A Guide on How to Go from Bedroom DJ to Club Headliner
We have put together some essential tips, tricks, and advice to help launch your DJ career.
Don’t try to run before you can walk
DJing in a club is a completely different experience from practicing in your bedroom, so gaining live performance experience is key to feeling confident in front of a crowd. Here are some effective ways to build that experience:
Open deck nights
Parties
Special occasions (For example, if you know someone getting married, you could offer to DJ their wedding.
DJing for/with friends
It's a good idea to prepare a set you can nail every time and practice it in front of an audience since opportunities can come up on short notice. Pretty much all clubs use Pioneer CDJs, so being comfortable with them is crucial. If you don't have access to CDJs, you can rent studio space that offers them at a surprisingly affordable price. If you're in the UK, New York or LA, Pirate Studios is a great option.
Put yourself out there
Identify events where you’d love to DJ and connect with the organisers, whether through social media or in person. Building relationships takes time, so be patient and approachable, promoters are much more likely to book DJs they get along with. You can also reach out to other DJs and see if they’d be willing to recommend you, but again, focus on genuine connections and a friendly approach.
Most promoters won’t have time to listen to long mixes when scouting new DJs, so a great way to stand out is by creating one that's 15–25-minutes long, specifically for them. Be sure to mention that it’s a short sample and offer to send a longer mix if they’re interested.
Avoid sending mixes in a format that requires downloading! Use SoundCloud, private YouTube link, or Dropbox instead.
Social media
Having a dedicated DJ social media account is a no-brainer. It allows you to promote yourself, expand your network, and makes it easier for promoters to discover you.
Follow relevant accounts and stay active by posting consistently. Focus on sharing high-quality content that appeals to both fans and promoters.
Create your own opportunities
Landing a first time DJ booking is becoming more and more challenging, especially if you don’t have many industry connections. But if you believe in your skills and know there’s an audience for your music, why wait? Book yourself!
Organising your own event(s) comes with risks—it can be expensive, time-consuming, and requires a lot of effort. However, it’s absolutely possible. You’ll need to curate a lineup of DJs, create branding/promotional content, and negotiate with venues to secure a location.
For a successful event, consider your budget, branding, promo strategy, target audience, ticket pricing (or free entry), location, timings, revenue split, noise restrictions, and public liability insurance.
Forming or joining a "collective" is also a smart move. It helps reduce costs, allows for collaboration, spreads out the workload, and gives you a network of like-minded DJs to share your experiences with.
If you're a DJ looking to take your career to the next level don't hesitate to reach out to us on Instagram or email: info@nextsound.net We are here to help!