so, i had my first real dj gig tonight, and i came to a certain conclusion.
I kinda don’t like the whole “push play” djing thing, not only is it boring but it doesn’t show the true skill that dj’s have. I mean, 350 bucks for 5 hours is awesome…but it’s reall painfully, mind you I was playing rock n roll and disco music but, it’s just no fun. With that being said, what should I spend my money on?
when you say ‘push play thing’. what do you mean? also, what kind of gig? wedding? cheesey club?
sounds more like you didn’t enjoy what you played, rather than how you played…
Yeah, i’m confused as well. When you say “push playing DJ”, do you mean they just used you as a cassette player or something? As in “hey play this song” and you just push play?
Thats exactly what he means. i seen those DJs and to me i would just sold them my boombox with some CDs lol. This is one of the reasons I been hitting it up with some other djs and event holder contacts so I dont end up in the slew of boring djing. Rather do a job that pays but is also fun and not just playing random songs that people ask me to play of random genres That O don’t like and end up sleeping on the job due to how bored I am.
Play button DJs are good for weddings and corporate events where the crowd has older people that don’t really like electronic music or hiphop if thats your thing.
Personally if I had a request for a next song, i’d just try to find an interesting way to mix it in!
Idk, that does sound kinda boring though. It’s okay though cause if you’re at a wedding and shit like this occurs, you could always try to hook up with some girl over there 
.
Gotta think of the bright sides!
I guess but for me it’s the single life since my money can go to me and me alone =p Also the girls here in AZ are a bit crazy >.> tooooo much drama here for me and thats even when being single ugh…
Yup, this is my town for ya too.
I was out last night, hit up 3/4 bars. All of them the same old shit, cheeze, no ‘mixing’ just slamming top 40. I chatted to a couple of the DJ’s and they are only there for the money, no passion & couldnt care less. theyre a product of consumerist society if I ever saw it.
Even the guy in the underground hip hop club couldnt hold a pace. Banger then slow one, banger, slow, etc, at peak time. Really fucked up the flow. Everyone was goin nuts for the big stuff, and then cleared the floor on the slow stuff. Im not sure what the guy was thinking but it was quite frustrating.
Bring back the underground, let some guys with passion on the decks and they’ll bring the house down! No requests, just good music & good mixing. That’s what the dj is there for, he’s a filter for the crap. A guy with a soul, with inspiration and passion, a craftsman. Not a bloody jukebox!
Can you explain to me with tracks as examples as what you mean by banger then slow one, banger, then slow one, etc. I am very new to DJing, and am curious since I do like to spin hip hop as to how he did this, because I do not want to be the dude who fucks up everything up.
Thank you sir .
Remember, crap is relative.
“One mans trash is another ones treasure”
Im afraid im not bin into hip-hop / rnb, so I cant provide track examples. I did recognize most of the stuff as classic oldies though. What it comes down to is basic set programming & common sense. You wouldnt play chill out vibes and peak hour; 1AM and then throw in a big tune, pack the floor out and then go back to chill out. It just made for a really confused dancefloor.
The people were there, lubricated, ready to be taken on a journey they’d lap up 'most anything that comes out the speakers, and they did. But it couldve been so much more.
Thats fair enough, and I understand. Its just when I see DJ’s that dont give 2 shits about their craft that gets my back up, and I see this EVERYWHERE. This really is the only ‘profession’ where the less care and attention you give, the more likely it is you’ll get paid.
I wholeheartedly believe that the people in my area; Derby, UK are ready for a change. I wish that person could be me. I just dont have faith in promoters or managers, because they dont care either.
This thread seems to be about the battle a lot of DJ’s have with themselves.
Am I an artist (playing my stuff, my way)
or
Am I a wedding DJ (getting paid, paying the bills)
If you wanna get paid, you’ve gotta please your customer. They’re paying, so they get what they want. If that means Abba and Whigfield, then that’s what you’ll have to play.
If you wanna be an artist, you have to struggle, and sometimes do it for free. A lot of “artist” DJ’s will never play a wedding, or get paid. They’ll be the ones locking themselves in a room for 4 hrs at a time, spending MONTHS on a mix.
Very unlikely you’ll get it both ways (unless you’re a superstar!)
What’s more important to you? Getting great feedback on a mix you’ve spent countless hours on (from the people around here that appreciate all of the effort that you’ve put into it, and understand what’s going on in the mix), OR do you want to get paid for playing records?
$350 Not bad at all. Save it and get more gigs! Or buy a camera to take more pics to promote yourself
if it’s making money, then why change it? And most people like to hear stuff they know. Mainstream is called mainstream for a reason. Just have to tough it out…
If I’m not playing EDM then, yeah, it feels like a ‘push play’ experience. basically there is less to do in those genres. You can’t layer, beat match or go crazy on the eq.
On the other hand, not everybody is crazy about EDM and you’re there to serve. There are ‘good’ songs in every genre. Personaly, I really don’t dig top40 but there are allways older underated songs from that genre that I use. Plus, mixing Judas Priest with Paul kalkbrenner will send a bunch of frat boys into a frenzy. next thing you know they’re dancing to Techno
If you’re too bored, you’re playing the wrong scene. Quit or ruin your rep.
The type of music is not my issue, it is the dj’s job to do this, but in a way thats interesting and passionate. If you’re just pressing play that removes both the enjoyment and passion from your work. Which, in my experience, removes feeling from the very place you are trying to play for; the dancefloor.
Im not saying the party wont be pumping, but from a punters point of view when a dj puts more effort in, its SO much better. Just a different level of awesomeness entirely.
This is not just my own opinion, almost everyone I speak to, all my friends, etc agree with me whenever I start ranting on about this stuff.
I dont think its just my local scene thats like this either.
Both 
, but most of all, I’d like to see some good dj’s make an effort. There must be some of them out there, I mean, I come to these very forums and see hundreds of people with a passion for this.
I try to vote with my feet, but its pretty difficult if ALL the dj’s are shit.
To the OP: Sorry for ranting on in your thread somewhat, good work getting paid too, invest it back into your passion. Go get some more records or a new mixer or something 
boom. free money for playing tunes (assuming you love music and yeah it sucks doing that but you arent gonna get that type of cash bombarding people with music they dont like – especailly if theyre paying you.
go buy a new shiny toy with lights and knobs and buttons and shit-- the more the better IMHO 
or save it for the new traktor upgrade… i need to find myself a gig to pay for that. ahahah
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Very unlikely you’ll get it both ways (unless you’re a superstar!)[/quote=Patch;229114]
i would love to see tiesto be a wedding dj hahahaha
Well not when you realize most wedding DJs on a saturday are getting closer to $2600 bux. I shit you not I gotta mate who is getting married next month and i asked how much they paid for the DJ. $2600 I laughed at them, and said u pay a guy almost 3000 grand to just press the play button and tell people the fish and chicken is being served. LOL at you…
TO the OP:
Bro dont feel bad enjoy the cash. I remmber 12 years ago when i did my first wedding type gig. Well it was my first and my last. the moneys great but you just stand there and press play, its fucking boring. I have turned down many of these tpyes of gigs for years.
except once, when I got 200 bux to spin punk rock for like 4 hours. But I got choose what songs to play so that was kinda fun.
Check out ean’s number system Organize Your Music By Track Type - DJ TechTools, kinda helps explain how to keep a flow throughtout the night…I use 1 to 4 instead of 1 to 3. For me a 1 or a 2 would be like “Day n Night kid cudi” and a 3 or a 4 would be like “black and yellow”
Hope it helps out a lil bit