you want your entire career and life to be DJing, "not having time" to learn to produce and such won't really cut it. It takes a lot of effort to make a career out of just DJing alone. It could easily be a fun side hobby for you in the future (as it is for me) but if you want your career to be DJing, it will likely take a lot of effort, and that effort is well spent learning to produce. The best way to get in to clubs without knowing anyone is to put out content like that guy said, but like those before me also said, its a little tougher getting gigs without being 21 in the US because you can't just go hang out at clubs and meet people and talk to people, etc. That being said, the mix sounds good to me |
| Jaunita Herren 28.11.2012 | Thanks a lot for all the comments. @ksandvik I don't really believe I wanna get into producing (or even just remixing) right now because I don't really have the time to.. @monogammee You're right I should probably find something unique about myself/my mixes and I'll definitely keep on doing it since I like it. The music I got for the linked mix is music I like, but I also chose it because it's popular.. I believe this one's more personal but it's still commercial music: Click here to see it on Mixcloud |
| Carisa Ridgel 28.11.2012 | The mix was well done, the music I am not an expert on, a little too clubby for my taste. There are some great threads on getting more exposure on this community , if you haven't yet search's your friend. I am pretty sure I saw a couple of those within literally last two weeks. There are DJTT articles on that topic too let alone other sites. Apart from that, I'd be an impostor giving advice on anything else as I am pretty new at this whole thing. But I am a bit older than 15, so I can say a couple of things regarding your general attitude. You're asking other people if you can be a DJ, do you believe you can? If that's what you love to do there can't be a second thought about it. You have a great start doing what you're doing at your age. You obviously built up some skills already. I don't know much about the kind of music I heard on the mix you linked, but is there something in it that makes it "you"? That makes it unique? Refining your taste in music is endless, having your own voice is a separate entity and it can only come with experience (be it musical, artistical, life experience). What are your motives to spin? But not only asking those types of questions is important believing in yourself is too. Harsh reality - if it doesn't work out in the long run but you had fun then no harm no foul, right - you had awesome time of your life. I don't want it to be a wall of text and I might've completely misunderstood the intention of this post, but just my 2c based on the vibe I got from it. All the best to you, man. |
| Celine Surico 28.11.2012 | I believe it's pretty hard to get club gigs before you are 21 here in USA. Maybe in Europe. As I've said 2,305 times: spend more time learning to write and produce dance tracks. If you get noticed as an artist, you get the fun gigs and it's easy to learn to DJ. |
| Jaunita Herren 28.11.2012 | I believe it is. (http://www.beatport.com/genre/progressive-house/15, yes I know there's more than Beatport). |
| Tamela Batara 28.11.2012 | Is that what progressive house is nowadays? I'm properly out of touch then. |
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