Whether it’s a glitzy nightclub, a secret little bar, on the radio or even at birthday parties or weddings, it’s your job to help people have a good time. While it might seem like a simple job on paper – you play music and they dance – you have to have an instinct for what makes a good dance song and a sense of timing as to when to play it. There are also technical skills you can learn that will m
ake your set – that’s the songs you play – much smoother. You can match the beats from one record to the one coming on so people don’t immediately notice a new song coming on, or you can add your own techniques such as a scratching (where you spin the same piece of music back and forth) to create cool effects. Being a people person helps – you really need to be able to spot the mood of a party to play the right songs – as does being adaptable. What do you do when you misjudge it and play a song that empties the dance floor? In the past, most DJs used vinyl records to DJ before moving on to CDs – these days people often DJ using a laptop or MP3 player and use digitally downloaded songs in their sets. In any case, clubs and radio stations usually have equipment for all three so you need to have a good technical mind to know how to use each one. It’s important to be flexible about your working hours. DJ-ing often involves working evenings and weekends. Being a DJ is not just about playing the latest house or grime tunes to get people on the dancing– there are lots of specialist older types of music that you can draw on such as disco or Northern Soul. Mash them all together to create your own style and you’ll soon stand out. Make it big and you can travel anywhere in the world.
