5 DJ tips: How to have a successful show

First and Foremost make sure you have confidence.  You don’t have to be outwardly cocky or anything like that, but make sure you are inwardly cocky. 

I say this because if you go into a performance not feeling sure of yourself, then you will most likely translate that to the audience as well. Obviously, after years of practice and experience, DJ’ing becomes more natural to you; your confidence isn’t even in question at that point, but until then, make sure your confidence is on 100.  In order to have confidence you have to know what you’re doing and feel good about doing it.  Consider these points:

1.  Perform with equipment that you feel Most comfortable with.

Not all equipment is equal. For example, if you’ve only practiced on DJ controllers and you show up to a gig that only has CDJs or turntables, then you might be in trouble. This also goes for mixers, EFX equipment, headphones, etc. 

Know the equipment you will be playing on ahead of time.

From experience, every time I’ve DJ’d on equipment that I hadn’t practiced on, my performance suffered greatly. So, have your own equipment ready to go, especially if you don’t know what will be provided for you at the gig.

Also, consider familiarizing yourself with all types of DJ equipment.  Practice on different brands of turntables, CDJs, controllers, mixers, and so on.  Get a good feel for it so that you can go into almost any situation confident.

2.  Practice your DJ Set.

I can’t stress that enough.  Yes, you can wing your sets especially when you feel comfortable with your music selections and your transitions.  But have a plan, know the equipment you’re using and have a good idea of the music you want to play ahead of time.  You can’t always predict the crowd, but come prepared with what you know you want to play and make your best judgments on how to play your selections based off the energy in the room. 

Also, make sure to have all your music organized in a way that you can quickly navigate through it, especially if you are winging a set.  Otherwise, you will spend a lot of time stressing over what song to play next instead of enjoying your set.   

3.  Observe other DJ performances

Watch how other DJs do it. Observe how they perform different from each other (or the same),  and decide what you would like to (or not to) incorporate into your performance. See how the audience responds to what other DJs play; what does the DJ say (or does he say anything at all); watch the way they are playing the songs, how long they play each song for, etc.

For instance, when I see how other DJs quick mix through songs, I decided it would be good to practice that method for times when it might be necessary even though that is not my preferred method of DJ’ing. Find what works for you and practice it.  Also, don’t be afraid to ask questions.  If you happen to be cool with a particular DJ that inspires you, ask if they can show you how to do a particular mix or transition.  Youtube and Google are good for that.  

4.  Dot your i’s and cross your t’s

Before you even show up to the event

make sure everything has already been agreed upon and signed prior to showtime. 

This includes your pay for the event, when you get paid, how you will get paid (cash, check, mobile app, trade of goods, etc), the equipment needed, and so on. That should all be figured out long before you hit the stage. Make sure you know all the details of what you need to do to get the job done so that you won’t set yourself up for a potential failure.

Even the most prepared DJ runs into surprises. So make sure you clearly state in your contract that your DJ rate is subject to change in the case of “surprises”.

This is why I like conducting a lot of business over email because it is proof of what was agreed upon even if there is no formal contract put in place.  Emails will stand up in court if need be.

5.  Don’t accept gigs that don’t fit your style  

I know, I know, it’s tempting to say yes to every DJ gig offer that comes your way, especially when you’re just starting out. Who in their right mind turns away money. Well, there will come a time in your DJ career that you get past that stage.

This is really important to understand. Do Not accept gigs that don’t fit your style unless the event is about showcasing different styles. Know your brand and know what fits well with it. Don’t take gigs just for money purposes (unless absolutely necessary) because it could do more harm than good, especially to your ego.

I accepted a gig once that seemed to kinda fit my style of music, but I had never actually been to the party before.  Several of my friends came out that night to support me, and let me tell you that was a rare. So, when I got there I realized the party relied heavily on other styles of music that I wasn’t prepared to play. When I got on stage to play, the crowd was wanting one thing and I was ready to play another; so I struggled through my set and everyone including my friends knew it. I decided to end my set early and let the other DJ get back on since he knew exactly what the crowd wanted. I felt so embarrassed. At least the the party promoter still paid me in full, but that was a big lesson that I had to learn the hard way.

BONUS:  Visit the event or event space prior to the day of the event.

This is a bonus because it’s not always feasible to check out the event/event space prior to your show date; however, if you can, then I highly suggest you do that.  

I once had a wedding to DJ at a venue I had never been to before. I had the opportunity to check the space out ahead of time, but I never took the time to drive 45 mins out to do that.  During my pre-wedding conference call with the bride and the wedding planner, they made it seem as if the sound from my two speakers would be plenty enough to cover the space of the area they rented for their wedding. They didn’t think it was necessary for me to rent more speakers, so I left it at that. I never thought to ask for the dimensions of the room;  so when I showed up on the wedding day and saw the space, I immediately knew I was screwed.  It was a huge space, plus an outside space where the wedding was to be held. They wanted my DJ rig in one spot and my speakers in another. If I had checked the space beforehand I would have known to bring two more speakers and more XLR cables. I made it work, but it wasn’t perfect and my tip suffered because of it.  

9 times out of 10 the client has no idea about sound, speakers, and room dimensions; so don’t always trust their judgement, and go find out for yourself.

Prepare yourself; know what you are heading into, and be confident. Shine on DJ, Shine on.