How To Kickstart Your DJ Career (Self-Taught DJ PoV) - w/ Mayya

I wasn't DJing because it's so cool to DJ I love the technical side of it I love playing with frequencies it was just personally so much more interesting for me to DJ house transition like house music rather than like open format so like rap pop all of that kind of stuff like your generic DJ stuff play at clubs when you and your DJ friends hang out what is the generic type of stuff that you talk about if Step One is mixing step two is music production is there such a thing as a step three final boss like the absolute Mastery of DJ can you give us a quick and dirty outline of what a DJ console is I love this kind of people when they like come up super

people when they like come up super close to you they just St at my hands I recorded Mi I was sto Instagram those EV then I followed single party I followed managers follow promoters what was it about house that Drew you towards it why did you pick house a real DJ never takes requests real DJ ntic again yeah have you heard that for is it actually a thing I mean Welcome to The Ready Set do podcast where we learn from journeys of not experts who are just two steps ahead of us I'm Nam Pand and in this episode featured not expert is Maya perova originally from Moscow Russia Maya came to the US to pursue higher education but at some point decided to really pursue her passion for DJing now she's one of the hottest prospects in Chicago land's

the hottest prospects in Chicago land's dejing landscape but the road here wasn't easy we go over the the onset of Maya's musical Pursuits during her childhood how she learned mixing which is the fundamental skill that every DJ must learn how she dropped her first tracks and landed her first gigs we then discussed how Maya used the power of networking and social media to get established as one of the most sought after DJs in the area we also go over music production the three steps to becoming a master at DJing what a DJ cons soers other than the and some really funny stories of just general stuff that she's seen at clubs in keeping with that theme of learning from somebody that's just two steps ahead of us instead of an expert my goal with

us instead of an expert my goal with this episode is to Showcase Maya's Journey for any other birding DJs or musicians out there this is The Ready Set do podcast and to support it please subscribe to the YouTube channel and or leave me up to a five star rating on Spotify and now without any further Ado my dear friends here's Maya Maya welcome and thank you so much for joining us today thank you thank you for having me this is fun so yeah yeah so excited to jump into all the amazing things still covered so I guess to start from kind of your origin story so to speak what was it like growing up in Russia especially Moscow because especially I feel like here in America we hear so many you know

here in America we hear so many you know interesting things about what Russia is like or maybe what it was like when you were growing up so what was that experience like that home is definitely um I mean it's completely different than from us it's in my maybe I'm biased but in my personal op opinion you know um no matter what kind of like things are going on but the home back home right now like um it is still I don't know it just I mean it's my home like I you know it's much more genuine back home the culture is much different people are much different like the lifestyle like I I don't know it's like lots of details I

I don't know it's like lots of details I can say uh but it's just like everything is very very different the way the things are um but it's lovely like definitely I know it's very like tough right now to travel there um but definitely worth it like I think you know moscow's beautiful St Petersburg is beautiful we have so many like beautiful places and like architecture and history there's just so much to see like so many events um so it's it's definitely very cool but yeah I mean growing up there was like you know some it's like some good and bad things I would say how like every place you know there is um definitely like when I came here it's like lots of just like lifestyle and the culture like culture lots of changes were just like different and at what

were just like different and at what point were you first I guess drawn to the idea of music you know especially dance music given you you know you're a DJ now and yeah so well I do think it actually started with like me my parents cuz both of my parents really liked music like my dad especially like alternative frog he was very big on like uh British music in general like British artists as well um and is that common for people in well that's the thing I I wouldn't say that it's like no actually like so my dad and my mom they're like about to turn 50 basically so you know and when they had me they were like 26 or whatever so like back in 2000s I guess there was like a wave of alternative rock specifically like Rolling Stones especially like you know this kind of music like debish mod like both of my

music like debish mod like both of my parents L it and so both of my parents liked music and I remember like growing up they would like like MTV which like MTV just started in Russia like we had the channel and they were just like go to music and all those okay like and did you mostly play like English music yeah like International British music and that was cool because we like just started having MTV it was like wa brand new like oh finally and also like you know so it was like okay 2002 3 4 something like that but like 10 years ago we didn't like it was so hard to get like International music like to R so that was kind of like you know cool so I

that was kind of like you know cool so I remember that and I remember like just listening to different kind of music you know all the time so it kind of I guess like was kind of back here and just like growing up so being from like let's say eight till I mean basically coming to college like till like 17 uh I was like always listening to different kind of music I literally remember I had faces I had a face like when I was 10 I was like a love with a really I would like okay Green Day like rock music like you know great like I still love Green Day you know I mean always always such your life so it's like I've listened to rock I had

so it's like I've listened to rock I had a face it was just like more pop kind of you know I had a face I was listening to like dance music but it was more of like Martin Garrick saich kind of dance like this kind of super pop dance yeah etm so DM pop dance music I had a face I was just like listening every single day on stop I had a face I was listening to like Coldplay I mean Coldplay is like probably my if we're not talking house music my favorite band for sure I saw them actually I saw their concert at um United Center best concert of my life I was like something else you know so

was like something else you know so they're definitely like we'll see be my favorites I had a face also I was listening it was kind of like okay I was at cge already I was listening to rap like a lot of rap like too much you know not too much but you know a lot of rap so it's like I don't know I was everywhere with my music taste and uh yeah and I mean the whole like thing with DJing it kind of started as like um so when it was my sophomore year of college and I was in Milwaukee and because of the co I had to come back home and then I actually stayed at home longer than what I was supposed to because I had like some issues with Visa

because I had like some issues with Visa so with getting to renew my Visa and you know I would always go out like always go out with friends you know clubs bars whatever but I would like always pay attention to music I don't know like I would you know some people like come and go out and they like obviously they hear music but they don't like pay attention to trans like once they out of the club exactly right and I would always like listen to Transitions into me I remember it was like so cool I was like how you can like like you know like blend is like so cool to me I was over there like fascinated by it and I was like oh like

fascinated by it and I was like oh like this is so interesting you know and yeah that's kind of like um one of my friends then she told me she's like oh like you should try it easy like you're so like crazy about it and you know whenever we would go out somewhere I would always be like God guys like can't be her transition like this is so cool you know and yeah that's kind of how it all started so yeah I mean music wise I feel like I was always around like different kind of music and coming from like my parents you know just like putting the MTV kind of always like hearing something on the back of my head so at what point did you decide that being a

what point did you decide that being a DJ is something that interested you and you could start doing something towards that I mean I like so back it was what 2000 so after like my sophomore to my junior year so when I was at home I actually I did take like a few classes from like a DJ backom he was pretty popular he was giving lessons and he literally like the first lesson cuz I was I wasn't sure like what is that and the first lesson he gave me for free and it was just like B blew my mind like I was in love I was like this is so cool like I was just like something I don't

like I was just like something I don't know I've never done so I was just like in love with it you know and I was just so interested in just like understanding and like learning I mean how like makes from one song to another how it all works so I just like took a few lessons and I know it's something that I just like fell in love with and it's kind of like in the beginning it was more of just me like learning playing for friends like you know play just like whatever my friends would come and play for fans um we uh I used to do it for our team like before our matches we would like have uh certain playlist that

would like have uh certain playlist that we would listen to and I would do like a mix I basically everyone from the team would like choose five songs and I would like mix them up it's so it's like our pre-match mix so you know so I do like stuff like this like I wasn't like I didn't know like I honestly at that point back then like I didn't really well it was like I was just learning like my bedroom like I didn't feel like playing out like no way you know so it was kind of just started like that uh but no it's just a lot like I to me like music and the way it all works and the

music and the way it all works and the progress is just something that like I don't know like such a joy like you know interesting I noted what you said about like you were just originally playing in your house and you weren't you know as confident as to go out and start playing so what made that change like what made you seek out you know the full final jump into the water which is I want to play for people now I'm not just okay for myself yeah what and when did that happen or how did that happen yeah well I just wanted to play for people I was like well yeah it's cool to play for yourself in the bedroom but I kind of want to have like cool to play for friends but how cool can be to play for

friends but how cool can be to play for fing yeah you know so it's kind of I just like wanted to do it I like all right so it was so I started DJing which year was that it was like 2020 20 21 something there um like Co but basically the way I did it I recorded a mix I was like okay like it sounds good I like it like I know it's good um and I recorded mix and I kind of just like was talking on Instagram like different like those like events because they all have like Pages who is the organizator who is with who who is

organizator who is with who who is friends why you know because they all post about it so I was just follow I followed like single party I followed like manager I follow promoters and they kind of so like oh all right like she's P like I think like I had like a picture or something and then I just I remember I just texted I texted um and then I texted my also my um DJ friend who like taught me lessons and stuff okay so like oh like you know what's the word like can you help me and stuff and yeah and I remember I was just like texting bunch to like event promoters event owners mentors all those

promoters event owners mentors all those people gotta and one one of them replied to me and he seemed pretty nice and uh yeah then I sent the Mi and stuff and then that's how like I firstly like played like at one of those parties and it was kind of like I play for free like I was I opened up mosow yes Moscow MOS and when you say mix just to clarify you had a few songs that you wanted to play one after the other and you were transitioning into one from the other yeah basically like that's like the main point of DJ you know so you have like let's say you have songs right and then

let's say you have songs right and then which goes out of you know then it goes all to you but you basically like go from one song into another ex and like all the frequency and stuff it's the way you mix and the way it sounds that's like your job to do right so and is the goal to make it as seamless as possible like that transition it really depends on the style of music you play it's really like you how say it it's very broad it really depends on really broad it really depends on the style some people will have it to be abrupt because they want there to be like a shock value others will want a more mellow yeah it depends depends it's really depends you know obviously like if you're playing DB step like oh yeah you know so it's like

like oh yeah you know so it's like there's just really depends but obviously yeah like the the the the how to say the more seamless it is and the more like smooth and the more it's like you know if you mix and it's like acial house it's like one song it seems like a one song so because the transition transitions are so seamless that's what were those experiences like like did people give you any feedback were people happy sad interesting it was no everyone everyone was happy because they're like oh like it's us like they would D me off like oh good stuff right you can actually play like you know stuff like this um some it it's in interesting some people back home were a

interesting some people back home were a little like not not vocal but then I knew like they like my stuff so that's why I was playing events but then they like didn't through the say stuff um there people like that yeah that just happens everywhere okay um what else no but I mean I played well and like people loved it and that's why I was like playing like some different events back home so then when you've moved to Chicago I guess is that when you were really you know trying so I also know so I moved to Chicago it was fall 2022 and so I just like came to the you know grad school and actually like so the full year basically till like last summer summer of 2023 I did not I actually didn't even touch the deck that

actually didn't even touch the deck that much like I because while I came here it's like completely new school new people you know new team and it was like very much like new environment for me so it took me like time to get used to and stuff so I literally I remember I did not even like touch the decks like not that I didn't play like I just yeah I like would play sometimes at home but not much and then so again as I've said like kind of for me it was always like the summer whenever I would have more time I would have more energy I was like all right let me play out you know

all right let me play out you know that's how I played in a couple of places I played like back home so last year summertime I was like all right let me just try it let me just yeah exactly like let me just like try it you know so it's like took me actually almost like a year to be honest like to to start it yeah and I just try it and then I've tried it then here we are so and then it kind of from there I feel like started just like growing with like people I met events and stuff and I've had so much hell here which I'm so grateful for like in terms of like the technique like I met my like DJ mentor and he has helped

met my like DJ mentor and he has helped me like tons and when I saw like the progress and like I don't know just like the support and the feedback I like yo like this is something that like okay you know like I can do it like why not you know and especially in terms of house I finally like started like understanding what kind of sound do I want to have like house music and yeah so there just like lots of exciting lots of like new things for me that like excite me big time so that's how I just you know just now it's only like up from here so absolutely and the blueprint that you followed once you were in Chicago was it kind of the same as what

Chicago was it kind of the same as what you refenced earlier so reaching out to promoters people thatn I would existing kind of like kind of yeah did you share your mixes with them as well or yeah it's I would say how the way it works like well I don't know like that's just my formula I guess I in the beginning got literally just like stalked like Instagram like DJs events who's with who what is happening so just sort of understand what is what is this de here you know what is what places venues that are most yes like like for people like just research yeah research I mean because otherwise how like what what do you think you want to play exactly you know um so kind of like that and then yeah I reached out to a few

yeah I reached out to a few places um followed a few people like oh they saw like that I DJ you know some mutuals like DJ's friends or whatever so kind of like that and then I played um one like open decks event which open deck it means basically anyone can come and play for free so which is a cool opportunity lots of U like different events do this kind of thing where it's like okay like they have the lineup of DJs but then in the beginning or like at the end of the night there's open deck so like anyone can come and play and it's kind of like to Showcase yourself you know for free like but it's cool like it's is this venue based or EV based event based event based uh not v b

based event based event based uh not v b definitely event based and do you have any tips on how somebody can try finding those is it just as simple as Googling that or are there any fix no Instagram research so all of this just lives and breathes on inst pretty much no I mean or like obviously like if you go out to like places like that and like you mean people and I can talk oh you see flyers on the walls you know that will add yeah sometimes but like depends but the primary source is say is 100% Instragram I think so I think yeah that's all that matters here what you think yeah so I started with the open decks and I just came there and played well and got to

came there and played well and got to meet people they're like oh you should play for this guy make more connections more Instagram Network yeah interesting so from what you're Ling out it sounds like if somebody were to you know stick to the basic what we just mentioned so like you have your popular songs and you kind of mix them all together and you just keep doing that without trying to improve or improvise do you think that's a sustainable or you know people do that is that yeah I mean hey there is like how to say it you know there's different like the night life is great like it's big you know there's different kind of DJs different kind of events different kind of clubs it different kind of like it depends also on what do you want to

it depends also on what do you want to do because also like low like the open format DJs so the DJs that play like popular songs you know they play like every single weekend somewhere they're probably somewh resident so like it's very stable and good income for them as well um it's also a skill I mean it's also a skill it's just it's a little different kind of skill I would say in terms of DJing because like okay there's like thousands popular songs but what kind of song you know usually people do requests of the song so like oh can you like make a request for that person you know it's also there's like um you've for sure known I for sure know the scratching you know when like so like in house like you will never see DJ do that

house like you will never see DJ do that yeah I don't think that happens that exactly however like right when it's open form like can you scratch okay if you're open for you better like that's kind of a skill that you like I feel like if you're good for probably like you know should know I have no idea how to do it and yeah probably makes sense you know so it's like it's completely like different but it's also I mean it's also cool and the you know the also as an open form a DJ there's also so many like Edits edits which is basically let's say like a known song but then the DJ when they produce music so like when

DJ when they produce music so like when they you know like add like their own kind of kick let's say to the song um like they also can do that and it's still like open format it's still like I don't know like Rihanna song but it's just a little different version yeah so it's like there's still so much work and you know it's also can be fun um I do think it's fun for like you know people who are this kind of DJs for sure uh it's just I don't know I guess it just wasn't for me just like it sounds like if I were starting out to do that it would be way easier though to do that you know to have all the songs that people know that way I can just play

people know that way I can just play people's favorites and they will think that oh this DJ is good because they're just playing songs that I know versus house music which is more intricate more detailed not a lot of people know that so would you like that's the tradeoff obviously so did you calculate that or I you okay yeah because that's the thing I for me DJing like like my law for DJing because of like the like in the beginning the technical and the music part now obviously like you know like I love playing for people and like you know now I like see more people based but in the beginning for me it was like music based technical things based I did not care about like oh the party yeah she so like I could care less about that I still

I could care less about that I still like you know like I'm like very like chew about this thing like I was never that kind of DJ that will be like you know like oh my God like just doing this for like the party and like all the like you know so you didn't care about pleasing your crowd ever no no not like not no no not not in that way I was just never like how to say it I wasn't DJing because of like oh it's so cool to be DJ oh it's so wow you're such a good DJ because you're playing I wasn't doing because of that I was doing it because I

because of that I was doing it because I love the tech technical side of it I love the trans I love playing with frequencies I love okay how can I mix this with this why you know like I'm more that's why I why I started doing it that's why I love it so that's that was your primary game and then secondary was now I'm doing my best here if people like it that's good would it's or does it not matter I guess what I'm trying to understand is how important is it that the crowd that you play for of course of course of course that's like the main like okay it's like I don't know how to explain it it is it is the main part that people

part it is the main part that people love the music like that's what I'm saying like sometimes like oh I think like my mixing is off or whatever but like it's a mistake that I hear but no one hears here and the music is good so we're we're cruising we're good you know no it's it's the main thing to like I mean people here to freaking dance like to order to love the music you know like like to do it that's the thing I'm just saying for the previous point is that I've started DJing not because of like how to say it you want to be loved by a crowd like that's not your main goal

crowd like that's not your main goal right yes to be cele yeah celebration wasn't my main goal I would go to the restaurant and just like play tunes and have the best time of my life even though people were eating did not even care about and I had the best time of my life because I was just like my job you know so that's what I mean that's like what I mean by starting but def no definitely like I don't I hate to say pleasing the crowd but you need to I mean that's your job to like you have fun and like so like people have fun that people are dancing grooving like that's like not to please but like for them to enjoy that's the main goal like it is for sure for sure like that's why

it is for sure for sure like that's why they're all there like that's why you're there that's yeah of course so you can't have that without that of course um what is your take on the I guess controversial notion that a real DJ never takes requests uh real DJ naratic yeah yeah have you heard that first of all is it is it actually a thing I mean so it's again it's like you know it depends on really really depends on what kind of DJing we're talking about like of public Club that's that's the thing I don't think especially if it's like an open format so if it's like pop and rap and stuff and usually like DS like that they take money for like requests oh I didn't even know that oh yeah you know how much

even know that oh yeah you know how much should they it's like they quote sometimes it's like like 100 bucks per request 50 you know or like 200 like crazy and it's like I'm yeah so it's you know like in the house community in the house scene it's like known to like like no requests like people never request unless like better like not to request um and people tend to not request so that's good um you know I feel like it's more common in like again pop rap like this kind of you know more open for a team yeah and I mean DS are different like no no one really likes big requests it's like bro like come on I'm doing my job here like interesting you know that's what I was getting at yeah the DJs like it never never no one

yeah the DJs like it never never no one likes to take requests hell no like because like you know you're doing you're doing your job and like stuff and like you know it's like the thing is also like okay so sometimes most of the time I DJ say no because they don't have a song and if I don't have a song how I can play it I'm not going to like go I'm like yeah sorry you know and that checks out you know that's the thing and it's like for me I personally I um well I don't take requests but it's also I remember if I would play like a very small venue there would be like five people there like or something like that and uh if

like or something like that and uh if they come up to me and if I have it and like it's very chill and no one really cares if I have I'm sure I'll play it sure that's obvious yeah but if I don't I mean most of the time I just didn't have songs so I was like well sorry like even like this Thursday I mean my friend I would play and there's this guy come up and he comes up he's like oh like do you have this and actually like I I I love that song um and I had like another version of it but I didn't have it on my USB I just have it like on my laptop and I was

just have it like on my laptop and I was like well yeah sorry can't make it but I was like I wish I could I would play that if I have it so it's like depends you know depends also depend terms of what they're requesting also and also probably how they're requesting you know CU CU some yeah of course like you know this guy was nicely oh like you know I was like oh yes s like oh so it's like on that same topic can you uh do you have any you know interesting stories or you know anecdotes from your time in playing so like maybe anything like somebody did something or something happened that shocked you I'm looking for any like

shocked you I'm looking for any like juicy stories that go on in clubs maybe stuff you've seen while you were DJ oh my god um yeah there's lots of things and I know this wasn't in the script but I it just occurred to me and I had to ask it's just the the funniest part to me is like when I play and there is just like especially let say like the that is here and it's very close to the people and the funniest part is like so the people they're paring bro they have no idea what is like this going on like they music is there we're good and you know like they're with drinks and stuff or like they're leaning towards that happens so much like they lean towards but it's like your job to like you know

but it's like your job to like you know still like like talk to them or whatever but make sure like it doesn't get on the equipment because otherwise it's you're done basically you know yeah well it's very expensive and it's like Ste like but shouldn't it be the like Ben's responsibility to like you know it depends also on the event sometimes really depends on the event and Place really depends but um and it's funny or like even I played in Milwaukee I played like even I played in Milwaukee like this bu uh not like this weekend The Bu weekend and I just started playing and this girl was like and I just like saw we switched with the TV so I was like trying to figure out what I'm playing and she like talks to

what I'm playing and she like talks to can you play and I was like oh yeah and I was like talking to her like I didn't know what I was saying but I like care less I was just like oh okay okay okay and then I see I was like oh oh sweetie and I was like I would like push her like not push her but like really nicely like you know oh my God I'm so sorry keep sing I'm like okay you know so it's like find how you have to like just a lot of dealing with drunk people yeah like mostly I personally I do have like something like out of I

do have like something like out of I know super crazy that's good I guess no it's good yeah I'll take it it's just like more of like okay like even like this Thursday like oh my God I was having fun and then I realized like this guy was like giving like drinks to us me I like through the deck and I was like okay you know so it's just like a risky business there but gota but as long as your coner is safe like should yeah well but you have to make it safe but sometimes it's funny or sometimes funny like I love this kind of people when they like come up super close to you and they just like stare they just like and they just like stare at you they just stare stare at my hands

at you they just stare stare at my hands and I remember at the beginning I was like like now I'm like Lo I'm like what whatever but in the beginning I was like like why they're just watching like what am I like don't just like like this you know like not even yeah there's and it's common like this happens this has happened more than once sounds like yeah times okay yeah so people just like laugh over like they just like I mean I love like you know it's just like move you know and like people move and they're like okay but they're still like like wish like this yeah that's so I don't know especially I feel like when they see like a girl DJ they're like okay she actually jingle and they like watch

watch oh honestly I occur to me that that's why they were checking to see if you're doing no that didn't occord to me as well then I just like I figured I was like wait no sometimes like it depends I do feel like sometimes people just like actually just like watch just like without any kind of like Target or whatever and no a couple of times a couple of guys I could just tell like they were like standing like watching and like okay so when you and you DJ friends hang out what is the general type of stuff that you talk about is it more like business or shop related or is it just like how any other depends um I would say depends on how close you are like you know I have like a few of my

like you know I have like a few of my friends like um in the industry I'm very good friends with them and it's like we you know obviously we talk music and like all the stuff but also talk like life like you know and like we're friends friends you know there's like some people that and so like we would hang out like not only out like I would like go play volleyball with them or you know would like see them for food or something so it's like you know something we like not only see each other let's say but like mostly I would say like you know it's like this kind of friend but also like there's like some friends like DJ so man that like you know we're not super like we're cool super cool each other we're not like super close I would say but like we see

super close I would say but like we see each other out always great time and it's kind of like we just talk about like okay like you know music sty do you compare notes ever in terms of like you know I learned this new trick or I have new this new style of mixing or something no I don't talk like that no it's more of like I don't know how to say more chill like no no it's not like oh like let me put my not yeah that's no no no it's all like friends like you hang out as friends it's just like like not like your closest friends you know what I mean like very chill very like you know always fun time and kind of

you know always fun time and kind of like we probably not going to hang out like if I don't see you out but it's like there's like lots of people like that no but it's cool it's cool I love I love the in Chicago I do feel we have a like a great Community like I feel again like so much support and like there's lot I think we have like lots of nice like people and DJs and you know um who give like opportunities and stuff so so yeah yeah and it sounds like what you said not just today but also when we sing earlier was um that that that Community aspect is really important if you want to grow out so do you mind yeah

you want to grow out so do you mind yeah sharing a little bit about that and how one can you know integrate themselves within that well just like think about it so you know all the big DJs that are like out there so let's say John smon he was a local DG in Chicago and so you know all all the I don't know TS those they get us and everyone they've started somewhere how did they start they start playing their own City they start playing their own you know how did they grow well because like obviously they produce like great songs and stuff like this but they've started somewhere from like a city where they've you know have been playing different events and going

been playing different events and going out and you know getting a basically a feel for the industry and like how everything works over there so and it's like how did they grow also because like lots of people local people were supporting them by that support and that's how they grew so that's why it's so important to you know like if you want to grow um to go and support your local DJs and it's like you know we're just like I mean we're just people and uh we do this like obviously for farms and kind as a side not like as a side hobby like most of us uh but it's just I don't know like how to say it it's just if if you support local like you're

if if you support local like you're gonna like keep the scene going keep the businesses going because think you're not only helping teers but you also help like all the other side of night life so exactly it's it's like exactly so you're helping everyone and it's like you're not going to support that locals then they're not going to be events or it's not going to be fun then and not yeah exactly so it's like if you go out and support it's going to be happening if it's not that's why you know there's always like like clubs are opening closing events are there but then they're closing DJs are here and then you know so that's why it's constant like cycle I would say so um quickly want to touch on music

um quickly want to touch on music production a little bit here so from what you've referenced step one sounds like is yeah you learn your mixing a little bit you figure out how to transition all what's the natural progression in terms of you know expertise or getting Mastery at ding would it be when you start making your own music like you start intering beats Etc how that I mean I would say so I think it's it's a good question it's very like I would say people would say different about this because some people started producing music and then went into DJing it's differently it depends on like what you like you know and like how you start because I know like there's lot of people who like start producing and then they like oh picked

producing and then they like oh picked up on mixing and stuff so it's like you know there's some DJs that don't produce and never produced and they feel great and still like playing and stuff like this um however I do think if you it's just like I feel like I mean there's no really rules but it's kind of like a common thing I would say like right let's say you've mastered you like understand you know how to transition well and to mix well and then um kind of as a as a NE next step is to like produce your your own music so like you know you can play your own stuff and like other DS can play your stuff and you can because that's how you're going

you can because that's how you're going to be growing and recognized more because you're not going to be recognized for your mixing I mean everyone mixes you know it's like interesting so there's no like grading or report card for this DJ is a better mixer than that DJ like there is obviously there's like some common rules like let's say like I don't know so BPM is bits per minute which is like the Temple of the song obviously if it's 1 125 and I'm trying to mix in and it's 124 well it's not going mix you know there's like some like general rules like or if you that they have low frequencies which base you know and they're clashing so you put the base of one song in another it's just not going

one song in another it's just not going to sound well so there is like some rules like this obviously but you know the ground rules um but uh you can just see like how like it's very technical like there are some ground rules um but it's also it kind of depends everyone like has like their own little style um some people have the same way some people have a little different um but I mean as long as it's like sounds good you have the choice like it's the right Fe that's like there's you know lots of other like that come to like good being a good DJ but in terms of mixing it's like that um but what was I saying about production um is that something you want to get into like you personally yeah no production is

you personally yeah no production is something on my mind just been like super busy with life and stuff to be honest um but no I got Ableton which is is the production um like software I got like my courses and stuff I just need to like sit down and like actually start like doing it and like learning and like what you know YouTube University is going to be my Bes te and I have so many great friends that're like my like reach you know reach out to us like we'll help you so I feel great it's just like I've been a little all over the place so I just need like a bit more time I feel

just need like a bit more time I feel like to like actually started but no definitely I want to have fun and want to start producing my music I think it's like super fun and yeah do and then is the plan to like make it available on Spotify and all of that or have you uh yeah I definitely um for the way it works I definitely want to sign with record labels that's like oh for sure that's like a goal I mean it's I'm very far from it I would say like I like I don't know how to produce you know well I mean I have like a very like general idea but it's very there so I think it's

idea but it's very there so I think it's going to take me months um maybe even a year before like actually like getting signed and I mean I don't know I don't signed and I mean I don't know I didn't like and I I have a good advice from a couple of people that're just like my have fun like literally don't like put anything on yourself have fun learn it play with it play it out feel it out and see you know so um yeah but it's definitely like I just want to start it and you know go from there and see what I can do but no definitely like you know if it's if it's something that

you know if it's if it's something that I was like okay like I can do this like I like to do this and you know I can figure it out definitely like um I mean you know first thing you test out your music kind of like you just play it out okay like if people like it what's up and then um you know you can especially if you're playing before a big DJ some of the big DJs have like their own record labels or like they know someone you know like if you give them like USP with your music you're like oh like check my stuff out like if they like if check my stuff out like if they play out like you know again Instagram BC and know they could sign you maybe if you catch their attention

you maybe if you catch their attention exactly and uh but also no of course you can also just there's a bunch of record labels and especially like the smaller ones that like you know not lots of people know yeah uh you just you know shoot them an email hey I'm this this and this you know like listen to my stuff and that's how how it works so it's definitely you know signing with a record label and then you can I mean they're going to put the stuff like Spotify music and all that so if Step One is mixing step two is music production is there such a thing as a step three final boss like the absolute Mastery of DJ like what's that look like you know when become just a master well that's like what everyone wants like fulltime is just like when you know you have a bunch of shows all over the world

have a bunch of shows all over the world skill I guess oh in terms of skill um first of all is there such a thing even I don't even know I don't think so no I mean it's definitely I guess I mean you you you know should play like instruments actually like because really for like yeah you should understand like and you know it's kind of I feel like more you produce more the better you understand and it's cool to see there's like lots of you know uh big DJs they have like this huge Studios and they grow their studio with like different kind of like you know you have like a you know like fed again like the whole

you know like fed again like the whole like pack like machine and like that's you know like you can create music like by using the pad or you know lots of like FR again like let's say like L be like you know she let's say she's so cool she like DJs but she also plays the piano during her set so it's like you know it's cool right and it's like you know um obviously because in the program you can put the piano there but you can also buy like a small one and play it out and simultaneously so it's like see I mean Tech technically if you think like that's cool um you know to like just like understand more how to like incorporate like other sounds to like

incorporate like other sounds to like whatever you're playing so I guess like that's in terms of the skill I would say that's probably like yeah the next St and okay so so I guess but what that sounds like is you just music is what you're getting Master yet not specifically DJ after a point you know out the D no it depends I mean depends on like also the style you're playing there definitely like some things and like effects or like some things with loops you can do like like I've seen how DJs do it and like I'm not a master on how to do it you know there's like this it's called it's called rmx it's like um like I've played

called rmx it's like um like I've played on it for the first time not long ago it's like um basically an instrument for more effects and it's super cool it's super like there's so many things you can do but like I've used it for the first time like didn't use it that well to be honest but it's again I'm going have to learn but the thing is it's not in like all the clubs facilities so I have used it for the first time like a week ago so but it's something like okay like I would I would love to like play on it like or be more you know so it's like there's definitely it just depends

like there's definitely it just depends on like you you know it's kind of like if you want to master and like be better at the mixing or like figure out different other transitions go go ahead if you're like all right like I I know how to mix I mix well and it's enough for me for my style for everyone else that's fine too yeah it's like a Choose Your Own Adventure be whatever Tye that you want there's no like exactly blueprint I mean as long as you can you know like exactly like as long as you pick the right music you know you're playing like you know there's like some ABC D steps but like in terms of mixing or stuff it's like you're the you're all creators so it's

you're the you're all creators so it's which almost sounds good kind of sound like YouTube in know way like I can put whatever I want on YouTube no exactly solo yeah um speaking of the ABCD steps can you give us a really quick and dirty outline of what exactly a DJ console does so I'm trying to learn okay why it's used and like maybe top two most important things that is done out of that because growing up I always saw that I thought it was the coolest thing in the world and I have no idea what you actually do with that so okay so you have let's say if we're talking like professional professional equipment so you have the mix right where you have different knobs which uh they basically each knob is

which uh they basically each knob is mostly The High Frequency the medium frequency and the low frequency so they all control like the sound of the song so the low frequency if I put it away then you wouldn't hear the base so like you wouldn't hear this if I put it up you're going to hear it and there's going to be yes the meat frequency it's interesting it's kind of like um if there's like a specific sound if there's there's vocals there's piano there's something or like percussion like if there's something specific of the song like can you know kind of controled with the mids I with high frequency it's like the high frequency so it's like like I don't know like sounds like this like you know so if you want to like put them

you know so if you want to like put them up or put them awayes um in the mixture there's also two main faders the volume faders so you like there's you know like the thing that is over here so it's basically like either put up the song the volume or you put it down then we have two cdjs so we have like the jog you have on one side left song and the right side right song so it's basically mixture is like how you you know work with them together uh H tdj is per basically the song let's say like that and so let's say you you know you have your USB where you have your music plug it in then there's like a screen where

it in then there's like a screen where you can see your music you know you put a song that you want to put um and then firstly like you decide on the Rhythm right there's like another on a CDJ there's like a fader for the rhythm of the song let's say like 125 bits per minutes let's let's say playing that so okay make sure like it's good and then you press play okay you press play whatever play left side starts playing yes left side starts playing right so it's playing I put my volume though like in the middle over here okay then let's say like the song is playing I want to miss right yeah so on my right side I have my other check that I'm going to mix in and let's say um like why you

mix in and let's say um like why you know this such a common question I feel like people always ask go like why do you just have headphones what's the matter oh yeah yeah so uh what's cool about it so in the headphones we usually hear the song that we want to put so in the headphones we hear the stuff that no one hears but we hear it like we hear in the headphones the another song that we didn't put out there yet so it's for us to mix in yeah so that's why if you see the the DJ the headphones because to make sure that everything is in sync and like the songs are mixed in well you do it on the like you figure out the tempo

it on the like you figure out the tempo that they're like sound well together in the headphones so while no one hears it that's why like oh how they play so well like so you're listening to the same song but like 30 seconds in advance or no or like how far ahead is the song in their headphones um so how to say it so okay you have your song here right it's Play It's Play It's play you have your song that you want to put next that you want to mix in on the right got it so you're in the headphones you're basically you put like let's say fader to listen to this song you don't like you can so I mean there's a you control

you can so I mean there's a you control it right you can still hear what is playing right now but you're listening to what is playing what you want to put out I see what kind of point of the song you can there's like there okay there's like I'm not going to go like it's super details there right you know you can skip to like main part the last part of a song it doesn't matter where you want and you can control it but let's say like okay you figured out that's like the song that you want to play um and then you need to make sure then um and then you need to make sure that they sound well together right that

that they sound well together right that and like to make sure that they sound well together you're gonna start mixing in in the headphones because obviously like some good USS they don't even need that at this point but like okay because they can imagine what it will sound like based on what on the wave for they're like more chill because you see it you can also but it's I mean sometimes let's say if you download it not super well like you know it's like yeah so that's how you mixing another one basically um so that's why you use the headphones you're like okay like we're good so you're putting another song so the volume fade over here and now it's like they're both going at the same time and then they're mixed like so you keep your two songs for like a long time and then

two songs for like a long time and then you can add effects whatever to play with frequencies and to make it sound good and then you're going to put it down at some point then you're going to look so you put the left down so now the right right song is playing so so that now your transition from left to right is complete and I know some DJs would make it they'll almost tease the like CU once you start doing the Beats you know the audience knows what songs could but they'll extend it just a little bit to like generate excitement ET Etc that all makes so much sense so thanks for walking through that I know that wasn't I I wasn't but it is complicated I'm sure you'll agree like it's not a lot is going on in there no for sure for sure

going on in there no for sure for sure so again yeah thanks for that and I guess my last question for you that I had today was um what are what is one thing or a few things that you did not know when you first started down this road yeah that you do know now that you would want to share for you know anybody that's you know looking to that's really interested in just yeah um I would say like you know firstly like listen to lots of music like just listen to lot of music and hly go out a lot like just before like oh let me just like play whatever you know go explore different artists get like you know the love for for like the

you know the love for for like the community for the music um and I just do think like you know once you just like get out there and like be nice and you know you you you're like or or yeah make a neck or you're like or for love and for the music for the community like just start there and then if you're actually like you know want to teach and stuff like it's going to come you know and like the more you you know out there with people and you love what you're doing like the more it's going to come I always just say you know like don't be like very like there's you know and

like very like there's you know and obviously like very understandable especially when you like start playing like there's lots of people so hungry for like any kind of gig like just yeah but it's true I was like that as well you know um and I do think in the beginning you should play like kind of like you know all like all the opportunities that you have grabbed them um but also be like respectful I don't know because there's sometimes it's just like oh let me just like C on let me just like play like you know people get like a little like crazy like like don't be desperate as yeah exactly don't be like too crazy like like that in the beginning grab all your opportunities I

beginning grab all your opportunities I was like I was grabbing every single like even like not very good gigs let's say would still play the mouse you know um but just don't be like I be professional it's like you have to be just remember like be professional also be cool and yeah that's just something that like I mean I think like I was doing like all the right things but it's kind of like didn't click to me in the beginning and I was like oh that makes so much like Mak sense you know and it's just I feel like yeah you know if you do it right away this is like you're going to be good so yeah it sounds like there's also an element of like trust yourself you know like trust yourself

yourself you know like trust yourself that you're good enough you will get your opportunities for sure you don't have to be on your knees all the time yeah I also think it's like last maybe advice um like it's so interesting I do think like you know while you're like growing in the community and you have friends like it's always like listen to the feedback like please take the feedback from like the people that are like known in the industry and stuff like let them have has me like don't be because you know there's like people say there's no rules in DJing and like you know it's very interesting the way it's like yes I agree like you're your own master of what you're doing like or like let's say like someone says like oh I think like bring this to your sound do

think like bring this to your sound do this but you it has to be a good middle of like you know know what you want to do but also take the feedback and stuff because I personally think like I have taken feedback from others it helped me so much so you might have some of our listeners reaching out to you for any advice I guess when whenever this does go live so you'd be happy to no for sure yeah I always I always love to like what I would whatever you know I have I can for sure absolutely Maya it's been such a f been schol yeah sit down and learn from you these questions I asked were really

these questions I asked were really questions I've always had no I'm glad so now you're going to go out and be like oh my God I know what to doing yeah I definitely won't stand in front of a deck I just stare stuff for 20 seconds because I know that I mean I knew that before but I knew definitely not to do that anymore CU that's no it's just I mean it's also I don't know like I'm sure some D don't notice and like now I'm cool about it as well I just remember when I just started playing I'm like why like there's so much atten on my hands right now is there something on my hand no yeah you know it's just like a little do I

know it's just like a little do I haveing those on it just funny like now I like sometimes I don't feel like I even pay attention like to like people that like are like you know but yeah in the beginning I was just a little you know I'm still like this is new to me so I'm like figuring this out I'm figuring it all out and like there's just people staring I'm like please knowing myself I would have probably done something stupid like you know scratch or something just to prove to them that I am actually doing something that I'm glad that you were not you know you didn't find it that just pray that they leave soon but yeah really excited for your you know future and hope hope to come to one of your

and hope hope to come to one of your show show that with all of this background com a new fan in me and hopefully some of our listeners so yeah no for sure yeah thank you so much it was so nice thank you that brings us to the end of episode 27 of the ready said do podcast thank you all for sharing these conversations with those that continue to benefit from them if you would like to support me the easiest way to do that is by subscribing to the YouTube channel and or leaving me up to a festar rating on Spotify new episodes every Wednesday catch you all in the next one