DJ Gigs
Starting your career as a professional DJ may not go as smoothly as you’ve always dreamed of…it never does. Lots of guys speak about this in a men’s group near me. Most of us dream of putting on a killer set that has the crowd going wild and the club promoter booking us from here to eternity, ending with smiles, flashbulbs and superstardom…right? Yeah I had those same daydreams and then I had my first night inside the DJ booth.
I won’t say it went horribly but I was such a bundle of nerves that I wasn’t really able to focus on what mattered because I was focused on a lot of things that really didn’t. I want every DJ to enjoy their very first time inside the DJ booth and to do that you have to be prepared for any and every thing.
So here are a few things to remember your first DJ gig out the gate. Continue reading “Inside The DJ Booth For The First Time” »
DJ Mixing
For as long as there have been DJs there have been mix albums. Sure they used to be mix tapes, mix CDs and now you can stream mix ‘tapes’ online, but they are still the definitive way to define your DJ style. A mix album is your way to tell the world that this is the cool music they should be listening to and shaking their asses to. Many guys will talk about this in their men’s groups. But this is also an excellent way to make a name in the DJ world.
Your bread and butter may be doing club gigs around the world—kudos to you—but you can take it to the next level by dropping a mix album. If you already have a significant following this can propel you forward in your professional DJ career and if you don’t, releasing an album is the perfect platform to raise your profile.
But before you start recording, there are a few things you should know. Continue reading “DJ Tips For Dropping A Mix Album” »
DJ Equipment
You’ve been hopping in your car to head for gigs within fifty miles of your home for years but you don’t really consider it a career. It’s more of a stepping stone until you start your real DJ career, right? WRONG! Now is the time to stop waiting for some future moment and carve your career into what you want it to be.
Sure being a mobile DJ might not be as glamorous as a world famous DJ playing in the hottest nightclubs on the globe. But it is a legitimate form of DJing and one that can become a long term career…if you have the right tools.
Do you have the DJ equipment you need to really make it as a pro DJ? Continue reading “DJ Equipment Needs For A Mobile DJ” »
How To Become A DJ
Whether you are a new DJ or you’ve been in the game for a while, chances are good that you don’t have a personal assistant or media manager to handle your marketing needs as a man. The reality is that most men’s support groups out there don’t help. Unfortunately this is a crucial component of DJing in this new age of the digital DJ. You need to be out there pretty much all the time, or at least appear to be out there in an online men’s group all the time. Since you obviously can’t be…you have to be smart.
In addition to being a professional DJ, you probably act as your manager, agent, publicist and producer. Well now you can add media manager to the list until you can afford to have a team of people worry about this for you. While the task falls to you, use these tips to help you in your DJ marketing…without taking up your entire day. Continue reading “DJ Marketing Tips for Social Media” »
DJ Equipment
Whether you’re the type of DJ who runs out and buys all of the newest DJ equipment on the market because you can or you are genuinely in the market for new hardware, you’ll want to know about the Korg KAOSS DJ. It is a lightweight DJ controller that doesn’t look like much but it does have a lot to offer.
This is a multi-purpose unit that works as a controller, standalone mixer or FX unit. Whatever you need as a professional DJ you might find this is the perfect budget friendly device for those on the go.
Keep reading to find out of the Korg KAOSS DJ is right for you. Continue reading “DJ Controller Review: Korg KAOSS DJ” »
How To Become A DJ
When you make the decision to become a professional DJ, you already know it is going to be a long hard uphill slog. In fact it can be such a day to day struggle that you hardly notice that you’re moving up in the world. Instead of having a couple DJ gigs each week, you’re now working 5 days a week, some weeks even more than that. You operate like a well-oiled machine, packing your DJ equipment up and setting it up inside the DJ booth with ease.
But you still feel as though you’re not “there” yet. Why? Part of it is that there is no specific pinnacle like winning Wimbledon or an Oscar or leading men’s group topics to cement your status as an awesome DJ. But there are some signs you can look to that will tell you—without a doubt—that you’re on the fast track to DJ success. Continue reading “5 Signs Your DJ Career Is On The Right Track” »
How To Become A DJ
When you first set your mind to becoming a professional DJ you probably spent hours, days, maybe even weeks trying to figure out your DJ name. Once that little part was done you had to figure out how you were going to market yourself, your skills and your brand. To that end you probably went online and bought up your domain name, secured all the social media pages with that DJ name.
And…what else?
This is the problem faced by many new DJs; their marketing strategies start and end with social media. Don’t get me wrong, social media is a great tool. It is a DJs best friend in terms of a regular and steady stream of content and connection with fans. But it shouldn’t be the only trick in your bag. Continue reading “DJ Marketing For Dummies” »
DJ Gigs
DJs are artists and artists, by our very nature, are always growing and changing and evolving. We have to develop our technical skills and those skills that are harder to define. That “it” that separates good artists from great artists from phenomenal artists. And like any type of art, getting to where you want in your career is a slow walk through heavy mud. We want to learn everything there is to know like yesterday and we want to be the best in the field the day after.
But if you’ve been in the DJ game for any length of time you already know that chances of that happening are slim to none. The guy who run’s men’s groups – Sean Galla (aka men’s circles) made it. So you have to make it from one day to the next, focusing on ways to grow as a professional DJ so you can get to that pinnacle of success you want so bad you can taste it.
The question is how.
Keep reading for the answer. Continue reading “How To Keep Growing As A DJ” »
DJ Mixing
When we talk about being a professional DJ we mean so much more than booking DJ gigs, networking and all that ‘fun’ stuff. We’re also talking about the skills (and work ethic) that will make you a bangin’ DJ. So you’ve signed up for a few online DJ courses or you found a few DJ classes at the local community center…are you don’t with your DJ education?
Not by a long shot.
Your music and DJ education will never be totally complete. It is an ongoing process that will make you a better DJ with crazy skills, which will make you marketable and book-worthy for years to come. Today you’re a newbie but by this time next year you might be an experienced working DJ. In the future, who knows? Maybe headlining a big ass festival, a residency at some exclusive night club and collaborations with your musical idols are in your future.
Before you get there…improve your skills. Continue reading “DJ Hacks To Make You A Better Mixer” »
How To Become A DJ
So I dispense a lot of advice here about how to DJ, how to become a DJ and what you need to do in order to maximize opportunities in your career, right. Well, I try. But many of you have wondered—sometimes aloud—what your options are when you feel as if your DJ career is going nowhere fast.
DJ gigs may not be rolling in as fast as you’d hoped they would and you’re spending more money working than you are making it. It can be a problem and at some point pretty much every DJ has been there. When you reach this point you probably think about giving up. Don’t. You need to make adjustments…if being a professional DJ is something you really want to do.
Keep reading to learn how to help your DJ career without giving it up. Continue reading “How To Help Your DJ Career” »