DJ Tips: 5 Mistakes Every DJ Needs to Avoid
Whatever career you pursue – DJing included – mistakes are inevitable, and that's perfectly normal. But have you learned from them, or do you keep repeating them over and over, until they hurt your reputation?
Muse INC. runs through 10 “common” mistakes that DJs need to avoid at all costs so they don't bring trouble on themselves!
1. Volume/master hitting the red!!!!!!
…and this comes from cranking the volume/master, or setting the “Hi” on your EQ past 12 o'clock – until your mixer's meters hit THE RED. This can easily damage your mixer and, worse, the venue's speakers – and cause big problems for the sound engineer working next to you.
If that happens, there's a good chance you'll have to pay a hefty penalty. So to keep it from happening, set everything on the mixer – from the EQ (both trim and volume knobs) to the level – at the 12 o'clock position.
This is something every DJ, new or experienced, needs to be extremely careful about.
2. Check the equipment thoroughly before you play
When you arrive at a venue, don't “dream” that because a bar is already fully set up, you can walk in and start playing in a heartbeat. Before you perform, check everything from A to Z – from the key equipment to the sound and the rest.
That's why DJs usually go through a soundcheck a few hours before they perform, to avoid problems in the middle of their set.
3. Overusing EQ and effects. Overdoing EQ and effects quickly gets boring for the audience. So hold back on reaching for the EQ every time a drop comes in a track you're playing!
4. Alcohol / beer / stimulants before a performance. This is a big no-no in any profession – DJing included. If you've overdone the alcohol, beer or stimulants when you go on stage, it won't help and will only make your performance worse and worse. Go easy on alcohol and stimulants at this time, for your health and for the vibe of everyone around you.
5. Ignoring the crowd and playing only for yourself
This is one of the most common mistakes, and hardly any DJ realizes they're making it: playing what they like but forgetting to watch the crowd. It can show that you're “not connecting with your audience”.
The really important thing to do is watch the crowd in front of you – from the start of your set to the end – and see whether they're enjoying the music you're playing.
Source: DJing Pro
