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The DJ Test: Personalised Report and Recommendations For Daniel Loaiza
The DJ Test: Personalised Report and Recommendations For Daniel Loaiza
The DJ Test: Personalised Report and Recommendations For Daniel Loaiza
THE DJ TEST
DISCOVER YOUR DJ SCORE
and find out exactly how you can become a better DJ
CONGRATULATIONS ON
TAKING THE DJ TEST.
OVERALL SCORE
57%
YOUR SCORE YOUR SCORE YOUR SCORE YOUR SCORE YOUR SCORE
7 9 7 6 2
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Through our work at Digital DJ Tips training over 13,000 DJs since 2010, we have realised there are
just three broad types of DJs:
1. Bedroom DJs
These people are just starting out as DJs and are developing their skills. They are usually
inspired by a DJ they’ve seen and particularly admired, but are unaware of the hard work to
come.
2. Semi-pro DJs
These people are skilled at the particular type of DJing they do but often go unrecognised
and unrewarded. Often their enthusiasm starts to diminish as they spend years trying to get
recognition (though they still keep getting drawn back to DJing...).
3. Great DJs
They earn more money, have more fun and get the best gigs. They are seen as highly credible in
their towns and cities. They have a sense of vitality because they are always the ones involved in
high-value DJ events and getting their “names in lights”.
With focus, you can become a GREAT DJ in your town or city much faster than you think. We
know this because since 2010, we’ve worked with over 13,000 DJs in 50 countries to accelerate
their results.
GEAR
The ability to understand, set up, and troubleshoot all types of DJ and associated gear
from a technical standpoint.
MUSIC
The ability to systematically discover, shortlist, organise and play the very best music
out there for your audiences.
TECHNIQUES
The ability to express yourself through turning what’s “in your head” into tight,
professional DJ mixes using any DJ gear.
PLAYING OUT
The ability to “put on a show”, read a crowd, and programme exceptional DJ sets in all
types of venues and for all types of audiences.
PROMOTING YOURSELF
The ability to establish a highly visible online presence, build a genuine fanbase, and
fruitfully network with people who can help your career.
As you develop in these five areas, you can become more successful as a DJ. Your DJing success
will depend upon a few additional factors:
OVERALL SCORE
57%
- High Strength
- Medium Strength
- Low Strength
GEAR
Gear describes your competency around different types of equipment and software you’ll
encounter as a DJ. Not only does it mean how well you understand the equipment you
actually use, but how proficient you are in understanding all types of DJ gear. Past that,
it encompasses working knowledge of PA systems, lighting, cables and basic electrical
training, so you can troubleshoot and solve problems in critical performance situations.
YOUR SCORE:
7/10
Having impeccable technical knowledge of DJ gear and the more technical side
of your software and audio files is important, because it gives you both the
confidence to set up, use and sound good on a wider variety of systems, and the
knowledge that you can cope should something go wrong.
While DJ gear’s more technical side is something that certainly doesn’t scare you, there is plenty
you can do to improve your skills in this area to help you to become an expert. The good news is
that you’re already ahead of the pack, as the general level of technical knowledge among today’s
DJs - especially new DJs brought up on digital gear - is pretty low.
1. AUDIO METADATA - Do you know exactly where 4. SERVICING AND MAINTENANCE - Do you know
information “about” your music files is stored, what parts of your DJ gear are user-serviceable /
meaning what data is stored with the file itself, replaceable, and what the procedures are to do
and what is stored in your DJ software and this? Would you know where to obtain spares in
music management software databases? Are your areas quickly, to avoid prolonged downtime
you backing up the right data? in the event of a breakdown?
2. SYSTEM PERFORMANCE - Do you know the 5. HOW GEAR OUTSIDE OF WHAT YOU OWN
best improvements you can make to improve WORKS - Would you be confident setting up
reliability? Have you looked at the options software that isn’t your choice, or gear that’s a
available in the system performance / utility different format to that you use (ie a CDJ system
menus either on your hardware or in your DJ if you’re a controller DJ)? Do you know how to
software, and do you understand what the use a DMX lighting rig?
options do?
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MUSIC
A DJ is only as good as his or her music - period. And the way Great DJs approach their
music collections is fundamentally different to the approach of your typical music fan.
Ruthless with his or her library, the smart DJ knows exactly why every individual track
is in there. Great DJs have tactics for hearing more music than the average person, and
reliable systems for choosing, curating and “packing” that music for DJ sets.
YOUR SCORE:
9/10
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A DJ is only as good as the music in his or her collection, and you’re pretty
much on top of this part of your DJing, already being somewhat of an
expert. You fully understand the importance of sourcing, shortlisting,
buying and organising your music, and are adept at thinking about what
to play at any given gig. You are confident in your ability to find the “right
tune for right now”, and feel like you know your collection well.
In our advanced training, we teach DJs how to move past just having the best tunes into the realm
where their sets become truly special, and we do this by concentrating on two areas: Getting
music nobody else has got, and being able to playing the kind of sets that deliver big genre, BPM
and style shifts, sets that delight audiences for their ambition, but still hold together really well.
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TECHNIQUES
The core skills of DJing are what allow the DJ to rise above any particular DJ set-up and
perform effectively. Once a DJ understands how tracks are constructed, how to structure
a set, how to beatmix, how to use a mixer, how to manipulate music with platters and
jogwheels, how to cleanly move between tracks, and how to add flavour with scratching
and other tricks, his or her sets quickly become more than the sum of their parts.
YOUR SCORE:
7/10
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It’s true that DJing is 80% music selection, 20% technique. In other word, get
the music right, and you’re nearly there. But it is also true that a DJ who has
a reasonable grasp of beatmixing, as well as the ability to use some of the
more modern DJing features like looping and effects (in particular, filters), will
always do better than one who hasn’t.
These techniques help you to take the music You are already well on the path to being a
selections you’ve made for your audience great “technical” DJ. You’ve grasped the reason
and blend them together in a much more why this stuff is important, and nailed some
professional way. They also help you to make of the skills you need to become technically
more ambitious music selections while still proficient. In our training at Digital DJ Tips, we
“keeping” your dancefloor. Music selection and move our DJs beyond this point by highlighting
DJing technique feed into each other. specific areas where they can work to improve
their techniques.
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1. MANUAL BEATMIXING - This is the big one, 4. USING YOUR FX, ESPECIALLY FILTERS - Effects
because if you can move past the “sync” such as echo/delay, reverb and flanger/phaser
button and learn to beatmix tunes manually, can add colour to your DJ mixes, but the king of
you will also move past most of today’s DJs. all effects is filter. Work out how to apply a filter
Doing so means you can use a wider variety of to your channels, and experiment with both HPF
equipment, and play a wider variety of music. (high pass filter) and LPF (low pass filter).
2. HARMONIC MIXING - Do you know how to use 5. USING HOT CUES PROPERLY - All gear nowadays
your DJ system’s harmonic mixing (or “mixing gives you a number of hot cues - points you can
in key”) features? Keymixing is one of the big set on your tracks that you can jump back to at
advances that digital DJing has ushered in, and the press of a button. Start using them to mark
you’d be crazy not to work out how to use it and the beat you want to mix in from, the “outro”,
start doing it in your own DJing. and other important parts of your tracks, for
easy jumping around.
3. USING EQS CREATIVELY - The EQ controls on
your gear can be used to “match” tunes to each
other (boosting the bass, curtailing the treble
etc), but they can also be used creatively to
better blend tunes together “in the mix”. Try
having one bass EQ turned all the way down,
then “swapping” for the other one.
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PLAYING OUT
DJing is done in public, and playing out is very different to practising at home. From
understanding what the people who book you really require of you, to being able to
control the mood in a room, to conquering DJ nerves and learning to really perform
in front of a crowd, playing out is where you prove yourself. You need to be able to
programme DJ sets, read crowds, and deal with the unexpected, all the time staying cool
and confident.
YOUR SCORE:
6/10
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You’ve probably already played out anything from a handful of gigs to more
regularly, and so got a reasonable education as to how to survive “real life”
DJ sets. You understand about planning for the night, being patient with your
crowd, and keeping a friendly and approachable look about you (even if
you’re feeling really nervous); like other smart DJs, you realise that the crowd
will pick up on your demeanour and reflect it back at you. If the DJ’s having
fun, they take it as their cue to have fun, too…
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1. TURNING UP EARLY AND STAYING LATE - Not 4. STUDYING YOUR CROWD - Beginner DJs see
only is it good manners to be early for any gig, if the crowd as “one”. Smarter DJs see the crowd
you’re playing in a club after someone else you as pockets of people. That group of girls who
get to hear how they’re building the vibe, what look likely to dance? Forget the rest, play to
they’ve played and so on. Likewise, staying after them; they’ll get your floor started. The lads who
a club gig gives you a chance to learn from how haven’t danced all night? How can you get them
the night develops. on the floor? Study. Try. Learn.
2. IMPROVING YOUR DJ ETIQUETTE - Knowing how 5. GETTING TO KNOW THE STAFF - Managers, door
to treat other DJs in the booth is a great way to men, bathroom attendants, bar staff - it is not
appear professional and get the treatment you just manners learning these people’s names and
deserve. Simply respecting them when you’re engaging them - it is essential. If they’re rooting
setting up and they’re still playing, or vice versa, for you, they’ll be helping you spread the vibe.
and being friendly and professional towards Any good night needs a team to make it work,
them, will pay dividends for you. and you’re just part of their team. Act like it.
Since your training, I’ve taken a big step forward and, most
importantly, it’s in the proper direction. I have a structured web
presence in social networks, my website, and a fanbase. I have regular
gigs in different clubs. I have huge network among DJs, promoters,
club owners in a few countries. I organise my own parties and invite
leading DJs from other countries. Now I can think about the next step
- producing my own tracks. I feel like I’ll be in this business for many
years to come and I am enjoying my music more than ever.”
Leo Hazree, Baku, Azerbaijan
PROMOTING
YOURSELF
PROMOTING
YOURSELF
In order to get the number of bookings you want, you need to deeply understand how
this works, and it doesn’t work by randomly giving out mixtapes. From having a great
online profile (including mastering social media), to building a valuable network of people
who can help you face-to-face in your town or city, to knowing how to ask for - and get
paid for - work, knowing how to promoting yourself is the glue that will hold everything
else together.
YOUR SCORE:
2/10
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1. GET SOME BUSINESS CARDS MADE - They are so 4. PUT A MIX ONLINE - There are lots of services
cheap nowadays from online companies that where you can post a DJ mix online, and
you’d be silly not to. You can give them out to Mixcloud is a good place to start - it’s legal,
anyone and everyone you meet, get friends and free, and will do wonders for your confidence.
family to pin them to company notice boards, You could put the URL on those business cards
and swap them with other DJs to start building you’re going to have done…
up a network of contacts.
5. TALK ABOUT YOUR DJING ON SOCIAL MEDIA -
2. PRACTISE YOUR “DJ PITCH” IN THE MIRROR - Post DJ-related links, your mixes and so on on
Might sound silly, but until you’re comfortable your Facebook feed, and make sure you have
telling people who you are and what you do, a written version of your DJ pitch there, with
your subconscious mind will stop you doing contact details. Again, people will see you’re
that. Say: “Hi I’m Phil, I’m a DJ, and am available serious about DJing, and tell others. This stuff
for club and mobile bookings in the London can and does lead to bookings.
area.” Replace my name and town with yours,
and go!
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SCORE
The overall score reflects your ability to get the gigs you want, get paid what you think you’re
worth (if that’s what’s important to you), but most importantly, to get the enjoyment you’re
looking for from your DJing.
It is a measure of your connection to the music, your love of making people dance, and the
respect you’re getting from those who matter to you in the venues where you play, your town or
city, and the DJing community at large.
The overall score will improve as you land better gigs, earn more from your DJing, and start to
plan longer term - and start to believe in this process!
Of course, DJing doesn’t have to be about money (and it certainly doesn’t need to be about fame),
but recompense and recognition do have an impact on your happiness, satisfaction and long-term
ability to succeed as a DJ.
People who feel they’re constantly going unrewarded and unrecognised often derail themselves
as a result of blindly “chasing the dream” and burning out. It’s important to work on the right
things, and take this test regularly to see how you’re progressing!
TAKING TIME “OUT” FROM YOUR DJING TO WORK “ON” YOUR DJING
INSTEAD OF “IN” YOUR DJING (FINDING NEW SOURCES OF MUSIC, LEARNING
HOW A NEW PIECE OF GEAR WORKS, MASTERING A NEW SKILL, GETTING
GOOD AT PLAYING A DIFFERENT TYPE OF GIG, MASTERING A NEW SOCIAL
MEDIA NETWORK) WILL PUSH YOU FORWARD FASTER THAN ALWAYS DOING
THE SAME THING.
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We want to see more music lovers performing the music they love, not just playing it passively. We
think every music fan has it in them to be a DJ, and we do not subscribe to elitism or “one size
fits all” philosophies of how DJing should be done. The dancefloor is always right, and we know
that music can change lives - we want as many people as possible to share the joy we’ve had filling
dancefloors and changing lives ourselves.
Since 2010, we’ve helped over 13,000 people to learn to DJ, via our website, books, seminars and
video courses, based around our philosophy of teaching gear, music, techniques, playing out and
promoting yourself as interlinking parts of what the modern DJ has to do to achieve success.
We believe that you have a huge passion for music and you have a burning desire to share that
music with other people. If you completed this test, clearly you are open to ways of improving
your skills and success as a DJ.
Each year, we run a series of big training courses for people just like you, each of which teaches a
set number of students via a mixture of on-demand video lessons, tutor and student interaction,
and live webinars. These courses currently cover DJing, scratching, and production.
THE NEXT STEP IS TO REGISTER YOUR INTEREST FOR ONE OR MORE OF THESE
COURSES, EACH OF WHICH RUNS ONCE A YEAR. ONCE YOU HAVE, WE’LL
INFORM YOU WHEN THE COURSE OR COURSES YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ARE
OPEN FOR REGISTRATION FOR THAT YEAR. YOU CAN DO SO AT
WWW.DIGITALDJTIPS.COM/ACADEMY
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STAY IN TOUCH
www.facebook.com/digitaldjtips www.twitter.com/digitaldjtips
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