If you have a passion for music, then it’s hard not to notice how DJing as a profession has become more and more recognized and respected over the years. If the thought has ever crossed your mind, then it’s important to know that becoming a DJ requires focus and dedication, just like with any other profession.
You need to start off by understanding where your passion lies in terms of music. Which genre are you interested in? What kind of audience would you have? Is there room for success and do you have sufficient time to dedicate, and really commit to building a career as a DJ, if the answer is yes, then it’s important to get down to some serious research. It’s time to understand what steps need to be taken to guide you on your way.
We’ve created a list of the most important factors you need to keep in mind to help you get started.
A decent laptop and mixing software
To start off, you need to have a proper laptop that you dedicate for DJing exclusively. You’re going to want to use it as you produce your music, and also utilize it when you go to play gigs, so it should only be used for that. You also want to ensure that you read up on the different kinds of mixing software that is available on the market, and find out which one is best suited for the kind of mix you want to produce.
Speakers and headphones
It’s imperative to have high quality speakers and headphones. This is the only way you’ll be able to assess and work with the sounds that you are producing to come out exactly the way you want them to sound. You also want to have these on you at all times, because you will always need your headphones in order to make transitions, and you might need your speakers as a backup in case the venue that you’re playing doesn’t have properly functioning speakers for whatever reason. It’s also advisable that you keep a pair of extra headphones in case the ones you’re using stop working.
Decide on what kind of DJ you want to be
There are a couple of options when it comes to the world of DJing, so you need to determine what role you’d like to play. You need to really assess the whole field to understand what suits your passion and area of professionalism best. You can be a producer who makes all their music from scratch, or a club DJ who mixes already existing tracks. There is also the option of becoming a radio DJ or one that caters to special events and plays commercial music.
Experiment with styles and genres
The key to staying relevant in a field that is full of competition is to be as versatile as possible. It’s important that you keep challenging yourself in terms of genres and experiments with different kinds of music and production. You may have your comfort zone in focusing on the genre that you know best, but that will only take you so far. By expanding your exposure, you allow yourself to try new things and excite your audience with something fresh and brand new.
Understand your audience
In order to become a successful DJ, it’s imperative that you understand your demographic. People have trends and phases in which they obsess about a certain style or genre, and it’s crucial that you stay one step ahead of the game. This comes by really staying in tune with what’s going on in both the commercial and underground music scene, festivals, and events. You don’t have to necessarily cater to all of them, but by keeping your eyes and ears on everything, you’ll be able to really have a hold on how to play with whatever genre and audience you like successfully.
These are the first steps and foundation that you need to hold in place throughout your advancements as a DJ. What you need to focus on as well is to market your brand and your music in a way that reaches the audience that you would like it to reach. Stay humble and stay dedicated to your true passion. By consistently working hard, you can’t go wrong because that is what it takes to stay on top of the game. As long as you are unique and are always with the latest equipment, software, and trends, then you can’t go wrong.