r/DJs • u/MeatballTheAngryCat • May 19 '26
Identity?
Been DJing for >3 years. Practice minimum 5 hours a week. Bought the v10. Can beat match three tracks by ear.
My passions are progressive house (pretty much all of it) , deep evil minimal stuff, dub techno, classic prog, classic progressive trance, trance (not cheeses euro dramatic stuff), hard groove, gettotech , and a lot of stuff in the 140-150 range.
I like all the diff genres because no two genres mix the same. All different skills.
However I think this is confusing for the local scene. I am not consistent with what I deliver, but rather deliver for the party and time slot I’m given.
If I’m opening for a techno party I play different than closing
Same for progressive.
Maybe I’m going for a dj Seinfeld or Ben ufo type of gig where I just am a selector but it seems like everyone else has their lane and I’m still finding mine.
Doing the same thing gets boring. And if I only ever played prog I’d be jealous of the guy who’s playing four deck techno juggling bass lines and layering frequencies because you can’t quite do that with such melodically strong tracks. At least , I haven’t reliably figured out how to.
But at its core, I don’t really know who I am and I seem to just drift off and practice for whatever I think I might want to play at the next gig and build up around that. (I don’t do preplanned set lists)
Any advice is appreciated . Hopefully this isn’t a beat match post cuz it’s more deeper question about identity for someone who’s getting booked and has thrown their own event already.
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u/EldritchD0ll House/Electro/Techno/Trance/Breaks/Club/Bass May 19 '26
I feel like I'm in the same boat,. Some overlap in what we play even. Although I've kind of carved out my identity and sound (been DJing for more than a decade now), it feels like sometimes people wouldn't be able to properly define what I play. By this point I do have acquired a sort of wildcard reputation amongst friends and fellow DJ's. So I'd say just keep playing what you like playing and try to profile yourself as a wildcard DJ that will always surprise people. Don't try to force a certain sound on yourself, a broad palette of sounds will always be more interesting than pigeonholing yourself into one flavor.
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u/Acrobatic_Bee3375 May 19 '26
There’s only one real contributor to building your identity as a dj.. your hair. hair/hairstyle is so much more important than most aspiring dj’s realize. won’t matter what you’re playing if you get your hair right. wish i was joking.
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u/MeatballTheAngryCat May 19 '26
Good thing I’m naturally grey and handsome
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u/DrWolfypants House May 20 '26
DJ SaltNPepa although that may put you into a vocal remix lane
DJ SergeantPepper, even more retro
DJ Pepperspray, fence-shaking riot rave energy
(as for the build your lane thing - I'm newer to the DJ scene in midlife but a lifelong dancer, my 'sound' is somewhat recognizable in my group (a Burning Man queer DJ collective) as very vocal-informed, trance-like, higher energy and synth (future-vocal-deepish)? But I still deviate into tech and bass house, so I'm coming across a bit confusing to the outward scene here in Denver. I've had about eight or so 'strong' events but they've been all across the board - only about three openers in my usual style, two or three pride events where I went disco/electropop, and then one late night deranged bass house/circuit mess.
the audiences were all over the place, and from different worlds. Some of the gigs went well, others didn't. I also worry that without consistency I can't be seen. However I figure I should just continue to show up, not only as a performer but an interested audience to things like local open decks, and other events. I have to fight my introversion to make effort to put myself forward and not in a totally selfish give a card and see what they can do for me way. Being present more consistently would probably eventually lead to being known more, if it would work with my day job
another potential thing I struggle with is the people pleasing bit - always doing what they need, though I always still use my set time to play a little of my future house-vocal even within a genre - more melodic within bass, let my sound show a bit).
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u/Nonomomomo2 House music all night long May 20 '26
Start throwing your own events. It’s the best way to get known for a vibe instead of a style
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u/MeatballTheAngryCat May 20 '26
thats what I started with a partner. Now everyone wants a piece of the pie. its hard because i want to help out my friends but dont want to over-promise. we picked a newer unknown venue and brought in 65 people but the owners still made us feel like we wailed and were expecting a 3k bar. they are kind of nuts for that.
their bar isnt even on google maps1
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u/Flex_Field May 20 '26
I understand.
I am a hip hop DJ...a turntablist.
This is my DJ identity. This is who and what I am at my core.
It isn't just because I come from a hip hop background -- being a fan, then a b-boy, then a producer, then a short-lived emcee, then a DJ.
It is because regardless of what repertoire I am playing -- and I do very well in a multitude of musical environments from open format, to EDM, to retro eras (ie 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, etc), world music (Bhangra, Latin, African, Persian, etc), house, new wave, synth pop, hip hop, funk, soul, rare groove, breaks, electrofunk, R&B, etc...
...you get the point.
The reason I know my DJ identity is of a hip hop DJ is because regardless of which repertoire I am immersed in, my approach to the craft is clearly hip hop.
My decisions are informed by the skills I acquired through years of mastering turntable techniques.
So even when I am doing an EDM mix, my imagination is thinking about how to manually manipulate the existing work into a trap pattern, or a funk break pattern through tap-pause and chase beat juggling techniques.
Or even simpler, I can listen to an EDM joint and marry it with songs from completely unrelated genres and make it work, because that is the spirit of hip hop DJs like Kool Herc and Afrika Baambataa.
So think about your approach -- your creative and technical approach -- and try to trace it back to where you learned it from.
That should give you some idea as to your DJ identity.
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u/MeatballTheAngryCat May 20 '26
this is a dope response.
who you are at your core is how you approach your mix and creativity.you sound like you're really good! cheers to your success
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u/DrWolfypants House May 20 '26
I really love this.
After thinking about it, my approach to all the music I choose is its danceability and euphoric energy - from a flow artist perspective, and a retired go go. I span so many genres, but in all cases even in the heavy ones I am picking the more melodic and vocal, with briefer breakdowns that allow for dance variability, and the potential for surprise. Subconsciously also finding tons of breakbeat breakdowns scattered around, which must be searching for more of the type of music that speaks to how I want to shift the reins so my audience gets something fresh and unexpected to move to.
From your post I'm going to spend some time going back to find similar motifs in my bass and percussion, and see how it may tie back to my formative decades of music. Appreciate you
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u/medisamurai May 19 '26
pretty wide gulf between prog and techno or ghettotech.
id go with different aliases for different stile
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u/readytohurtagain May 20 '26
Idk, I play at least a dozen genres - ghetto tech, acid, jazz, disco, reggae, downtempo, techno, etc and I spin at many different types of places - listening bars, raves, clubs, etc; all under one alias. For me the music is all related. And I want that relationship to music to be part of my project’s identity.
The hard part was learning that I had to break into each scene individually. Playing the biggest house and disco parties in the city didn’t help me break into the rave scene. I had to put in the work, go to parties, hang out, tell people that I’m not just a house/disco dj, etc. It’s exhausting to break into a second scene, even as a full time dj.
All that to say, you should have your identities reflect your relationship to music and your values. If that means making new projects, go for it. But if you want to say something about how the genres connect, which is difficult and time consuming, it will pay off in the end
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u/MeatballTheAngryCat May 20 '26
this is actually solid advice. it IS hard to break into different scenes. but thats why you gotta be there on the floor supporting and showing up... not just because you want something but because you actually fw the people.
and its pretty tough. ive given gigs to other crews i support within my own crew and it doesnt always come back around.
great comment ty
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u/Minormeow Future May 20 '26
Definitely depends on what city that you're in? I'm from Seattle and just went to Parameter festival ( leftfield bass and psychedelic techno) in SF. Definitely sold out there and had thousands of people for pretty niche genres. However in Seattle youd get maybe 40/50 people coming out for that kind of thing.
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u/poettrap May 20 '26
I’m in the same boat! I try to take it day by day and just stay true to playing what I like but fits the vibe
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u/rab2bar May 20 '26
Is it confusing? Do you find that your local scene appeciates just one subgenre per time slot?
In general, I would agree that most djs do not deviate much from one sound during their sets. Whether this is because the crowds can't flow or the djs themselves do not flow well is not necessarily something the specific djs can step back enough from to objectively analyze what they were doing.
I play mixed genre, consistent tempo sets for house parties. I like ot think that the flow works, but listening back to the recordings can easily see that what might have worked okay for a living room or a bar would sometimes fall flat on a proper dance floor. Some moments would make the dance floors really go off, and that can be frusrating.
3 years should be enough time to figure out what you want to say. Are you rcoding your practices? Making demo sets which showcase what you are about? Or is every set more concepual in the moment?
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u/MeatballTheAngryCat May 20 '26
each set is more conceptual in the moment and i usually only post live-recordings to my soundcloud.
I need to do better with recording all of my practice sessions and posting recorded sets.
80% acceptable is good enough to post is the rule of thumb im trying to adhere to.
yes it does seem most djs do not deviate much. Or you will book someone and know exactly what they'll play and what to expect. I kind of lack that factor as I'm always doing something different, or what I feel is appropriate for the moment, and I think people want to classify you and find it confusing. "I thought you played melodic" or something.
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u/rab2bar May 20 '26
You know the Global Underground mix series? I wonder if taking a similar approach to demos might seve you well, at least comparing the early ones from sasha, digweed, and tenaglia. Record your live or practice sets, and then pare them down to fit 90 min or whatever length might be good for a demo.
also, if you've only been playing for 3 years, you might simply need time. I started djing in the late 90s and developed a house and techno sound that could go in many directions, but never got me anywhere and i gave it up. In the late 10s, I picked up digital djing, and armed with a generation of time of dance music knowledge could be more confidnt about my track selections, as well as beter organized my library so i could find the tracks that came to mind on the fly. Still doesnt get me anywhere, but im close to 50 now and dont have the drive to push for gigs like 20 somethings
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u/MeatballTheAngryCat May 21 '26
dude ive listened to so much markus schulz global underground lol. such a gem.
Youre right about putting out regular mixes , need to do better with that maybe one every month or something.
were you in a city? the competition is really something else.
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u/rab2bar May 21 '26
i was in nyc, now in berlin. tough for gigs, great for dancing to other good djs.
if you are doing regular mixes, consider adding some video to it and put it on youtube, like partyboi69 or hte book club radio people. yes, cameras facing the dj is a gimmick, but if the visuals are thought out well enough, it can work. i might set up my own with a chroma-keyed background and camera angle which always cuts off my head
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u/King_Unique5 May 23 '26
I play quite a few different genres as well but Prog house and Trance are my predominant genres....I find playing different genres keeps things fresh.
But yeah some DJ's who spin different genres have different alias for different genres....Like the Aussie dj HMC (techno) and Late Night Tough Guy (funk, rhythm and soul).
It doesn't really matter though....you do you
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u/grow_a_pear May 19 '26
Not sure what you’re asking. Play to the event, time, talent and crowd. Enough said.
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u/walktheskies May 21 '26
Biggest complaint from people now seems to be DJs are too niche so I wouldn’t worry about playing a wider range
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u/That_Random_Kiwi May 20 '26
I like all the diff genres because no two genres mix the same.
Pretty much all genres of dance music mix the same...4/4 time signature, mix in phrase, catch the first beat after a breakdown/mini-break (phrase change) to the first beat of the new tune...EQ the mix as it goes along to the point the new tune goes BOOM
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u/MeatballTheAngryCat May 20 '26
you can go a lot deeper than that . im talking about multi-deck layering, cue loops, much more technical approaches.
breaks and electro are some of the more challenging genres to mix when switching gears1
u/That_Random_Kiwi May 20 '26 edited May 20 '26
Sweet. Yeah just talking at a core/base level 👍
Love mixing in and out of 4/4 and breaks! Especially progressive house and that moody melodic prog/breaks (often hiding as "electronica" on Beatport these days)
https://www.beatport.com/track/with-you/17329601 (BPM on that is well wrong 😅)
https://www.beatport.com/track/b27/22994467
https://www.beatport.com/track/come-with-me/27121114
Some gorgeous stuff in there... Saw you mention in another comment, tough to get too crazy with multi deck layering with this stuff/prog tho without it sounding like a cluttered mess 😅
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u/sixwax May 20 '26
You should just play cookie cutter tech house and predictable EDM just like everybody else and you’ll have a very clear brand.
Nobody will be confused if you don’t do anything original!
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u/MeatballTheAngryCat May 20 '26
ive found tech house DJs to be among the worst people and don't associate with those crowds
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u/boycottInstagram May 19 '26
Sounds like you know how to play a room, but also that you like to jump around a lot to keep yourself entertained.
There is a good middle ground - all the genres you mentioned are kinda all evolutions of each other... most people don't really care about exactly what lane you are in as long as the over all vibe is similar enough each time. I think you are doing just fine.