How long were you DJing before you realized skills do not matter? I mean of course they do a LITTLE BIT, but they aren't the most important thing if you want to make DJing your career.
I was literally just telling my buddy this the other night. I've been at this for over 20 years. About 5 years ago this kid came through to my gig and asked me to put him on. I said no but eventually he got a night. I heard he wasn't very good but I wasnt there. EVERY time I would go out that kid would be at the bar or club networking his tail off. EVERY TIME I played and he wasnt booked he would show up asking me to introduce him to the staff. Now EVERYONE knows him and he gets first bookings for everything that comes up. I hear hes gotten better but not by much. I told my buddy that I put all my custom create a character skill points in the wrong slot and while I was in my room practicing cuts, making routines, and being lazer focused at gigs I should have put some skill points into personality and been networking and making friends because this kid surpassed me in no time just by being social
"Skill" is something DJs care about more than the promoter or crowd. The promoter wants to fill the space and sell drinks. The crowd wants to hear songs they can sing and dance along to. That's it. The whole "skill" thing is a discussion between DJs themselves, no one else cares. Most scenes, getting spots is about who you know.
The state of DJing today is just sad to me. Skills should be greater than Social Media presence. DJ's my age(GenX) have it rough and we shouldn't really..IDK.
Skills, equipment and music quality is not important anymore. Started DJing in 1994 and learnt to properly mix in 1999. People on the danclefloor don't really care if you are mixing perfectly in key and phrase every single time. They care less whether you are uing SL1200s, CDJ3000 or just a laptop running a cracked version of Virtual DJ ... or still whether you playing vinyl or a mp3 ripped from UA-cam. As long as you play what's hot and what they want!
Ye because nowadays theres more effects on dj controllers... Back in the day with turntables it was just practiclly a basic set up and if u could beat match then thats all that mattered really.. people put in too many effects to do transitions nowadays!
I totally agree with your points… I had a long hiatus when my daughter was born. After 8 years I was offered an opportunity based on a recommendation from my brother. I took it and I was super nervous. I played it safe and played what I knew. My blends were not perfect. But the crowd are it up and I’ve had that residence for over 2 years now. I knew after the first couple weekend skills didn’t matter just good music.
Facts brother I made the exact mistake in 2015 when I started till about 2018 I works Solly on my technical skills n not networking cause I thought I was going to blow right by guys that didn't practice and as you just described that wasn't the case at all People just wanna hear familiar songs and they do not need to be mixed or blended slammed is even better and I'm out of York Pennsylvania Thank you for sharing your thoughts sir Jay Starr ✨ is my DJ name by the way 🙏🔊
I think that almost everything in life... not even just DJ'ing... it's not what you know it's who you know. Getting into a gig... even a foot in the door is usually based on your reputation and lots of times it's social. The millennial-era DJs came up at a time when Red Bull Thr3style was the aspirational standard so we all looked up to the winners and set our standards at being of the same caliber as the peak creative skill-focused DJs. The younger generation of DJs didn't grow up with the same level of pressure and the aggressive hip-hop hate (but hate because they love) doesn't seem to exist in the same way that it did in the DITC era of coming up. Innovation standards change and serve expectations and it's all about understanding what's happening with the times and moving accordingly. I feel like there's just less pressure to have DJ Scene or DJ Z-Trip level skills to have confidence and internally feel like you made it and you're dope. BASICALLY - The younger generation isn't receiving as much tough love that made us work hard to "earn respect" because they start off with a strong sense of self-belief on day one. I'm not even mad at it and good for them for not taking on all of that hip-hop-driven emotional damage 🤣 Here's a saying that I've seen a bunch of times online - "Best doesn't win. Most known wins." I think this is currently accepted as the truth and while some have the internal desire to be the best best best... the majority of people will go for the most known a this point.
For me yes skills and talent are the base of us all, but yes reputation is key, its important that other djs, promotors and venues know of you and what you can offer, if you are professional and you can deliver what you say.
i kind of figured out before becoming a working DJ that it wasn't what you know, it's who you know pretty early. just cause i saw certain people with residencies in established places. it sucks knowing that some people get an in because of connections, but i'm sure there are people out there that think the same things about us. all we can do is be grateful for everything, and try to keep pushing the culture of Good DJing, so that there's still some of us left that care. maybe that will lead to a renaissance of the new generation caring more about skill to separate themselves from the ones who don't.
Great video! Skills dont get gigs, they keep gigs :) Anyone can get a gig but keeping a residency for 1, 2, or even five years is a real skill. Clout doesn't pay the bills or buy gear, it just makes you feel good.
It took me a few years to realize this and me being more of a quiet person really held me back but this year Ive been really trying to put in that effort to go out more to my DJ friends events and connect with others in my scene out here in Los Angeles definitely a crucial part to paving your path as a DJ striving to be full time
Being born and raised in LA I can tell you from experience it is a tough market to break into for SURE! The key really is going out, meeting people, and supporting the new people you meet!
As a Dj that started actually djaying in 2019 (at 32 years old) right before the pandemic hit I always knew I could probably become popular just by doing sub par mixes and putting them on socials … but deep down I new that’s wrong as hell and I wanted to put in the work… I took classes hired mentors met with dj vets and really wanted to be respected before I got any gigs… to be fair I been looking at dj UA-cam’s and had all the dj magazines since I was 14 but never actually started till 33 so I have a different respect .. but I guess the key now is dedicating time to the craft but also big dedication to the network
Skills are vastly important to DJing when you have a full crowded dance floor but the most important and critical aspect of DJing is coming to your gig prepared!! Last night I was DJing at my new residency in Downtown San Diego and I was the opening act and when the closing DJ showed up, he didn’t have his own controller, nor a USB Hub to play video from His MacBook Pro which is a standard at the club I play at, and this guy ended up using my XDJ RX3. He was a good DJ and knows how to get a crowd rocking but if I wasn’t there to help him out he would’ve never been able to play.
It’s very true that skills are necessary to carry a dance floor night in and night out. But it’s also just as important to put in the same amount of time into building your network of to get the opportunity to showcase those skills.
I started in ‘93 and realized it in ‘06 when I moved to the Seattle area. It’s all about networking and marketing. While growing up in So Cal I could get tons of gigs based on skills.
Very true! It’s all about who you know, not what you know. I’ve been to clubs where the DJ and his choice of music is very average at that but they know other DJs on stage that are more known.
Totally agree with you.... Im from Jamaica🇯🇲 and travelled the Caribbean and US for work mostly.. and it drove me to start my DJ process about 2017 when i realized that most parties i went to "my dj brain" kicked in (this was before i started DJ-ing )and wondered.. WTH are these guys doing. Truthfully except for most raidio DJs and some pro DJs there was no flow.. no story.. no skill.😐. so i guess they know somebody or sombody knows them🤔
It is true A great marketer with ok DJ skills will always do better than an OK marketer with great DJ skills in todays DJ market. This goes for clubs as well as private events (mobile) DJs
double edge sword. i do agree... it is about who you know, but best believe you better be on point!!! if not that could end as fast as it started... ya know
Good video. Also. Older DJ wants to stay relevant but don’t take the time to listen to how the music is being played by other artists (DJ). The way we read the crowd now is a little different from 1995. We have more distractions now. (Cellphone). So we have to keep up and engage and change music sometimes within 32 bars.
Nice way to put it, I started in 91, I do not envy the djs of today, no one is there to dance, they just want background music for their social media posts. I couldn’t deal with it, god bless the new generation
At the end of the day, making sure your audience has a good time is the NUMBER ONE priority. At the same time, learning how to do it YOUR WAY by putting your own twist to it can separate you from the crowd. But all of that doesn't matter if you don't put the time into building the relationships that give you the opportunity to showcase that!
I get what you mean, I know my skills and Deep music library konwlwge is pretty good, but I see thru networking and knowing connections these other DJs get their shot with less skills. I Started back in 1986 and still love Djaying any type of music, Love open format, trying to quit my 2nd job and play at a bar or restaurant.
Real value sucks, it's all smoke & mirrors out there. The majority of people going out to bars and clubs now don't even know what djing really is. They don't know the difference between a controller & turntables. I spent hours and hours trying to do the most perfect blends & nobody cared but me.
There is some truth to what you are saying. The art has been commodified, the vast majority of people think its "so easy" to put together a great DJ set. The light at the end of the tunnel is that as more of these smaller subcultures that REALLY appreciate music grow, the value is slowly being restored.
This was a very good topic. I’ve been a music head since I can say I was 5 years old. The thing I don’t like about the newer dj’s is that they all play the same songs and do the same scratches. I respect your sets and maybe one day check you out live. 🫡
I was literally just telling my buddy this the other night. I've been at this for over 20 years. About 5 years ago this kid came through to my gig and asked me to put him on. I said no but eventually he got a night. I heard he wasn't very good but I wasnt there. EVERY time I would go out that kid would be at the bar or club networking his tail off. EVERY TIME I played and he wasnt booked he would show up asking me to introduce him to the staff. Now EVERYONE knows him and he gets first bookings for everything that comes up. I hear hes gotten better but not by much. I told my buddy that I put all my custom create a character skill points in the wrong slot and while I was in my room practicing cuts, making routines, and being lazer focused at gigs I should have put some skill points into personality and been networking and making friends because this kid surpassed me in no time just by being social
"Skill" is something DJs care about more than the promoter or crowd. The promoter wants to fill the space and sell drinks. The crowd wants to hear songs they can sing and dance along to. That's it. The whole "skill" thing is a discussion between DJs themselves, no one else cares. Most scenes, getting spots is about who you know.
The state of DJing today is just sad to me. Skills should be greater than Social Media presence. DJ's my age(GenX) have it rough and we shouldn't really..IDK.
Skills, equipment and music quality is not important anymore. Started DJing in 1994 and learnt to properly mix in 1999. People on the danclefloor don't really care if you are mixing perfectly in key and phrase every single time. They care less whether you are uing SL1200s, CDJ3000 or just a laptop running a cracked version of Virtual DJ ... or still whether you playing vinyl or a mp3 ripped from UA-cam. As long as you play what's hot and what they want!
I think DJS today are djing to impress others DJS
I do see that a lot these days. It has to be a balance but also keeping the crowd the priority.
That has always been the case
Ye because nowadays theres more effects on dj controllers... Back in the day with turntables it was just practiclly a basic set up and if u could beat match then thats all that mattered really.. people put in too many effects to do transitions nowadays!
Man, truer words were never spoken. Spot on PDot
"It's not that you're not a great DJ. It's just that you're a rubbish marketer."
A wise man once said...
I totally agree with your points…
I had a long hiatus when my daughter was born. After 8 years I was offered an opportunity based on a recommendation from my brother. I took it and I was super nervous. I played it safe and played what I knew. My blends were not perfect. But the crowd are it up and I’ve had that residence for over 2 years now. I knew after the first couple weekend skills didn’t matter just good music.
Knowing what to play and reading the crowd is definitely a skill. Just don’t mess up my two step.
Software does a lot for DJs now so what makes another DJ special got to be so much more!
Facts brother I made the exact mistake in 2015 when I started till about 2018 I works Solly on my technical skills n not networking cause I thought I was going to blow right by guys that didn't practice and as you just described that wasn't the case at all
People just wanna hear familiar songs and they do not need to be mixed or blended slammed is even better and I'm out of York Pennsylvania
Thank you for sharing your thoughts sir
Jay Starr ✨ is my DJ name by the way 🙏🔊
I think that almost everything in life... not even just DJ'ing... it's not what you know it's who you know. Getting into a gig... even a foot in the door is usually based on your reputation and lots of times it's social. The millennial-era DJs came up at a time when Red Bull Thr3style was the aspirational standard so we all looked up to the winners and set our standards at being of the same caliber as the peak creative skill-focused DJs. The younger generation of DJs didn't grow up with the same level of pressure and the aggressive hip-hop hate (but hate because they love) doesn't seem to exist in the same way that it did in the DITC era of coming up. Innovation standards change and serve expectations and it's all about understanding what's happening with the times and moving accordingly. I feel like there's just less pressure to have DJ Scene or DJ Z-Trip level skills to have confidence and internally feel like you made it and you're dope.
BASICALLY - The younger generation isn't receiving as much tough love that made us work hard to "earn respect" because they start off with a strong sense of self-belief on day one. I'm not even mad at it and good for them for not taking on all of that hip-hop-driven emotional damage 🤣 Here's a saying that I've seen a bunch of times online - "Best doesn't win. Most known wins." I think this is currently accepted as the truth and while some have the internal desire to be the best best best... the majority of people will go for the most known a this point.
For me yes skills and talent are the base of us all, but yes reputation is key, its important that other djs, promotors and venues know of you and what you can offer, if you are professional and you can deliver what you say.
i kind of figured out before becoming a working DJ that it wasn't what you know, it's who you know pretty early. just cause i saw certain people with residencies in established places. it sucks knowing that some people get an in because of connections, but i'm sure there are people out there that think the same things about us. all we can do is be grateful for everything, and try to keep pushing the culture of Good DJing, so that there's still some of us left that care. maybe that will lead to a renaissance of the new generation caring more about skill to separate themselves from the ones who don't.
Great video! Skills dont get gigs, they keep gigs :) Anyone can get a gig but keeping a residency for 1, 2, or even five years is a real skill.
Clout doesn't pay the bills or buy gear, it just makes you feel good.
"...they keep gigs."
I like that!
This is so true , some people are just lucky too
Great topic. Everything you said is valid. The business and marketing is the most important.
It took me a few years to realize this and me being more of a quiet person really held me back but this year Ive been really trying to put in that effort to go out more to my DJ friends events and connect with others in my scene out here in Los Angeles definitely a crucial part to paving your path as a DJ striving to be full time
Being born and raised in LA I can tell you from experience it is a tough market to break into for SURE! The key really is going out, meeting people, and supporting the new people you meet!
As a Dj that started actually djaying in 2019 (at 32 years old) right before the pandemic hit I always knew I could probably become popular just by doing sub par mixes and putting them on socials … but deep down I new that’s wrong as hell and I wanted to put in the work… I took classes hired mentors met with dj vets and really wanted to be respected before I got any gigs… to be fair I been looking at dj UA-cam’s and had all the dj magazines since I was 14 but never actually started till 33 so I have a different respect .. but I guess the key now is dedicating time to the craft but also big dedication to the network
Skills are vastly important to DJing when you have a full crowded dance floor but the most important and critical aspect of DJing is coming to your gig prepared!! Last night I was DJing at my new residency in Downtown San Diego and I was the opening act and when the closing DJ showed up, he didn’t have his own controller, nor a USB Hub to play video from
His MacBook Pro which is a standard at the club I play at, and this guy ended up using my XDJ RX3. He was a good DJ and knows how to get a crowd rocking but if I wasn’t there to help him out he would’ve never been able to play.
It’s very true that skills are necessary to carry a dance floor night in and night out. But it’s also just as important to put in the same amount of time into building your network of to get the opportunity to showcase those skills.
A few years ago I filmed a high-profile wedding where the DJ, a popular influencer, didn’t know how to connect my recorder to their soundboard.
I started in ‘93 and realized it in ‘06 when I moved to the Seattle area. It’s all about networking and marketing. While growing up in So Cal I could get tons of gigs based on skills.
Very true! It’s all about who you know, not what you know. I’ve been to clubs where the DJ and his choice of music is very average at that but they know other DJs on stage that are more known.
I agree.
Soooo true 💯
Totally agree with you.... Im from Jamaica🇯🇲 and travelled the Caribbean and US for work mostly.. and it drove me to start my DJ process about 2017 when i realized that most parties i went to "my dj brain" kicked in (this was before i started DJ-ing )and wondered.. WTH are these guys doing. Truthfully except for most raidio DJs and some pro DJs there was no flow.. no story.. no skill.😐. so i guess they know somebody or sombody knows them🤔
It is true A great marketer with ok DJ skills will always do better than an OK marketer with great DJ skills in todays DJ market. This goes for clubs as well as private events (mobile) DJs
double edge sword. i do agree... it is about who you know, but best believe you better be on point!!! if not that could end as fast as it started... ya know
Good video. Also. Older DJ wants to stay relevant but don’t take the time to listen to how the music is being played by other artists (DJ). The way we read the crowd now is a little different from 1995. We have more distractions now. (Cellphone). So we have to keep up and engage and change music sometimes within 32 bars.
Nice way to put it, I started in 91, I do not envy the djs of today, no one is there to dance, they just want background music for their social media posts. I couldn’t deal with it, god bless the new generation
Where I live people don’t care about your skills just good music
At the end of the day, making sure your audience has a good time is the NUMBER ONE priority. At the same time, learning how to do it YOUR WAY by putting your own twist to it can separate you from the crowd. But all of that doesn't matter if you don't put the time into building the relationships that give you the opportunity to showcase that!
I get what you mean, I know my skills and Deep music library konwlwge is pretty good, but I see thru networking and knowing connections these other DJs get their shot with less skills. I Started back in 1986 and still love Djaying any type of music, Love open format, trying to quit my 2nd job and play at a bar or restaurant.
I agree
Thanks for watching!
Hey man how do we network. Can we meet up?
If you're in the Las Vegas area, come through to one of my gigs! I play multiple times every week in the city!
@@PDotokay man when is your next gig in Las Vegas. I just got a gig this Saturday thank God.
Real value sucks, it's all smoke & mirrors out there. The majority of people going out to bars and clubs now don't even know what djing really is. They don't know the difference between a controller & turntables. I spent hours and hours trying to do the most perfect blends & nobody cared but me.
There is some truth to what you are saying. The art has been commodified, the vast majority of people think its "so easy" to put together a great DJ set. The light at the end of the tunnel is that as more of these smaller subcultures that REALLY appreciate music grow, the value is slowly being restored.
Yes I agree, there will always be the actual music lovers & artists that will find their scene.
Create a DJ community so the clubs can’t control you. You will be their slave. Create your own music too.
This was a very good topic. I’ve been a music head since I can say I was 5 years old. The thing I don’t like about the newer dj’s is that they all play the same songs and do the same scratches. I respect your sets and maybe one day check you out live. 🫡