Starting as a DJ is not easy, even when you have a wealth of resources at your disposal. However, to follow this dream with very little money can be even more difficult.
Still, there’s a spectrum when it comes to stepping into these shoes. Some people dismiss DJs as people who merely press play on a smart device and then sit back for the evening. However, DJs enjoy a broad range of sophistication in their roles – sometimes they can press play and relax, other times they can time tempo changes, beat drops, and more. They are essentially live remixers.
If you’re aspiring to be a DJ, but you have little money, then the first thing to know is that it’s okay to be in that situation. You can enter the scene at a lower level and still entertain so long as your talent is bigger than your wallet. Here are a few tips on how you can succeed here.
Use Music Libraries Strategically
Where you source your music from can affect how well you DJ.
Instead of signing yourself up for a streaming service that charges a recurring subscription fee, try to source your tunes from free outlets instead. The interface may not be as good, and perhaps your sound may not be as crisp, but it should still be a viable way of DJing on a budget.
Caution is advised here, though. Many sites may claim to offer free downloads, but trusting all of them might mean accidentally sourcing your music from illegal sites. To avoid any issues here, try to do some research ahead of time about what sites you can use safely and confidently, then go from there. You can obtain music for free legally, but it does take some degree of preparedness to do so smartly.
Utilise Your Personal Network
If you have little money, you likely do not have the means to fund an elaborate marketing campaign for your DJing. Without any hype around your efforts, your career may wither and fade before it ever begins.
Still, in times of woe, your friends and family may come through for you. Perhaps they each have social media accounts? Should they have amassed followers on each, they could promote your performances and creations on your behalf. Of course, create your own posts too, and they can share those as well. In time, you may be able to build a following who celebrate your talents daily.
It might be that your connections can help in other ways as well. Perhaps they are friendly with other DJs and can put you in touch with a mentor figure? They may also know which venues you should try to work with and the proprietors of some of them. Use friends and family as feelers of sorts and see what opportunities they may be able to open up for you.
Use Basic Equipment
Prolific DJs can spend sizable sums of cash on decks, marketing, speakers, lighting, effects, and a host of other things. Unfortunately, you may not be able to enjoy most of this yet.
However, if your interest is solely in sharing good music (and it should be), then you can thrive by using a laptop only. Pirate can teach you everything you need to know about how to DJ on a laptop, from what kind of iteration to buy to which types of software to install. They also provide helpful guidance on how to organise your mixes and backing everything up, and they go into great detail as well.
While it’s the DJ’s job to hype up a social occasion and keep people on the dancefloor, the best DJs strive to do a lot with a little. Use your limitations as a means of fuelling your creativity and try to push the boundaries of the tech that you’re using. Doing this means you can pace your journey and evolve your talent more organically, upgrading your tech alongside your skills. Remember, only a shoddy workman blames their tools.
Celebrate Little Victories
Despite your hunger for success, a smaller budget may indeed constrain your opportunities to some degree. Don’t let that stop you, though.
Celebrating the little victories is vital. Keep your passion alive, even when your bank account is trying to deliver sobering reality checks to you. Play friends’ birthday parties and get-togethers, leap at the chance to be another act’s opener and enter local competitions to showcase your talents for people to see. While you may have dreams of superstardom, try to set your ego aside and appreciate nothing but your craft in the beginning.
Of course, what constitutes a ‘little’ victory anyway? Positivity is crucial for struggling artists, so allow all the achievements you amass to fill you with pride and confidence. Having the courage to perform before others is an achievement in and of itself. Carry a positive perspective forward with you in everything, and you will build solid foundations for a promising career.
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