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You are here: Home / DJing

How To Become A DJ (Step-by-Step Guide To Success)

August 10, 2017 By Camila 43 Comments

How to Become a DJ4 steps.

Sounds simple, right?

And it is simple, but it’s not easy.

Step 1 takes money (or a generous friend with the right equipment).

Steps 2-4 take incredible amounts of dedication and perseverance.

Anyone can be a DJ. It’s easy.

Becoming a successful DJ is much harder.

If you’re willing to put in the work, these steps will get you there:

  • Step 1: Best DJ Setups For Beginners
  • Step 2: Lean how to DJ
  • Step 3: Get your first gig
  • Step 4: Grow your DJ career

Like Reading? Here’s more…

Some people want to get started on something right away; others (like me, unfortunately) prefer to read more and put off getting to work.

For those people, I’ve written everything below. But know this: every important piece of information on this page is also repeated in one of the 4 steps. You should really just get started….

Table of Contents

  • 1 How To Become A DJ
    • 1.1 1. Get Only The Equipment You Actually Need
    • 1.2 2. Learning The Skills
    • 1.3 3. Land Your First Gig
    • 1.4 4. Grow Your Career
  • 2 Becoming A DJ: Final Thoughts

 

How To Become A DJ

So you’ve chosen to read more…I’ll start by repeating this: becoming a DJ is easy; becoming a professional DJ who earns enough to live comfortably is monumentally difficult. You’ll start out working a lot of crappy gigs for very little money, if you get paid at all. Or even work at all.

If you don’t absolutely love what you do, it is highly unlikely you’ll have the drive to continue doing it through the hard times. But if you love it, DJing is the greatest job in the world.

Follow this 4-step guide on how to become a DJ and put in the work and you will be one of those lucky few who make a living doing what they love.

 

1. Get Only The Equipment You Actually Need

You can’t be a DJ without the proper equipment. Unfortunately, that equipment is expensive, which is why I recommend you hold off on purchasing anything until you absolutely have to.

If you have access to DJ equipment to use for practice, take advantage. I’ve seen too many people run out and blow a ton of cash on gear only to discover a few weeks later that DJing isn’t really for them. Then they end up selling their equipment at a huge loss.

You also want to make sure you know exactly what you need before buying anything. If you don’t know the difference between a mixer and a controller, for example, then you should probably hold off on buying anything for now.

Whether you don’t have access to DJ equipment or you’ve been practicing for a while and you know without a doubt you’re ready to buy your own, eventually the time comes where you need to spend some cash.

Some of you may already know exactly what you want and need, but if you don’t, I break down the best DJ setups for beginners here.

 

2. Learning The Skills

If you know an established DJ who is willing to take you under their wing, then you’re set; that’s the best way to learn. Attending a DJ school can also get you access to a professional, but schools aren’t cheap. Most aspiring DJs will have to learn on their own.

I taught myself, as did probably the majority of professional DJs. And many of them will insist it’s the only way to become a DJ. I’m not personally opposed to paying someone to teach you, but not everyone can afford it—I certainly couldn’t when I was starting out. You can get started right now, and just listen to the way professional DJs mix tracks.

If you plan on learning on your own, you’re actually much better off than most current DJs were five or ten years ago: these days, there are a large number of resources available to help you speed up the learning process considerably and a lot of new technology is now much more affordable, like mixing software.

This is great news, if you want to play gigs as soon as possible. Of course, most of the best online lessons and resources are not free, but they cost far less than traditional lessons and there are actually some really good resources available for free as well.

The page on learning how to DJ lists some of the better resources and lessons available online, both free and paid.

 

3. Land Your First Gig

So you’ve got your equipment and you’ve learned how to use it. You’ve been practicing every day and your mixes sound great. You’ve even played your cousin’s 8th birthday party and totally stole the show from Binky the clown.

Unfortunately, that is currently the highlight of your DJ career. You need some real gigs—preferably ones that give you money because I’m guessing you enjoy eating several times a day and sleeping indoors.

If you follow the simple step-by-step guide in this section, you will get that all-important first booking. The guide is simple in that the steps are easy to follow; it’s not simple in terms of work. It will require a lot of hustling.

You’re going to have to market yourself and you’ll need to do some networking. There’s no way around this unless you already know the right people. Luckily, social media and other digital tools make this much easier than it used to be.

Anyone who tells you otherwise, is lying or already knew the right people when they were getting started. You’ll also want to create your own DJ website. Follow the steps here and it’ll be surprisingly easy.

If you hate the idea of promoting yourself and just want to play your music, that’s fine. Do it as a hobby. If you want to become a professional DJ, you absolutely have to market yourself.

In fact, you’ll have to spend more time on that than on actually playing music. That’s just the way it is. I don’t like it either, but it beats the alternative: a real job. So read the guide and implement the steps!

 

4. Grow Your Career

Now that you’ve gotten over the hump and have played that all-important first gig, it’s time to think about your long-term career. That’s right, the hard work is far from over; it’s only just begun.

Getting more gigs, actually drawing a crowd, and then scoring larger gigs, will involve a lot of marketing and I know how much most of us hate marketing.

Unfortunately, marketing is absolutely vital. All the top DJs are on top because they know how to sell themselves. You need to sell yourself, too. It’s the only way to gain a loyal audience.

If you follow my tips in this section and put in the necessary work—hard work and a lot of it—you, too, will succeed in this industry and become a DJ. A successful one!

 

Becoming A DJ: Final Thoughts

There you have it. Sounds simple enough, right? And it is simple!

But it’s not easy. It takes a ton of hard work and perseverance. But if you keep at it and work your ass off, you will be able to earn a living as a DJ. And not many people get to make money doing something they truly love.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. jad khazen says

    May 20, 2017 at 05:56

    so i borrowed the pioneer XDJ-AERO and i’m wondering if it’s a good set to begin djying with.

    Reply
    • Camila says

      May 24, 2017 at 08:18

      Yeah, why not. Anything’s fine when you’re starting out and short on cash.

      Reply
  2. Presh says

    March 11, 2017 at 12:09

    Hello…pls what is d best way to approach a dj so he can take u under his wing…
    i know quite a no. of djs now(they dont know me) buh i want to approach one 2 take me in…pls hw can i do dat

    Reply
    • Camila says

      March 12, 2017 at 12:25

      I’d just strike up a conversation with a bunch of DJs until you meet one you get along well with. Then there’s a good chance you’ll end up becoming friends and he or she will be willing to help you out.

      Reply
      • DJSpecX says

        March 27, 2017 at 00:01

        My friend and i are becoming dj’s beacuse we like music

        Reply
        • Camila says

          March 29, 2017 at 09:04

          That’s as good a reason as any. I hope you succeed!

          Reply
  3. Tjee says

    February 22, 2017 at 08:27

    Sir I’m young and I want to be a professional dj so give me some idea’s for starting my career

    Reply
    • Camila says

      February 22, 2017 at 09:48

      Read this guide. All the info is here.

      Reply
  4. Smorr gee says

    February 20, 2017 at 06:15

    Have always wish to be a dj,but i never want to do it because i see anyone doing it,have just get a real passion for it. Now my question is that what does it take to be a successfull dj most expecially when you dont have money

    Reply
    • Camila says

      February 20, 2017 at 06:59

      Read this guide. I had it written to answer this exact question.

      Reply
  5. NST says

    February 11, 2017 at 01:35

    Hey!!
    I’m a beginner..I really dont know the basics on how to DJ..so is that really necessary to go n buy the instrument without any basics or else to come up with some basics..and last question..I’m 20 now,when I once saw Garrix’s performance I was gone mad cause he s jsz 20 n he s turning the world crazy and I really felt like where am i..one thing which always pull me to start djing is because of my age..I feel like I’m bit late to start this…so can u help me through this feeling

    Reply
    • Camila says

      February 11, 2017 at 10:20

      A lot of DJs start later than you. Age doesn’t matter. What matters is drive and perseverance. And no, you don’t need to buy equipment at first, if you can find some you can borrow.

      Reply
  6. Captain k says

    January 23, 2017 at 16:30

    Lol

    Reply
  7. igster6694 says

    January 18, 2017 at 01:11

    ok thanks bro

    Reply
  8. igster6694 says

    January 13, 2017 at 04:50

    hey camila so i am going to start djing and i have been trying to find equipment
    and i dont know what to use to produce music

    Reply
    • Camila says

      January 14, 2017 at 22:28

      I really like Mixcraft Pro Studio 7. You can check it out on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2gX1vAw

      Reply
  9. DjStargod says

    January 4, 2017 at 23:03

    i am a 14 year old from India inspired to become a dj. i dont have money to buy me the equipment but i use my phone to dj. is it ok to dj using a phone??

    Reply
    • Camila says

      January 4, 2017 at 23:28

      Sure, why not? If it works, then go for it. It’s actually pretty great that you can do that. When I was 14, smartphones did not exist and I’ll be honest, I hadn’t even thought to use one for DJing until I read your comment.

      The truth is, most of us start with no money and the cheapest equipment we can get. Once you start having some success, you will be able to upgrade. And you’re younger than most, so you’re getting a great head start. Good luck!

      Reply
  10. Ian says

    January 1, 2017 at 20:37

    Hey Camila, can give some advice about self confidence. I actually wanted to perform on stage as a DJ. I mean I have da skills but not not the bravery to do so

    Reply
    • Camila says

      January 2, 2017 at 00:41

      This is a tough one to overcome. I was also shy when I first started and it definitely made things more difficult. I drank a lot, but that is probably the worst thing you can do. I’ve seen ads for online courses on building self-confidence, but I don’t remember that they were called and I don’t know if they’re any good.

      Maybe you could perform while wearing some kind of disguise. It could even become your calling card.

      Reply
  11. Pedro Cruz says

    December 8, 2016 at 03:14

    Guys everything he is saying in this article is pretty much right. I been a DJ 6 years now. I’m 23 and loving it. One thing I like that you put was if your shy do start. Wait til you break the shyness away. I can tell you how many beginners DJs I’ve seen that were shy when doing an event.

    Reply
    • Camila says

      December 10, 2016 at 00:57

      Yeah, shyness is something that hurts you in pretty much anything you do in life, including DJing. And it’s not an easy thing to get past either. I was painfully shy through high school and into college and really struggled to get past that. But once I did, everything changed for the better.

      Reply
  12. anasa says

    December 4, 2016 at 11:08

    i want to become dj so i can remix song like the djs

    Reply
    • Camila says

      December 10, 2016 at 00:58

      You can do it! The first step is to just get started.

      Reply
  13. john mark jacalan says

    December 3, 2016 at 08:42

    I want to be dj…..because i like a dj music

    Reply
    • Camila says

      December 4, 2016 at 02:24

      That’s as good a reason as any…..the best thing you can do is just get started!

      Reply
  14. kamohelo says

    December 1, 2016 at 11:28

    i would love to become a dj like black coffee but i dont want to use the same songs he uses

    Reply
    • Camila says

      December 1, 2016 at 21:11

      That seems like an easy enough problem to solve: just use the songs you want to use.

      Reply
  15. Alex Angelone says

    November 7, 2016 at 13:12

    Hopefully i can buy someones equipment from one of those huge loses! I currently run my own business and i understand it is all about building relationships and taking risks. Becoming a DJ has been a dream of mine. This article has helped tremendously!

    Reply
    • Camila says

      November 10, 2016 at 05:20

      I’m glad my article helped you out and wish you good luck in becoming a DJ. You can do it!

      Reply
  16. Kay says

    October 27, 2016 at 13:18

    I currently don’t know anyone that is a dj or know a dj right now. How can I get to know some to start learning dj-ing? THank you Camila.

    Reply
    • Camila says

      October 28, 2016 at 23:02

      It’s not easy, but the best way is to go to the same club a lot and get to know everyone who works there. Eventually you will get to know the DJs, too. If they like you, they’ll probably be willing to help you out.

      Reply
  17. Jcraw says

    October 27, 2016 at 01:40

    one other thing can u be a young DJ

    Reply
    • Camila says

      October 28, 2016 at 23:03

      Sure, most DJs start out when they’re young.

      Reply
  18. Jcraw says

    October 27, 2016 at 01:20

    I’m young and i want to be a Dj like marshmello but i dont what type of music he makes and what equipment he uses. I just need help with that.

    Reply
    • Camila says

      October 28, 2016 at 23:05

      I don’t know much about Marshmello either. He’s probably got a website though. I’d start there. If you don’t find the info you’re looking for, get the contact info and ask.

      Reply
  19. arya says

    October 14, 2016 at 20:00

    sir is it compusory to learn to play the keyboard as it is the main instrument for producing new music?

    Reply
    • Camila says

      October 16, 2016 at 21:48

      I wouldn’t say it’s necessary, but it would certainly help. It really depends on the type of music you want to create.

      Reply
  20. A.j says

    September 27, 2016 at 23:57

    Sir,
    What kind of equipments?? Like DJ controller or native instruments or something else??

    Reply
    • Camila says

      September 30, 2016 at 03:24

      We cover some of the equipment you might need on the DJ equipment page: https://musicaroo.com/dj-setups-for-beginners/

      Reply
    • john mark jacalan says

      December 3, 2016 at 08:39

      I want to be a dj

      Reply
  21. Rahul says

    September 19, 2016 at 02:53

    Thank you sir. But I can any work for earning mony during the practice?

    Reply
    • Camila says

      September 21, 2016 at 01:26

      If you need money while practicing, you may have to get a part-time job outside of DJing.

      If you’re already good enough to play simple gigs, start with things like birthday parties, weddings, etc. Sometimes fraternities hire DJs for their parties, if you’re in a college town.

      Reply

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