If you have ever thought about potentially taking your mixes and going professional, you have to be prepared for an uphill battle. Though EDM djing is a fantastic vocation, not everyone who wants to make it to the top is going to be able to do so. You need to understand what it will take if you want to make this your career. Here are some of the things that you need to consider.
Branding
You need to make sure that you have some sort of branding behind you. There are many famous DJs who have made it big thanks to some sort of innovative branding that has helped them to stand out from others in their field. Whether it is just a good name or an entire persona, small changes like this can help a DJ stick in the mind of a listener, potentially meaning that they will seek out more of their music after the event or instance where they first heard them.
Branding also goes beyond a DJ’s ability to market themselves. Everyone should have a recognisable stand, a musical signature, which means that any listener vaguely familiar with the DJ should be able to tell that it is their music as soon as they start to play it. This, of course, does not mean that every song should sound the same, but there should be similarities that will help to create a signature style that aims to make the aspiring DJ stand out from the crowds of others.
Craft
It is incredibly important that an aspiring EDM DJ knows and understands all aspects of their craft. There are some many resources out there that one could use to learn more about EDM djing, so there really is no excuse when it comes to education.
No matter how one chooses to make their music, it is vital that a DJ puts the hours in to hone their skills. They need to learn how to manipulate their equipment and instruments expertly. It does not matter if you are alone in a practice booth or getting ready to DJ your largest crowd ever in a nightclub. The more work that is put in, the better the result will be overall. Work to develop that signature style mentioned above, and then make sure you also put the work in to learn about the latest tastes and trends in music so you can be certain that your tracks always sound fresh and modern.
Marketing
Social media is an invaluable tool nowadays, and it can be massive in helping you grow your brand. Take the time to nurture your social media presence and build a following. Platforms like Twitter and Instagram can prove to be invaluable when it comes to connecting with people and nurturing a brand.
Of course, this is not the only place where you will be able to build up some sort of audience nowadays. Platforms like YouTube and TikTok are great for DJs as you can post examples of your music or even behind the scenes footage of you creating a track or headed to a gig. Videos like this are interesting, and will always grab the attention of an audience. Who knows if you could go viral, potentially giving a career the kickstart it needs?
Don’t forget about streaming platforms like SoundCloud and Bandcamp, plus ones like Spotify and Apple Music. They can be key in helping you build up a good audience of listeners who might then be tempted to come to any gigs that you might have.
Time
Ultimately, trying to make it as an EDM DJ is going to take time. You might have to work an additional job on top of your djing aspirations. This can eat into hours that could be spent working on your craft. Finding the right balance between time spent working on your DJ aspirations and other parts of your life that cannot be neglected is massively important.
You might have to skip out on what might be a promising gig, or struggle to find a part-time job with the flexibility required to support your wider aspirations. It can be more difficult than you might imagine to have the best of both worlds, and until you are making enough money to live purely off your djing, you can expect things to be a little strained.
Making it as EDM DJ is a great goal to have, but you have to be realistic as to what you will be able to achieve. The road to success is a long one, and there will be times when you have to make some sort of sacrifice in order to achieve what you want. Though you have dreams of making it big, you need to have a plan to follow that will get you there.
Photo by Marcela Laskoski on Unsplash