Stepping out - Taking dreams to reality. Study this thorough article on one DJ
There is no straight forward path to becoming a success in the world of dance music, if you are a DJ, producer or both it seems very difficult to go from bedroom oblivion to superclub stardom. A few users on InternetDJ.com have asked me for advice in the past few weeks about getting gigs and getting noticed so I have decided to put my own little guide together. Many of you may have your own ideas and methods for getting into the limelight, these are my own, they may not be ideal for everyone but they should help some to move forward. Below is a guide for DJ's I will follow it up with a guide for producers, enjoy. A START Every party goer who has graced the floor of a club has at one stage looked up at the DJ box and dreamed of what it must be like to be the focal point of peoples nights, to be the one who decides what they will be dancing to and what they will be spending their money on in the record shop the following day. A lot of people have stopped dreaming and are now going for it, but how do you start. Before you can do anything you will need money - plenty of it, do some overtime, get a part time job, and cancel your holiday plans in Ibiza because becoming a DJ isn't free. Money buys you equipment to get going, what do you need? Starting off you need 2 turntables a mixer and if your pocket is deep enough I would recommend a pair of CD-Decks. CD-Decks are widely used in commercial clubs so it is a good idea to be experienced with them. Buying the best and most expensive gear is not always a smart move, I believe it is better to learn on the more affordable packages as long as they are reliable; there are some good affordable packages in the internetdj shop. If you can master inferior equipment then you will find using the top of the range club gear a breeze! Look for advice before you buy, search for the equipment you fancy on the web and read any reviews you find, also ask advice from the workers in your equipment store but be wary they may be chasing that commission or trying to offload those dusty overpriced decks in the basement, however many of them are good for a second opinion. Vinyl will be the biggest drain on your finances; initially you will need to build up a collection of classic records as well as getting hot new tracks as they come out. Look in the classifieds and see if any retiring DJ's are selling off their collections, average DJ's are quitting all the time because of work, family or loss of interest. Many of they have nice little catalogues of tunes that can save you a lot of time digging through bins in stores looking for that elusive original mix of Cream. LEARNING So you have your gear and a few records to spin, what next? Learning can be a very stressful experience; it takes a long time to pull it together and requires plenty of patience. My recommendation is to get a teacher to show you the ropes. This can be someone offering their knowledge for a fee or a friend willing to do it for nothing, it is imperative that you get another person to show you, they will teach you tips and techniques that all the reading in the world can't convey. Keep an open mind when learning every DJ has a range of different techniques, don't stick with one that feels uncomfortable even if you are thought it, find one that suits you and create your own style. The internet is a fantastic source of information, look through every guide you can find and learn from them, there are a few on internetdj that are well worth checking out. Watch a professional, go to bars and clubs and hang around the DJ box. Monitor every step, every movement they make and most of all listen. Make sure you keep a watchful eye on the crowd and their reaction to the music, this will all be constructive. Practice makes perfect, this is a cliché that should become your bible. Spinning and mixing should become your number one focus in life. Give up whatever other hobbies you have and dump your girlfriend/boyfriend because if you want to be good then…