One of the key promotional tools I use for booking gigs as well as finding potential artists to book is the electronic press kit or EPK. As a resident for Blasthaus promotions in San Francisco, I get a fair number of people asking to play our shows with artists such as Fake Blood, Boys Noize and Vitalic. The first thing we ask for is always a mix and their EPK, which are quick ways to evaluate how serious someone is about their DJing. Fundamentally an EPK houses content that explains why someone should be interested in booking you for a gig. Surprisingly few DJs bother to put one together. Even fewer are effective. If you want an edge in the challenging world of professional DJing get organized and get together an effective EPK. Here’s how.
Archive for November, 2010
Black Friday Specials – For Djs!
While black friday is usually associated with big box stores and heavy discounts on consumer electronics – there are actually some very dj friendly deals out there too. Continue reading for our list of things we found on sale today that might interest you including laptops, TMA headphones, Dicers, and more!
Numark V7/X5 Review
The DJ equipment industry has been in a state of change for a while, not least because the traditional paradigm for club DJing has been turned on its head and shaken until it no longer knows which way is up. Digital music and the advent of controllerist techniques have changed what DJs need and expect from equipment – but without, as yet, any standardisation in the market, manufacturers are left to their own devices to experiment. Numark are no strangers to experimentation, and the Itch based NS7 was their first foray into the world of media-less controllers (update: Numark have kindly pointed out that they did of course release the Total Control in 2006, and even preceding that, the DMC1 dual load way back in 1998 – now that’s forward thinking!) . Now we have the V7 and X5, which take some of the key technologies developed for the NS7 and expand them into standalone products. How does the V7 stand up against CD decks and DVS solutions, and where does the X5 fit in the endless pile of two channel mixers?
Mic Essentials for Djs
Sometimes you’ll see it lying next to the mixer, unused and neglected. At some gigs you won’t see it at all. But with the right approach, you can use a mic to add character, flavor, and even an extra layer of musicality to your set. In this article I’ll cover the basics of mic set-up, techniques to get a better sound (and eliminate dreaded feedback), and dive into some tips and advanced uses for creative mic action.
New Ipad Dj Apps Dip into Itunes
With Apple now allowing all Ipad apps to directly access music in the Itunes music library, a bevy of new programs will begin to offer the first peeks at what future ipad djing might look like. In the example above, the Djay software from Algoriddim has been ported over to the Ipad with a few nice touch elements that appear to work quite well. Numark also explores the paradigm of auto mixing with the IDJ app, which we have after the break.
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DJ TechTools Store Front Open For Business!
This Saturday will see the official grand opening of a DJ TechTools retail location in Huntington Beach, California. That’s about 45 minutes south of LA in Orange County, or the “OC”. The new store is owned and operated by our good friend Charles Feelgood, a prominent house dj and long time fixture in the LA area. The Dj TechTools Retail store will be the best place in the LA area to get hands on time and training with all of the controllers and dj technology available today. Read on for photos, a launch party and a special deal for all of our customers world wide.
7561 Center Ave # 36 (in Dj Culture) Huntington Beach, CA 92647-3038 - 714-895-3575
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What is the Right Amount of Hard?
Imagine for a moment if K2 suddenly developed a technology that made it impossible to fall on skis- overnight enabling a new generation of skiers to get skiing faster and pull off previously impossible tricks. Understandably, the existing generation of pros would be up in arms. “They have taken all the challenge out of the sport” or “this makes it way too easy to ski” would probably be common arguments and to a certain extent- they might have a point. When you take away all the challenges of a craft, both practitioners and observers no longer seem interested. There is an obvious parallel here in the DJ world that does not even need to be called out by name. With digital djing offering all kinds of new technical advances and tricks that help keep you from falling off the ski’s- what challenges are left and are they challenging enough to be artistically interesting?
Novation Dicer Mapping for Traktor Scratch Pro
The Novation Dicer has been a huge hit with Serato djs by finally providing them with cue points and loops in a very ergonomic location- right on the turntable. With its plug and play functionality, direct mapping to Serato, and $99 price it’s easy to see why a lot of Serato guys are picking them up. Sadly there has not been a great mapping to really showcase what the controller can do with Traktor. Well, wait no longer- Dj TechTools just finished our own high performance, Dicer mapping for Traktor Scratch Pro and you can download it for free right here! Check out the video above for a demo and the diagram of the mapping after the break.
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TMA-1 Heaphone Review
Dj TechTools has been selling the TMA-1 headphones in the Webstore now for almost two months and in that time collecting feedback from customers and djs on their performance. It’s now time to ask the jury what they think about these slick new cans and finally put up a proper review. To give you a balanced perspective, we asked three different types of djs to test them out extensively and today I bring you their stories!
Three Tips for Winning the Crowd With More Just Music
Marilyn Monroe once said, “If I’m a star, then the people made me a star.” While not every DJ aspires to become a star, you have to ask yourself, “What good is a DJ without people to hear their amazing music?” Building a loyal following should be the top priority for anyone wanting to take his or her DJing career to a professional level. It shows club owners and promoters that you can pull in regular clientele (thus making you more valuable), and the passion of your crowds will make you be the best DJ you can be. In this article, we’ll talk about effective methods to build a solid, loyal following that you can accomplish as you win over the crowd with more than just your music …
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MIDI- Coming Soon on a Ipad near you..
The controller world will, once again, get shaken up very soon. In its next Ipad update, IOS 4.2- now available to developers and ready for public any day now, Apple will officially support MIDI input and output to the Ipad. Are you ready for dozens of midi controller apps equipped with gyroscope, acceleration and multi touch functionality? I know we are! Read on for the Dj TechTools inside scoop on this exciting new development.
New Traktor S4 Videos: Fresh Routines by Ean Golden
Check out another intense video of Ean re-constructing Ozzy Osborne’s “Crazy Train” after the break, plus a tutorial covering how to pull off some of the tricks yourself!
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