When I was on the radio, I had a blurb listed on our facebook page about what we were looking for from guest DJs who wanted their mixes featured on the show. I also send out this list to DJs who want to get booked at events I throw. I thought I'd share the list with you because it works for trying to get booked anywhere and is also just a good guide to making a solid mix that people will enjoy. Many of these are common knowledge to veteran DJs.
*You should make your mix at least an hour long, and record it the same way you would perform live. Promoters want to know that you can perform that same polished vibe without sounding like shit in front of an audience.
*Make sure your tunes are up to date. No one wants to hear a bunch of played out tracks.
*Make sure your mixes are in key. Seriously, you can be on beat, but out of key mixes are almost as bad as train wrecks.
*Do not train wreck. If I have to tell you what it is, you should not be a DJ.
*If you are trying to get booked for a certain crowd, have your mix fit that style. You may need to avoid songs with cussing or filthy content if necessary.
*Don't have vocals bleeding over other vocals. This just sounds awful and jumbled. Try having a serious conversation on your cell phone in the car, while all your friends are in the back seat having a conversation. It's the same concept.
*Don't just have chart topping songs. Show that you actually hunt for music.
*Don't make a mix of all originals. Unless you are a huge name, you shouldn't do this. Even if you are a huge name, you probably wouldn't need a demo anyway. Basically, most producers that are less than 6 months into producing just flat out suck. It's nothing personal, but it's rare to have a prodigy producer in such a short time span. It also shows that you don't have much DJ experience. This is just my personal opinion and I can write a whole post on this, which I probably will soon.
*Make a track listing. If the person listening hears a song they like, it is a good idea to have it available to them. It shows that you are confident enough to share your findings because you are always updating your library, and they are more likely to book you if you helped them discover something new. If you are an up and coming producer yourself, you'd want other DJs to give you that same credibility and exposure as well. Also, if you didn't just rip an unreleased dub plate illegally from youtube, having a playlist would be to your advantage in this case.
*Don't make excuses for your mix. If you fuck up, re-record it. Don't say, "My mixer was trippin". We don't give a shit. If our first impression of you is a lazy DJ, or one who isn't serious, we will not book you.
*Don't spam the shit out of us without a respectable introduction of yourself. Sending only a link, and saying, "Check out my awesome mix", will get you deleted immediately. You wouldn't send an email to a potential boss saying, "Dude, you should just hire me".
*Be honest and humble. We know if you are just full of yourself, and full of shit.
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