Tag Archives: dj tips

I Like To Move It Move It!

By Mike Walter:

My wife Kelly and I were in Seattle a few years ago and we decided to hike Mt Rainier. On the bus ride out we started chatting with a woman named Hannah who was traveling by herself. She told us she was an epidemiologist (which I found out means she’s a doctor who studies diseases). Half-jokingly, I asked her what disease was going to kill all of mankind and without missing a beat she said, “Inactivity.”

I have to say I was relieved to hear that because I consider myself a pretty active person but I also have to admit that there have been times since then where I wanted to skip a run or workout or even a walk with my dogs but Hannah’s succinct, one word, spontaneous answer has echoed in my head and got me moving.

When you think about it, almost every major invention of mankind’s has made us more sedentary. We invented the wheel and we domesticated wild animals to help us move things. We created engines to move us even faster. We’ve made everything from Egg Beaters to escalators all in an effort to make our lives easier. But in doing so we’ve triggered a gene inside most of us that loves to relax. And, believe me, there’s nothing wrong with relaxing, but only after you’ve earned it through some hard work and motion.

We as a society, and definitely we as an industry, need to move more. We need to do more. We need to avoid the disease of “Inactivity” and all myriad health issues that come along with it.

Many people know I like to run. It’s my favorite healthy activity. I’ve done sixteen marathons in my life and while I’m not quite in marathon condition anymore, I still love to lace up my sneakers and head out, whether it’s for a short, fast run or a leisurely long jog. Knowing this, many people have asked me how they should get started if they too want to run. Here’s my simple advice: get off the couch. Don’t set too lofty of a goal early on because it’s impossible (and dangerous) to go from couch potato to marathon runner in a few weeks. If you’re currently overweight and inactive my advice would be to seek your doctor’s approval first and foremost and assuming you’re given the green light, go for a walk. Day one, make it a ten minute stroll. Day two, add a minute or two. If you have a track near your home, it’s an ideal place to head. Tracks are softer on your joints and if you get too tired, you’re never too far from your car.

And when you’re ready to speed it up a bit, fear not! Because, here’s the thing about running: you already know how to do it. It’s in your DNA. Remember, before mankind invented all those things to make us sedentary, we moved. We hunted and chased our food down, often after miles and miles on our feet. Or we were the hunted, and those who survived were fast enough to avoid the mountain lion or mastodon that wanted to make us dinner. So once you go from walking to jogging, don’t over think it. Just go a little faster and a little longer each and every day and soon you’ll be logging miles, shedding pounds and most importantly, avoiding all the detrimental side effects of inactivity.

Here’s one of the misperceptions of our industry: events don’t burn that many calories. Sure it’s better to be up and moving on a weekend night than sitting around in a the Lazy Boy flipping channels, but I think too many DJs do an event and think they’ve burned so many calories they are entitled to eat all night and then hit the drive-through on the way home. You’re wrong. Even if you’re a dancer, even if you move around a lot at your events, it’s very doubtful that you’re getting your heart rate up to an aerobic state and burning some real calories. So be careful equating one of your gigs to an increased amount of food and thinking you’ll be even.

My wife and I do a lot of little things to keep ourselves active. Kelly wears a Fitbit and she always strives to hit her 10,000 daily steps. When we go shopping, we usually park as far from the store as possible. We walk our dogs a lot. When we go to the beach, we often take a stroll along the shoreline. These are just a few of the many things you too can probably do just to be a little more active. The pay off in the end is well worth it and when the “sacrifice” is stepping away from the boob tube for a little while and getting some fresh air, it’s even better.
Mike Walter is the proud owner of Elite Entertainment, a Multi-System DJ Company in New Jersey that was recently selected by TheKnot.com and WeddingWire.com as a top Entertainment company in the country.

5 MORE Tips To Guarantee A Great Event

By Brian Buonassissi:

I may have misspoken at the end of my last post. I had said that the first five tips were the foundation and made it sound like these aren’t as important. After thinking more about my own process, they all carry equal weight and I pay just as much attention to #10 as I do to #1. With that in mind, here’s the rest of my playbook for a great event.

Tip #6: CAN’T STOP, WON’T STOP…Never put your event on auto‐pilot or take a time‐out. From the time it starts until the time it ends, make every moment, every song, every announcement count. I often hear how some DJs will play the same cocktail hour for the season or they’ll put on a mix for dinner while they go eat — or worse play the same dance sets at every event. The longest wedding I’ve ever had was 8 hours but generally they are between 4‐6 hours. That’s a relatively small amount of time to be “on.” You owe it your clients to stay completely engaged the entire time. You ask your clients and their guests to be engaged for the full event. Shouldn’t you be leading by example?

Tip #7: JUST EAT IT? The pushback I get for not eating at the event is that you get hungry (especially if you follow one of my first tips of arriving super early). For me, the cocktail and dinner music I play is critical and if I do it right, it makes the dancing portions easy. Every event is different and even if I know the couple extremely well, I am constantly tweaking in real time what I’m playing based on the dynamic of the room. The guest count, weather, time delays, energy/mood of the crowd all play a part in what selections I chose. I can’t afford to take one song off to eat. The other pushback I get is that the client paid for your meal and it would be rude NOT to eat. Here’s what I do – I eat a protein filled lunch and then an energy bar 10‐15 minutes before the event begins. Not only do I stay full but it keeps me away from eating non‐ healthy foods. If the main course looks amazing, I’ll ask the catering staff to make me a “to go” plate. I’ve never had a caterer not offer to do that for me. Bonus: I get an amazing meal the next day.

Tip #8: I’LL BE THERE FOR YOU…I’m referring to your vendor partners. Make sure you support them as much as possible. Never let anything happen (you control the mic, right?) without making sure they know what’s happening and that you’re about to do something. Also, if you can help them out with something (even outside of your job scope), do it. Help a planner/venue staff move chairs, corral the family/wedding party for the photographer if they ask, be flexible with their requests, etc. DJs have a terrible reputation of being hard to work with, on a power trip and not willing to do anything that is not in their job description. I’m constantly fighting against this stigma and the vendors I work with comment that they love working with me because I consider us all on the same team. Not only will they refer you when asked for recommendations by potential clients, but they generally offer to give you professional images/video to use for self‐promotion, give you an early load‐in time, etc.

Tip #9: YOU’RE THE BEST AROUND…This is the separator between the good and great DJs and has nothing to do with your skills. I call it “surprise and delight.” It’s customer/client service. A week before the wedding, I call both sets of parents to see if there’s anything I can do to make the day extra special for their son/daughter. The morning of I send my clients a quick text (separately) just letting them know I’m thinking of them and excited for their day. At the reception, I bring them mints during dinner because I know they’re going to be talking to a lot of people. I try and snag a quick pic of their first dance and e‐mail them a thank you with it attached immediately after the event. I may create a snapchat GEO filter at no cost to them. Sometimes, those things mean more to clients than what I do DJ‐wise because it’s unexpected and something I don’t telegraph until I do them.

Tip #10: GIVE ME EVERYTHING TONIGHT…This also doesn’t have to do with your skill‐set necessarily. It’s about effort. I treat each event like it’s my last and I leave it all out on the floor. I don’t want there to be any regrets on my part. I am going to use every tool in my arsenal (as the events call for them) to put on the best event I possibly can. A successful event to me is where I’m so worn out that I need the next day to recover. Never short‐change your clients or the guests attending the event. That’s the reputation you should strive to have.

Hope these tips give you some things to think about. Have great events. You can do it!

Based out of NYC, DJ Brian B is a successful internationally traveling DJ/MC specializing in luxury private events. He runs a multi‐city mobile DJ/event business with offices in Southern California, Destin, FL and New York City. You can check him out at djbrianbofficial.com or bboyproductions.com

Introducing… Serato Sample!!!

New from Serato – Serato Sample – a high-quality production plugin that makes sampling fast, simple and fun. Key features include the ability to quickly find, chop, key-shift and time-stretch samples, all with studio-grade sound using the power of Pitch ‘n Time.

At its core, Serato Sample is a beatmaking tool designed to get your ideas out quick. “During our R&D phase we found a real demand for something that allows producers to find and play around with samples without hassle,” says Nick Maclaren, Head of Strategy at Serato. “The result is a fully-featured tool that produces great sound and offers an intuitive, uninterrupted workflow.”

The plugin has already garnered praise from DJ Dahi, long-time Kendrick Lamar collaborator and Damn producer. This legendary beatmaker likened its ‘find samples’ modes to old-school sampling methods like popping a needle along a record. “We wanted to set producers up for those happy accidents – often the most enjoyable part of making music,” says Maclaren. “There’s a lot of features in Sample that help you discover entirely new parts of a track you may never have found otherwise.

Sample is integrated with Serato’s original production plugin, Pitch ‘n Time. Adding this technology allows producers to manipulate samples freely (like adjusting the BPM from 1, all the way up to 999), without losing audio quality. “Pitch ‘n Time is almost 20 years old and is still the industry standard for pitch-shifting and time-stretching”, says Maclaren. “To have this tech in a $99 plugin is amazing value.”

Serato Sample is now available for download, including a free 30 day trial. Anyone who downloads will gain access to a bank of free Loopmasters sample packs, and in-depth tutorials.

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Change samples beyond recognition

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Trigger your Cue Points with monophonic playback like Serato DJ. Or you can use polyphonic playback to play chords and drum patterns.

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About Serato

Serato makes audio software for music lovers worldwide. In 1999 Serato launched with Pitch ‘n Time, still the world’s foremost studio plugin for time-stretching and pitch-shifting technology. On the strength of Pitch ‘n Time, Serato moved into the DJ industry, changing
the game with the release of Serato Scratch Live, and later Serato DJ and Serato DJ Intro.

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Is your first impression the RIGHT impression?

By Mitch Taylor:

Recently I was about to order breakfast at a hotel restaurant and was shocked to see that a three-egg omelet was $20.00. While at first I was thinking of turning around and going across the street to McDonald’s, I decided to continue.

Why? Everything about this restaurant spoke FIRST CLASS: The surroundings were impeccable. The waiter was extremely polite and cordial, asking us how quick we had to make it to our next event in the morning. The menu had souffléés and other high-end options with top ingredients listed in their offerings. I thought to myself “Let’s see what a $20 omelet tastes like.”

Our food came and it was absolutely phenomenal. The eggs were fluffy, the vegetables were not too over or undercooked. The meat was perfectly seasoned and tender. The cheese was melted just enough to pull in all of the flavors of the omelet together.

What does this experience have to do with you? Everything. What’s your presentation? Look at all of your service offerings and see if they are congruent. Does your website match the level of service you offer? Think like a bride or better yet, create a focus group from your past brides. How? Ask them. Most brides would LOVE to put themselves back into wedding planning mode even if it’s just for a few hours.

Once you have your focus group, ask them to rate upcoming marketing materials you plan to put out to put all of your services in order of preference with regards to quality and appearance. See what resonates with them and what doesn’t. Take care of the brides you surveyed afterwards by giving them each a gift card to their favorite restaurant. Trust me, it may seem a bit much to money to spend on research but in the long run it will be worth that and more because you will have your target customers (past brides) review your materials and give you valuable insight as to what they liked and what they didn’t.

Next: Do your marketing materials (business card, website, brochure, bridal show display) equal where you are at in your marketplace? If not you may be sending the wrong message. For example, if you are the highest priced entertainer in your market but your bridal show booth involves you standing behind it or worse yet just having brides fill out a slip without any engagement, then you are not sending the right message and brides will get confused as to why you are priced at the top of the market. As a recent bride told me at a bridal show when watching a DJ perform there “I don’t know why they bring third rate equipment to sell to first rate brides.”

Everything you do and offer makes an impression. Someone is always watching you when you are servicing the public. Always make sure to put your best foot forward and ensure your marketing stays congruent with the level of service you are providing.

Mitch Taylor has worked in the Mobile Disc Jockey industry for over two decades, first cutting his teeth as an on-board club DJ for Carnival Cruise Lines. In addition to owning and operating Taylored Weddings in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, he is a sought-after speaker and Gitomer Certified Advisor whose sales training, books, coaching and workshops are in high demand all over the country.

5 Tips To Guarantee A Great Event

By Brian Buonassissi

I know this seems like quite the guarantee, but for years I have lived by these 5 tips and I can’t remember the last bad event I had. If you don’t do these five things you put yourself behind the eight ball. Since I do a ton of weddings, I’m going to tailor this post towards that, but it could really work for any private event.

Tip #1: I WANNA KNOW, I WANNA KNOW… Doing your homework before the event is critical. I could spend hours on this one tip. What I mean here is that you need to know everything you possibly can about the event (which means asking a ton of the right questions) — where your clients and their guests are from, make‐up of their crowd (college friends? first time both sides of the family are meeting?), what your clients like/dislike about weddings they’ve seen/been to, a site inspection of the venue, the hot buttons of the vendors you’re working with, equipment you’re using, and the music/mixes you’re going to play are all just a few of the many questions I ask. For the last one, I don’t necessarily mean come in with a prepared set-list, but never play a mix of a song (or any song in general) that you’ve never heard or played before. That used to burn me in my early DJing days more than I care to admit.

Tip #2: BACK THAT THANG UP… I can’t emphasize enough how important multiple backups are: I have all my formality tracks on 3 different backups (iPad, Phone, and thumb drive); I carry a duplicate external hard drive with all my music; I travel with 2 computers. I am over the top on this on so many levels. You don’t get a do‐over for private events (especially weddings). Having as many fail‐safes as possible is just smart business. It’s not a matter of ‘if’ but ‘when’ you will need to use one.

As I like to say, the event is often won or lost before you arrive.

Tip #3: BUT I’M ALWAYS ON TIME… This is about giving yourself a wide margin for error. By getting to the venue on time, I mean get there early – WAYYYY early (for me, I arrive a minimum of 4‐5 hours before the event). From not having to rush on set‐ up, to being able to test and check all gear, to rehearsing your important moments, playing through every formality track in its entirely, to putting your event planner/Maître D’ (and potentially the clients) at ease, this is just a best practice.

Tip #4: WORK, WORK, WORK, WORK WORK… In a perfect world, I would just mix my favorite tracks and the dance floor would be packed all night. Since we’re talking weddings, the dance floor would start during cocktail hour and it would be hard for them to stay seated for the meal because the music is that good. That happens at a lot of my events but not ALL of them. I have had a few tough ones. Sometimes it means I must go to a genre that I don’t particularly like or I may even have to go into cheese mode (assuming the client wants it). I never let my personal preference take precedence over what’s best for the event. I’ll keep grinding and do whatever it takes until I find the right formula for my crowd.

Tip #5: P P P POKER FACE, P P P POKER FACE… Playing off the tip above, let’s say your event is going terrible. Maybe your crowd is just a non‐dancing crowd or you just can’t seem to please anyone with the song selection. You’ve put in a ton of work but it’s just not happening. What’s the remedy? Smile and look confident – like you know exactly what you’re doing and that you meant for it to be like this. Never let the crowd know you’re struggling. Show that poker face. Make them believe you’re having a great time (even if it’s killing you inside) and often, it’ll get them out there. If nothing else, I’ve found it makes me feel better about the event at hand.

I’m going to post a Part 2 to this because there are many more things that I believe can ensure a great event. The ones above are the foundation. Follow them and you’re on your way to success.

What happened to Opening DJs?

By Tony Fernandez

Another year has passed and with the New Year is upon us it’s time to reflect. As I look back on the past year and forward into next year, I had a thought strike me: Where are the opening DJs?

Now before we get too deep into this thread, hear me out. This may seem like more of a club DJ thing, but you mobile DJs need to stick around. I read posts all the time about tandem mobile DJs, DJs-in-training, new DJs looking to get some live experience – an opening DJ slot is a great way to take things to the next level.

What exactly is an opening DJ? An opening DJ is a VERY important role in the grand scheme of how a night is going to roll out. It’s a very specialized skill.

Your job as an opening DJ is to set the table, as it were. You’re setting the tone for the night. You’re like the first stage of a rocket heading into orbit… if you don’t do your job right, no one is going anywhere.

The internet has been a great source in reading (horror) stories about opening DJs and their folly. DJs that play inappropriate tracks, DJs that play tracks at 10:30 that should be played at 12:30. DJs that don’t know how to read a room. DJs that are not well versed in the subtlety of programming and set building.

There’s no doubt that going from gig to gig, events are different. But the role of the opening DJ stays pretty constant. This is a GREAT opportunity to learn and hone your song programming and crowd reading skills. You can test, try out, experiment, and probe. You can build on your skill set and improve on that skill set.

Your role isn’t to supersede or usurp the DJ coming on after you. By all means, do your best, take the moment to shine, and make it your own. However, as an opener, you’re not the focus of the night. Do your job, know your role, whet your skills, and you’ll be surprised how you can succeed.

Keep on spinning.

Based out of Richmond, VA, DJ Tony Fernandez has been a DJ, Remixer, Producer, Musical Soothsayer and Audio Gear Oracle since 1980. Find him on facebook. Email djtonytf@gmail.com

Tips To Being A Traveling Destination Event DJ

By Brian Buonassissi

People ask me all the time, “How do you get into the destination event DJ business?” usually followed by “How do you make money doing so?”. Both are great questions and I’ll do my best to unpack some tips I’ve learned along the way (some of which weren’t available to me when I started).

Tip #1: NETWORK STRATEGICALLY…

It doesn’t matter what business you are in, networking is essential. But when it comes to destination work, you find that 99.9% of destination clients have destination event planners. How do you find the planners that fit your ideal clientele? Utilize social media! For events, the best platform is Instagram. Search hashtags of areas you want to target such as #hawaiiwedding or a more generic term like #destinationevent. Then without being a stalker, follow and comment on vendor posts that make sense. I’ve booked more business on Instagram this year than in any year prior (I predict it will outpace my website bookings soon). Once the event happens, utilize Instagram again to showcase your work there (with appropriate hashtags) and tag the vendors. Then blog about it (great for SEO).

Tip #2: CONTROL COSTS…

With music going digital, this has made travel events much easier. Most people don’t know this but Guitar Center rents gear and it’s affordable! I rented 2 speakers/stands, a lapel mic and cables for about $100. That’s an insane deal! I have a few different hardware controller options (different sizes/etc.) that I carry-on with me on a plane. Flights, transportation, and accommodations are typically the biggest cost you have – utilize travel websites and apps (message me for specific ones). When I wanted to expand to NYC, I would do an event and not even book a hotel room; just hang out in the City after the event and take the redeye or first early flight the next morning to save costs. Uber and AIRBNB give you many affordable options.

Tip #3: QUOTE WITH ACCURACY AND FLEXIBLITY…

I quote in 2 ways – the first is a buyout for travel (does not include performance fee). Depending on where you go, this can range anywhere from $500-5000 and I include all my travel costs and gear. The 2nd way is to line-item it. With that 2nd option, I give them the option to book transportation/hotel or include as a line item. Most of the time, they have a block on rooms with a minimum and it helps the client to have you on that block. They also may have a transportation option for their guests/vendors to get to hotel/venue. The key is to give your client options. Some love the buyout; others are numbers people and like exact breakdowns. The more flexible you can be, the more jobs you’ll book.

Tip #4: USE TRAVEL AIDS…

When you’re just starting out, as mentioned above, you want to keep costs low. However, there is value for you to using the same services. For instance, Delta is my airline. I use them for just about everything and I acquire points/mileage. Avis is my preferred car rental and so on. As you book more destination events, this tip becomes more useful.

Tip #5: DELIVER THE WOW PERFORMANCE…

I put it last but without this, none of the other stuff maters; you’ll be a “one and done” destination event DJ. One thing I always do is to infuse the performance musically with some of the cultural feel of the location. If I’m in LA, I’m playing some West Coast Hip Hop; in NOLA, I’m adding some Zydeco; in Chi-town I’m dropping some house and “Homecoming”. In Jamaica, you know I’m mixing some Bob Marley. Research the area and know what works there AND with your crowd.

Based out of NYC, DJ Brian B is a successful internationally traveling private event DJ/MC. He runs a multi-city mobile DJ/event business with offices in Orange County, Calif, Destin, FL and New York City. You can check him out at djbrianbofficial.com or bboyproductions.com

5 Must-Have Apps That Have Made Me More Money

By Brian Buonassissi:

As a small business owner, I’m all about finding the best way to maximize my time and my revenue. Thanks to ever-evolving technology, I’ve come across a few things that have allowed me to both gain some “time back,” without having to hire someone, and make more money along the way.

In no particular order:

TINY CALENDAR

This is an app that syncs with Google Calendar. Google’s calendar app is not user-friendly so I prefer this app instead. I have all of our employees on it and we share our calendars with one another so when we need to schedule meetings, etc., we can manage it all very easily without having to e‐mail, call or text repeatedly. It also keeps me personally organized. With everything being stored online, I never have to worry about losing a paper calendar, journal, etc. I use the free version and it suits my needs perfectly. They have a pro version that you can get if you need it.

WUNDERLIST

This free app is amazing! It’s a to-do list. You can have as many to-do’s as you want and since I have 30 or so employees, I can easily assign tasks, etc. You can also use this online from a computer rather than your phone, if need be. I have multiple lists going and it is a perfect complement to Tiny Calendar.

SLACK

I wanted to find a communication tool that allowed my team and I to communicate easily without having to do so through e‐mail on everything. Enter Slack. I use the free version and it was a game changer for my business. The standalone app is fantastic but also has a desktop app for those who stare at a computer screen all day. If you are a multi‐op, this is a MUST for you and my #1 recommendation.

HOOTSUITE

Wanna be a social media ninja without having to stay online all day? This will manage all of your social media content and will allow you to pre‐schedule posts on all the major social networks. I usually schedule all of mine for a week prior. If something needs to be added last minute, I can jump in and post via the social network of choice. I use the free plan with this as well. To date, this has saved me from having to find a social media person and makes it appear as if I post regularly.

LIVECHAT

This is one the paid service I use. This is a stand‐alone app and works with just about every website type out there. It’s a sales tool and you can capture leads immediately. If you aren’t using this, you need to start. You can turn it on/off at any time. I’ve booked too many shows to count with this service.

These are my Top 5. What about you? Are you using something not on this list?

Based out of NYC, DJ Brian B is a successful internationally traveling private event DJ/MC. He runs a multi‐city mobile DJ/event business with offices in Orange County, Calif, Destin, FL and New York City. You can check him out at djbrianbofficial.com or bboyproductions.com

Two Ways & Two Words to be More “Able”

By Mitch Taylor:

“Are you able?” When one hears that question, they may wonder immediately if they are “able-bodied.” Or they may think of someone asking them to do something and if they can fit it into their busy schedule or not. Those are good thoughts, but I would encourage you to start thinking of “able” in a different context.

Personable

Are you personable? Do your actions or words resonate with people? How do you move people emotionally? How can you ensure you are more personable with those you come into contact with on a daily basis?

Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of how to connect with someone and be more personable.

What are the 2 most important words in connecting? What might you say to become more personable? What words you can use to draw out what is most important to someone?

Really…and?

People love to share stories. When you use the 2 most important words in connecting you genuinely become interested. You want to know more. You gain a deeper level of connection because the person speaking feels engaged and they will go on with their story in greater detail, sharing more intimate details of the situation and providing you with a greater opportunity to connect on a different subject matter or in a different way.

Memorable

Empathy equals excellence. You create connection when you create an emotional experience for your potential client. How do you that? How can you ensure that you’ll stay memorable with that person? How can you guarantee that they think about you long after you part ways?

Here’s one idea: Hand a card to your clients at end of the sales meeting. This card is good for FREE (insert low cost/high value offer here) when you use the hashtag #InsertYourCompanyHashtagHere and post about your wedding on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Third party advertising is huge and a great way to boost your reach in a market.

Remember: People respond best to a unique advantage. In order to capitalize on your unique advantage you must be personable and memorable in every point of contact you may have with someone. The better prepared you are the more effective and enjoyable the experience can be.

Mixing as a DJ

By: Tony Fernandez

First, a DJ must have a passion about music. That’s what usually gets us going down the path of becoming a DJ: a love of music. Along the way we learn programming matters. We figure out that if you line up certain songs in a certain way, you have great crowd responses. We learn to read a crowd; another skill that once developed is indispensable in being able to command a floor / room.

Which brings us to an often-overlooked skill set every DJ should have in their arsenal: mixing (and to a little venting about those DJs who, sadly, couldn’t care less about it).

I believe mixing is something intrinsic to being DJ, a skill so fundamental, so integral, so elementary, and so organic (I’ll lay off the thesaurus now…) that I can’t fathom being a DJ without the ability to blend songs together. Why would anyone shun the ability to make themselves better, make their work better, and to set themselves apart from other DJs?

Mixing allows for a smooth, harmonious and melodious transition from one song to another. Mixing ensures there’s no “dead air” from song to song. Mixing grants your floor / crowd an uninterrupted progression of the musical journey you’re working so hard to create.

Do you want to represent yourself in the best possible way and let the music / mixing speak for your endeavors? Would you rather sound like a bunch of sneakers in the washing machine, or worse — like the local Clear Channel radio station? (Yes, I know Clear Channel is a thing of the past. That’s why I used that name. My lawyers said it was kosher.)

I once had a gentleman point out to me the “history” of DJing, going back to the 1930s. He mentioned prominent names and cited historical dates as hallmarks to bolster his position that these early pioneers were perfect examples of why it wasn’t necessary to concern ourselves with a trivial 3-5 seconds of meshed music.

Well, that is all well and good, but doesn’t mean squat. With all due respect to those pioneers, mobile DJs and club DJs aren’t partying like it’s 1929; today those “deejays” would be called radio personalities. I’ll acquiesce that I can’t do what they can do. I also say with 110% certainty, most radio personalities can’t do what today’s DJs can do.

I’ll challenge ANY DJ to pick 10 songs, that’s 9 segues.

Test A: Don’t mix a lick. Blend, don’t blend, and try to avoid having 4 out of 9 of those segues sound like straight up train wrecks that would have even Marlee Matlin grimacing.

Test B: Mix the tracks in a linear, harmonious fashion.

Then tell me how the floor reacts to each test.
I’m not a betting man, but I’ll lay heavy money the people in Test B are going to have a better experience than the people in Test A.

My point in all this: Learn your craft. Get your fundamentals down pat. If you don’t know how to mix, learn. It’s not that difficult. If I can do it, you can do it. You don’t have to be the Michael Jordan of mixing. Kevin McHale had a Hall of fame career off the bench.

Any mixing is better than no mixing, kinda like sex. Something simple, clean, quick and musical. It doesn’t take much. If you’re not mixing, you’re not DJing (yeah I said it.) Heck, there are apps on your phone that can mix.

There’s no excuse for a professional DJ not to mix. That’s what the Sync button is for.

Now go out there and learn something.

Based out of Richmond, VA, DJ Tony Fernandez has been a DJ, Remixer, Producer, Musical Soothsayer and Audio Gear Oracle since 1980. Find him on facebook. Email djtonytf@gmail.com

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