After more than 30 years in the DJ game, countless mix compilations and tours across the globe, if there's anyone who is qualified to give advice on how to become a successful DJ, it's Oliver Huntemann. Here are five nuggets of gold from the German techno stalwart.
1. Start with the basics
There's a wide choice of hard and software in the DJ market. Plenty of tools, all promising to give you better “skills” and make your crowd rock. The reality is that most of the tools and software are fairly similar and you don't really need them in the beginning. Starting with a sync function doesn't train your ears and feeling and won't help you when your laptop crashes in the middle of a night.
The best advice I can give to aspiring DJs is to pick a very simple set-up and focus on the music and dramaturgy of your set. Two CD players or turntables, a mixer with basic EQs and maybe a few effects - reverb, delay, echo, that's more than enough. If you can make your set sound really good with this set up, you're on the best way to develop your skills and take the next step.
2. Follow your heart
There’s always a trend going on but if you play what everyone else is playing, how will you stand out from the crowd? To build a reputation as a DJ you need to focus on doing things in your own special way. It's about the music you play and how you play it. Try to stand out and follow your gut instinct, that's 80% of the battle.
3. Play all night long
A very good way to learn about DJing is to play long sets. May it be in a bar, at a birthday party, at home with some friends, wherever. These nights teach you a lot about the full range of DJing. How to start a night, how to build it up, how to keep the energy and crowd during peak-time and how to finish it. Playing a ninety minute peak-time-set with twenty tracks you know by heart doesn't make you learn. It's the unexpected that grows your skills and experience.
4. Know your role
Know your role according to your set time. If you're an opening act, play an opening set. Don't try to be a headliner when the club has just opened. Raise the drama slowly, let the people get into the mood. You won't get anyone on the dancefloor by playing harder and harder. I would recommend not to play the headliner's new single as a last track before you pass on. Maybe the headliner likes to play it himself. If you do your job well, people will call you back because they know you are dependable. One day, you might become that headliner DJ.
5. Establish yourself
You need to see yourself as more than just a DJ. It's not enough to play good music nowadays and be a talented DJ. We have a global demand of people, that dream about being able to make a living by DJing. You need to see yourself as a bit as a product. When people buy a product, they want to know what they're getting and that they're getting what they paid for. Decide what you're going to offer and do it well. If you do so, people such as promoters, other DJs and last but not least the clubbers, who share your taste, will become interested.
Oliver Huntemann 2014 Australian Tour Dates
18.07.14 - Brown Alley, Melbourne
19.07.14 - Division Presents, The Arthouse, Sydney [BUY]
20.07.14 - Secret Show