10 Commandments For Better Digital DJing, #1

Over the past 15 months (yes, that’s all it’s been), Digital DJ Tips has been visited by over half a million DJs! In that time you’ve left literally thousands and thousands of thoughtful comments, both on the blog and on our Twitter, Facebook and YouTube channels, and also in our members forum and areas (click here to join) – all of which have helped us to understand exactly who you are and what you need from us.

We started Digital DJ Tips in order to help you to DJ properly with digital DJ gear (it’s at the top of every page), and thanks to all your feedback, we’ve managed to distill the most important skills needed to DJ successfully in the post-vinyl age into these “ten commandments”. Every day for the next 10 days, we’ll publish one of the commandments on the blog. Think of it as our manifesto – the way digital DJing should be done; a starting point for all new digital DJs, as well as a checklist for the more experienced. Also think of it as a campaign for better digital DJing.

At the end of the ten days, we’ll take all of the commandments, video material, resources and the best of your feedback, and package it together into a “digital DJing manifesto” – a landmark product that will provide a blueprint that digital DJs can follow in order to give themselves the best chance of succeeding. So please join in below in the comments – you may well appear in the finished guide.

Today’s commandment

Today’s commandment is the most important of them all. Without it, none of the others matter. Here it is:

Commandment #1: Be in it for the music.

OK. We’re about to explain why this is so important, and what you can do next to better apply it to your DJing. But, if you like this rule, to help us to spread this campaign far and wide we’re asking you to do something for us, that we wouldn’t normally ask. We’re simply asking you to “Like” this page using the Facebook Like button at the end of the post. Thanks!

Video

Resources

Of all the commandments, this is maybe the hardest to “teach”. After all, you either have a passion for music, or you don’t. Here’s some resources to help reinforce why music is such an important passion to have if you want to be a successful digital DJ:

• The best checklist we have for you to reassure yourself you’re in this for the right reasons is our 7 Tell-Tale Signs You’d Make A Great DJ post. Go and have a look and see how many you can answer “yes” to!
• We also recommend you look at some of the issues raised by readers that help to shed some light on this area: the best reader’s letter with advice on how to show your passion for music while DJing is Your Questions: Help, I Look Boring Behind the Decks!
• One of the best books you can read and absorb to make you realise the musical dedication that the best DJs have is reviewed in our post The Record Players – DJ Revolutionaries. This book contains interviews with DJs from the very first (Jimmy Savile) right up to the present day, and is pretty much required reading if you want to see the kind of lengths the best DJs go to for their art
• Try reading stories of real DJs who are breaking through right now in their respective countries. We recently talked to two readers, Marvin Kamikaze and Domas, about how they got into digital DJing. Reading their stories will give you a sense of how love of music simply has to underpin any efforts you make to be successful as a digital DJ.

We hope this material has been useful to you, and thank you once again for Liking this post in order to help us spread our campaign for better digital DJing far and wide…

• Watch out tomorrow and for the rest of the next nine days as we reveal, one by one, all ten “commandments”. And thanks again for your support.

Check out the other parts of this series:

• 10 Commandments For Better Digital DJing, #2
• 10 Commandments For Better Digital DJing, #3
• 10 Commandments For Better Digital DJing, #4
• 10 Commandments For Better Digital DJing, #5
• 10 Commandments For Better Digital DJing, #6
• 10 Commandments For Better Digital DJing, #7
• 10 Commandments For Better Digital DJing, #8
• 10 Commandments For Better Digital DJing, #9
• 10 Commandments For Better Digital DJing, #10

What are your views on our first commandment? Do you know DJs who seem to not care less about the music? How can you tell those DJs from those who are in this game for the right reasons? Please let us know your thoughts in the comments.