![]() It means organizing your digital collection by key & BPM tagging, adding cue points & metadata, and more. It means taking the time, every day, to search for unique music, and building an encyclopedia-like knowledge of it. “If you don’t practice, you don’t want it.” YOU’RE NOT PRACTICING ON A REGULAR BASIS on TwitterĪ couple years ago, DJ Z-Trip put it rather succinctly in one of his tweets: Do you want to be a clone or do you want to stand out? Define yourself. There are countless other DJs who can do the exact same thing….let alone a jukebox which doesn’t require a rider and a paycheck. You aren’t giving promoters any reason to book you if all you do is rally behind the anthems everyone else hammers. It’s still the one way you can separate yourself from the rest of the pack. There is software out there that can mix and key match for you, but no machine will be able to SELECT your music the way you can. Read more tips on finding great new music in this article from February 2012.Īsk yourself one question: Who are you as a DJ? This can be answered by identifying yourself through your music selection. ![]() While you always have to cater to the crowd, you should still take risks and balance it with music they’ve never heard before. There is going to be plenty of junk, but when you stumble across that gem that almost no one has heard, the effort pays off. ![]() Try doing some sifting through demos that suit your style next time you’re on Soundcloud. Next time you’re on Beatport, why not click through the “New Releases” section (within the genre you play), instead of the Top 100? Just because finding music is convenient nowadays doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take the time to still do some digging. Yet it has encouraged many DJs to become lazy and just search the charts on sites like Beatport. Now we have more access to music than most could have dreamed of in 1990. Most everyone had the “anthems”, of course, but generally speaking, every set you would hear at a party would be unique. Isn’t it pretty sad to think there are more DJs than ever, yet every time you go out they’re playing from the Beatport Top 100? It’s funny how when DJs had limited access to music 20 years ago, one would have a completely different set of tracks in his or her flight case than the next. Think carefully to yourself if you are getting caught up in any of these traps as well they could be the difference between routine bookings and complete obscurity. Yet I’m willing to bet ALL of those “chosen few” aren’t making the mistakes I discuss below, especially during their formative years. Fewer than 5% of DJs who start out will be able to make a living just from playing music that isn’t Top-40. Dance music (EDM) might be in vogue again (especially here in USA), but the fact still remains that DJing is an activity that calls many, and chooses few. This is not the type of article where I’m going to spew a bullshit 10-step list you can follow to put you on the road to fame, five-figure paydays, and the red carpet treatment. Skills get you nowhere if you don’t know people. I’m sure you’ve heard this a million times already, but the nightlife industry is all about connections. This was true 25 years ago, and it’s true today. Similar to most other endeavours, who you know will get you much further than what you know. Everyone can become an “expert” on dance music nowadays…and as the famous saying goes: The playing field has since been levelled, with fewer barriers to entry or “gatekeepers”. Their importance even became grossly overestimated by the rise of the “superstar DJ” persona at the turn of the century. It was much more difficult and expensive to build a decent library in the 1980s and 90s. Before the Internet, DJs were coveted because they were the “gatekeeper” of the music. It’s no secret we’re witnessing tectonic shifts both in dance music, as well the role of the DJ, in 2012. ![]() The market is flooded with DJs, all of who are as driven and dedicated to establishing themselves as you are. I wish I could say getting booked is easy, but the harsh reality is that it simply isn’t. GIG-LESS FRUSTRATION The dreaded empty gig calendar.Įvery once in awhile I get emails from frustrated DJs who have tried it all: they bought equipment, spent thousands of dollars on music, practised for countless hours, and want to play out – but they’re just not getting gigs. Today, Nick Minieri examines some of the most important pitfalls to avoid when trying to play out and offers concrete advice how to make sure you’re doing your best to get into DJ booths on a regular basis. As DJing continues to grow in popularity around the world, gigs can be difficult to pick up. It’s an all-too-familiar story: a DJ of any experience level with plenty of mixing skills, fancy DJ gear, and the latest killer tracks, but no gigs in sight.
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