10 Tips for New DJs

If anyone can tell you how to make a decent living as a DJ, it’s me. I make a good living off of music. I’ve been around for 15 years, and reall

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Complex Original

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If anyone can tell you how to make a decent living as a DJ, it’s me.  I make a good living off of music.  I’ve been around for 15 years, and really honed down on my craft in that time.  My sets are damn near flawless, and the scene understands my consistency.  I can talk tough because I know I'm good.

But I’ve had pitfalls.  Hit road bumps.  And made TONS of mistakes.  Little things that you don’t anticipate can really fuck up a great opportunity.  You can practice at home on your controller all you want, but it’s a different game when a drink spills on your setup.  A shitty promoter decides that they didn’t make enough money to pay you.  Or people make horrible requests. 

My suggestion to anyone that wants to play or make music as their full time gig is “YOU WON'T SUCCEED AT PLAYING OR MAKING MUSIC AS YOUR FULL TIME GIG."  There is a 99% chance that you aren’t built for success in this life.  It’s quite possibly the hardest industry to stand out in, and now that music and hardware is within the reach of anyone that wants to throw their cards in, it’ll be that much more difficult for you. 

I’ve been grinding for years, and only recently started to get consistent bookings at my asking price.  If you’re doing this as a hobby, cool.  Leave me alone.  I’m in a different lane.  But there are people that want to give music a real shot.  Here’s a quick guide to getting started.

Pick a Scene

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Don't Let That Scene Define You

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Educate Yourself

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Marketing is Key

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Nothing Really Matters

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You're Not Just a DJ...

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Understand the Importance of Showing Up

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Be Prepared to Put in Serious Work

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Follow Up With Grace and Kindness

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Be Realistic

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