Being a great DJ does not involve just playing random songs on equipment. This will get you absolutely nowhere. There is actually much more to this process than that. You can’t use the same music for every single venue, and you often can’t even play the same music all night at one venue. This is not a way to be a good DJ. Here is how to be a great DJ.
The one thing you need to do in order to learn how to be a great DJ is to consider each and every venue that you play something entirely different. When you book your venue, sit down and spend time creating a specific playlist for that particular venue. Use research you have done in order to create the best possible playlist you can.
The research you need to do will come directly from the venue itself. Figure out where you are playing and what type of location it is. If it is a wedding, you will obviously want to approach it very differently than if it is a night club.
Talk to someone. Never be afraid to talk to someone about the venue and occasion where you will be playing. This will tell you a lot, especially if the person is very familiar with the atmosphere of the location and what they want. If it is a wedding, specifically ask the bride and groom what they want to hear played for the night. They will gladly help you begin the process of forming your playlist.
When it comes to actually working, there are always rules you should follow in order to learn how to be a great DJ. You should never play the same beat of music all night. Break up dance music portions, depending on the type of event where you are playing. When you are playing at a very upbeat dance club, more people are there to dance all night. So, you can give them the occasional drink bread with a small microphone interjection every 5 or 6 songs. A wedding, though, should be very different. Place slow songs in the middle of dance breaks that last about ten minutes or so.
If you are an experienced enough DJ and are working with a crowd that you will be able to handle very well, you can have a little more fun with your playlist. This is a fun extra part of how to be a great DJ. You can throw in a surprise throwback song or two for the night. This is a major risk, though, and not something to do if you don’t know the crowd very well because you could very well lose them with such a move.
Learning how to be a great DJ is not as much of an easy thing as most people tend to think. Follow these, tips, though and you could very well encounter a much better reception than you would by just selecting songs you like to hear and playing them.
