First mobile gigs for a young DJ

0:00 Of course, the main thing is transport, first of all

Alright guys, this video is going out to, I think it's like CK the DJ or something like that, but I had an email from a young guy who wants to be a DJ, but wants to know how young people out there can get work. Now, first of all, alright, in the UK you've got to be 18 to drink, you've got to be 17 or 18 to drive. I believe in the States you've got to be 21 before you can drink, not sure about driving. Of course, the main thing is transport, first of all. You could be the best DJ in the world, 12 or 13 year old, and if you can't drive, you're sort of stuck really, aren't you? So the first thing is, if you want to become a mobile DJ, of course the terminology of mobile means to move, so it's pointless being a mobile DJ and having no transport.

So, make sure you've got... You've got your auntie, uncle, nephew, niece, cat, dog, pigeon even, who can transport you about. But, let's say you've got transport, let's say you've got kit, you've got everything, but you haven't got any gigs. I mean, at the end of the day, you can sit at home all day having the best gear in the world, twiddling your thumbs, and that's not good enough. You need to be out there. So how do you get out there? How do you get onto that first rung of the ladder? Many different ways. I have talked about this in the past. But here's a good idea for you. Now, we all have family friends. Aunties, uncles, nephews, nieces, cousins, mums, dads, guardians. There's got to be someone you know, because you didn't just appear.

Oh, here I am. Mind you, sometimes I feel that way. So, what you want to do is say that you will do a free party, let's say for your mum, for your dad, for your auntie, for your uncle, for your big sister, your little sister, I don't know. Now, first of all, think about this. They're going to invite people. Now, there's a very good chance you will know those people. So in other words, you will know your auntie's friends or your uncle's friends or your dad's or your mum's friends and you're going to do a free party. Now, first and foremost, this is very important. Make sure you set up, if you've got a road show, make sure you set up your road show as you would set up your road show if you were doing a paid event.

2:57 I believe you get 250 for free

Now, notice the word paid there. Because it's a family gig, you're going to be doing this for free. I will explain. So, you need to make sure you've set up professionally. In other words, don't just think because it's a family thing, you're just going to have a couple of flashy lights and one speaker and one turntable because you're not getting paid. Do the real thing. Make the show look good. Now, all of your family friends are going to come to the party and see you gigging. And they're going to think, wow, this is cool. Get some cards made. Now, here in the UK, there's a company, I think it's in the UK, it's called Vistaprint and you can actually get business cards for free. I believe you get 250 for free.

All you do is pay postage. Don't quote me on that but go and check it out. Just try and Google Vistaprint. Get some cards. Hand those cards out to family friends. Now, here's where it gets to the next level. Hopefully. Hopefully what will happen is those people who have been to this particular party will think, wow, we liked what you did. Can you come and do our party? Now, again, what you need to do here, try and work it out but mention to them, well, I'll do your party but I've got to charge you because you may have to travel. All right. Don't charge them that much. I don't know where you are around the country or around the world but let's say a normal mobile DJ would charge, say, 200 euros, 200 pounds, 300 or 400.

Whatever. Maybe just charge 20 or 30 to cover your costs. Now, if you think about it, this is the very important bit but it's also very psychological. When you do the first party for a family member, like I said earlier, you will know or you should know everybody who turns up. When you do a function for that family friend, there is a good chance there will be quite a few people there that you won't know because they're going to know people. But you've perhaps never met before. Now, again, set up a good professional setup, a good show and take your business cards and hand them out. Put a few around on the tables, etc. Now, these are the people that won't know you. Won't know you, sorry.

4:49 These are the people that won't know you

Right. These are the people that won't know you. So what you can do then is you can charge the proper amount. And that could be one, two. Two hundred euros, pounds, dollars. I don't know. You need to check that out. But how do you find out? Here's a tip for you. Have a look in like here over in the UK, Yellow Pages or just phone up some DJs. Go on the web and try and find some local DJs. Put on a strange voice. Hello. My name is Mr. Smith and I'd like to book a disco for my puppy who's having his 17th birthday. How much charge? Hmm. Right. Okay. It wasn't really a puppy, it was a cat. Sorry. So what I'm trying to get at here is phone a few DJs and just make inquiries as to how much they charge in your area. Now that will give you a rough idea of how much you need to charge.

Now some think as well very important about being a young DJ and it does annoy me. This really annoys me. Oh, damn that hurts. No. A lot of people think just because you're 12 years old. 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, whatever. You're not that good. Well you know what? That's not correct. It's about music knowledge. It's about professionalism. It's about you showing the people out there that you can do the job. I know quite a few young DJs who are very, very good, very professional and there are quite a few DJs out there who are three or four times the age and probably aren't half as good. Because they probably think. You know what? Been seen and done it. I can just like sit around and just press play on a mouse and stuff.

Whereas a young DJ will possibly, quite possibly, hopefully cross fingers put more effort into it. So just because you're a young DJ does not mean to say that you're not very good. It's a learning curve. Music. You need to know your music. In other words there's no point going to. I'm sort of digressing here. There's no point going let's say for example to a wedding. Where the bride and groom are say 40 or 50. And you turning up with some top 40 material. You will have to have a good variety of music. 60s, 70s, 80s, Tamela Motown, Northern Soul, Reggae, Rockabilly, Two Tones, Ska, Disco, Punk, Funk, Gabooga. I don't know. There's loads of makes in there. And also some modern stuff as well. In fact. There's possibly quite a few young DJs out there.

Who are far better at putting together a pop set than a lot of the older DJs. Because a lot of the older DJs are so stuck in their ways. It's oh I don't like that top 40 crap anymore. Well you know the truth of the matter? You need to like all kinds of music. So hopefully, I do waffle a little bit. I do waffle. I do waffle. In fact try a waffle. They're really nice with butter on them. Margarine and stuff. And jam and cream. No anyway. So yeah. If you're a young DJ, do some free parties for family and friends. Very important though. Just because you are a young aspiring DJ does not mean to say that you know you can't charge as much. If you have the gear. If you have professionalism behind you. In other words professionalism and confidence.

And you know you have a good music knowledge. There is no reason at all why you too can't charge just as much as a DJ who is twice or three times your age. Alright so I hope that's been a bit of a help. And if you've got any more information, bung it underneath there. Enjoy while you practice or even practice and enjoy. Thank you.

This transcript was produced automatically from the audio of the video and may contain mistakes.