How do you get into event DJ'ing?

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wiiwee

Bluelighter
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Nov 11, 2010
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I don't even want to make money, I'd even pay to do it, because I love playing music for people. I have a pretty ridiculous collection and I am great at making playlists, but I have no DJ experience, and not sure at all how to get into that scene. What would be a good way to start? I'd love to be able to do that here and there just for fun, and not to pad my ego but most of the time the playlists I throw together sound better than most I hear at the events I go to.
 
if you have small clubs or things like student bars where you live drop them your cds and just ask.
 
Get some DJ'ing equipment and learn how to mix. Put your mixes online on places like soundcloud. Talk to local event promoters and other DJ's in your area. It's mostly networking really.
 
AfterGlow said:
Join a crew. Contact event promoters. Put your mixes online.
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other than just knowing where to get good music from and how to make good playlists, I know nothing about mixing or even how to begin learning how to mix. What would be the bare minimum equipment needed to really learn how to mix well enough to be able to play a show?
 
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I moved into a house that already had a couple DJs, and so there was equipment readily available for me to practice on. Took about 2-3 months of practice before I got my first gig at a party (10am set). A few months after that was my first booking outside of my home state.If you don't know anyone, then get to know someone. Find a crew with similar tastes in music, get to know them. go to all their events so that they recognize you. then when you feel you are good enough to perform record a demo and have them take a listen.

Most of the time its who you know not what you know. Mixing isn't as easy as knowing a good track selection, you have to know how to work the crowd and blend your tracks. Learn to beatmatch before you learn to use the sync button. (sync isn't always 100% accurate so knowing how to beatmatch will allow you to detect and fix these problems).

Just practice a lot and don't give up. Its a competitive market, you got to do something that will make you special.
 
tastethealex said:
I moved into a house that already had a couple DJs, and so there was equipment readily available for me to practice on. Took about 2-3 months of practice before I got my first gig at a party (10am set). A few months after that was my first booking outside of my home state.If you don't know anyone, then get to know someone. Find a crew with similar tastes in music, get to know them. go to all their events so that they recognize you. then when you feel you are good enough to perform record a demo and have them take a listen.

Most of the time its who you know not what you know. Mixing isn't as easy as knowing a good track selection, you have to know how to work the crowd and blend your tracks. Learn to beatmatch before you learn to use the sync button. (sync isn't always 100% accurate so knowing how to beatmatch will allow you to detect and fix these problems).

Just practice a lot and don't give up. Its a competitive market, you got to do something that will make you special.
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Could I just throw some songs together (like 2-3) and put them on here and u guys can tell me if I really do have some track selection skills or if I'm just dreaming? I don't know how to sync/mix so i dunno how it's gonna come out lol
 
Katapult said:
if you have small clubs or things like student bars where you live drop them your cds and just ask.
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I probably live in the top third EDM city in the world so not really any small anything here
 
Most bars offer deals where you can just rent the place out for events. And if you throw an afterhours party all you have to pay for really is security. Or rent out a hall or something and the gear that you want and away you go. Just check what you need for licenses in your area.

Really the trick with event promotion is just getting people to come to your events.

Its pretty common for DJs starting out to throw their own events. If you break even you are doing something right.
 
1: GET SOME DECKS

2: PLAY AROUND ON THEM TILL YOU GET GOOD (it will happen sooner then u think)

3: NETWORK!.....GET OUT THERE AND ATTEND ALL THE DJ SHOWS AND MAKE FRIENDS :)

GOOD LUCK!!!!
 
wiiwee said:
Could I just throw some songs together (like 2-3) and put them on here and u guys can tell me if I really do have some track selection skills or if I'm just dreaming? I don't know how to sync/mix so i dunno how it's gonna come out lol
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if you don't know how to mix or sync/beatmatch it doesn't matter how good the track selection is, it will sound like shit (aka a train wreck). Songs dont just magically fit together.
 
beatmatching takes practice. Just keep working on it, you will get better. Just start talking to djs if you want to get into event djing. If there is a certain style of music that you like just go to parties that throw that type of music, give em a mix of yours and tell em you want to play.
 
i dont plan on going from playlists to events, but i do want to start DJing as a hobby. i dont really have money for decks though. is virtual dj/ traktor a good starting point? and also what should i be practing other than beatmatching? just blending individual songs or trying to blend a few?
 
i would stay away from Virtual DJ, Traktor would be a much better program to use. Have you decided what style of music you want to mix? Different styles of music are mixed differently. Just figure out what you want to play and start throwing tracks into the program. look up videos on youtube for tutorials on tips and tricks, then just keep practicing. when you feel confident with your sound then start recording.
 
Basically you have to be behind a promoter/agent/club owner's ass and be sniffing his farts. Other than that, become a producer and let your music talk for you rather than being a follower in the sake of getting a gig.
 
Aside from the live venue root which a lot of people have already suggested, you can hire out studios fitted with webcams for a few hours each week. You have to pay a little, but you are guaranteed a decent level audience and don't need to work as hard to promote yourself as much as you would if you DIY using livestream in your own studio or whatever. That's more for people interested in the radio side of things though.

www.ukflow.tv < offers this service in london, UK. I'm sure there are plenty more about no matter where you live. Just have to find out about them.

+ You can upload podcasts or do live ones for lots of online radio stations. http://www.dubstep.fm/ is a popular, err, dubstep one. :]

If people have already heard of you from online sources then you stand a better chance of getting booked at a gig.
 
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