What makes a DJ famous?
Yo,
I was just wondering what makes a DJ famous?
I’ve noticed there a plenty of tech wizards on this forum that seem to know A LOT about DJing/Producing etc, but what is the major difference between someone with a ton of knowledge and skill and those who headline festivals globally?
Do they have awesome skills? Or is it just their image and creativity? Or a mixture?
What is it with well broad questions on the forums today?
Broader than Broadway…
Lot’s of hard work. Producing tracks that go global… luck, etc etc.
There’s a post on it that’s on the front page of this site:
The difference is making stuff. Constantly making stuff.
In order to make good tracks, you have to make a lot (a LOT) or crap and sift through it for the gems. The ability to come up with twenty new basslines, find new textures and sounds, save them off for later, pick them up when they’re needed, create and catalog new beats and use them at just the right time.
To produce well or to DJ well, you have to be a constant firehose of new ideas, and not get too attached to any particular one. I just don’t have the energy or spare time, but I have tasted what it’s like to do that. A bit like an olympic athlete, you have to do it every day and push yourself beyond the norm, so that when you have to do it in public the basics are second nature and almost boring to execute, and you get to use your creative energy to add the extra sparkle on top.
Excellent answer, music production gets your name known around the globe, Producers have to put a lot of energy in creation, promotion and distribution of the material. Having a label to help you with that is the next step. Getting your tracks played by famos djs would be another step, finally getting requested to perform your stuff live would be a mayor step.
I don´t think that you can be famous for just djing, you can hate me because of this but it would be TOO EASY… your tracks have to be hitting big numbers also.
A good advice if you want yourself being recognized you have to start locally, for that you have to be on the spot. Need to go to the gigs were the locals hang at, talking with people, getting yourself noticed is a big part of the whole thing. Networking is essential in order to bring people to your gigs and distribute your music.
This are just random ideas of all the hard work involved a side of spending nights and nights without sleep creating tracks mixing, remixing, and mixing again.
Conclusion to what makes a dj famous:
A LOT of HARD WORK + Contacts + Talent + Luck 
sounds good to me,
I guess I need to start producing 
Do you think that you need an education background in music production (ie professionally trained) to become very good?
OR can self perseverance and playing around with software for copious amounts of time be sufficient?
the more knowledge you have of music, the better. read everything and anything pertaining to music theory. listen to music you love, see what makes it click. hear it with a critical ear rather than just listening for enjoyment.
yeah probably over the past few years i’ve learned to appreciated music by critiquing it through listening to it and breaking up all of the different levels of the song.. i guess that give you more insight into the layering and sounds being created 
to add to what other have said about the requirements to be a superstar dj (ie luck,talent,hardwork,networking,marketing saavy) … People who get into the art/entertainment business for the soul purpose of becoming famous are the ones who never attain that goal. Because if fame is what you want then you’ll never have enough steam to push you forward through the dark times, the blood sweat and tears of it all.
do you love the craft, or do you love the fantasy?
Most big name dj’s that I know are all Hype. If you want to become famous I would say to get into production or remixing know tracks. Hit blogs up with your track, and next thing you know, you will be hit up to do gigs
By loving the craft, you will be instinctively love the fantasy… People are motivated by different factors, however a majority of people are motivated by the recognition that they receive for all of their hard work/effort.
So people who have a true passion for DJing don’t just DJ for themselves, they DJ to gain recognition and spread their craft with other people..
To be honest, I think a lot of recognition comes with hype and a person’s image.. thoughts?
recognition can mean two things (to me):
yes, the hyped up DJs that are world famous, i know of them. i know the image they reflect and are groomed to keep up. it does not make them good (to me).
there are DJs who i have recognized as good DJs. they have talent that sets them apart from many. they are recognized for this.
so it’s: recognition due to promotion/hype vs. recognition due to skill
maybe the majority of people are motivated by fame, but that’s why the majority of djs never make it past the status of local celebrity at best. And you don’t need to be infatuated with the rockstar dream to want to play for people, playing for an audience has nothing to do with fame. Playing for an audience is just a DJs job, you rock crowds. You’ll be rocking crowds for people who don’t know who you are or care who you are for YEARS before even reaching status of local celebrity if all you have to offer is empty hype dressed in expensive clothes and too much gel in your hair.
The hype and image come after you’ve developed the skills to pay the bills. At best if you’re really lucky and somehow having a cool haircut,nice shoes and too many friends who don’t know better props you to the status of fame, it will be fleeting and you’ll get eaten up and spitten out by the industry as soon as the next flavour of the month saunters onto your turf.
true that.
i know this a quasi double post as I asked the same question on another thread, but I’m on a low budget, and do you think its better to start out producing tracks and remixing stuff (ie playing around on software) or actually starting to DJ (ie mixing at gigs etc)?
My 2 cents: I think that in order to become famous a dj must do a few things, like work on his own image, produce some tracks, dedicate time and effort on improve his skills and level of coolerism (lol).
TBH - who gives a fuck about ‘fame’?
I play because I love music and want to share that love with like minded people. Occasionally getting paid to play helps cover the costs but that’s it for me.
If you’re DJing to ‘get famous’ then I reckon you’re mad.
Its a good point, Teiresias.
But I think the point in this thread is “what makes a Dj famous”, and not how important is to be famous or not.
A PR agent called Ari and a nice ass.
Lots of hard work. Up all hours learning how to make music, fine tuning those skills and finally coming out with an end product that is good, then getting that end product signed to a label. Then you have to continue to do that for a long time to follow. One good track will not cut it anymore. You need to be a good producer.
Secondly you need to be a good dj playing stuff that people cannot hear every other dj play. That means making your own edits of tracks and doing new things while you dj. You must be creative. No body want to listen to you play the same tracks one after the other just like the guy before you. Be different but be good.
Bottom line it requires lots and lots of hard work in the studio and practicing your dj skills and techniques. That will putyou on the right path. Expect for it to take a long time though, most of you big named djs are in their late 30s to early 40s for a reason, some even in their late 40s.
What genre of music are you into? I think that is also important. Make sure you focus on something. I see too many people all over the place.
Good luck!
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