How long were you spinning before you got paid?
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  1. #1
    Tech Guru Bassline Brine's Avatar
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    Default How long were you spinning before you got paid?

    Pretty standard question, but I'm interested to see the answers on here. I've heard stories from 10 years to a week.

    How long had you been spinning before you got a serious gig (at a club/venue) that you got paid at?

    Not talking house parties here with your buddies, talking real club/festival. Playing what YOU wanted (even if that happens to be top 40). And actually getting paid for it, not just a freebie gig to help get your name out or anything.

    Everyone's got to have that one time where they know, they made that step.


    I'm not anywhere where I want to be technically yet before I'd bring myself to play out, just interested in how long it took other people to feel comfortable at that point
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  2. #2
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    I've been going 5 months, haven't gotten into a club but I'm just now trying to. First band I was in, we had our first show within 1 month of forming, and let me tell ya, it's nice to have all the time you need to prepare
    Traktor Kontrol Z2 | 2x Stanton ST-150 Turntables | Traktor Kontrol F1 | MacBook

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  3. #3
    Tech Mentor tauket2's Avatar
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    I'm one of those bastards who got paid the first time i ever got onto a stage with a pair of cd's. DJ'ing on a tour for some rapper friends of mine.
    CHRIS Rice aka DJ-X
    http://www.iamdjx.com

    Traktor Scratch Pro 2, Denon MC6000, Numark TT200, Midi Fighter

  4. #4

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    10 years.

    It took me 10 years from the time I did my first bootleg (2002), to when I played my first proper club night (Bootie ATL last month).



    I made $100, and it was the most fun I've had in years.
    Last edited by corporation; 02-29-2012 at 02:35 PM.

  5. #5
    Tech Mentor shr3dder's Avatar
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    Had my first gig after 6 months, then decided I needed more time, waited another 6 months and have been playing regularly ever since allowign for some downtime when I've moved around, it's sometimes taken 3-4 months to get more gigs after I've relocated.(in the last 5 years I've lived in London, Melbourne and Adelaide)

    These days I'm probably at a point where I "nearly" earn enought to live off it. I still work tho, this shit is an expensive job/hobby

  6. #6
    Tech Wizard Xoduzz's Avatar
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    maybe about 5 months from actually getting my own gear, then the gigs started rolling in

    that was like 10 years ago O_O


    my favorite first times as djing.

    1. first paid gig was awesome
    2. first gig to djing for a crowd that was 1000+
    3. being flown out to dj for the first time.

  7. #7
    Tech Guru Steve Zorilow's Avatar
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    few months after I took my "dj lessons"... when I felt I was comfortable enough with my skills. Called the guy who gave me the lessons and he tried me couple of days later. Never stopped since then. 30 ish years later, I don't know what is a weekend without djing.
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  8. #8
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    About 3 years. But that was when cdjs weren't accepted in a Dj booth and your only option was records. In other words, you actually had to know how to Dj properly.

  9. #9
    Tech Mentor hayden14's Avatar
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    3 weeks,

    I originally bought a VCI-300 and two Mackie thumps...perfect little setup!

    Highschool student here so spreading your name wasnt hard and there were a ton of girls throwing sweet 16's n such at the time so i just threw out that i DJ'd to a girl looking and she highered me for a kindof cheap price of $150 but at the time i thought it was great. So then 3 weeks after receiving the gear in the mail i was doing very unsmooth mixes at her birthday party but no one seemed to notice.


  10. #10
    Tech Guru Cook's Avatar
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    about 6 months after buying traktor, learning to mix on that,
    bought CDJs, month later i played for free with my mate in one of the biggest bars in the town on a friday night,

    month later got offered a sat night spot, played there twice, got a residency
    DJM800 | 2xCDJ2000 | RMX1000 | Adidas HD25's
    2011 MBP | Traktor 2.6 | Kontrol S4 | Scratch Live | SL2
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