The Truth About DJing (to an underground artist)

rfb, post: 32651, member: 2662 wrote: Check the job description again because no matter how technically well executed your set was when people just didn’t dig the music you failed in terms of what you were hired to do. Simple as that.

I have to disagree with this line of thinking a little bit. I see it and hear it from all over the place. The way I see it is the promoter needs to take some responsibility for the entertainment. Look at it like this, if you’re hired to minimal techno by the promoter then you’re going to show up and play minimal techno. You’re job is to judge the time of night, energy level of the venue, etc. in order to pick the correct minimal techno tracks for that particular place and time. But, if a promoter hires you to play minimal techno and then draws a crowd that wants to hear top 40, you’re not going to be prepared for that and nor should you be. The promoter didn’t do his job in matching the entertainment to the audience. Think about it terms of bands if you prefer. A country bar wouldn’t book a metal band and if they were dumb enough to do that, would you expect the metal band to then play country music? In summary, I feel we all have a unique style of music and mixing that promoters need to evaluate based on their individual events instead of thinking, “let’s get a dj for Thursday night. Which dj should we get? Who cares they’re all the same, they just play other people’s records.” Incoherent rant over, hope you followed that.:)

I don’t dj out of some need to stand on stage and play whatever other people want to hear (no offense intended to anyone, there is nothing wrong with playing what people want so they have a good time). I dj to play the music I love in a creative way. No requests and no concern for punters who stumbled into the wrong place. In that way we are different types of djs with different motivations. You’ll find me in Quadrant 1, and if I get booked by a bad promoter or I fail to properly evaluate the gig I may end up in Quadrant 2 but you’ll never find me in 3 or 4. Now if you’re concerned with djing paying your bills, then this attitude may not be for you.

reason808, post: 31320, member: 831 wrote: But nobody’s mentioned what I think is the easiest way to get past your frustrations for the next 10 gigs: Change the “Me vs. Them” attitude. Isn’t going to help you. Your DJ career will be short and bitter.

Do you absolutely hate every big hit song out there? If not, why not? If you’re a DJ, your music tastes are broader and bigger than the average punter.

Instead of thinking that your music is “educated” “elevated” or “better,” think about the appealing qualities of your music, and how that will appeal to others.

Find common ground with hit tracks that are similar to your favorite music. If you get the crowd going with tracks they’re comfortable with, you can get them to follow you into unfamiliar (to them) waters.

I agree with you…but this is even why I tell the die-hards who absolutely hate playing mainstream to simply settle in for a “starving artist” existence. It’s one in a few million that someone is out there making a nice living while being able to play anything they like in the underground. I don’t even know of any DJs who get this just on DJing alone…pretty much all the success stories are producers.
This is why I tell the guy who “mentored” me on DJing why he should be happier doing his podcast and how he should stop berating the scene because he could not fall into the existence of just showing up to play while others do the work of promoting and pushing events. I tell him he should be happy he doesn’t have to deal with the politics of the scene or the incessant number of trixies who will beg him to play mainstream crap with no wiggle room for anything that isn’t on the radio.
I might berate the club and rave scene a lot, but I honestly feel blessed I have my normal job and thus I can DJ on my own terms. I am more excited about making backtothefront a guest mix for his show than I would be about going to play in some bar, club, or rave where it’s guaranteed the night won’t go well in my eyes.
If one wants to do the “I will never play mainstream or take requests” ideology, then be prepared to play once in a while or here and there, and be prepared to drive long distances to play at underground events for little to no compensation. This is life…and I won’t sit here saying things like “we all got screwed” or something. I used to live by the hate, but realized I was trying to change human nature…so better for me to find what makes me happy in DJing.
Maybe I should write an article on how/why many “I hate mainstream music” DJs should get involved in the rave scene.

Would love to read the article. We need a healthy rave scene again.

I would also like to read that article.

this is all great advice and i agree with most. but for the mean time while you are building up your name and are semi-forced to play mainstream, play some remix version of that familiar tune and/or do your own mash up of it. show your skill on the level of a dj, not the dj who fader jocks left to right, add effects, flare, let the crowd know that you are the center stage, cutting up a track, using an effect sparingly. Be cautious not to over do it. But let’em know that theres a dj up there not a fuckn jukebox. just my 2 cents.