Hit brick wall, is it time to quit?

[MockusD]

By the last few months I started feeling more and more of selling on my gear and quitting. I would leave myself just the monitors so I could still produce if I wanted to.. The thing is, its not the brick wall per say, looking back 3 months ago and now, I have still progressed, made new connections which are worthy keeping and getting more and more gigs and play what I want to decent amount like minded crowd... So I don't know why these thoughts are going into my mind, right, before I was bored because I had simple setup and had a hunch to improve, got more gear - kept me happy for a while... Now my live setup is traktor, ableton, maschine, 2 f1's and db4 mixer. So with all them gigs coming in, connections improving, perfect live setup with endless possibilities so why I'm unhappy? I can't figure it out myself... Oh, had a kid 3 months ago, if that helps.

[rdej47]

http://www.amazon.com/The-Dip-Little.../dp/1591841666

Very quick read, i'd recommend picking it up. It may help provide some insight to your current position.

[zimfella]

It's easy to get burnt out. Happened to me. Took a really easy for a while. Glad I didn't sell my gear as getting the bug back now. Have a rest mate, especially since you just had a kid.

[updawgs]

Oh, had a kid 3 months ago, if that helps.

People can burn out with just this, let alone with more on their plate; take a breather!

[DJ SB]

Anyone who's been in it for a while goes through waves of enthusiasm & lack thereof.

[Aequitas]

Enjoy your kid for a while! Make that the most important thing to do in your life. You will get back to dj-ing eventually.

[Irrational Fear]

A couple of people I know who have gone through similar spells got right back into it again after a little session we had round mine just playing vinyl on 2 turntables and a basic mixer, with some mates and a few beers. For them it was just a case of DJing having got so far removed from what they started with it was as if they'd forgot what it all boiled down to- playing quality tunes to people and having fun.

Within a few days after this session they were back to their usual self and having more fun than ever (using all their digital gear) but we still make a point of now & again getting a few mates together and playing nothing but classics on a couple of TTs.

I'm certainly not suggesting this is the case for you (I would imagine recently having a kid would be a big factor!), but it's something to at least consider. At the end of the day it sounds like you are doing great in terms of gigs & contacts etc so unless it is becoming a real chore I would be looking at ways to make it enjoyable again rather than sell up and pack it in.

Think about what got you into it in the first place? What gave you the rush of enjoyment when you first started?

Think of those things and see whether it's a case of something having changed that means you are no longer experiencing those feelings, or whether it is external factors that are affecting your attitudes towards DJing meaning you perhaps need to re-assess how you balance things in your life for a while?

Either way, don't sell it all up without taking several months to think things through- a lot can change in that time and you might find yourself back here contributing to the "gear you regret selling thread"!

[Patch]

Spend some time with your kid.

Your gear will be fine for a while without you!

My daughter is 11 months, and the best hour of mixing is nowhere near as good as 10mins with her.

[Eklectik]

I go through this all the time. I have been DJing for about 8 years and I take breaks quite often. I have also been one of those DJs that never really wanted a residency for that very reason. I like to DJ when I want to not when I have to. Since I don't do it as my day job it makes that choice a bit easier.

[Nick V]

First off youre going through one of the biggest changes in your life bar none. At three months your little guy or girl is pretty much latched to the missis and you can still convince yourself that life is pretty much the same as it was sans kid. That's going to change FAST and you probably know that already - it's kinda looming in the back of your mind. Big changes like that are hard but as you start to fall in love with him/her (it dont happen over night) you're going to come out the other side a bigger person with a whole lot more to bring to whatever creative work you're into.

When my daughter came into this world I basically quit music all together - not saying you should. I was actively producing, working with other artists in my town, starting to get emails back from labels etc. but none of that mattered anymore. It felt like a distraction from the whole experience of being a parent for the first time. Then 2 years later when she was talking and walking and was a little person, I started again, and I may have lost a lot of momentum in the scene but it felt like I was doing the best work I had ever done - and the best part... watching her dance to my beats. There's no better compliment that your own offspring sayin - "Daddy, I like this music!" it just melts the heart. Now she's almost 4 and we go out to daytime parties together and she's lighting up the dance floor, and I'm as happy with the work I'm doing as I ever was.

lily.jpg

For all you non-breeders out there sorry for the sappy parenting.com post.