hey all whats up?? my name is pat... i'm brand new to tranceaddict.com... in fact i am pretty new to the whole undeground electronic music scene... in fact, let me start from the beginning so u could understand everything if you are willing to help me! okay... i was never much for clubs or anything, because i have always been a bit of a hippie myself... classic rock, rusted root... that sort of thing was pretty much my bag for quite a while now, and i started goin to this gay club where im from and i was blown away from day one by the music they played... lol literally since then, all of my old cd's have been collecting dust and all i have been listening to anymore is any sort of techno music.
meanwhile in my life... i have at the same time really been searching for a creative outlet for my talent, as i am definately a very creative person, i just really havent come across the right medium to really dedicate my time to, but i can honestly and truely see myself dj'ing more so than anything else i have wanted to do in my life. i downloaded acid pro 4.0 off of kazaa and its fun to play around with, but it doesn't really produce anything i think sounds amazing, and so i would defiantely be interested in getting some equipment, i was looking at this one vestax mixer at music123.com and it sounded pretty cool, it was designed for all sorts of techo/house/trance music... i was thinking of getting that.
do you all think it would be a huge waste of my money to get involved with something like a mixer... since, i have no idea how to work it? i mean i can usually learn things fairly quickly, and i know this kid who would be to able to help me get started with it... or is there something else i should get instead?

also...... one more thing.... just tonight, i was at work, im a banquet waitor at a hotel, i was talking to the dj at this dinner we were having, and asking him how he got started dj'ing and what not, and he was telling me his story and then said since i was so interested, to talk to the man he works for. apparently this dj works for this guy who owns all of this dj equipment and employs about 14 dj's, sending them all out to different functions. the dj told me the guy has a lot to do with this one club around here, club x-cess. so that owner guy actually came in at the end of the night, to help pack the equipment, and i was asking him about dj'ing, and he told me i should come out some night and see what its all about to like a wedding or whatever. and then he explained, if i was interested, he would have me start off working at bars and whatnot, then move up to different parties and weddings and things... thats when i asked him if he still had a lot to with club x-cess, and he told me he doesn't do that anymore, which was a bit disappointing. so i asked if he did anything with any of the clubs around here, since that is ultimately what i am interested in, to which he replied not so much. THEN he went on this sphiel about how beatmixing, as he put it, was a waste of time, and how all these young kids that work for him, or have worked for him, that want to do that need to grow up and realize no one is interested in that. sooo keep in mind this guy is totally on the opposite side of the dj'ing spectrum then the rest of all of you guys, and from where he comes from, scummy bars and weddings and things, people aren't interested in that kind of music... so i understand his point of view... however, do you think it would be worth it for me to work with this guy, just to get a basic understanding of the way it all works? or would that be a complete waste of my time, since i would only be working at parties, weddings, bars, etc... and would i just be better off getting a mixer or whatever, playing around with that and try to move forward from there?? and to top it all off... this guy just seemed really shady, i don't know what it is about him...
if you actually read this far into the thread thank you soooo much lol, and if you have any advice, i would greatly appareciate it more than you know!!! i really want to get into this, i just need to find a way cause im sooo lost!!!! thanks alot guys!
pat

well there's different types of djs and here they are:

Most extreme tallent to lest btw:

1.Turntablists (require the most skill on vinyl manipulation, speed and tricks)

2. Club DJs (require the ability to read the audience, program sets that have the right balance for people, and requires the ability to beatmatch and work the eqs, faders, and whatever else that's creative)

3. Producer/dj recording (lots of DJs do this in a attempt to get their name out. It's done by recording mixtapes/cds and handing them out to people or posting them online)

4. Bedroom DJs (most people fall into this catagory. It can be anyone that has a crapy $200 turntable setup, or someone that has a $6000 setup, it can be someone that has retired from the club scene just to do it as a hobby, it can be any number of people)

5. Mobile DJs (Note: i placed this under bedroom djs for a reason. Many Mobiles can't smoothly beatmix two records together, also some probably never even used a turntable before. These people generally do nothing more than play pop music for weddings, school dances, birthdays, and any other event that needs a human cd changer. This is the type of dj only looking into making a profit than to try something creative and improve his/her skill. You will have to deal with a ton of crap if you decide to become a mobile. Some do care about music and djing, while many just suck if they didn't have their mics and were forced to spin at a actual club.

6. Radio DJs (rarely seem to play music anymore. to me it's just another form of gossip on the phone)

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quote:

Make it idiot proof and someone will make a better idiot. He who laughs last thinks slowest!

quote:

Originally posted by dj chex 6. Radio DJs (rarely seem to play music anymore. to me it's just another form of gossip on the phone)

LOL. True to that

... but back to your case,Pat.
From what I understood from reading your post, you are interesting in becoming a Club DJ. To do this there are some steps you have take first. You have to practice a shitload in your house, once you think you got it down, make a demo cd, and send it to where you are interested in playing. Now, in order to start djing you need an equipment. I suggest you searching in the forum for a beginners setup, just to see if you really want to get into it; afterall DJing can become a door to bankarupsy It is rather expensive, but worth it at the end. You will need to purchase turntables, say some Technics MKII 1200, you can probably purchase each for less that $400, and since you are starting off you might as well buy them used or from the b-stock department. You will need turntables to play records, and a mixer to hook them up. The mixer is apparatus which with you control the volumes and decide which song you want to blow up the speakers with. Try finding a local record store near your town and talk to them about it, as they will be able to fill you up as well.

About that dude that does wedding parties... My advice is: if you are truly intersted in playing because of the music, and you want to play this music to a crowd that will enjoy it, do not take that crappy job. As DJ Chex said above Mobile DJs are only but human cd-changers. They put all sorts of random music, with out mixing them or doing anything special with them... and then they call theirselves DJ!! SOBes. LOL. I suggest you to buy some EQ as mentioned above. That Vestax mixer is a start! But you will need either Turntables or CD Players. I suggest Turntables... don't start on the wrong foot Although I did start mixing on CDs. Why? Well, back when I started i was 14, had no job, career, etc... no place to get the money from, and I really wanted to do this shit, so I ended up buying the some crappy CD Players (American DJ PRO-DJ 2) and a crappy mixer (American DJ "Q-DECK" Q-221), and played with them till I got the hang of it, and decided I love doing this shit, so afterwards I bought Turntables. Technics MKII 1210's. I still have the crappy equipment I started with 4 years ago, and still works, although its starting to malfuncion. LOL. That's why I'm looking into buying a new mixer, and maybe get rid of these cd players, and buy some new ones aswell!:P As I said above, this can be door to bankarupsy!

I hope this helped. Any other questions try the search feature in the forum, becuase all of us started somehow/sometime and asked the same questions you are asking one time or another You can probably search for kewords such as: DJ Tutorials or such.

Cheers

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I've been DJing for over 14 years.... done it all pretty much, including mobile work. Don't dismiss mobile so fast. You can learn a lot from that type of work...true beatmixing is a neccesity, but you can still use it here and there at weddings and such.

The best thing about mobile work (other than free food) is you get to play in front of people all the time. It gives you great confidance, gives you an understanding of how a sound system works, how to put it together, troubleshooting...etc.

It also gives you an understanding of how music can be put together in the right order to get people to dance. This will give you an understanding of how people respond to music (ie: how to read a crowd).

It is my belief that mobile DJ work gives you more skills than if you just did club work. There are many famous DJ's that have started this way and agree with this train of thought.

...but stay away from anyone who appears shady....don't want to get screwed over.

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dubBrotherDJs
DavidHousehead.com
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Sorry if i implied that all mobile djs don't care about the music. I didn't mean it like that. I actually worked for a dedicated mobile back when i was in high school and starting off. It just seems like alot of events i go to the mobile dj doesn't try to do anything to wow me. I've been to places where the dj doesn't even try to mix tracks. Those are the djs that make me sick.

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quote:

Make it idiot proof and someone will make a better idiot. He who laughs last thinks slowest!

No offense taken, no worries... I agree with the fact that most mobiles are human juke boxes...not much more.
But...if anyone with ambition went at it, there is a huge set of skills that can be aquired from mobile work, as well as club and radio. I have been in all these environments and have learned a lot from each. As long as you go into it with an open mind willing to learn you are doing alright

Even in my (somewhat) old age, I still try to learn things from other DJ's...young & old. Never think that you know it all or you have stopped progressing as a DJ.

peace n trance...somewhere to start... http://music.hyperreal.org/dj/AVH/

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(o\ ! /o)
dubBrotherDJs
DavidHousehead.com
myspace

...and then there's number 7 on the list: the dreaded Karaoke DJ.

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DJ Kibon



Click below to download my most recent trance set:
DJ Kibon - August 2004

mobile djs might be human jukeboxes but sometimes thats what people want and will pay good money for, i.e. weddings, cheesy parties, etc... my opinion is fuck it, if you can make money doing it, go for it. you dont have to brag about or try to tell chicks that you're a dj because you play weddings or whatever. do it for the money. spend the money on your equipment or records that you enjoy. there are alot worse jobs that you could have. back when i was younger i used to pump gas for like $6an hour, i would have much rather been playing tunes at somebody's party.

didnt carl cox start off doing weddings?

i believe carl cox did start off as a mobile and he was a dedicated bedroom dj and producer too. I read once his friends went to check out a new MC Donalds out in london or something and while they got burgers he ditched them and went record shopping instead. Just a little crazyness in my mind i guess

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quote:

Make it idiot proof and someone will make a better idiot. He who laughs last thinks slowest!

hey i ditched my grad weekend to c derrick carter
and mite ditch my prom after party for jason hodges (house dj

i ditched a 1 week class trip to see Sasha. and ditched one of my friend's parties (hey, it sucked) to go see Steve Porter. heh, it happens, glas to see i'm not the only one.

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check out my guest mix for OndaSonora Podcast (aug.2009)

Even though mobile DJ's may not mix tracks, it is a very good way to read a crowds reaction. Even if it's not the style of music you want to play. You'll notice that they always leave Dancing Queen by ABBA until the end of the night. That's because it's nostalgic and makes the people there dance.

They may not be good DJ's but they can be good entertainers. Which is just as important as beatmatching and learning how to be DJ Spinback!

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Current Tune:
Ferry Corsten - Junk (Ant Smith Re-Work)
Sunset @ Zoo Bar - 02-2007
www.sunsetnights.co.uk