A tip from the best!!!

[kazzachi 0]

Crispy... its no good paraphrasing what I have said...it makes the comments out of context. The Persona of a dj is more important than their ability to mix. You cant learn a "persona" . You can learn by going out with a DJ - of course you can... but to project your own personality is something that is down to YOU... you cant borrow somebody elses persona because it works for them as a dj! I have never had a problem with taking people out and showing them the ropes... but I do advise them not to copy my style... hopefully, the very fact that they are interested in getting into dj-ing in the first place will mean that they are not exactly a shrinking violet. Shyness and confidence are two seperate things... I am also shy in a one to one situation - but, because I know my job, I have a high level of confidence when entertaining a crowd. If somebody is confident that they can do something, shyness will be overcome by that confidence.

 

You also said that in my words you dont exist.... I cant find that I put that, or insinuated it anywhere..! I said that it is reasonably safe to assume your success as a dj if.... blah blah blah....... - this was not a difinitive statement. You dont have to be full time to be successful... but.. the word "professional" does have different meanings.... My occupation is "Professional DJ/entertainer" The use of the word "professional" here denotes that it is my occupation - and I make my living this way. It does not undermine those djs who work part time - but do a professional job! I do the job as a profession.

 

Charge wise, I may charge more than some people up north, but I still charge less than a lot of djs down here in the south. Even if you only earn £120 per gig, even up north I reckon you could still be out working 3 or 4 times a week... not a bad living to be made even up there eh! And Crispy, we quite often read that you are out this often!

 

Anyway, we as DJs can only ever mark our success by our clients - they are the only people who count!

[Dj_Kray 0]

QUOTE (Chris_Pointon @ Dec 2 2003, 05:02 PM)

I don't think that Esk was having a go Kev.

I know this i was joking as i normally take eskie's comments the wrong way! hence the http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/tongue.gif smiley.

 

 

[pulsations 0]

Yes the thing that seperates a DJ from a Jukebox :

 

a) DJ's are more versatile with music selection, sure you can get mix cds but you get the idea.

 

b) DJ's are more expensive in the long run

 

BUT WHY for (b) ??? BECAUSE DJ's are meant to 'read' the crowd as so many of you have said. This helps improve the gig/show/party exponentially. To be able to 'adapt' to a crowd is what makes a true DJ and to back this up with tune knowledge and security (meaning they've put in the hard hours to get a good library of tunes).

 

~

 

So now what to play? Sure you play within your genre, but for me personally.. I'm still saving for decks http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/wallbash.gif . Yes when new DJ's start out they may stick with top 10 songs etc. and they may work and may not. But I guess this is just natural. As they get more experienced they may get out of that cycle... but then again they may not.

 

In my opinion I think what makes a good DJ :

 

1) Interacts with crowd in person and by observing and reacting accordingly

2) Can beatmatch and mix to a high level and bonus if they can scratch to http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/smile.gif

 

That's all there is to it really I think, but there's more than meets the eye to both those statements http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/smile.gif

 

- John

[Gary 0]

QUOTE (pulsations @ Dec 3 2003, 11:04 AM)

1) Interacts with crowd in person and by observing and reacting accordingly 2) Can beatmatch and mix to a high level and bonus if they can scratch to http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/smile.gif

 

I'd say a big "yes" to point one, and a half "yes" and definate half "no" for "bonus" in point two.

 

It depends on the age group thait you're entertaining, but scratching will empty a dancefloor of anything other than teenagers, if its done at much more than an extra instrument EG: fader/volume of scratch at no more than 15% of the other tune, which is being left to run unmolested.

Edited December 3, 2003 by Gary

[ChrisPointon 0]

Hmmm, I get the feeling that you are working in a club when making point #2. Like Gary the Majority of family functions I do wouldn't give a hoot whether I mixed tracks or not, and if I started "scratching" would probably either give me a blank look or throw a glass of cold water over me thinking that I was having a fit!.

 

Put this way, I don't think that it would have gone down at the 80th Birthday I did the other week, nor the Golden Wedding Anniversary I've got this week http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/smile.gif

[C.S 0]

Aha now i work more clubs than i do mobiles,i work on average 4 nights a week more or less all year round,our local scratch dj, who is good, gets about one gig a month.I have seen djs who have been bad mixers and had a weak voice over style set clubs on fire with programming of sheer genius. Its all about creating an aptmosphere,getting people moving,if they are dancing on the dancefloor or standing at the bar nodding thier heads or tapping their feet in time to the music then you have reached them.I watch my audience,talk to them,remember them,suprise them and certainly control them most nights.I consider myself to be an average, experienced and pro dj, my scratching is pure rubbish,my mixing is steady(learnt mostly from eskie in 1988) and i have an ok mic voice, my strength is my ability to read a crowd and program accordingly.I have had some real howlers up through the years and still have nights when my mixing sucks,i misread the crowd occasionaly and my voice overs are unimaginative. What i thinks makes a good dj is a person who instead of giving up, watched and learned (and still learns) as well as practises every aspect of using music to create aptmospheres that other people enjoy.Rant over!!!!!!

[ChrisPointon 0]

Its amazing isn't it! - Type Chris Shepherd dj into Google, and look who appears at no1 and 2 position

 

Fame at last Chris - better get that website built http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[paula 0]

Me finks you lot need to chill http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/rolleyes.gif

 

Quack Quack http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/tongue.gif http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/071.gif

 

 

 

(off 2 sit under bed)

[DJshaggy 0]

im a big fan of the saying 'if you have fun, they will have fun' and its very true! even if i am out and im not having a good time as the party is a little dull or i want to be somewhere else i always try my best to have a smile and look like im having fun. also i like to always be friendly to anyone within the party and just really have a positive approach to anything to do with the job!

[C.S 0]

QUOTE

Type Chris Shepherd dj into Google, and look who appears at no1 and 2 position

 

Huh? ah just checked it out,should be divorced before xmas! I feel a "whats c p doing in this picture " competition coming on,now where did i put Paula "the phantom photographer"s phone number?

Edited December 3, 2003 by C.S