Digital DJ Tips

How to DJ properly with portable digital DJ gear

January 30th, 2012

Simon Cowell’s DJ X Factor: Why It Could Be A Good Thing

by
DJ X-Factor

It's going to take more than just glamour to fill 26 shows, argues D-Jam, and that can only be a good thing for DJ culture.

It’s been all over the internet this week that reality show producer Simon Cowell is looking to take his talent show formula to the DJ world. From what’s been leaked, this will appear to work in a similar fashion to Idol and X-Factor, only with DJs competing (rather than singers/performers).



Already the DJ world has blown up into its predictable bevy of hate and angst for anything “pop culture” that dares to invade its private little realm. I admit I rolled my eyes at first, but after thinking about Cowell’s other shows, I now think that “Traktor Factor” might not be a bad thing for DJ culture after all.

Read more

48 Comments »

January 29th, 2012

Over To You: Why Do DJs Mod Their Gear?

by
Ed Rush

Ed Rush plays on his customised kit. (Click to enlarge.) Pic: Styleflip.com

Reader Kore Scott write: “What are your view on equipment customisation, skins, logos, etc? I know there are a lot of DJs that use the same equipment, which may be why some of them feel they need a little something extra to make them stand out.

“I guess to be a DJ you must have a unique and creative personality, and that often shows itself by DJs expressing themselves through the visual appearance of their equipment. But I was interested in your thoughts.”

Read more

17 Comments »

January 28th, 2012

Your Questions: How Do I Deal With “DJ’s Block”?

by
DJ's block

If you're finding yourself just wanting to strangle yourself with that headphone cable, maybe you've got 'DJ's block' too...

Reader Ashley writes: “I’m suffering from ‘DJ’s block’. I have lost my creative edge when mixing. I mix quite a few genres as not to pigeonhole myself and like to play non-commercial tunes: urban, dance, d’n'b etc.

When practising or just jamming at home I am finding this happens to me a lot. I will start mixing a few songs and then start genre-hopping to find my groove. However, where I used to mix for hours has now turned into quite literally minutes before I get fed up.

Read more

12 Comments »

January 27th, 2012

6 Steps To Your Dream DJ Gig Abroad

by
DJing abroad

Itching to play away? It's not as hard as you think, and the rewards can be substantial if you do it right.



Have you ever dreamed of playing in another state or even country? I’m sure you have. It’s a dream practically every DJ out there has the moment they get on the decks.

They see the headliners and even popular locals flying around the world to play, and want to be there themselves one day. 

Now you might think playing abroad is a privilege only set for those guaranteed to fill a club – but that’s not entirely true. What if I told you it could be easier than you think?  Yes, with a little work and some ingenuity, you could play abroad too. Here’s how…

Read more

21 Comments »

January 26th, 2012

Using Facebook & Twitter To Promote Your DJing, Pt 3

by Peter Morgan
Mixcloud

Using a free service such as Mixcloud will take the complication out of hosting your mix online.

In the last two parts, we looked at setting up your accounts and customising your pages on both Facebook and Twitter.

In this part, we’ll look at getting your mix ready for promotion by uploading it to a free mix hosting service. For the purpose of this series, we’ll use one of the most popular mix hosting services online, London-based Mixcloud.

Read more

10 Comments »

January 25th, 2012

Digital Vs Vinyl, Part 346: DJ Iceman’s Viral Video

by

WARNING: This video contains language we don’t tolerate in writing on the blog. Don’t watch at work or if you’re easily offended.

Despite the language, I’ve chosen to repost this video, which is blowing up on Facebook, because it does contain – in a nutshell – exactly this blog’s opinion on the whole vinyl vs digital debate.

Read more

34 Comments »

January 18th, 2012

7 Secrets For Choosing What To Play at Your Club Night

by
Night club

Setting up a club night can be immensely satisfying, but if it's to last, you need to think smart about your music policy.

Starting your own club night? One thing you’ll need to be smart about is your music policy. It’s imperative to have a consistent and distinctive music policy if you’re to run and DJ at your own successful music-led club event.

Whether your event is monthly or weekly, people need to get to know it for the kind of music it plays. Only then can you begin to flex your muscles as a DJ within that broad framework and begin to make a name for yourself.

Read more

13 Comments »

January 15th, 2012

Over To You: Where Do I Get Music Videos For DJing?

by
Music videos

Becoming a video DJ can stand you apart. But where's the best place to get music? Pic: Drewswerd

Reader Omar Cortés Zapata over on our Facebook Page asked: “Please, some tips regarding with where to buy music videos online, preferable full HD.”

This is actually one area we’re going to look more at in 2012, as we think video DJing is a good way to pull away from the pack. But at the moment we’re just starting our learning in this area (expect a review of the MixVibes VDJ product next month), and we have to admit we’re not sure of the answer to this question.

Read more

27 Comments »

January 12th, 2012

Tïesto Video Streams DJ Set Live On Twitter

by
Tiesto

Tiesto performing live as I write this, at XS in LA, as part of the Consumer Electronics Show...

As I write this, Tiesto is finishing playing a gig at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas – which is being simultaneously video broadcast live on Twitter. When you read this it’ll have finished, but the 90-minute set will then be looped for 48 hours in the same place, so you can head over there and watch it at your leisure.

What you think of Tiesto and his music is not, of course, the point here (he plays what you’d expect, a commercial trance/pop set). The point is that it is now possible to have a live, streaming video going out across Twitter (complete with fans’ tweets), and then preserve it there for all to see for a period of time afterwards too.

Read more

9 Comments »

January 8th, 2012

Over To You: My Family Don’t Want Me To Be A DJ!

by
Music for the World

You might think your music is going to take you to worldwide success, but it's only natural your family will need a bit more persuading than that.

Reader Bame writes with a problem that appears in one form or another in many emails we receive, especially from younger readers:

“I’m 18, I finished school last year and I’m working part-time. So I want to earn a living from DJing and have it as a hobby at the same time. I’ve managed to get myself some decks and I really love this, but my family always undermines what I’m try to do, and doesn’t give me enough support for my career. How do I overcome this situation?”

Read more

34 Comments »

January 6th, 2012

The 5 Types Of Radio Station (And How To DJ At All Of Them)

by
On air

Want to play your music to the masses all week long? Adding a radio show to your DJing itinerary can help you to pull away from the competition.

DJing on radio is a great way to get your name out there, and can develop into a career in itself. Many a club DJ has “gone to seed” on the radio, and conversely many radio DJs end up having successful club careers.

More than that, a radio show is a great way to practise both programming, music discovery, and holding a regular audience – all things that can directly improve your real-life DJing.

Read more

11 Comments »

January 4th, 2012

Why Doesn’t Hip-Hop Respect Controllerism?

by DJ Iceman
Hip hop grandad

'It was great in '78!' Isn't it time hip-hop stopped being so narrow-minded about new DJ technology?

“I’m DJ Iceman and I’m a controllerist.” This is how my greeting would start at the DJs Anonymous meeting, shortly before being kicked out of the room for not being a “real DJ”. This is how it is in the realm of hip-hop. I’ve been a DJ for 30 years, the last five being digital, and it seems that in an age of “keeping it 100″, in hip-hop circles there is no room for the kind of progress controllerism promises.

Please let me tell you my story. I started my DJ journey in 1982, following behind my uncle A.D. (who was a big deal at the time, being the first DJ from Brooklyn to be down with the Universal Zulu Nation). I would bug him endlessly to teach me how to DJ. At seven years old I really didn’t know what it was to be a DJ, but I saw A.D. do block parties and the crowd going nuts, and I wanted to make the crowd go nuts too.

Read more

68 Comments »

January 2nd, 2012

10 Highly Achievable DJing Goals For 2012

by
Happy new year

Want your name in neon before the year's out? Today is the perfect day to set that goal.

Ever noticed how New Year’s Resolutions tend to be negative? I’m going to give up smoking. I’m going to lose some weight. I’m going to stop biting my fingernails. I’m going to try not to lose my temper whenever I’m faced with some retard or other…

I gave up on such resolutions a long time ago. You’re on a downer before you’ve even begun! Whether for DJing, work life or personal life, instead, I set goals – usually, one in each of the three categories I just mentioned. Here’s 10 DJ goals you could choose from for 2012…

Read more

32 Comments »

January 1st, 2012

7 Proven Cures For A Hangover

by
Hangover cure

Slapping as much low-quality animal fat into a white bread roll: Curing hangover for the masses since 1957!

Happy 2012! Of course, as DJs we know that drinking on the job is not a habit to get into, but there are certain parties (like last night) when all but the most disciplined end up joining in.

So if you’ve had a mother of a night and now are severely in need of a miracle cure for the sickness, dizziness, light-sensitivity and banging head that seems to have followed you home from the party, here’s our tried and tested list of hangover cures. Be sure to add your own at the end (if you’re in any fit state to type…)

Read more

27 Comments »

December 31st, 2011

5 Predictions For The DJing World In 2012

by
Mixing on Apple Ipad2

The iPad will become a viable alternative to the laptop for digital DJs in 2012.

So what will 2012 bring for digital DJing? We’ve asked industry insiders, listened to your ideas and thoughts throughout the year, and kept our ear to the ground for whispers, plus of course done a bit of thinking ourselves, to come up with our list of five trends and developments we think will shape digital DJing over the next 12 months.

One thing is for certain: If the previous 12 months were anything to go by, things are certainly not going to stand still; and indeed from what we’re already hearing, the NAMM show in January will throw up some pretty exciting developments. But for now, here are our five digital DJing predictions for the coming 12 months:

Read more

38 Comments »

December 30th, 2011

Can Knowing How To DJ Get You Girls?

by

Girls

You’ve heard it before: A guy who knows how to DJ can get any girl he wants, right? But just how true is it? For instance, a top DJ gets lots of attention from the opposite sex. But does the guy who plays the student disco on Saturday nights? They both know how to DJ, after all. Now let’s be totally honest about this: Many a young man gets into DJing for the thought of “girls on tap”. (And apologies to our girl DJ readers here, but 95% of DJs, and so our readership, are male. Just how it is.)

But the truth is, you can’t just assume that because you play, it automatically means you’ll get loads of attention from the opposite sex. It’s not always like that. My best advice is that whatever type of DJ you are, playing a great set every single time is always going to be your best chance of “opposite sex attention”.

Read more

64 Comments »

December 28th, 2011

7 Things We Learned In 2011

by
DJ Hero

DJ Hero demystified some of the skills of DJing while putting 'DJ gear' right there in the living room.

In many way, 2011 was a watershed year for digital DJing. Software and hardware grew up. One significant manufacturer, that had hitherto resisted, finally waded into the arena.

And with the help of DJ Hero, the iPad, YouTube, free DJ software (Virtual DJ Home runs at a million downloads a month) and the relentless march forward of digital music in general, this was they year that – love it or hate it – you couldn’t ignore digital DJing. So let’s look at what we have learned in the past 12 months:

Read more

18 Comments »

December 25th, 2011

Over To You: What Did Santa Bring You This Christmas?

by
Happy holidays from all at Digital Dj Tips

Happy holidays from all at Digital DJ Tips. Pic: Essex DJs

For many of our readers today is Christmas Day. So as well as taking this opportunity to wish you a very happy Christmas (and if you’re not celebrating Christmas, to wish you happy holidays), we’d like to know whether Santa was good to you this year.

New headphones? Nice new bag to carry your gear in? Maybe some speakers? Or maybe you’re lucky enough to have got a new DJ controller!

Read more

75 Comments »

« Older Entries

New to Digital DJ Tips? | Latest DJ Industry News | Learn to DJ | Testimonials and Feedback