DJing is incredibly creative, rewarding and requires a lot of hard work if you want to make something out of it. If you’re wondering how to be the best DJ, it starts with mastering a combination of technical skill, musical knowledge, and personal creativity. Whether you’re DJing as a hobby or aiming for a career, there are clear steps you can take to improve and stand out.
Table of contents
- Define the type of DJ you want to be
- Learn the fundamentals of DJing
- Build your confidence as a DJ
- Organize and curate your music library
- Practice conceptual DJ mixing
- Start with the DJ gear you can afford
- Make practice a consistent habit
- Upload and share your mixes online
- Engage with your DJ community
- Collaborate with other DJs
- Play a live DJ set
- Apply for creative funding opportunities
- Find a DJ mentor
Define the type of DJ you want to be
Before you start out, it’s important to recognize what kind of DJ you want to be. There is no one way to succeed and you can find inspiration in many different ways. Study your favorite DJs and their mixes, find encouragement from the way they approach DJing. Take a note of what genres they blend and how they pace their mixes. At the same time, listen to as many mixes as possible. Just so you can get a feel of different styles and approaches. Whether you want to be a multi-genre DJ or stick to a particular sound.
Start building your music catalog of tunes that you love that you might want to mix. Whether you’re a fan of Minimal Techno or listen to music of all kinds, music is one of the most important parts of the journey. Follow your favorite DJs on social media so you know what they’re up to and how else they can inspire you.
Learn the fundamentals of DJing
The technical building blocks of DJing may seem overwhelming from the outset. But once you get the basics down, the rest flows. Try to gain an understanding of music structure and basic DJ techniques. This will only accelerate your skills as a DJ. Things like setting the right volume between two tracks on the decks, beatmatching, cueing a track, blending with the EQ and using the pitch fader. Practice counting four beats in a bar whilst listening to music you might want to mix. Being able to observe how fast a track can go will help you develop your ear. You will upskill on these as you progress. But it pays to understand the function of these elements before you start DJing. It basically gives you a head start, allowing you to apply your ideas more effectively. Especially at the start of your career.
Build your confidence as a DJ
DJing can be daunting, just as much as the process of learning. Even DJs as established as TAYHDSN have admittedly struggled with confidence issues. But it’s vital to understand that this can happen to anyone. No matter how established they might be. But don’t listen to any negativity. You’ve chosen to DJ because you have a passion for it. The act of DJing itself can help bring you out of your shell, acting as a cape for what is your superhero skill.
But don’t suffer in silence. Ask for help if you need it. Find motivation and inspiration in your everyday life. You could be taking a walk in the park or listening to new music. You never know where inspiration might hit! From a technical perspective, make sure you always record your mixes. That way, you can listen back to your transitions or note down tracks that blend well together. Ultimately, you will improve on what you’re doing well. This can really supercharge your confidence for the better.
Organize and curate your music library
There are a whole host of ways you can find the music you want to play.. It could be online platforms such as Bandcamp, Beatport or Juno, or a good old fashioned trip to your local record store. Once you have your tunes, it is important to sort them on your computer or DJ software (apps like Serato or Rekordbox) in the best way possible so that you can make the most of them. Start building your playlists to help you when you’re playing out. You may want to use genres, moods and mixes to categorize your music. It might help you understand your collection better for when you play out. This will ensure that once you’re ready to practice or play live, your music is readily accessible.
Practice conceptual DJ mixing
Now you have your music and it’s sorted in a way that suits you, think about how you want to tell a story through your mixes. Many great mixes follow a certain theme. It could be as simple as a strictly 1970s Funk mix, or as adventurous as a dedication to a club or movement. As much as technical skills matter, it’s just one part of the process.
The majority of your DJ journey will be about the music you choose and the way you shape your mix. That’s half the skill of being a DJ: the interesting contrasts you create between two tracks and creating your own ‘sound.’ Always have in the back of your mind the story you want to tell with your mix. Think about how you can convey it when you spin the decks. For help on this, DJ History curators Bill Brewster and Frank Broughton are experienced DJs with a wealth of knowledge on how to stand the test of time as a DJ.
Start with the DJ gear you can afford
Being a DJ doesn’t mean you have to blow your entire budget constantly investing in new gear. With such a wide range of affordable to top of the range software and hardware out there, start with what feels right at the time and level up as you go. Whether you’re on a shoestring budget or you have cash to burn, find the equipment that works for you at that particular part of your journey. It can be a mixer, headphones, earplugs, a controller or even Rekordbox’s desktop app! All tools that will boost your skills and allow you to practice DJing as much as you can.
Make practice a consistent habit
We all know the old saying when it comes to practice. But for something as detailed as DJing, it is truly one of the best ways to get better and work on the craft. There is no right or wrong when it comes to DJing, as long as you know the basics. Everyone has their own techniques in how they transition tracks, use software or even work the crowd during a live set. Practice those techniques as often as you can. Set aside some time daily or weekly, even if it is for 10 minutes. That little bit of time could go a long way in helping your confidence and elevating your skill as a DJ.
Have a little bit of grace for yourself. It’s going to take time to build those stepping stones to get to where you need to get to in terms of your confidence. This can help you overcome bothersome states like Red Light Syndrome, giving you the surge you need to tackle all aspects of DJing. Also, if you want friends or other people close to you to listen to your mixes confidentially, you can share private links to them for their opinion and feedback.
Upload and share your mixes online
Once you’ve gotten the hang of DJing and you feel confident enough for people to hear your mixes, it’s time to build your online catalog. Share your mixes safely on a music streaming platform that puts creators first. One where your content won’t be struck by copyright takedowns. We’ve built Mixcloud and our Pro subscription model to enable DJs to tap into millions of music lovers while having your content safe. In essence, you can get as creative as you want on a DJ platform made for you.
We help your shows reach more listeners through Charts which showcases hundreds of newly uploaded shows every week, across over 1000 genres. You can also see how all your mixes are performing with Stats. Our in-depth insights show you where you’re popular, how long people are listening for, and who your top listeners are (among many other things), which can influence the content you make. Meanwhile, creating a strong visual identity is possible on your personal profile with a polished channel picture banner and prominent social media links. Your profile serves as the window to the shop floor that is your content.
While you’re at it, you can provide exclusive content for your most devoted fans with Creator Subscriptions in exchange for their financial support. Or they can give you one-off Tips to show their appreciation. Thus, you’ll be able to make money from DJing and your mixes as you continue to develop. Legendary DJs such as John Digweed and Greg Wilson can also serve as inspirations for how to thrive on our platform.
Engage with your DJ community
Building intimate relationships with your community is a skill every DJ needs. Use social media to promote your mixes, engage with your audience and make them feel like they’re part of your journey. Talk to them when you have something new to release. Ask them what they want to hear from you or get feedback to see what they like the most. This will make them engaged fans invested in your development. Think of out of the box ways for your content to reach your audience. Direct-to-fan methods such as creating a newsletter or sending emails can also help make them feel special and listened to.
With Mixcloud Posts, we’ve created a platform to help you communicate directly with your audience free from social media algorithms. Not only can you promote your mixes and live streams, but you also have the freedom to define the relationship with your fans in fun and interesting ways. What’s more, every time you publish a Post on Mixcloud, an email is sent out to your followers so they’ll never miss an update.
Collaborate with other DJs
Collaborating with other DJs can help you become a better DJ. Firstly, that exchange of knowledge with a peer – particularly if they’re at an advanced stage of their career – can allow you to skill-share with them and build up your own repertoire. Especially if you’re going B2B with them. It also opens up yourself to that DJ’s audience so you can get more listeners. This can allow you to network with other professionals and gives you another opportunity to learn. Plus, when you feel part of a DJ community and meet other DJs, you may feel motivated to try new things. Knowing you have the support of your network. Whether it’s the curation of a set, running an event or getting ideas to level up your performance, it might be easier to tackle it in a team.
Play a live DJ set
Once you have developed a steady schedule of releasing mixes, put your skills to practice with live sets. Prioritizing what you believe will move the crowd is a great foundation for any mix. With practice, the rest will follow. If it’s a smash hit or a deep cut, the right track can really get the party started. Pay attention to your audience in real time and check the energy levels before you hit the stage. Encourage yourself to find a new angle when you’re mixing. If you build a successful career doing live shows, try throwing your own event with like-minded DJs. It might sound scary at first, but you can do it!
Apply for creative funding opportunities
As you continue along your journey, you might want funding to buy new equipment or software. Or you might need an extra bit of money to pay for more professional mentoring. If you’re UK based, organizations like PRS For Music, Help Musicians and Arts Council England could be very beneficial in helping you take your creativity to the next level. If you live out in North America, try organizations like the BMI Foundation and New Music USA. Or the Tote Board Arts Fund if you’re in Asia. If your application is rejected, try again! Get feedback from the funding body that didn’t take you on. See it as a positive opportunity to tweak and improve your application. Share your application with your friends and fellow DJs for their feedback. Their knowledge could potentially be the key to your application being accepted the next time round.
Find a DJ mentor
If you still feel you need that extra bit of guidance as you grow, find a peer who’s happy to help you with your DJing. They can help on a technical or personal level and provide crucial insight. If you can, prioritize getting first-hand, in person advice. It can bring a whole new dimension to learning that online tutorials sometimes lack. Above all else, make sure they are ready and willing to help.
In summary…
- Choose your DJ style and build your music collection
- Learn beatmatching, EQ blending, and phrasing
- Practice regularly and build confidence
- Upload your mixes and connect with your audience
- Keep learning and seek feedback from others.
Never stop improving
DJing is a marathon not a sprint. What makes a great DJ is knowing there will be peaks and troughs. It’s important to understand that time is of the essence with a skill like this. Be patient with yourself on this journey, because moving at your own pace will ultimately be the most rewarding aspect of it.