Hi all, I feel as if I'm just about ready to stop being a bedroom dj and start mixing at clubs. How does one (or how did you yourself!) break out of the bedroom and start getting real gigs?
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Hi all, I feel as if I'm just about ready to stop being a bedroom dj and start mixing at clubs. How does one (or how did you yourself!) break out of the bedroom and start getting real gigs?
good question! :)
first what i did was to practice alot. the goal was to play set of 5 hours with minimal erors. when i succeed that i start to ask people do they know someone who organises gigs. when i find that person i give him my promo set that i made i tell him if he thinks that i am good he can call me any time to play in some club!
and something like that happened just week after my meeting with him. and after that if you are good people will start to call you and all after that is pure music! :D:D:D
I would agree, just talk to promoters they always organize the events and find the people to play. Also just going to clubs and asking them if you can play there.
the way to break out of the bedroom is to do just that. Break out of that bedroom. Get out, meet people, become a regular at a club, hang out with (or at least chat up) other DJs, promoters, bartenders, club owners, anyone in the scene. Invite ppl to the afterparty at your house and spin for/with them. Get it out there that u can rock a set. Promoters get a thousand promo mixes a week. Find a way to make them listen to yours.
I've got all the hook-ups i need. I can play out as soon as i feel confident with my skills. I mean, im not terrible; i have some clean mixes, but I want to be 100% all the time before I throw myself out there.
I was lucky enough to be friends with DJs and promoters when I was getting into everything in Albany, and got my start booking shows. When I wanted to be a DJ I got a shareware copy of eJay for free and practiced my ass off.
I made a shit ton of mixes, gave them to everyone I knew: friends, promoters, DJs, etc.. Then I bugged the hell out of a friend of mine for a gig. He wanted me to show up to the venue an hour early and just screw around on the gear so I could prove I knew what I was doing. I did that, he gave me a shot, and, as they say, the rest is history :-)
So, do just that. Make friendly with the DJs and promoters at gigs. Make mixes, and push them. This is the day of the internet, so you can get data aaround the world really fast and efficiently. Do it. Also, be prepared to do it for free (though never offer) and take the opening sets (though never ask).
Go to the nights, bring friends, show that people will come with you. Make business cards, make a website, do whatever you can do promote yourself in the best way possible.
And then be prepared to be rejected, insulted and turned down at every turn. :-)
Read your audience, too. By that I mean the promoter and the DJs. Some promoters want their asses kissed, some don't want to bother with anyone without some balls behind em. Some DJs will nurture and help the younger crowds, some are the most arrogant, self-aggrandizing bastards you'll ever meet.
So, well, yeah, that's a start.
You might want to think about playing parties for friends & such and get some real-world experience in an environment that's friendlier and more understanding when you make mistakes. Things come up in public that just don't happen at home, and a lot of professionalism isn't just playing well but dealing with crap. :)
Throwing house parties is a really good start.
I started by having dance parties in my basement, which later lead to an invite to DJ for a going away party for my friend at a local club. That gig impressed the manager who offered me a weekly spot. It was Monday nights, but it was a start, and being modest helps get your foot in the door.
Another option is to either get your own PA, borrow one, or rent one. I built one with different pieces off of Craig's List. A PA will expand your venue options. We have a lot of bars that offer the occasional live music, but it's usually bands that have their own sound system. If you can find/borrow/rent a PA, then you can organize a dance party at your favorite night spot (provided you clear it with them first). There is also less pressure at a place like this, rather than a full time club where the patrons are expecting more.
Getting out and making friends in the local entertainment industry is really the best thing you can do. These people will hit you up later when they need to fill an opening set. Just being patient, but persistent, will get you pretty far.
Good luck!
I've been a mobile dj for awhile now and i don't think i'm to bad! Im wanting to play some tunes in clubs how could i approach this?
Fizz Styles
It's all about who you know. If you really don't know anyone yet, start developing connections by getting in touch with local promoters and DJs, sending in promos and demos, etc. If you know someone in a band who gigs a lot, ask if you could warm up the crowd for them before they go on stage.
Now you question is how do I get in, well thats is a hard one. Your going to hear this phrase or something similar to it...."Pay your Dues" Question is how do you do that...
You have to sell yourself to whatever venue you want to dj at. Be it promo cd (hardly works), ask to guest dj (for free or drinks tix), have a friend that is a promoter or club djs. Make a myspace page with some demo mixes with info of where you have played and pix of your setup and you using it. Go to club where you want to play at, so you become a familiar face, not just some bedroom dj that want to get his feet wet and doesnt know what music is played at the venue.
All you have to do is get your foot in the door once your in, you have to show the promoters/club owner/bar managers/other djs that you have what it takes to play at club. Ean did a blog on the main page not to long ago "How to get gigs..."
Goodluck
^ That's a great place to start . You might also want to try throwing your own party somewhere with a friend or two and try to document the party as much as possible so you can show club owners and promoters that you can throw successful parties as well as rock a crowd . It kind of sucks but you'll usually have to be a promoter as-well as a DJ until you establish yourself.Quote:
Originally Posted by EULA
Or you could do what I do and become a club promoter and DJ the night yourself.Quote:
Originally Posted by JesC
Club promotion is really not as hard as you might think.
I got my start by working for the club promoters and meeting everyone they knew. If you can prove yourself as a "boots to the ground" kind of person, willing to promote and flyer and talk people up and get new people in the door then they might be more willing to give you a shot if you can take that same dedication to your DJing.
Club promotion, in general, is not highly difficult, it just requires good timing, location and dedication, and requires the ability to meet the goals the venue has set for you. If they will let you throw your own party then spin it too.
That's 100% on point it really is about making the effort to go out to the right places and just introducing yourself to the right people .Quote:
Originally Posted by DvlsAdvct
Yeah dude. I always hook up DJs that help me promote.Quote:
Originally Posted by DvlsAdvct
Oh yeah... I forgot to mention. The most important attribute a promoter looks for in a DJ is their ability to pull in people. That ability is only loosely coupled with being a good technical DJ. A lot of DJs find this confusing at first.
That's the best payback we can get. I always try to introduce anyone around that helps me, and my friends pay me back. I'd like to think that knowing me is reward enough but even I have to step off the ego for a secondQuote:
Originally Posted by B33SON
:cool:
Yeah, is there any dj's in the l.a. area that want to help me play at gigs?
Dude, get promoters to fly me out there, I'll totally spin with you.
This is quoted from Ean's article:
“Microwave DJ” is a term applied to anyone who has not “paid their dues,” but because they own a laptop and thousands of MP3s, they are now qualified to play in a club
The full article can be found here http://remixmag.com/performance/dj_t...microwave_djs/
It's hard calling myself a DJ considering I've only been learning this art since August but that's what's going to happen. My first official gig will be played by the end of Februrary. I feel that my skills are half baked, my experience as a DJ close to nil but I took on the job any way for several reasons:
1) Networking opportunities
2) The pay
3) The experience
4) I won't be the main attraction (other forms of entertainment at the venue)
5) The gig will force me to practice and to reach a certain level of competence
6) I'll continue to improve my skills up until the day of the gig
7) I'll continue to improve my skills after the gig
Every single day since I've been hired, I wonder whether I should have taken this on or not for the same reason Ean points out. I'll be taking a job from a more competent DJ but even experienced DJs had to start somewhere.
My question for you guys is this: when should a bedroom DJ transition to professional gigs? Can you share your first experiences? Did you feel the same inadequacies that I'm feeling right now? What are your thoughts and feelings on the whole notion of the microwave DJ?
i honestly don't have much respect for microwave djs I've met, because their priorities as a DJ are not where mine are at. It doesn't really bother me though because those kind of DJs only get so far in the game.
most microwave djs i've encountered focus their energies on all the superficial elements of the scene ie. they have a myspace, they mug for pictures, they have a dj moniker, they tell everyone they're a dj to look cool, they try to get gigs.... but when you ask them to give you a link to their work they have none because their actual skills are non-existant.
basically they want to be a DJ for the image, they can't be bothered putting the real work in to improve their technique because that isn't important to them. So by the same token, I can't respect anyone like that. In this day and age DJs are a dime a dozen, your not doing yourself any favours by not paying your dues.
I bedroom DJ'd for over 2 years before i tried getting gigs. I never started DJing to look cool or make a buck, it just started as a way to pass time by myself or with buddies on the weekend.
I am no where near taking on any real sort of gig and neither do I want one. I have, however, spent a long time playing sports. And something that was drilled into me over and over again is that if you play crap competition you will not get better. And even if you get beat down in a game, you know where you need to improve so you can beat that team next time.
If you want to go for it, go for it. Your learning curve will decrease a lot faster if you push yourself like this and proverbially throw yourself into the big leagues.
My advice to get better is to record and listen to yourself every day. And watch other DJ's like a hawk.
On the microwave DJ thing.....
People are scared of new things. Hawtin took lots of criticism, even though he definitely "paid his dues" when he switched to 100% digital. This reminds me of the old hardware/software fights that happened back in the late 90's. EVERY DJ instrument, whether it be turntables, CD, or digital, has it pros and cons.
Play to your strengths and try to improve on your weaknesses. Get other DJ's to listen to your mixes and give you feedback. It's all about the music brother.
Practice!! It's the only word u should practice in life. Learn how to play without the use of the computer, by facing it away. Start with soft gigs like friends parties to get use of a crowd and the technical difficulties while playing. Learn everything about music and how it's compose. Last but not least djtechtools.com.
pretty much just practice, record ya mixes take notes on what you did wrong go back on work on it, practice some more. Like luv2xra said do parties for ya friends it really helps with working with crowds and seeing reaction of people.
Pretty much how I thought about it, was like a sport, your gonna have to practice and work on plays and keep working on plays to make sure you get it right. Same for dj'n practice working on your beat matching and transitions until each one is clean. Then most teams have a scrimmage against another team or practice game, to see where there level of play is at. I call those house parties, use house parties to see where your skills are at.
Every DJ needs to start at a certain point. In my mind, a DJ can be spinning for 20 years and still be a "microwave DJ". The paying your dues thing doesn't help anyone. If some kid comes up to me and he's been spinning for 6 months and can spin his ass off I'd want to give him a gig. If some guy has been spinning for 10 years aand has a huge name and just shows up and plays music with no logic, thought or skill, he gets no respect from me.
If you are not capable of providing the services required of you and take the gig anyway with no intent of improving yourself then yes, you are taking a gig from someone who deserves it. If you are going to a venue and working your ass off to improve yourself, learn new techniques and make yourself better than everyone else around you then I think you deserve that gig.
*shrug* Good luck to you, sir. Kick ass when you're up there and as long as you keep improving then I don't think you're a microwave DJ
In preparation for that article we did some top secret DJTT testing by placing dvlsadvct in the microwave for 3 min on high, the result was he came out how he went in. It was decided that "microwave dj" term was infact the correct terminology and so we proceeded with publishing the article. (@DvlsAdct - please dont hate me for telling everyone)
On a serious note though enjoy yourself, do you best and good luck :)
Also dont forget to tell us how you go when it does come up. In the meantime you could post some mixes in the mixes section for constructive criticism.
Most imporantly, get your playlists organised and keep practicing - dont do any last second midi mapping changes or you will reget it.
oh... Bento... you promised. I just... I didn't want anyone to know :(
It takes longer but you can acheive a crisper texture by oven baking.
As with all forms of entertainment, music is a business with some of the stiffest level of competition to be found in any industry. A key thing to remember is that there is ALWAYS someone better than you and you should be grateful for any and every opportunity you get to play whether it pays or not. As an artist, ask yourself these three questions each and every morning you wake up- Am I happy with my work? How does my work help society? And what can I do to push myself? An artists duty (according to Stanislavsky) is to educate and entertain. Granted, music may not always be educational but when you look at acts such as Evol Intent or even Rage Against the Machine, their musical acts have been vehicles for a depth of social commentary which at one point was reserved for Film, Television, and the Theatre. Whenever something happens in the world that I feel strongly about, I try to incorporate clips and samples to express my opinions during my sets without sacrificing musical structure and integrity. Sometimes, I'll incorporate live musicians into the project when tables and keyboard are not enough. As long as you keep on keeping on and striving for your personal excellence, you will find respect amongst your peers. And don't worry about the haters, everyone will have them; it's just part of the game. Just brush it off and keep on your own work. And remember, to stay competitive, you must always push forward. Cheers
-Damien
@Bento & DvlsAdvct:
I am just so glad I could stop you two before nuking my BCR... :p
*cough*BennyBenassi*cough*Quote:
Originally Posted by DvlsAdvct
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wuz
LOL !!!
nice one, wuz !
Make sure u play that Records Back by Hardwaks, etc..
tried to link it from beatport, but dont have time figure it out - BBB tonite. out
p.s. jk, btw
Thanks for all the positive support. And yes, I'll post something up in the mix section next week.
It's silly really. On my quest for gear, I would ask any DJ that I came across for their recommendations and then explain what I wanted to do. Many times I'd get responses such as "If you're not using turntables, you're not a DJ", "If you can't beat match manually, you're wack", "Regardless of what you do, you need to start with turntables to pay your dues" I'm sure all of you have heard this one point or another.
I've disregard all these comments because I know that with time I'll 1) Be equally as good as them if not become better 2) I don't care what they say.
With DJTT it's different. You guys matter. It's DJTT that introduced me to controllerism. It's DJTT that's encouraging me and inspiring me to become a DJ. In this environment, I'm not scared of asking question.
I guess that's why for my first gig I feel that I need the stamp of approval from DJTT. It's stupid but you guys are awesome! *hug
Okay now...how about your first gigs. How long did it take before you decided that you were ready for your first gig? How did this go? What's the most important thing you learned from that gig?
Mods, does this need to be posted in a new thread?
to be honest i was always really shy before my first gig. i started to play out when ive nticd that i can do things better then the people i see playing whilst im going out. especially when you know the songs they are playing its really easy to tell if they are doing a good job or not.
im not sure what genre youre playing but go to the events where likeminded guys and djs are and you'll get the feel of it.
HOWEVER always consider the fact that a nightclub is NOT your bedroom. as a midi dj it might not be that much of a problem, but if youre playing dvs etc. it happens alot that the mixer is fucked, the turntables are wack etc. i usually have a few tunes ready to start off with to get used to the setup and the sound and start messing around with my tricketytricks. so dont judge a dj if it might just be the venue. (especially when hes using turntables and no pc)
My foray into DJing was really coincidental and accidental. I wanted to be a DJ just so I could spin different music, cause, well, the DJs at the local clubs were terrible. I was tired of the same old school goth/punk mixed very poorly with metal and EBM. So I picked up some D labels to put together mixes and it came with a shareware version of eJay. I just started playing around with it, getting the ideas behind beatmatching, mixing, etc..
I did this for about 5 or 6 months, recording mixes, giving them to anyone that would listen, built my mixing to anything I could. And a friend was running an event at another club. He let me show up an hour before the club opened and I'd get to practice on the decks. Another friend of mine let me show up every Saturday for two months and taught me to spin vinyl.
I spun my first gig on a prepared set and I rocked it. It was great. But I worked every day for hours to get there, and the people who were there loved it. It really just comes down to your comfort behind whatever medium you're behind. :)
I would never hate on Benny Benassi, he brought sidechain compression to the masses. Everyone tried to copy his sound after Satisfaction hit.Quote:
Originally Posted by Iceman
EDIT:
Back on topic, I played my first "gig" about a year of DJ'ing (using a VCI at that point in time). It was an isolated event, basically a friend who had a night was wondering if I wanted to play for an hour to try it out, nothing major. I haven't played a real gig since.
But since, I have played a number of houseparties etc, which are really fun because there's no pressure so if I mess up it's not a huge deal at all, and I can be rather experimental in my mixing.
I have my first real gig coming up and I don't really feel ready for it, because right now I'm undergoing a period of transition in terms of my setup (more and more changing my MIDI assignments/translations to better faciliate 3-4 deck mixing). I might just play out on two decks only for the first couple nights to get used to the sound and everything in the club.
I'm rather insecure I guess haha, but I think after playing for an hour, I'll be back in the zone. It's just the anticipation that kills you!
That and, I sort of think the longer that you DJ in your bedroom (and not in clubs), the expectations you build of yourself become bigger and bigger. At least for me...like even if I pull off a nice mix, it's just never good enough, there's always more things I could be doing (or less!) to make the mix perfect. At least that's my attitude!
feeling youQuote:
Originally Posted by miyuru
+1
I am my worst critic.Quote:
Originally Posted by miyuru
Whenever i feel i've had a banging bedroom session i've never recorded it.
Whenever i record something i feel nervous about the end product and when i listen back i'm never happy.
Maybe because when it's live its all well and good to have imperfections - makes it real.
But when i listen back to a recorded set i nitpick.