A local promoting agency has recently created an online competition called “Drop It,” and is accepting submissions. Basically you record a mix and submit it, then promote it on facebook/twitter/etc. Whoever’s mix has the biggest number of “Likes” gets to open for Above and Beyond when they come to our city (Raleigh, NC). A couple of my DJ friends have entered, and needless to say, my news feed is getting absolutely raped. That aside, what do you guys feel about competitions like this? I personally didn’t enter because I’d feel bad about pestering any and everyone with “LIKE MY MIX PLEASE!” things over and over again, and I feel this would do more harm than good when trying to promote myself. I could be wrong and missing a key fact of this, so what do you guys think of them? Anyone done one with a success story?
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with them as long as there’s an actual Judge or panel evaluating them. If it’s just based on likes that doesn’t show that you have any skill or know what you’re doing. They’re just looking for the guy who has the most likes hoping that translates to more pre-sales instead of actually finding some one who has talent.
Yeah it’s not a very good way of judging, but if it’s just used as a way of wittling down to a top 10 which is then judged then it’s not so bad. Otherwise it’s just who is most successful at pestering.
I don’t know whether there is a panel of judges. At the moment, the guy in the lead’s mix is TERRIBLE (crossfading between songs, no transitions, loss of energy, etc.) but he’s an ex college football player, and is using that to his advantage. Idk, it doesn’t really matter to me, I would just hope that it wasn’t a pestering contest as KS2 described, and that some amount of talent will play into it. Gotta cheer my buddies on
Of course, but if someones expecting a huge response you can’t blame them and they aren’t going to be able to listen to a thousand hour long mixes. It’s the same bad principle of pestering but at least the winner most likely won’t be terrible then.
Well, if they provide a tracklisting you can narrow it down significantly from there. I’m guessing they aren’t look for techno/dubstep/electro guys. And then from there you would scrutinize the tracklisting some more. Are they just playing all chart tunes? Pass, not a very developed music background yet. Then from there you would examine the length of the mix. If it’s a short 10 min mix, pass as you can’t learn anything about their programming.
From that alone you’re probably eliminated 75-80% of all submissions. Now you start listening. If there is a panel this is cake. if they have a bad mix off the start pass on it, and just keep going. Now all the judges get together and look at the ones they pulled that are actually any good and discuss from there.
OR at that point they narrow down the 10 best and let the public have a vote.
That perfectly sums up the current rise in ‘I wanna be a DJ coz it’s cool’ and adds fuel to the ‘Digital DJing is for kids’ argument (not something I subscribe to I must add). There’s always been individuals wanting to DJ for showing off purposes however it took a lot of financial investment to get the kit and music and would generally separate those who were in it for the music and long term and those for whom it was a passing fad. It’s relatively cheap now to get an entry level controller, some pirated software and download music without paying and Robert’s your Mother’s brother, you’re the next Guetta ( ).
