How much does it cost to be a DJ? How much does it cost to be a DJ? What you need to know when working as a DJ

PARTIES, CLUBS, PRE-PARTY... HOW MANY NEW WORDS HAVE THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY BROUGHT INTO OUR LIVES! TEN YEARS AGO PRE- AND AFTER-PARTY DID NOT EXIST AT ALL, FLYERS GOED TO THE LUCKY, AND FASHIONABLE CLUBS AND GOOD PARTIES WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE. BUT TIME PASSES, AND THE CLUB BUSINESS IS CONFIDENTLY TAKING A PLACE IN THE SUN, ALONG WITH CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS OR, SAY, TRADE.

IT’S HARD TO ARGUE WITH THIS: NEW CLUBS AND PROMOTIONAL AGENCIES ARE OPENING, THEMED PROGRAMS COMING ON TV COVERING NIGHTLIFE, RADIO STATIONS ACTIVELY PROMOTE CULTURE TO THE MASSES. IN ONE WORD, BUSINESSES GROW BY OFFERING OPPORTUNITIES, CREATING JOBS AND INVENTING NEW PROFESSIONS. I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT ONE OF THEM IN MORE DETAIL.

DJ - some 20 years ago in the Soviet Union, if this word meant anything, it was only in very narrow circles. Today, DJ is a fashionable and dynamically developing profession. Being a DJ is a job, a type of activity that has stages of development and implies career growth, and therefore a future. First, you mix records, write mixes and play in clubs, then, when you get older, you engage in promotional activities, organizing parties, then, if you have the strength and skill, you create a label and release your own music on it. Your idols - Timo Maas, Paul Oakenfold, Tiesto, John Digweed - were not born who they are now. Each of them did a tremendous amount of work to achieve success and reach the top. Their profession has its own rules, secrets, subtleties and nuances that you need to know and take into account at the beginning of your career. A properly laid foundation will become an important support in your endeavors. It is this base that we will try to create on the pages of our new DJ School section.

MASTER CLASS 1. INTRODUCTION

So, if for any reason you want to become a DJ, know that you have chosen one of the most promising professions in the world. For example, about half of children under 15 in the UK say they want to be a DJ, and accordingly, they are going to achieve career growth and improve their well-being by doing what they love, which does not require compliance with a ridiculous dress code or a rigid schedule. The improvement in well-being, by the way, is expressed in very specific figures: for example, a DJ can easily earn the average monthly salary in Ukraine per night.

IS DESIRE ENOUGH?

At the first stage, the student-DJ really has enough desire, however, it must be supported by sober calculation and the presence of a conscious plan of action. You have to understand that all the best Ukrainian DJs today took quite a long time to get into the national top 10. Students, often having barely learned to mix, believe that they are ready to conquer the world. The result of such attempts, most often, is the same: without realizing the main creative component of the profession, the “upstarts” become boring after the third or fourth set, and then it is not possible to restore their damaged reputation, no matter how hard you try.

NO MUSICAL EDUCATION?

Not scary. Not all DJs know how to read music, but that doesn’t stop them from turning up the dance floor with their sets. A DJ only needs to have a sense of rhythm, and if in a club you move to the beat of the music, consider that you have passed the first exam for DJ school. The musical background is important in the next stages of your development, when you start writing your own tracks. But more on that later...

SO HOW MUCH TIME DOES IT TAKE?

Everything here, as in the study of any other science, depends on the time you devote to your studies: the more you try, the faster you will achieve results. A lot of time is spent on creating your unique “I”, something that will set you apart from the crowd. A DJ is a public figure, he is interviewed, asked for comments, and hundreds of people dancing on the dance floor look at him. He should look the part. A professional DJ, grain by grain, forms an opinion about himself among people: he carefully monitors what he plays, how he presents himself, and always maintains style. If you are ready to follow the chosen image, then in 2-3 years you can expect real and tangible results.

DO YOU NEED A TEACHER?

A question many of you are asking yourself. I will answer carefully - not necessarily. Our science is not mathematics or chemistry; you can master it on your own. But if you have an experienced mentor nearby, he may tell you some secrets that you would have been looking for for years, and help you avoid ridiculous mistakes at the beginning of your DJ career.

WHERE TO BEGIN?

First of all, you need to figure out what kind of environment you find yourself in: a DJ is a component of the club environment, which, in turn, is part of show business. Try to define what this business is. What laws and rules are there, who sets the accents and sets the tone for certain processes. For example, take the city where you live: what clubs and promotional agencies are there, who is in them, and why; Which DJs are popular, what did they do to achieve this result? As soon as you answer these questions, the picture of your DJ future will take on real contours. You're ready to go! Start by drawing up a step-by-step plan for your development: set aside a couple of months for training - mixing records is a simple thing, but it requires certain skills, another 2-3 - for selecting musical material and recording a good promo mix (this is your business card!), plus some You will spend time knocking on the thresholds of nightclubs and booking agencies before you are given a chance, and when it appears, you need to play in such a way that no one has any doubts that there is a professional behind the turntables who knows his business. We will talk about how to do this in the next issues.

STARTING BUDGET

I am often asked: “How much is the minimum required to buy a DJ kit?” I found the answer in simple folk wisdom: “We are not so rich that we can buy cheap things for ourselves.” In fact, this is true. 98 out of 100 clubs around the world have a standard set of DJ equipment, and having purchased inexpensive turntables, sooner or later you will want to exchange it for a professional DJ set. You can find out about its cost in the relevant sections of our magazine. Unfortunately, equipment and DJ accessories are not all you have to pay for. I'm talking about appearance. It’s easier here: open a glossy magazine, look for beautiful people and try to be like them. Remember: people are greeted by their clothes. But appearance and accessories are not enough if you lack the ability to present yourself at a meeting with, say, the director of the club. This does not require any special courage: you would go to an interview for the vacancy of a sales manager without any difficulty, would you? So what is the point of doubting yourself when discussing with essentially the same employer the possibility of getting a job in your dream “position”?

MAIN CAUTION

I would like to warn a novice DJ against becoming unconsciously interested in this profession. Thousands of boys want to play for Manchester United, but only 11 of them make it onto the football field. The same number of people want to become DJs, but only a few become. Therefore, having touched the culture of DJing, you should not forget about the institute or school. Take DJing as a fashionable hobby and develop yourself comprehensively, otherwise you will have to DJ solely for the sake of money, just because you don’t know anything else. And this means making a trade and killing the creative component of the profession, which, in essence, is the most important.

Anastasia Sergeeva

How to become a DJ: a guide for beginners

Despite the fact that the profession of “DJ” does not officially exist in our country, many people engage in this type of activity not only as a hobby, but also as their main job. Clubs, concerts, holidays, radio broadcasts - there are many options where DJs are important and needed. Although many people think that there is nothing complicated or special about becoming a DJ, this work still requires certain knowledge, skills and dexterity.

How to become a DJ from scratch

If you decide to become a DJ and you need to gain the relevant knowledge and acquire the necessary skills, then there are three ways to do this:

study at a DJ school;
study privately with a teacher;
study on your own.

The advantage of studying at a DJ school, of which there are quite a few now, is that in addition to presenting systematic material and directly combining theory with practice, you do not have to worry about purchasing special equipment, at least at first. Private training with a professional DJ is effective because, unlike school, here you will receive an individual approach.

The third method is more long-term and difficult, but it may ultimately prove to be the most effective - self-learning using a variety of information on the Internet. If you don't have the opportunity to study at school or with a teacher, then this is your only option.

The best DJs in the world agree: a person can be taught to use equipment and special programs, taught the basics of mixing, etc., but it is impossible to teach how to create good music - a novice DJ comes to this on his own if he makes the proper effort and practices long and hard.

The first step to understanding how to become a DJ is to determine what kind of DJ you want to be. Think about what styles of music you want to play and where.

What style of music to choose

When you are just starting to master DJing, it would be best to choose one direction in music. Tracks in the same style are more similar to each other, so as a beginner it will be easier for you to understand the intricacies of mixing music.

However, over time, you need to expand your musical boundaries, and here's why - this will not only develop your DJ skills, but will also allow you to reach the tastes of a much larger audience, and learn to “read” them better. If you are going to work at different events, then the need to master different musical styles will sooner or later make itself felt; for example, music in lounge bars, at student parties and weddings requires clearly different music.

Where can you work as a DJ?

There are several options where you can use your DJ skills. And although the essence of DJing is generally the same everywhere, depending on the place, its own specifics of work appear.

Radio DJ

A radio DJ can perform a fairly wide range of tasks. It selects what music to play during a radio broadcast and provides listeners with information about each song; he can also interview guests, report traffic conditions, tell the weather forecast and inform radio listeners about breaking news. A radio DJ needs to have a pleasant voice, good diction, and be able to speak quickly, for a long time and coherently.

Club DJ

The club DJ compiles a playlist of exactly those songs that can create the right atmosphere on the dance floor. DJs put in a lot of time to develop their skills enough to create the perfect party mixes with subtle transitions between songs. Some of these DJs end up becoming producers and making their own music.

Mobile DJ

This name exists all over the world for those DJs who work at individual events: parties, weddings, proms and various holidays. Such DJs work with their own equipment, because it is rare that a customer can provide it.

If you want to become a DJ, make sure you can multitask.

The radio DJ constantly coordinates with directors, editors and technicians to ensure that every broadcast goes off without a hitch. Club DJs do not just act as a music player, but entertain the audience and communicate with them so that they do not leave the dance floor for as long as possible. Mobile DJs work independently, so they need to be able to actively promote themselves and have excellent people skills to find new clients.

It will be quite difficult to get a job in a club and on the radio without relevant work experience, and it will not be easy to get by as a mobile DJ without a track record. Therefore, a good option for beginning DJs might be to work on an Internet radio, where you can get there without any special skills, gain experience in radio broadcasts and work with music.

Selecting an audio medium

Depending on what types of music media DJs use when working with music, they are divided into those who play on vinyl, on CD and on a computer/laptop.

The advantage of a CD over vinyl is that one disc holds two and a half times more music than a vinyl record, but the sound quality is slightly inferior. You can carry an even larger volume of music with you by playing music on a laptop and using the mp3 format, but since it compresses the track lossily, there’s no point in talking about better quality either.

Each DJ decides independently which musical medium he wants to use. Although now there are types of equipment that allow you to work simultaneously with different types of media.

DJ equipment

When choosing DJ equipment, you need to start from what kind of music medium you have chosen to create music.

If you decide to become a DJ and make music using a PC, then finding minimal equipment will not be problematic: you will need a computer or laptop, headphones, DJ software, a DJ controller in order to control this software tactilely, and speakers.

To work with CDs, you need to purchase two CD players and a mixing console, or a combined CD player/mixer.

Working with vinyl will cost the most: in addition to a mixing console, you will have to acquire a couple of vinyl players, which are significantly different in price from their CD counterparts, plus subsequent expenses on vinyl records can cost a pretty penny.

Once you have found the necessary equipment and software, you should study it thoroughly and figure out what functions it performs and how you will use it all in your work. How to adjust volume and speed, how to use scratch mode, how to set up and record loops, how to work with built-in effects and much more - all this is what you have to master to become a DJ.

Looking for a music library

Collect a collection of music, in different styles and on the music media that you have chosen to create mixes. The larger this collection is, the better - the variety of compositions will allow you to create interesting and original tracks in your own way. Look for rare recordings, but don't forget about everyone's favorite and well-known songs.

All sorts of online resources will help you collect your music library. Particularly popular sources of music and inspiration among DJs are such popular sites as Youtube, Soundcloud, and Beatport.

However, if you plan to create remixes of other people's compositions, remember: using them without the consent of the author is considered a violation of copyright. Therefore, it would be nice to think about creating your own music and writing your own songs in the future.

Learning to work with music

The most important and time-consuming part of becoming a DJ, and the reason it was all started, is learning how to work with music. Initially, the main task of the DJ is to mix two songs, which he does with the help of his equipment.

The theoretical part cannot be avoided - to become a DJ, you will have to learn what a track consists of and what beats, quarters and bars are, how to mix tracks, what types of mixing are considered undesirable, what is the difference between mixing club mixes and studio mixes, how to choose the speed of tracks, what means “to fall into the square,” etc. This work is not just mechanical - the DJ must have a developed ear for music and a good sense of rhythm.

It’s better to reinforce your training with practice and try your hand at the equipment right away. We suggest watching the following video for beginners, which explains how to mix tracks.

Contact with the public

To become a really good DJ, you need to learn how to interact with the audience through more than just music. Learn to attract attention to yourself.

If you have access to a microphone, communicate with the audience, but do not overdo it with shouts, this is often not worth doing. The rest of the time, do not forget to communicate using gestures and visual contact with the audience. And smile more often! Don't retreat into your own world, hiding behind the DJ console. Try to interest the audience, and, of course, anchor everything with good tracks - and then the dance floor will not be empty.

Take it for yourself and tell your friends!

Historical aspect

Such an interesting profession originated in 1906. How did this happen? During the Christmas holidays, Reginald A Fessenden broadcast not standard coded signals (as was usually the case), but actual music and speech, which caused absolute delight among the audience. Thus, the famous American commentator Walter Winchell became the first to introduce the term “disc jockey” to society, which was directly related to radio host Martin Block, the first DJ who later became a star. Later, the concept of DJ began to be used in society to denote the presented term. In addition, this phrase is the original root of the term “DJing,” which explains the activity of a DJ. Thus, sounds and music became the main aspect of this profession. The DJ mixes different compositions into a pleasant and high-quality complex using special equipment. For a successful career in the music field, of course, you need creative inclinations, good taste and serious preparation in the relevant field.

The front side of the profession

As it turned out, the work of a DJ consists of tracking, collecting and combining (mixing) musical compositions and their individual parts. These operations must be performed so that during a dance party or going on the radio, he can select the most suitable ones from a variety of audio recordings and provide them for public listening, because the specific situation and specifics of the event can be fully determined and brightened by well-chosen music. DJing is not an easy job, as some people think at first glance. But society is only familiar with the front side of the coin. A huge part of his activity takes place “behind the scenes” of entertainment programs and outside the scenes of atmospheric dance halls.

around the world, they practice identifying and listening to an incredible number of speakers, getting to know a wide variety of melodies and, accordingly, their performers, familiarizing themselves with endless public polls, chart results and other musical information, and, of course, scrupulously working with all sorts of materials used in further creative work. ways.

As noted earlier, it involves direct mixing of various musical fragments. Here, the master is required to have absolute knowledge of technology, mastery of the appropriate techniques and skills in working with professional equipment (sampler, turn table, and so on). Naturally, with the advent of CD players, the work of DJs has become significantly easier and has expanded significantly in terms of capabilities (quickly changing the speed of recordings and creating even the most unusual musical effects). Despite such a significant revolution, professional DJs still believe that no discoveries or miracles of scientific progress can become a suitable alternative to the familiar and proven vinyl records. They are inclined to believe that even the most virtuosic technique will not help if the music is boring or poorly chosen. It is important to note that the best DJs in the world we learned not only to mix compositions, but also to speak competently, which is the most important aspect of this field, because it is very important to qualitatively and successfully “eclipse” the pause between musical creations.

DJ as a pioneer of a new sound

An important aspect of the DJ profession is the master’s ability to stir up public interest, which never allows one to stand in one place, remaining hostage to a standard and so boring melody, song or one rhythm. Thus, the master of this field can rightfully be called a musical preacher, because over a huge period of time of the existence of the professional category (more than fifty years), it was the DJ who processed the first rhythm and blues, and then rock and roll. In addition, the presented creations were broadcast even despite strong opposition from conservatives. An interesting fact is that it was the radio DJ who brought out today’s very well-known styles, including disco, techno, house or hip-hop. Thus, in modern times, DJ skills determine the direction of popular clubs and radio stations. In addition, the names of famous figures in this category (for example, Groove) are on a par with the names of our pop stars.

DJ is the modern master of dance!

It is important to note that DJ activities have long been not limited to minor clubs. Thus, the sites of large-scale concert halls and even the largest stadiums are being actively developed. In addition, the most famous performers today often order remixes of their songs from professionals. No one will argue that today it is impossible to imagine a single youth event, festival or competition without a DJ, because the master of music can not only control the public mood, but also make speeches with sincerity.

DJing is not just a profession, but a way of life. As a rule, it is related to young people, because often, due to a non-standard work schedule, there is practically no time left for sleep. You need to play at night, when the clubs where the event is taking place are open and crowded. disco. DJ- a man, of course, “burning” with his work, because if his soul were not so passionate about music, it is unlikely that he would work to the detriment of his daily routine.

Personal qualities of a DJ

Of course, in addition to professional skills and knowledge, the main ones of which are knowledge of musical styles and specialized equipment, the ability to mix tracks, experience in cutting music, high-quality equipment setup, holding entertainment events, the presence of musical talent and creative imagination, a radio DJ must have a number of personal qualities, which will help maximize the productivity of his activities and, of course, his overall mood. It would be advisable to include competent and pleasant speech, good diction, developed taste preferences for aesthetics, the ability to speak beautifully, as well as to formulate one’s thoughts very clearly, a good sense of humor, taste in music, energy, sociability and, of course, consistency. All these qualities will help the DJ to fully realize his potential and truly charge the audience with positive energy.

Employment issue

The modern public is particularly diverse, and a DJ is a person who needs to clearly capture their mood and create a festive atmosphere. Of course, a specialist in this field must have an excellent understanding of music, know what is popular at the moment, and what was most widespread, for example, in the 90s. It is important to note that in large cities the number of DJs is increasing every year. And this is not surprising, because young people find this work quite interesting and very profitable. Moreover, a good specialist in this field, capable of not only performing professional operations with high quality, but also getting pleasure from it, will undoubtedly be in demand. have very good earnings. They are invited to various events and paid for every hour of work. In addition, in restaurants and other public institutions there is a separate rate for workers in the profession in question. A nightclub resident receives less money per hour of activity than an invited guest. However, this work is based on permanent conditions and a fixed salary.

Universities do not produce DJs

It is important to note that the DJ profession is not taught in universities and colleges. Therefore, to become familiar with this area of knowledge, it is necessary to undergo training independently or through specialized courses. It was noted above that operating in a nightclub requires skills in working with a variety of media (both standard and innovative). In addition, absolute computer knowledge in terms of music mixing is important. The DJ must have his own equipment, especially when it comes to servicing thematic events of a private nature (weddings, anniversaries, graduations, specific parties, corporate events, and so on). A music specialist also needs to periodically select a personal library. These should not only be tracks that suit the taste of the DJ himself, but also those that are fully capable of satisfying a wide audience. Professionals note that the most important thing for a professional is a good ear for music, and these qualities can be developed independently!

Specifics of the profession

Like any type of activity, the music field has its pros and cons. Thus, in the process of working as a DJ, the main advantages are the opportunity to start a career at almost any age (which is why 16-year-old DJs today are far from uncommon), the exclusion of “old” DJs in this area (for some, the hobby becomes uninteresting, while others turn his life's work), an interesting life, because a DJ can constantly travel, make new acquaintances, fans, and most importantly - fruitfully do his job. The profession also has a number of disadvantages, among which the following are quite significant: work at night (but for some this is a plus), unhealthy atmosphere in clubs (loud music, a lot of smoke, not always friendly visitors, severe fatigue at the end of the shift and so on), as well as the need to have your own equipment, but decent equipment costs a lot of money. But there is also a latent plus in the last point: the equipment can be rented out!

First, you need to decide for yourself whether you want to become a DJ or an electronic music musician. These concepts are often confused, although there is a big difference between them. The musician himself creates music from scratch, while the DJ mixes it, creating new compositions from existing ones. Of course, musical education will be a big plus, because you will feel and understand music better, however, its presence is not at all necessary. Many talented DJs have never attended music school or courses, yet millions of people love and appreciate them. Learn more about the path to becoming a DJ in this article.

How to become a DJ: where to start

If you decide to take this path, then you need equipment. A DJ mixer is like your hands; without it you won’t be able to bring your ideas to life. Therefore, you will need a minimum set:

Mixer.
Turntables.
Good headphones.
No less good speakers.

Of course, this requires some investment, but you can save a lot by purchasing the equipment second-hand. Turntables can be equipped with vinyl records or CDs. The second option is less expensive and well suited for beginners. If you can’t buy them at all yet, then start creating right on your laptop: install any software for DJs, for example Virtual DJ, and try mixing.

When you manage to produce music that is quite pleasant to the ear, you can try to “break into” people.

How to become a recognizable DJ

It is important to determine right away: what kind of DJ you want to be. There are conditional groups of such professions:

There are DJs who play at weddings, outings, and holidays.
Radio DJs.
Club DJ.

It all depends entirely on your goals, and it is possible that at different stages of becoming a DJ you will have to visit each of these groups.

Club DJs are considered the most popular and famous. Their work is well paid, and their faces are immediately recognizable. To get into the club, you will have to prove yourself and find the right connections. In this matter, there is nowhere without active searches, since passive people generally show little of themselves.

Start with small clubs for free. When you feel like you can take it up a notch, choose other venues for your creativity. Over time, some establishments themselves will begin to invite you and pay you in full.

How to become a DJ - distributing records

Many clubs have their own previews and reports from particularly exciting evenings. Try to make sure that your music is recorded on them and your name appears in the links. Then the audience will expand very quickly.

People won't be able to appreciate you if you don't let them listen to your creation. Distribute free recordings in moderation, and post footage from the club on your page.

You can try your luck even on well-known labels, just send them your music with biographical facts. You can find out such a list of labels for DJs on the website http://showbiza.com, choosing your style.

How to become a DJ - improve your skills and equipment

The better you play, the better equipment you buy. Don't stand still, change not only the details of your performance, but also old mixers and consoles. The most interesting thing in your career will be creating something new and your own. Such people become legends and founders of completely new styles of play. Remember that you are making music only for yourself and you love this business, do not be afraid to make mistakes, since there are no wrong decisions in art.

Starting this long journey, you should think only about the quality of your music, but not about the commercial component. You will have to go through a lot before your favorite activity starts bringing in money.

This type of activity, and one might even say the profession of DJing, is becoming increasingly popular among young people. If just a couple of decades ago this type of activity was new and little-known, today many young people dream of seeing themselves behind a DJ console, and from time to time they think about how they can become a DJ.

Who is a DJ?

The term is borrowed from English, where the abbreviation DJ stands for disc jockey, and indicates a person who plays various musical compositions for a specific audience, giving the finished tracks special shades of sound using special equipment.

A DJ console can be equipped with a wide variety of musical equipment, from conventional turntables and vinyl installations to synthesizers and laptops with special programs for processing and creating sound. Of course, the person behind this remote control must not only have an excellent command of all the skills of operating such equipment, but also create his own unique style that attracts the audience and distinguishes him from others.

We will determine the direction of work and its place

Few people think that the DJ profession has several directions, and each has its own characteristics. How to become a DJ? First of all, you need to decide on the place of further work. It can be:

Clubs (club DJ).
Various parties, holidays and events (mobile DJ).
Radio stations (radio DJ).

In addition, DJs are divided by the type of musical media they work with and the equipment necessary for this. Today, not everyone knows how to operate a vinyl installation; some prefer to work on a professional laptop, adding special effects from various music programs to tracks, while others play music from regular CDs.

Of course, the style of music and the peculiarities of its playing, as well as the addition of special effects and unique moments, also contribute to the division and development of one’s own direction.

But still, most DJs prefer to be generalists, using music of different styles and creating their own “trick”. This approach allows you to attract different audiences and increase the number of fans.

Let's take a look at the club