5 reasons why DJ's need to produce

[OxyKon]

A lot of DJs out there are reluctant to start seriously producing. They all know that’s what they “should” do to get to the next level, but many put it off as something they can get to “tomorrow”. Beatport recently published a link to London’s Point Blank production school’s “Five Reasons DJs Need To Produce”, which we’ve sourced for you to read below. Here’s an excerpt of what Beatport had to say about it:

In the current dance-music climate, it has become increasingly essential for DJs to learn the craft of production, not only in order to help spread their name but also to ensure that their sets can stand out amongst the fray with uniquely handmade cuts and specially crafted edits.

This makes quite a bit of sense. Think about it – Today, everybody essentially has access to the same music library. How do you separate yourself from the herd? Instead of having rare records in your sets these days, you now need original content to really make you stand out. Production may be the new investment in your DJ career that collecting records once was.

Here are Point Blank’s Five Reasons Why DJs Need To Produce Music:

1.) You need to understand production to be able to remix other people’s tracks. Remixes are common currency to getting noticed as a new producer. You may not get paid for delivering your first remix but if it is released on a decent label or respected artist it will give you a valuable degree of exposure and kudos.

2.) In order to be able to secure regular gigs and take your DJ career to the next level you need an agent and/or manager. As a new DJ an agent won’t consider taking you on unless you have a decent following on social media and regular releases coming out.

3.) While it’s true that most established artists are making the lion’s share of their income through gigs and shows (versus recording income), you need releases out to ‘tour’ in the same way as a live act.

4.) Through amazing developments in products and digital DJing, barriers to entry have been lowered and now everyone knows someone that DJs. Being able to create original material and re-edits that no one else has for your mixes and developing a creative live show that you can ‘perform’ enable you to stand out from the crowd.

5.) Learning how to produce gives you flexibility and a pathway to progression with huge potential. i.e. you might start off as an electronic producer releasing on underground labels but in 10 years time be producing pop acts and working with other artists. Owning recording and publishing copyright’s is also your retirement plan as, as strange as it might sound to you now, the reality is you probably won’t feel like DJing in clubs when you’re over 50.

So what are your thoughts on this? Do DJs need to produce in order to break out of their local bars and into the major new electronic music scene? Is production the new collecting records?

Source: magneticmag.com

[AlexJ]

Yes Producing is necessary in the current edm climate me thinks

havent we already agreed shadow was the last person to become famous for being a dj?

[russell]

havent we already agreed shadow was the last person to become famous for being a dj?

No. James Zabiela is the last person I can think of that made it as a DJ first and foremost.