Club or mobile DJ?

[DJ Adam 0]

I'm on a very tight budget being only 16, is it cheaper to start as a club or as a mobile DJ because i'm strugling to afford all of the equiptment?

 

Adam

[Leonna 0]

I would guess, try to get someone to give you a trial to get some experience maybe. Or like me try to find somewhere they wouldn;t get anyone decent cause the pay is http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/pooh.gif At least they can't complain if you are http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/pooh.gif too. That way you get some experience, some spare cash to start putting toward gear.

 

It is a vicious circle - you don't have the money to get decent stuff - can't/wont charge people much until you get decent stuff. If you can get into a club you can at least earn money without necessarily neding the gear. You will normally need to have CD/vinyl though so that is where your money should start to be spent.

[ChrisPointon 0]

At 16 you'd probably find it very difficult to find a club which could legally employ your services, especially more so if it had an over 21 or 25's admission policy - but certainly 18 would be the legal minimum, unless you knew somebody already in the system who'd turn a blind eye to your age, but if you did you wouldn't be asking the question!.

 

You'd also have to invest heavily in time to practice the mixing skills (which of course also needs equipment) required for club work, I've known people in the past who've spent 8 hours a day, 7 days a week honing their mixing skills and have sent hundreds of demos out, but still haven't got a set in a club!.

 

Certainly becoming a Mobile Dj is far easier in practice (just set yourself up as one), although this too requires skill, patience and dedication on your part, the difference is, becoming a Mobile DJ only requires you to be your own boss and being good at the job in order to build up your word of mouth reputation, working in a club means you'll have to impress management with your skills and have a demo which stands out from the other 100 they've probably received to be even let near the DJ Booth

 

Club work is like everything else in life, often it's easier if you know somebody within the club who'd get you in on the bottom floor, and then work your way up, but it's getting in there which is the problem - club work is fiercely competitive.

 

QUOTE

would guess, try to get someone to give you a trial to get some experience maybe

 

Excellent Advice http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/thumbup.gif certainly the best bet, is still to hold out for a local Dj to invite you to help at a few gigs, then you'll know whats involved and it won't cost you a penny. Who knows, if you are willing to listen and learn and are reliable, they may even keep you on. http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html//emoticons/533.gif

 

If you do set up on your own, then most DJ's started with (or still have) a career or full time employment which helped them to get established and to buy the equipment. Ideally at this stage, and your age you should perhaps be looking at long term career prospects and run the DJ'ing part time - if of course the DJ'ing takes off, then there is no reason why you couldn't eventually do it full time in the future, but its always good to have something else to fall back on.

[DJ_Ajay 0]

Start by getting your school to pay you to do a social for them. (uses the money to rent the gear).

 

Much as its very hard to start in a nightclub at the age of 16, don't give up hope. I started working in a nightclub at the age of 17, but I was a lighting tech. Even tho I wanted to be a dj, it was a step in the right direction and I was able to learn of the djs that worked there. Now I have my own concert system and work as a dj in a nightclub at the age of 19 and I'm not from a rich family, just work hard for what I want.

 

So I would look at getting work in a club, aka glassie, bar tender, etc... and do mobile djing and practice what you see the club djs do....

 

And I don't live off djing, I have a day job.

 

thats my 2 cents worth.

[DJ Adam 0]

Thanks for the advice, i already work in a club just glass collectin which is a step in the right direction and might get me some work later on

 

Adam

[DJ Marky Marc 0]

Bug the manager to let you do a warm up set you never know your luck the main DJ might not turn up one night and you will be left to play the entre gig...

 

you then can show them your skills and ask them for the JOB