Learn To DJ: 5 Golden Tips for (Older) Beginners

[@stefan.tarara]

Im 38 and started around four years ago - it’s so much fun and one of the best hobbies one can have, because it gives you so much joy 🥰🥰🥰

[@digitaldjtips]

Agreed Stefan!

[@flexpinoy]

I'm turning 58 next month and just started 4 months ago when I bought the Denon Prime 4+. It is very enjoyable hobby. Better late than never I guess.

[@anthonywelch9516]

52 years old and I am still doing lots of proms every year, you would be surprised how many 70s 80s tunes these kids want to hear :)

[@digitaldjtips]

TikTok is responsible for that!

[@Handlinmybusiness]

I started taking these courses at age 50. Now I've completed 2 of them and working on the 3rd. it's awesome! great teaching and videos and lots of resources.

[@digitaldjtips]

Glad to have helped you!

[@andresimons6386]

Thanks for the video, started a year and a half ago and still learning!! Thanks forus older folks!!

[@digitaldjtips]

you bet 👍

[@Bilanbear77]

Very very well said! Now that is REAL and precious advice and tips! 👋💪✌

[@digitaldjtips]

Glad you think so!

[@bobtheman1]

15:05 "The career DJ...you ain't going to tell them what to play. They play what they want. They play what they're known for." I felt that.

[@digitaldjtips]

It's the working DJ in the middle that has his/her hands tied a little more.

[@chrisshinakadjredikulus7898]

Great video! I started to DJing for fun in my home in 2019... at 47 years old mainly learning to scratch and beat juggle with no intent at DJing outside the home. I just jumped in feet first with a Rane 72 and a pair or Rane 12s. Had no idea how to use them. But I figured if I dropped that much money on gear, it would commit me to learning to use it. 2 years ago I started to go out and gig for fun with a Rane One and then a Rev-7. Started out with all hip hop at restaurants, clubs and then started to add corporate and fundraising events which were way more open format which was a huge learning curve for me... I found your "Mixing for Mobile & Wedding DJs" and "Mixing Power Skills" courses great! At that point I already went through the Jazzy Jeff and DJ Angelo courses which were both fantastic. In any case... It's never too late to start, even if you have a busy day job and family! I'm a more than full time physician and full professor at UC Davis. 🙂

[@digitaldjtips]

Thanks for sharing Chris, and you're right... spending cash does tend to focus our thinking!

[@kennyzail6224]

Excellent video. You nailed it with the best tips. I've been a "working" DJ for almost 40 years and there comes a time in your DJ life when you need to transition from staying current and up to date, to playing what you are familiar with. It is quite stress-relieving. It is similar to your "Pro" DJ definition, people come to hear you play YOUR music. It gives you the confidence, knowing what your audience wants to hear. Thanks for all you do.

[@digitaldjtips]

That's a great way to put it - it's about playing your own music with confidence!

[@lpremix1868]

Great video! I’m 45 and came back to DJing 2 years ago after a 20 year break. The courses from DDJTips have been awesome getting me back up to speed and helped reach my goals of playing out again and organise a charity livestream. Currently taking the James Hype course which is great fun. Good luck to everyone on your DJing journey! 👍

[@digitaldjtips]

That is awesome! thanks for sharing.

[@UlyssesZopol]

Geriatric raver here watching this in techno capital Berlin. Have been raving in Tokyo, have been raving in Rio, have been raving in San Francisco. A Berghain regular until recently. A bedroom producer for 40 years. And so many times, people saw me dancing and said: YOU've got the groove, you MUST DJ. I always dismissed it. Had to laugh out loud when you mentioned the display settings. When friends started to make fun of me I finally got some glasses. So a few days ago, a lwell-meaning DJ friend said it once again. Since then, I have pondering and pondering. And now I am here. With my instruments I love quality hardware such as Nord or Moog. So I naturally gravitate to RANE. Too bad it's not compatible with the Rekordbox club standard. So I guess for now it'll be an FLX4. Am also very tempted ny the standalone options, the Numark one even comes with battery power, so you can practice in out in the sun during summer... Glad I found your channel. :-)

[@digitaldjtips]

Anything will give you a chance to learn the basics of DJing, which has precious little to do with gear. Good luck!

[@SherwinBajao]

Did most of these things last Saturday except the font tip, I need to do that now.

[@shannnism]

As long as there has been DJ's, there will always be DJs and they will always be of different ages.. it's the beautiful thing of musical equipment and musical instruments. Also a beautiful thing about electronic dance music which has its roots in Disco

[@digitaldjtips]

100% true

[@robertzabielski7253]

Very good advice. Age is just a number. If you don't feel sorry for yourself and want to take action, then do it. I'm 56 years old, I play parties as a DJ and music is my drug, and the equipment changes, oh well. I have XDJ XZ and DJS 1000, but also turntables and vinyls, and I was the one who got my son into DJing. Regards.

[@digitaldjtips]

Excellent to hear Robert.

[@angeloamoojee2112]

started when I was 39 I'm 41 now and loving but learning to scratch is one of the hardest things I've ever done

[@digitaldjtips]

Oh yeah for SURE, but also one of the most rewarding! Watch out for our new Jazzy Jeff course, it'll blow your mind...

[@coulsonjackson]

43 and started this year been a selecta my whole life could always read the room. Now I just gotta make sure there are no breaks in between and who knows where I end up.

[@digitaldjtips]

You've got exactly the right approach there!

[@Jarah]

This was absolutely great and alot of the advice is just superb well grounded good life advice in general which is applicable to everything in life. Would make a good video in itself!!! Superb wisdom. Stay young, stay foolish.

[@digitaldjtips]

Glad it was helpful! And I agree completely.

[@Moosedpig]

10:24 I used an ironing board with my numark mixtrack platinum and a tv laptray for my laptop to keep it cool once finished you can pack it up 😁

[@patrickyore]

You could play music and iron out everyone's problems at the same time 😊

[@digitaldjtips]

Good thinking! Ironing board is an absolute classic

[@davidholgate5169]

Hi Phil, As always enjoy all of your podcasts. I'm not a beginner but i don't work as much as i use too. I did a party for a 70' surprise Birthday party. i was hired because i play the music they like. Which is a great compliment. The only think i need to learn how to make my life easier when doing these gigs. I had to climb a flight of stairs with all of my equipment,. The good thing was i was able to enter the venue early enough so i could take my time setting this up. I just have to make sure that moving forward that i check the venue first before pricing the gig. I should of charge more because of the stairs. It was an extra 2 hours of my time. Your are right as far as music goes, i covered so much that night with request if a olaylist and my knowledge what to add or make it work. I'm not as good as i use to be at mixing but was abke to keep the party going with the tips and tools you give us. Oh by the way I'm 66 and retired.

[@digitaldjtips]

Thanks for sharing David. On top of that you should draft in someone (a younger family member?) as your assistant on the night and add the cost of paying them to the invoice. They can help with moving gear around, and you're actually doing the venue a favour, because nobody wants to wait around for the DJ to pack up before going home at the end of a long night, so you're ensuring you can get out fast.

[@Themusicrooms100]

This is for me 😊

[@digitaldjtips]

Glad to help!

[@TheChunkylover79]

Thank You!

[@digitaldjtips]

You're welcome!

[@WinBag-q7f]

I'm 53. Wish me luck, lol.. But I have a younger Dj who's going to catch me back up after 25 years of retirement 😅

[@yuriysamsonenko]

Good luck 🤞😊

[@digitaldjtips]

Good luck!

[@Addy_Hawaii]

THANK YOU, IM 36 & BOUGHT THE MK200 MONTHS AGO BUT HAVENT TURNED IT ON LOL ANXIOUS.

[@digitaldjtips]

Go for it. Feel the fear and do it anyway!

[@junkshopbeats9188]

I'm in my 40s and hadn't DJ'd regularly since my 20s when I really rinsed my Technics and played mostly funk and soul and a bit of house at big house parties and smaller club nights. But I've always enjoyed doing the odd word-of-mouth-gig or friend's events now and again. More recently, I've accidentally been DJing quite regularly again as there's a lot of 'vinyl revival' nights around and I have a pretty decent record collection with lots of obscurities. Problem is, I'm now being asked to do nights where vinyl isn't the b'all and end all and there are no turntables--just CDJ 2000s or 3000s. I know the basics of VDJ and Rekordbox, and sometimes use DVS ,but a course that's called something like, 'CDJs for returning DJs'' would be good.

[@digitaldjtips]

This is not exactly what you are looking for but may help: www.digitaldjtips.com/complete-guide-to-switching-from-controllers-to-cdjs/

[@junkshopbeats9188]

@ Perfect. I’ve been considering picking up a basic DJ controller as I’ve never really used one-only DVS vinyl.

[@ptanner3187]

I love the comments about eyesight. I make sure I have contacts on when DJing and need reading glasses which sit on my head during the night! I got nudged into DJing because Ilove music and have a vast collection from all genres and it was suggested a natural transition. If I had said when at school I would love to DJ I would probably have been expelled for thinking outside the box too much! I'm the working DJ and do occasionally get stumped when people ask for obscure tracks I may not have heard of. Fabulous advice again!

[@digitaldjtips]

It's funny how times change, isn't it? Everyone in my kid's school now either is a DJ, wants to be a DJ, or knows a DJ.

[@ElevateandBlend]

I make mashups with mastered music already in ableton. I was told I had to put compression and lower value and master again. I was understanding that I don’t have to master music again because it’s mastered. Thoughts??

[@digitaldjtips]

Your ears will guide you!

[@steveott1884]

They have Black Friday in Gilbraltar? And Thanksgiving?

[@digitaldjtips]

Yes and no

[@groovindj]

Anti fatigue mats are wonderful. Also, if you don't get on with computers - buy some turntables and play vinyl. Using computers is not "unavoidable".

[@mmbrown82]

Haha, I use a fatigue mat as well. I just found a drafting chair at the thrift store for $15, and it’s a game changer. I was looking online and they are over $150! Makes it nice to be able to sit or stand when needed.

[@digitaldjtips]

I use a drafting chair in the DDJT studio!

[@djcruza]

Yep, Hoka's are the one! I'll never DJ in shoes again

[@digitaldjtips]

Yeah they are a game changer!

[@phinds1]

That stand you gave the URL for only deliver to the UK!! I live in Canada and the site won't allow me to enter my country! The only choice under the "countries" tab is the UK. Thanks for getting my hopes up for nothing! LOL

[@digitaldjtips]

Sadly it is Amazon that handles the country redirects, not us - we just shared where we got it from as so many people asked.

[@donaldvall8806]

Hey boss man I see you are using an apple computer, which apple computer do you suggest ? Thank you

[@digitaldjtips]

We use a MacBook Air.

[@rudigerklemens2657]

Just starting at 65 as a hobby. I cater only to friends of about the same age demographics. 70's 80's and early 90's.

[@digitaldjtips]

Exactly! You know best for those people.

[@riddimchef1]

Nothing wrong with starting to DJ in later life but if you were passionate about it you would have started in your teens. I never chose DJing, it chose me 😊

[@digitaldjtips]

People have many, many different paths through life, and to DJing. We have musicians who choose DJing later, their passion for music has always been huge (just to give you one example).

[@CraigGilman]

I'm 51 and due to having ADHD I can hyperfocus on this as a new hobby 😁

[@digitaldjtips]

Good luck Craig

[@Valdis63]

Almost bought into this then he said the thing let's be real your old and no one's coming to see u play then your not a Dj your just listing to music I'll keep my 800 dallors now thanks 😂

[@digitaldjtips]

You completely misunderstand... you need to play for YOUR people, you can't pretend you're 20 and expect 20 year olds to like you.

[@Valdis63]

@digitaldjtips think my location being in anchorage,alaska might be the bigger obstacle to over come 🤣 I think we might have 1 club that dose EDM 1 night a week lol