Electronic music has taken over the world in a way that couldn’t have been predicted by any of us. No longer is the pop artist a sought after head liner for any festival in town, it’s the DJ ruling the dance music charts. Every other genre has had to collaborate with artists in the electronic world to stay relevant and like any other fad, it’s caught up as a viable employment option. Almost everyone wants to be a DJ, you have DJ schools opening up all over the place and instead of politics being discussed over a glass of whiskey, it’s heated debates on whether the DJMAG top 100 list is a legitimate score for who the best DJ in the world is, over a chilled beer. Have you ever thought about becoming a DJ? The travel, the money, the substance abuse, the girls – all these perks have contributed to the rising desire to get behind a console and spin tunes that make people dance, sing and even cry.
But there’s a catch – the odds of you getting discovered and becoming the next Hardwell are slim if not negligible. While it hurts to hear this, remember that the truth can set you free. Because of the way dance music has taken over the world, one has to follow the same logic as in any other similar situation. “When everyone is an expert, nobody is.” Fewer than 5% of DJs who launch themselves will be able to make a living just from playing music that isn’t Top-40. While I may not be an expert on the matter, the following steps might be able to help you realize what you’re doing wrong, and fix the problem. After all, there should come a day when no one requests you to play a song by their favourite DJ because that position will have been occupied by you.
1. Who are you?
No, this isn’t a philosophical question intended to make you reconsider your existence. Rather, what defines your sound? Who are YOU, as a DJ? Find a genre and select songs that enhance your sound. Don’t just select and mix the Top 10 songs on Beatport at the moment. Dive deep and do some R&D; that is, research and development. Research the sounds that will set you apart from the rest and develop a sound unique to yourself and pleasing to the years. Anyone can hammer out the chart toppers, I mean, that’s what the wedding DJs are there for.
2. Practice makes perfect!
When I say practice, I don’t mean sitting at home everyday, twiddling some knobs here and there, getting a transition right, feeling good and then going out with your friends after a supposedly productive day. Practice means sitting for hours, searching for unique music, syncing your heartbeat with BPMs, knowing what beats go well together, knowing when to mix in, knowing when to mix out and just breathing in air that contains vast, vast quantities of knowledge that would put anyone else’s to shame. When you practice, you’ll start to realize that you’ve created some great mixes, and some beautiful sounds. I’m not saying you’ll become the next mash – up king there is, but at least you’ll be on your way.
3. Rejection doesn’t hurt half as much as not trying
Everyone is scared of hearing the word NO. And chances are if you don’t already have a name in the business, you’re going to hear this word A LOT. You may think you can rock a party, but most promoters have a long list of over-qualified DJs, many of whom have spent years building working relationships with them, to utilize for playing at their events. At the large-scale ones, every single one of them will do almost anything just to play a half-hour soundcheck timeslot at 7pm. For free. But that shouldn’t dissuade you – in fact, it should make you push harder, become better and get where you need to be.
You have to put aside your ego and just ask, because chances are that the answer will most probably be no. So if and when you get the answer YES, take it and don’t look back. Because if you work hard and play wherever the hell you get a chance, it could snowball into bigger and bigger things. My favourite example to quote here is the duo of The Chainsmokers. Two years ago, they were just talented remix artists with a few gigs here and there. It’s 2014 and they just played at the Ultra Music Festival in Miami and why they’re our Artists of the Month.
So pester the hell out of promoters till they give you a chance, because unless you don’t prove yourself, they won’t let you get behind the console on a packed dancefloor with they possibility of their reputation on the line.
4. Ask and you shall receive
Asking the opinions of strangers can only help. Post your music on forums and learn from the feedback you receive. Your friends and family are mostly always going to tell you everything you do and make sounds absolutely amazing. This bias can only be detrimental. You need the good ol’ honest opinion that you can only get from your contemporaries; struggling and/or talented producers who want to give a helping hand. Also big DJs are more often than not tuned into these forums to catch the next big thing. One of the more popular convocations on the internet is the only managed by Laidback Luke. Sign up, sign in and show your stuff. If it’s ignored then it got lost in the fray because it just wasn’t good enough. And when that happens, it’s back to the drawing board for you!
5. It’s not just a hobby
If producing and DJing defines your life, you have a chance. Like any great fight movie will teach you, if you don’t have determination and focus, you’re going to end up on the sidelines, mediocre and probably ignored.
To decide to be a DJ is like choosing to walk on the razors edge; chances are you’ll fall off into oblivion but then again you could also continue to balance it all and enjoy the immense thrill that accompanies it. If you think you already have a stable job or you need to study further, then this isn’t the path for you. As they say, with big risks come big rewards, and any top DJ will tell you the same. They struggled and struggled, got to where they are now, and then decided to explore other avenues in their lives. You must eat, breathe, live the music. It’s not easy but passion has driven a lot of crazy people to success.
That could be you one day – insert inspirational music and quote – so if you’re unfazed by what you just read and willing to continue on this quest, kudos to you!
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