first gig | Digital DJ Tips

December 8th, 2012 Training

Your Questions: How Do I Know I’m Ready For My First DJ Gig?

by Phil Morse

Playing a party is a great way to break out of the bedroom and start playing with the big boys – so what are you waiting for?

Digital DJ Tips reader DJ Grimm writes: “How do I know when I am ready to do a DJ gig? I have the skills down, but I am not sure if I am ready as I never have performed before. In addition to this, I don’t even have a traditional mixer, just my N4 and a lot of my recording gear for Ableton.

“However, the gig is just a party so it isn’t like a club or anything. So although the DJ at a party is important, it’s not like I’ll be the focal point. Anyway, how do I know if I am ready to take the gig?”

39 Comments »

July 14th, 2012 DJ Culture

Your Questions: What Should I Play At A School Disco?

by Phil Morse

Is there such a thing as a school disco playlist? I'd say chart is the place to start... and probably it's the place to end too.

Digital DJ Tips reader Nick Bohannan writes: “I have been asked to be the DJ at a school disco, and remembering your advice to play gigs as soon as possible, I took the booking!

“Thing is though I have only just started, I have the new DJ Instinct by Hercules and I have literally only got a couple of songs so far. However, the disco is next term which gives me six weeks to pick good songs.

25 Comments »

May 25th, 2011 DJ Culture

7 Big Mistakes I Made At My First DJ Gig (And Why It Was Still Great Fun)

by Tim Lorcas

Don't let drunk colleagues distract you, especially when it's your first ever gig... Pic: Sodahead

So I did it. I got and played my first gig. Many people will say that you never forget your first time. With everything that went wrong in my first gig, I can certainly say that’s a true statement!

So here, for the sake of helping others, are what I consider to be my seven big mistakes. I admit them here in the hope that bedroom DJs can learn from them, to hopefully make their first gigs a little kinder and gentler! At the end of the piece, I reveal how the gig turned out…

51 Comments »