So you create a good mixtape (or CD, or on-line mix). You provide it intent on everybody ready to} think about World Health Organization is also able to get you a gig. You sit back, assured that by the burden of sheer numbers, someone will give you a booking. And... nothing. So you get to wondering. Why did it not go right?
OK, so let's start exploring that. If you submitted an objectively poor mix (badly done, given out without your number on it, and so on), then anyone can see it's unlikely to get you success, but assuming you got those basics right, what's the issue?
Is it that mixtapes square measure dead, that they are too straightforward to create in order that they hold no currency any longer, that maybe you should have submitted a performance video or a screenshot of a Facebook Page with thirty,000 followers or one thing else like that?
Actually, hold on there! That's not the entire truth, not by any suggests that, even in this oversaturated, social media-driven DJ market. A good mixtape will still be a decent identity card for your efforts, notwithstanding it's not the entire story concerning you as a DJ.
So instead, is it that everybody in your city is against you, that they are merely ignoring your genius? After all, your friends in all you that your combine was wonderful, higher than the DJ they detected taking part in at that club you actually need to play in. So why is he getting the gigs and you're not? It must be a conspiracy! At the very least, it makes no sense.
Well, it isn't a conspiracy, and actually it does make sense - perfect sense. And during this article, I am progressing to show you seven reasons why just about each mixtape given out is destined to fail.
Take 2 items of comfort from what you are on the brink of being told. One: You're not alone. And two: you'll be able to fix all of those.
THE 7 REASONS
- Nobody asked you for the mix
You see a job advert, you submit a covering letter and CV. Your neighbourhood team advertises for brand new players, thus your head down for an effort. Your native club puts the decision out for brand new DJs, so you submit a mix.
In all of these circumstances, someone wanted something in the first place. But if you shoot off mixtapes to randoms - in spite of what percentage lots of you transport - however, are you able to extremely expect anyone to pay attention? It's no more likely than speculatively sending out job CVs, or turning up on matchday expecting to play football.
Do you extremely suppose the promoter has nothing higher to try and do than hear your unsought combine, or they need no different mixtapes knock around vying for his or her attention?
Even though they have no openings, no vacancies, no need for new DJs?
- The person you addressed it to didn't get it
"To The Manager". Right. Let American state tell you a truth: Unless it's "final demand" written thereon in red and is terrible} very official trying envelope, nothing while not someone's actual name written on it is even going to get opened in a business. Anyone worth what they're paid below the person you're aiming at is going to save them the job and bin it for them, and you're showing zero initiative by being thus lazy on not a minimum of resolve World Health Organization the person doing the hiring is.
Not addressing something correctly is the most common reason mixtapes don't get into the right hands. Handing them in at the bar "to give to the manager" is another. The outcome is the same: Waste of time.
- The person you addressed it to doesn't know who you are
"It's not what you recognize, it's who you know" is just as true in DJing and the music industry as in many other industries, especially those where there are no qualifications to assist individuals to weed sensible out from unhealthy, and where both promoters and DJs can be flaky, unreliable or just damned untrustworthy. A personal relationship is usually the one issue that decides if 2 individuals attempt to work along (ie, a promoter decides to hire you to DJ for them.)
For example, Every single person who works for Digital DJ Tips was known to us before we gave them the job. Sure, they all still applied when we advertised, sent in CVs, were shortlisted and interviewed... but it turned out those who got the positions had approached us many times before, or taken some of our courses, or made themselves known through commenting on our work, or offered to help. It's very usual.
- The person you gave it to didn't listen to it
So you know someone's looking for a DJ, you got your mix to the right person, they already knew your name or face. Well done, you did better than most. Trouble is, you sent a crappy letter or a CD in a see-through wallet with a cheap business card, or just submitted a handwritten name and phone number.
I'm truly becoming bored writing this, thinking back to the piles of CDs I used to have all around my office when I was a promoter. Yeah, I knew loads of those guys. Actually, that made it worse, because I didn't want to upset them by listening to their mixes and then having to turn them down.
Why? Because you'll be able to tell - trust American state, you can tell - when a mix is definitely not going to be good enough to get you past the impression of someone you get from a badly presented package. No effort within the package, not enough effort on the night from the DJ - they go hand in hand. So the mixes just sit there unlistened to, in a big pile.
If you're thinking that you've what it takes to face out from everybody else behind the decks, you higher damned well have sex once submitting a mixture to someone who's got the power to put you there!
- You didn't tailor it for the venue, event or club night
Remember, you're up against doubtless voluminous different DJs. Imagine that a promoter who's got enough time and enough generosity in his soul to listen to your mix does so, only to find that you've submitted a deep house mix for his bass night. In what parallel world would any DJ suppose that was remotely OK?
Yet it happens. It happens all the time. Yeah, you spent ages obtaining your one and solely combine right. But that ain't gonna impress anyone unless that one and solely combine is strictly what they were trying to find within the 1st place. All it says is, "this shows I can sling a few tunes together, you're going to have to guess if I can actually do it in the style of music you want me to play, OK?"
This kind of thing - like sending a generic CV for a job application - shows you don't care enough to make something special for that one opportunity. Or worse, you truly are not trained enough to try to do this. Neither is a good thing, by the way.
- You didn't follow up
Whereas us DJs like to think a promoter is going to hear our mix and drop everything in order to 1) Tell all their friends how great this new DJ they've discovered is, and 2) Call you immediately to book you, that's sadly not how it usually works.
What happens is that the promoter you recognize mistily through an exponent and United Nations agency you have met once or doubly picks your nicely given combine out of a pile, and have had it on for 20 minutes, realises it's roughly what she's looking for, and it doesn't suck. Then, she gets distracted, and two weeks later when it's time to think about that resident DJ she's been thinking of hiring, she's forgotten all about your CD.
At that stage, you may or may not get "remembered", depending on countless possible circumstances, all of which are pretty much out of your control.
- You gave up
You know, you could do all of the above. Right person, right time. Agree a follow-up. Present a brilliant mix that hits the spot. You could even have them agree to give you a trial gig, maybe after your third follow-up call. And then... the bottom falls out of it all.
The promoter has the venue (or their financing) force. The DJ wished to try to to it originally however United Nations agency could not suddenly will once more. Ticket sales are poor so the room you were booked for is not going to open. There square measure myriad ways that failure will snatch you from the jaws of conclusion.
The amateurs give up at this point. But that's a huge error. Think about it this way: You've now got a promoter who knows and likes you and is prepared to offer you work; that is a very, very good thing. Gig or no gig, you just won something. You're on your way to success. This is a bad, bad time to give up.
Everyone United Nations agency gets DJ bookings tries tons more durable than the remainder - however, everybody United Nations agency tries tons more durable than the remainder does not continuously get set-aside. If you really want this, you have to do better than that.
Ultimately, the truth is that the people who succeed are the ones who can see things not only how they really are (which this article has given you a window into), but also who see things from the point of view of the person or people who have the thing they want (DJ slots, in this case).
Once you'll be able to try this, you stop taking stuff personally and start doing all the right things to earn your place where you want to be. You learn actual ways to evaluate your progress.
And you gain the strength to stay going wherever others get bitter and provide up.
Don't stop making mixtapes. Just be smart about it. See it as part of the bigger picture of everything else you have to do to succeed as a DJ. And most importantly of all - enjoy the ride!
