It doesn’t matter if it is at a nightclub, a rave or a friend’s house party… getting a dj gig is something that 99% of all DJs will never expearience. Everyone wants to learn how to dj so they can play gigs but most sadly end up never getting a dj job.

To help you get your first gigs I am going to post a link to the second part of DJ Tech Tools “How To Be A Successful DJ” series of dj advice articles.

How To Be A Successful DJ Part 2 – The First Gig

I found that on the dj blog post, a lot of the replies have even better dj advice than the original posts!

If you want to become a DJ then this post is a must read of all new DJs.

Sometimes the simplest forms of advertising works wonders when you are trying to figure out how to get a dj job!

For more advice on Dj Equipment, Beatmatching, Mixing And Dj Gigs Get Our Video Dj Lessons Email Newsletter by Clicking HERE Right Now.

Having great looking business cards just screams out a DJs professionalism to his or her clients, competitors and most importantly, the club owners and promoters. Business cards are one of the best self-promotion techniques used to get your name out there and sell yourself, and the majority of DJ’s forget all about them!

Above all, DJs like you and I don’t have to spend money on professional designers, printers and fancy paper to produce great results that score DJ gigs!

On of the biggest DJ lessons that I came across when I was learning how to DJ is that these personal and professional methods of promoting yourself as a DJ are invaluable! Anyone can make a Disc Jockey business card, but here are some rules you should follow to get great results:

1) Your Disc Jockey business card must represent your entire Djing business and DJ personality through a small piece of paper. Make yours stand out from any other competitors by making them catchy and unique. A DJ with an attractive business card will always win over one with a tacky and distracting one with bright colors and too much information.

2) The most important and obvious information on your card should be your contact details! What use is a business card if the club owner, another DJ or a promoer can’t get in contact with you?

Your phone number, DJ email address and DJ website URL are always great pieces of information to put on any business card. The easier it is for a client to get in contact with you, the more inclined they will be to do so!

Most DJs don’t leave cards, they just squiggle their name with a marker on their Demo CD or an MP3 CD and this CD ends up in the garbage. Wheras a card says “I’m a professional DJ, I take djing seriously, I can rock your dance floor!”

3) When it comes to printing, glossy or photo paper is ideal. Try not to use normal printer paper; it is too thin and will curl up very easily being that size. Don’t fancy designing them yourself? No problem! There are TONS of free business card templates online that would be perfect for the DJ.

4) Put your business card inside a clear case with your DJ Demo Mix CD. This is the 1 – 2 punch that has landed me a ton of gigs. The CD shows them that you know how to dj mix like a pro and the card shows that you are a professional.

This little dj promo trick could double or even quadruple your DJ gigs.

Let me know what you think!

~Dj Sean Gallagher

Dj Ben from Taiwan emailed me the other day letting me know that he had been inspired by all of the great information that LearnToDjFast.com has given to new DJs. In the spirit of helping out the cause, DJ Ben wrote an “DJing For Dummies” style article on getting DJ gigs and he wanted me to share it with you.

DJ Ben has been learning how to dj through the LearnToDjFast.com Video Dj Lessons email series. This is also how he got in contact with me. If you haven’t yet signed up for the LearnToDjFast.com free DJ Lesson Videos Newsletter then do so Right Now by clicking HERE!.

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The first step to DJ idol greatness is to get gigs!

Once you have taken dj lessons and can now dj mix it is now time to go out and get gigs. It is only through such gigs that you can showcase your talents and let all your hard work come to fruition. Think about it, music lovers on their feet, dancing away to your beats. Damn, that really sounds awe inspiring. The question now is how does a new DJ like yourself get DJ gigs?

There are so many different ways to get your DJ gigs. The important thing here is to TRUST your abilities and not be afraid to contact people in the inner circle…

Create your very own style or persona and start sending out e-mails, letters and samples (your dj mix) to radio DJs, internet radio producers, record label heads, nighclub promoters and anyone that you think would help in getting you a gig. Be original with all your e-mails, letters and dj cd samples.

Face it, creativity captures attention so think out of the box a little and move off the mainstream.

Don’t worry too much about making any cash as of yet. The thing here is to get yourself heard. You need to learn to dj in all different situations and allow your name to be on the mouth of all music lovers. Once you achieved that, i assure you, there would be too many gigs and too much cash coming your way.

This might sound rather contradictive to some, but have you ever thought of getting in some free “air time” in some other more famous gigs? Do not limit this to just the regular DJ gigs. As I said, work your brains a little. You’re getting there, aren’t you. Yep, try getting some play time in between some pop gigs instead. A DJ mixing his stuff there would be a breath of fresh air after all the electric guitar, singing, drums and bass. Fans would definitely remember you for that.

Next, what’s a party like without loud blaring music? Birthday bashes, graduation parties, wedding parties just to name a few. Volunteer to be their free DJ for the night! Always remember to introduce yourself in various (funny) ways throughout your “performance” and for Pete’s sake, please do it in all sorts of cranky ways, forcing yourself into the minds of the party goers and at the same time, winning the adoration of the opposite sex. Who knows, you just might get lucky.

You see, once you’re done your dj training and you start get your name out there, you become the next up-and-rising in thing. Well-paid DJ gigs would then come your way. From then on, let’s just say continue from one milestone to the next and ultimately, spin your way to greatness.

Hope you enjoyed and that this helps you with your Djing!

So you guys probably read my DJ Steve Angello vs Paris Hilton post from a few days ago. Steve was DJing at a popular nightclub in Miami at the Winter Music Conference when Paris Hilton came up and asked him to play Hip Hop.

If you would like to be a DJ playing in big clubs and parties with celebrities, start DJing now by signing up for free DJ Lesson Videos by clicking HERE right now!

This was Steve Angello’s party and on top of that, this was the Winter Music Conference where 500,000 dance music fanatics flock to Miami to hear the newest and best in dance, techno, trance and house music. Steve was in no position to play Hip Hop even if he wanted to. Paris didn’t like this and it resulted in her boyfriend fighting the club doormen outside.

While DJing this past weekend I was faced with a similar situation when a group of drunk girls came into the packed club on a “stagette”. One wanted me to play the new Britney Spears track… I was polite and said that I couldn’t play it. She got angry and said “If you’re not going to play it then I WILL”. She grabbed my headphones and lunged at the CD Decks.

She went for the one dj cd player that was playing out loud so when she put her hand on it to ‘scratch’ the song stopped dead in the club. Silence. Then she hit the next song button and a different song started to play.

Part of becoming a good DJ is that you have to Learn To Dj while getting bad song requests. To avoid horror stories like this I have come up with 10 excuses to avoid DJ requests. Some are hilarious, but all are effective. I’ve tried every one:

1) What was that? What was that? What was that?

Just keep shouting “what… I can’t hear you” and after a few minuets they will walk away. It might take a half an hour…but in the end you’ll win!

2) “Sure, I’ll play that in a minuet.” / “Coming Right Up!!!”

This is my favorite excuse and the favorite excuse of many top DJs.

When agreeing to the requester you give them with a sense of power and satisfaction. They strut away feeling like they run the club, and might even buy you a drink (bonus!).

They’ll go back to their table or to their friends happy and content, and most likely they’ll forget they ever asked you for it. But on the rare occasion they realize you haven’t actually played what they asked for yet, you can just respond, “it’s coming up next” and then keep going as you are. Some Djs prefer the more direct “Coming right up!” line.

Another, perhaps safer option, is to have a girlfriend, friend of retarded monkey take the requests enthusiastically for you thereby rendering you all but innocent!

3) “I’m the opening / warm up DJ”

This line makes it clear that you are intentionally playing music they don’t want to hear so that the DJ after you can come on and play what they want to hear. The best part of this excuse is that it keeps the requester in the club because they will be waiting for the next DJ!

4) “I played it just before you got here”.

When you get a request, immediately ask “how long have you been here?”…then say “Damn…my bad…I played that track just before you got here”….regardless of what time they say they arrived.

This response puts the guilt onto the requester. They think they should have come to the club sooner.

5) ” The guy after me loves that song. He plays it all the time!”

Similar to #2 but this one really screws over the next DJ!

6) “The manager / promoter won’t let me”

Its always a good option to shift the blame onto someone else (despite the fact that your mommy said not to).

You can even take it a step father and say “you know what….I really love that song too. I wish I could play it!”

This one has backfired on me though because some people will go and find the manager… Then the manager will find me! (not good)

7) “I left it at home!”

DJs are music collectors so people know that we have lots of music. Just say “I love that song but I left it at home tonight. I usually bring it!” Its reasonable and straight to the point.

“My equipment isn’t working properly”

Again, shift the blame whenever possible!

9) “I’ll pay you $100 / $50 / whatever… to play my song!”

If the club is slow and the dance floor is empty anyway, take the money and play it! Its up to you but I always keep a commercial CD with new popular tracks for occasions like these!

10) Fake an injury or sickness.

When people realize that someone else is sick or hurt they forget about their measly little request.

***11) “DON’T YOU KNOW WHO I AM? I’M DJ STEVE ANGELLO BITCH!!!

Learn To DJ and take requests like Steve!

Sam From Copyright shows you around the Ministry Of Sound Nightclub in London, one of the world’s best clubs!

If you would like to DJ in clubs like Ministry Of Sound, Pacha or any others, get started by signing up for free DJ Lesson Videos by clicking HERE right now!

It was Defected’s 10th Birthday Party and Sam leads you around the club showing you everything from backstage, to the VIP room to the epic DJ booth in the main room! For those of you that don’t know…. Defected is the biggest dance music record label in the world along side Ministry of Sound.

Along the way Sam bumps into all of the Defected artists that are getting ready to DJ and play their instruments that night.

The evening looks almost as epic as the club and I know you’ll enjoy every minuet of it.

If this doesn’t make you want to learn to dj, I don’t know what will!

Cheers!