Can Anyone DJ?
I was interested in finding out if anybody can be a DJ. Through extensive research, these are the results I came up with to find the answer.
So can anyone DJ? For a person to DJ, it takes talent and knowing how to read the crowd. It takes having the right equipment and thousands of songs at the DJ’s fingertips. Having a business aspect mind is the key to being successful, not just the partygoer.
Having DJ In Your DNA
Creativity, heart, perseverance, and knowledge of music make the DJ. Many people have DJ DNA and you could be one of them. Even if grandpa didn’t pound the sounds from the club, someone in your family has to be the one to start the good times and great tunes. It could be you.
Some people possess DJ genes and it seems so right, with others who successfully spin tunes in addition to their other job it comes as a complete surprise. The commonality between these household names and the hottest full-time DJs is creativity and a professional attitude towards the business of producing a marketable artistic product.
Did you know that these famous folks, who are well-known for other gigs, and yet who have taken time to have a turn behind the turntable? Here for your consideration and inspiration are the following DJs who stir things up and bring the party: Idris Elba, Elijah Wood, Shaquille O’Neal, Jersey Shore‘s Pauly D, Paris Hilton, Taryn Manning who is better known as Pennsatucky from Orange is the New Black, Game of Throne‘s Kristian Nairn, Dennis Rodman, Michelle Rodriguez, Lindsay Lohan, Erykah Badu, Tommy Lee, Prince Harry (yes, that one), Danny Masterson, RJ Mitte who plays Walt Jr. in Breaking Bad, Nick Cannon, and Jon Gosselin of Jon and Kate Plus Eight fame. These people have the DJ DNA and you could have it too!
The Proper Equipment and Mix
Every DJ will select his or her own equipment combinations to craft a unique soundscape that fulfills an artistic vision. That said, there are some essential pieces of equipment that every DJ should consider having before taking their act on the road and into the club. These items usually include a DJ mixer, input devices like turntables or a CD deck, headphones, monitor speakers, and old-school vinyl records or a laptop computer and controller and DJ friendly-software. Each setup will enhance the DJ’s artistic vision and style, so it is vital to experiment with gear to find the combination that works best for your musical taste and expression.
The next consideration is whether to rent or to buy, and both options have their pros and cons. Renting DJ equipment is a great way to go for DJs who don’t have the budget to buy all the gear that they need upfront. And renting is especially useful for those DJs who are just beginning in the industry because they don’t have to invest a large amount of money for professional quality equipment until they are ready to start booking gigs, plus there’s the additional advantage that you can try various pieces of equipment to find out how they work with your style and you can also discover which pieces offer the most bang for your hard-earned buck.
Buying, on the other hand, allows you to fashion a fully customized DJ setup that fulfills your needs, you get comfortable with your specific equipment, and most pieces often come with a manufacturer’s warranties, which is sweet and helps the DJ feel serene. If you are confident in your career path and you have the funding in place, buying could be the way to go.
The Business Mind As a DJ
DJs should be constantly learning new skills, discovering fresh songs, adding more music to their collection, and most importantly performing before an audience. The more a DJ performs, the sooner he or she learns what works, what skills he/she needs to master, and gains a distinctive style. Performing helps you to build your fanbase and following and brand. Attracting a fanbase requires constant promoting and performing and sharing your career moves on social media. It also takes solid business skills. The following moves will help you to gain a reputation as a pure professional as well as a notable creative in the EDM community.
Business Plans: While not as sexy as turning out the tunes, a business plan is a roadmap to aid you in discovering all the sides of your business and in picturing and planning for expenditures and expenses. These can range from a domain name, website, professional subscriptions and membership fees, marketing materials, office supplies, as well as your DJ set up. A plan can help you see not only how to budget the funds that you do have, but if you ever need a business loan or mentoring program, a business plan will prove that you mean business.
Promote Your Notes: Just like your screenwriter, ad copy, and novelist buddies, you need a one-minute “elevator speech.” Make it, practice it, share it, and work on it until you know it stone-cold solid. You never know when you will have the opportunity to share it and it is a wonderful way to have people hear your vision for your career.
Get Someone to Watch Your Back: If you need to outsource an administrative, scheduling, marketing, or promotional job then you should do it. You don’t need a full-time assistant. You can make excellent use of a virtual, per-project designer, PR person, accountant, promoter or assistant, and this will allow you to concentrate on the parts of the business that need your attention, energy, and special touch such as networking, meeting clients, and performing.
Recognize that the Only Constant is Change: Evolve to thrive. Music-goers possess tastes that change, equipment improves, clubs have moments and transitions and fashions. The ability to adapt quickly and effectively to change will enhance your reputation with everyone including festival promoters, booking agents, and your followers.
Related Questions:
How long does it take to become a DJ? It depends on the person and their love of music. If it flows naturally, it can be a reality within a month with the proper funds to get started. There are many variables to consider when you think about the timetable for launching your DJ career. These include factors like innate talent, industry connections, that indefinable quality that is known as charisma, securing your niche, knowledge about the music scene and specific songs that you already possess or need to access, and the equipment and techniques that you have at hand or are able to discover. And then there is always luck to consider. Never underestimate the importance of these influences. All of these elements will play their part in the trajectory of your climb up the career ladder as a professional DJ who lays down sounds and solidifies the party scene. As a DJ, you’ll be using a combination of hardware and software to create your unique sound, and you will also be using skills like the beat and phrase matching, fading, and scratching so that if you already have this know-how then you already have a leg up.
It could take a month or more of serious practice and knocking on doors before you start earning paying gigs, and then it could take years of practice, performance, networking, and building a following to reach the level of success that you want to achieve.
Do I have to have a college degree? The college always helps in the mixing and business aspects, but it is not mandatory. A DJ can solely operate with the love and feel of the music and a pure business mind.
Many DJs are self-taught. There are also a lot of resources available online, from YouTube tutorials to written material, plus interviews and profiles with superstar DJs. Of course, many DJs believe that the best educational experience is out in front of an audience and stress the importance of performing to hone your skills.
If you are into school and thrive with a structured curriculum then some schools provide classes that can be of help in acquiring the skills, confidence, and connections that will help to pave the way to being a successful DJ. If school is your comfort zone, then you have choices including face-to-face instruction in a brick-and-mortar classroom or online study. Simply select the style of classes that best fit your schedule and budget.
Speaking of education, it is a smart thing for aspiring DJs to take advantage of the Internet. It’s not just for acquiring music, you can learn many things and gain inspiration from sites, profiles, blogs, forums, and reviews geared to those in the business. You can also discover more about being a DJ by talking with respected and successful and influential DJs, producers, promoters, and musicians. Hit the clubs, enjoy the scene, but also analyze it. Deconstruct the styles, responses, and techniques that DJs employ and watch how the crowd reacts. Learning to be a great DJ is both an art and a science, an innate sensitivity to music and a learned technique combing equipment, music, promotional skills, and a gift for expressing and sharing your unique artistic vision with the world.
