DJing Discussion

This area is for discussion about DJing in general. Please remember the community rules when posting and try to be polite and inclusive.

Feel a doubtful..

MadisonK 12:52 AM - 14 April, 2014
I'm a girl and I'm 13 years old, my name is Madison and I obviously love playing with DJ equipment. My passion is DJ'ing, I have Serato DJ Intro on a HP laptop and it's great! With it's own laptop stand. and I have the Numark Mixtrack Pro 2, that's great aswell! My passion is to grow up to produce, mix, and remix music and be able to perform and huge festivals. But I always get the feeling that it will never happen...I can mix songs and my parents and friends think I'm really good but I always look into the future and doubt everything. Will someone give me some good advice? My Instagram is Madisonkane_, if you want to look at some of the mixes.
ninos 4:07 AM - 14 April, 2014
I peeped your instagram, keep practicing!
djnak 6:38 AM - 14 April, 2014
If ur passionate about it at this age just keep practicing .... By the time ur old enough for the club/ festival scene u will be a well rounded dj
 6 2:03 PM - 14 April, 2014
Try to educate yourself in everything you wish to do. If you can find a mentor, do so. Also, focus on your skills, not the fact that you're a girl. You may or may not understand what I mean by that now. But, hopefully when you do, you will make the right choices.

nm
phonze 3:50 PM - 14 April, 2014
You're 13, so never say never. When you get to my age then you can kind of tell yourself things will never happen lol. Sky's the limit for you still. Practice, practice, practice. Watch what the good DJ's do, and try to emulate that. If it sounds off or nowhere near what they do, keep trying. This is how you know what is right from wrong.
DJ Benny B NYC 6:47 PM - 14 April, 2014
Quote:
I'm a girl and I'm 13 years old, my name is Madison and I obviously love playing with DJ equipment. My passion is DJ'ing, I have Serato DJ Intro on a HP laptop and it's great! With it's own laptop stand. and I have the Numark Mixtrack Pro 2, that's great aswell! My passion is to grow up to produce, mix, and remix music and be able to perform and huge festivals. But I always get the feeling that it will never happen...I can mix songs and my parents and friends think I'm really good but I always look into the future and doubt everything. Will someone give me some good advice? My Instagram is Madisonkane_, if you want to look at some of the mixes.


My advice to you is to pick 1 main goal and work towards it. It seems like you want to produce dance music and you also want to learn how to DJ. I suggest you pick one.

If you really want to become a star and perform at big festivals, you should learn how to produce music and put DJing second. Right now you are young enough that you can learn EVERYTHING that most of us older people don't have time for.

You can learn things like, music theory, how to play an instrument, how to use many different types of music production software, etc... Get many mentors, people who you can ask for advice. Talk to music teachers and people you know who make music.

DJing is great (it's my favorite thing to do), but it seems that learning how to use Serato and DJ equipment is not going to get you where you want to go. I suggest you study music. Good luck!
DJ Benny B NYC 6:49 PM - 14 April, 2014
Quote:
But I always get the feeling that it will never happen...I can mix songs and my parents and friends think I'm really good but I always look into the future and doubt everything.


Also, at age 35 this is exactly how I feel
MadisonK 9:24 PM - 14 April, 2014
Thank you guys soooo much for the answers! At school I learn violin and it has taught me lots of music vocabulary in Italian and vocab such as octaves and arpeggio and it helps me understand people on YouTube. It really does help me a lot with people helping me like this! :'). My YouTube channel is just called Madison Kane, it has a full mix I made on it and a song that I made with fruity loops! Thankyou so much! Makes me feel do much that you guys have done nothing but inspired me! :) at school some of the boys think it's funny how I like dj'ing and making music, it's because I'm always really quiet and it's something they would doubt I'd do. My favourite dj is Martin Garrix because I love the type of music he makes. I don't know how I would find a really good mentor. I live in Newcastle and I don't know where to look. However there is a shop somewhere called Soundware with unbelievable music equipment and they might give me some real good info, thanks anyway :)
MadisonK 9:37 PM - 14 April, 2014
Quote:
Try to educate yourself in everything you wish to do. If you can find a mentor, do so. Also, focus on your skills, not the fact that you're a girl. You may or may not understand what I mean by that now. But, hopefully when you do, you will make the right choices.

nm

How would I find a mentor? My family have no clue about this type of stuff and I really want someone who will guide me through this.
Dj Shamann 9:49 PM - 14 April, 2014
LOL @ 13, I have cables older than you. Don't worry about feeling doubtful, you're still very young and have so much ahead of you. Like 6 said, try and gain as much knowledge as you can now since you have all the time in the world, by the time you're club age you'll be very well rounded musically.

If you want to produce, look up tutorials on Youtube. Look up stuff like "Martin Garrix FL Studio" or "Ableton". Look up basslines, synth leads, percussion etc. related to Dance music.

Don't worry about what the boys at school think, what 13 year old boys think is of very little consequence in the grand scheme of things. Just do what makes you happy and continue with your passion, eventually it will pay off if you care about it enough.
The Return of Dj Sparky 9:56 PM - 14 April, 2014
I was going to chime in with some whitty comments and I had some great ones,

but seeing as your so young I'll refrain from satirical comments

on a real note though it's all about practice, if you want it bad enough it will happen,

your 13 you got years to improve and there is no rush just keep at it, youtube is the best tool there is available use it,

and trust me on the sun screen
Dj Shamann 9:58 PM - 14 April, 2014
I started at 10, got serious with it when I was 14, this was pre-internet so it was much harder to get the exposure, but by 19-20 I was doing TV, travelling the world with my musical heroes and so on. If you want it bad enough it will happen.
Dj Shamann 9:58 PM - 14 April, 2014
Quote:
if you want it bad enough it will happen



Great minds... (or something like that)
MadisonK 12:30 PM - 15 April, 2014
Youtube channel :) - www.youtube.com
sumoJr 7:03 PM - 15 April, 2014
just have fun
branch out into different types of music early
hip hop , rnb ect..
for more musical knowledge and styles

13 is to young to have doubt
dj_soo 8:31 PM - 15 April, 2014
Quote:
At school I learn violin and it has taught me lots of music vocabulary in Italian and vocab such as octaves and arpeggio


I studied violin for 13 years. If you have a handle on basic music theory, djing will be easy to pick up - at least on the technical side of things. The hard part about djing is understanding the flow of energy and reacting to the psychology of a crowd which just comes with experience.

If you want to produce music, start now - see if you can enroll in some courses. The composition and arrangement side of music production is only half of it. Learn the engineering and mix/mastering side at a young age and you'll be golden.
MadisonK 10:05 PM - 15 April, 2014
Quote:
Quote:
At school I learn violin and it has taught me lots of music vocabulary in Italian and vocab such as octaves and arpeggio


I studied violin for 13 years. If you have a handle on basic music theory, djing will be easy to pick up - at least on the technical side of things. The hard part about djing is understanding the flow of energy and reacting to the psychology of a crowd which just comes with experience.

If you want to produce music, start now - see if you can enroll in some courses. The composition and arrangement side of music production is only half of it. Learn the engineering and mix/mastering side at a young age and you'll be golden.

I have an Instagram Madisonkane_
It has some of the music and mixes I've made on it, their just previews of the mixes though. I'm not perfect at making music but my aim is Big room house genre of music
MadisonK 10:09 PM - 15 April, 2014
How do you get a mentor at my age? It would be great to learn things from someone that I don't know now on the decks.
DJ Reflex 4:05 AM - 16 April, 2014
Quote:
How do you get a mentor at my age? It would be great to learn things from someone that I don't know now on the decks.


Funny you ask... I am a middle school teacher and a few years ago one of my former students (in high school at the time) called me up and wanted to get into the DJ business. I showed him some tricks, got him started on some basic equipment (CD's and Serato - also made some speakers and bought an amp off eBay), and took him to a few gigs (I had to get his mom's permission to keep him out late - lol).
Within 2 years, he was doing a local club circuit, booking his own weddings and school dances, and really taking charge of his business. Fast forward to 2014... He's married with two kids and ready to hang up his DJ spurs. I was surprised and a bit saddened at the same time. I felt like we were loosing some good talent and a dedicated DJ. He spent a lot of time asking questions, learning from others (including me), and practicing.

I see too many hacks come and go so quickly when they don't get instant fame on their shiny new controllers. It takes time and dedication to build any craft. Nice to hear that the next "up-and-coming" kid is once again doing it right!
the SOUNDINSURGENT 4:22 AM - 16 April, 2014
Quote:
How do you get a mentor at my age? It would be great to learn things from someone that I don't know now on the decks.


In my town we have a Conservatory of Music where kids of all ages can come and learn any instrument they want including turntables and midi controllers plus I show them all the different djing software (well mainly Serato, Traktor and VDJ). Really the only thing I can teach them is how to read a crowd. But I think the best way to learn that is just by taking request. My youngest student is 10. When ever I have an outdoor event or an all ages show I invite them to come hang out backstage and see what it is we do from setup to tear down.

Like others have said stick with it and you'll go far.
the SOUNDINSURGENT 4:24 AM - 16 April, 2014
We need an edit button!!

*really the only thing I CANT teach them is how to read a crowd.
DJ Reflex 4:32 AM - 16 April, 2014
Quote:
When ever I have an outdoor event or an all ages show I invite them to come hang out backstage and see what it is we do from setup to tear down.



Good call... Also very important! Often the only thing an aspiring DJ sees is the glamour of a rocking' crowd. It's the "behind-the-scenes" work that often deters people from the biz. You got know the in's and out's of your equipment and the technical aspects of set-up/take down as well.
MadisonK 11:47 PM - 16 April, 2014
I think I'll try learn on my own for now and take in other peoples advice on YouTube and Instagram etc. but I think I'll ask my parents to ask around if there is any place in Newcastle where they can teach kids dj'ing. Would be a great opportunity since I can't do much during school holidays etc. also my school music teachers are quite scary and extremely awkward to talk to so I'm just gonna leave them out for now. :)
Dj Shamann 12:11 AM - 17 April, 2014
Before you posted I was going to tell you, the best thing for you to do is discuss it with your parents and find a legit DJ school. Also look into music production courses, the college courses are ridiculous but there are workshops that are affordable.

The thing is this, and I don't mean to be negative, but whether you're 13 or 31, as a female DJ/producer who's trying to learn, there are going to be those that use their perceived status/experience that will take advantage of women who are new and innocently looking to learn. That's not to say all DJs are like this, but they're out there.

You seem like a smart girl and part of the game is putting yourself out there in the internet age, but just be careful how much private info you give out, and be mindful of those who approach you to "help" or be a "mentor".

You've already mentioned your parents so I'm sure they've had this convo with you, but take it from a DJ who has been around long enough to see the shadier side of this business, there are a lot of big talkers and con artists out there who aren't worth the free email account they operate out of.

In the meantime you're much better off staying up to date with Youtube tutorials and legitimate online forums, until you and your parents can find a program for you to take the next step.
Dj Shamann 12:14 AM - 17 April, 2014
*the college courses are ridiculous money *

(Fixed)
MadisonK 1:45 PM - 17 April, 2014
Thanks! My brother is a vocalist for a bad called Beyond the ocean. He went to college to do music and now he does gigs with other awesome bands and they are really good. However they are that band where they are screaming and playing guitars and drums. Really talented bro. Check him out on YouTube, I think it's BeyondTheOceanUK
MadisonK 10:11 AM - 18 April, 2014
My mix on youtube has been muted! :( Its due to getting songs off other peoples videos, I try to go for the lyric videos, not the VEVO music or anything. I removed it because nobody would be able to hear it :(. it says you have to buy music but I don't know how and I wouldn't be able to afford it because I don't have money. help. -_-