how the hell to get sets in clubs?

[Robin T. Fine]

I'm not a dj, but as a person who's been going out for a while I will say that... even people who aren't very good at djing or producing, get booked to play out all the time, even when they suck. And that's because they go out all the time, met the right people, and have the hook up.

So keep that in mind. If you practice all the time and are very skilled and never get booked, and are stumped to why more people don't book you, since you're SO BAD ASS, keep in mind that no matter how bad ass you are, nobody is going to really care, unless they know who you are. It just REALLY HELPS when you're also a bad ass at what you do.

Basically I'm saying what everybody else said, you need a hook up, and to really put your face out there so people know who you are.

[james prichard]

rock club land one mix @ a time.......over&over

[NeedleSharp]

WOW, honestly was not expecting so many constructive responses to this one... and only ONE sarcastic shitty response?? what a let down! ha

My main thing is i am only 19 so i dont exactly know where i can go to meet people other than a select few places. And how many people want to talk to a "stupid teenager" regardless of how personable or skilled they are. That the way ive felt for the past year of trying to do this thing yall call "networking" at least... just hard for me to keep tryin it when no one wants to give me the time of day since im a kid

Originally Posted by Robin T. Fine

Basically I'm saying what everybody else said, you need a hook up, and to really put your face out there so people know who you are.

i was afraid of that... and im goin to a few clubs tomorrow night and going to pass out a shit load of Demos

Originally Posted by Roos

Post up your mixes if you can. I'd like to hear em.

i have a more mainstream dance mix i made that i posted up on here...
http://www.zshare.net/audio/130831937423fe36/
made it through ableton so not gonna BS anyone on that...

i will upload a live mix i made the other night and try to have it on here before meltdown tomorrow night as well as a live hiphop mix.

[NeedleSharp]

Live Hiphop mix:

rap mix jun 20 08 2.mp3 - 79.80MB

[Eric Scholwinski]

Originally Posted by NeedleSharp

My main thing is i am only 19 so i dont exactly know where i can go to meet people other than a select few places.

well, your choices are VERY select for Dance music.

Afterlife and Lizard Lounge are pretty much your only spots till you're 21, cause 95% of bars / lounges in dallas are 21+.

[Roos]

Originally Posted by Eric Scholwinski

well, your choices are VERY select for Dance music.

Afterlife and Lizard Lounge are pretty much your only spots till you're 21, cause 95% of bars / lounges in dallas are 21+.

Not true. He doesn't have to be 21 to work in a bar. He has to be 18 to work in a bar.

[Eric Scholwinski]

Originally Posted by Roos

Not true. He doesn't have to be 21 to work in a bar. He has to be 18 to work in a bar.

come on mike....

you and i both know most bars / clubs in dallas aren't gonna deal with most people under 21, if it's 21+.

chances of the bouncer/door guy letting someone in who's under 21 to give the owner a cd is slim to nil, let alone the bouncer going and getting the owner.

just the facts.

[Roos]

Originally Posted by Eric Scholwinski

come on mike, don't play dumb.

you and i both know most bars / clubs in dallas aren't gonna deal with most people under 21, if it's 21+.

chances of the bouncer letting someone in who's under 21 to give the owner a cd is slim to nil, let alone the bouncer going and getting the owner.

just the facts.

No, it's not a fact. The fact is that he can work in bars if he is 18. I know plenty of bar owners who would hire someone who is 19 and can play a variety of music for a crowd, before they would hire someone who is 21+ and only plays one genre of music. If he can get them his CDs and resume and talk to them (believe it or not, most bar owners/managers are at their jobs during the day when the bar is not open... he doesn't have to go during business hours), there's no reason he can't get a gig. If he's ambitious and driven, he can make it happen. If he has lots of experience doing mobile gigs and school dances, then he's most likely ambitious and driven.

What you are telling him is only limiting him in knowing what he can and can't do. He wants to know how to get gigs in clubs. Not how not to get gigs in clubs.

He can work in a bar if he is 18+. Period.

[Eric Scholwinski]

ok mike, you know everything.

i know you have to be 18 to work in a bar.

whatever.

I'm just telling him that for EDM he might be limited on where he plays.(18+ clubs)

i don't know about hip hop / rap cause i don't play or go to those venues.

[J. Fees]

well, if you get to bars about 30 mins before they open you can always lie and say you are the busboy or just say you here to see the manager. Usually, the door man is not even out til they open.

man, if your just 19, i would practice non stop for 2 years. You should be able to kill it by then.

[zymote]

As a promoter, here are the main things I'm looking for when booking DJ's:

-A live mix for a demo. Anybody can string some songs together in Ableton and make it sound perfect. I want to hear what you're like in front of a crowd. A brief bio is nice, and make sure you include contact info on the actual CD itself. You wouldn't believe how many demos I get with absolutely no contact info on them.

-A good attitude. Remember, however much other DJ's may claim otherwise, you're still there to play other people's music and to make people dance. A big ego gets a demo trashed quicker than anything. Confident is good, snotty isn't. And remember - never bite the hand that feeds you.

-Consistency. If I contact you, I expect to hear back asap. Don't go AWOL for days on end and assume you still have a slot. I'm not going to book anybody who makes me worry if they'll show for their set or not. Not being heavy into the drugs goes a long way with this.

-Willingness to help out. Your job as a DJ is to build a following. If I'm booking you for anything but an opening slot, it's because of that following. You don't have to go all Wet Grooves and shit, but being able to help with promotion is definitely a deciding factor. Exceed down here in Austin is a perfect example of this.

[NeedleSharp]

Originally Posted by Roos

No, it's not a fact. The fact is that he can work in bars if he is 18. I know plenty of bar owners who would hire someone who is 19 and can play a variety of music for a crowd, before they would hire someone who is 21+ and only plays one genre of music.

i know you CAN but i just dont know HOW...

exactly how would i go about doing that if i cant get into the club and so many people are talking about how you have to consistently go to the club?

another thing: what would be some good clubs to go start to try and talk to? i really dont care what i play... not because i am selling out just because i like all genres...

Originally Posted by zymote

As a promoter, here are the main things I'm looking for when booking DJ's:

-A live mix for a demo. Anybody can string some songs together in Ableton and make it sound perfect...

as much as i honestly appreciate the great advice in your post and understand the live mix thing, i do have to slightly disagree.

if i have gotten anything from playing for little brat ass kids for nearly 7 years it is that programming is 70% of the show and mixing/tricks are 30% . i spent a good amount of time in choosing those tracks (second mix ever made in ableton) and i think it just forces you to look more into the track selection than the mixing.

with that said, mixing really isnt a problem to me at all... i do quick mixes with rap all the time with about 5 seconds to cue the song up before the mix and still not a problem with beat matching. i will make sure to continue to use only live mixes though if its that important.

thanks!

Originally Posted by J. Feez

well, if you get to bars about 30 mins before they open you can always lie and say you are the busboy or just say you here to see the manager. Usually, the door man is not even out til they open.

man, if your just 19, i would practice non stop for 2 years. You should be able to kill it by then.

thanks again for the advice on getting there early. i will try that out next weekend.

again, if you could throw some clubs that would be open minded to hiring a good DJ with no club experience that would be great.

as far as practicing for 2 years, i am not cocky and know i have a lot to improve on but i have been playing in my bedroom and for people that dont appreciate mixing etc. for nearly 7 years... i dont want to wait two more years if at all possible... lol

[Roos]

Originally Posted by NeedleSharp

i know you CAN but i just dont know HOW...

exactly how would i go about doing that if i cant get into the club and so many people are talking about how you have to consistently go to the club?

another thing: what would be some good clubs to go start to try and talk to? i really dont care what i play... not because i am selling out just because i like all genres...



as much as i honestly appreciate the great advice in your post and understand the live mix thing, i do have to slightly disagree.

if i have gotten anything from playing for little brat ass kids for nearly 7 years it is that programming is 70% of the show and mixing/tricks are 30% . i spent a good amount of time in choosing those tracks (second mix ever made in ableton) and i think it just forces you to look more into the track selection than the mixing.

with that said, mixing really isnt a problem to me at all... i do quick mixes with rap all the time with about 5 seconds to cue the song up before the mix and still not a problem with beat matching. i will make sure to continue to use only live mixes though if its that important.

thanks!



thanks again for the advice on getting there early. i will try that out next weekend.

again, if you could throw some clubs that would be open minded to hiring a good DJ with no club experience that would be great.

as far as practicing for 2 years, i am not cocky and know i have a lot to improve on but i have been playing in my bedroom and for people that dont appreciate mixing etc. for nearly 7 years... i dont want to wait two more years if at all possible... lol

It sounds to me like you've got a good head on your shoulders about it all.

What you said about the whole 'live mix vs ableton mix' thing is right. A mix is a mix and the track selection is what's most important. If you can pull off live what you can do in Ableton, then you're good. A perfect example... Scholwinski does lots of mixes in Acid. But he can do them live just as well. However, what Zymote said was referring to the fact that there are a lot of 'DJs' who will do mixes in a program and then crash when they perform live. Not good at all. That being said, if you can pull it off live, then there's no reason to even tell people how you made your demo. Just my opinion.

As far as which clubs to check out, I'll send ya a PM tomorrow or Monday with a few contacts who might have a possible opening and suit what you are looking for. I want to listen to your mixes first.

[Mike of MA]

Just look at it as another job. Hang out there, meet the higher ups, build some relationships, & go in for the kill. If you want a lot of bookings, do some of your own shows, then you can trade bookings ie. cross bookings. It's pretty much what I do.

[matias]

if you can pull it off live I don't see why you should use ableton then

imo