Wanting to be a dj

[claretclubber]

Reading an article about Sankeys. DJ Jacinta Owen said
"I remember being there... on the dance floor and thinking 'Wow that's what I want to be. I want to be a DJ,'"

Am I in a minority, of all the clubs, festivals or fields I've been - I've never wanted to be a DJ Lots of mates have decks set up at home, I love listening to music but have little interest in trying to mix or knowing a tune within the first few beats

'A night at Sankeys Manchester changed my life'

Jacinta Owen believes she "found her calling" at Manchester's nightclub Sankeys.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Buckley]

Reading an article about Sankeys. DJ Jacinta Owen said
"I remember being there... on the dance floor and thinking 'Wow that's what I want to be. I want to be a DJ,'"

Am I in a minority, of all the clubs, festivals or fields I've been - I've never wanted to be a DJ Lots of mates have decks set up at home, I love listening to music but have little interest in trying to mix or knowing a tune within the first few beats

'A night at Sankeys Manchester changed my life'

Jacinta Owen believes she "found her calling" at Manchester's nightclub Sankeys.

www.bbc.co.uk

I suspect that we all, to a greater or lesser extent, want some attention. Dare I say there was some attention-seeking in my 'DJing' BITD, when I appeared on flyers, in club-listings and was even photographed in the booth with headphones on, when I couldn't mix concrete.*

I'd imagine social media and EDM has hugely increased the proportion of DJs who are more interested in fame/attention than music. That's the world we're in now, for everything, not just DJing.

*well, I could mix concrete, but you get my point

 

[W_I_C]

Am I in a minority, of all the clubs, festivals or fields I've been - I've never wanted to be a DJ Lots of mates have decks set up at home, I love listening to music but have little interest in trying to mix or knowing a tune within the first few beats

me neither tbh. Being on the dancefloor is my number one priority

 

[jimmiz]

Same for me, my place is in front of the speakers.

 

[diver]

there’s something very satisfying about finding good music and sharing with others. That would be my motivation

 

[JayDR8]

I've had some dalliances with it, but ultimately I find the balance of the effort that I'd put in to it doesn't win out when I can be dancing/chilling/whatever the vibe is, so my decks are becoming dustier and dustier. As i'm getting older the burden of keeping up the ridiculous amount of things I do becomes more stress as they start to stack up and very rarely any get dropped, so that one had to go!

there’s something very satisfying about finding good music and sharing with others. That would be my motivation

People that find and share music are good people, and that is definitely an interest of mine, I like to think i'm hot on anything ahead of pretty much most people.

 

[claretclubber]

there’s something very satisfying about finding good music and sharing with others. That would be my motivation

Don't disagree @diver when you hear something new or left field that works, you think wow! We're currently waffling in kitchen about the music around the pool at Pikes, stuff I don't hear often or at all but still not driven me to want to mix

 

[Browny]

Im the opposite, i really want to learn (been saying it years mind)!

 

[De La Dawg]

I started playing a couple of years ago purely out of love for the music - with no intention of ever playing in front of anyone. This led to the decks coming out at every afters which eventually led to myself and a mate starting our own night. It came out of necessity as the local scene had been dead for years. We had to travel to Glasgow for most of the events/parties we are into and always seen the same faces from our local town so thought why not try something at home ? These nights have went down really well and led to us booking some up and coming talent from across the UK. We have even had a few gigs thrown our way from other promoters.

Although the skill level may still be very questionable, there has been the odd time where I felt I knew what I was doing. Pretty cool experience being able to play out some tracks you spent a lot of time digging for over the years and getting a proper reaction. Especially in a time where social media has total control over the wider audiences taste (for my generation anyway).

Get in about it if you have even the slightest notion and are mad about the music. Producing on the other hand ? very humbling

 

[Buckley]

Although the skill level may still be very questionable, there has been the odd time where I felt I knew what I was doing.

Chucking on someone else's records so people can dance is the skill. You've mastered it if people are dancing. The rest is just marketing noise.

 

[De La Dawg]

The rest is just marketing noise.

Learning that this is BY FAR - the hardest part so far

 

[Djsaltynuts]

Got myself a controller in 2018, learned to use that as well as CDJ's and had some fun at Pirate Studios, Played at Joshua Brooks in Manchester 3 or so times, while Darius Syrossian was in the basement doing his Moxy Music nights, my mates promotion played the bar area. It was fun and nice seeing my name on a flyer, but soon realised I much more enjoyed being on the other side.
Its nice being able to put together a mix every now and again, and to pull the controller out for house parties. Took them to Ibiza with me once when we had a Villa, hired some speakers and had our own fun with the decks everyday.

 

[The Sun God]

deleted previous post - too ranty/broken record (no pun). You've heard it all so many times before... ahem

This topic is always interesting to me. I've spent the best part of 35 years immersed in dance culture, although always as a punter. The point about learning to DJ for the right reasons is important. Diver was correct in saying the main motivation should be sharing your love of music with others. It shouldn't be about glory, fame or any of that stuff.

Personally, I wonder if I should've taken it more seriously when I had access to decks. I think I found it hard to concentrate on different channels, my mind was always racing ahead and I could never quite get it right. On the rare occasions I do play music out, I play stuff I like, not what people would expect to hear. Obv very different playing to mates than strangers! I played a few tunes in a local community centre last year and got a good reception and that is great for your ego, but ultimately it's not about you. You're only playing other people's music!

I think we can sometimes be too harsh on DJ selections. It can be a tough gig. You're never gonna please everyone. Bill Brewster got it right when he said the best DJ is a selector, technician, musical encyclopedia and crowd psychologist - and only a tiny few will ever really succeed

If you are starting out, read the DJ Manual and open your ears to all kinds of music. There's way, way more to it than just technical ability.

 

[Ikoda]

I can see both sides - I love being in the crowd... but I also love the DJing (and to a lesser extent, promoting) side of it too.

I've had some incredible opportunities to play out over the years, from main rooms, to the smaller side rooms - and there's just something else about folks going mental to your track selections, and keeping folks in the room with you (especially when up against bigger DJs).
I started DJing quite early on in my clubbing life, and it changed how I listened to music when out, wondering what the next track would be, how it would be mixed, where might the set go, etc. Something that's always at the back of my mind, and I do wonder at times what it would be like without that. I wouldn't say it detracts, but I don't know any other way to listen to music now as a DJ.
I definitely missed the boat on production, which I've tried numerous times, but it's such a daunting challenge to write music. Usually something in my life kills my interest for awhile, and I effectively start again.

Sharing music I find and I'm exciting about is a joy for me - including doing it in WhatsApp chats with friends - and is the aspect of promoting I enjoyed the most as well - sharing the DJs who I think are killing it (for me) - unfortunately rising costs etc, have somewhat snookered doing that (At least for now).

But I'm also quite happy to be out dancing - and I'm excited to get back out again after the last six months off

 

[Anselmi K]

Well, maybe I could say something about this topic too.

My interest in DJing started when I was 8 years old when I went to the school disco for the first time, but I wasn't really interested in the technicalities, but rather in the fact that DJs made people dance and changed the atmosphere with their track choices.

I went to all the school discos that were organized in my hometown and I also enjoyed street dancing. When I was 13, I built a sound system in my room by connecting twin cables from two belt-driven Panasonic SE-2510 players to regular home speakers, and that way I was able to play music for my friends almost uninterrupted.

I did my first bar gig three years later. Around the same time, we had already had our own ug events where I liked dancing more. Otherwise, when I was younger, I was more interested in dancing and I did it for work. I danced in clubs and in the background of a few 90s Euro Dance bands. In the summer of 1999, the local DJ management needed a replacement for a nightclub and I promised to do one weekend there, but after the weekend I was asked to be a resident and since then I have been a full-time DJ.

In 2000, I won the Finnish championship, which kept me busy for the next couple of years. At my best, I did over 300 gigs a year. In 2003, we founded the small House event, which is still the longest-running dance music event in Finland, and in total we have held about 400 events in 23 years, which is also the most in terms of quantity.

I have been really, really lucky and have been able to do basically everything you can do as a DJ in Finland. All the biggest venues, the most important nightclubs, clubs and lounges, as well as hundreds of really special one-offs and tours. There have also been small gigs all over Europe.

I have never really had the energy to invest myself in marketing or otherwise try to achieve popularity with any thought. In fact, I'm terrified of being in front of a large audience on a soulless festival stage and if possible, I don't want to have my photos taken at a gig. I just want to play music and see where it takes me next. I noticed at a young age that it feels much lighter to just let things roll of their own accord and if someone likes it, that's great!

In total, this year marks 33 years since my first gig, 27 of which have been full-time. I don't know the exact number, but I've definitely done over 6000 gigs.

But.. I still like dancing too!

 

[diver]

Well, maybe I could say something about this topic too.

My interest in DJing started when I was 8 years old when I went to the school disco for the first time, but I wasn't really interested in the technicalities, but rather in the fact that DJs made people dance and changed the atmosphere with their track choices.

I went to all the school discos that were organized in my hometown and I also enjoyed street dancing. When I was 13, I built a sound system in my room by connecting twin cables from two belt-driven Panasonic SE-2510 players to regular home speakers, and that way I was able to play music for my friends almost uninterrupted.

I did my first bar gig three years later. Around the same time, we had already had our own ug events where I liked dancing more. Otherwise, when I was younger, I was more interested in dancing and I did it for work. I danced in clubs and in the background of a few 90s Euro Dance bands. In the summer of 1999, the local DJ management needed a replacement for a nightclub and I promised to do one weekend there, but after the weekend I was asked to be a resident and since then I have been a full-time DJ.

In 2000, I won the Finnish championship, which kept me busy for the next couple of years. At my best, I did over 300 gigs a year. In 2003, we founded the small House event, which is still the longest-running dance music event in Finland, and in total we have held about 400 events in 23 years, which is also the most in terms of quantity.

I have been really, really lucky and have been able to do basically everything you can do as a DJ in Finland. All the biggest venues, the most important nightclubs, clubs and lounges, as well as hundreds of really special one-offs and tours. There have also been small gigs all over Europe.

I have never really had the energy to invest myself in marketing or otherwise try to achieve popularity with any thought. In fact, I'm terrified of being in front of a large audience on a soulless festival stage and if possible, I don't want to have my photos taken at a gig. I just want to play music and see where it takes me next. I noticed at a young age that it feels much lighter to just let things roll of their own accord and if someone likes it, that's great!

In total, this year marks 33 years since my first gig, 27 of which have been full-time. I don't know the exact number, but I've definitely done over 6000 gigs.

But.. I still like dancing too!

i never realised your pedigree, that’s impressive

 

[claretclubber]

Well, maybe I could say something about this topic too.

My interest in DJing started when I was 8 years old when I went to the school disco for the first time, but I wasn't really interested in the technicalities, but rather in the fact that DJs made people dance and changed the atmosphere with their track choices.

I went to all the school discos that were organized in my hometown and I also enjoyed street dancing. When I was 13, I built a sound system in my room by connecting twin cables from two belt-driven Panasonic SE-2510 players to regular home speakers, and that way I was able to play music for my friends almost uninterrupted.

I did my first bar gig three years later. Around the same time, we had already had our own ug events where I liked dancing more. Otherwise, when I was younger, I was more interested in dancing and I did it for work. I danced in clubs and in the background of a few 90s Euro Dance bands. In the summer of 1999, the local DJ management needed a replacement for a nightclub and I promised to do one weekend there, but after the weekend I was asked to be a resident and since then I have been a full-time DJ.

In 2000, I won the Finnish championship, which kept me busy for the next couple of years. At my best, I did over 300 gigs a year. In 2003, we founded the small House event, which is still the longest-running dance music event in Finland, and in total we have held about 400 events in 23 years, which is also the most in terms of quantity.

I have been really, really lucky and have been able to do basically everything you can do as a DJ in Finland. All the biggest venues, the most important nightclubs, clubs and lounges, as well as hundreds of really special one-offs and tours. There have also been small gigs all over Europe.

I have never really had the energy to invest myself in marketing or otherwise try to achieve popularity with any thought. In fact, I'm terrified of being in front of a large audience on a soulless festival stage and if possible, I don't want to have my photos taken at a gig. I just want to play music and see where it takes me next. I noticed at a young age that it feels much lighter to just let things roll of their own accord and if someone likes it, that's great!

In total, this year marks 33 years since my first gig, 27 of which have been full-time. I don't know the exact number, but I've definitely done over 6000 gigs.

But.. I still like dancing too!

Brilliant read - sounds like you've moved a lot of people

 

[The Sun God]

Well, maybe I could say something about this topic too.

My interest in DJing started when I was 8 years old when I went to the school disco for the first time, but I wasn't really interested in the technicalities, but rather in the fact that DJs made people dance and changed the atmosphere with their track choices.

I went to all the school discos that were organized in my hometown and I also enjoyed street dancing. When I was 13, I built a sound system in my room by connecting twin cables from two belt-driven Panasonic SE-2510 players to regular home speakers, and that way I was able to play music for my friends almost uninterrupted.

I did my first bar gig three years later. Around the same time, we had already had our own ug events where I liked dancing more. Otherwise, when I was younger, I was more interested in dancing and I did it for work. I danced in clubs and in the background of a few 90s Euro Dance bands. In the summer of 1999, the local DJ management needed a replacement for a nightclub and I promised to do one weekend there, but after the weekend I was asked to be a resident and since then I have been a full-time DJ.

In 2000, I won the Finnish championship, which kept me busy for the next couple of years. At my best, I did over 300 gigs a year. In 2003, we founded the small House event, which is still the longest-running dance music event in Finland, and in total we have held about 400 events in 23 years, which is also the most in terms of quantity.

I have been really, really lucky and have been able to do basically everything you can do as a DJ in Finland. All the biggest venues, the most important nightclubs, clubs and lounges, as well as hundreds of really special one-offs and tours. There have also been small gigs all over Europe.

I have never really had the energy to invest myself in marketing or otherwise try to achieve popularity with any thought. In fact, I'm terrified of being in front of a large audience on a soulless festival stage and if possible, I don't want to have my photos taken at a gig. I just want to play music and see where it takes me next. I noticed at a young age that it feels much lighter to just let things roll of their own accord and if someone likes it, that's great!

In total, this year marks 33 years since my first gig, 27 of which have been full-time. I don't know the exact number, but I've definitely done over 6000 gigs.

But.. I still like dancing too!

top post Anselmi over 300 gigs in one year !!!! wow, astonishing

Obv depends on range of options, competition but I think the self-promotional side becomes less important over time. When you're in a close-knit scene, you get to an age where you pretty much know everyone who is going to turn up. And people increasingly save themselves for specials/one-offs. They're probably all following the DJs they like anyway so it's just the occasional insta reminder these days. I think a lot of punters crave familiarity as they get older, with big nights becoming rarer, which is why maintaining the community is so important. That makes a DJ's job a lot easier because you're effectively preaching to the choir. The reason smaller nights work better for me is that the DJ is under less pressure because they're trusted, which gives them space to dig deeper.

*btw If you haven't already read the Harold Heath book, it's brilliant and very funny. Totally takes the glamour out of cold, rainy nights playing music to a wall.

 

[Anselmi K]

top post Anselmi over 300 gigs in one year !!!! wow, astonishing

Obv depends on range of options, competition but I think the self-promotional side becomes less important over time. When you're in a close-knit scene, you get to an age where you pretty much know everyone who is going to turn up. And people increasingly save themselves for specials/one-offs. They're probably all following the DJs they like anyway so it's just the occasional insta reminder these days. I think a lot of punters crave familiarity as they get older, with big nights becoming rarer, which is why maintaining the community is so important. That makes a DJ's job a lot easier because you're effectively preaching to the choir. The reason smaller nights work better for me is that the DJ is under less pressure because they're trusted, which gives them space to dig deeper.

*btw If you haven't already read the Harold Heath book, it's brilliant and very funny. Totally takes the glamour out of cold, rainy nights playing music to a wall.

Well yeah.. I might dare to say what it's like to be a "professional DJ". We're currently living in tough times in nightlife and as a profession this doesn't seem to be worth it at the moment, but I'm not giving up. Tomorrow we're starting a new event in my hometown at an old paper mill, where we've only invited people we know love dancing. So, specifically with the power of the community, we're trying to preserve and maintain the dance culture, which is about to disappear because clubs, discos and nightclubs have gone bankrupt.

 

[The Sun God]

Well yeah.. I might dare to say what it's like to be a "professional DJ". We're currently living in tough times in nightlife and as a profession this doesn't seem to be worth it at the moment, but I'm not giving up. Tomorrow we're starting a new event in my hometown at an old paper mill, where we've only invited people we know love dancing. So, specifically with the power of the community, we're trying to preserve and maintain the dance culture, which is about to disappear because clubs, discos and nightclubs have gone bankrupt.

Definitely the right approach. I genuinely don't know how anyone makes money out of it. Everyone I still know in music has a day job. The dream for producers now is to get royalties from jingles or tv licensing to finance the rest but it's a pipe dream now for most.