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Forum: General Discussion

Topic: i thought i suck !!! but guess what?

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hey people...i was at a quensera last night, everything was going pretty good except for the DJ after all the mariachi and the banda. Im still new and still practicing BEAT MATCHING, however this guy got some balls to play at this place without any beat match...one song is just on top of another. I was telling my GF that i would feel embarass performing like that, i wouldn't even perform without having the proper skills to do it...I felt like they shouldn't pay this guy, its horrible....anyway i just wanted to share my experience, it actually kind of motivated me to be better than i am today.. PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE... thnx
 
geposted Sun 03 May 09 @ 9:42 am
don't beat yourself up , cuz as u saw , you don't suck ......

you can never get so good that you can't improve either .....

so be a good winner and be a good loser

i'm sure when i started ..... the guy you are referring to was probably much better .....

lessee ... i had zero experience , 100 cd's , no pro equipment and usually paid the boss 25$ a gig to use his stuff (which was very generous of the boss , only 25$.....) especially since he also got the gig usually
 
just because someone doesn't beat match (especially mariachi and banda which is not designed to beat match) does not mean they are not a good Dj. Dj's have got to get over themselves and quit thinking that beat matching and scratching are the end all and be all about Djing....it is FAR more complex than that. The main point (especially at a Quinceneta) is to make sure everyone is having a good time and PARTYING and drinkiung lots and lots of Corona & Dos Exxis!

Now, if you was trying to beat match and was train wrecking everything that is another matter entirely and someone should have derailed him......
 
Quote :
Dj's have got to get over themselves and quit thinking that beat matching and scratching are the end all and be all
.

I love discussions like this. I agreee 100%. I have been beat matching for 32 years, (match approximate speeds), and beat mixing since the 80's. In my shows these days I mix it up with cross fades, beat matching and beat mixing. I also throw the music around from one genres to an other and one era to the next. On top of that I talk it up on the mic and run games and competions.

In reality most people just want to have fun and dance to the tracks they know and love.

You were lucky to be able to go out and hear someone else DJ. Never be critical of the mix but how the DJ puts it together. Analyse why he or she played a particular set and the reaction of the crowd. If they are killing the dance floor, then you have reason to be critical. I learnt a long time ago the power is in the sequence and choice of song, not just the mix.

Clean and tight cross fades with the BPM increasing wiith each song and great selection is the key to great DJing.

 
Actually there is no clear cut formula for being a great DJ, If you ask famous DJ's, what did they do to be where they are, you will get different answers. Each answer they give is based on their experience and technical know how. There are also people who were born to do this thing. Just played with TT's and they're untouchable. In this particular situation, I think the culture of the crowd dictated the style of DJ'ing. In hispanic communities, they prefer to listen to the entire track and get the most dance out of it than having it be cut in the middle during their dance routine. Evidently, the DJ did his research and was doing the job he got paid to do. He might have been a very good mixer, turntablist or producer.. but who knows...My suggestion, if you want to be good, get out of the bedroom, go to clubs with well known DJ's play and analyze what they are doing and why. Study the cause and effect of the dance floor scene and maybe after several outings, you will come up with your own generality of the dance floor culture and apply it to your own style. Do not emulate other DJ's style nor trainspot. After observing the club scene then go back to your bedroom and practice what you have learned. Have fun.
 
To be great. Practice your mixing skillz, The more the better. Play what the crowd wants to hear and also take chances on what you think the crowd may like as well. Dont play too much of the same type of songs, change it up and keep it fresh. People like songs with a good beat. Don't dj for your self. Always look at the crowd to see how they respond. DJ ying is like producing. Follow these steps and you will become Hot... Its good to go out and check out other djs and Compare their style to yours. Listen to the radio on the weekend and check out the mixes.
 
What I have been seeing more and more lately is big time lowballing going on. I was initially contacted to do a party not too long ago, a friend of mine told me that his sister-in-law was looking for a DJ for her daughter's Quinceañera. Normally I'll do one of these (3-4 hours) for about $450 to $500 + $125 per hour extra, which is pretty reasonable around here. I offered to do it for $300 because he was a friend, and he was going to help me transport and carry my equipment and assist during the show. About 2 days before the gig my buddy calls me and tells me that he doesn't know what happened but they got another DJ. I didn't do a contract or deposit because this was my friend's family. I only did the liability waiver.

I was a bit pissed about this so I called the woman up and asked her why she hired someone else, she used the common excuse I've been hearing lately, "oh you know, the economy and everything, we found a DJ that is going to do it for way less". Way less?! I already went bare bones on this one. I don't have any "CHEAP" gear, my stuff is pretty much top shelf, so they WERE getting it for way less. I was only pissed because I passed up other full paying gigs to do this favor!

I had already been invited to go to this Quinceañera before being asked to DJ, they are family friends and my daughter is close to their daughter, so we went (plus I didn't have anything else to do since I didn't have a gig scheduled thanks to this). Anyway...

OMG!!! The DJ was using home stereo equipment with an iPod, a Phillips mp3 player and an old Radio Shack mixer from like 1989!! He had a blue police beacon, a strobe light and an old helicopter light from 1986! This guy was in his 30's to early 40's, not a teenager like you might expect with this equipment. The kids were noticeably disappointed but the parents were like "he's ok". My buddy that initially tried to hire me was really upset at the parents (his brother & sister-in-law) of this poor girl. On top of all this the DJ got drunk and the show really went to hell!

Normally I am humble and would never criticize a fellow DJ, but I'm in the clear because this guy wasn't a DJ! He didn’t even try to be a DJ. Forget beat matching and mixing, he was just destroying the music. He didn’t have a mic, so the games and special dance and other Quinceañera things had to be shouted out by various family & friends.

Next time a friend asks for a favor I’m doing a contract and deposit, even if I do it for le$$.

These so-called DJ’s are out there in droves, I’ve been seeing ads on Craig’s List or The Recycler Online for DJ’s charging $30 an hour. Another guy will do shows for drinks and tips! Our industry is being inundated and diluted with these so-called “DJ’s”. Some customers out there apparently just don’t care about quality if prices are low enough. More than ever real DJ’s are going to have to rely on their personalities and salesmanship to stay in business, because in the end, the all mighty dollar speaks loudest.


DJ RuDeDoGG from SoCaLi!!!
 
DJRudeDoGG wrote :
These so-called DJ’s are out there in droves, I’ve been seeing ads on Craig’s List or The Recycler Online for DJ’s charging $30 an hour. Another guy will do shows for drinks and tips! Our industry is being inundated and diluted with these so-called “DJ’s”. Some customers out there apparently just don’t care about quality if prices are low enough. More than ever real DJ’s are going to have to rely on their personalities and salesmanship to stay in business, because in the end, the all mighty dollar speaks loudest.


This is the unfortunate side of our business and I don't like it anymore than anybody else, but it happens all over. How do you think moving companies felt when U-Haul started up, how many times have you seen someone fixin the plumbing, running conduit or building a stage at the club for a tab? How do you think plumbers, electricians and carpenters feel. How many times have you represented yourself on a speeding ticket, how about design your own flyers instead of sending them to a graphic designer because you have a copy of photoshop?

We ALL at some point or another do someone elses "Job" becasue we think we can do it as well and it won't cost us anything (or as much). Just hope those dissapointed kids remember how lame the party was because of the Dj and they insist that next time there is a school dance, a teen club or their friend's Quincenera they remember and learned from it so you (or another pro Dj) will get the future gigs.
 
I would tell them, Do you want a party where everyone is having a great time and dancing ? The reason why i charge this is because i am good at what i do. I will make the best out of your event. You can get the cheaper dj but don't expect good results.
 
I did tell them that when she told me she "found someone WAY cheaper". I told her the good old fashioned saying of "you usually get what you pay for", but she just smirked and said that she heard he (the cheapie DJ) was "really good". Sometimes people just see money and nothing else. I knew when she told me the other guy was "WAY" cheaper that she had no clue. During the show her daughter told her several times to "PLEASE get rid of that guy", she would rather play her radio. What "Mom" did in effect was ruin her daughter's night. It took that hard lesson for the woman to be educated on these matters, she even had to promise her daughter another party to make up for it (see? What money does she save here? Lol). I will not be doing that show however. I offered them once and she blew it the first time. I wasn't trying to be a jerk, I'd rather just stay away from her. Being in business for 25 years has taught me how to read people (and having a psychology degree doesn't hurt!) She is one of those people that I have learned NOT to do business with, you know the type. I originally was hired through the bro-in-law, remember? Back to the subject at hand...

I know there will always be lowballers, I have been dealing with that in both worlds (entertainment and in my regular career as a government contractor). The customer will learn from experience as we all have. I do well from word of mouth because I offer a great service and because I do multiple services. You have to be confident in yourself and what you offer and then just do the best damn job you can, and that my friends will pay dividends. You will still lose the ignorant people that just have no clue and you may even lose the regular people once in a while, but never give up, keep learning everyday and keep a happy face on. Humility will keep it all in check.




DJ RuDeDoGG
 
No. 1 EVERYONE GETS A CONTRACT!! No exceptions. I even have contract for donated events stateing myself and my equipment is covered under their event insurance.

No. 2 NO ONE GETS A PRICE BREAK!!! Only exception is family. And I mean uncles and aunts, not third cousins once removed by marriage. If someone asks my response is always the same " I would never insult your work by asking you for a price break. (insert a descriptive here, plumbing, carpentry, legal work) Please do not ask me that. It makes me feel like you don't appreciate my work. You know how much I respect yours."

As to the original post. My friend you figured it out without any help from us. Practice, practice, practice....that is all it takes...
 
I got ya TearEmUp. That's what my waiver is for, basically charity events, etc, it covers all of that. These people aren't close to me, well the main guy who wanted to hire me is my best friend, but also my daughter's good friend was the one getting the party so I thought I'd help out. But next time, well there is no "next time", lol!


DJ RuDe


PS: $300.00 IS charity!!
 
I'm a club DJ, but I started with a mobile outfit(bottom feeder) which skyrocketed later on as a business. This is a tip we found out, Think about the type and class of clientele you want to do business with and just market heavily on that sector. Trying to corner all type of clientele is a waste of time and effort. Especially if you decide to cater to lower class parties, there will be more head aches than what your fee is worth. The higher grade equipment you outfit yourself, the higher income level events you should target. Let the low ballers and bottom feeders feed at the bottom.
 
im sorry to hear that djrudedogg, but my situation is not to that extent. i could tell that the everyone is dancing but you can tell on their facial expression that "why is he mixing like that?" they would initially kinda stop and trying to figure out the next song...he was playing hiphop just like we can hear it on the radio, but its just not right in my opinion.


"Now, if you was trying to beat match and was train wrecking everything that is another matter entirely and someone should have derailed him......" its actually getting there!
 


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