How do I get a gig?

jako94

Hi, I'm fairly well equipped when it comes to dj'ing, I have been a bedroom DJ for more than a year and have quite a big knowledge of everything (basically I have moved from barely streaming two songs into one another to using effects, hot cues etc..)
What I lack though is any idea as to 'get out there' and get gigs in nightclubs, bars, parties etc... as until recently i lacked the confidence to show off my skills.
I currently use a mixtrack pro which I believe does similar jobs to the more expensive pioneer equipment, although I can use CDJ's as well.
I mainly like to play house/electronic music but I can also DJ using chart music.

I believe that I am better than DJ's that I have seen in clubs, For example I was out last week in a good club in Limerick and all the DJ did was fade one song out then bring the other in, really amateur stuff yet he was being paid well for it.

any help/advice/ideas would be very much appreciated

The_Honeybadger

Getting into clubs will be very difficult with no experience, it can be as much about who you know as what you know. Most of the time established djs have all the good gigs sewn up making it tricky to get your chance, regardless of how good you are. Maybe try recording a few mixes and sending them to venues, offer to do warm ups or lighting controls for the djs in some of the clubs and learn everything you can. You will need to be persistent as you'll probably get knocked back a bit. Djing in a packed venue is much different to playing in your bedroom so you need to get experience playing in front of a crowd, you could try to get some work in the pub / bar scene, but don't expect to be able to play the music you like all the time as you will be bombarded with requests etc. print up some business cards and approach venues directly and you may get a call when somebody takes a night off / is sick etc.. Mobile work or parties will require gear like speakers and lights etc, if you can afford to buy these it is a good way to get experience and easy to spread the word via facebook. Whatever you do don't offer to undercut other djs as that won't be appreciated, even though there are lots of people at it. Best of luck.

Executive Steve

I have been a bedroom DJ for more than a year

Be a bedroom DJ for three more years.

jako94

Getting into clubs will be very difficult with no experience, it can be as much about who you know as what you know. Most of the time established djs have all the good gigs sewn up making it tricky to get your chance, regardless of how good you are. Maybe try recording a few mixes and sending them to venues, offer to do warm ups or lighting controls for the djs in some of the clubs and learn everything you can. You will need to be persistent as you'll probably get knocked back a bit. Djing in a packed venue is much different to playing in your bedroom so you need to get experience playing in front of a crowd, you could try to get some work in the pub / bar scene, but don't expect to be able to play the music you like all the time as you will be bombarded with requests etc. print up some business cards and approach venues directly and you may get a call when somebody takes a night off / is sick etc.. Mobile work or parties will require gear like speakers and lights etc, if you can afford to buy these it is a good way to get experience and easy to spread the word via facebook. Whatever you do don't offer to undercut other djs as that won't be appreciated, even though there are lots of people at it. Best of luck.

thanks very much, i'll take all this in to consideration for the future.

also,steve, Ive a bedroom DJ for really 3-4 years but only seriously in the last 18 months

The_Honeybadger

Executive Steve wrote: »

Be a bedroom DJ for three more years.

In fairness go into some of the pubs and bars in any town / city at the weekend and you'll find lads doing gigs with a very narrow knowledge of music and zero mixing ability ( not saying there aren't plenty of good ones too). Don't see any issue with the op having a crack at it, doubt he expects to be playing any of the top clubs anytime soon and at least he has made an effort to learn how to mix.

jako94

yeah the aim isn't to start out playing the biggest clubs in Ireland, It's in the small clubs/late bars where I think i could gain the most experience. I mean you hardly want to start dj'ing for hundreds when your only audience has been yourself. It's just how i get myself gigs in these smaller places is what I don't yet know.

HoggyRS

good djs for bars or clubs gigs are like hens teeth. Im living in Cork and im doing about 3-4 gigs a week in various bars and clubs (did 6 gigs this week). I'd two bars onto me this weekend looking for djs and I couldnt recommend anyone, anyone decent is booked up constantly and i cant trust the bedroom, pirate radio, mobile djs i know to do bar gigs. Theres f all work for the lads playing top 40 anymore, you gotta be seriously eclectic, have great music knowledge, be professional ( i treat it as a job just like my 9-5 job) and if you can mix thats great too. But to be fair if you know what to play and when to play, you'll get away with not mixing.

Actually getting the gigs is all about who you know but you could get lucky and have a bar manager actually bother to listen to one of your mixes.

Musicman2000

HoggyRS wrote: »

good djs for bars or clubs gigs are like hens teeth. Im living in Cork and im doing about 3-4 gigs a week in various bars and clubs (did 6 gigs this week). I'd two bars onto me this weekend looking for djs and I couldnt recommend anyone, anyone decent is booked up constantly and i cant trust the bedroom, pirate radio, mobile djs i know to do bar gigs. Theres f all work for the lads playing top 40 anymore, you gotta be seriously eclectic, have great music knowledge, be professional ( i treat it as a job just like my 9-5 job) and if you can mix thats great too. But to be fair if you know what to play and when to play, you'll get away with not mixing.

Actually getting the gigs is all about who you know but you could get lucky and have a bar manager actually bother to listen to one of your mixes.

Have to agree with the above post. It can be very hard to find someone reliable and knows what they are doing as I worked as a bar manager booking dis, you will really need to go and network with other djs and hand in demos to bars it could take you 2 years to get in any where but you will get there eventually. Its practice and more practice and build up a good music collection to cater for a mixed crowd, if you are playing to a mixed crowd which can be one of the toughest gigs going.

With regards mixing really depends on the music style and venue. If your are in a commercial club you will need to be able to mix. In a cheesy bar/mobile gigs etc the majority of the crowd couldn't give a monkeys if you are mixing or not all they want to hear are their requests and top 40/80's 90's etc. Don't agree with the above statement about being no work for top 40 djs the majority of commercial venues play an mix of top 40. but best of luck.

Executive Steve

jako94 wrote: »

yeah the aim isn't to start out playing the biggest clubs in Ireland, It's in the small clubs/late bars where I think i could gain the most experience. I mean you hardly want to start dj'ing for hundreds when your only audience has been yourself. It's just how i get myself gigs in these smaller places is what I don't yet know.

If your only audience has been yourself then play all the house parties and sessions you can. Be willing to jump in a taxi with a bottle of whiskey and your controller and play at a mate's gaff or a friend of a friend of a friend's gaff. That's how 99% of the DJ's I've known around Dublin have all cut their teeth.

kunst nugget

What Steve said above. Also if you really want to play out, why wait for someone else to give you the opportunity. Why not find a pub near you that might accommodate you having a monthly night in a back room. If it's really just for the love of the music at the start, all you'll really have to worry about is covering costs and try and slowly, and I mean very slowly, build up experience and a following of people who might be interested in listening to you.

Also, effects, for the most part, should be used sparingly if not at all because they are cack. Nothing worse than listening to some young fella fluting away on every track, throwing as many effects as he can at it. The DJ you complained about at the beginning might have simply faded one track into the next but if the flow was good and the people were up dancing then that's all you need to do.

old gregg

kunst nugget wrote: »

The DJ you complained about at the beginning might have simply faded one track into the next but if the flow was good and the people were up dancing then that's all you need to do.

This is one of my pet hates when out clubbing. I prefer tracks to just fade into each other particularly when I know the track and how the producer meant it to sound. It mostly wrecks my buzz when a DJ uses effects, not always but mostly.