"All the gear, no idea?", residencies & dealing with requests // Podcast

[@digitaldjtips]

TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Intro 00:14 Episode overview 01:03 I own too much DJ gear! What's next? 09:48 How can I access exclusive DJ promos? 15:41 Tips for organising house music events? 20:08 Best way to manage gig requests? 26:23 Which DJ gear features are worth the upgrade? 32:17 Do I need insurance and licensing as a mobile DJ? 38:49 What should I expect from my first DJ residency?

[@jackmercer4244]

"All dressed up and nowhere to go" as we used to say. This reminds me of a friend of mine. He a splurged on a big set of tools, complete with a fancy rolling metal tool chest. He's not even the type get under the hood of a car. One night, after midnight, he asked me to come over and help him install new fog lights on his car. I thought it would a delight to use his unused fancy brand tool set, but when it came time to tighten the fog light's nuts, he didn't have the right size because his tool set was imperial measurement, and there was no way to fit an adjustable wrench. Face Palm. Everything was closed at that time. The sensible thing to do is to only buy tools that you need for a particular job, and you will eventually accumulate a big set of commonly used tools in commonly used sizes. I was a Datsun 510 man in the 80's, and I found from experience, that Datsun used just hand full of metric size crescent wrenches. Maybe Honda cars use different sizes but I think all Japanese car engineers had all agreed long ago on a standard of what tools would be required to repair all Japanese cars. My point is, don't throw money at your projects. Take one step at a time to avoid unnecessary spending. Well, we were both young. The only difference was he had money to burn, I didn't. lol

[@jackmercer4244]

BTW, the tool set brand was Craftsman. Professionals would say that Craftsman is ghetto fancy, at best. Well, it's Made in America, and they also warrantee all tools that failed under normal use, IIRC. They are certainly way better than what I ever had, a bunch no name crap from China lol.

[@digitaldjtips]

It’s good advice

[@isaiahfurrow7414]

I don't get to participate in the live, but I definitely do appreciate these being posted to watch afterwards. I have been a fan and follower, and student, for quite a long time, and I love what DDJT has done for the DJ community. My Mobile business has really suffered since the start of 2020, and I haven't put a lot of time or energy into it in the last 4 years, but that is one of my goals going into the end of 2024 and starting into 2025, I plan to spend more time and energy practicing, curating my collection , and building things back to where they were in 2019 or even beyond that. I wish everyone the best on their musical journey in the coming year. Cheers!

[@digitaldjtips]

I’m glad you can tune in for the recordings

[@SherwinBajao]

All caught up again. Now time to watch the Live videos.

[@digitaldjtips]

Enjoy!

[@dj-peterofficial2753]

Fees for DJ's... We have always been allowed to make and use copy's of our own media, but in Sweden we also have a so called cassette-tax/fee. It stems back to when people made a copy from vinyl to a cassette, hence the name, and a small fee was added to every sold cassette going straight into the music industri. This allowed you to make a copy of your own or a relatives/friends record legally. The number of relatives/friends are not defined :) . It was basically forgotten when digital copying started and when the music industri certainly, but also the movie makers, realized that it was possible to make a perfect copy of any digital production, the cassette -tax was redefined to cover every digital recordable item. No exceptions. This means every sold, USB, SSD, HDD, CD-R, DVD-R, Mini-Disc... even those that comes with already assembled laptops, phones, pads and game consoles. This fee is on every sold storage item in Sweden. You can get an exception from the fee if you run a business, and apply for it every time you buy storage, and can prove that you will only use the storage for your own made content. As most people don't even know about the fee, and the hustle to avoid it cost too much in work, no one ask for that fee back. The organisation that represent the music/movie makers that get all this money don't have any obligations to declare how much money they get or how they are used/distributed, and this was also some kind of compensation for the times of Napster and Pirate Bay and digital piracy was at it's high. Now when that is mostly sorted, they probably don't want a new discussion about the tax, or fee as it has nothing to do with the state, in case they would lose the right to use it. I mean, they do get millions upon millions every year without lifting a finger... For us DJ's this means no one bothers us about where we get our music or if we have a copy of our own media of a friend, unless it's played in public places. It is for privat use only, but in the soon 40 years I have been DJ, I've never heard of anyone being bothered using physical media. In Sweden I should say the risk is higher using streaming services. As in most other countries, the venue pay for the license to play music whether it's radio, DJ or live.

[@digitaldjtips]

It certainly is a complicated area. And of course, as you say, streaming services have made it even more complicated.

[@OfficialDJWolve]

20:08 "I'll see what I can do." Simple, straight to the point, and no promises made, no disappointment, and covers your backside! 👍

[@digitaldjtips]

Yes!

[@usenamenotallowed]

"I'll see if I have it." What if the request is accompanied by a nice tip?

[@chuckmakesit]

For the fellow after a specific unreleased track. Try politely messaging the artist if they're not a huge name. They may be willing to share the track with you directly. Larger artists do have to worry about leaks, but many smaller producers are happy to get their music out there. May not work, but worth a shot.

[@digitaldjtips]

This is a great tip and it's worked for me in the past as well. Thank you for sharing, Chuck.

[@Petrichor_1981]

A wild guess is that some new update is about to happen for prime 4+ (engine dj) I see it in the background on your desk :P

[@digitaldjtips]

Only time will tell!

[@RisforRexxy]

Had the DDJ FLX4 for around 2 years, just played a set with it with around 200 people and it was great. Though the delay in using a laptop is starting to show and I want to start mixing dnb with 4 channels. Do you think the prime 4+ is a good upgrade as I want to start moving around and having a ready built quality dj system that's ready for anything?

[@digitaldjtips]

Yes, the Prime 4+ is a good standalone, but the thing is, you're used to using Rekordbox software. So for that reason, you should consider a Rekordbox unit instead, such as the new XDJ-AZ. If you're happy to switch software and switch to a completely new system, then the Prime 4+ is a good choice.

[@RisforRexxy]

@digitaldjtips I'm pretty tech savvy so I'm used to switching softwares, also I have a load of gripes with using rekordbox on a gaming laptop that wasn't really built for DJing. Also safe to say that the AZ is wayyyyyy out of budget (prime 4+ at 89k baht compared to 130k baht for AZ is a 41k baht difference which is like an extra 2 lc6000s)

[@davebowman1982]

I didn't know you were the Tangled promoter. Legendary Manchester night 🙌🏻

[@digitaldjtips]

More importantly, resident DJ for 15 years, Dave. Fantastic years.

[@madly909]

❤

[@evilsohn]

38:49 This whole time I was thinking how this would all play out here in Germany with Gema… the same year I stopped DJing publicly about 18 years ago, the whole license deal with „ripping your own CDs“ got way out of hand over here and now I‘m too daunted by it to pursue going back to trying my hand at public gigs. 😞

[@digitaldjtips]

The best thing to do is always ask other DJs in your locality because they know the truth on the ground.

[@RenatoHarripaul1217]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@rockybourg]

Requests are useful but what they are NOT are requirements!

[@digitaldjtips]

Exactly they’re just requests

[@samh9766]

How important is toknow how to scratch for a dj in today market

[@OAPHarmerHerrStarmler]

Not necessary at all, but is a good skill to learn.

[@DirtyJokesFan]

@@OAPHarmerHerrStarmlerWell put. Exactly right.

[@ezedjay]

I've only got a flx but I've still got no idea 😂

[@digitaldjtips]

I know that's not true, my friend.

[@JohannesNielsen]

After 48 years as a Professional Photographer all three brands that you mentioned have different gear. Panasonic with the mirror four thirds standard is my go to for video, with the GH 7 for ProRes RAW and 4k. My Canon 5D Mk IV is my go to for full frame architectural work. My Nikon D 800 has a different dynamic range to the 5D Mk IV. My Fuji medium format GFX 100S II is for specific corporate clients.

[@digitaldjtips]

Good to hear, but you've been doing this for 48 years, not for 48 minutes. There's absolutely no point buying everything you just mentioned when you've been doing the hobby for about a day.

[@JohannesNielsen]

@digitaldjtips Possibly, however that would imply that I have failed to seek mentoring and done extensive research and have a business plan. What you are also forgetting is that different equipment is required for specific Genres. I have been observing the Hard Techno DJ's and the mixer preferences and then the Deep House DJ's that will use analogue Rotary mixers. Then the smart DJ's who bring their own DJ consoles and backup controllers in case of gear failure, which BTW James Hype's tour manager failed to do causing gig cancellations. Someone who is smart enough to invest in the gear which can then be hired out and has options will always win out over less options.

[@US_Joe]

By experience, essentially a DJ is an ambassador for his client. Taking customer requests are imperative considerations. I would jot any requests down and hold them in my club booth, while explaining to the customer that it will be honored when I am that requests genre set. The psychology of dealing with people is imperative for any successful DJ. Too many times I have seen selfish DJ's that only play their personal prefs. - a sad mistake. Keeping customers satisfied is a returning customer for the establishment. Good topic my friend 👍👍👍👍👍

[@digitaldjtips]

Yes, exactly - if you're playing that kind of DJ set for that kind of audience, you really have no right being there unless you're satisfying them. Ultimately, if someone doesn't have a request played, you want them to leave knowing it was a bad idea in the first place, and you do that by being honest, authentic, and being a good DJ as well.

[@TRANCEFARMERS]

OFF TOPIC "I Just saw the first DJ VIDEO on KZbin with a DJ using the OPUS (DJ NESSA), halfway through I realized it was the OPUS, I thought it was a NEW 'ALFATHETA' and didn't Have 'HOTCUE' *Didn't say 'PIONEER DJ on the BACK of TOUCHSCREEN, and once I noticed the HOTCUES are above the JOGWEEL