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Compromising on DJ style to suit the Event/City/Career
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| jbvries |
Hi All,
So I just moved to to a city where house music RULES. If I started getting gigs in the club scene as a house DJ can I later just use the name that I am building for myself to transition into more of a progressive/trance DJ?
Will I be marked a House DJ and have difficulty changing peoples expectations?
It seems like all I have to do is throw together a house CD and boom I'll have a gig tomorrow (I say this because I have met quite a few people that can make this happen, not just from thin air) where as the progressive and trance route will be quite a bit trickier.
Is there a city where trance IS popular? You know the saying about going where your craft is appreciated and all.
I will do whatever it takes but just wanted to call up on the experience of the forum. Any and all advice much appreciated.
Cheers to all!
-JBV |
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| jbvries |
| haha I'm not quite sure I follow? |
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| SPAWNmaster |
| quote: | Originally posted by jbvries
I will do whatever it takes
-JBV |
So, pick a road and walk it.
No one here knows your situation better than you do. No one gets "discovered" these days magically overnight and as a DJ it's your job to cater to the audience and venue.
The more you play out the more you'll realize that there is plenty of opportunity to sneak in bits of what you love the most but at the end of the day what's going to pay your bills?
What's your goal? To be heard? To impress people with your Trance mixing abilities? Or to just mix music you love?
Those factors will determine the best route to go. Honestly if you don't care about supporting yourself through gigging, then go play a couple of nights the way you want and see how the other DJ's, the crowd and the venue owners react. They might never invite you back because you're not a good fit, or they might say "hey this is different" and keep you around for an uptempo night every once and a while.
Good luck! |
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| n3lly |
| OP, can I ask what age you are? Just out of curiosity? |
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| Schadenfreude |
| hookers n blow for dummies;) |
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| jbvries |
Thank you for the well thought out response Andrew. I really appreciate it. I guess I feel like I have this pressure to BE A TRANCE DJ because it's what I feel in my heart and it's what comes out of my studio but what pays the bills needs to be equally assessed.
And I know what your saying is true because I was a deep house and lounge DJ for 3 years at an upscale martini lounge and I could definitely sneak some more progressive bits in there. Again, thanks for your response. I guess I just needed to hear it from someone else that it's not essential to be such a purist. I was out with a promoter last night that does shows LA, SF, and LV and he said he'd be happy to check out my stuff but he definitely looking for house, so that's what I'll give him. I guess I am realizing I am a Dance music DJ that has an affinity towards trance but hell, I will mix almost anything I feel is groovin'.
And before I respond I'm curious why you ask my age? Does this seem like an immature question? I am just trying to make the right career moves to ensure that I can become who I see myself to be in the future and what better way to try than call upon those with equal or greater experience than myself ;) |
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| n3lly |
Just a question mate..
If you're young I'd advise you that your music taste can often change as you grow up. Getting a gig playing house music if you're into trance/progressive is in my opinion not something to be too annoyed about (which doesn't seem to be the case for you)..
I just know a lot of people start off liking one thing. And eventually develope their taste into a completely different genre.
Either way, I personally believe a Dj starting off should play to the venue/crowd they're playing to. You only play what you want to play when you've made a name of yourself, or you know people have come to the venue you're playing at to listen to the genre you happen to like to play.
If you don't pull a crowd in, play what the crowd wants you to play.
I think the guys who go on and play a trance/techno/house set to a crowd that wants to hear top 40 tunes are douché bags but that's just me. |
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| jbvries |
Very well put. Though my tastes have evolved over the years, they have definitely stayed trancey. Thank you again everyone for your input on a somewhat personal matter on a public board.
Here's a tune I just finished up if you care to listen
;)
http://soundcloud.com/jbvries/beaut...mp3-w-mastering |
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| dextersmom |
+1
Good advice...I should be taking it. The reason I stopped DJing was because in my area all the DJ's are either on the rave scene and trying to be hard with two d's or are club top 40 DJs. Where could little old me fit in with interest in the trance scene seriously fading?
Now that I'm thinking about making a comeback, along with needing a whole new equipment setup, i'll be needing a new outlook on the whole scene and how I'm going to fit myself in.
Thanks for the advice n3lly |
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| snatonsb |
| Awesome thread OP! I like alot of the responses here. I'll be one to admit when I first started gigging I played what "I" wanted to play and not what the crowd wanted to hear. I had alot of good reactions but other times some WTF reactions. You live and you learn as you go on. Just try to cater more to the crowd and ask the promoter, other dj's who are playing at the venue what type of crowd it is. |
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| daeus |
I was writing a long reply but meh, SPAWNmaster said it right.
Read bigger DJ's Bio's to see how they went about things at the beginning.. |
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