quit djing to produce?

THIS IS A RE EDIT FOR MY POST EXPLAINING MYSELF COMPLETELY

"""""Now that i have realized what i have done wrong. let me explain the full situation. """""

I have been djing for a couple years like i said. came from overseas djing every weekend and having a blast doing it. I dj'd to fund that habit and my drift car i had. So when i came back here and it became very hard to find gigs i started losing faith. I would talk to the managers, become friends. become a very frequent customer at the clubs and just make myself look as best as possible with being polite to the bouncers, tipping waitresses, and getting to know the dj's as best as possible. Ive been doing this for 5 months now with no luck. I have a steady set of followers here on this base already that know me as a dj and like my mixing. Heck, i even had the Chief master sergeant of the base ask me to dj for a base wide dorm party. I have connections here and they work pretty well. But I'm finding getting connections in a bigger city very hard.

So i have come to a dilemma of do i continue to try and get gigs and social market the heck out of myself, or do i put my main focus on trying to begin producing. Yes i could do both, but when i work 12hr shifts, school, and random bull#hit that comes up with the military. I only truly have time for one hobby at a time. Now i love dj'ing. It helped me get through some hard times and it helps me relax and relieve stress. I truly do love doing it. But I'm also finding myself wanting to get into producing more and more. My dream since i was a teenager years ago was to become a touring edm superstar. Now, that is very unrealistic but i have to try. So if that means i have to give up one love to begin another. I will do it.

So from reading that. What do you guys think i should do. Temporally put my love of djing to the side to produce. Or keep working my ass off to get the djing jobs i desperately crave?

Again. I'm sorry for coming off as an asshole in my post and seeming to dish on anyone who uses a laptop or sync or anything like that. I truly did not mean to offend you. So please forgive me for that one moment of assholeness.""""""



Hello, i have a ultimatum that i would like you guys to help me with. Ive been djing for 3yrs now. Started overseas in japan working at the clubs on base. Im used to getting a text or phone call every weekend asking me to come out and dj for a buddy or by myself.

Im used too playing nothing but top 40, edm, hip hop and old school. Now i just moved to my next base in idaho in a very small town 40 minutes from the nearest city and let me tell you….it is nothing but country…and more country here. So when i go to a bar owner and bring up the topic of possibly djing for them and they ask what i play and say everything but country…it doesn’t go to well. So I’ve striked out in town minus you small hip hop bar here that only hires me to play every 3 weeks or so. And its getting very aggravating. And since boise is the nearest city to go to i tried there. no luck. so many college dj’s rolling around that can ‘dj’ that I’m tossed into the bunch of guys who want a job to at the clubs also. And its getting very expensive to drive there every 2 days to try and find a djing job. So financially...its getting hard to justify going there so many times when I'm not getting lucky with any gigs.

When i go to the clubs all i see is a 24yr old guy with a laptop and virtual dj and no controller basically just waiting for the song to end then hitting play on the next song. Not even mixing at all. Now this is very irritating because i was raised the right way in my opinion. Handed two technic 1200′s and if i so much as reached for the syc button i got slapped into next week. So its verrrry aggravating for me to see these guys getting the jobs with basically zero skills and I’m sitting in the corner drinking my beer and crying myself to sleep with jealousy.

So my question for you guys is do i just give up on it and move on to doing my life long dream of producing music, or suck it up and wait for the stars to align and get a gig.

So your next assignment might be in a city without country music? Doesn't sound like you need to even make a choice but rather wait.

Oh I'm sorry. i didn't fully explain where i am stationed now. Im in mountain home idaho. 40 minutes from boise. But spending 20$ to go there and back every time isn't financially justifiable right now. So I'm contemplating just beginning producing.

You can always take up producing.
You can expand what you play.
You can setup a youtube channel and put up some mixes out there.

In any event, I do not think you are facing the either/or choice that you are looking at.

but my main question is which should i focus on more in my current predicament.

Why is it an either or? Doesn't sound like DJing is taking much time now right?

You DJ in your "bedroom" to keep your skills up to par and know the current songs. If an opening pops up, you can pounce on it, although it's unlikely since I grew up in a place that seems similar to the one you're now stationed.

In the meantime, get on with your lifelong dream of making music as well.

You can do both, just give up on trying to actually get gigs out there. Ain't happenin, it's a waste of time and money.

Why can't you do both?

um both like countless others folks into this music?


if your idea is to make music for people to dj with they two go hand in hand as it is.

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Originally Posted by shawnyboy998

...wait...

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Wait for what?

Find a club or bar that wil let you DJ (maybe you'll have to do it for free to start off with) and build a night. You'll have to promote it yourself (flyers/posters, etc...). If no-ones comes, at least you'll know that you tried.

The "stars" won't align for you if you don't make some moves...

I worded that terribly. I'm not going sit sit and wait. What I meant was do I start focusing more of my time on producing or do I continue trying to get dj jobs.

Just focus on both, quite easy to split your time between the two, I manage to have a day job, DJ, produce, run a label, and run two nights.

DJing and listening music will help you with your production, so do both, doesn't have to be a choice.

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Originally Posted by shawnyboy998

I worded that terribly. I'm not going sit sit and wait. What I meant was do I start focusing more of my time on producing or do I continue trying to get dj jobs.

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I don't get it. I know a lot of people that do both, so why can't you? You make it seem like you spend 16 hours a day looking for a DJ gig and then go to bed.

I work twice a week, go to school 3 times a week, study(homework) 5 days a week, play soccer 3 times a week, go to the gym 3 times a week, DJ once a week, look for gigs once a week, and produce 4 days a week.

Point is, you have plenty of time...

I'll be honest with the poster, you made a comment about the college DJs who push a button and put you out of work. You don't sound like you have a real desire or the ambition to make it in the music field to be honest. Save yourself a lot of heart ache and choose a field of work that is a little more realistic, I'm sure the military has some kind of job placement field when your service is finished right? There are hundreds of thousands of would be music produces out there working their butts off to achieve their dreams while you're coming up with excuses. Dude, with that attitude you don't have a chance in hell. Sorry.

Besides my phone getting blown up with notifications from people who won't even give me advice besides saying 'why can't u do both' 13 times, I would like a moderator to delete this.

Buy a music theory book and start studying.

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Originally Posted by shawnyboy998

Besides my phone getting blown up with notifications from people who won't even give me advice besides saying 'why can't u do both' 13 times, I would like a moderator to delete this.

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Because we're trying to get you to keep trying rather than give up? I think that makes us awesome people... and 13 notifications in an entire day isn't a lot.

Our advice is "do both!" You don't want to? Then quit.

Ok let me rephrase that then. You guys are giving me a crap ton of tough love. And due to that tough love....I'm 3/4 through my song I created. So thanks to your 'tough love' I am farther in 12hrs then I would be in 3 weeks so Thankyou. Learning anger is the best way to inspire lol

and now you have 6 days to look for a job. See how easy that was?

Why are you angry dude? It's not tough love, we're just saying why do you have to pick one or the other, why can't you do both? and you haven't answered that question yet.

It sounds like you can do both as others have said... although (sorry to say) if DJing was a key source of money for me I wouldn't have moved to an area where I couldn't do it properly...

Military doesn't usually give you a whole ton of choice as to where you're going to live, but I also expect the military would be his primary income.

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Originally Posted by deathy

Military doesn't usually give you a whole ton of choice as to where you're going to live, but I also expect the military would be his primary income.

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You're right, completely misread the post!

If you really want to produce music, you should start yesterday.. I can say with confidence that it takes a lifetime to master and you could spend a lifetime and still not master it. IMO anyone with the drive and a decent sense of rhythm can get pretty good at DJing in the span of 2 years or so. The may not be winning DMCs or playing at the big clubs but should be able to hold their own.

With production as soon as you're feeling confident about one aspect you realize there is this whole other aspect that you're just scratching the surface of. There's just so much to learn - just learning to write good drum parts can take years to figure out and then you've got sound design, composition, mix engineering, arrangement, mastering, and that's not even going into all the crap you have to learn to get your music out there and market yourself (still need a lot on that last part myself ).

Nick speaks truth. I've been composing for almost 30 years, and still only produce what I consider to be average quality tracks.

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Originally Posted by deathy

Nick speaks truth. I've been composing for almost 30 years, and still only produce what I consider to be average quality tracks.

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Ha...I'm way ahead of you. After being "just" a DJ for almost 20 years, about two years ago I got the re-mix & production bug, so I started taking a bunch of music courses on coursera last year - music theory, digital music synthesis, composition, etc. All good, all highly recommended. After just 18 months of effort I have managed to make best sounding hold or elevator music you can imagine. !@#$@!#@%#$ :cursing:

Seriously, if you have taste and are trying to do anything creative....the first many years are filled with frustration and self doubt. That's normal, and it (most likely) means that you actually care.

Although not immediately related to music....there are some great ideas here on taste, art, design, and creativity. The Ira Glass quote REALLY resonates with me at this point.

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“All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. “
— Ira Glass

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https://medium.com/@lastres0rt/three...s-ae145b3477dc

http://paulgraham.com/goodart.html

http://domain7.com/blog/importance-taste-designers

The part that drives me out of my mind is that if I spend too much time working on a single track, then my taste filter starts to falter as I start getting so used to hearing the same noises that I ca no longer tell that it sounds terrible. I've decided that it's best to get other friends who compose to start sanity checking my work so I know if I've lost sight of how bad it is.

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Originally Posted by deathy

The part that drives me out of my mind is that if I spend too much time working on a single track, then my taste filter starts to falter as I start getting so used to hearing the same noises that I ca no longer tell that it sounds terrible. I've decided that it's best to get other friends who compose to start sanity checking my work so I know if I've lost sight of how bad it is.

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Limits! Set yourself limits you would be surprised how some limits can actually induce more creativity from you. There needs to be a set point where you either shelve it and move on or finish the track.

The shelf will always collect things but you'll probably find yourself actually finishing more.

I know exactly what you mean! It's an easy rut to fall into.

Yeah, back when I was doing a lot more composing I was pretty good at knowing when to quit. My songs tended to be pretty dry effect-wise because of it, but I think it sounded better for it. A friend of mine who I made music with was one of those folks who would layer so many effects onto the tracks that in the end, it sounded like a bucket of mud.

thank you guys. I'm sorry for snapping when you guys when you just giving me honest to good truth. and....sadly i posted the same thing on digital dj tips and they decided to make it a post on their website and whenever i open my Facebook or check the comments i have everyone telling me I'm a piece of shit and should give up and am way to cocky. I worded this post horribly.


Now that i have realized what i have done wrong. let me explain the full situation.

I have been djing for a couple years like i said. came from overseas djing every weekend and having a blast doing it. I dj'd to fund that habit and my drift car i had. So when i came back here and it became very hard to find gigs i started losing faith. I would talk to the managers, become friends. become a very frequent customer at the clubs and just make myself look as best as possible with being polite to the bouncers, tipping waitresses, and getting to know the dj's as best as possible. Ive been doing this for 5 months now with no luck. I have a steady set of followers here on this base already that know me as a dj and like my mixing. Heck, i even had the Chief master sergeant of the base ask me to dj for a base wide dorm party. I have connections here and they work pretty well. But I'm finding getting connections in a bigger city very hard.

So i have come to a dilemma of do i continue to try and get gigs and social market the heck out of myself, or do i put my main focus on trying to begin producing. Yes i could do both, but when i work 12hr shifts, school, and random bull#hit that comes up with the military. I only truly have time for one hobby at a time. Now i love dj'ing. It helped me get through some hard times and it helps me relax and relieve stress. I truly do love doing it. But I'm also finding myself wanting to get into producing more and more. My dream since i was a teenager years ago was to become a touring edm superstar. Now, that is very unrealistic but i have to try. So if that means i have to give up one love to begin another. I will do it.

So from reading that. What do you guys think i should do. Temporally put my love of djing to the side to produce. Or keep working my ass off to get the djing jobs i desperately crave?

Again. I'm sorry for coming off as an asshole in my post and seeming to dish on anyone who uses a laptop or sync or anything like that. I truly did not mean to offend you. So please forgive me for that one moment of assholeness.

you can mix here and there and work on tracks also, if you get board with one then switch for a while. it's like riding a bike, little breaks don't make you rusty.

I work a ton and find time to do both! depends how I feel.

I really don't understand your problem, mate.

I though tthe problem was that where you HAVE made connections, the gigs just aren't there because people don't like the music you play. And where there ARE people that like the music you play, you haven't been able to make the connections and get the gigs that you want (or the town/city is too far away).

Either way, the solution to that problem is BE WHERE YOU need to be.

BUT - you are not able to move because of your posting. So, the solution to your problem is not in your power to grant to yourself.

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So my question for you guys is do i just give up on it and move on to doing my life long dream of producing music, or suck it up and wait for the stars to align and get a gig.

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Give up on DJ'ing? If it's something you love doing, how can the opinions of a bunch of strangers on a forum influence whether or not you continue doing it?

Life long dream of producing music? If that's the case, why aren't you already doing it? There's TONS of free software that would allow you to get your feet wet and have a go at it.

I understand your problem - you're a very busy guy, and want to make the most efficient use of your free time. That's perfectly understandable. But, unfortunately, these decisions are not something that you should be sharing on a forum. They're hard, and you might have to try and fail at a couple of things before you REALLY understand what it is that you love doing, and then dedicate your precious free time to that.

Not sure what you expect from this thread. Not sure if I've helped you or frustrated you further.

Not even sure why I've just written all of that???

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Originally Posted by shawnyboy998

My dream since i was a teenager years ago was to become a touring edm superstar. Now, that is very unrealistic but i have to try. So if that means i have to give up one love to begin another. I will do it.

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I don't know you. So, I can't be sure how realistic it is for you as an individual to become a "touring edm superstar"...but in general, the odds are WAY against you. There is a LOT of hard work to get yourself to the point that you can take advantage of opportunities that present themselves mostly as a matter of LUCK.

There are about 100,000 high school seniors playing foot ball this fall. About 215 of them will make it into the NFL. I am sure that more than 215 have the dream of starting in the NFL.

There is nothing wrong with having dream. There is nothing wrong with chasing a dream. There is something wrong with letting that chase bring misery into your life.

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Originally Posted by shawnyboy998

So from reading that. What do you guys think i should do. Temporally put my love of djing to the side to produce. Or keep working my ass off to get the djing jobs i desperately crave?

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I still think that "do both" is the right answer. I even think that changing genres to be more compatible with the gigs in your area would be a GREAT decision. If EDM isn't paying the bills....the DJ skills that you need to keep sharp are just as applicable to other genres of music.

But, putting DJing on the side is likely not going to make you any happier than switching genres and DJing music that you do not currently like.

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Originally Posted by shawnyboy998

Again. I'm sorry for coming off as an asshole in my post and seeming to dish on anyone who uses a laptop or sync or anything like that. I truly did not mean to offend you. So please forgive me for that one moment of assholeness.

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Hopefully this is a step into a larger world. There is no one true path to being a "DJ." I am primarily a mobile DJ who does weddings...but I sit in for friends at clubs (I am safe to bring in to sub since there is ZERO chance I will try to steal the gig). There is more mixing in a club, but WAY more stress at a wedding. They are difference, and each has its own rewards.

I am also a military brat....so I get the lifestyle of not knowing where you will be living in 3 years. The best life lesson that taught me is to grow wherever you are planted.

thank you guys, everything you have said has really been an eye opener. i greatly appreciate all the advice you have given me. And i have finally made up my mind and listened to what most of you have been saying. Continue on with both. I am currently signed up for music production classes in boise state so ill begin those soon. And with doing that. i hope to get more contacts and meet like minded people who want to make music just like me. And I'm not in this to become a edm superstar like i posted before. i worded that horribly again. I grew up listening to showtek, bassjackers, blasterjaxx. All of them helped carved me into the dj i am today. I love music, i love making people with the same taste in music jump to it and forget all the stresses of that week or month and just relish in the moment. And thats what those three did to me by producing their music, and i want to do it for people too. I want my music to move people. Thats what i truly meant by saying i want to be a edm superstar. Because tiesto, matrix garrix and the bunch all have their music around the globe changing peoples lives in little ways and i want to do that too.

so once my classes begin, i hope to do that someday too. Again, you guys can be ass's at times, but i a truly grateful for what you have all said. It has steered me from being 'that' asshole judgmental dj to wanting to make music that make people happy. All with the tough love of this forum. So thank you.

Producing and DJing are like two lovebirds who dance the night away in another galaxy.

just do what makes you happy. dont force yourself to do anything you are skeptical. i find that you will be happy in the long run especially from your everyday life schedule