For those willing to help out a DJ in the making...

going un-reg

Hi guys,

I'm writing this because I'm not sure what else to do. I'm a Graphic Designer who feels like he's not in the the right field that can bring out his best. I need the assistance of a DJ who will aid me to bring out the musical talent I know I have.

I've wanted to be a DJ for such a long time now, It's aching me. I don't know where to start, who to contact, I just know that I'd be able to do it so much better than many who are out there at the moment.

I'm not egotistical, atleast in comparison to those who feel like they're making great music when to a trained ear, it's absolute garbage. I was classically trained in the violin for 15 years, I've a very good ear for music and I believe, with the right guidance, I could be one of the greatest. I feel like my talents are wasted currently and I don't know anyone in the DJ world who could put me in the right direction.

No one I know likes the music I like (house, breakbeat, D'n'b,chillout, Baltimore, electro, dirty electro etc). I sound like one of those desperate wannabe's, I know. I'm old enough now, that if I don't do something about it , it'll be too late. I'm 27 and I need to be around the right people who will help me bring out my inner DJ. This sounds incredibly cheesey, I know, but I don't know where to turn.

If someone could give me some advice about what I should do, I'd be incredibly grateful. I've been to many clubs around Dublin, and I've yet to find a group that I could gel with.

I know this lifestyle is more about who you know, and not so much about what you know (DJ skills is something completely different). I can be the next "Felix the House Cat", I understand beats and rhythms better than anyone I know.

I'm sick and tired of going to DJ sets where it just feels so lacking in a deep understanding of the music, slapped together with music that other DJ's put blood, sweat and tears into, I can spot that a mile away.

So, in essence, if anyone reading this is willing to help someone out who's struggle to find his way, by all means send me a message, to those who do not, I apologize for this ramble.

Peace and love.

EvolutionNights

going un-reg wrote: »

I'm not egotistical,

I just know that I'd be able to do it so much better than many who are out there at the moment.

I could be one of the greatest.

I can be the next "Felix the House Cat", I understand beats and rhythms better than anyone I know.

I'm sick and tired of going to DJ sets where it just feels so lacking in a deep understanding of the music, slapped together with music that other DJ's put blood, sweat and tears into, I can spot that a mile away.

I've cut and pasted your post so you can see where you are going wrong with your initial request. Firstly, have you ever used decks or laptop for DJing? Secondly, drop the 'i am better than' attitude. It sucks balls. If you haven't played a set yet then you are currently no better than any DJ "out there at the moment". If you think you could be one of the greatest then go to clubs and talk to the promoter about getting a warm up set and take it from there. You attitude towards other DJs is awful. Rethink your approach to this otherwise you'll never play a gig. [troll goggles back on]

Logical Fallacy

OP, can you actually mix?

Most folk would consider that to be step one...all the other stuff in your post is, no offence, assumption from the sidelines.

mordeith

going un-reg wrote: »

atleast in comparison to those who feel like they're making great music when to a trained ear, it's absolute garbage.

So are you talking about DJ'ing or producing cos they are very different things. Plus as others have said if you've never tried it how could you possibly know how good you might be. I mean how many lads think they have what it takes to be a professional footballer? Me for one :rolleyes:

leggo

In fairness, though it's not advisable to say so publicly before you've done anything, you have to have a bit of that attitude. Spade a spade. Otherwise you wouldn't go through the hours of hard work, **** sounding mixing and the sheer amount of ****e that goes on in DJ-ing without faith that there was a pay-off, an end product, and something you can offer that you're not hearing already.

But, in reality mate, you haven't done anything so whether you can or not...you've been lazy too. What's stopped you from downloading free mixing software (Virtual DJ and Mixx are two, for example), then looking at YouTube for tips? All of that can be done from your bedroom at no cost whatsoever...so there's no real excuses.

Instead of telling the world how you can be this and that, you could've spent that time searching this very forum and others for endless tips. Right now, you're that guy who sits staring at the DJ in a club grumbling to himself, getting pissed and probably going up to the DJ box and 'giving him a piece of your mind' (i.e. just irritating him while he gets on with the job that he's being paid to do and you're not). If that hurts? Good. It's life's way of telling you you're missing something and you need to cop on and get the finger out to find it. I still get that hurting every time I hear a DJ who's better than me...so I get on the decks and spend however many hours trying to end the session having learned one new thing I hadn't before that I can use in a gig the next weekend. Get me? That attitude isn't a bad thing as long as you're channeling it to better yourself.

I don't say that to piss you off or whatever, but that's what you likely are, so if it does then you can use that pissed off attitude and turn it into something real and maybe you'll have something. And the process is really fun in between, so it's all good. Good luck!

elvis jones

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

OP, can you actually mix?

Most folk would consider that to be step one...all the other stuff in your post is, no offence, assumption from the sidelines.

Sorry wouldn't agree with that, track selection is more important. No point in being able to mix if your mixing rubbish.

Logical Fallacy

elvis jones wrote: »

Sorry wouldn't agree with that, track selection is more important. No point in being able to mix if your mixing rubbish.

But what is the point of picking great tracks if each transition is a trainwreck?

Sorry, track selection is little more than an expression of personal taste...it's going to be a natural thing that develops over time and will be compounded by your time spent actually practicing mixing.

Until you are learning to mix and understand the mechanics of it, what you actually need to do to get tracks flowing smoothly...I find at that point the understanding opens up and you start to consider the journey you can take people on over the course of an hour or two via your track selection.

Just my opinion.

mordeith

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

But what is the point of picking great tracks if each transition is a trainwreck?

I'm on board with that. One of the most enjoyable aspects of listening to a good DJ is hearing how two tracks are brought together. The anticpation that can be built by a good mix is an intrinsic part of a decent set. Obviously track selction is as important but if its not accompanied by good DJ skills then you might as just well play a predefined set of tracks and set the autofade on iTunes.

elvis jones

Step back and look at it from the side of a punter.

Which do you hear punters saying more often.

1. Wow what a great mix
2. Wow what a great tune

Track selection and building a set to flow properly and give the crowd a good night is all important. No point in perfect mixing if the floor is empty because your playing complete and utter $hite all night.

Logical Fallacy

elvis jones wrote: »

Step back and look at it from the side of a punter.

Which do you hear punters saying more often.

1. Wow what a great mix
2. Wow what a great tune

Track selection and building a set to flow properly and give the crowd a good night is all important. No point in perfect mixing if the floor is empty because your playing complete and utter $hite all night.

Complete and utter ****e is largely subjective though.

I am not sure what your argument is...other than "play good tunes".

Once again, that's just personal taste. Personally i have never pandered to a crowd during one of my gigs. I play the tunes I want to play, although in my case they are all tunes i wrote myself.

As for the Punters, they go and see the people they want to see and normally have a degree of knowledge as to what the person will play.

To be honest, from the link in your sig we are obviously looking at the concept from two very different area's.

Find me a top DJ who is regularly train wrecking and i'll concede to your point. I'll also accept you naming a DJ who gets universal praise for his track selection. Neither exist that i am aware of and i think that basically telling a new DJ to start off being worried about a goal that he has no idea how to achieve is just a little blinkered.

Track selection, proper flow and giving a crowd a good night are things that will develop as people get more confidence in their skills and spend more time playing in clubs. Nobody is getting a spot in a club with a mix full of **** transitions unless you are mates with the promoter.

Edit : With regard to how i judge a DJ, i pay equal attention to what they are mixing as well as how well they are doing it, i'll split 50/50 between technical ability and tune selection...I just don't think worrying about tune selection is that much of an issue for someone who doesn't even have a method to mix yet.

elvis jones

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

Complete and utter ****e is largely subjective though.

I am not sure what your argument is...other than "play good tunes".

Once again, that's just personal taste. Personally i have never pandered to a crowd during one of my gigs. I play the tunes I want to play, although in my case they are all tunes i wrote myself.

As for the Punters, they go and see the people they want to see and normally have a degree of knowledge as to what the person will play.

To be honest, from the link in your sig we are obviously looking at the concept from two very different area's.

Find me a top DJ who is regularly train wrecking and i'll concede to your point. I'll also accept you naming a DJ who gets universal praise for his track selection. Neither exist that i am aware of and i think that basically telling a new DJ to start off being worried about a goal that he has no idea how to achieve is just a little blinkered.

Track selection, proper flow and giving a crowd a good night are things that will develop as people get more confidence in their skills and spend more time playing in clubs. Nobody is getting a spot in a club with a mix full of **** transitions unless you are mates with the promoter.

Edit : With regard to how i judge a DJ, i pay equal attention to what they are mixing as well as how well they are doing it, i'll split 50/50 between technical ability and tune selection...I just don't think worrying about tune selection is that much of an issue for someone who doesn't even have a method to mix yet.

I can see where you are coming from but if they are going to work in the mainstream and not specialist areas of music the selection will be important as the "average person" in a mainstream club knows nothing of the skills that are spoken of here.

I've seen guys at deep house night annoying the dj for kings of leon ffs !!

The main reason i say selection as a beginner can get worried quickly if the floor isn't full and hopping. They lose focus and confidence and it can get to them.

But i do agree mixing skills are important.

Logical Fallacy

elvis jones wrote: »

The main reason i say selection as a beginner can get worried quickly if the floor isn't full and hopping. They lose focus and confidence and it can get to them.

No doubt, but the OP is a million miles away from having to worry about that, and his first few gigs are probably gonna be on the early end of the night to a club that is either just open or just filling up.

My mentality is to always expect an empty club, then a crowd is a nice surprise.

going un-reg

First off, apologies over sounding full of myself, when I originally wrote the post, I had a few drinks in me, so I might have been jumping the gun a bit.

I think I'll look elsewhere for advice. Thanks to those who helped.

Logical Fallacy

going un-reg wrote: »

First off, apologies over sounding full of myself, when I originally wrote the post, I had a few drinks in me, so I might have been jumping the gun a bit.

I think I'll look elsewhere for advice. Thanks to those who helped.

The advice will be the same. Pick a format and start learning to actually put a set together.

hans aus dtschl

lol
This board is incredible for the quantity and quality of people who come on with:

"dj'ing looks easy and I think I'd be better than anyone else at it, how can I do it at no cost and make millions please, thanks"

Scubadevils

going un-reg wrote: »

First off, apologies over sounding full of myself, when I originally wrote the post, I had a few drinks in me, so I might have been jumping the gun a bit.

I think I'll look elsewhere for advice. Thanks to those who helped.

What other advice did you expect to get though? I read this thread this morning on my way to work and was worried as to the types of responses it was likely to achieve by the time I got home tonight - I was pretty surprised tbh that you were not ripped to shreds by now... fair replies I think and all-round good advice considering!

seannash

To be honest if you haven't mustered up the balls to buy decks yet then coming on here asking for advice is pointless.
I love that someone who claims to be so passionate hasn't enough initiative to go out and by turntables.
God how did we cope when the internet wasn't around!!!!
where would we look for guidance?

Get off your arse and put your money where your mouth is and buy a set of turntables/cdj's/laptop setup and get mixing and quit asking us for the easy path.
Tiesto wont ask you to suck his cock,you'll have to fight past the other1000's of cock gobbler for that privilege.so get busy,part with some hard earned and the next time you post here should be when you have a mix that is better than every other dj out there.

which should be in about a month if your estimations are correct

Executive Steve

If it looks like something you'd like, then go for it.

Spend a few hundred quid on an amp, some speakers, a mixer, a pair of decks, and sit in your room for hours and hours and hours learning to use them.

Record loads of mixes, listen to them, repeat until you've got something deadly recorded, start handing them out.

Shouldn't take more than two years to get competent, two more years to get good, two more years after that to get noticed, three more years after that to get deadly, although a lot depends on how much effort you put in to getting good. Along the way you'll want to be playing as many house parties, internet radio shows, back rooms of pubs, etc as you can. If you don't have it in you to carry a bag of 70 records into town on a night out just in the off chance you'll end up at an after session with a pair of decks, or up and down a mountain or down a three mile beach and over a massive sand dune to a free party just in case someone scheduled to play wound up in a k-hole and is too wrecked to mix, if you don't have it in you to spend four or five hours a week tracking down and buying tunes to play, if you don't have it in you to carry your entire setup across town in a taxi at the merest hint of being able to play a few tunes to a small growd of strangers in a house for six hours and then to get a taxi home, set it all up again and play for six seven hours more then you'll probably end up with a rake of expensive equipment and an ad on adverts.ie for "complete DJ setup, still in box, hardly used".

Best of luck to you!

braintoxic

Do u like d jazz music

hans aus dtschl

I have a feeling I could be the best at jazz music if I tried...
I could be the next big thing...

elvis jones

hans aus dtschl wrote: »

I have a feeling I could be the best at jazz music if I tried...
I could be the next big thing...

US3 did it years ago;)

Try to make jazz flute a mainstream form of music.

Logical Fallacy

hans aus dtschl wrote: »

I have a feeling I could be the best at jazz music if I tried...
I could be the next big thing...

Could you be a contender?

elvis jones wrote: »

US3 did it years ago

Try to make jazz flute a mainstream form of music.

Only a king among men could play the jazz flute.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_c_ufaxeSTs

dubsbhoy

beats the 5 day deadline for post of the year

To summarise

post#1 Wanna be a dj, looks easy, everyone else that's doing it is gash

post#2 You lot haven't a clue i'm off somewhere else

Brilliant

Mister Dread

Executive Steve wrote: »

If it looks like something you'd like, then go for it.

Spend a few hundred quid on an amp, some speakers, a mixer, a pair of decks, and sit in your room for hours and hours and hours learning to use them.

Record loads of mixes, listen to them, repeat until you've got something deadly recorded, start handing them out.

Shouldn't take more than two years to get competent, two more years to get good, two more years after that to get noticed, three more years after that to get deadly, although a lot depends on how much effort you put in to getting good. Along the way you'll want to be playing as many house parties, internet radio shows, back rooms of pubs, etc as you can. If you don't have it in you to carry a bag of 70 records into town on a night out just in the off chance you'll end up at an after session with a pair of decks, or up and down a mountain or down a three mile beach and over a massive sand dune to a free party just in case someone scheduled to play wound up in a k-hole and is too wrecked to mix, if you don't have it in you to spend four or five hours a week tracking down and buying tunes to play, if you don't have it in you to carry your entire setup across town in a taxi at the merest hint of being able to play a few tunes to a small growd of strangers in a house for six hours and then to get a taxi home, set it all up again and play for six seven hours more then you'll probably end up with a rake of expensive equipment and an ad on adverts.ie for "complete DJ setup, still in box, hardly used".

Best of luck to you!

Did you rob that speech from Fame?

Executive Steve

Mister Dread wrote: »

Did you rob that speech from Fame?

Never seen it?

(nor am I likely to ever taste it, seeing as I play DnB)

ianmurphyzz

going un-reg wrote: »

Hi guys,

I'm writing this because I'm not sure what else to do. I'm a Graphic Designer who feels like he's not in the the right field that can bring out his best. I need the assistance of a DJ who will aid me to bring out the musical talent I know I have.

I've wanted to be a DJ for such a long time now, It's aching me. I don't know where to start, who to contact, I just know that I'd be able to do it so much better than many who are out there at the moment.

I'm not egotistical, atleast in comparison to those who feel like they're making great music when to a trained ear, it's absolute garbage. I was classically trained in the violin for 15 years, I've a very good ear for music and I believe, with the right guidance, I could be one of the greatest. I feel like my talents are wasted currently and I don't know anyone in the DJ world who could put me in the right direction.

No one I know likes the music I like (house, breakbeat, D'n'b,chillout, Baltimore, electro, dirty electro etc). I sound like one of those desperate wannabe's, I know. I'm old enough now, that if I don't do something about it , it'll be too late. I'm 27 and I need to be around the right people who will help me bring out my inner DJ. This sounds incredibly cheesey, I know, but I don't know where to turn.

If someone could give me some advice about what I should do, I'd be incredibly grateful. I've been to many clubs around Dublin, and I've yet to find a group that I could gel with.

I know this lifestyle is more about who you know, and not so much about what you know (DJ skills is something completely different). I can be the next "Felix the House Cat", I understand beats and rhythms better than anyone I know.

I'm sick and tired of going to DJ sets where it just feels so lacking in a deep understanding of the music, slapped together with music that other DJ's put blood, sweat and tears into, I can spot that a mile away.

So, in essence, if anyone reading this is willing to help someone out who's struggle to find his way, by all means send me a message, to those who do not, I apologize for this ramble.

Peace and love.

I will help you if your nearby am djn 15 years hope I can help, where are you?

Mister Dread

Hours of 'wax on, wax off' exercise await.

DannyKing

I think your listening to the wrong music if that's how you feel when you go to a gig.