Congratulations! You’ve decided you want to hop into the world of electronic music and show the world what you got. But, even though you have the talent for it, maybe you’re not sure what are all the necessary steps you need to take before you start going on major tours. Well, lucky for you, that’s what this article is for. It’s for all aspiring DJs who feel a bit lost, and who are not sure how to get started as a DJ.
Before we hop into are the main tips for you, we need to make sure that you understand that DJing isn’t only about creating beats, tapes, etc. When you’re starting to learn this craft, you’re also learning how to match your very own musical expression with basically all the things your audience wants from you.
Many people think that becoming a DJ is a ticket to overnight success, but it’s much harder than that. Don’t get us wrong, if you’re willing to learn, and perfect your craft, getting started with DJing is easy, but, if you’re ambitious, you’re going to need a lot of practice and patience if you want to become one of the best in the business.
Learn What Different DJs Do
We know that this sounds kind of silly, but hear us out. When most people think about DJs, they think about major stars such as Martin Garix, David Guetta, etc. But, there is a minority of people who aren’t familiar with these names, and the first thing that pops in their mind is for example radio DJs, mobile DJs…
That’s why you need to think nice and long about what kind of DJ you want to be. Maybe you don’t want to become the next megastar, maybe your dream is to become the next DJ at your local radio show. Who knows, we all have our hopes and dreams. All in all, make sure that you study all these kinds of DJs, and find which style suits you the best.
Exploring DJ Software
At the very beginning of your journey of becoming a DJ, this will probably be one of the most fun things in your life. The reason for that is simply the fact that this is the very first time you’re going to experience what DJing and creating music is actually like. Maybe, well, probably, your first few beats are going to be bad, but hey, that’s the beauty of it.
Another great thing about getting into DJ software is that you have numerous great options. Rekordbox, Serato DJ Pro, Traktor Pro, Virtual DJ, are just a few great programs that are going to make your life much much easier once you get comfortable with them. The only thing that’s left for you to do is to find which one suits you the best and you can get down to business!
Learning Basic DJ Skills
Even though this one is kind of a no brainer, we had to mention it. Just like we stated at the beginning of the article, learning and perfecting your craft, or in this case, your DJ skills, is something you need to do. We’re not going to mention anything in particular here, but it’s up to you to start from the very basics and improve to more challenging things once you get better.
Recording Your First Mix/Building an Audience
Once you’ve gone through all the necessary tutorials, and you finally understand basic and advanced DJing skills, you’re ready for your first mix. As we stated earlier, your first mix/song/beat probably won’t be that special. We know that this sounds a bit harsh, but don’t let that discourage you. Almost no one’s first work is good. You get better once you gather some experience, that’s just how it goes.
But, the important step here is to build your audience. This doesn’t mean that you need to go and play in the club, or anything like that. You can simply post your work on Soundcloud, share it on Instagram, and boom, people will start to notice your work, and that’s how your career starts to grow.
Buying Equipment
The reason why we left this tip for the end as an “honorable mention” is simply because many people simply can’t afford new and expensive DJ equipment. We wanted to show them that if they follow our previous steps, and if they work hard enough, they can succeed with only their laptop and talent. But, if you’re not struggling financially and you decide you want to treat yourself with a new setup, go for it. The best tip we can give you is to watch as many reviews of the equipment as possible, and we’re sure that you’ll find something fun and useful.