How DJs can protect their hearing

“If it’s too loud, you’re too old?” True. Until you turn 40 and realize that you really don’t score any points for having to lean forward and say “huh?” every time your little nephew speaks. Seriously, it’s pretty dumb advice, usually offered in poor judgment by the non-sober. Here’s some better advice on how to keep your DJing passion alive, well past your formative years. 

Use better headphones

When headphones block out the room sound, you don’t have to turn them up so loud. You’re effectively turning down the room volume. A good pair of over-ear headphones is the best way to make sure you don’t have to blast your cue mix in order to hear what’s coming up next. For DJ Courses Online students, here’s a little bit more on playing longer DJ sets. 

Carry earplugs

A pair of soft foam earplugs will do amazing things for your life as a DJ, but also as a citizen of a developed city. Traffic, construction, suburban gardening tools - these all contribute to the angsty background hum of modern life. Loud music is awesome, but as a DJ, you gotta attend a lot of parties. Hundreds of hours of being in a loud environment. Make a habit of carrying earplugs and save yourself a few hours of hearing each time. You’ll still hear the music and be in the vibe. 

Rest your ears

Maybe you already have a quiet place to go when you’re off duty. The gentle sounds of nature are a panacea to a loud lifestyle. Even just an hour of being alone in a forest or natural area has an amazing effect in balancing you out and refreshing you for the next party! If your only idea of downtime is gaming, you’re adding pressure to an already amped up lifestyle. Don’t quit your gaming (as if that’s an option!). Just balance it out a bit with some quiet time. Makes sense, right?

Don’t get the wrong idea. There are a bunch of good reasons to listen to music at a high level. But if it’s too loud, maybe it’s just too loud. Even really cool, awesome party people have had the experience of knowing without a doubt that the levels are too high, and that the DJ probably isn’t aware. Are your ears still ringing the next day? That’s tiny hearing cells singing their final goodbye. Take this stuff seriously, guys.

Misconceptions about DJing

The fight against misconceptions in DJing is real. Ask any professional DJ who’s ever had someone ask them why they charge so much, or demand that they play only vinyl because of the sound quality. As a DJ, you’ll wanna be prepared for this type of attitude. We got your back. Here are a couple of the main misconceptions held by both DJs themselves and their audiences. 

MP3s are inferior

In terms of sound quality, MP3s are slightly inferior to lossless files like WAV and FLAC. That much is true. But the idea that you need to play lossless files in order to be considered a good DJ is rubbish. The quality of the sound rig you’re playing on might give away the fact that a file is an MP3, but most rigs won’t. Many MP3 rips are terrible and have that squeaky aliasing sound in the treble, but in all other respects, a 320kbps export of a file is practically identical to a WAV. If anyone ever calls you out on playing MP3s, enjoy watching them fail a blind comparison challenge. Humans just aren’t that good at telling the difference, and that’s why MP3s are as popular as they are. 

Your musical taste is superior

Your taste isn’t superior to anyone’s in any way. It’s simply what you enjoy. So saying that your choice in music is better than anyone else’s is like saying that they shouldn’t enjoy green beans because brown beans are better. There has never been a DJ who managed to capture 100% of the crowd. Like you, people have their own tastes. The more professional you aim to be as a DJ, the less you’ll play the music you love and the more you’ll cater to the tastes of the crowd. Being a good DJ means being willing to learn and develop your taste to suit the crowds you aim to please. Aim to find that sweet spot, where both you and the audience can enjoy the music fully. Your taste isn’t superior to anyone’s in any way. It’s simply what you enjoy.

DJing is easy and automated

Uh…no. Admittedly, many big events do require very little of the DJ. But for the most part, DJing requires a lot more than technical knowledge and a musical collection. DJing is about people. It’s about dealing kindly with drunk people, negotiating song requests, carrying expensive gear through dodgy streets. It’s about being diligent enough to prepare, to think out possible eventualities. It’s about remembering to pack an extra RCA cable, because the birthday girl’s sister is going to ask you if she can play something off her phone. So if you’re looking for a bit of music, pick a Spotify playlist. Booking a DJ, on the other hand, gets you experienced judgment calls, crowd control and a hype monster who’ll give you a great night out.

Misconceptions are everywhere. As a DJ, you’ll want to make sure your clients know the difference between a Spotify playlist and a human being with years of experience. They’re not paying for music, they’re paying for good judgment. They’re paying for someone who knows that unless you duct tape a cable to the floor, someone will trip over it and bring the PA tops crashing to the floor. That’s why you gotta learn the industry standard DJing practices. Take your journey to the next level.

How do DJs pick songs for their sets?

In case it’s not entirely clear, DJs are selectors of music. But the bulk of this selection doesn’t actually happen on the fly, but rather at home during set preparation. A common mistake many new DJs make is to assume they’ll find the right track in the moment. But unless you have an encyclopedic knowledge of all music, it actually takes a little forethought to curate a DJ set. Here’s how. 

Find the right ratio

Having a set that’s just one banger after another is gonna get the crowd going very quickly, but pretty soon they’ll want a chance to take a breather or some kind of palette cleanser. On the other hand, leave your hit tracks until too late in the night and you run the risk of the floor staying empty. The trick is balance and ratio. For every 5 hot tracks, you should play about 2 that are relatively unknown to the masses. In other words, find that sweet spot that satisfies them but also leaves them wanting more. 

Get them drinking

Yep. Especially in bar gigs, where you’re getting paid a split of the sales. There are tracks that call for tequila shooters, tracks for the beer crowd, tracks that get the old folks to get another bottle of wine. If you want to instigate a bar rush, timing is key. The right time is usually about 15 minutes after the first wave. More people are sitting down, checking phones. This is where you drop a few primers and then a banger to let them know it’s not time to go home yet. 

Know the audience, of course

People everywhere love to get dressed up and head out. The more exotic the party or venue’s theme, the more risky your set can be. For example, doing the music for a toga party means looking for tracks that are fun, funny and lighthearted, while a pool bar probably wants very little more than Lynard Skynard and top 40 classic rock remixes later in the night. Knowing these types of cultural norms takes time and experience, but pretty soon you’ll realize how much power you have as a party starter! 

DJs all have one thing in common: we know how to curate a vibe. Sound matters, image matters. But nothing matters more than knowledge of music. The ability to talk music with other people and to sell your ability to select music are at the heart of the game. DJ Courses Online helps with the technical aspects of learning to DJ. The rest will depend on your love of the game!

Three questions every DJ has been asked

Most often, DJing just means showing up for the gig with the gear on time. But when you’re getting creative by throwing your own parties or selecting new music, you often need to figure stuff out for yourself. Everyone’s had questions about what works and what doesn’t, what people want, how to get noticed. Stuff like that. Get a sense of the questions that career DJs get asked.

What makes a tune work?

At the heart, good musical composition and powerful lyrics. That’s the cake. Then, the right balance of frequencies. That’s the icing. A tune needs to connect people emotionally, to bring them together regardless of any differences between them. Nostalgia is a key part of this. People love what they know, and new material can’t always compete with songs that are nested deep in their psyche through the years of repetition. 

What’s the goal of DJing?

To enhance the acoustic atmosphere of a space so that the people in that space can experience a heightened emotional state. This means knowing the equipment well enough to be able to shape that experience. For example, knowing that a house system is a little dull in the high frequencies means that you need to respond by pushing the highs a little. 

How do you start a scene? 

The idea of starting a scene is a little flawed. Music scenes that propagate and grow are the result of breaking into and then building community. Individuals don’t have all the power to themselves. They merely direct the desires of the scene by taking action and showing up with solutions to the crowd’s problems (weekend boredom, lack of transport, cultural underrepresentation, etc). This takes a certain amount of empathy. Being able to see into the desires of groups of people is a good start. Then there’s playing the music they love, every weekend!

Made up your mind that you’re a DJ, like it or not? That’s the spirit! So you have the passion, you might even have the gear. Now you need the knowledge to level up your abilities. YouTube is a good place to learn, but focused DJ video coursework is what DJ Courses Online does best. Check out the courses on offer today.

Audio treatment tips for your room

Most people who are learning to DJ also create electronic music. If you’re one of them, you’ll want to produce tracks and mixes that sound good on big systems. It’s not enough to only use algorithmic mastering services to improve the quality of your mix. That’s where acoustic treatment comes in. Follow these tried-and-true steps to make your room - and your mixes - sound better.

Get good speakers at head height

You’re familiar with the music producer’s curse: you make a dope sounding track, but when you play it on your friend’s system, it sounds weird. There’s no bass, or too much. The mids are screaming, or the whole thing sounds too quiet. Good speakers at the solution to half of this problem. With a pair of studio monitors (not desktop PC speakers or hifi speakers), you’ll have a clearer, flatter EQ response from your signal. It’s an absolute must for anyone serious about producing music and DJing professionally.

Get some room insulation

Just as important as good speakers is a dead room. So many factors ‘color’ the sound in the room, but having acoustic foam insulation will reduce the low end dramatically and rid you of some of the dreaded reverb. Unwelcome audio is the enemy of a clear mix, and must be destroyed. Use corrugated foam on as many flat surfaces as you can to absorb the sound bouncing around your room.

Learn a bit about sound

You want to level up as a DJ? Study a little bit about how sound works. If you only spend your precious DJ practice and fun time doing the same stuff, you’ll stagnate. So make friends with the learning process. Look up stuff like ‘how sound behaves’ (here’s a great video channel with visualizations). The science of DJing is far more predictable and reliable than some of the crowds at your gigs!

Even though most DJs are known for their hype value and bangers, being a DJ is so much more. Your expertise as a sound engineer will stand you in good stead. Learning a bit about DJing and sound will enable you to make good judgment calls on a variety of rooms and spaces. And besides that, you get to sound like someone who knows what they’re talking about, which is pretty hot! 

3 types of sampler for your next DJ set

Samplers? Aren’t they for battle DJs from the 90s? Sure, everything is possible with software now, but having an additional device besides your DJ decks is a good idea. Using multiple sound sources is the key to making music that sounds vivid and fresh. Here are three ways to use a sampler in your next set. 

Dedicated hardware samplers

The Roland404 series is still very much the OG of commercially available hardware samplers, but really any device that allows for playback and manipulation of samples will do the trick. From single one-shot triggers to loops and even full tracks, samplers are limited only by onboard memory and your imagination. 

Modulation devices that can act as samplers

While devices like the Kaoss pad are devoted more to the realtime modulation of an audio signal than the playback, they can in fact be samplers, too. There’s a small amount of onboard memory that allows for the device to store pre-loaded samples or even those created on the fly. Syncing loops to your main beats gets a bit tricky (you’ll need to connect the device to your computer or decks), so consider using it as a fun gimmick rather than a cornerstone of your set. 

Looper devices and guitar pedals

Guitarists all know the Boss range of instrument pedals, which all allow for signal modulation of some kind. They have a range of loopers with varying amounts of functionality, all of which can be used to trigger samplers in interesting ways. Their delay pedal range includes ‘hold’ functionality, which can also be hacked to be used as a real-time sampler! 

Samplers are a superb way to bring a fresh vibe to your set. Let’s be honest - DJ sets downloaded entirely from Beatport by algorithmic suggestion only do sometimes sound a little flat and homogenous. Bringing additional devices into your set is one way to give the floor some life! So little time, so much DJ course material learning to do!

The 4 pillars of hardware DJing

Look ma, no computer! Hardware DJing has grown in popularity over the last 20 years as more people seek their escape from the screen. After all, screens are mostly for work, and unless you aspire to be a professional DJ, DJing is mostly for fun, right? So let’s check out the 4 devices you’ll need to be a hardware DJ. 

Drum machine / sequencer

The step sequencer is most often a drum machine of some kind. It’s responsible for keeping the groove going so that you can do live stuff over the top. Sequencers can also be units or modules within other devices which allow you to trigger those onboard sounds. Basically, the sequencer/drum machine is the heartbeat of the setup.

Synthesizer

If the sequencer is the heart, the synthesizer is the mouth of the setup. It’s where the most colorful sounds originate. You can use synths like the Arturia PolyBrute to play live keys, for example, or in combination with the sequencer to trigger back sounds. Arps are particularly powerful ways of creating dance music, which generally requires more precise timing than other forms of music. Envelopes and effects are where you can do the characteristic builds and drops. 

Sampler

Samplers can play back full tracks, loops or even just oneshots such as drum sounds and fills. Samplers bring the magic of pre-recorded audio to the mix. Dance music comes alive when it contains Bollywood vocal, a great line from a mafia film or a live darbuka loop. There’s something about combining multiple sound sources that gets us all going. To continue the body parts analogy, samplers are the face of the music. They give us the hooks we can relate to. 

Mixer

And finally, the brain of the setup. While the mixer can be used creatively by fading parts in and out and overlaying reverb and delay effects, it’s primary function is to input multiple tracks and output a stereo feed for the house system. Mixers can also be DJ-specific (battle mixers or 4-channel mixers) or studio builds. 

The magic of hardware DJing is the absence of a computer. It’s something to experience, both as a crowd member or as the DJ yourself. The idea that DJing music can totally transcend modern computing is awesome, and the hardware DJing approach always results in a fresher, cleaner and often more powerful sound. Or, if you prefer, you can stick with the Ableton Live DJing course by DJ Courses Online.

Pros and cons of streaming your DJ set

One of the upsides to the pandemic has been how we’ve all needed to learn to stream our sets. Video camera sales skyrocketed. Web traffic to live stream tutorials has increased. And pretty much everyone knows what OBS is now. But should you be live streaming your IRL gigs? Here are a few reasons to consider. 

Pro: people listen with their eyes

It’s no longer enough to send a link to mixcloud. To gain new fans, you really have to lean into video. Live streaming your set shows people that you’re a busy DJ, and also gives them the chance to interact with you on the fly. Video beats audio hands-down. Video is where we meet. Embrace it. People are desperate for something cool, fresh and new. Act like the pro DJ you know you are and show them your taste in music!

Pro: interaction on their terms

People get excited when they get to earn social points with very little effort. By live streaming your set, you put your best work in front of people who aspire to do what you’re doing. It’s a flex, and the audience will love it. When you show up continually and consistently, they’ll tune in, comment and share your video. If your plan is to build a career as a DJ, you’re in the business of reaching out to people on their terms - wherever they are.

Con: extra work

Yep. Sorry, but a live streaming setup is already at least an extra bag of gear to set up, monitor and protect during your set. Stuff like tripods and flight cases are the heaviest, so rather use gorilla tripods and laptop bags. It’s an extra chore monitoring the live feed, commenting and triggering gifs during your set. Cameras, extra gear and audio feeds certainly add complexity. 

The upside? You’re now a streaming DJ. You’re more in people’s faces. When they see you IRL, they’ll mention your latest video. And ultimately, you’ll make more money in ticket sales when the time comes to throw a party. Video and live streaming is arguably the best marketing tactic around today. Use it. Find out more about marketing your music from the pros in the DJ Career Tips course by DJ Courses Online.

DJ sampler apps for smartphones

DJing is more than just playing music. It’s about creating a vibe in the room that makes people want to stick around and move. In a previous piece, we looked at how having a sampler app on your phone gives you that edge. Check out these 3 sampler apps which let you play back DJ idents and custom samples by triggering them on your phone. Little tricks like these are how we move from hobby DJ to professional DJ, so get on it!

G-Stomper

If you haven’t tried out G-Stomper, get on it. It’s a beast, and deserving of the universal love it gets. The sampler sectdion is just one of its features, but it delivers as expected. Sequence drum machine-styled patterns with up to 8 samples at a time. Click and hold a sample to load one from your phone. Loads more. Pros: sophisticated and beautiful. Cons: Only 12 sounds before you have to upgrade.

Samply

Samply is one of the leading apps for iOS and Android, probably because the app doesn’t try to bake too much functionality into its interface. On an ordinary-size phone, you’ll get 12 sample pads, each with their own volume control and trigger. Pros: simple, free (with some banner ads) and intuitive built-in playback features. Cons: costs a couple bucks to load more than 3 sample packs at a time. 

DJ Sound FX

Another simple app with a bunch of built-in sounds which doesn’t promise more than it delivers is DJ Sound FX. Onboard sounds include typical hype DJ stuff like an airhorn, explosion and MC catchphrases (“Here we go now!”). Pros: loads of sounds to choose from (bat sounds?!). Cons: unattractive interface and sneaky ads disguised as the actual transport panel for the app!

To play back samples from your phone while DJing, you’ll need to plug it into a spare input on the mixing desk. Most phones still have 3.5mm headphone outputs, but if your phone is a more recent iPhone or Samsung, you’ll need a USB-C to RCA cable. Make sure your volume levels match the track you’re playing, and get triggering and consider checking out the Advanced DJ Techniques III course by DJ Courses Online today.

Three ways to use your phone to DJ

It’s a carrier pigeon! It’s a computer! It’s a game console! Ladies and gentlemen, it’s the amazing smartphone! And it puts the power of a thousand suns in the pocket of every DJ, large or small. So here’s how you could stand out of the crowd and use your phone to boost your presence as an upcoming hotshot DJ. Take it beyond a hobby and sign up for a DJ course online.

Extra source of music

It’s a good idea to have a backup when DJing. You only need to crash and burn once to realize it. So keep that emergency 60-minute mix on your phone. Plug the phone into any spare mixer channel before you start. Most mixers have an aux input. That way, if your laptop crashes (or worse, decides to update) as you take the stage, you can keep the music going. 

Standalone DJ app

DJ apps are cute little alternatives to a pair of decks. They’re good for house parties or music takeovers when the party is feeling a little dull. And the best part? You’ve always got the chance to show off your collection. Just one thing before using your phone to DJ: make sure you’ve completely disabled notification sounds and incoming calls. Preferably switch to flight mode. Having WhatsApp interrupt your set is pretty cringe. 

Ident sampler 

You can use your phone as a little sampler to play back DJ idents, one-shots or even run loops synced up to your set. Idents are short branded shoutouts of your DJ name. They work. If you have any doubt, just ask anyone if they’ve ever heard of DJ Khaled. Because there’s no mixing involved (just instant triggering), make sure the phone’s volume level is matched to the beats otherwise you might blow the heads off the crowd!

Phones rule, and it’s likely only a matter of time before there’s more class-compliance in how they interact with decks and mixers (right now, they’re treated by DJ setups as nothing more than storage devices, which doesn’t really harness their power). But until we have Android or iOS software running on Pioneer mixers, keep going strong on your journey by learning to DJ from the pros.

Understanding DJ subculture

It feels a bit weird reading about dance music and DJ subculture. After all, the point of the whole scene is to get away from stuff that sounds academic, right? The reason we DJ is to get away from school and hilariously theoretical articles like this. But every so often, you gotta admit it’s useful having a broad reminder of how the DJ and dance music culture all works. Here’s an overview of what defines an arts scene.

The music scene

A scene is defined by the music it listens to. Fashion, too. In a music scene, people feel free to express the side of them that they aren’t able to during the normal business of life obligations. A scene is an outlet, an escape. It’s where we choose to meet and represent ourselves as we want to, and not as we have to. Being part of a scene is an act of contribution. By choosing to dress a certain way, you’re not just flexing, you’re actually contributing something! By learning to DJ and showing your music taste to the others, you’re serving a community.

Action and reaction 

Art is always a reaction to something. In the case of dance music, it’s a reaction to society’s demand for us to sit down and concentrate like factory workers. When dancing, the physically passive state is replaced by body movement, and the cognitive focus is replaced by the freedom to be fun and impulsive. Not everything about the party scene is healthy, but dancing is. It activates all sorts of chemicals that are good for you, which is why the link between dancing and health is being studied.

Earning through community

At some point, most non-professional hobby DJs pause to consider the possibility of making money by throwing parties. This is not as easy as some would make it sound. It’s not a direction for the faint of heart. Like most careers in the arts, it relies entirely on your participation in the scene. In order to get bookings, you need to be someone who gets on well with others and acts like a professional, not an out-of-control party hog or a hopeful newcomer. 

That means doing the uphill work of learning to DJ. Seriously? Professional DJs practice. They practice their mixes at home. They take time out to experiment with different styles. By the time they start earning, they’ve paid their dues. You can shortcut that process by learning directly from the pros. Check out the full selection of DJ courses on offer today and take your passion for the scene to the next level.

DJ-friendly jobs that don’t require a following

It’s sometimes pretty painful trying to get booked. It seems as though the only thing the promoters care about is one number: your Insta following. Not even your Soundcloud numbers matter so much, and it’s a music streaming platform! But not every DJ-related job in the industry requires you to be the one on stage. Check out these jobs where you get mad props just for knowing how to DJ. 

Events booker

Many DJs (if not all of them) are also events bookers. That means they’re either creating a catalog of entertainment acts for local events or they’re earning an affiliate commission for being involved in a successful booking. If you’re a DJ, you can often insert yourself into the bill at a wedding or party where you’ve been hired to book a band. It starts with you being helpful and connected to the scene. The opportunities to build a name for yourself as a standalone act will flow from there. 

Press officer

Maybe you’re good with words and video editing. You might be well suited for a position as a press or public relations officer. As a DJ, you’re able to empathize with other DJs and musicians. This just means you’re the official communicator on behalf of the DJ you represent. You craft their image through social media and branding. You (often) make them appear more important than the public would otherwise think they are. It involves a lot of outreach, but as a DJ you’re not afraid of getting your hands a little dirty! And you get to attend all the parties while you build your own name as a DJ. 

Content creator

You’d be surprised how many DJ-related jobs there are out there. Not all of them require the swagger of a well-paid superstar (you don’t really want that, anyway). Some of them call for expertise in music production, while others are pushing the boundaries and require knowledge of video editing, writing and coursework creation. It's a less stable income, but you’re a DJ. You’re used to it. And besides, everyone’s a freelancer now. 

Keep your mind open to the possibilities. There is always going to be an onslaught of media showing people who are apparently more successful than you are. It’s not about making a dent in history. It’s about pursuing your own passion, and weaving it into your everyday life. Make that start with one of the excellent courses by DJ Courses Online today.

The career DJ playbook

Let’s say you’ve never touched DJ equipment in your life. Now you’re ready to start your journey towards cultivating a crowd of fans that shows up whenever you play. What’s the quickest and most painless way to get there? Follow these three steps to make your way forward as a career DJ.

Year 1: know your aims

Start honest. If you’re aiming to make cash, you’ll need to play the hits. So acquire the 1000 greatest wedding songs. Organize them into a dance set ranging from 110BPM - 150BPM. Practice mixing every day. Know the titles and tracks of the biggest hits. Acquire everything you need, down to the RCA adapters for your spare cables. Definitely sign up for an affordable DJ training course and watch tons of YouTube tutorials. 

Year 2: know your audience

Move to the biggest nearby city. Listen to what’s playing on the radio. Yep, radio is still king, especially in developing countries. Know what people are demanding. Keep practicing. Make friends in the scene and play lots of house parties through hi-fi speakers. Make sure people don’t put their drinks on the DJ table. Don’t ask to get paid yet. Take loads of photos and videos showing people having a good time while you’re DJing.

Year 3: know your worth

Finally, time to start professional DJing! Approach clubs in town that host DJ nights. Show them all the fun you’ve been curating. Get a gig. Play the newest hits. You’ll be invited back. Get a residency. Get all your agreements in writing. Play the occasional gig for free, but never play for nothing. Know your worth by demanding something in return, even if it’s only something like free drinks for 4 friends.

The career DJ knows something that most amateurs don’t: that it’s not about them. Competition is fierce, and anyone who is able to pay will demand that you have professional standards, good taste and are a pleasure to work with. Don’t believe the hype. DJing is mostly about plugging in cables and pretending to have a good time so that strangers can meet each other. So get cracking and whether or not you make it, you’ll have a good time!

DJing older music

Maybe you’re in DJing for the extra money. Maybe for the street cred and the fans. So if you’re aiming to make a name as someone who has taste, you’ll need to find the gems - or even better, produce them yourself. And what’s the one place that upcoming DJs always forget to look for the bangers? The past! Let’s check out a few tips for DJing older music. 

Why look back in time?

It’s 2022. The 1970s were 50 years ago. There was way less recorded music back then, but most of it did have to pass through some kind of tastemaker to ever see the light of day. The result? A higher quality-to-rubbish ratio. In other words, it’s easier to find good undiscovered music by going through the Motown back catalog than by searching online for ‘stuff that sounds like Motown’. The goal is to find those gems.

Retro is cool

The past is always in fashion, if you know when to look. Usually it takes a generation for culture to start recycling. In the 2010s, synthwave and synth-pop were in fashion. And true enough, a lot of 90s stuff is trending now. Go with it. Find those 90s hits and remixes that you think are dope and play them at your next party. DJing isn’t always just about playing the hits. Sometimes you have to show people your own taste and style. Start with a list of 90s dance music artists.

Old people party too

Of course, avoid playing ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ at a beach bar just because you spot someone in a leather jacket. But do acknowledge that not everyone who parties is under 30, even if you are. It’s definitely worth having some of yesterday’s hits in your crate, or at least some uplifting remixes of them. DJing is about showing people a good time. The older you get, the less you care about new stuff. Where appropriate, show the oldies a good time too! (Oh yeah, and they generally have more money, too.)

There’s still a ton of good undiscovered music from the pre-Internet days. And you’ll be surprised at the recording and production quality too. The way music is mixed has changed, and the party crowd always wants something new. Especially when it’s old. Get on track with the Advanced DJ Techniques and Tips III course

The one thing most DJs get wrong

DJing to a pumped up crowd is obviously super-fun. To get there, you have to know how to do more than just the fun stuff. Learning different styles of music is a stumbling block for most DJs. Have a favorite style, but at least know how to spin the rest. They’re trusting you to play what they like, even if they’ve never heard it before. Here’s more.

It starts at home

House is the home base for most DJs. It’s where you first start out. The groove is solid, the genre is popular and there’s nothing tricky about most house music. Once you’ve got beatmatching down, you’re on your way. But it’s also an easy place to get stuck. Getting stuck in a formulaic predictable style is one place that most DJs go wrong. Remember, the goal is to get better at DJing at eventually stand out! 

Get unstuck

Pick a type of dance music that you think is the absolute worst. Whatever that is for you. Then, grab three tracks from that style and import them into your software. Practice mixing them, even though it feels like you’re wasting your time. You’re not. Versatility is a key part of being a professional DJ. But yeah, you might want to take a shower after. 

Stay in the loop

There’s always some new track charting that’s a little different to the others. Find these outliers and add them to your set. It might have a weird vocal sample, new-sounding instrumentation or a strange choice of mastering. Collecting tracks that show this type of distinctiveness are what show your taste. Use them to practice formulating your own unique style.

Anyone can DJ. It’s true. It’s not hard. So what sets a good DJ apart? Experience. Taste. Attitude. Make these the pillars that you build your house on. People want to have a good time, and you’re there to give it to them. Level up your DJ game with one of the DJ Courses Online courses today.

3 ways in which DJs get exploited

Yikes! But yeah. Sometimes, being a DJ can be like dodging the dodgy dealers. Event organizers are under huge pressure and take huge financial risks. Sometimes, the events are disastrous. Then, they try to save money by squeezing their way out of all the handshake deals they’ve made. In this post, we’ll check out three things to watch out for when signing up to DJ.

Being asked to play for free

The topic of playing for free is a tricky one. It’s easy to say “no, you should never play for free”. But there are circumstances in which you actually should DJ without payment. But you should never play for nothing. Always get something out of the deal, even if asking for it means you risk losing the gig. And besides that, you only learn when you DJ in front of actual crowds. A good deal can sometimes be a good deal, even if there’s no payment involved. Only a Sith deals in absolutes. 

Being asked to pay to play

This, on the other hand, is utter rubbish. Avoid any kind of pay-to-play deals. They resemble multi-level-marketing (pyramid) schemes, where money comes from inside the event company rather than outside. Never, ever pay to DJ. And make sure you report or spread the word about those who offer you “an exciting opportunity for exposure.” That’s not the path towards being a respected professional DJ (but this is).

The deal changes after the gig

You’ve made an arrangement with an event organizer. You show up and play  the gig. Suddenly afterwards, you’re not getting paid the full amount. Or you owe something for a technical issue that wasn’t your fault. The promoter says you didn’t bring in the crowds. These types of post-gig disagreements are very common. The best thing you can do is prepare for the disputes beforehand. Always find out something about the reputation of the person hiring you. And if they’re legit, they won’t mind signing a written document, will they?

Most of the stuff we put out on DJ Courses Online is meant to build you up and encourage you to be the best DJ you can. We want you to win! So don’t be too alarmed by this post. It’s not meant to scare you off. It’s meant to warn you about the occasional nasty realities of the industry. But you got this. Get stuff in writing if you’re not sure. Always stay positive and focus on the fans.

Should you ever DJ for free?

What a monster topic! On the one hand, you don’t ever want to undervalue yourself. On the other, how else do you learn than by playing to actual crowds? Of course, in an ideal situation, you won’t have to decide, because someone will offer to pay you. But in reality, you’ll often be the one even raising the topic of payment. Let’s unpack this often controversial topic from different points of view. 

Yes, you should sometimes DJ for free

Marshmello’s coming to town, and he wants you to open for him. The catch? There’s no paycheck. As unlikely as this situation is, there are cases in which you ‘play the game’ by doing free support slots. These can be for friends or for visiting headliners. They can be shows where awesome quality video is being filmed, or it’s some kind of talent showcase. Free gigs can be charity or full-on favors for people you like. Yes, like it or not, you will end up doing shows for free while you’re learning to become a more professional DJ. 

No, you shouldn’t ever DJ without payment

Others say that to DJ for free is to devalue your own skills. But it also devalues the whole game for others. When you undercut your local DJ by playing for free, you teach the event organizer that in your town, they can get something for nothing. If someone’s throwing an event where alcohol is being sold or sponsored, the organizers should pay anyone who is contributing value to the event. There are no exceptions. The risk should be on those who profit, not the employees of those who profit.

What’s the answer?

The reality is that beginner DJs don’t pull crowds, and should consider some events worth doing for free. If you’re in charge of the party, you often don’t have a choice! But never DJ for nothing. In your negotiations, you need to include something that benefits you (other than a good time and a feeling of importance). In exchange for playing without payment, you should at least be given access to a folder of premium event video footage that you can use on your socials, a few drinks and a meal, comps for a few friends and a decent writeup in the event description. Get all of this in an email to avoid later disputes.

There’s an old saying: Never pay for something when you can get it for free. Most of the people above you in the profession will think like this. It’s your job to prove your value. And when you’re ready, you will. Until then, you need all the help you can help becoming a pro DJ. Now’s the time to head over to the DJ Courses Online course material and choose the one that best suits you.

3 places to share your DJ mixes

You wanna get noticed? Start with a great DJ mix. Something that raises the eyebrows of those who hear it. Something that gets the room moving. Then, share it. Back in the day, that meant getting a cassette or record pressed. Now, it’s just a matter of picking a platform and hitting a few buttons. Here’s how to grow your DJ presence online by sharing your mixes.

Soundcloud

Soundcloud has been on a bumpy ride in the past decade. The world’s most popular audio sharing platform has hung on by the fingernails, fighting copyright strikes and competition to remain a place where DJs can share their mixes with fans. In March 2021, Soundcloud announced the first-ever fan-powered royalties system. This enables listeners of your music to support the artists you spin directly.

Mixcloud

Mixcloud has always been pushing the DJ game forward. The platform has supported fair practices for Twitch streamers by doing blanket deals with rights-holders. This allows Twitch streamers to use tracks on Mixcloud without copyright takedowns. Mixcloud has gone even further, allowing streamers to bypass OBS and go live straight from their browser. If you’re a DJ, you should be putting your mixes on Mixcloud.

Direct

Of course, not everyone is trying to be public with their new releases. You can also submit them directly to other DJs, tastemakers and bloggers who want exclusive, previously unreleased stuff. A good old-fashioned direct link is the way to go here. Google Drive, Dropbox and MediaFire are ways to share a full length WAV mix. 

Sharing your stuff makes sense, right? As a professional DJ, you do need good photos and live videos. But even if you don’t have that stuff yet, a good solid DJ mix will set you apart from the others. Make your tastes known to the world. And while you’re here, check out the DJ Courses Online curriculum. 

3 mistakes DJs make when video recording their set

Having a well-shot 3-camera video of your DJ set feels awesome. Makes you feel like you’re doing a Boiler Room set or something. It’s worth putting in a little extra effort to get a good one. Avoid these common mistakes and level up your DJ skills with DJ Courses Online today.

Poor lighting

This is such a tough problem to get around. Most venues don’t have lighting which optimizes the DJ. And besides that, DJs generally don’t enjoy having lights in their faces. But you gotta play the game. A subtle ring light should show just enough of what you’re doing with your face and hands. And it beats the grainy lighting of most webcams. 

Redlining the master

The levels in your DJ software might be good, but how about the levels on your recording computer? You might be redlining, or even too soft. An in-the-box stereo recording isn’t really good enough. Look at the Boiler Room DJ set videos. All of them have crowd sounds. 

Bad framing

In photography, the size of your shot and what’s in it is known as composition. To get good composition, you have to position the camera so that your head is fully in the frame (not cut off) and there’s nothing blocking the camera. Ignore the crappy backing music and check out these 9 tips for better framing.

Getting a good live video requires that you think like a photographer. Get on YouTube and check out some basic photography tuts. Get on DJ Courses Online and sharpen your DJ skills. Yeah, another hat for you to wear. But making a name is the game we’re playing, right?

Video recording your DJ set

Now that most DJs have had a couple of years to practice streaming their sets from home, it’s time to get back in the live events game. Nothing screams “hire this pro DJ” than someone getting a whole room going. And to communicate those moments, you’ll need video recordings of your DJ set. Here’s how.

Good picture

There are a range of affordable webcams on the market that you can position around your gear and connect directly to a secondary laptop. Three cameras should do the trick. Get good angles which show what you’re doing with your hands, face and don’t forget to get one on the crowd. This videographer shows us a few tricks to filming DJ sets.

Good sound

It’s a good idea not to try using your DJ software to record while DJing. There’s a dedicated feature for recording sets in most software. But without any room sounds, the whole video looks fake. You’ll need a couple of “whooo!” moments in your audio to show people that you didn’t just edit the soundtrack afterwards.

Good performance

You come alive at gigs. Show people. Have a good time, and play to the camera (but not too much!). When you’re rolling, do put on a little bit of a show by fist-bumping, singing along and generally vibing right. That’s the stuff that booking agents are looking for. 

Getting those three things is trickier than it sounds, and a lot can go wrong. Minimize your risk by carrying that extra bag of equipment. Yes, it’s a pain, but once you see your first 3-camera shoot edited together, you’ll be hooked. DJ Courses Online is the place to get all sorts of practical music industry DJ tips. Consider signing up for a DJ course today!