Hey all. I’m into techno and want to produce and DJ this music and I would love some advice on how to get started. I have a bunch of things floating around in head that are making it difficult to know where/how to begin. I have what i need for the production side of things so that’s not an issue but i’m stuck as to how to get going on the DJ side of things. From looking around that the use of dj-controllers in clubs is a hit and miss thing and i’m presently saving up for an S8 and would prefer to use that if i could, I don’t have a bunch of money to buy the pricey pioneer set up but from what i understand the bigger clubs tend to prefer you to use that stuff (dreaming . Is it a must learn? Also in my area is a bit of techno desert for the most part so apart from putting my stuff online i’m wondering how i can get to play regularly. I don’t mind doing the work but some direction would be helpful. Thanks.. Tech.
I would say to “start” DJing is to collect alot of music you like. You can use the software with a keyboard and mouse to get started. Mixxx is free so you can start with that.
Thanks Keithace i have traktor pro 2 and plenty of music it’s more the hardware side of things and the other concerns i mentioned that i’m looking for clarity on. In short they were: controllers or not, getting techno gigs in my area and beyond, learning cdj’s a must?
I’ve seen DJ’s bring cdj’s, turntables and controllers to the club. As for you playing out, you first need to be good. So, practice practice practice! Shitty DJ’s killed the scene around here for a while. Promoters would only hire free DJ’s. So when you play out, make sure your not train wrecking every mix. Song selection is very important also. A lot of garbage tracks out here. imho
You need to know ppl. There is a million ppl wanting to dj. Look at mixcloud, SoundCloud and the like. They’re full of ppl wanting to be heard. Network with ppl and DJ’s in the scene. Maybe one day they’ll put you up. Or you could promote your out night and grow from that. Best of luck
Thanks Keithace the thing that is worrying me is that ill spend out on a controller then spend a lot of time practising with it only for it be redundant because clubs “expect” you to use their gear. It’s a tricky problem for me because i’ve been inspired by the likes of Riche Hawtin , Chris liebing and Dubfire who are prominent Techno DJ’s who’ve crafted their own custom setups to enhance their performances. As i’ve been reading around i’ve found that club owners/promoters are much more willing to accommodate the more established DJ’s custom needs but not so much the up and comings.
Don’t worry too much about the “club standard” or using club gear. Get what you think will suit you best and learn to use it. By the time you’re ready to play out at a club that’s big enough to have their own gear you’ll be able to transfer your skills.
Sounds to me that with a lack of scene in your local, that concentrating on production and your online presence will get you farther than worrying about what the clubs expect from you, anyway. Much luck on your journey, remember, having fun is the most important part!
The only “standards” you need to understand are the fundamentals of mixing.
Volume
EQ
FX
Phrasing
Programming
Knobs are knobs, buttons are buttons and faders are faders. If you can DJ, you can DJ on anything. I’m gonna go out on a limb and say that right now, you can’t DJ. So it doesn’t matter if you’re using a £5,000 modular set-up, or a £50 budget controller. You’re eq’ing is gonna be terrible, you’re programming is gonna suck, and you probably don’t even know what phrasing is.
But there’s good news! We all sucked to begin with!!! Even Dubfire and Richie Hawtin. You’ve got a long journey ahead of you, and you’ll learn lots along the way. Sometimes, you’ll learn something, and it’ll enable you keep going, and you’ll learn quicker, and better and improve lots. But sometimes, you’ll learn something that actually proves to you how much you still have to learn.
Don’t stop. You can do and learn at the same time. Learn the absolute minimum to get you up and running, then, learn by doing/learn by failing. I guarantee you this - Dubfire and Hawtin didn’t learn on their super expensive rigs, and by spending hours on forums. They tried, failed, and improved.
Don’t worry about sucking. Sum of us still suck after all these years!
Thanks Patch your advice rings true to me. My plan right now with djing is to focus on the fundamentals those being phrase mixing, EQ-ing and programming.
Practice Practice Practice Practice Practice Practice Practice Practice…You need to learn to crawl before you become an Olympic gold medalist in track…
. Is it a must learn? Also in my area is a bit of techno desert for the most part so apart from putting my stuff online i’m wondering how i can get to play regularly. I don’t mind doing the work but some direction would be helpful. Thanks.. Tech.