5 Tips To Become An International DJ

Learn how to get DJ gigs abroad!


how to dj abroad

When you think about your future as a DJ what does it entail? Do you dream of regular gigs at the largest clubs in your city? In the country? Around the world? Regardless of how large or small your DJ hopes and dreams, you can take small steps to help you achieve them without going broke.

Even if you’ve never dreamed of DJing venues in London, Amsterdam or Prague don’t think you can’t play these places. With a little creativity and willingness to work hard, you can quite literally become an international DJ in your own right.

Keep reading to learn how you can sidestep the bull and DJ venues all over the world.

Do It On Vacay

Top paid DJs may frown at this advice, but if you can prove that you’re not a huge expense, your name gets moved to the top of the list for gigs. If you already have a vacation planned and you want to get your feet wet in international waters, reach out and put your name in the running for worldwide gigs.

I know what you’re thinking; yes you can try to get these gigs from the comfort of your own home. But consider that there are tons of other DJs in or near cities in Europe, Asia and Africa who are just as talented and cost a lot less to book. But if you’re already going to be in town, you’re giving the venue owner a really good reason to hire an awesome DJ.

Once your vacation is planned it’s time to work on making those DJ dreams come true.

Put Out Feelers

Whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure your first course of action should be to do your homework. Go online and find out popular clubs where you’ll be staying and see what the scene is like before you arrive. This will let you know how you need to dress, what type of music will go over big and how to communicate with the people.

If at all possible try to get in touch with local DJs in the area. Talk to them and find out what you can about the music scene including the people and the culture. The better prepared you are to talk to promoters and venue owners, the more likely it is that you will get at least a gig or two abroad.

This is the same type of DJ networking you do at home, only slightly different.

Promote Yourself…BIG

If you plan your trip abroad properly you will have weeks or months to post new mixes to club owners and promoters before you arrive. Use a variety of social media websites to post demos and mixes, promote your travel dates and availability. This will let the who’s who of nightlife know that you’ll be there and when, and most importantly that they won’t have to pay to get you to them.

Without airfare or lodging costs you are in a better position to negotiate some type of payment for your DJ skills.

Don’t forget to contact local promoters at your travel destination, along with demos and press kits so they can help you find gigs. Provide social media information and website links so promoters can see that you have a large or growing following of music lovers.

get dj gigs abroad

Do It For Free

Obviously working for free isn’t what you had in mind when you decided to become a DJ, but would you rather have no experience playing worldwide gigs or have paid gigs at local high school proms? It’s not an ‘either/or’ situation, but if you’re going to be traveling anyway there’s no harm in seeing if you can spin for a few hours when you spot an empty DJ booth.

Even if you don’t get paid for a night of work, get a few photos of you in the booth, in front of the bar and even with a few locals and put it up on your website. If nothing else you get to list one of your accomplishments as playing a beach lounge in is Cyprus.

Get An International Sound

Even though most of the world seems to adore electronic dance music you have to realize that not all sounds translate to all clubs in all places. The clubs in your hometown may go crazy for the best known DJs in the world, but club goers in Bucharest or St. Petersburg or Istanbul may not be as fond as Afrojack as you are.

This is where it will pay—again—for you to do your homework. Look online and find out more about local DJs and if you can, get your hands on some of their sets. Listen to their sounds and study their set lists to figure out how you can produce a set that will please an international audience.

This is why it also pays to be a true music connoisseur because you will have a wide selection of tracks from which you can choose. Who knows, you may even get a chance to play lesser known tracks you’ve been dying to add to your set! 

I hope I helped you understand how to get DJ gigs abroad. Email in the box below to get access to Free video DJ lessons that will answer all of your questions on how to become a disk jockey at home and around the world!

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