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Forum: General Discussion

Topic: Underestimating yourself as a DJ

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Firstly i just praise the team for the new boards great move. Now back to the topic. I took a weekend off the first for many years and entrusted my gigs to a known DJ / Agent of many years who placed DJs into my Venues. Came back to a weekend of complaints. The DJ Friday evening kept blaming the equipment ie: his sound levels on his mics were overloading his amps and cutting out, Saturday Night folk walked out of another venue making it clear the DJ was crap, the management have requested not to book him again, which i was surprised as i know the guy but not heard him at work and Sundays venue was a flop all this after i returned from my Nieces wedding and guess what? the DJ was bloody aweful, each and every song was followed by radio chat " And that was number one from the 50's and now a number one from the eighties " unbelievable. My point of the topic. Sometimes after working night after night we the good DJS always in work because we give the crowd and the venues what they want, playing to the floor and building the atmosphere, i sometimes feel that i could had done better, however after my weekend off i realise i must be doing a sight better than the formentioned DJS. So time to stop underestermating myself . The upside of all the complaints is my booking have gone up , so happy days. The difference i did note is that none of the four DJS used VDJ need i say more.
 
geposted Mon 01 Sep 08 @ 7:40 pm
I don't think software had anything to do with them tanking.

Lack of skills is sufficient for that
 
True, if you're a decent DJ you can rock it with just an ipod, or a pile of CDs. But VDJ makes it easier cos we can always find "that track" and it gives us time to listen to a few different things in the headphones first so we can make better music choices.

Sorry to hear about your complaints, but at least it's a nice ego boost for you! :)
 
I totally get what you mean - most good DJs will never stop learning - while maintaining a modest approach to their work. Sometimes its good to get a weekend off every once and a while to have a look around other bars. I always get frustrated by other DJ's because I always think I could do better - and even if im not better - it will motivate me to get home to practice and become better.
 
Before i hire someone, i would ask them questions about what equipment they use and how long they been playing. I would like to see them play at a gig. If some one is going to show up with a Ipod and im paying him, ill tell him to forget it. Have a good day..... Your paying for service.
 
well , i hope the wedding was great ....

i hate the windbag dj's ...... what did george carlin say ? "we're the boss jocks , playin' the boss songs , that are boss told us to play" .....
 
I've been splitting my week as a DJ and a KJ for the last year and a half. Most karaoke gigs i start out with music until i can get a few people to sign up and sometimes i'll try to cram in 3 dance vids in between singer rotations on KJ nights to get people that dont sing involved and having a good time if they werent already. I've always tried to pick out songs that fit together and improve how i'm beatmatching and fitting them together, I think i've improved a great deal but it really seems like its never enough to feel comfortable.

For the most part i've been using a mouse and hotkeys on my keyboard to do everything and leaving my single iCDX at home, (i just picked up an RMX today) but everytime i'm out working i always feel like i'm not the really cool DJ that has two Technics turntables or Pioneer CDJ1000's. Some of this is because an old manager at a place i work, nixed my friday DJ nights because they wanted a more flashy guy with turntables that could scratch. I think I get my job done pretty well and play songs that the crowd likes and everyone has a good time but i almost feel obligated to learn to scratch and have turntables or dual CD drives or else people dont notice anything. The venue i guess recently canned their Saturday DJ and asked me to do it instead, but being a guy that has to cart all his stuff out and set it up every time, i really dont want to bring things that are just there for show. I dunno.. it all fits perfectly into "The more you learn, the more you find out that you dont know" thing.
 
It is amazing how hard it is to get a suitable replacement. You think it's only a bar or club gig, how hard can it be right? WRONG!

I've had the same issue. I've got one bar account that wants it to be more like a club, but it's just not a club. None the less, whenever I'm not personally in there and I have someone else, I either get "help me" calls during the event, or "that guy sucked" from the manager. It's amazing to me how many people can't pull off what I think should be simple.
 
Appearance can actually let u in. and also determine your price

Imagine u going to play in a club with a keyboard.. or marketing urself using a keyboard
That is what i did when i started mixing and using vdj - yes.. the famous keyboard controller - 100% compatible, native and midi learn

Suffice to say - using the keyboard I rocked the crowd more than these guys on some fancy decks

Off course no one took me serious - First time I played on a major sound.... did i say played... The guys never even jacked me in. In fact they went on mic and started dissing... (what dance come to now).

so i licked my wounds... of course... Decided that i was being judged on keyboard skills and not as a dj...not that the crowd even had a chance to hear me play

Got my first controller.. a dac3.. thanks to mp3rick.. second dance gig ..same sound....... same djs... the promoter asked me to play the entire night...Jeez... guess it must be the controllers... not my djing skills....had to be giving the same fellows who dissed me a little chance to play.

Of course i am now up to Timecode and CD players.. etc.... and suffice to say... a nice little gig setup... a far cry from a keyboard
Also the money is much better too... must be the controllers.....(well i have improved too)

BEING A GOOD DJ IS DOING UR HOME WORK

Personally I case a joint I am going to play at before I do... if it is possible see what they like.. dislike etc
Otherwise if I go party... and the music catches my attention and damn... the dj is doing some major damage and bringing it to the crowd.. out of habit... i make a note of his play list....I also look at the crowd and monitor their reaction.. their high and low points.

I then go home and do a play list... add a few switch around... especially parts that I am likely to forget.

The dj must be able to read the crowd.... and play the music that the crowd wants to hear.... I Remember playing in a club where the order of the day was to play techno trance early..since the crowd was normally european (tourist area here)

so here we are.... then i notice 5 bus load of african americans makin their way in.... seemingly saying... lets see if this place is worth staying
Of course the music was not their style... but c'mon dat is where the crowd was.. so in 30 seconds.. i brought in a remix on a techno beat.. with the song being something they would appreciate.. and then changed genre completely...all this within a minute of them walkin in
I tell u they just walked straight onto the dancefloor and started doing their thang.... needless to say we had a great night...
 
Send that same DJ to cover a one off gig for you and you may get good feedback, Sometimes at a regular gig if you don't turn up and someone else does it for you in your place then the crowd don't like it regardless of how good they are they just like there regular Jock.

Then again the DJ could just be crap!
 
And don't forget about personality. Sometimes the replacement can play the right music but almost bring the energy down because he/she doesn't have a presence there. Sometimes you have to be relatable in the bar or approachable. I know we all hate to be bothered but it's those same people that help make the energy. The hardest thing is being in a location for more that a year ( 3 years for me ) and staying fresh and new every couple of months. A DJ may feel like he's in a "rut". The same songs requested with the same stupid questions from the same people every weak.

So I have to get out to other clubs or bars to hear some different mixing or combos, just to refresh myself. I haven't missed a day of work in 3 years and almost feel like taking some time off. The catch 22 is that I love DJing so much I'll miss it.

The bottom line is DJing is addicting and you have to always be creative to stay fresh and new in your style or else you'll end up like Chucknorris..... MEAN and SCRUGE LIKE!!!!

AMAHM is just old, theres no changing his spots!!!
 
And I always thought these guys who are lucky enough to get to go on vacation once every three or four years always selected crappy jocks ON PURPOSE so as to not lose their job while away...and make the boss appreciate them more.

I always select the best Dj for the job (managers budget considering) as it makes me look better in the long run....they don't care who is in the booth as long as the right crowd is happy and coming back every week I am doing my job as music director whether I am the best Dj on staff or not.
 


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