So you want to be a great DJ. If you ask us here at Dragon Frontboards, it’s a great decision. DJs offer entertainment in the form of new or remixed music, which is a valuable commodity as it gives us a means of expression and connection through a popular form of media. But if you want to be headlining the biggest venues in every city, you’ll need to seriously stand out from the crowd in order to get your name in the lights. In this blog, we’ll highlight five things that will help you get your name out there so you can play your music for thousands of fans screaming your name.

1 - Have Skills

This is kind of obvious, but it definitely needs to be included here. If you don’t know the basics of being a DJ, it will absolutely help you to learn them. Learn the terminology, such as PBM, cue, gain, and juggle, and familiarize yourself with whichever software and equipment you choose to use. Practice mixing with CDs or vinyl records at your house until you get a good understanding of how your software and equipment works. If you’re using software to create your own music, make sure you know how it works, what sounds good, and how to correct any mistakes or mishaps that may occur during the producing process.

If you’re more of a classroom learner, you can take online or in-person courses from schools dedicated to music. From there, you can even get into specific types of classes for whatever genre or style you’d like to learn. For instance, if you wanted to learn how to mix two songs together to make a new one or learn how to make your own banging EDM music, there are classes you can take right now that will teach you how to do just that. Like a great athlete or a mathematician, the greatest tool a DJ can have is knowing how to properly execute. Once you have that skill mastered, there’s not much keeping you from entering the DJing big leagues.

2 - Equipment

Like any other career, it’s hard to do your job without the right tools. The same goes for DJs — if you don’t have the proper gear then your sets will suffer and no one will want to hear your music. Problems can arise if you have too much equipment as well, as you may not have enough room to set it all up depending on where you’re playing. At Dragon Frontboards, we suggest starting out with the bare necessities. Then, once you’ve established yourself and know what you’re doing, start getting the extra support devices.

Start out by getting a controller or turntable that you can operate, or at least learn to operate, and transport with ease. Find mixing or beat software that you can understand and download it to your prefered laptop. And above all else, purchase professional-grade headphones to help you concentrate during your set. There will be plenty of distractions on the road to becoming the next great DJ, don’t let one of them be you not having the right DJ equipment.

3 - Spruce Up Your Set Up

Picture this: you’re playing at the hottest nightclub in your hometown. You’ve spent countless hours working over the music, syncing up your lights and effects, and you even have the perfect outfit picked out for your big night. You pull up to the club, unload all of your equipment, move it into the venue, and find out they have you playing on an old, janky, fold-up table that throws off half of your equipment everytime you just think about moving the crossfader. That’s where your friends at Dragon Frontboards come in. We have some of the best DJ equipment to help take your setup to the next level.

We have everything a growing DJ needs, from fully customizable DJ booth facades to mobile DJ tables and even DJ carrying cases to help you tote your equipment from venue to venue. Our mobile DJ booths and custom DJ facades can help you stand out in any crowd and make you the talk of the town. View our collection of custom DJ equipment and find the right gear for your style.

Sifting through record albums in boxes at Southbank Centre4 - Have A Good Library

There are songs out there that nearly everyone loves listening to multiple times, but if you only have a handful of albums or tracks to pick from, chances are people aren’t going to be interested in your set after you get through a few minutes of the same beats playing over and over again. You can also have too many songs and get lost in your large assortment of tunes.

Finding that sweet spot where you have the perfect amount of songs in your library is integral to your success as a DJ. If you’re mixing songs on the fly, make sure you have your setup carefully curated beforehand so you know where to find songs, CDs, and records before you even go looking for them. If you’re making songs and beats beforehand, make sure you know what folders you saved your music under, what beats are where on your soundboard, and where your cues are before you press play.

5 - Develop Your Style

There are thousands of DJs around the world — all of them trying to do the same thing you’re doing. Sure, a mask with some lights and some cool special effects will stand out, but do you want to know what will make you stand out further and longer? Having your own style of music that you’ve mastered and implement every time you walk out on the stage. Remember, people come for the show, but they stay and keep coming back for the content you provide. The aesthetics are great and will definitely help you get noticed, but if you want to stay in the spotlight, continually create music that people love. If you can do both, you’ll become a legendary DJ in no time.

Our team at Dragon Frontboards hope this list has helped you on your path to become the next great DJ. View our collection of DJ equipment and our gallery to see what custom DJ facade we can make for you, or contact us today to answer any questions you may have about Dragon Frontboards and our products.