Guest Post

When people think of DJs, they may actually imagine that there is a limited amount of gigs available to them and that the profession is therefore not very profitable. This is undoubtedly not always the case. In my experience as a DJ, there are a plethora of many different gig types out there. Some people prefer to stick to just one kind, such as the live festival shows. Instead, I usually accept as broad a range of them as possible. Doing so has allowed me to develop my DJing skills and has made me very versatile as a performer, plus, I have even been able to pay back the dj finance loan I took out a while back to get started.

Weddings

This is one of the most common gigs I have been offered. Weddings occur throughout the year, and they usually require a DJ to play music throughout the day and evening. While I enjoy the wide availability of wedding events, I am not a fan of one aspect of them. The clients will usually request a setlist, which I need to stick to. This minimizes the creative freedom I would typically have during my performances. On the other hand, some DJs may prefer it, seeing the positive responses from the audience.

School Discos

School discos are similar to weddings in terms of high demand for DJing professionals. The difference is that the songs played tend to be more modern. When I perform at schools, I tend to pick popular tracks from the weekly charts. The audience is younger and so will appreciate songs from newer artists. I occasionally sneak in a few classics, but the emphasis of the show is always on current pop music. I also enjoy the rigid timeframe of these gigs as the event needs to close at a set time.

House Parties

I always have a lot of fun when I get to DJ at house parties. The patrons are very responsive, and the show has a flexible flow. Since they tend to take place within a residential area, I need to keep an eye on my volume levels. Otherwise, I could end up breaking the law. I also need to check that the party in question is legally permitted to go ahead. Once I have done this, I can get on with giving a show that will wow all of the party guests.

Festivals

As a professional DJ, I jump at the chance of getting to perform in front of a large crowd at music events. The majority of my work takes place in homes and schools, but festivals are where I have the most fun. The patrons are there specifically to see my DJing. Some will already be fans, whereas others will be introduced to me for the first time. The atmosphere at festivals feels electric as the crowds are very responsive and positive. The work for these events is usually during the summer months. For the rest of the year, I can focus on other types of gigs.

Online Shows

The internet has changed the ways that DJs can reach their audiences. I no longer have to perform in person. Instead, I can do so from my own home and live stream it online. One of the advantages of these gigs is I get to control how many I do. It is possible to perform multiple events each day. The internet is also great for growing my audience. I can post videos of my older shows in order to get new people interested.

Corporate Events

Sometimes I am asked to DJ for corporate events. While I am not a massive fan of them, they usually pay very well. The clients often pay for travel expenses and accommodation. Since corporate events are rare, I do not recommend relying on them to make a living. Instead, they should be used to supplement income from time to time.