Is it difficult to become a successful DJ?

by LongmanSex on Tuesday, September 4, 2012

By Alan McNish


It's no secret that everyone, especially from today's generation, wants to learn how to DJ. Playing mp3 music as well as a number of records here and there isn't exactly rocket science. Ok things have moved on dramatically since the days when DJs were using reel to reel tape players and early turntables to mix with. Modern technology takes a lot of the hard work of learning to beatmatch out of mixing.

Whereas before you would have to spend hours practising and learning how to beat match, now you can spend that time honing your other DJ skills. If you get really good then you can earn huge amounts of money. Even if you only play the odd small gig here and there, you can still make a bit of extra money from it. Once you are reasonably accomplished it shouldn't be too difficult to get a few paying gigs and start working your way to the top.

One of the best pieces of advice that a beginner in the world of deejaying should make use of is with regard to how important it is that you know your music. Having an intimate knowledge of your music is a cornerstone of you DJing career and should not be looked upon lightly. Everyone would like to learn how to DJ, but the process has to be done in a professional manner. Once you get to know and understand your music, the rest of the journey will be much simpler.

Becoming a good DJ isn't just about being able to programme some loops or swap back and forth between two different songs. You'll need to not only understand how to do that but also much more if you are going to get people into the music you are playing and keep them moving the whole time you are behind the decks. You should also remember that you're not playing the music for yourself but for your listeners.

The moment you start playing music that you like is when you will begin losing your credentials as a good DJ. You should entertain your audience by playing music that they like and also keep a keen eye to see how they react to each new jam that you play. Depending on the venue you are playing at and the crowd you are playing to you might be able to play quite a broad spectrum of music, or you might be very much limited to one or two styles.

If you want to learn how to DJ in this competitive world, you have to be ready to do a lot more than you bargained for. This advice can be well explained in the sense that you should try and avoid being a specialist of one particular genre of music. Specialising in a single type of music will limit your options in terms of the venues you can play in and the crowds you can play to. It will also mean you need to be really good to get to the top. Having a good all round repertoire will make you more marketable, especially in the early stages of your career, then you can think about specialising later.

Specialising tends to limit you and this may work against you especially if you're depending on the DJ jobs as your ultimate source of income. You can make good money as a DJ by playing corporate gigs but you will need to be able to play a wide range of music to do these. These tips are quite simple and basic which means that they're easily achievable. Once you've sharpened your skills, ensure that you invest in high quality DJ equipment as this will help to raise your status as a professional DJ.




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