Wanna be a DJ?

I'm 37 and so I'm fully aware that my age goes against me in a club where I'm old enough to be most of the club goer's father. However maybe that maturity helped in some weird and wonderful way.
I'm just out to see how far I can take this DJ thing without treading on other people's toes and selling out. I've spoken to a few lads at parties and they tell they are DJs too. Yet what they really should say is "I have a pair of CDJs at home I mix music with." When asked what do you mix, they all say"electro-house." Why does it always have to be Electro-house? I wish some lad would surprise me sometime and say something else for once. however I digress...

Once you've mastered mixing and you're mates think you're pretty fly on the decks, it's only natural to want to take it further. But how?
My advice is don't go straight to the clubs. All your friends know your a bedroom DJ so when it comes to their parties and their friends parties you should be there. Phone up local event companies and get the right PA system for the gig and they'll sort you out with some lights too and if you don't know how to set the stuff up, they'll do that as well. Yes this will cost money but that will get passed onto your client (mate) playing good music is only part of creating a good night, Having all the frequencies delivered to the dance floor is equally important, which means mp3 256kbs preferably higher and stick to no more than +3dB on the PFL. If you need it louder used the Master volume control not the gain control. If you reach your limit... Then you've reached it... tough tits, However; be aware that 95dB in the centre of the dance floor is bloody loud. After just an hour of exposure your ears will close to protect themselves and you'll be tempted to crank the volume. If you do then adjust it back down slowly during the next track. This will allow headroom again should someone ask you later to turn it up. Also a Birthday Party is a private function so you do not have to pay any broadcasting fees or worry about getting busted..

Why am I telling you all this? Playing loud music through a professional PA system is completely different to hearing it in your headphones or on a set of HiFi speakers or Monitors. As a DJ in a live setting you're usually behind the speakers which means all you will hear all night is BOOM BOOM BOOM. So either get a monitor or failing that elevate the satellite speakers above and slightly behind you, so you can use them as monitors.

Be as professional as you can about what you're doing. Don't get drunk because you're the one responsible for that gear which will be somewhere in the region of 6-8,000 Dollars,Euro or Pounds. And for god sake charge a reasonable rate for your hours of work,time and effort. You maybe living at home and not have the overheads of someone trying to make a living from DJing. Again; keep that in mind not for the sake of other DJs but the fact that because your overheads are lower, means you can make more profit. Meaning you'll be able to renew old equipment, buy new music, and keep your electronic and liability insurance in order.











Once you have a good sum of gigs under your belt,  you're now getting repeat and referral business and you're practically working every Saturday. Then you can start thinking about doing club work. You'll have to pick a weekday as you'll probably be booked for Saturday and believe me you'll be earning more on your private gigs than you'll ever going to earn in club until you've built an extremely big fan base.

The best advice I can give is, you need to think about what you can bring to the table. If you can just mix back to back that's not going to inspire anyone to book you. You have to have a theme a concept for a night that will likely bring a crowd. You may even have a good fan base already from your private gigs? Everyone is playing house, what makes you special, different? Where's your niche that the manager will be interested in giving you a slot.

For me; I First I thought about he music I wanted to play and it wasn't being played in clubs on any sort of regular basis.
Second I researched the clubs in the area that could accommodate that style of music. I didn't look for the best and trendiest clubs in town, I simply looked at whether it could create the right atmosphere and whether the regulars would be curious enough to come and listen. I went along one night to the club and very briefly got the attention of the resident DJ playing. I told him I knew he was very busy however; (and I gave him my business card) when he had time the following week, could he please give me a call because I had a concept that I thought would work really well in the club.

The following week nobody rang me... Unfortunately I knew that would happen. 4 weeks later I went back to the club, very early whilst it was quiet and approached him again. The good news... He remembered me. Again I said I had this idea that I thought could work for the club's Friday night event. I told him very quickly what it was I wanted to play and handed him another business card. He had a bit more time on his hands and I asked a few questions about how long he'd been playing there and so forth. I pushed the idea that the club was a great venue for the music I wanted to play. That I knew that it was only being played in a couple of clubs but maybe just once every couple of months, However; I was aware that people are wanting to hear it. So the following week the phone rang.. But it wasn't him, it was another wedding booking, Which was nice but again I didn't really expect a call from the club anyway. 6 weeks later I still hadn't heard anything, so I called the club and explained I'd spoken with the DJ and I was wondering if he had passed my card along. I was told that he had spoken to them about me but they were very busy but it did seem interesting and once things had settled down they'd look at their program and see....

As far as I was concerned that was it. 3 strikes. You don't need to pester that club anymore and it's not worth wasting anymore time on it. Time to move on to the next club. Yet; 2 weeks later I got a call from the club and they booked me for the whole night. Start at 10:30pm finish at 5am and just that genre to be played. Nothing else! The end result is that the bar took more that night that it usually does. I had 6 times as many people in the club than they usually have and I've been booked again.

I've been involved with music since I first got a synthesiser at the age of 11. I've learnt to play the guitar and made numerous mix cassette tapes with vinyl back in the early '90s. However a certain amount of occurrences in 2007 set me on a path to become a DJ and I've been professionally working for just over a year now. This month I did my 1st club night. It took me 3 months to get that booking. So you need to be patient but be keen. I will be honest though. I don't follow the club scene and other djs. With the private parties I get booked for, I don't get much time for clubbing. However; that doesn't mean I neglect keeping on top of new music. 

For all those budding bedroom DJs out there that want to get into clubs (and I don't mean to be disrespectful) but you will learn nothing about what songs to play and when to play them in your own home. You are probably very technically skilful no doubt better than me. However; the road to club work is a long one which for me in reality took over 3 years. Once you're happy with your skill at mixing, etc, you'll need to learn how to work a crowd and there's no better training than private parties. It's easy getting 500 people to dance but it takes a hell of a lot more skill getting 30 people to dance. Speak with a well regarded mobile DJ and see if you can tag along and help out. Although you probably won't get to play the music you like, you will learn how to setup equipment, fault finding, working to a program, how to read a crowd, how to interact with a crowd, how to work in requests and how to use a microphone with confidence. If you do not have those skills in a club then be prepared to fail on your first night out.