Ever have this awkward DJ situation?

[johney]

do you pay for your music? ^

[atontheproton]

Have u met someone or know someone who is a DJ that is starting out ask you for your ENTIRE music library (for free)?

I have been in this situation before and it is extremely uncomfortable. Being a DJ, I feel your music library is your backbone and ultimately defines you. I have no problem showing people artists, tracks, or labels, but outright handing someone my years of collecting and digging seems in-genuine and counter-productive to what makes a DJ a DJ. Not to mention, I pay for majority of my tracks.

I do not know how to handle the situation and usually am very deflective/non-responsive, at which point i am then met with signs of implying my reaction is uncalled for or douchey.

On the flip side, have you ever asked anyone for their library? I would never think to ask someone so maybe I am projecting my own views on others. Still, to me, it doesn't seem or feel right both ethically.

Are they being uncalled for? Or am I?

The backbone of your craft should be your technical skills and abilities as a dj, in my opinion. Your music plays a role but in my opinion it is not what defines you as anyone can play the same songs as you but not everyone will mix & blend, track select , etc as you do. This thread is pretty much setting someone up with a bomb on their back if they answer this question wrong...................

[tricks]

The backbone of your craft should be your technical skills and abilities as a dj, in my opinion. Your music plays a role but in my opinion it is not what defines you as anyone can play the same songs as you but not everyone will mix & blend, track select , etc as you do. This thread is pretty much setting someone up with a bomb on their back if they answer this question wrong...................

Personally I think it's a valid discussion topic based on the OP's experience. I have never had this happen to me but can imagine it happening and had not considered how I would respond or react.

[Sanader]

I got that question few days ago from a friend learning and just answered that he has to get his music library himself to know it perfectly and feel comfy with it. And think that it's as much "cheating" than it doesn't let you get better.. Who could appropriate a bunch of music at once ?! Even hundreds of tune is too much, so i think that thousands is impossible to handle !

[johney]

The backbone of your craft should be your technical skills and abilities as a dj, in my opinion. Your music plays a role but in my opinion it is not what defines you as anyone can play the same songs as you but not everyone will mix & blend, track select , etc as you do. This thread is pretty much setting someone up with a bomb on their back if they answer this question wrong...................

wrong in my opinion, i know a lot of technically great DJs, but they fall flat when it comes to track selection.
track selection forms your DJ personna and part of that is having exclusives not everyone can play.
a lot of people can blend smoothly

[shr3dder]

When I first started I got loaned a big pile of vinyl to practice on.

Then I gave it back as my collection grew.


Nice and simple. Bloody digital files create so much stress regarding ownership/value etc.

[DJLiteral]

so different from everybody else's snobby attitude

It's not snobby - it's a ridiculous question. I firmly believe that. However, ill still share tracks on a limited basis. I give guidance and point people towards blogs and tell them how I find what I find; however, an entire library is still insane.