10 Actionable DJ Tips That Work Like a Charm

Do you want to know how to rock the house every time you DJ a set? Whether you're just a rookie or an experienced DJ looking to refine your skills and take things to the next level, you need to learn more than just the fundamentals. Knowing what to do to rock the house is an entirely different ball game, and you need to perfect your craft to stay ahead of the competition. Today we'll cover a few DJ tips to help you step your game up and give your audience an experience they'll never forget.

Become a Lifelong Student of Your Craft

As a DJ, your number one goal is to provide good music so that party-goers are sure they'll have a night to remember every time you step on the scene. To become a credible force in the DJ industry, you've got to be a serious music lover with an intense passion for your craft. Without the proper mindset, you'll never be able to take the audience on a musical journey or build a solid reputation. If you're more than a wannabe DJ and want to make this a career, be prepared to immerse yourself in music. You've got to go the extra mile to stand out, and the only way to do that is to become a dedicated student.

Learn the Basics Skills Required to Become a DJ

As you travel along the path to becoming a superstar DJ, remember to soak in as much possible knowledge from other DJs. They're not your enemies, and most would love to share their expertise with you to help you get started. Seek out DJs who possess the skill set and musical style you wish to develop. If you don't have access to a mentor or can't get a DJ to give you some advice, consider taking an online class to learn audio mixing and how to DJ effectively. You have to take the necessary time to learn basic DJ skills such as blending two songs, chained effects, mixing harmonically, creating live remixes, beatmatching, phrase mixing, looping, EQing, and beat jumping. Without guidance to help you master these skills, your learning curve will be much longer.

Get the Right DJ Equipment

When it comes to DJ equipment, always look for the highest quality you can get without going over budget. For your first DJ setup, you'll need turntables and DJ controllers, a mixer, headphones, a laptop computer or vinyl records, a professional record cleaning kit, DJ software, and performance-enhancing equipment such as drum machines, samplers, and MIDI controllers. You don't need performance-enhancing equipment to build your first set. You can add them to your DJ setup gradually. And as long as you have a quality setup, you'll be good to go. You don't need to overcomplicate your DJ setup, so take your time and add equipment as you become more proficient.

Learn How to DJ With & Without a Laptop

Once you've got the basic equipment setup, focus on DJing without a laptop first. A great turntable to sharpen your skillset on is the TT-900 Stereo Turntable System. It's a great piece of equipment to learn how to scratch mix on and will help you master the art of catching and releasing tracks at the right time. You never know if a mixer may fail during a set, and a good DJ will have the scratch mixing skills to keep the party going if there are any mishaps. When you feel confident in your scratch mixing skills, you're ready to DJ with a laptop. Learning how to DJ with just a laptop computer is the second most important skill you need to develop so you'll be prepared to keep the music pumping if an equipment failure should occur.

Practice Daily to Sharpen Your Skills

Taking the sounds from your head and turning them into a musical reality will require dedication and hard work. Be prepared to practice continuously to hone your skill sets and develop your style. Don't try to tackle too many skills at once. Focus on mastering one technique at a time before moving on to something else. As you get deeper into DJing, you will see other DJs performing tricks and techniques that you'll be dying to try out for yourself, but take your time and keep practicing until everything feels natural and becomes effortless. Ultimately you're striving to become one with the music, and once you can do that, you can guide the audience on a musical journey any time you choose.

Build Up Your Music Collection

For a DJ, having a music library that includes several different genres is critical if you want to succeed in this industry. Before you take on your first gig or one with a nice fat paycheck, be sure your collection is full of quality, mind-blowing material that you can select from any time you choose to control the flow of your set. If you're focused on only one or two genres, take some time to learn other genres to bring an even better experience to your audience.

Your mixing ability will never become legendary without knowing how to control the tempo of the music. Different musical genres will enlighten you about styles and techniques you never knew existed. Who knows? You may discover a whole new style nobody else is doing and set yourself apart from the competition. The length of time it takes you to build up your collection doesn't matter, and you'll be able to read the crowd by mixing in different types of music.

Record a Demo Mix

As your confidence grows and your skills increase, you'll realize that it's time to take the next step. At this point, you're ready to record a demo mix that showcases your talents. Put your playlist together and spend some time beatmatching before recording a demo to get the best result. Create your loops and record your voice. Imagine you're playing for a live audience and recording a mix that is at least one hour long. Don't just play songs one after the other, play with as much energy as possible as if you were controlling the tempo and flow for a real audience. Once the recording is complete, take a couple of hours before listening to the finished product. Often, DJs are too hard on themselves during the recording process, and the finished product sounds better after some time has passed. So wait a little while before you analyze your demo and attempt to make any changes.

Develop Your Online Presence & Start Networking

Now that you've got a demo recorded, you can showcase your talent by developing a social media presence. Consider putting your work on YouTube so you can self-promote and start building a base of followers. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tik-Tok, and cloud-based music services are also great ways to put yourself out there to get noticed and accumulate fans. If you're active and take time to comment and engage with your fans, word-of-mouth advertising will generate a loyal base that will grow as time passes. After getting some traction with social media, promote your services and use your profiles and demo to present to future employers. When you get the opportunity to interview for a set, be on time. Event planners want to know that you're reliable and professional. Bring your A-game and present yourself with confidence while showing them that you're energetic and fun to be around.

Well, there you have it. The tips we've shared today will give you the solid foundation you need to become a force in the DJ industry. Implement these strategies today, and remember to be yourself at all times. You're unique, and no other DJ does it quite like you!