D-Jam

I think the trick is to make sure you have a speaker/headphone source that’s “normal” and not bassed up.

One thing I don’t like about a lot of DJ headphones is they have boosted bass, so when you’re recording you’ll think the bass is too high, but end up finding out it’s not.

Some buy studio monitor headphones, others buy decent studio monitor speakers…either way it’s good to have a source that is “normal”.

I’d also toss out there how much music now isn’t well-mastered compared to the past. Just tweak as you go…that’s the best way to do it all.

InMusic, which owns Numark did just buy out M-Audio. While Torq has suffered a full death, they might be looking to overhaul and make a new title.

ME!

Not playing anywhere…just mainly blogging and making mixes for the local show TheMovement.fm when I get free time.

If you want to guest on that show, send Busy Boy an email. You should also check out Chitown Vibes if you want more networking.

As for actual clubs? Not sure on that. You gotta play the usual game.

I put “no”.

I only ask you this…what is “selling out to the top 40”?

What would you do if you blew up as a DJ, had loads of office workers, college kids, trendy MTV fans all coming out to see you, and then others in the “underground” call you a sellout…despite that you haven’t changed?

I went through the preview of his album (video attached)

[media=youtube]BNzvmvK5I2I[/media]

Yes, there’s a lot of the typical big room fluffy easy-to-digest stuff many “underground” folk puke at…but I also listen to tunes like “Mansion”, “Iron”, and “School”…and see different things. He’s capable of making diverse music, but he, like Guetta, wanted to make a bigger impact than just die-hard clubbers.

I will NEVER fault any of these EDM artists/producers for looking to get more mainstream appeal. As far as I’m concerned, they didn’t mince words or lie or hide the idea that they wanted to get into mainstream pop America.

Yes, we can hate it because it’s not what we think is “innovative”…but let me ask you this. Do you seriously think most of those fans of Guetta and Harris will really give underground music a shot? Would they listen to dubstep that isn’t the Skrillex sound? Would they listen to tech house? Would they try some wild b-boy nu school breaks? Would they do any indie/nu disco sounds?

Or would they beg for popstars and “chick hop”?

EpicDJ, don’t be afraid to go DIY. A lot of what I do now came from wanting to not have to pay someone for things in the past.

I remember when I put a hot mix cassette into local stores back in 1994. I paid $600 for 100 cassettes and felt like I overpaid. From there I tried to design my own labels and inserts. I looked for solutions so I could make the cassettes at home on my own using some decent-quality cassette decks and a DAT. I later used a local Kinko’s to print and then manually cut the inserts. I found web sites selling simple plastic bags I could put around the cassettes so I would not have to pay for shrink wrapping.

Granted I didn’t sell cassettes for too long (nor did I ever make any money), but I kept using these new skills to make nice graphics for CDs, flyers, etc. Later this spawned into web design/development and now it’s my normal career.

You did well on your first attempt. Look into free services like pixlr and even freeware like GIMP if you do not want to shell out for Photoshop. Design print pieces in CMYK and web-based stuff in RGB.

Everything on that layout is clean, clear, and legible. Photo is great. Too many amateurs go nuts on text filters and such and thus they end up with a mess. Keep it up.

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.

I think many amateurs could do much by making guest mix sets for these shows, like backtothefront’s.

You get critiques from experienced guys, exposure, and experience.