If you frequent any particular clubs or are active in the online DJ community, then you’ve noticed that there are more DJs now than there have ever been. The ubiquitous-ness of technology means that with the right equipment and a few DJ classes just about anyone can technically become a DJ.

Unfortunately as we know from the myriad reality talent shows on TV these days, the person with the best voice, musical style, talent or the best lyrics isn’t always the person winning the million-dollar contract. The same is true of DJs; the person with the hottest tracks or more unique sound or the most badass remixes isn’t always the most popular DJ. In fact, I have a few DJ buddies with choice words for some of the hottest, best-selling DJs in the world.

So how does a DJ go make him or herself stand out? By learning how to DJ live and doing a really good job at it!

Don’t Forget The Music

Anyone who has ever seen a DJ perform live knows that there are lots of fancy things going on, which we will get to in a minute, but without the music the rest of it is just, well…a smokescreen.

While you will need to put on an amazing show if you want to have a great live show, you will need to make sure the most memorable aspect is the MUSIC. Your show and all the extras added to it should in no way distract from or water-down your music. Everything you do and everything I list for you here today, should enhance the musical show you’re putting on for the crowd.

So as you decide what things you need to learn how to DJ live, ask yourself; how does this enhance my music?

#1 – Showmanship

There are some DJs who feel more comfortable in the role of producer, which can be a very lucrative and satisfying career. But those DJs who really make a go of it as a performer have learned how important showmanship is to being able to DJ live well.

Look at the DJs who consistently sell out clubs, festivals and concerts; these are DJs who get up on that stage night after night, weekend after weekend and year after year, giving their all on stage to keep the crowd enchanted by the music.

Infuse each performance with your DJ persona and have a great time, and this showmanship will be clear to the entire crowd; no matter how big it is.

#2 – VJing

We’ve talked a bit here about taking advantage of the increasing call for VJs, and learning how to DJ live is another great reason to add this skill to your repertoire. Visuals play an important role in any live show whether its theater, performance art or street dancing, and your live DJ show should be a feast for the eyes as well as the ears.

If you’ve already been dabbling in VJing you can put together your own still and moving images using hybrid (DJ/VJ) software (Virtual DJ and Serato Video work well) so you are totally in charge of the visual and musical theme of the live show. But if you’re still in the early stages of your VJ career, consider collaborating with a working VJ to make sure every aspect is visually stunning.

#3 – Lights

Never underestimate the importance of lights on a great live show. This is especially true if you’re gearing up to DJ your first live event in a large venue. Choosing the color and level of brightness of your lights will enhance the overall theme of your event, plus it’ll enhance the other visuals you use as part of your live performance.

Before you invest a ton of money into your lighting set up, you should check with the venue owner and see if they have lights available. If you are hosting your own live DJ event, this will help you save some money in rentals so then you can just hire someone to rig the lights for you.

#4 – A Cohesive Theme

Maybe this should be higher up on this list of essentials you need to line up your ducks to learn how to DJ live, but since they aren’t listed by importance I’ll just have to assume that you genuinely care about putting on a live show and have read this far.

A cohesive theme means that you have put thought into the theme of your performance and that all aspects; music, lights, visuals, attire and props (optional) work well together so your theme is clear. Choose your theme based on what your goal is; do you want to win over a local crowd? Tell a story? Figure that out and build your show around it, from the music up.

Getting Started…

You don’t have to break the bank in order to put on your first live DJ show. DJs tend to be Jacks and Janes of all trades which means you can trade performance slots for lights, visuals, creative directors and any other things you need for an awesome live show.

Look into having local businesses sponsor for things like clothing, concessions, equipment or whatever else you feel would help you put on the best live show possible. Advance your career by learning how to DJ live and putting together a great show; you never know where it could lead!

I hope I helped you learn how to DJ live. 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!

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Before you’ve checked off all the items on your pre-gig checklist there is one item that will determine the success or failure of your gig: your set list. How you organize your music library for DJ gigs will help you find the tracks you’re looking for quickly, which means you won’t be forced to let silence play out while you frantically search for the latest Katy Perry track.

But it isn’t just how you organize your music for DJ gigs; it’s how you categorize the tracks. New DJs think if they simply arrange their library by artist, they’ll always be able to find exactly what they need. And that is one way your library should be organized, but what about when you’re looking for a song that fits another criteria?

That’s when you need superb library organizational skills. So let’s talk about the most effective ways to organize music for DJ gigs.

Organized Chaos

Talk to 10 different DJs and you’ll probably get 10 different answers about how to organize your music. It doesn’t matter really; what matters is that you organize your library in a way that will make it easy for you to find a song that fits your needs for each gig.

Before you start creating folders and dividing up your songs, ask yourself what are the different criteria I need to find a track? This will help you determine the 3 or 5 or 10 different folder types you’ll want for your library. Simply organizing your library by song may seem like a good idea, but when you’re at a gig and trying to find a song you can’t remember the name of, you’ll be singing a different tune.

Break It Down

I think the best method of organizing music for DJ gigs is to use the multi-folder approach. If there are songs you always play at every gig, then put those in a folder of ‘favorites’ or something similar. Using this method will allow you to instantly find those tracks when you need them.

Organizing by artist is perhaps the most common method of library organization because it allows you to simply scroll alphabetically to find the track you need. And this is a good way to organize your library in general but this won’t help you find music for DJ gigs.

You should be thinking about how to organize your library based on the music you’ll take with you on a USB, for example. If you can’t bring your entire digital library with you then you don’t want to spend hours prior to every gig scrolling through your collection to find the songs you need.

Track popularity is a different way to organize music for DJ gigs because it can help you figure out which tracks should definitely be part of your set list and which ones might “be worth a try”. Of course this should be based on the level of popularity you perceive rather than some metric based on album sales or downloads, because believe me, a best-selling track can clear a dance floor as easy as one with just a few hundred sales.

Musical key is a way to organize music for gigs for DJs who mix harmonically. If you’re looking to group a cluster of songs together based on their key, this will make it easy to match songs properly. This is a new method of library organization that is slowly gaining popularity with software such as Mixed In Key, Virtual DJ and Traktor offering the ability to determine the key of tracks. Even if you think you might not organize your library by key, your tracks should all contain key information.

Organizing by music source can help a DJ figure out which version of a track to use for a particular gig. For example if you have a studio, download and live version of one track you may want to have folders designating those sources. A live track has a much different sound that a track cut in the studio, which means you’ll want to make sure it fits.

When you’re creating playlists for gigs it’s important to be able to find the exact track you need to match the sound you’re going for. If your goal is a gritty street sound—regardless of genre—you want to know where to find the versions of songs that fit that. A cleanly cut studio track may not be what you need.

Genre

It is important for all DJs to take charge of the song information in their libraries. Just because iTunes says a song is a particular genre doesn’t make it so. Trust your own judgment and don’t be afraid to change the genre of a song if you don’t think it fits. It will help you find the right tracks if you take a gig out of your comfort zone.

If you’re normally an EDM DJ and you pick up a pop or hip hop gig, you want to organize your music for the DJ gig you have at that moment. So if you need to scour your hip hop tracks you want to be able to do it fast so you have time to organize your sets before the gig.

Organizing your music library ahead of time will give you time to test out creative theories to make sure it sounds as good live as it does in your mind. A well organized library will make life less stressful, especially when you pick up last minute gigs.

These are just guidelines for organizing your library; make sure your method suits your needs as a DJ.

I hope I helped you keep your library organized for every gig. 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!

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There is always some controversy among DJs about whether or not planning sets is a good idea. Some DJs believe that planning sets removes the element of spontaneity to performances, while others believe that planning your DJ sets helps guide you through a hectic night of DJing.

The truth is both of these are solid points and while you should definitely have an idea what types of songs you want to play as well as a few you will definitely play, it’s important not to be so rigid that you can’t react to the crowd’s response. While there are good reasons not to plan your DJ sets, today I’m going to focus on helping you plan a set that gives you the freedom to act on the fly as well.

Scope Out The Venue…More Than Once

This is one of the most important aspects of planning a DJ set because you need to know what type of music the venue is known for and what crowds frequent the place. This will help you figure out what genre of music to play and more importantly, what songs the crowd is likely to respond to positively.

But the key here is that you should make an effort to visit more than once before your gig if possible. This will give you a better idea if the crowd’s musical tastes change at all so you can also plan your back up DJ sets.

Even if you can’t find time to get to the venue at least once before the gig, go online and look at past events and be careful to do your research.

Create Several Playlists

Even if you’re a DJ who doesn’t believe in planning your sets, you still want to have tracks lined up for various points throughout the night. For example you may not want a hard and fast DJ se, but you can have songs to choose from for the warm up portion of the evening, peak time, slow down and ‘time to go’ tracks. This will at least have you prepared during each point in the evening.

Just make sure these playlists have been created with some thought if you don’t intend to actually plan your sets, so you won’t have to scramble between each track looking for something to play next.

These playlists will also come in handy for your indecisive DJs who are terrified the crowd may not go for some of the most popular tracks. You can create a playlist of ‘guilty pleasure’ or ‘floor bangers’ to make sure you have them on hand in case they get requested or you feel the crowd might actually enjoy them.

Have A Backup

It doesn’t’ matter how much you decide to plan your DJ sets; you should always plan for your plan to fail. I don’t mean bring records in case all the lights go out a la Revolution, but you should have back up tracks and playlists in case the music you’ve chosen is a big fat flop.

By planning for disaster you can prevent an even bigger disaster in the form of the dreaded dead air. I know some of you out there will scoff at the idea that your musical genius and creativity isn’t quite as sharp on the fly, but the truth is that in moment you’d be surprised how quickly ideas escape you.

Bring Old Faithful

A DJ friend of mine, Paulo, refuses to recycle his DJ sets because he feels as though he’s somehow gypping the crowd of his musical prowess. While I understand that to a certain extent—you’re an artist and you want to create something new to present to every partygoer you encounter—but old DJ sets can serve as a guide at the very least.

Even if you don’t simply play the old sets that worked, they can at least remind you of what songs or track combinations worked well together in the past. You never know what will spark your creativity, which is why you should always have tools that remind you of your previous bouts of creativity.

Crowd Favorites

Just because a track is popular and gets around-the-clock love on pop radio doesn’t mean the crowd won’t like it. In fact the very fact that they are played so often means they get stuck in everyone’s head and they will bop their heads and tap their feet even if they don’t want to. Of course you don’t want a dance floor packed with reluctant dancers, but it does mean you shouldn’t be afraid the crowd will shun you for playing hot tracks.

Sprinkle in a few new and old favorites when planning your DJ sets; and don’t forget to have a few back up tracks in case your first choice pick leaves the dance floor looking a little empty.

There are upsides and downsides to planning DJ sets down to the minute, but a loose plan will allow you to get through each gig with relative ease.

I hope I helped you with becoming a disk jockey. 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!

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You’ve been to the club on a Friday or Saturday night and you’ve watched (and listened) in awe as some super cool, totally decked out DJ bobs his head to his own beats with his headphones tilted just so on his head. You wish you could be that club DJ, not like him, but him.

You want this gig and you want to DJ at other big clubs, but you don’t know how. You’ve taken your online DJ classes, you support other DJs—even if they aren’t as well known as the guy up in the DJ booth now—and you have a pretty substantial web presence…but you still haven’t landed one big club gig. Why?

The truth is that club DJs are a rare breed of opportunists and we can all stand to learn a bit from them. Networking and getting close to the “important people” is important, but what is even more important is what you DO when you get the opportunity to sell yourself.

Many club DJs have perfected the art of selling themselves and it’s something you’ll have to learn before you start spinning at big clubs.

You’re A Good Bet

Some call this ‘traction’ but whatever you call it, you need to show the club promoter, even planner or venue owner that you are a good risk to take. The truth is that no matter how talented you are, no one wants to book a club DJ who can’t get people in the club buying drinks. So you have to show them that giving you a gig benefits them somehow.

The best way to do this is to have some tangible proof that you can pack the house. Of course you show them that you have a huge online following, which would prove that there are plenty of people willing to pay a cover to hear you DJ, but it would be better to be able to point to an event (or two) as actual proof. Of course if you’re still waiting for your big club gig you don’t have this proof so…create your own!

Rent out a warehouse or small club with a few DJ friends who, in turn, invite more friends. You each will get a chance to spin for the crowd and now you have the proof the important people need to take a chance on you.

Gather Information

One of the things that aspiring club DJs tend to forget is that promoters and venue owners are ALWAYS being sold. It makes sense, but imagine how it feels to only ever get approached because of what you can do for someone else. Now imagine how you’d respond to the person who approached you and actually complimented you on how great the event you promoted turned out.

Which approach is likely to make you; a) more memorable and b) more likely to get a positive response?

Consider this when you attend an event that you’d like to gig. When you spot the promoter or venue owner or event planner, tell them how much you are enjoying the atmosphere and ask a few questions. Finally, ask for their card to talk about upcoming events…at a later date.

Give’em A Taste

You have a promoter in your sights but you’re unsure how to approach them, use bait in the form of a bigger crowd. You already have the contact information and now it’s time to set up for the BIG approach.

Ask the promoter about future events—to which you like to bring a few friends—and await their enthusiastic response. Not only will this help show you can get people to events that are important enough, but it’ll entice the promoter enough to begin a correspondence with you and the bait has been set.

The Pre-Ask

Before you get to the point where you are flat out asking for an opportunity as a club DJ, you need to build up to it. That means finding the promoter/owner/planner at a time when they aren’t incredibly busy, so early in the evening, so you can get a few minutes to talk without interruption.

This pre-ask is a regular conversation where you are asking about how they got started, what kind of venues they do and other general getting to know you questions. Bring a few pals with you and introduce them before you take a minute on your own.

Then…

Go For It!

Hopefully you’ve practiced your (succinct) pitch for exactly this moment. Just make sure you read the signs right. Is this person interested in what you’ve been saying? If you’ve laid the bait properly by mentioning smaller venues that no longer accommodate your audience or that you’re working with a producer and you want a better crowd to debut the music in front of…the interest will be clear.

Are they in the position to do anything to help you out? There’s no point wasting time giving your pitch to someone who can’t do anything to help it because it will do one thing: demoralize you.

Just don’t go crazy and be overbearing. This is a small pitch to set up a time to talk more in depth about your future as a club DJ, not a job interview. This is not the time to straight up ask for a gig. You are just asking for more time to discuss how you both can help each other out.

Good Luck! 

I hope I helped you figure out the best approach to become a club DJ. 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!

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One of the most difficult things for new DJs is booking gigs. They have practiced their technique for months and spent a scary amount of time scouring the web in search of new and unique music and are ready to get out there and show off for a crowd. Unfortunately you’re doing everything right but still you haven’t booked any gigs, paid or otherwise. Why? The truth is that there are many reasons a DJ isn’t getting any gigs that very rarely has anything to do with skill or DJ style and more about you and the things you aren’t doing to mix in with the DJ world. There are a few common pitfalls that all DJs should avoid to help book more gigs.

Tech Revolution

Before we get into why you’re not booking gigs regularly we should talk a bit about why things have gotten harder for new DJs. The primary reason is that just about anyone can become a DJ because it is much easier to build an extensive and eclectic music collection than it used to be. Back in the day you were some kind of rock star if you could get imports and B-side singles that weren’t widely released. But with songs available digitally, the only thing a music fan needs is a willingness to research obscure tracks and artists, which means for some venue owners DJing as a skill isn’t as important as it used to be. But that just means that it is up to YOU to prove that notion wrong.

Practice

Practicing as a DJ means more than standing in front of your hardware and playing tracks. It means taking time to search for new music and making sure you’re rock solid on skills such as looping, beatmatching, cue points and sampling. While you’re waiting to book gigs as a DJ, you should be doing whatever you can to be near flawless when you finally get the chance to spin. You should be continuing your music education by practicing different styles of mixing, putting together playlists to see how songs sound and blend together. Practicing can help with booking gigs because you’ll be so in tune with your plan that those pesky nerves are unlikely to interfere with your big break.

Be A DJ Supporter

One thing many new DJs forget is just how important and helpful the DJ community can be to helping book gigs. It’s not just about networking but also about support. You wouldn’t apply for a job without at least going online and doing a little research about the company and the position for which you are applying, would you? So why would you attempt to get a gig at a venue or event to which you have never attended? You’ll have no idea if your style of music will fit, what you can add to an event or what kinds of crowds show up. As a DJ supporting DJ events by attending venues you’d like to play is your method of ‘research’. Of course you won’t be able to get to events on a nightly basis, you should make attending these venues and events part of your DJ education. You want to know what DJs do best at these events, how the crowd responds and learn a little from each DJ. All of this will help you achieve your goal of booking more gigs.

Define Your Style

The more you practice and immerse yourself in the DJ culture, the better you will be at defining your style as a DJ. One of the reasons many DJs have trouble booking gigs is that they are simply copying what’s popular or someone they admire. And that’s fine, as long as you find a way to put your own spin on it. You want to book a gig based on your talent; not because you’re a poor man’s version of a much bigger star. Define your DJ style by seeing what style of performing and what music gets your heart pumping and those creative juices flowing. Don’t define yourself as a DJ based on the music charts, but rather on what kind of music speaks to you.

Outside Input

No matter how much we practice we will not catch every mistake, and unfortunately most of those closest to us love us far too much to tell us we suck at something. As much as this is appreciated, ask yourself if this type of non-feedback is helping you in your quest to book gigs. Chances are it probably isn’t. So it’s important to get input from outside sources, like anonymous people online. It’s no secret how brutally honest people are online with the cloak of anonymity, which makes it the best way to get honest feedback. It’s important to distinguish constructive criticism from internet snarkiness. If someone tells you that your beats are off or your transitions are weak; consider it. IF someone simply tells you how awful you are, chalk that up to the bravado that comes with being anonymous. Honest feedback will let you know if there’s some skill area you’re lacking in that’s making booking gigs difficult. Once you begin to look at DJing as your career rather than a job or hobby, you will take your downtime more seriously and dedicate it to improving your skills and reaching out to venue owners and event planners and promoters. Take it seriously and you’ll start booking gigs. I hope I helped you learn more about booking gigs as a DJ. 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!

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So you and your best bud both love music but neither of you have any real vocal skills and play NO traditional instruments…how do you get the music career you’ve always wanted? One way in which many budding DJs have found to improve their skills without the stress of doing it alone is to DJ as a twosome.

Maybe it’s the success of groups like Swedish House Mafia or maybe because it presents a marketable oddity to get your collective feet in the door of the DJ biz, but more and more DJs are working toward a team effort.

So if you’re one of these DJs looking to duo, are there any special skills or DJ equipment you need to know when working with another DJ (or 2 or 3)? Probably, which is why I’ve put together a few tips for DJs looking to team up.

Play Your Strengths

This is perhaps one of the most important tips for DJs who duo because many a band and musical team have broken up by hurt feelings and egos. There are many different aspects to being a DJ team.

For instance if you excel at putting together a cohesive set, with the perfect song placement at the right point in the night to match the energy of the crowd and your partner is a technically better DJ than you, then your roles are pretty much set. This of course does not mean that you can never step outside of your pre-defined roles, but it does mean that you should play to your strengths while you build a name for yourselves as a team.

There are many ways for DJs to work as a team; the key is to find the right fit that satisfies your technical and creative cravings as a DJ.

Tag Team or Doubles?

For DJs who want to work as a team, you have to make the all-important decision about how you’re going to play. You may decide on the tag team style of DJing where you both work in a battle royale style of DJing, taking 3 or 4 songs and switching back and forth throughout the gig.

This method of DJing as a duo presents a unique way of blending your DJ styles and songs in a different way, and you both will be better as you battle to out-DJ one another all night long.

You may also choose to work together as components of one smooth unit. This style of duo DJing relies on one DJ doing the mixing and the other working on effects, loops and samples and even crowd control. This works well if one of you is shy about getting on the mic and pumping up the crowd. But it also gives you both the chance to improve as you go because you always have back up.

Practice

Just because you and your buddy are both skilled DJs doesn’t mean you can simply set up before a gig and work  together seamlessly. The only way to find out if you’re compatible as a DJ duo is to practice. It will not only help you get better at working with another DJ, but it will help you figure out your individual strengths and weaknesses so you can define your main roles.

Of course practicing with another DJ requires a certain degree of humility because sometimes the things we think are our strengths are…not. But having someone else with you while you practice can help you suss out where you excel as a DJ and where you could use a little improvement.

Practice for DJs who want to work together is essential and a great way to improve your overall DJ skills.

Don’t Be Afraid To Experiment

Simply being a DJ duo isn’t necessarily enough to get you regular gigs, especially if a venue owner has to pay the rate for a team so you need to find another way to stand out. Most DJs know that the best way to make yourself a highly sought commodity is a unique sound that gets people inside the club.

The benefit for DJs who work together, either as a duo or a collaborating team, is that you have two creative DJ brains coming up with awesome set lists. This means you can combine music genres and styles to create great tracks that blow the audience away. Combine your creativity and see what kind of magic happens, you never know what type of music you’ll create together.

Get Your Equipment Right

Depending on how you decide to DJ as a duo, you may need special equipment like a splitter or two individual DJ kits. Either way you need to make sure your DJ equipment is set up properly and compatible if you decide you want to blend your music.

This will come with practice, but your first practice should include making sure your equipment works as well together as you do.

I hope I helped you with becoming a disk jockey. 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!

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Aside from actually learning how to DJ, choosing a good DJ name fills even the strongest new DJ with dread. There seems to be so much thought and creativity that has to go into picking the right name that many DJs just go with something simple like “DJ Mike Jones” or default to teenage years with a name like “DJ Kickass”.

While these aren’t necessarily bad DJ names, you want a good name that is more than “not bad”. After all, if things go well this name will follow you throughout your career. And of course you can change your name at a later date but let’s say you have a big track with radio play; it will always be a reminder that you took a shortcut choosing your name.

So instead of asking your friends or trying to channel your musical genius into that of a wordsmith, get creative in finding a good name for your DJ career.

 

Anagram It

I’ll grant you that maybe, just maybe, this is the geekiest way ever to come up with a name, but hey geeks are geeks for a reason, right? They’re smart. So why not take your full name and see what names you find?

The best thing about this method is that you minimize your options without limiting them. Since you just have a set amount of letters you won’t become overwhelmed with options. But if you stumble upon something you like, add a few letters or purposely misspell it until you find a name that makes you smile.

Take a week or two and add to the list until you feel as though you’ve exhausted all possibilities. Then ask your closest friends to do the same before you make up your mind.

Look In The Mirror

You don’t have to just rely on the name your mom came up in the throes of labor pains as your career moniker; you can also rely on genetics. How do you think DJ Baby Face got his name?

Look in the mirror—a full length mirror—and see if there is anything interesting or unique about you that would make a good name. Of course you don’t want to steal anyone else’s name, but it will give you a place to start. I’ll grant you that this method is a little difficult because who wants to be DJ Shortstuff or Big Butt? Then again if you’re a cute female DJ, DJ DD might be just the hype you need to make your name known.

Look To History

Again maybe I’m channeling my inner geek today but plenty of historical figures have some pretty amazing names. Achilles, Spartacus, Alexander the Great, Caligula, Cleopatra, Machiavelli…I mean when is the last time you’ve heard of a third grader with these names? Not in a while, I suspect.

You may not want to go so obvious but pick up a book of Greek or Roman gods and goddesses, great warriors in history or military leaders. Personally I think DJ Spartacus sounds awesome, but with a little bit of research you could come up with a great name that people will surely remember.

Wouldn’t It Be Cool If…

If your goal is to choose a good DJ name this is unique and people are sure to remember, think back to those days when you thought being in a band was the best way to express yourself musically. Remember those band names you came up with like Twisted Uterus, Infomania or Maniac Snails? Revert back to that thinking to help you choose a good name for yourself.

Band names are generally awesome: Green Day, Radiohead, Nirvana and Foo Fighters. These names are unique so you’re likely to remember them and it’ll be hard to find someone else with that name, making it a perfect method for coming up with your DJ name.

If you’re worried that the name hints at more than one person, don’t; just think of the name describing your many different musical personalities.

Let The World Do It

One of the best things about the internet is that it allows us to reach out people from all walks of life all over the world. This means you can pick the brains of your brightest and most creative Facebook friends to help you come up with a good name for a DJ.

Even better you can hold a contest on your website or social media pages, recruiting the world to help you come up with a solid DJ name. You can offer up a free CD from you, a sweatshirt with your name logo (when it’s been made up) or even something like a gift certificate. Funds may be limited, but a small prize has been known to rally thousands for a chance to simply “win”.

Choosing a good name to DJ with isn’t just about sitting down and making a list of possible DJ names; it’s about channeling creativity to make sure everything about you stands out more than your fellow DJs.

I hope I helped you find more ways to get a good DJ name. 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!

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It is a well-established fact that the so-called cool DJs prefer to stay as far away from weddings as possible and while you might aspire to be like the ‘cool kids’ this leaves a an opening for you to get your feet wet. Just because other DJs don’t want know about wedding DJ gigs, does it mean you shouldn’t either?

Absolutely not.

In fact you should use this as the perfect opportunity to start hustling up paid gigs. I know what you’re thinking, why should I do boring old wedding gigs when I could be in my basement honing my craft?

I’ll give you 6 good reasons to take the next wedding DJ gig that comes your way!

Wedding DJs Are FUN!

Whenever any new DJ asks me about wedding DJing I tell them that weddings are the perfect opportunity to work on and perfect your DJ persona. Contrary to what most new DJs think about weddings, DJing this special day requires a lot more than simply spinning records. You need to help foster the fun of the reception and make sure everyone is having a good time.

Good wedding DJs are just plain fun. They get the old timers on the dance floor, give single ladies a chance to dance with the partner of their choice and generally contribute to the happiness of the couple’s Big Day.

Wedding DJs Are Good

Say what you will about wedding DJs but the truth is that these guys have some serious skill. Sure maybe they don’t get the most exciting music choices, but they have plenty of time and lots of chances to work on their DJing skills in front of a live audience. People are always getting married and with the rising popularity of divorce parties, that’s twice as many chances to practice and improve your skills on the job.

If ever there was a reason to reconsider your negative opinion about DJing weddings, the practice alone should be enough. The more you practice, the better prepared you’ll be when it’s time for the big gigs.

They Excel At Networking

There are two reasons that wedding DJs are fabulous networkers. The first is that wedding provide a unique opportunity to talk with your audience, whether it’s through song requests or simply because they hired you personally, you get to interact with them and become more comfortable talking to strangers about your work.

The other reason they are so good is that weddings force DJs to be more sociable than they are inclined to be. Between introducing the bride and groom, the chicken dance and the father-daughter dance, there are plenty of times you have to let your personality shine. This is a key skill in making yourself appealing for future gigs.

Wedding DJs Are Music Savants

DJing a wedding forces you out of your own musical bubble which can actually go a long way to improving your skills not only as a mixer, but also as a producer. The thing about weddings is that they are full of different types of people, unlike many clubs, which means you have to know about (and appreciate) different genres of music from different decades.

Being a wedding DJ will force you to improve your music collection to include everything from The Supremes to Johnny Cash to Devo. Whether you personally like this music is irrelevant, but you will learn to like it because it will teach you more about music than simply listening to one genre.

And who knows what those old school beats will inspire you to create?

They Get Paid

Maybe wedding DJs don’t make a ridiculous stack of cash after each gig, but they also don’t have to threaten the life and limb of the newlyweds to make sure they get their money.

Many new DJs are so ripe to get a gig that they often find themselves dealing with disreputable club owners looking to get a free DJ. While you may have to suck it up and take a few of these gigs just so you learn to identify the jerks and how to deal with them, the good thing about wedding DJing is that you will rarely have to worry about not getting paid for your services.

Often wedding planners will pay vendors like yourself right before or after the reception, and often times will pay half up front to simply book your services in advance. Think about how nice it’ll be to know you’ll get paid for every gig.

Wedding DJs Always Work

One thing you should always remember about wedding DJs is that they very rarely go without steady work. Of course spring and summer are when most weddings take place, but there are wedding year round, which means you’ll have a steady paycheck when your too cool DJ friends are considering getting a “day job”.

Do a good job at your first few weddings and you’ll find all the bridesmaids trying to secure your services for their upcoming nuptials, aunts and other mothers of brides-to-be will be scrambling to get your contact info for a future booking. The best thing is that these future bookings may be for weddings or other gigs that will allow you to flex your creative muscles.

Next time someone laughs about wedding DJs, smile and nod while you laugh your way into a steady flow of gigs and a burgeoning DJ career.

I hope I helped you become a successful wedding DJ . Email in the box below to get access to Free video DJ lessons that will answer all of your questions about wedding DJing!

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In this age of digital DJing, there are things to consider other than where you buy your CDs or vinyl and how you’re going to transport crates full of music. In this new digital era software becomes a big part of the equation, leaving many new DJs to wonder what software they need.

As the DJ world becomes more immersed in its digital-ness there are more factors to consider than simple operating systems and cost. Now the savvy DJ needs to know how many decks he or she requires, controller compatibility, sampling & looping and software that will work with mobile devices like the iPad.

With all this to consider, where is a DJ to start? Here of course we outline some of the best DJ software to fit your needs.

Traktor Pro 2

When DJs ask what software they need when they want the best, the question will undoubtedly be Traktor. Other than Serato, Native Instruments Traktor series software is the best on the market.

Traktor Pro 2 software is reliable, which is an essential for any DJ. More than that however it has flexible performance features that have endeared it to even the finickiest of DJs. Laptop DJs enjoy the ease of use with a keyboard and mouse with this software, along with its intuitiveness. Whether you’re a Mac or PC user, Traktor gets the job done.

Best of all, this high quality software is inexpensive—less than $100 at most retailers.

Serato Scratch Live & Serato DJ

You can compile a list of what software to get and not include Serato, the pioneers of digital vinyl DJing. If you’ve yet to make the switch or have no plans to go full-on digital then you’ll need to explore your options with Scratch Live. As the most popular software among DJs who do the digital vinyl thing, the only real downside is that you need an authentic Rane interface to use it.

As for Serato DJ, this is for those using a DJ controller. This software is meant to work with most MIDI controllers so a software upgrade doesn’t mean you need to get new hardware as well. You can try Serato DJ for free called Serato DJ Intro to see if it’s up to your standards.

Both software programs are Mac and PC compatible and reasonably priced to get new DJs started.

Traktor DJ For iPad

When young DJs want to know what software they should use for their mobile devices, the answer is almost always Native Instruments. Their Traktor DJ iOS app tops the list of best software apps. While it isn’t a fully formed piece of software like that for your laptop, it does over the basics such as effects, 2 channel mixing and best beat detection.

Because of the iPad’s touchscreen, the Traktor DJ app includes intuitive track mixing and navigation. Probably the coolest thing about this iPad DJ app is that you can sync tracks and sets between your iPad and laptop.

The only downside is that this is a super new app, which means if you have any iOS earlier than version 6 you are out of luck.

Ableton Live

If you want to know what software gives you the feel of being a producer, DJ and live performer the answer is simple: Ableton Live. Although not initially intended to be used as a DJ application, many DJs have found the Ableton Live software to be a true gem.

The Session View window gives you a peek at producing with a dedicated window for synchronizing loops. And the intuitiveness of the software works well with retiming files and detecting beats. This is an impressive piece of software, but probably not quite what a beginner DJ needs.

It can be complicated if you’re still learning how to DJ and more importantly it is expensive compared to other DJ software on the market, costing upwards of $400.

Algoriddim djay for iPad

I figured it’s only fair to mention more software available for the iPad since this seems to be where things are headed this year. It makes sense for this to happen since the original djay app was developed as a Mac app. Although Traktor has stolen the thunder of the once Top Dawg, djay is nothing to laugh at.

This application allows you to connect to many different DJ controllers so you get the full experience of mixing. This may seem like small comfort to experienced DJs but for those of you just getting started, you’ll appreciate the option to implement what you’ve learned in DJ classes.

These are just a few of the software programs you should consider. If you’re making the jump to iOS then Traktor is the way to go, but do yourself a favor and try a few different programs. You’ll never know what you need in a software program until you’ve tested a few.

Tell us, what is your favorite DJ software?

I hope I was able to help you find the best DJ software for your needs. 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!

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Plenty of DJs just starting out write me asking what are the best headphones to buy and what makes a good set of headphones. Of course there are certain objectives all DJs should consider when it’s time to replace or upgrade, but honestly headphones are so personal that it comes down to what you want and need.

Style and color are factors to take into account, but comfort and sound isolation are more important if your goal is to be a great DJ. Those of you who have gone through a few pairs of headphones know that there are plenty of other things to consider such as ear cup size and flexibility, sound quality, cables and connection capabilities.

To help you out, I’ve put together some of the best headphones out this year to help you get a solid pair.

AKG by TIËSTO

I know what you’re thinking; not another DJ hawking a pair of cheap headphones. It was my first thought too, along with “man, what a good businessman”. But unlike traditional celebrities who can hawk crap without any blowback, DJs don’t really have that kind of luxury and AKG have done TIËSTO’s name proud.

My first impression of these headphones was, thank goodness there are no gigantic T’s emblazoned on these headphones! The design is sleek and stylish with black and silver all over and a cushioned top for comfort. But the AKG’s don’t stop at beauty and comfort. They also provide choice.

This choice comes in the form of 3 distinct models; the K67, K167 and K267. The difference is in ear cup size and driver size. All models sit over the ear instead of one the ear, for great comfort and more effective sound isolation. The K267 TIËSTO are the Cadillac of the bunch, being larger and with huge padding around the crown.

The good thing about the AKG by TIËSTO is that they fit all budgets, ranging from about $100 (USD) to $350.

Reloop RHP-10

If your goal is to secure the best headphones for your needs and in your price range, you may be in the market for something like the Reloop RHP-10 Flash. The RHP-10 isn’t quite the top of the line professional grade headphones like the AKG K267 but they certainly are not the low grade cheap-o headphones that barely help at all.

They are brightly colored and classically designed, and come with a handy little bag for easy transport. The flimsy bag probably won’t do much to protect the headphones against damage but it is handy. Despite the bulky look and feel of the RHP-10, they are surprisingly light weighing in at just under 9 ounces. They are snug enough to block out ambient noise but not so snug you need a decompression chamber after a long night at the club.

DJs are saying good things about these funky headphones. They have big drivers for excellent volume output, balanced mids and highs and solid sound. The RHP-10 headphones may not have the pizzazz of the expensive leather-clad pro headphones but they definitely get the job done well.

Most appealing for those of you out there just starting out; I’ve put these in the best headphones of 2013 category for design, quality and price (about $100).

Sennheiser HD 25-1 II

You can’t really talk about the best headphones of any year without talking about German headphone giant Sennheiser. These are truly specialized professional headphones with superb ambient noise reduction. Whether you’re recording, performing at a club or concert or doing studio work, the HD 25-1 II headphones are the best headphones for the all-around DJ.

With additional head cushioning, solid ear cups and super lightweight (just 4.9 oz.) it should come as no surprise that these headphones cost a pretty penny, $200 to be exact.

Runners Up

If you’re looking for the best headphones with flash and a big name DJ to go with it, then you’ll want to take a look at Beats by Dre Mixr. They are durable and lightweight and intended for professional DJs. The metal framed ear cups are sturdy and comfortable and the headband is flexible so you can fold them up for easy transport as well as easy switching from headphone music to crowd noise.

The reason the Pioneer HDJ-2000 is a ‘runner up’ rather than the best headphones of 2013 is simply they are astoundingly expensive. Topping out at $350 these headphones have swiveling ear cups with are said to memorize your profile. The ear cups fold up, making them easy to carry but also easy to listen to everything at once. With a unique mono/stereo switch, you can monitor with precision.

These are just the best headphones of 2013, but there are plenty of others on the market that may be right for you. What headphones do you plan to get this year?

I hope I helped you find the best headphones to jumpstart your DJ career. 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 and the best DJ equipment!

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