How to Get DJ Gigs

Nothing beats the shot of adrenaline you get when standing on stage as a DJ. Getting the people dancing, cheerings, and, most important, getting them coming back for more. A packed house night after night shows you have what it takes to make it as a DJ. And it shows club owners you’re worth having on their stage.

How to Get DJ Gigs

Practice makes perfect as they say. Once your skills have reached a certain point, how do you get DJ gigs that can start paying the bills and catapult your career? Part of what makes a good DJ is the ability to bring an energy to the crowd that gets them on their feet and leaves them wanting more.

Bring that same energy when trying to get DJ gigs. No one will work to get you DJ gigs, at least at the start. So it falls on you to get your foot in the door in local or regional clubs. You’ll work just as hard at securing DJ gigs as you did learning drum machines, blending samples, and effects processing.

Just like building a DJ set, however, you’ll want a plan. Focusing your efforts on a few key areas will help you build relationships, secure gigs, and keep you from wasting time. It’s a good idea to reach out to club owners and promoters to let them know you exist. It’s a great idea to go beyond sending an email or two or handing out a few business cards.

Use Social Media to Get DJ Gigs

While you don’t want to put all of your eggs into one social media basket, think about the audiences for each. Instagram and TikTok are the social media platforms du jour. But Facebook pages are still the No. 1 platform on earth and YouTube is still the place to be for long-form videos. Posting mixes online make it easy to get heard.

Chances are you’re on at least one of these (if not multiple) sites, and maybe you’ve even carved out a small following. But just like any other business, you’ll need to start spending real time curating your content. This includes interacting with fans, posting clips, and posting regularly to keep content current.

Stand Out from the Crowd

This goes more towards your sets themselves, your persona, than actually hitting the street to drum up business for yourself. Digital audio workstations have made it so just about anyone with a laptop and an internet connection can be a live DJ. Which is good! More accessibility is never a bad thing.

Unless you have to sit through nine bad sets before hearing something different or unique. Be that 10th DJ that really gets the attention of the crowd, club owners, and promoters. Don’t limit your samples to the top 10 Soundcloud downloads–expand your scope. A massive library might be even more important than a massive personality.

When You Get a DJ Gig, Be Professional

Remember when we said DAWs make it easier for anyone to become a live DJ? One thing the software can’t do is make people more responsible. There are a lot of flakes on the live DJ circuit, but they don’t last very long. Be the one with lasting power by showing up early, being flexible, and offering your services at a moment’s notice.

Promoters have a very hectic schedule–don’t make things more difficult by being a diva. Take care of your business (a tight set, carry backup gear, etc.) and they may take care of you the next time they need a DJ.

Learn How To Get DJ Gigs from the Pros

The most important thing you can do for your DJ career is to level up your skills. You don’t want your first gig to be your last, and while a bad set won’t necessarily sink your career, it can make it much more difficult. While fans can be forgiving, they can also be fickle. A flat, listless show won’t keep them coming back for more.

The Recording Connection Live DJ Program is designed to not only give you the technical DJ skills to become a mobile DJ, but help you build your brand, read an audience, and create a stage persona that leaves your fans thirsting for more. You’ll work on one on one with a touring professional in a real-world studio, learning about the industry from the inside.

Digital Audio Workstations (DAW) have become tool number one for the world’s most successful live DJs. Your mentor will teach you the basics and add more difficult concepts as your experience grows. Sound design, sampling, mixing, and more are all part of the 22-week program.

Beyond the technical aspects of building a high-quality DJ set, you’ll learn how to work with other artists, create a stage presence, and build a music library. There is a certain level of “geek” involved when mastering a DAW, but the charisma you need in front of a crowd is just as important. Your mentor will help pull that out.

Our programs were created to get students out of the classroom and into the studio learning from industry pros that have made a career in the music business. Our curriculum is based on what you need to know right now, not a syllabus that was created years ago. And our tuition is just a fraction of what four-year universities or trade schools charge.

If you want to take the time to learn how to become a live DJ, we feel the Recording Connection mentor-student method of learning is unsurpassed. In addition to the Live DJ Program, we also offer courses in audio engineering and music production, hip hop and beat making, electronic dance music, and more. It’s time to Amplify Your Life–Apply today.