8 Mistakes to Fix When You Livestream a DJ Set

During the COVID-19 pandemic, most DJs spent time livestreaming their sets from home in all sorts of formats. Yet many of them keep making 8 key mistakes that stop their livestreams from being as good as they could be.

Below we point out the 8 mistakes you need to fix when you livestream your set!

1. Not promoting your set before going live

When they start a livestream, most young DJs are careless: they don't promote their set, and they tend to play tracks by famous artists from all kinds of sources, which makes it very easy to get hit with copyright strikes on social media.

So before you start your set, add a comment line saying “I do not own this music”, or avoid using such tracks when you don't need to.

2. Stream quality – both picture and sound

This is a problem many DJs run into: before, during and after this wave of livestreams, lots of fans complained about poor stream quality (both the picture and the sound).

So before you go live, take care of these important things:

Check your internet connection (Wi-Fi, router) before you start the livestream – because the signal can sometimes get choppy and stop running smoothly while you're streaming.

For the audio, get yourself a microphone and TRRS and TRS cables to connect the signal from your DJ controller to your computer.

Install livestreaming software on your computer – the most popular is OBS Studio

• OBS Studio is free, open-source livestreaming software. Its main features are screen recording and live video streaming to many platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Twitch, DailyMotion, Hitbox… It captures and mixes audio well in real time and has no limit on scenes, so you can switch between scenes at any time with custom transitions. It's easy to add sources, duplicate existing ones and adjust their properties.

On top of that, get yourself a webcam or a proper camera with far better quality than an ordinary smartphone. It will make a big difference when you livestream your set.

3. Not interacting with your viewers

It's a huge miss if you're so focused on your live set that you don't interact with your viewers, who are mostly your fans. Take 1–2 minutes in the middle of your set to engage with them. A simple “hello” is an important way to connect, just as many other DJs do, and introduce yourself before you start.

4. Not replying to your fans' comments

As with point 3 about interacting with viewers, you should also actively reply to each fan's comments – whether on Facebook or Instagram. If you're too busy playing, ask a friend or your manager to help reply so your fans stay engaged during the stream.

5. Not setting up a “backdrop”

The setting of your livestream really matters, and of course fans won't want to watch your stream in a “messy” room.

So before you go live, check your surroundings carefully and make sure they fit. You could stream from the “rooftop” of your home, or invest in some LED lights for your room.

6. Not using your DJ name (nickname) when livestreaming

Using your “real” name would be far too ordinary, wouldn't it? As with interacting with fans in point 3, use your DJ name (nickname) and mention it every 15 minutes during your livestreamed set.

7. Not listening to fans' feedback after your livestream

After a livestream, a DJ tends to think, “Well, that was a brilliant set…”, but some fans won't have enjoyed it for the most basic reasons: beatmatching, your track selection in the setlist, and so on.

So to do better on your next livestream, listen to your fans' feedback.

8. Don't be afraid to give it a go – you might just make a name for yourself!

In Italy, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, one local showed off his DJ skills in the longest set ever – 205 hours, 2 minutes and 54 seconds – breaking the Guinness World Record, and he has been drawing more and more enthusiastic fans.

So don't be afraid to give it a go – you might just build your reputation once the pandemic is over and the bars, clubs and events big and small come back as soon as possible!