Music is one of the most important elements of our daily lives, and when music is mentioned, we can not let DJs aside, professionals dedicated to mixing music to create new compositions and entertain crowds.
This extra job has become one of the best paid, and the ideal job to do in your spare time, since most of the time DJs are hired at parties during the weekends. If you have already practiced as a DJ and would like to earn some extra money, here’s how you can do it.
What does a DJ do?
As mentioned above, a DJ is in charge of entertaining and creating a musical atmosphere at parties, events, meetings or clubs. DJs usually do not compose their music, but create mixes of pre-existing songs, looking for the best combinations to transmit another kind of emotion with them, especially to invite the audience to have fun and dance.
Many are also musicians or sound engineers, who know how to combine digital elements to create original tracks, without the need to mix any pre-existing songs. These songs are also played at venues and parties to entertain the public and create a pleasant atmosphere.
What do you need to be a DJ?
To become a DJ you don’t need to have any degree or specialty, and sometimes you don’t even need to take a course or workshop, however, you should study the discipline a little before you start. The skills start from their ear and their creativity to combine music and sounds, if you are a musician or studied some sound engineering, the work of a DJ will be much easier, but it is not a direct requirement to start dabbling in this discipline.
On the internet, there are thousands of free videos to learn how to use DJ equipment, and the software you need to start mixing. This is something you can check out, and if you take it seriously and are very interested, you will be able to learn quickly, as long as you practice enough.
To be a professional you must have special equipment and software with which you can do your job. You will need the following items:
- A controller with basic functions.
- Professional headphones with sound cancellation and good bass.
- Powerful speakers.
- An amplifier.
- A mixing console.
- Data cables
- A sound card.
- A digital keyboard.
- A laptop with good RAM and processor capacity.
- A sound mixing and editing software.
All this equipment is important to start your way as a professional DJ, and although they seem a little expensive, it is ideal to have them all to do an impeccable job and continue practicing this discipline that you enjoy so much. Acquiring all this equipment will be an investment that will be recovered with the extra income you will generate with work.
How to become a DJ?
There are many ways to become a DJ and start earning money for your work, but the most important thing in this discipline is to start creating contacts with different DJs in your city, or people who have been successful in your close circles. If you have good contacts and make enough presentations, you will most likely be able to start earning a lot of money with your talent.
Here are some of the ways you can work as a DJ and earn extra money:
- Create social media accounts to promote your music. Social media are indispensable tools for every new artist, they will make you known and you will start to be visible to people who enjoy the kind of music you make. We recommend that you create Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube accounts. If you keep your networks updated and interact with the public with good publicity and samples of your work, you will attract attention and they will be able to offer you performances.
- Publish your original music on web platforms. By creating an original composition, you will have the possibility to earn a lot of money with it, this will be possible if you upload it to websites such as Soundcloud, YouTube, Mixcrate or Spotify. These websites will allow you to promote your music and charge a percentage for each play, so you will generate passive income over time if your songs are played enough times.
- Make performances at local clubs or bars. Performances are what will give you the most recognition and earnings. If you offer your DJ services in bars or clubs in your city, they may offer you a fee for performing for a certain number of hours. You can also offer your DJ services on social media, to animate events, weddings or parties. This will be positive for you, as you will be able to adjust your schedule to what suits you best.
Schedule and earnings expectations
The work schedule of a DJ is mostly free to choose because it will depend on how many gigs you have, or how much time you can dedicate to this activity each week. Needless to say, if you create your compositions at home and upload them to music platforms such as YouTube, Spotify and Soundcloud, you will receive passive income from each play of the songs, so you will not have to work excessively.
If you combine both forms of work you will be able to organize your schedule and earn quite an impressive sum. It’s all about balance and knowing how to combine this activity with your regular job. Eventually, it will even be possible for you to quit your job and make a living from your profession as a DJ.
As for earnings, it will depend on how many performances you make or how many original songs are played on the music platforms. On average, the profit of a DJ working part-time and in different establishments or events is approximately 300€ to 600€ per event, they can even earn 1,200€, depending on the complexity and the number of hours in which they perform, in addition to the prestige or exclusivity of the event.
Are you ready to become a DJ?
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Start earning extra money in your spare time!