10 DJing Tips: How to DJ
We’ve all been to a party where the DJ has been absolutely rubbish. It ruins the night, doesn’t it? The team at DJ City have a few DJing tips to share with you to prevent the night from becoming a flop.
10 DJing Tips Every DJ Should Know
#1 Music Selection
Yes, I know, sometimes as a DJ, you just want to play that mad Skrillex track that just came out. Unfortunately, the birthday girl doesn’t want to hear it on her 18th birthday.
Music selection is everything. Make sure you ask what music your client wants to hear and that it’s appropriate for the occasion.
Top Product: The Kingston USB Flash Drive is the perfect companion for every DJ. Available in 32GB, 64GB and 128GB, this is a must-have for music storage.
#2 Dancing
Tip #2. If no one is dancing, CHANGE THE SONG! As a DJ it’s so important to read the crowd and see what they like and doesn’t like. If it’s a tough crowd, maybe try a throwback hit, or hold off on that remix. You’ll find a lot of the time, people just want to dance to the original track because they know it!
Top Video: If the crowd reacts like this to a song, you’ve definitely picked the wrong one and better change it quickly before you lose them!
#3 Equipment Selection
It’s all good and well having the best DJ equipment on the market, but your gig isn’t going to go well if you can’t use it properly. Equipment selection is crucial. Make sure you use a set-up that you know well and can be confident with. If you aren’t doing a good job, people will know it. Start simple and build your way up.
Top Product: If however, you’re a DJ looking for something extra to add to your set-up, have a look at the Reloop Mixtour. You’ll be amazed by what this little effects unit can do.
#4 Mixing
You might think that people don’t notice when you do a bad mix, but trust us…they notice. Mixing and Beat Matching is a skill that requires a lot of practice. A slow fade is the most popular method of transitioning, but it isn’t the only technique. Make it interesting for the crowd, but also for yourself. You have to have fun too! Doing the same, simple, slow transition can get tedious. Try a hard cut or play with the EQs.
Top Product: The Reloop RMX-80 is a killer mixer. This 4 Channel monster features heaps of effects, perfect for changing up your mixing techniques.
#5 Use Your Ears
This brings us to the next point. A real DJ uses their ears, NOT the sync button. The only time it is acceptable to use the sync button is in an emergency. Otherwise, the best way to learn is by listening to the track and mixing it yourself. It’s more fun for you, and it will definitely pay off. Despite the same genre and BPMs, you’ll find that many tracks don’t actually fit together. You need to listen for the key as well.
Top Product: The Sennheiser HD25 DJ headphones are highly recommended by DJ City staff. Super comfy and you’ll be blown away by the sound quality.
#6 Know Your Music
Tips #4, #5 and #6 all tie in together. In order to correctly match BPMs and Keys for a successful mix, you need to know your music well. It’s important to keep up to date with the latest hits and be prepared for any requests. Yes, it’s okay to politely decline a request if it’s that bad, but it’s still good to be ready.
Top Charts: The Billboard Hot 100 and Aria Charts are a great way to see what music is popular and rising to the top. The iTunes Charts are a great reference too.
#7 Be Prepared
The gig will go a lot more smoothly and you’ll feel much better if you’re prepared. Make sure you have a playlist ready with any requests included from your client. It’s best to prepare this list in advance so you can ensure you’re confident with the music, as mentioned in the previous tip. Arrive at your venue with plenty of time to set up your equipment. You don’t want to have people arrive while you’re still setting up – it looks unprofessional.
Top Products: For a pro looking set-up, DJ City offers a range of cool accessories for all DJs. Scrims look amazing at wedding functions and our DJ Screen looks fantastic for mobile DJs.
#8 Lighting
If you’re supplying your own lighting, make sure it looks good! Don’t buy dodgy lighting, invest in something with a bit more guts that will amaze the crowd and get you more gigs! Sometimes, a jelly ball on the table just isn’t enough. A smoke machine is almost essential to enhance your lighting setup. If you don’t have one, be sure to look into it.
Top Products: DJ City offers a wide range of smoke machines and DJ lighting for amateur and more advanced set-ups.
#9 Sound
You could be playing an amazing set, but if your speakers aren’t great, then it’s not going to give your set justice. It’s very important not to have your volume up too high either. If your sound is distorting, turn it down! It may sound good through your headphones, but make sure the crowd is hearing quality sound too!
Top Products: LD Systems make incredible complete speaker and subwoofer systems in a range of sizes – at fantastic prices. Great for beginners and more advanced DJs. The clarity and bass delivered are unbelievable.
#10 Get the Crowd Pumped!
You might feel a bit uncomfortable at first, but you’ll be surprised at the effect talking to the crowd can have. Sometimes, the party needs an extra push to really get started. If they can see that you’re getting into it, they’ll want to join in. Even the biggest DJs in the world talk to the crowd and get them pumped, why can’t you do it too?
Top Product: Not only is it good to have a microphone for yourself, but it’s great to have on stand-by for speeches. The Shure SM58 microphone is still one of the world’s most popular microphones with amazing clarity.
In Conclusion
So there’s our Top 10 Tips. What did you think? How many of these points did you already know?
Just remember the Ultimate DJing Tip…keep practising!
