How do you start getting gigs?

DJ Life & Community General Discussion
1

How do you start getting gigs?

Hey everyone, don’t know if any of these questions have been covered, but I haven’t seen anything in the stickies.

Anyway, I am new here, I am a bedroom DJ who’s been practicing for about two years now and I think I’m getting pretty good. However, I am getting bored.

Playing to myself is not as fun as it used to be so I want to branch out. The question is:

How do you get started as a DJ.

I live in Nashville and there aren’t too many clubs around that play Electro/Progressive House. House party’s tend to be dominated by a lot of STS9, and Old Crow Medicine Show.

Should I move, and even if I did how would I begin to make a name for myself as a DJ.

Thanks guys, Awesome forums and site.

2

Hey dude welcome to DJTTs!

Have a search around the general discussion section and you will find plenty of discussion about these questions, also Ean has some great articles on the blog.

seek and ye shall find!

3

Edited the title to be more descriptive. I’ll get links to some of those important posts soon.

In the meantime, go ahead and read the stickies! They’ll help!

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This is probably the best thread to find that info now that I think about it.

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Thanks for the help guys. I’ve looked through those. However my questions concern promotion. I think I have the skills, knowledge, ability to get out there and DJ. The question is how do I get a gig. Where do I start in terms of playing for others. Thanks.

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  1. Make a promo CD or 3 and take it to some clubs.
  2. Find another 2-3 DJs who are willing to spin for free, make up some fliers and write up a proposal and take it to a club. This may end up costing you money (for event hire and promotion) but that is always going to be the case.
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ok dude i dominated the party scene when i was up there in murfressboro, hit up mtsu campus its like 30 mins outside nashville, pass out ya promo mixes, i will tell you, wont get paid much or at all, but you will get paid with drinks, but it is a college campus so nobody has alot of money. Hit up the frat houses tho they are always lookin for good djs to play but you might have to play certain hip hop songs and stuff but alot of people are pretty openminded tho.

I djd one house party did a 3 hour hip hop set switched to a 4 hour electro house set and it was dope everybody loved it.

but hit up cafe cocos and send in a press kit they are always open to having new people play.

Also key thing in nashville is have a decent press kit together that means 8x10 pic, promo cd, and short bio. and start shoppin yaself around town dude, check out the link i sent you in a pm for the entertainment group rave with us and send one to rocket town for sure.

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Good looking X, thats what im talking about!

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heres how i started getting gigs

I posted a couple ads on craigs list and djed the first 5 parties for free and eventually word got around and i started geting more and more gigs and then thats when i started to charge…

so try posting some ads on craigs list its a good way to get started and if you dont wanna dj for free maybe charge cheap like 100 a gig for the first 5 or so gigs until word of mouth goes around