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Being a resident DJ is much more than just being able to beatmatch and select great tunes. There's an art to being the guy who both rocks a crowd properly while still leaving them wanting more, especially when a "name" is booked for a particular night. Great resident DJs keep people coming to the club, but don't let their confidence get ahead of who the people might be coming to see. And great resident DJs turn into world-traveling DJs. Just ask Jed Harper. This Canadian prospect has held down a number of residencies, ranging from gigs at Uniun, The Guvernment, and CiRCA to being the resident DJ for the Toronto Blue Jays. He's parlayed his talents on the decks to spinning at both the Ultra Music Festival and the BPM Festival, and he's shared stages with Kanye West, Tiesto, and David Guetta, while playing private affairs for everyone from Diddy to Justin Timberlake. So when Jed hit us up wanting to break down the do's and don'ts of being a weekly resident DJ, we had to oblige. If you're in a similar situation, and want to a) keep your gig for a while and b) potentially move on to bigger opportunities, take heed.
DO: learn your craft
Always be prepared. Know your equipment, and be able to troubleshoot it. Stay up on current technology. You don't have to own the latest gear, but be aware of what's happening in the industry. Most importantly, research your music! Hopefully you want to DJ because you love music, and not to just bang chicks and do blow.
DO: play for the crowd
Realize that it's not just about you. Watch what people react to, and go from there. I'm not saying don't try out new tracks, but figure out how to give them what they want while breaking some new tunes.
DO: be a team player
Don't let your ego get in the way. The club will sometimes bring in DJ's you think are not as good as you. You may have to open for a bigger DJ. You may not get the branding you want. Either way, don't be a jerk if you don't get your way; you should instead prove why you deserve to be the headliner. Also, support other local DJs; you'd be surprised at how far that goes.
DO: build a reputation
You need to build a reputation with the clubs or promoters you work with, and it takes time to network and have people hear you. Don't expect to be the biggest DJ overnight; slow and steady wins the race.
DO: be more than just a great DJ
If you want to stand out, it's not about just being a great DJ, it's a business at the end of the day. Stay on top of your social media, do mixes, or charts. Find something that makes you different from the next DJ.
DON'T: blow your load
We've all seen the DJ who plays all the latest hits before anyone even gets to club. It's a long night, people, and there's enough music available that you don't need to play the number one song while people are outside lining up. DJing is kind of like sex: You need to tease the people a little before you climax.
DON'T: be the annoying DJ
Don't be too eager annoying promoters to get you gigs. If you get a gig, don't be a drunken idiot falling all over the place. If you open for a bigger DJ, don't harass and annoy them talking about the latest plug-in you illegally downloaded, or the huge track you just produced.
DON'T: expect the world
Just because you think you are the biggest DJ in the world doesn't mean you are. Only hard work and dedication can take you beyond being just another DJ.
DON'T: sh*t where you sleep
Respect the venue and the people you work with. Don't be doing rails in the bathroom while a song is ending. If you want to party like a dick, go on vacation.
DON'T: just be a promoter
Just because you have 200 friends and five VIP tables booked every week doesn't mean that you're an amazing DJ. Those people will tell you that you are the best because you just hooked them up. When all of your friends move on to putting diapers on babies and wearing a suit and tie to work, remember you want to do this forever, because music is your passion.
