Using Shazam to find your people

Insight into your data is the key to building a career in this age. Access to information has become the defining feature in the careers of DJs and producers of music who are looking to connect more deeply with their (often anonymous) audience. Shazam is one great tool for discovering who these people are.

Shazam your city

Touring DJs are gonna love this one. Using Shazam’s regional charts, you’re now able to view the 50 most looked up tracks in any given city. This type of data is of course super useful for any DJ who wants to know what’s currently being heard by the general masses, but also what’s currently hip in their area. Chart models (like Apple Music) don’t generally go deeper than top tracks per country. But geographic awareness by city is a game-changer, especially for touring DJs who need to keep ahead of the pack with local insight.

Lame results?

In defence of the haters, this tool is a very, very broad strokes approach towards finding out what tracks are in demand by niche audiences and tastemakers. The results of any given search are always going to be a by-the-numbers approach that fails to factor in underground interest. In other words, using this tool will only ever result in a list of the most pop-focused, heavily marketed hitmaker efforts. And as we’ve discussed many times over, being a long-game working DJ is about leading an audience, not chasing one. Hit up your own city and see if it’s working for you. Or check out the most Shazamed tracks right now in London, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Berlin.

Shazam for Artists

Producers of music will benefit from Shazam for Artists. Once signed up and verified, Shazam allows producers to access valuable insights into who is looking up your published music, where they are and more. These stats are slightly more valuable than stats on plays because they demonstrate active involvement in the discovery process rather than an algorithmically determined playlist that’s running in the background in someone’s living room. In other words, they tell you who is actually interested in your music. To sign up, you have to have already distributed your music to Apple Music and verified as an artist at Shazam for Artists. Follow the steps to claim your profile. Labels may also register and verify as representatives for artists, a useful tool for DJ collectives and communities of music publishers.

Using tech to your advantage is a crucial element in your DJ or production career. But always remember that these tools are just that - tools for making the actual work easier. Don’t be fooled into thinking that the statistics and reports are the product. The real gold is in interacting with real people at real events. Put that at the center and let the tools assist with the heavy lifting. Get onboard with one of our DJ programs with more on how to take your DJ job forward!

John Bartmann is a music producer and DJ.

Going from hobbyist to pro DJ

How many events have you done? Include everything from house parties and weddings to event stages and bars. Twenty? Fifty? Most people DJ as a hobby, which is cool. You get to have some sweet gear, curate the vibe and meet some good people. Which is what it’s all about. But others feel the need to get deeper into the professional DJ lifestyle. To perform events that they sometimes don’t necessarily want to. Let’s check out where the professional DJ journey will take you if you decide to go pro.

Get your hands dirty

As a professional DJ, you sometimes find that the work undermines your self-image as a cool person. You might find that the money is in some corny corners, and that nobody else seems to share your self-image as a collector of good music. This is also the stage at which most amateur DJs quit. Doubt comes with the territory. Even the world’s most celebrated actors and musicians have to do work that simply pays the bills. For the longest time, you can’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. You have to earn your own audience. So how do you get out of the whirlpool of weddings and kids’ parties and begin getting offers that suit your style?

Make a playlist

Right now, playlisting is where it’s at. In the past 20 years, the most successful DJs have morphed from public performers to producers of their own work. And now, we’re finding that the DJs whose audiences are growing are right back in their element as curators of content not necessarily their own. The rise of playlisting and the importance given to curation seems to have overtaken the need to create more original music. Simply put, there seems to be enough music in the world to last us a while. Now we require human beings to organize it by taste. Thankfully, we still have enough taste left to leave one task un-automated by AI. So make a playlist today. Spotify is a good start, but there are loads of other platforms which treat their artists more ethically. (Hey, a lot of people are saying it).

Do the time

Outside of brain data uploads, there’s only one way you get good. Practice, repeat. This means more than beatmatching. It means packing and unpacking gear. It means knowing which cables to take and which ones are deadweight. It also means knowing the average time an Uber takes to get you to the part of town where you earn most of your money. So get good by making it easy. Give yourself time. Be in a state of constant improvement. It can sound super-lame, but get in the habit of labelling and rolling your cables properly. Honestly, these are the steps required to be pro. Remove all barriers to easiness and you’ll quickly learn what DJing is really about.

There are so many things amateur DJs don’t associate with professional work. Keep healthy? What kind of advice is that for a party lifestyle? It’s the good kind. You’ll be doing this 5 or 6 nights a week sometimes. If you’re in it for the long haul, you’ll need to act responsibly. The results are all on you, and so are the rewards. So keep learning (a DJ program is a useful start) and give your crowds a reason to have a good time.

John Bartmann is a music producer and DJ.

The short and long game of DJing

It’s pretty common to surround ourselves with images of what DJing should look like. Lights. Crowds. A shot from the booth. This is the inspiration for most of us to continue our hunt for the next great track. We want to get to a level where things are cool, easy and free. It’s an awesome dream! So keep heading for it. And while you’re learning to DJ, check out one basic rule about what to expect along the way.

Started from the bottom

Think of a career in music like a pyramid. At the top is the pure high art, written by celebrated artists for centuries. Also the most rare. The barrier to entry for this club is sky high. Only a handful join, ever. Most of us hang around at the base of the pyramid, where it’s easier to be. We’re not trying to make high art. We’re trying to have a good time with good people. So there’s no reason to complicate things.

But at the base of the pyramid are loads more people. This is where we start the climb. This is where we continue the upward trudging away from obscurity and into professionalism. Many of us are competing for a higher spot in whatever way we can.

And the rule is…

So here’s the general rule: the easier something is to do, the more people are able to do it. And, of course, the opposite is true: the harder something is to do, the fewer people are able to do it. This rule should guide you throughout any creative career you choose.

It should inform your track selection. The easier it is to find your tracks, the more people are finding the same tracks. Should you ever manage to fly across the world to go crate digging for obscure vinyls in an African village, you’ll likely end up with a cut that nobody else has. And DJing is all about having the music that nobody else has.

The short and long game

The easier it is to summon crowd of people in a busy part of town, the more quickly they’re going to disappear when the next act comes along. Conversely, if your small audience consists of people who make the effort to get out to your slot on a rainy night, it means they’re invested in you. These are the people who stick by you through it all.

The easy and the difficult approaches can also be framed as the short and long game. It’s up to you where you’d like to position yourself. The short game means more instantly gratifying success which can disappear just as instantly. The long game means deeper and more meaningful connections that may take forever to forge.

It’s entirely up to you how you want to go about making a name for yourself. What is essential to all paths, however, is that you’ll need to know how to work the gear. You’ll need to know what DJing is about, how to stoke a crowd and when to play it chill. Learn to DJ with DJ Courses Online by signing up for one of the programs and level up today.

John Bartmann is a music producer and DJ.

The early days of a career in DJing

Let’s face it. Being any kind of entrepreneurial artist today means understanding something about marketing and the process of building a reputation. If your game is to be a professional career DJ, you’ll need to own your own category. You’ll need to have your own story. You’ll need to do something to escape obscurity. Here’s how it works when you first start curating and playing good music for others.

Exclude some people

Dope music is the bedrock. Only the dopest, in fact. No room for average stuff where you’re going. When making decisions on what lands in your crate, it’s helpful to choose which audience to exclude. Not everyone must like it. Some people will probably hate it! That’s cool. It’s not for them. But who are the people left over? The answer to that determines the identity of the audience you’re looking to serve.

You don’t need more tracks

So you’d better start collecting. Set a target for yourself. Say, 250 of the best tracks? Contrary to Spotify’s core messaging, you don’t need access to millions of songs. Just 250 good ones. That’s a career. Stop looking further than that. Your access to millions of songs isn’t going to put your name on the map. Your taste in 250 songs will.

First steps

When you’ve got a selection of tracks you’re ready to showcase as your own style, the next stage is to start getting out. Here’s a tip: everyone except Paris Hilton starts DJing for free (link alert: it’s bad). Don’t be shocked to find that you don’t get paid for house parties, your cousin’s birthday, charity shows and the occasional club gig. But always get the benefactor of these events to reciprocate. Someone needs to agree to do 10 mins of video footage and an insta post. Or to announce your name and get a round of applause from the crowd. Or even to put a hat out to “cover the cost of the gear”. Just because it’s yours, doesn’t mean you didn’t pay for it. Have a sense of value about yourself and your gear. Turn down people who fail to respect that.

Your career takes a turn when people start asking you to DJ. Two things have changed. Firstly, you now have leverage. Secondly, who pays the piper calls the tune. In other words, whoever is paying you gets to decide mostly on what you play. That’s how it works. You’ll only confuse people if you try to change that. So use the money it to level up. Now you can afford to market yourself. Better videos and more fans means fewer mobile DJ gigs and more of your own style. Interested in learning more about a career in DJing? Check out the programs offered by DJ Courses Online today.

John Bartmann is a music producer and DJ

Finding success as a new DJ

Being a career DJ is a different game to having a good time behind the decks on the weekend. DJs that are making a name for themselves have a few things in common. Here are a few things to remember if you’re into the name game.

Start small

Have good relationships with local producers. Play their stuff. Let them know that you’re playing their stuff. If they don’t reciprocate by retweeting or reposting your Instagram posts, move on to someone who does. A like is not the same as a repost. Status should matter very little early on in the game. It’s not just the quality of the music that gets you the heat anymore. It’s the overall brand presence of the artist and the DJ that create the perception that a song is good. The goal is repetition, to be known as the person who plays that fresh song that people like. You have to find good producers in your circle and form relationships with them.

Tell your story

You’re pretty good with tech tools already. You’re a DJ. So use YouTube, Steemit or Twitch to open up the field to newcomers. Share your journey. Even if you’re only a few steps into the game, start putting up videos sharing the new stuff you’ve learned. It’s about community. It’s about being humble enough to judge people by how interested they are in your stuff, not by their follower numbers. Even the best do masterclass workshops and stage and studio tours. Not everyone who is into DJing wants a career. Some just want to learn. Don’t be above teaching to build your audience.

Look for alternatives

The time-honored craft of crate digging is where all of a DJ’s power lies. You have a choice: follow the status quo and earn money (less satisfying) or find your unique voice (less prestige up front). If you’re after option two, it’s not enough to copy what’s trending on Beatport and call it your own. Renewable energy is only as clean as the source. A DJ’s collection is only as unique as the source. You need to find your own supply and filter out the gems, even if it means getting on a plane.

In order to make anything work in the long term, you need to remain inspired. This means papering the walls of your mind with the material that gets you going. DJing and clubbing documentaries are a good place to start. Put one on in the background while you’re at home and see if the lifestyle is for you. Above all, keep learning! Check out the DJ courses on offer here at DJ Courses Online. Keep spinning!

John Bartmann is a DJ and music producer.

Controllerism As An Artform In DJing

Music is as old as people. In comparison to playing an instrument or singing, DJing is just a baby. Only as old as recorded music. But that hasn’t stopped DJs from getting creative with their performances and equipment. Learning new forms of DJing is a great way to grow as an artist. Here’s some stuff about controllerism, what it is and why it’s cool.

What is controllerism?

Controllerism is the use of music software controllers as instruments. It’s like turntablism, except with Akai MPCs, Novation Launchpads (or a dance mat, if you’re not that into normality). It’s an ability that must be worked on. There are some pretty skilled controllerists around, and there’s no doubt they’ve honed their craft in the same way that any lead guitarist has. Technically, using an S4 or CDJs makes you a controllerist, but the term is generally reserved for the ‘players’ of the controller rather than playback using the controller. There must, in essence, be some skill involved.

Who are the controllerists?

A few names come to mind. DJ Shiftee plays turntables, keys and a drum pad all at the same time. DJ Craze has a fairly dope selection of tracks to his name and likes to keep things very live. In the early 2000s, DJs like Four Tet and Girl Talk began appropriating live processing into their performances, creating a space for using laptops themselves to become a form of controllerism.

How do we be controllerists?

One awesome trick is using a hardware sequencer to layer the core groove of the track you’re playing. Hardware sequencers allow you to play along with the track by creating and editing patterns on the fly. Use Traktor (or your software of choice) to load up a track, match the BPM and then start finger drumming a live loop. Using devices with their own sets of sounds and samples will save you CPU and also bring a bunch of new sounds to the track you’re playing. Remember to mute the hardware sequencer playback during the track break so that the energy dips and drops line up nicely. One of the most underrated controllers on the market is the Synthstrom Deluge, made with love in New Zealand!

At its heart, controllerism says just this: keep busy. If there’s a gap between you doing one thing and another, fill that gap. Have a sampler next to your laptop. A third deck. A couple of MIDI pads. Anything to keep things lively. A fair amount of technical ability goes into both DJing well and into playing an instrument well. Nobody gets anywhere unless they’ve done their practice hours. It’s not all just about getting the room dancing. Sometimes you gotta show off a little, too. Learn DJing like a controllerist pro and get your audience talking about you.

John Bartmann is a music producer and DJ

Getting Real With Social Media

Social media is a powerful force. As a DJ, you’re now able to create a mix in the morning and have people tweeting about it by lunchtime. If they’re up yet. The human network is a magnificent array of channels and traffic flow, and as a content creator of any kind, you’ll want to harness some of the flow. Here are a few tips for using social media to further advance your reputation as a DJ.

Reputation is all you have

The word ‘reputation’ should be treated with more respect. Using social media, it is indeed possible to convince some people that you’re a happening act right now. Import the top track on the Beatport Charts, copy it with a little modification and release it as your own. You’re guaranteed to get likes, because you’re tapping into the current culture. But you’re also gaining a reputation for being derivative, and not really having a voice of your own. It’s tempting to get the quick round of applause. But you’ll need to manage your short and long term goals better than that if you aim to build a reputation of real value.

Brands are people, too

Instabook (Instagram and Facebook) is a controversial beast. They’re really effective advertising platforms if your aim is to create hype around your work by convincing gatekeepers that you’re into buying popularity. The music industry is mostly powerful people finding and tapping into the eagerness of younger people desperate to be noticed. The quickest cut for the artist is to buy fan engagement by boosting posts (or outright buying likes). But just be warned! So much online engagement is automated that you run the risk of creating a brand that is hugely popular online, but doesn’t sell any tickets because it doesn’t exist.

A real moment beats a post about it

If there is one message to get tattooed on your forehead in mirror writing, it’s this: social media captures -- not creates -- awesome events. Those photos of your West Coast tour on Instagram are popular because you actually got it together to DJ in California. The party is lively because you actually got some people there. The beats are fresh because you spent the time collecting and prepping them. None of these things happen automatically because of the photo filter you chose while uploading. A winning moment with even poor production quality still kicks the pants off yet another ‘high-quality’ model selfie. When there’s nothing awesome going on, resist the urge to post for the sake of your social media schedule. There’s enough rubbish out there already. Be real by creating life moments, not just posts about them. That way, you attract real people.

So get your act together! DJing is a particularly hard skill to capture on social media for a few reasons, loud audio and poor lighting among them. As you continue your DJing career as a ‘vibe curator’ keep thinking about how you’re able to effectively create and then capture good moments for your social audience. Not the other way around.

John Bartmann is a music producer and DJ.

21 Tips For Beginner DJs

Getting into DJing? It’s definitely one of the coolest professions on the planet. Whether you’re hoping for a career in DJing or just want to have some fun on the weekends, you’ll need to get to grips with the basics. So here are the starter tips that are going to help you find and build your audience.

Before you hit play, pull the track fader down. Every time. For the rest of your life.

Keep the meters in the blue. If you ain’t redlining, you have a better shot at headlining.

Gain and trim are the same thing.

If the floor is empty, don’t keep playing loud bangers. Adapt.

Plan your set in threes. Three tracks that match a feel at a time.

Know your audience. Identify them by their age, what they’re wearing and how much the event cost them.

If they’re sober, play the stuff that makes them tipsy. If they’re tipsy, play the stuff that makes them sloppy. If they’re sloppy, mission accomplished.

Keep an open mind. You don’t need to crossfade every track and most audiences aren’t technical purists. They’re just there for a good time.

Practice at home during the day.

Keep a positive attitude without being too full of yourself and your position. It’s about the music.

Your time slot determines what you’re going to play. Know how to pace the energy during the night.

Keep your EQs neutral and centered.

Beatmatching is a useful skill, but collecting and playing good music is a much better one.

Don’t overdo effects. Definitely less than 10 times an hour.

Bring a backup of your set. At the very least, have a 60 minute mix on your phone in case of laptop failure.

Don’t tolerate rudeness from your audience. Get to know an enforcer (bouncer, venue owner) before you start. Don’t be afraid to threaten drunk idiots with eviction.

Play instruments, if you dare. Nothing better than a little keyboard solo or some percussion over a nice groove.

Fail fast. Don’t think too much about your next couple of tracks. Make quick decisions. Be wrong a lot. Learn from it.

DJs who think auto-sync is the devil are threatened by their own lack of ability.

Most of the time, you’re not doing anything. That’s fine. You’re paid by the hour. Learn to bob your head well.

Make eye contact with your audience. Let them know you also love it. Don’t let them feel you’re just there for the money.

It’s really rewarding when you start making something out of your DJing. It might be a solid reputation or cold hard cash, but one thing is for sure: it takes time. So give yourself a head start and head over to one of the awesome courses at DJ Courses Online.

John Bartmann is a music producer and DJ.

DJing On A Zero Budget

Believe it or not, DJing is about music. Not just music, but also not just fancy equipment, crowds of adoring fans or having dope headwear. It’s about getting a room of people going with music that speaks to them. If you’re learning to DJ, that’s all you really need to know and everything will follow on from it. Here are a few ways to get the room going without the budget for flash.

Promotional downloads

So it turns out that the value of music being sold online is often pretty arbitrary. Labels look at what other labels are charging. Then they look at the follower numbers of their big acts, do a bit of math and make up a number. The point is that no market has never had a monopoly on the price of music. Plenty of good music exists which doesn’t have that dollar value attached to it. This comes mostly in the form of independent producers looking for a toehold in a saturated industry. Find the DJs promoting their freebies and listen critically, regardless of the lack of a price tag. You’ll find some gold. You’ll also make some friends. A direct message on Soundcloud is the best free option (and it’s how I got this track signed).

Free downloads

Sites like Noisetrade thrive on the exchange of music between independent artists and their listeners. Artists happily part with their work in exchange for email addresses and tips. The logic is that rather someone heard it than no-one. These platforms generally don’t host a top-tier catalog. It’s more raw, independent and therefore hit-and-miss. Sifting through your starred albums to find the good work can be a challenge, but along the way you’ll also find out a lot about your own taste. Which is really what it’s all about.

Keep it aural

Live events have a tendency to be very, very visual occasions. Nobody buys concert tickets without the promise of motion lighting, giant LCD screens and artists you actually want to look at. Throw in projector mapping, drones, and other event lighting draw cards and suddenly the music seems to be part of a much bigger, more ocular picture. But some artists in Manchester are putting the focus back on the audio experience by deliberately removing swish lighting elements. Make it known to your friends and fans that the spectacle isn’t really the reason you’re into DJing. It’s about the music. Make it known that your taste is classier than the rest. And go the extra mile to let your setlist reflect your musical discernment.  

Get off the Traktor

Allow this message to be broadcast from the mountains: there are alternatives to Traktor! Traktor is certainly one of the most popular platforms. It’s easy to use, ubiquitous and has a healthy support forum. Why make things difficult? For starters, it’s pretty expensive. And even if you did crack it, there’s more to DJing than song playback. DJing is a type of vibe curation. The software isn’t everything. There are free alternatives. And learning more than one program will give you the broad overview required to make it in the game.

Don’t let your financial circumstances stand in the way of your passion. We live in a time when powerful options are available to independent creators. Be motivated and inspired and start collecting the music that gives you goosebumps. Chances are it will do the same to your audience. Get cracking on your professional skills by signing up for a DJ course today.

John Bartmann is a music producer and DJ.

3 Music Industry Scams

Ah, the music industry. Home to both the coolest and most shady players on the planet. The music industry can be an incredible, exuberant triumph of the human spirit. It can also be a dark, shifty place where scammers take advantage of small fish eager to make a break. Here’s a rundown of music industry scams to avoid as your continue your DJing career.

Email scam

You get an email from someone in ‘the music industry’. It says that you’ve been found or chosen based on your work. Yeah! You should immediately get in touch to discuss further. Hmmm. Firstly, as an artist, you ARE the music industry. Someone claiming to be ‘from’ the music industry is already a little suspicious. The music industry isn’t some centralized establishment anymore. There is no mountain top to which everyone is unanimously climbing. It’s a whirling galaxy of accountants, management figures, unglamorous office workers and the very occasional artist. Secondly, deals that sound very general usually mean that the sender hasn’t wasted any time tailoring it to you. How good can it be? Aside from listing one or two of your tracks or mixes, there’s nothing special or specific about it. It’s a scam. Don’t even send a reply email. If they’re serious, they’ll find out something about you and get back to you with more detailed information.

Inflated play counts

All scams rely on the desperation of the victim. In music, it’s the desperation for recognition. You so badly want people to know how awesome your latest mix is that you’re willing to ignore the red flags. It’s common to inflate stream counts using bots and generate fake engagement using click farms. Even major players like Spotify certainly have some things to answer for with regards to stream counts. The reality check? You will not succeed overnight by buying fake engagement. You will have to do the work that others don’t seem to be doing. You will have to do something 100 times before you get noticed. Whether that’s releasing 100 mixes, producing 100 tracks or doing 100 shows, people generally start to notice what you’re doing when it’s clear that you’re not going away. Replace your desperation for recognition with work hours and you’ll dodge this one by a mile.

Large audiences, celebrities, A&R reps

We all want to believe shortcuts are an option. So DJs fall for it when we get approached to perform in front of celebrity judges, large audiences and A&R reps for a small fee. The small fee might open doors, but the overall effect is that you’re building a house on shifting sands. Auctioning your career and fanbase to the highest bidder is no way to build a lasting audience that follows you for what you do. Chasing fame and approval has killed more than one DJ. The careers that last are built on solid interaction with real people (not insta numbers). Stay away from mindless, fake entertainment shows that promise to boost your career. There are enough imitation artists out there. Surround yourself with a smaller number of real fans and you won’t be as susceptible to the pitfalls of hype.

Basically, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. The less they they know about you, the more likely they want something from you. Your email list, your music files, your money. Be wary when someone finds you online without first demonstrating that they know something about you. Make sure your DJing career doesn’t get derailed by unscrupulous operators. Take a look at a few DJ programs you can sign up for today to keep things on track!

John Bartmann is a music producer and DJ.

More Ways DJs Get Noticed

So many DJs give up when they realize what the game is really about. The ever-present photo of huge crowds thrumming along to some superstar’s choice picks doesn’t help. The first few years are more about house parties and lame requests than anything else. And if Soundcloud has taught us anything, it’s that the market for bedroom DJs and producers is totally saturated. So if you’re still getting into DJing, how are you supposed to get your name out there?

Be in the right place

The tough truth about reaching new heights is this: it’s mostly to do with your actual location on earth. Even in a time of super-connectivity, people up the chain make decisions based on who is in their face all the time. You can’t expect breaks without first taking the risk. So you might want to consider moving to a larger city. If the reputation is what you’re after, making a career move to a more happening place is a good way to earn respect.

Get the gig

If you’re just starting out, make sure you have a broad collection of crowd-pleasing music. It might not be exactly what you want to play, but it’s your way onto the ladder. You need to get the gig. You need people to think of you when they think of local DJs. You won’t remain here forever, but start by being at the party every time and making sure people know you’re up for a set anytime. Keep the floor busy.

Narrow it down

Always remember the long-term aim: to earn a reputation as someone with a very specific style. Ideally one that you actually contribute to creatively by writing your own material. But failing that, slowly build a strong collection of material that doesn’t sound like anything else. Being good at something is often just a case of being distinctive at it. To be distinctive means that you stand out, that what you’re doing is obviously the result of much effort having being put into one specific thing. To be risking it all on what you consider worthwhile. Being specific and proudly excluding some is the best way to attract loyal followers.

Be good

Ah, the old topic of being good. You see, there’s being perceived as being good. Then there’s being in vogue, and good at the time. Then there’s being good, which is really just being consistent. How do you achieve this? You do a lot of work up front at your own risk, and along the way you learn to hear and trust your unique voice. The longest lasting names on the planet often played for ten years before being noticed. Being good is about committing to the path, be it DJing or other.

So many of us are dying to hear how we can take a shortcut to achieve something worthwhile and lasting. Hopefully you’re not one of the ones that needs fame and success right now. These things need to be earned. If you play enough spots and meet enough people, you’ll realize the difference between a pretty cool guy behind the decks and a career DJ. The core difference? The school of life! There’s always a way to level up. Start by picking one of the series of DJ Courses Online courses and accelerate your career today.

John Bartmann is a music producer and DJ

3 Ways DJs Get Noticed

DJing is awesome. The platters under your fingers as you search for the sweet spot. The backspin in one ear and the room in the other while you flip through the library for the next one. The hum, chatter and roar of the crowd or group. There’s a good reason we aim to enhance our knowledge of the subject. We want to be good. How do you get good, and how do you get noticed as a DJ?

By being technically able

Step one: do the hours. This step is the reason that everyone in the world isn’t a DJ. There’s a time commitment involved. There’s a sacrifice to be made. You need to learn DJ software like Traktor and its alternatives. You need to learn the behavior of a pair of decks, an Ableton Push or whatever your weapon of choice is. The more skill you have across manufacturers and platforms, the better. Whatever it takes, make sure you’re able to plug in RCA cables without an ear-popping buzz. To get in the learning headspace, imagine you’re on before your idol in two weeks and need to get up to speed. Fast.

By being intuitive

Read the crowd. A smooth night with zero requests should be your goal. Make sure you know what the people want to hear by being up to date with both hot pop tracks and classics. Look at what they’re wearing, where the event is being held, how old they are and where they fit in. This is a good chunk of the job! Smooth transitions between tracks are a total necessity. Be invisible if that’s what’s required. Be enthusiastic if that’s what’s required.

By being enthusiastic

The crowd are sheep. They generally look to the music as the source of the energy for the night. But they can’t see the music itself, so they latch their attention onto you. Your mood needs to accurately reflect the tone and feel of the track if they’re going to leave their seats. It doesn’t all have to be arms flailing and over-the-top clowning around. Allow yourself to just enjoy the music! Stand up. Nod your head. Maybe you’re on a mobile DJ gig and actually don’t enjoy what you’re playing. That’s OK. Smile anyway, because it will make your life easier. Whatever you do, just don’t appear to be bored.

You get new jobs by having conversations with strangers. You have conversations with strangers by being approachable. Every human being has a need to dance, move around and experience the joy of music. You’ll get noticed when you address this need by playing what they want and being happy about it. Overcoming your own superficiality might take some work, but the results are worth it. Get on board with a career in DJing by signing up for one of the awesome courses offered by DJ Courses Online.

John Bartmann is a music producer and DJ.

Where to find good music for DJing

Music has never been easier to find. But good music has never been more buried! DJs only develop their taste and learn to get better in one way - by listening to an insane number of records. So if you’re finding that your setlist is being pigeonholed by your sources, it’s time to broaden your point of view. Here’s our take on the leading online stores for today’s most happening tracks.

Bandcamp

Bandcamp has been one of the most consistently reliable sources of income for artists since its inception in 2008. The selections that make their carefully curated weekly mix are always on the pulse of the British underground. Fans and DJs benefit from being quickly and easily able to download tracks at prices set by the artist, and artists benefit from choosing their own pricing structure at some of the best revenue share in the market, and by selling merch. The front page Bandcamp Weekly is a good place to start.

Juno

Juno Records is another British retail store and started in 1996 as a dance music outlet. It has since expanded but continues to offer daily releases of (mostly) dance music. The store’s focus is on vinyl releases in basically all dance music genres, but also offers soundtracks and DJ equipment. Juno is the first stop for many professional crate-diggers. Music can be filtered by daily popularity, allowing users to see what’s hot today. Like this African inspired Belgian 12”, for example.

Beatport

Not much more needs to be said about Beatport. The mega-store has long been an industry leader for electronic dance music in all available formats. The past decade has seen an increased emphasis on delivering stems to dance music producers looking to make their performances more live and improvised. Beatport is a super easy place to navigate and familiarize yourself with electronic music, but soon enough you’ll want to get off the charts and start looking elsewhere. After all, DJing is about having music that nobody else has, right?

Traxsource

Traxsource is another place to get a good, broad overview of what’s happening in the global charts. The foundation is house, but they’re not shy of listing somewhat leftfield genres like “nu jazz” in their catalog. The Top 100 Chart is full of fresh stuff, with soulful house apparently in the lead at the time of writing. They’ve also got a useful Top 50 Sounds and Loops section that might open your eyes to what’s trending on the deconstructive, stems-based edge of playback.

Generally speaking, the busier and more in-demand DJs have multiple sources for their music collection. It’s OK to hit the Beatport Top 100 when you’re starting out. But the challenge with DJing is being a curator of good music that hasn’t seen much of the light of day. Learn little tricks about DJing by signing up with DJ Courses Online today and taking your music forward.

John Bartmann is a music producer and DJ

3 Things To Remember About DJing

DJing is about balancing new music and classics, originality with formula, technical skill and passion. Being able to make these decisions on the fly is the reason to seek out and gain your experience hours. Along the way, it’s worth remembering some of the basic principles that got you into the game to begin with. Let’s take a look at a few things to remember while DJing.

Change up the style

You only ever get older and more experienced. Nobody gets to go back. But would you really want to? Would you really want to be fossilized in a moment, playing the same 200 tracks forever? The real charm of career DJing is discovering new music and being able to share it with new people. Your audience might not be young forever, but hopefully they’re open-minded enough to be receptive to new musical styles. The take-home here? Try new things. Fail fast. Learn from your experience and find the people that matter

Meet them halfway

If you’ve been DJing for longer than a couple of years, you’ll have noticed how tastes have changed. It’s a constant, one-way evolution with the occasional throwback. DJs who make a career out of their work understand one thing very clearly. You’re there to play the music that your audience wants to hear, and the audience is constantly changing. So whether you want to meet the needs of the industry directly or embark on the more difficult path of finding and growing that audience is up to you. But if you’re doing it for any kind of financial incentive, it’s a matter of meeting the audience at least halfway. DJs who get upset when people make requests during their favorite song tend to miss that point. So, as basic as it sounds, you need to find the material that is in demand while you grow your own audience.

Remember their needs

This isn’t about you. This isn’t about charting on Beatport or beating out the tech house flavor of the month with insane production and social climbing. It’s about the audience you seek to serve. If your aim is anything other than to collect and share good, distinctive music with a small group of people who can’t live without it - in other words, people who would miss you if you weren’t there - then you’re on the slow and ultimately dissatisfying path to generic averageness. You need to make heads turn and hearts burn with enthusiasm for what you’re offering. This is what your audience wants. This is your job as a DJ. Show them what good music is. It’s risky saying ‘I know you’ve probably never heard West African mbira groove music, but trust me, this is good’. Do it anyway. Stand out. Be brave.

Being able to DJ is a skill on its way to becoming also a passion. But before you create your moment in the sun, you need the technical ability behind operating the hardware and software. Learning to DJ is actually just as fun as DJing itself. Check out some of the epic courses offered by DJ Courses Online and take your DJing to the next level.

John Bartmann is a music producer and DJ.

3 More Alternatives To Traktor

Admit it. Traktor is a beast of a program. It’s universality and ease of librarianship make it a strong contender for first prize in the DJ software world. But it’s not alone. Every time we think we’ve gotten to the bottom of the list of playback engines, a new contender pops up. You’ll want a handle on at least a few if you’re aiming for any kind of professional DJ career. So let’s take a look at some of the popular underdogs in the ever-evolving world of DJ software.

DJ Player Pro

DJ Player Pro is a super-customizable and flexible DJ app for iOS. It’s the only one to support Traktor’s Stems format, beating out Native Instruments’ Traktor DJ software itself! DJ Player Pro is built for those with a clinical, software-heavy approach to DJing. The software prides itself on being a full-stack application with nothing left to the chance of outside developers. That time-stretching algorithm in Traktor? Effects? Sure, they’re good enough, but all developed by third parties. This might seem a pedantic point, or even a disadvantage. After all, who cares and what’s the difference? According to DJ Player Pro, the difference is better performance, better responsiveness and cleaner sound. The tagline ‘solid as a rock’ speaks volumes about their approach towards the build. Free to download, $1.70p/m to subscribe and $90 to buy. Features list on DJPlayerPro.com.

Mixxx

Mixxx makes the list mainly because it’s free. The Mixxx community is a friendly place to get into DJing, and has in the past been rated the #1 Top Free Mac App worldwide. Not everyone has the budget to purchase DJ software right away, and Mixxx is a great gateway to allow more novice users to test their DJ mettle. iTunes integration is likely the biggest drawcard, and being able to delve into the code also opens possibilities. The workflow and graphic user interface are simple and intuitive. Features include the standard bundle of effects, sync the lazy DJ’s prize - an auto DJ function. Open-source programs are usually among the first to fall in the competitive battleground of proprietary software, but with Mixxx you’re able to perform as a DJ with very little fuss and with very little to lose. Check out the features.

Mixvibes Cross DJ

Cross DJ lives up to its name with chameleon-like compatibility with other software. Retrieve your iTunes’ collection and playlist from inside the software. Also import Rekordbox, Traktor and Virtual DJ libraries along with hot cues, loops and playlists. The real power is integration. It’s a smart, all-encompassing program that positions itself as a network of bridges between the most popular programs with Link (Ableton) and HID (Pioneer CDJ). It’s one of the platforms that’s available on Windows, Mac, Android and iOS. Video mixing and turntable integration are additional bonus features, making Cross DJ a superbeast positioned to be at the forefront of DJing’s technical evolution. The range of product options starts at $49.99 for Windows/Mac, and they have a couple of freebies to get your started in their store.

Traktor enables so many vibe crafters to practice their art. However capable and dominant it is, being an artist is all about knowing the landscape. Take the time to check out a few of these alternative DJ programs and you’ll have an edge on the average fellow DJ. After all, knowledge is power, especially in an information age.

Sampling From Then To Now

Sampling has a checkered history. One that has given birth to new forms of music, lowered the barrier to entry for producers and witnessed the rise and fall of artists in legal battles. Whether or not you follow the idea that ‘information wants to be free’, the decision to use pre-existing tracks in your own production work should be considered carefully. We still live in an age of rights holders. Let’s check out how a career in DJing can both benefit and be derailed by sampling.

What is sampling, again?

Sampling is the reuse of part of an existing sound recording in another recording. Typical examples of sampling include using snippets of vocals (speech or singing), melodies and, most notably, drum fills and sounds. It might sound like a hip hop thing, but sampling actually started in the 1940s with musique concrète, a form of experimental music. The term was brought to light with the manufacture of the Fairlight CMI sampler in the 1970s, which enjoyed widespread use as a substitute for live drums in 80s pop music.

Hip hop

Hip hop took sampling to the next level in the late 1980s, and still does to this day. Think your favorite producer actually made that beat from scratch? Guess again. Apparently, the rule goes something like this: the amount of sampling you think took place on a record is always less than the actual amount which did. It’s not easy to know. But we do know how sampling took off. The original Akai MPC was an affordable sampler which brought the act of sampling to the masses and formed the basis of most hip hop music. Drum breaks such as the famed ‘Amen Break’ were lifted from funk records and still used as the rhythmic backdrop to everything from gangster rap to corporate advertising. Good article here to debunk some myths around sampling.

Copyright

Here’s where a little footwork is required. Sampling, in almost all cases, is an illegal practice according to US Copyright Law. The most powerful weapon a producer has to combat litigation is to avoid detection. In the early days, hiding your sampled material was as simple as outwitting the human ear by burying it in the mix, or using such short snippets that they were difficult to recognize. Now we have music recognition services like TuneSat (the software behind Shazam) to blow the whistle on impressively opaque usage. But as sophisticated as music recognition AI is already, there still isn’t enough scanning resolution to determine which songs contain exactly which samples. Sampling looks set to live another decade or so, but the jury’s out on what happens thereafter. The alternative to backdoor tactics? Get a copyright clearance for your record. If you can’t do that, don’t sample hit songs or anything by Disney!

Copyright was put in place to promote creativity. Without sampling, music simply wouldn’t be as fun. Sampling an old record and putting a beat to it is the starting point for multitudes of producers. Sure, in an ideal world we’d all be able to hire orchestras to play the string parts in our heads. (Side note: most orchestral music is public domain, meaning there will never be a lawsuit.) But until then, let the music be shared. Sign up for a DJ course today to get familiar with sampling software.

Going Deeper Into DJing

What is a DJ, really? We all know that the term ‘disc jockey’ is about 50 years too old. And that the superstar solo DJ image needs a radical update if the goal is any kind of craftsmanship in our music. Too many blog posts are about how to get your work onto Spotify playlists and get paid and very few about how to create resonant work. But beyond all these surface-level inquiries are a few deeper questions relating to the artform. Including one of the biggest of all: where are you going as a DJ? Let’s ask ourselves a few deep questions about a life behind the decks.

Do I have to act a certain way?

We’re all forced to play the game, regardless of the game. Being a person who belongs in a society means cooperation, conversation and dealing with others. Others who have their own interests and expectations. So how should a DJ behave when confronted with these expectations? The fact is that a paying crowd wants some type of performance from their DJ, be it a fist-pumping festival atmosphere or a subtle, behind-the-scenes cool and confidence. As a DJ, it’s pretty important to recognize these expectations and to decide how much you’re willing to give the audience or clientele. There’s no right answer. You’ll certainly get more jobs by conforming to stereotypes in an age where media (rather than our own personality and integrity) defines who we are. It’s the short game. The long game is teaching others your own unique personality and style by being closer to the ‘real’ you both on and off stage. The choice is yours!

Am I a tech person or a performer?

DJs are different to other types of performers. There is a far lower ceiling for theatrics. It’s actually pretty rare that a DJ intentionally draws attention to themselves through their behavior. It’s more common that gearheads make their way over to the desk to check out the equipment. Or guests come over to make requests. Nobody wants the DJ to be hogging the mic all night. They’re there for the music and the dance floor. So getting to grips with your role as a DJ means choosing where you want to position yourself. The answer is somewhere between an electrical technician, live performer and occasional MC. Are you okay with mediating between the best man and bridezilla? Are you a little scrappy with knowledge of signal flow? Knowing your own DJing strengths and weaknesses allow you a clearer picture of the path you’re really on.

How do I really succeed?

The reason there never seems to be a clear answer to this question is because those who hear the simple truth often don’t believe their ears! There’s no magic to success. There’s no secret recipe to creating a mix that tops charts, stops conversations mid-sentence or causes people to tingle with anticipation. What we can deduce is that it’s not a quick rise. The vast majority of DJs and producers you’ve heard of have released hundreds of tracks or mixes, played hundreds of shows, connected with thousands of industry people. Think about those figures for a minute. Have you reached a point where you can say you’ve done a hundred of anything? It’s not difficult to do. It just means doing it every day, indefinitely. In the absence of more obvious ways to succeed, doing a ton of work seems to be the most common. Every second you spend looking for shortcuts is a second you’ve wasted on looking for something that isn’t there.

Pretty deep, right? Whether you’re hoping for success as a DJ, producer, live performer or something else, the hope is that this advice will enable you to take off the blinkers and get busy doing what you love. This is truly a golden age for creatives. Monetization, self-publishing and artists rights are all on the increase. No more excuses! Check out a selection of DJ courses today and get on the path you came here to walk.

3 Alternatives To Traktor

Traktor is one of the most popular DJ programs around. All working DJs have at least some knowledge of the engine’s strengths and features. But it’s not the only one. If you’re new to it, check out the online Traktor course here on DJ Courses Online. Otherwise, let’s put aside the industry standard take a look at the features of some alternative DJ programs.

Atomix VirtualDJ Pro

Despite the audacious claim that VirtualDJ Pro is used by ‘tens of millions of people every day’, the fact is that the program does at the very least rival Traktor in popularity. It’s awesome. Recent developments include a ground-up rebuild of the audio engine and a recent swing towards on-screen visuals. If you’re a social type, you can broadcast your mix directly to social media. ReWire compatibility means that it plays with other programs like Ableton and Reason. Virtual DJ Pro is able to run a massive 99 virtual decks, should a standard crossfade not be good enough for you. It’s a little pricey at $299 in comparison to Traktor’s $99, which is frequently discounted. Atomix, however, have offered a rental option at $19 per month, and free versions are available with the purchase of certain partner controllers. Check out the unusual, animated TED-talk-styled ‘What Is Virtual DJ?’ video.

algoriddim djayPRO

Algoriddim was an early adopter on the mobile DJ front. If you’re the frequent target of requests at your events, djayPRO is one of the best tools on both iOS and Android. The winning feature? Ability to load tracks directly from Spotify, iTunes and Windows Explorer. djayPRO is aimed at DJs who value time spent playing music over time spent compiling playlists and being custodians of their own personal collections. Using their Automix AI tool, you can receive intelligent suggestions and easily compile playlists of suggested tracks. Other features include 4-deck mixing, turntable and waveform views, a sampler, effects, onboard support for 50 MIDI controllers and Pioneer device integration (both CDJ and XDJ). If you’re using the streaming function, you’ll obviously need a wifi connection. The pro version comes in at $50 and has a busy support forum with all the power of Microsoft behind it. Android and iOS apps available. Oh, and that burning need you had to DJ from your wristwatch? Sorted.

PCDJ Dex

PCDJ Dex is a sort of all-in-one solution for a mobile DJ, VJ and karaoke event organizer. Wait! Come back! Seriously though, Dex 3 comes in at the top of some lists for its sheer power as a party-starter. It includes the standard mixer, effects and EQs that you’d expect, but also integrates video mixing and support for karaoke files, making it a pretty flexible option for those who travel with their gear. Features include four virtual decks, beat sync and key-match, auto sync, a sample player and looper tool. Native MIDI and digital vinyl compatibility is available for a range of devices. On the visual side, you can expect on-screen text, image and video overlay features and plenty more. Check out the full list of features here. At a currently discounted rate of $119.20, Dex 3 is a flexible alternative for all-in-one event organizers. Download the trial version of Dex 3 from PCDJ.

Yeah, it’s Traktor’s world. We’re just living in it. Native Instruments’ flagship DJ software has long been the upgrade point for many a DJ looking to make a career of their DJing hobby. But things sure change quickly in the world of technology. It’s worth familiarizing yourself with a few alternatives, even if it’s only to talk shop with your gearhead amigos. Check out the other program-specific DJ courses offered by DJ Courses Online.

5 DJs Who Changed The Game

Every so often, the room dies down and true greatness is recognized. These moments are few and far between, but being a better DJ means working towards them with all your power. Check out a few of the legendary DJs and what made them household names.

Carl Cox

Before there were superstar DJs, there were (mostly) guys pushing for something more. Carl Cox was the first one to break out into the next level. A solo pioneer who has repeatedly dominated Top 100 DJ lists, his globetrotting antics set the stage for others to follow. Primary claim to fame? Owning it on three decks, leading to the nickname ‘The Three Deck Wizard’.

Cut Chemist

A former member of Jurassic 5, Cut Chemist has prevailed over both the solo DJ and band formats. As with all greats, Cut Chemist helped generate the equations necessary for mixtape culture. Primary claim to fame? Being able to throw out his own preconceived ideas and put together a mix on the fly after doing a few rounds of chatting to members of the audience.

Qbert

Qbert’s obsession with scratch DJing (and baseball caps) has led to his nickname as ‘The scratch professor’. His role as an educator of the super-niche artform has led to the Qbert Skratch University, which features some great tutorials and intricate knowledge of vinyl. Primary claim to fame? Insane technical skill on a range of equipment.

Mr Scruff

Mr Scruff demonstrates a rare approach in the often pretentious world of DJing - childlike silliness. His taste in music has not suffered for it, however. His breakthrough 1999 hit album ‘Keep It Unreal’ follows in the vein of Kid Koala by featuring samples of children’s songs/ The ‘DJ’s DJ’ has been avoiding bandwagons and keeping his friendly and fun audience clambering for more since the 90s. Primary claim to fame: cartoon illustrations, personality and regular 6-hour mixes.

Jam Master Jay

When Run DMC broke out with their self-titled debut album in 1984, the rules of DJing changed. For the first time, mainstream hip hop was aggressive, up front and featuring the DJ as part performer alongside the MCs. Played trumpet, bass, guitar and drums as a child. Primary claim to fame: the 1986 crossover cover release of Aerosmith’s - ‘Walk This Way’. Also an educator, pushing the knowledge outwards.

Learning to DJ? Make sure you check out some DJ courses for solid advice on how to up your game and become a better DJ than yesterday.

John Bartmann is a music producer and DJ

The 5 Most Popular DJ Programs

Your DJ hardware and software is your spaceship. You have to know how to fly it with your eyes closed if your aim is to level up as a DJ. Learning new DJ software isn’t always easy, but thanks to some astoundingly good design, DJing has become accessible to even the functionally challenged. Get to grips with this quick overview of the most universally endorsed DJ software on the market.

Traktor

Native Instruments has created an absolute beast in Traktor. It’s the household name and first on the list for any aspiring DJ. Well designed interface, easy to use and powerful in its interpretation of digital files. Innovative features include Sample Decks, Remix Decks and Loop Recorder. Built with hardware controllers in mind. It’s hard to praise this software’s contribution to DJing enough.

Ableton Live

Ableton Live is pure innovation. A total shapeshifter, able to perform as both a fully functioning DAW and a DJ tool. It’s all about the vertical Session View, which allows you to selectively launch clips of any length for highly creative sets and clean looping. Unbeatable for collaborations between controllerists and live musicians.

Serato DJ Pro

For integration with any kind of vinyl playback or turntablism, Serato DJ Pro leads the way. Serato’s mission has always been to make scratch DJ culture thrive by accommodating playback of digital files using special vinyl platters. The software has gone through a number of iterations, all aimed at making the experience reliable and reducing the inevitable latency ever further. Sampling effects, four-deck mixing, sync and analysis tools are also on the table with Serato

Pioneer Rekordbox DJ

With its origins in music library management, Pioneer Rekordbox DJ is capable of large and simple-to-navigate track collections and an expanded version designed for performance-oriented mixing, effects and sampling. Recordbox has the ability to control light shows and stage effects and hosts compatibility designed for karaoke. Cross-platform compatibility is another win, given that it shares its workflow and track library with the industry-standard CDJs and mixers spearheaded by Pioneer.

Virtual DJ

By paid download, Virtual DJ is the most popular software on the planet. Atomix Productions’ flagship software has kept its place in the industry by remaining up to date with design and usage trends. Notably, their additional subscription service allows you to stream tracks absent from your library directly online. Their functionality includes video as well as the usual sampler and effects. Their ease of use, ubiquitous product support and ‘VDJScript’ language allows you to tweak functions to your preference.

Truth be told, it matters far less which software you use than what tracks you play. But having an all-round knowledge of these products is a quantum leap towards learning to DJ like a pro. Pro tip? Get on top of a few of these programs if you’re serious about your art.

John Bartmann is a music producer and DJ