It might seem like a glamorous job, pulling crowds of people into your club or festival with an epic soundtrack. But DJing is incredibly challenging and requires a lot of self-discipline. There’s little room for mistakes, but even the most seasoned professionals make these common errors from time to time. If you plan on taking up DJing for your career, it’s essential that you learn from other DJs so that you don’t repeat the same mistakes they made. Keep reading to learn about the top 10 things new DJs should keep in mind to succeed as a DJ.
Don’t skip pre-party preparation
DJing is not just about playing back pre-recorded music. It’s also about performing. That makes it crucial that you have all the right equipment and software on hand to properly set up your performance and sound system before your first night as a DJ. If you don’t, you won’t be able to do what you need during the performance and might even end up with a technical glitch that makes for a bad show.
Don’t play the same song too many times
Playing the same song too many times is one of the most common mistakes that DJs make. This happens for a number of reasons, including not knowing when to change up your playlist and not understanding your crowd’s reactions. Even if people are throwing their hands in the air and shouting “Bounce! Bounce!”, you should still be able to find other songs on your playlist to play. It might be difficult to switch up your playlist if you have hundreds of tracks and you don’t want to miss any important ones, but it’s worth it in the long run. If people are bored or unimpressed with what you have playing, they won’t leave your club feeling like they experienced something new or exciting.
Show up to a set excited and ready to go
While it’s important to practice your skills and do your homework, there’s no replacement for being excited and ready to go when you show up to a set. If you don't have the energy or enthusiasm to be there, the crowd will sense that far before you start playing. When some DJs show up late or half-way through a set, they risk losing their audience completely.
Don’t waste time on social media or chatting with your audience
There’s a reason why DJs are known as the party-animals. They love interacting with their audience and want to build that connection with them. However, spending too much time on social media or chatting with your audience will quickly wear you out and cause you to lose focus of your work. Your work is your job and should be taken seriously. Keep this in mind when planning your social media strategy so that you can save some time for DJing. Other mistakes new DJs make: skipping practice sessions, practicing poorly, having a lack of rhythm, and not learning how to mix music.
Keep your equipment clean and well maintained
It’s not enough to buy the most expensive DJ equipment, you have to keep it in good shape. You want your sound system and turntables to work properly and without any distractions. This means having a clean stage, a well-maintained mixer, and plenty of practice time. If you don’t have time for that, your clients will hire someone who does!
Be sure to take care of your body while DJing. It is an endurance sport!
Every DJ knows that DJing is an endurance sport. It requires your entire body to be active throughout the night and can potentially cause injury. So while you are DJing, remember to take care of your body so that you can keep going. To avoid injury, try resting when your body tells you that it needs a break in order to avoid strains and injuries.
Try to have a backup plan in case things don’t go as planned
Even though you might be the best DJ in your city, things could go wrong. You could have an equipment malfunction or a breakdown on set. A key component of becoming a successful DJ is to always be prepared for anything that comes your way. This means checking your gear before you go on stage, having backup equipment and skills ready to use, and knowing how to recover from a mistake without skipping a beat.
Be consistent in your online presence
New DJs need to think about their online presence with the same care they would use before they played a set. They should create an online profile that accurately reflects who they are and what their music sounds like. This includes gradually growing their following over time. If you do this, it will be easier for people to see your DJ story unfold. Another important tip is to make sure your online presence is consistent. Make sure your website has the same look and feel as your social media profiles. Don’t forget about those different platforms! You may have a website, but also make sure it’s present on social media sites like Instagram and Twitter so that you can reach out to all of your followers easily and continue building awareness for yourself there too.
Learn to read a crowd and adjust your set accordingly.
Whether you’re playing at a party or in a club, you must be able to read the crowd and adjust your set accordingly. If everyone is dancing and having fun, then keep up the tempo. But if people are sitting around watching you play, lower the music down to a low volume. Sometimes people need to take breaks from dancing to rest their bodies and recover from a previous night of intense partying.
DJing Is An Art, Not A Science. Be Creative!
First things first, DJing is an art and not a science. While DJs may be trained in the technical aspects of their craft, they should focus more on being expressive and creative. It would be difficult to find any two DJs who play the same style of music, so it’s important to learn how to adapt your music collection to suit your audience correctly. This means that when you go on tour, you need to work with what you have at hand while also maintaining an eye for opportunities for new songs and artists. Learning how to use your ears is essential for playing well-received remixes or mashups (which are unique because they combine two different tracks). Moreover, DJs are constantly met with criticism from their peers. Some people might tell them they don’t know how to mix their sound or that they should keep it simple. Just remember that criticism is part of the process and don’t let it get you down! Remember that even if your song has a few mistakes in it, it doesn’t mean it’s not good—in fact, it might surprise many people and make them want more!
Final Thoughts
The most important advice that I can give is to always be evolving. The world of DJing is constantly changing, and so should you!