Freelancing is difficult for almost everyone. Getting hired on an individual basis and saving the money for taxes at the end of the year is stressful, especially for artists. So how can a budding DJ find their footing in this kind of industry?
It’s important to consider all your options when you want to become a DJ. Here we have 4 of the best tips for making money along your way.
1) Know What You’re Doing
If you haven’t touched a piece of sound equipment before in your life, you should carve out time for that before you begin DJing. You will need the right equipment to properly play and mix your own music. You’ll also need to know how to set it all up and take it down.
One of the easiest ways to “know what you’re doing” is to attend classes, either in-person or online. Masterclass offers celebrity-led classes on many art forms, including electronic music production taught by Deadmau5.
Here’s the Masterclass Courses best discount coupon for a number of its classes, which is the most affordable way that you can learn from the greats.
2) Look for Wedding Venues
DJing at a wedding is the easiest way to make money in this profession. Many people get hired at a wedding entertainment company, which will book you for gigs. Otherwise, you’ll need to find clients who would hire you as an independent DJ for their wedding.
Rates at wedding entertainment companies can be lower than other jobs. In addition, you won’t be able to play your own songs or mixed music. Though this isn’t the ideal job for most DJs, it’s often a necessary stepping stone towards a bigger breakthrough.
3) Market Yourself as a Business
Even if you don’t own a company, you should treat what you do as a business. The only way to become a famous DJ is to create your own stage persona. The best way to do this is to sculpt the way you act on stage and the way you market yourself.
Create a name and a logo for your new “business,” and make sure to use it every time you play a gig. This will give you name brand recognition, and more people will remember you. When people remember your image, they’ll hire you over a DJ they don’t know.
4) Get Online
One of the fastest ways to market yourself these days is creating social media profiles or your own website. This way, you can share news on the music you create as well as personal updates your fans can follow. Allowing ads on a personal website can give you extra revenue as well.
For musicians, YouTube, Spotify, and SoundCloud are the most important tools. These platforms allow you to post music videos, samples, or entire singles. Online services and software (e.g. NotMP3.com) also allow you to download those files to your device for offline use. You’ll also have something tangible to show producers or scouts you encounter.
In Conclusion
These are a few simple first steps to gaining popularity as a DJ. Everyone has to start somewhere, and if you’re starting with a few social media followers and a bunch of wedding gigs, that’s great! The important thing is to keep pursuing your goals and stay professional while doing it.
Knowing the right people is a huge part of breaking into any part of the entertainment industry. Talk to everyone you know — club promoters, DJs, fans, bar owners. If you’re lucky, they can always recommend you to someone else, and gigs will roll in from there. Befriend as many people as possible, and anyone could end up playing gigs for thousands of people.
