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What are the best US cities to gain opportunities as a DJ?
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| Dojomaster26 |
Hey! Its been a while since I posted on here, although I've done my fair share of lurking. I'm getting back into mixing after some recent life events and changes. I've been mixing for a few years at this point (5 years already?!?) Nothing major has come out of my mixing, but I'm at the point where I would like to change that and takes things more seriously.
What I'm looking for: A city that has a thriving EDM scene, and a shortage of DJs, or at least enough open-minded music fans to support multiple nights.
Why: I have a job that is decent that uses some of my college education, but I'm not satisfied. I'm living in a cubicle for 8 hours a day, doing something that I thought I enjoyed, but now I just loathe. I went into Programming in order to build games and work for a game developer, but that job search ended up with this current position where I move data from SQL tables onto web reports, and vice versa.
Also, my religious views are at odds with everyone in my area, which has made finding a compatible partner nearly impossible. I really don't fit in here, and I'm looking for a fresh start.
My goal: Have a steady slate of shows to play, generating enough income to support myself and a basic living. I'm not looking to have a stadium tour or anything crazy like that, but having a steady job doing what I love is the dream. My perfect week would involve producing on Monday - Wednesday, doing marketing and promotion on Thursday, and then gigging some night between Friday and Sunday. If I could make others happy through music, then that would make all of this worth it.
What I play: Mostly Funky & Electro House with some asian remixes mixed in. Not many people are playing asian pop, so I feel that my guilty pleasure is a niche that could garner listeners who are looking for something different. I've also played a lot of opening sets with Deep House from Plastic City and its ilk.
Misc.: I'm not going to stay in the Southeast. I don't feel like I fit in here, so ideally I would relocate to either the West Coast, or the Northeast.
I'm thinking Chicago, Seattle (for the IT jobs,) NYC, or LA. I would rather relocate to an up-and-coming city, however, instead of trying to get into established scenes which would mean having to somehow steal nights from current DJs. Any ideas? Is DC worth trying out? |
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| Woony |
Honestly, there is no city with a shortage of DJs. At pretty much any given night you're going to have at least like 20 people lingering around the booth that would love to take over at any given moment.
To me it seems like if you're going to move to a new city with no connections as a no-name you're only chance is to start your own night but if you don't promotion experience that's pretty damn risiky. |
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| Looney4Clooney |
| djs are a dime a dozen. I would say release a track but that is no feat anymore. You would need a string of charting tracks which you could use to market yourself as above the rest despite having little to do with djing. I would also work on your image. A little pudgy and kinda dorky Nobody wants to party with that kid in highschool with the really bad halitosis . |
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| Dojomaster26 |
Eddie: Yeah. It looks like NY and west coast forums are the most active.
Woony: i have a bit of promotion experience, but i don't want to run my own nights. I'd rather have a slot to play and let someone else deal with the piles of bs that stem from organizing a night.
l4c: working on it! What do you suggest fashion wise? I can spend a bit of $, but i cannot shell out thousands for one of the suits that GQ recommends. |
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| DjWoody |
| LA has a HUGE scene. Plus you'll be near other scenes as well, including Vegas. But to get gigs in LA, you'll need your networking skills. |
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| feelgood |
My advice is: Do not try to make a living being a DJ.
Maintain a real job, supplement it with DJ'ing as a hobby.
The recipe for DJ success, is Networking, Promotion and...serendipity.
Even if you are enormously talented, it doesnt mean you'll get steady gigs.
Here in Toronto, even the well established locals who are talented, have all the connections in the world, and have been gigging for 15 years, cannot make a decent living without supplementary income.
With the recent influx of DJ's the competition is steep. Competition also drives down the rate of pay. So many DJ's are playing for a fraction of what they could have made 10 years ago.
I don't want to burst your dreams, but you'd be embarking on an overly trodden path that is EXTREMELY difficult to be successful on.
I've been DJing almost every weekend for the last three years, its a hobby I thoroughly love. However, theres no way itd ever be a sustainable way to make a living. I also work doing software dev monday to friday... |
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| DjWoody |
Feelgood is dead on!
I've been DJ'ing for a very long time, it's a passion of mine. Like they said above, DJ's are dime a dozen now. I used to make pretty good money to the point where I was making more than my day job. But, it's not steady. Now, I make a fraction of what I used to make. Every DJ scene has been hit HARD, including mobiles (which are the money makers).
I know a few touring DJ's who have other sources of income coming in to be able to make a living. My day job is similar to yours. I sit on a cubicle all day coding away. BORING!!!! Trust me, I've been wanting to quit so many times. But, it pays good and I have excellent benefits.
:whip: |
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| jayxthekoolest |
| quote: | Originally posted by Looney4Clooney
djs are a dime a dozen. I would say release a track but that is no feat anymore. You would need a string of charting tracks which you could use to market yourself as above the rest despite having little to do with djing. I would also work on your image. A little pudgy and kinda dorky Nobody wants to party with that kid in highschool with the really bad halitosis . |
this is the best advice you will get on these forums |
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| PivotTechno |
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| EddieZilker |
| The longer I've had to reflect on this thread, the more I have come to believe that it's not very useful. |
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| Looney4Clooney |
the smaller cities are easier to break into. You just have to be cool , and slowly in a way that is not perceptible become close with the people running the night. Now these djs will never let go because they realize that this is all they will ever get. So you have to unfortunately be really ing cool, that they want to do you a favour, do them a favour, graphics design or flyer.
You can't be a dancer. Djs make a distinction between the ones that get high and flail and the djs who are super cool and tanned girls. In fact once you are a dj, you don't dance, you don't get ed up in public. I mean do drugs, just less than everyone else.
You also have to realize you are booked to bring people in. If you have no following, forget it.Unless you do the bitch work. So you should have a podcast. You should be posting in the forums these guys post in. Just so your name is seen. And if you have the proper internet plan, making it easy for people to be funneled to your site, they will know about you, because the worst thing you can say is , i dj too. If you can't draw your audience , why book you. Just like bands , you have to do the leg work. No label will sign a band that is unkown even if they are amazing. Your twitter following is worth more than your skill.
Another way , and probably the fastest way is to throw an event at the venue. You spend some money, yes you might take a loss but you make sure it is packed. You have the residents play obviously, and now you've made the transition. You hired them. Even if it was their venue, Now they will hire you. Now you need to just be cool, get along and make them like you. Because as good as you think you are, people , most anyways, hire who they like. But you have to do it right. You have to make that night better than theirs, and make them feel like they are a part of it. When you start, djing isn't really important. Because the djs and promoters don't care. They want someone they think will be good for them. So even tho it is your event, you don't take the headlining spot. Because your goal is not to dj once which will have no impact. Your goal is to have a killer event, and make those djs and promoters want to include you.
It is a fine art of getting your intentions and talents across without stating it. You cannot hardsell a promoter. Forget it. Until they know you, and do lines with you, yes you will have to do cocaine. In fact, you should always have some on you so that when they start jonsing, oh here you go. Anyways, until you are part of that circle, you are classified as a groupie. More on drugs.look at how much drugs everyone else does, and do less. You can't say no. drug users love company. But don't be a ing cliche. Don't do it in public ever. Because the second someone not in the dj circle sees you do cocaine, you are not a user, you are an addict, and that translates to and so on.
And something no dj does, at least local, is market themselves. How many times i've seen a dj play and not know who the it is. Every time you play , is an opportunity to make a fan. And that fun will come back. And when you have a consistent turnout, you will be hired more regularly.
From there, you might do another night, or weasle your way in by befriending the management. Again, like any field, you have to be likeable, you have to be smart, you have to be the kind of person that stands out. When i see a dj wear black, i wonder what the he is thinking, You want people to see you. They need to know who you are. So many djs , you can't even see their face. I used to have my own lamps. I would never mix from the other dj if i was playing when there are lots of people. Stop the music. Practice in front of a mirror, because some djs look ing retarded. This isn't about jesus poses, but djing , is very image based. Being cool is part of your job.
WHen you are done. You need to mingle, Q codes are ing great but business cards for the technology inclined where they can get a copy of that set. The problem is that people have no connection to djs. And trust me, they want to know.
But like everything, you have to keep a certain distance. Because you have to be more than just a normal person no matter how easy djing is. People should not see you as some ordinary dude. They should see you as an artist they like.
i could go on.
I would say 1% of djs have a clue. Which is kinda sad considering how simple the concepts are. And what ever you do , do not ever say a bad thing about anyone, dj promoter .... You can be nice, you dn't have to be everyone's friend but as you become popular , people will find any reason to think you are a cocaine addled dick head. Happened to me. But i trashed the other djs to no end because they were pathetic. And eventually, people no matter how talented you are, and i pissed people off because in 1 year, i mean they were jealous. I mean at the time , most djs found pitch riding like impressive. I mean i thought what i did was a joke, i mean compared to piano, but like people would need 3 mintues to get the right tempo. They had to touch the plater. THey couldn't scratch or beat juggle, they bought 2 records a week, and they just weren't really cool. So try not to stick out like that because you never want to be that guy everyone wants to pull down. The audience appreciates your skill, the promoters don't. NOr do the other djs. So getting hired is about being friends. But don't be too close. Close enough that you can be nice all the time. Far enough that you aren't around long enough to piss someone off.
And bribes. A bottle of champagne, a cheap investment will do wonders. Because you sort of do a forced you owe me. A gift sure, but the nature of gifts. you feel you owe them, and that is how you want it. But if you start giving too soon, you are a tool. And you just lost the respect and any chance,.
i could go on.
ing girls is a part of the strategy of being that guy that all girls love. Which just makes you more of artist , and people give you more attention than you deserve. Now when i say girls, i don't mean use them and treat them like because the goal is to have an army of girls that ed you and would you again and will tell all their friends that you were fantastic. You have to be the guy , that is just full of love. As opposed to a player. Same thing. difference of perspective. But when you have a solid base of female fans, well that is money in the bank. Because they will come to see you, and when you play, you don't want a sausage fest because no matter what , that is your fault. BUt have girls, people will associate your name with fun. Also don't too many girls. Too many and you are a that uses people. Have a few girls you date for a bit but you are just too much of an artist and you just have so much love to give. yada yada. Also, with this currency, the other djs will; naturally want you to be apart of their plans. I know it sounds silly but trust me, having hot female friends is like a weapon of mass destruction. You will get invited to every party, you will be included in everything, because you = hot girls. Eventually, you just slide in.
There are many ways. SOme people can't do some things. I mean some people are just not cool. Personally , if you aren't a performer , i don't think you should be djing. If you aren't cool , you shouldn't be djing either. You are an artist, like a band. Your image is 50% of who you are. |
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