DJ Questions...

[sauce]

Best thing for you to do is start your own night. Maybe a monthly that way you get to play out once a month.

Most clubs will have 2 cdjs and two turntables. But the smaller lounge type places will probably only have turntables. It's true whats being said about the cd's but i personaly am having a really hard time getting the feel of them down.

my 2 cents

peace

sauce

 

[Mr_Furious]

Originally posted by andrew72
I would pay for free..I would only ever want to play House or Techno..

You'd still have to wait in a long line.

Or you could do what Sauce suggested and start your own night at a smaller club, or lounge.

...Or, you can even PM me when you're ready to play. I might be able to help you out a bit.

 

[andrew72]

Originally posted by Mr_Furious
You'd still have to wait in a long line.

Or you could do what Sauce suggested and start your own night at a smaller club, or lounge.

...Or, you can even PM me when you're ready to play. I might be able to help you out a bit.

Thanks I will definitely PM you when I feel ready..I would not have any problems playing in the smaller clubs..I would play anywhere! I just want to be able to play the music I enjoy..

 

[Jeremy Jive]

Don't pick either. Be versatile and do both. If you rely on one you are going to be in trouble some day. An example. Last time I played for Hustlin' at Boa I took mostly promos on CDR and less than half a bag of records. I got there and they had Denon decks in the booth. I don't know them from my elbow and I wasn't about to figure them out in front of all those people so i had to switch and play the records that I did bring with me. If I only knew CDs there would have been trouble.

With CDs there is no standard for decks and all the brands are very different. It's a big problem that needs to be fixed. If you only know one brands interface you may show up expecting Pioneers and find Gemini's or Numarks or Denons.

As for getting gigs, good luck and all the power to you. It's not easy and if you can do it, you are definetly in lucky group. It's a hard business out there and if you are serious and have some talent, it will come in time. Just stick with it. Don't get discouraged. Like Sauce said, the best way to start is to doing your own small night and get your friends out, start a buzz and show people that you can mix and in front of people on a system outside your basement. Who cares if you botch the first few times. Most promoters won't even consider booking someone until they have a reputation and can draw people. This is a business and you are booked because the promoter can make money off of you. Don't fool yourself otherwise. You do it because you love the music and they do it because it's how they make a living. Nobody throws a party to help you pay for your records and make you popular. It costs money to run a bar and DJs are the entertainment that keep people coming and drinking. If you charge $100 and only draw in $30 worth of people you won't be working very long.

jeremy -my long 2.75 cents- jive

 

[adorablehomeboy]

The thing about playing on cdjs is that when you practice on one type, you get used to looking at the digital readout when you adjust the pitch, so when you play on other types you look at the readout too and it helps a lot and you can get by.

The easiest way to get booked is to make a lot of friends and then throw your own party. And to paraphrase dj Lazarus (who was picked as promoter of the year by Tribe once) when you throw a party, be prepared to lose all of your money. Even the 'big' pormoters have all gotten burned at one time or another. Shitty eh? Money wise you are better off sticking your money in Nortel and closing your eyes, and it's much easier to claim it as a tax break. But who does this for money?

And read the dj interviews in Tribe. Seriously. And any other dj interview you come across.

 

[coleridge]

Lots of DJs use only CDs now. If I travelled more I would, just rip all my vinyl to CD so much easier than lugging around a flight case. Luke Fair for example only plays on CDs but he buys vinyl religiously. Even big DJs like Sasha are almost exclusively CDs

If you want a chance of standing out as different from everyone else you'll need to be buying vinyl. You will still find the majority of your underground gems on vinyl, what medium you choose to play out on is up to you.

 

[sweet_e]

i think before worrying about whether you are going to play vinyl vs CD there are other things to consider in your aspiration to be a DJ...

are you any good? (although having a passion for music is a start and i am assuming you can beat match) is your set programming good, are you creative and innovative, can you bring something new and fresh to the scene.

like someone else already said everyone and their brother or sister is a DJ, what do you have to offer that will make you stand apart from the rest.

after these considerations i think what format you play doesnt matter as most places will accomodate a good DJ.

if you love the music then start playing for yourself because you want to, and you enjoy it not just because you want to be a "DJ". And with lots of patience (LOTS) things should eventually fall into place for you.

Sweet_e

 

[Wiseman]

If you just want to play the music you love and are not looking to do it as your main thing or tell people when they ask you what you do that you "dj" then throw your own party at a lounge, invite your friends, do it once a month and all the power to you.

I think if you want to "make it" you have to have be pretty obsessive about it. You have to be prepared to spend all your extra money on records/equipment/promoting yourself. Most importantly you have to be prepared to spend a lot of time with your music. It's not just enough to dig your tunes and play them for people. You have to know them inside and out so you can put together sets that hopefully have more meaning and direction than the next guy. Almost everyone can beatmatch and there are so many good records out there that almost everyone has great tunes. It's not enough. It's a certain personality that works as a dj, not necessarily a good personality at times, but not everyone can do it.

But by all means I encourage anyone who truly loves music and wants to share that to go for it because it can be a lot of fun.

 

[PosTMOd]

Re: Re: Re: .

Originally posted by andrew72
Exactly!! I spent 4 hours and $60 for a few records I liked..I went home and spent 1 hour and $20 for 13 new tracks from that Beatport website..It was just too easy

AHA... HERE IT IS, KIDS. tHE "HIDDEN" ADVERTISING... SNEAKY, SNEAKY...

 

[adorablehomeboy]

Originally posted by Wiseman


Almost everyone can beatmatch and there are so many good records out there that almost everyone has great tunes. It's not enough. It's a certain personality that works as a dj, not necessarily a good personality at times, but not everyone can do it.

I agree. You have to bring more to the table than just records. Look at Boy George. He can't mix worth a fucking shit and can barely beatmatch but he's big enough that he's packed System and played at the Guv. It's sad.

 

[andrew72]

Originally posted by sweet_e
i think before worrying about whether you are going to play vinyl vs CD there are other things to consider in your aspiration to be a DJ...

are you any good? (although having a passion for music is a start and i am assuming you can beat match) is your set programming good, are you creative and innovative, can you bring something new and fresh to the scene.

like someone else already said everyone and their brother or sister is a DJ, what do you have to offer that will make you stand apart from the rest.

after these considerations i think what format you play doesnt matter as most places will accomodate a good DJ.

if you love the music then start playing for yourself because you want to, and you enjoy it not just because you want to be a "DJ". And with lots of patience (LOTS) things should eventually fall into place for you.

Sweet_e

I can't really explain it but I have this insatiable drive for the music..I have been a little obsessed with it for the past several years..My wife thinks I'm nuts but it has become a huge part of my life..If I ever get a chance to play one day it will only be about the music and how I would like to contribute to it...

Thanks again to everyone who responded to my thread..I honestly appreciate the advice..You are the experts!

thanks

 

[Ondie]

I've had 1200's for awhile now, and recently purchased a used CDJ500II

If I had some more bling, I'd go buy CDJ's right now, keep a tech for backup/scratching/playing around, but go exclusively CD

why? The sound quality is SOOOO much nicer with CD's. If I was a big name DJ (which in no way, shape, or form am I) I'd go CD for the sound quality you can bring to a set.

ni haw!

ab

 

[litespeed]

Re: ..

Originally posted by andrew72
Do any clubs have a set up that allows for CDJ's and Tech 1200's?? With the invent of MP3 and its new found availability on the web I just thought CDJ's would become more common place in clubs. You can download so much music and save a small fortune.

don't you mean so you can steal all your music and ensure that the artists that toiled night and day to make it recieve nothing for their hard work?

unless you actually pay for your MP3's though a legit source in which case, yes pretty much all clubs have at least 2 cd players.

 

[andrew72]

Re: Re: ..

Originally posted by ev
don't you mean so you can steal all your music and ensure that the artists that toiled night and day to make it recieve nothing for their hard work?

unless you actually pay for your MP3's though a legit source in which case, yes pretty much all clubs have at least 2 cd players.

Believe it or not I actually do pay for all of my MP3 downloads. I fully support the industry. The only thing I have ever downloaded for free were a few DJ sets-I beleive they were free anyway..