5 Tips To Be A Better DJ
DJ-ing is an interesting & fun job to do. However, there will still be chalenges that you’ll face when you go about being a DJ. Here are 5 tips for you so you will avoid problems & steer clear from trouble when you’re out in the clubs DJ-ing away.
Become a better DJ
Prepare / Pre-planning your set
Having a rough idea of what are you going to play in your set. For example, make different kinds of playlists for different kinds of gigs. I will always find 2-3 songs that can all be played together or they can transition into another so that the flow of music between one and another won’t be too extreme.
Know your crowd
Probably one of the reason why many DJs fail is because they do not bother about the crowd. This doesn’t just mean to find out what they like and play it. You need to know who they are. There is a huge difference if there were more guys compared to girls in the club or vice versa. The way of song selection should be a little bit different. Be prepared to change songs quickly as you DJ noticing the crowd’s interest.
Warm up set
One of the most important, yet often under estimated or appreciated. In fact, every DJ loves to play headline sets but playing a warm-up set typically takes a higher level of skill than most headline sets. Try starting out by maintaining a good flow and energy but not pump out your music too early on to keep the crowd on the dance floor. Warm the crowd first with some teasers and then blow the party away when it comes to your main set.
Watch the red LED
Clubbers love loud music but it doesn’t mean you should boost your volume up till the signal on both the ins and outs of the mixer turns red. Always take care not to push any of your levels into the red zone. When the channel gain or master volume turn into red with your boosting, the signal will simply be distorted and your music will sound horrible. So always remember: watch your master volume throughout your set, and make sure to keep the signal below red levels.
Backup, backup & backup
Many of us had to learn this the hard way. You never know when and how things could go wrong on your laptop or pc, so backup all your tracks in external hard disk or USB Flash drive. Many DJs never feel the pain of having data loss before they get it. Imagine losing an important classic track or perhaps your laptop decides to play rogue when you’re out DJ-ing. So to save your pain, always have plan B and back things up. Better yet, maybe have backup plan C,D,E and F.
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[quote author=”J. Hao” image=”https://www.audiomentor.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Screen-Shot-2013-05-30-at-21.52.00.png” w=”130″ h=”130″ image_align=”left”] J.Hao is a DJ, producer, remixer living in Malaysia. He is studying Music Production and Sound Engineering in London, UK currently. Check J.Hao out via his management company, Pride Entertainment[/quote]