Music as a Business (dj)

Disc Jockey

The term disk jockey was first used to describe radio announcers who would introduce and play popular records. These records, also called discs by those in the music industry (radio), were jockeyed by the radio announcers, hence the name disk jockey, which soon enough was shortened to DJ. Today, there are a number of factors, including the selected music, the intended audience, the performance setting, and the dj's style of mixing that have led to different types of disk jockeys.

The only drawback of starting is buying all the expensive DJing equipment. In the DJ business, the more expensive equipment is no doubt the better equipment. Just to start, a DJ would need 2 Turntables, mixer, PA system, speakers, good headphones, and a mic. To step it up a notch, a Professional DJ has music coordinated lighting systems, fog machines, smoke machines, and wireless mics. In our technologocial age, Rane has produced an interface called the Serato Scratch Live that has a set of Vinyls that have time grooves in it, that sends a signal to the computer. Allowing modern age DJs to play music directly from a laptop computer into the turntables. This allows DJs to lose the 1000s of vinyls and replace it by a 6 pound powerbook.

I think the easiest way to get jobs would be to hook up with an entertainment company. Although it takes some experience and a hefty resume to get hired, once in an entertainment company, there will always be jobs. Although as a freelance DJ, you can have a better say in how much you want to get paid, it is very hard to get jobs, or to even go out searching for gigs. Entertainment companies often have years of experience throwing good parties, weddings, and even school dances, so that would make the atmosphere in a much more bubbly mood.

The only challenge as a new DJ is that there are so many DJs that it is hard to find a job in a hip place. If wanting to break into the Club scene, it is near impossible as a new DJ because there are big name DJs that have been working that crowd for years. In some cases, people come to dance to THAT certain DJ's music! Although it is hard to break into club, there is always the Mobile DJ role, the type of DJ that I am. I have a sister in a sorority at UCLA, Gamma Phi beta. They have at least one party a week, and there is always a demand for a DJ, so pretty soon I might be able to DJ her sorority parties, which would pay most likely