Djing For Beginners Pdf
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Want to learn how to DJ, but not sure where to start? What it means to be a DJ can differ widely depending on whether they are a professional or hobby DJ, what environment they work in, what type of music they play, and what equipment they use.
DJing as we know it today has its roots in radio, which rose to popularity back in the 1920s, and the term DJ (Disc Jockey) was coined in the 1940s. In the 1950s, the concept of the DJ or selector as the focus of the party emerged, with nightclubs and discothques growing in popularity in Europe and the US during the 1960s, and DJ Francis Grasso became the first DJ to beatmatch in 1969.
Technology continues to advance, and the electronic music industry continues to grow, with more and more aspiring DJs training their skills and starting their careers. Diversity in the industry is also slowly becoming more important, making the profession more accessible to more people, although there is still more work to be done. Today, DJing has become a popular global profession and hobby, especially in cities with a strong electronic music culture, such as Berlin, New York, or London.
The term DJ covers a broad range of professions and activities, including club DJs, radio DJs, wedding DJs, bedroom DJs, and more. Below is an overview of some common types of DJs, the skills they need and their potential income levels.
Important skills for a club DJ are selection, beatmatching and mixing, and the ability to read the crowd and manage the energy on the dancefloor. The expected income for a nightclub DJ varies depending on location and experience level. Some DJs play for as little as free drinks, while others earn upwards of $2k for one gig. Most club DJs freelance, although it is also possible to get a residency at a local club.
Salaries for radio DJs can be quite low for entry-level positions, depending on location or radio station, and much higher for well-known radio personalities. There are also many community radio stations that offer a platform to share your music with the world with a low barrier to entry, usually unpaid.
A mobile DJ career will see you play at private events, including weddings, birthdays, ceremonies and more. Mobile DJs usually bring their own equipment as part of the deal, so a little bit of technical knowledge is necessary, and they are often open-format or cross-genre DJs, adjusting their selections to the wishes of their client or even taking requests from guests on the night.
Mobile and wedding DJs need to be adaptable and friendly and might even need to double as an announcer or MC for the event. Mixing skills and digging for music are less important than for a club DJ, but you will still need a broad collection of music, which has become even easier in recent times with modern DJ streaming services. At the entry level, mobile DJs often earn more than club DJs.
DJing and music production are often confused, and many DJs will also produce at some point of their career, and vice versa. In short, music production is creating or recording music, while DJing is the art of mixing pre-recorded music together. Many producers also perform their own music live using synths, pads, and other equipment. Some producers might not DJ at all. Some DJs might include samples or use pedal effects in their sets, or even perform hybrid live sets, blurring the line between the two.
Passion: One of the most important traits of a DJ is their love of music! The passion that keeps you searching for new tunes and the joy you feel when sharing them with an audience is one of the best things about the job. When a DJ plays music that they love, these positive vibes also translate to the audience and everyone has a better time!
Motivation and organisation: As a DJ you will usually be working for yourself or freelancing, which means doing your own bookwork. Unless you join an agency, you will have to communicate with venues, arrange gigs and negotiate fees. Motivation, good organisation, and communication skills will help you here.
People and networking skills: These will help you get gigs and advance your career. Especially in a market with so many DJs, you will need to leave a good impression with the promoters, club managers and other DJs, to ensure you will be invited back.
While learning to DJ, you might want to consider what your goals are. As discussed above, there are many different types of DJs, so what level do you want to get to? What will your musical focus be? Will you be a vinyl or digital DJ, or both?
Do you aim to earn some or all of your income by DJing, or are you happy as a bedroom DJ, playing and collecting music for fun, perhaps playing at the odd house party. Do you aspire to become a famous, touring DJ and perhaps ultimately producer or would you be satisfied as a staple of your local scene, perhaps hosting a small monthly party?
This will depend a lot on your own taste, but you can also decide how to brand yourself and your sound. Many DJs will specialise in one or a few genres or sub-genres, for example techno, house, disco, or drum and bass. Your choice of genre might also depend on where you are located, as different genres are popular in different cities. For example, psytrance is very popular in Israel, whereas if you live in London, you might be more successful playing UK Garage. On the flipside, if you join an oversaturated market, you might struggle to get gigs, so it might also be strategic to carve a niche out for yourself.
DJ equipment can be expensive, so make careful decisions and choose the right equipment for your needs. Luckily, if you take care of your mixer or CDJs well, you might find that they have a relatively good resale value, should you choose to upgrade later.
If you have a bit more money to spend, you will also find standalone units that allow you to play with a USB or hard drive instead of a laptop. These larger units look and feel a lot more like a club setup. There are dozens of controllers on the market, so to help you make your decision, check out our guide to the best DJ controllers.
While choosing your DJ headphones you should consider comfort, sound and noise isolation. You may use your headphones for hours on end while practicing and preparing, as well as during your gigs, so they should sit comfortably. You can choose between on-ear or over-ear headphones, depending on how much sound isolation you want. DJ headphones will often have a punchier sound to help with beatmatching in the loud club environment, as opposed to studio headphones that sound more neutral. Find out more about the best headphones for DJs in our guide.
This really depends on your budget and your goals. If you aim to DJ professionally, it might be worth investing more in good equipment from the beginning. You might be lucky enough to pick up a set of second-hand CDJs and mixer for under 1000 GBP. If that seems out of reach, you can opt for a basic controller for around 150 GBP and visit professional DJ studios for practice sessions.
Music streaming can be another great option for beginner DJs. Beatport/Beatsource streaming, Tidal and Soundcloud all have integrations with some of the major DJ software brands and can give you access to millions of tracks for a monthly subscription fee. DJ Pools like ZIPDJ or DJcity can also be great if you find yourself buying dozens of tracks each month.
There are several online resources available for beginner DJs, spanning from YouTube videos through to paid courses that give you a real qualification. Pioneer DJ has some tips on how to learn to DJ online, including free options. You can also look to reputable schools like Point Blank, who have both online and in-person options.
Phrasing is also important to make sure that your mixes flow and that the bass drops at the right time. Most 4/4 electronic music works in phrases of 4 bars, or 16 beats. A good rule of thumb is to start counting at a break or drop (or any point in the track where something significant changes), then count 16 beats and bring in the next cued track at the beginning of the next bar. With some practice and experience you will start to feel the phrasing naturally. Using the waveform on your controller or player, if you have it, can also be a useful visual cue. This skill is important when making good DJ transitions.
EQing means using an equaliser to cut or boost certain frequencies in a track. Most controllers and mixers have a 3-band EQ, with highs, mids and lows, although some mixers may only have 2 or even 4. You can use the EQ knobs to take out the bass from one track, for example, before bringing in the bass of the new one. You can learn more in our guide to EQ.
If you want to practice playing in front of an audience and connect with other music lovers around the world, you can start by learning how to livestream a mix. A lot of aspiring DJs like to livestream their mixes through Twitch or other online platforms. Video footage of you playing can also be useful in the long run when it comes to getting gigs! Similarly, there are lots of online platforms that post high quality videos of DJ sets, which you can watch to learn from their techniques and selection!
The most important thing is to be an active part of your scene and get to know people organically. You can even gather some like minded people to form a collective, hire a small space and throw your own party! This is the easiest (although perhaps more financially risky) way to start playing out more.
Once you have your first gig offer, you might be wondering how much a beginner DJ should charge. Although many beginners start by playing for free, DJing even while still learning is work that requires preparation and an investment in music and equipment, so do deserve to be paid, and you should do your best to negotiate a fee, even a low one.
If you decide to start with a DJ controller, there are some great entry-level options that offer fantastic value. The DDJ-200 and DDJ-400 are designed specifically for beginners, and both are among a large range of Hardware Unlock devices that give you free use of Performance mode in rekordbox, our professional DJ software. Just plug your controller into your laptop or compatible device and start DJing.
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