How To Balance DJing With A Full-Time Job

[@digitaldjtips]

⚡ TIMESTAMPS ⚡ 0:00 Intro 1:30 How to balance DJing with a full-time job 20:35 What's the best way to protect DJ gear in full sun? 21:59 Are smoke machines hazardous near a DJ set-up? 22:21 Which DJ pools have 70s and 80s music? 27:20 How much social media promo should I do before a DJ gig? 32:50 Should I quit my day job to pursue DJing? 36:41 How do you protect your DJ laptop at clubs? 37:59 How do you record a mic separately on a DJ livestream? 40:51 Is there a timing difference between static and motorised platters?

[@carlgoldsmith5444]

I was fortunate. from 1988 - 2002 I was a full time paid resident DJ throughout New Zealand. Although when 1st starting out I was juggling 2 jobs. But I was young and had the energy levels. And the only other part time jobs in between were music involved. Record stores, radio shows, and promotions and marketing work, which were home based and self driven. Today at 57, and in poor health, due a work accident 7 years ago. Now see's me at home living life vicariously through the internet. But I still keep my hand in spinning tunes by having a MixCloud page which I produce weekly shows. I search for latest releases, and sometimes do classic mixes using vinyl from my collection that has been built up over the past 40 plus years. I enjoy your shows Phil, as they align with what I know, learnt and have experienced in my years of having fun in the industry, plus I am always learning something new. Arohanui from New Zealand.

[@digitaldjtips]

Well done for keeping up the Mixcloud shows 👍

[@nachoshaw7084]

from 1994 to 96 i was juggling my full time job with FRI / SAT residency. The struggle was my job took me all over the UK for days on end, sometimes i'd travel back just to DJ the go back to work after. in 96 i transitioned into a full time pro dj and quit my job. I moved to another part of the UK for a residency and did that for about 12 months until April 97 where i hopped on a plane and went to Ibiza for the season. After Ibiza, i was actually fed up of djing every night so quit it for a while and focused on my real job. I dabbled in pirate station (Kiss FM Ireland) but never really got back into it. I took a residency in 2002 for 2 yrs but only for 1 night a week. That was my last residency. These days djing is secondary or less. I love it, but its now a hobby

[@digitaldjtips]

This is how it pans out for a LOT of people.

[@DJJD812]

I would say I definitely got into DJing / have a semi-combined job with being a middle school teacher and I DJ their dances throughout the year. It definitely took my credibility that much higher with my students! Now I'm branching out into mobile with my first small gig tomorrow. Super excited about my new venture!

[@digitaldjtips]

Good luck!

[@DJPeterLo]

Yeah, i work a pretty stressful job working for a large e-commerce company known for having bad work life balance. The digital calendar definitely helps for planning when kids need watching and when work trips are scheduled to avoid gig overlaps, or when it’s crunch time at work and you just have to decline the gigs. The challenge I’m facing is that I’m known for my genre in my area, but feel like the scene and audience is temperamental - and will quickly move onto the next dj if I’m out too long or missing critical gigs.

[@digitaldjtips]

It can certainly be difficult. Play the long game!

[@TVSOUNDSYSTEM]

Not sure if you’ve done a video on this before but would love to see your full studio set including Dj set ups, cameras, streaming equipment etc. you make a 4x4 room look great 👍🏾

[@TheBudanova]

so do I have ben trying some stuff to replicate this but it is a very costly endeavour

[@tepanganiban]

Full time and djing is wild. I did part time and dj’d but couldn’t imagine doing 40+ and djing. Kids and wife too? Forget about it

[@leesantiago1454]

Hey Phil it’s Lou I almost missed you couldn’t find you on Facebook. I hope everyone is doing well at digital dj tips.

[@digitaldjtips]

All good Lou!

[@jamesjardine3763]

Zip DJ has a nice collection of classics, although it doesn’t have everything.. but good to start with - there’s curated packs which are fairly diverse, 2-4 per pack I’d say

[@digitaldjtips]

Thanks for sharing!

[@jamesjardine3763]

I’m here for the person who can make a video of how to juggle DJing, a full time job, AND golf 😂 In all seriousness, Phil this video was like you were speaking to me personally! Great advice on all accounts - I’m only 10 mins in!

[@digitaldjtips]

Ha! ⛳️

[@robertewbank1440]

Good morning Phi... Robby here from Long Beach CA it's always been that way in my my life I do get paid but for a part time gig but love the music make ppl dance....

[@digitaldjtips]

Good news Robby!

[@RetroRobson]

BPM supreme has a fairly decent back catalogue of 70s 80s & 90s

[@digitaldjtips]

Thanks for sharing!

[@anthonygato407]

before being injured I was teaching yoga and responsible for cleaning the studio,mats,ect by the 6am class. also I was a resident at a local weekly progressive house at a club in San Diego. so I just flipped my sleep schedule. my night was everyone else's day. I would play my gig leave the club by 2am, go straight to the yoga studio, clean the mats, clean the floors,ect, then was ready by 5:30am for ppl showing up for the 1st class. then I would do the 6am class for an hour go home, eat an acai bowl, sleep, get up around 5pm go to yoga class, repeat. it was the perfect combination.

[@anthonygato407]

likewise the least compatible job for djing was being a bartender. you have to work the same hours you should be djing. you meet people but you meet as a bartender not as a DJ . so its not as likely to be creatively compatible,it will prioritize popularity.

[@anthonygato407]

as automation increases and inflation making working not financially doable as people work less for traditional companies the art of djing will become increasingly valued and respected in society.

[@rezsbc]

That question about sunscreen on your gear is hilarious!! Coming from Ireland all I can say is keep that shit out of the rain :P

[@digitaldjtips]

Ha ha yes!

[@robwalsh2362]

My job can be stressful and doing shifts as I’ve been in the police 20 years now, the shift pattern is great for family life but not the DJing all the time!!! Plus telling supervisors what you do may not go down to well, I take gigs where I can but if I start getting paid I have to declare it.

[@digitaldjtips]

Feel your pain!

[@NightDoctorGNR]

Afternoon Phil Top Stream as per....😉

[@digitaldjtips]

Thanks!

[@DJ_CJ_NL]

i switched from de club residencies to a dj show. Times are much better, money also. usually my night starts at 8 and is finished around 12 or 1 that night. Barresidencies started at 11 till 5. That is a bit to much to combine. So this is better but it has more work during the weeks. So it's a tough combination. doing a 40 hour job and 18hr working on my dj business/eventplanning. I really like to do it but i need to learn a bit more how to manage.

[@digitaldjtips]

Yes, a really common problem. Good luck!

[@djnorm777]

1976-2016 i was working different careers and stil made may way up 86-92 as military teacher I was dj at the privats club was a dad. And was driving 5 mobile dj units. Then later club dj and service manager in a dealership, Now 63 years young I dj like a kid In my music room . Can’t get it out of me .

[@digitaldjtips]

It never leaves you!

[@conradrichards3363]

I figured out 30 years ago, 1 beer would make me tired the next day .the bar would give me a free beer or two as a standard as it was sponsored,but i had to pay for soft drinks , so i finished at 3 on a Thursday night then up at 7 , work at 830hrs , took 40 winks on train and 1 hour lunch time head down. Then ready for the weekend.

[@digitaldjtips]

Sounds like a plan! 😉

[@conradrichards3363]

@@digitaldjtips can u explain the digital calender as i would like a few apps and e mails to synv to one , have a Air BNb but my wife and i not always in sync so looking to inyergrate

[@digitaldjtips]

@@conradrichards3363 I sue the Calendar app on my Apple phone, you can share it with partners etc.

[@djjosel7353]

Hello Phil! I have questions regarding the review for DENON SC LIVE 4 : I am djing with Denon MC 4000, in a restaurant that makes latin dancing parties 2 times a week with LIVE singers.. I am putting their instrumentals on Serato and they sing above the music. The style of the party is like no crazy mixes, no effects, no many fancy things. The singers are just singing and the dancers are just dancing with the people. The above is my main DJing events and occasionally I play in other kind of parties if someone needs me. This is not my regular job but I like delivering nice moments to people that hears me. My question is : I am looking for an upgrade and I wonder if this equipment that costs 1300 EUR, worth to buy for a use in a kind of party like the above. My dilemma is if shall I look into something cheaper or keep playing with my laptop and DENON MC 4000? Many thanks for you reply and keep up the good work in your videos. DJ Josel

[@digitaldjtips]

My question is: Why are you looking for an upgrade? It sounds like your current set-up is working perfectly.

[@djjosel7353]

Well… I have some thoughts in the back of my head.. Like being able to unlock more skills or play with more effects and uses.. and to show to my partners that I upgraded .. probably to get more jobs.. 😅

[@johnupdate]

I quit DJing 25 years ago and am now considering starting again. I still have my 1210s and dmc mixer (like the one in the back on your shelf) that still work great -but what kind of equipment do I need in 2023 to be part of the future?

[@TheBudanova]

anything that takes your mixer to the digital age, an audio interface for starters is essential

[@johnupdate]

@@TheBudanova oh - I have one of these! It‘s an rme „babyface pro“. But this is just for Recording right?

[@djtalent87]

The best computer you can afford. Everything else works around that…

[@antxoncarbonero]

I need the answer to how to combine a full-time job, 3 small kids, a burned-out wife, with deejaying and producing... It's basically impossible for me.

[@blind2heart]

Sounds like you gotta drop one…that’s a really tough one

[@durellteesdale7297]

Friend . The passion and love for music is really hard to juggle . One of the things that was not discussed was that DJin has a rabbit hole nature , meaning that time gets lost in it and it’s very time consuming . DJin can be considered one of the enrichments Of your lifestyle . You may rather spend 4 hrs working on music than watching a movie . You just gonna maybe have to curtail some Of the music stuff. Get more Organized as your life gets More complex. Carve out specific times for just music . Let your family know how much you enjoy music . Just some thoughts man .

[@digitaldjtips]

We feel your pain, we hope this helps.

[@robertewbank1440]

I always keep up my gig bag make sure I have 2 is one. One is none...

[@digitaldjtips]

Good point

[@djtalent87]

Time management is key. Live-streaming is a incredible start w/o leaving the home. I did that all through Covid w/ 2 babies. Kept me relevant, got bookings(promo the streams on social media)let my core crowd know I’m still around. I rent speakers out to up and coming DJ’s to stay in the young loop & spin daytime parties cause I can’t stay up super late like that. I’m only 35 so this my last shot @ becoming a fulltime dj lol (dreams) but I did it when I was young. Keep networking & keep spinning

[@digitaldjtips]

Keep at it!

[@SeditiousLucidius]

Awesome video. I'm sure it's well intended but feels weird having war propaganda in the background. Peace doesn't pick a side.

[@digitaldjtips]

Thanks for sharing your take on this.

[@Le_Lys_Eclectique]

It is disgraceful to have a full time job, often well paid, and do DJ as a second job. I find this situation somewhat unfair, as it devalues the market since they can ask for less compared to a full-time professional DJ.

[@digitaldjtips]

I wouldn't say disgraceful. Many, many DJs have to work an unconnected job. Very few are full time DJs from 18 to 65.

[@Le_Lys_Eclectique]

@@digitaldjtips Many DJs "have to" work an unconnected job? What do you mean they have to? I don't agree at all! The point is that if you have a full time, often well paid, job elsewhere, you should leave the DJ job to the ones they do it as a profession. Otherwise I'll start working as a doctor for hobby! Would you like to have a doctor or a lawyer or any other professional doing it as a hobby? Don't think so... There should be an European DJs Professional Register so you can work in the field only if you are a real professional and not just an hobbyist. That would trace a line between professionals and not... as in every other profession. Otherwise it will happen like in Italy that is a total anarchy and the real professional DJ, those they devoted their lives to this profession, are having hard times... On top of that, after Covid, there was surge in young Improvised DJs that have flooded the market. And guess what? Most of cafes, restaurants and small clubs are giving job to them as they are paid few bucks or, most often, few beers only... If the European market would be regulated and there would be a serious Professional Register for DJs, these things would start disappearing... But we all know, it's a world where people cut corners to get ahead... Hope it is the correct expression in English...

[@Tayajoh]

@@Le_Lys_Eclectiqueone thing to consider is in some countries it’s extremely hard to make a living off one job so sometimes we have to work multiple jobs. Its already hard enough paying for licensing and schooling while working a full time job, I don’t think many of us could afford to pay for schooling to be a “professional DJ” and pay for everything else in life. Typically we turn a hobby into money because we have skills that people will pay for. There is also many more reasons that professions have licenses like doctors where as a DJ might not need one. Think about risk factor, as a DJ we are not risking anyone’s life.

[@djjameshayes9766]

Bit unfair isn’t it? I need a second job, just so happens I enjoy it. You don’t know people’s circumstances. If I was on 50k then I probably wouldn’t play live but who makes that in a full time job.