Conquer your fears

Do you have an upcoming gig? Are you afraid that something might go wrong and you might not be able to perform well? If you are giving this feeling a nod, trust me you not alone. Every professional DJ you know has gone through this phase and some might still fear that something bad will happen.

Of course, you can’t stop something bad from happening, but you can do a few things to control and prevent it from getting worse. Many professional DJs might have the same fear as you, but it did not stop them from DJing. They made mistakes and learned from them. They learned how to control their fears and not let them ruin their performance. Let’s look at a few things that get almost every DJ scared.

1. Equipment failure

Gear (equipment) failure is one of the most common fears of DJs, whether you are an expert or a beginner. In recent times, the key equipment for a digital setup is a laptop. For a DJ, even the thought of their laptop not working is a complete disaster. Many DJs have stated their biggest fear included computer failure with no backup. So, having an extra laptop with you for your gigs will easily conquer this fear. Even though it may be expensive, it is still a way to beat your fears. There are other solutions that you can consider such as a backup on the USB, backup equipment and a bootable copy of your hard drive.

Besides, equipment failure can be a result of environmental problems or other reasons. Many DJs fear that the sub-woofer below their DJ booth might cause problems in their laptops. The bass makes the laptop bounce that can cause damage to the hard drive. Nowadays, there are numerous different types of hard drives available on the market. It is advised to get a Solid-State Drive (SSD); this is a cheap and easy solution. Since there are many risks in digital DJ setups, it is better to start using standard equipment.

2. Vibe killer

It is correct that a DJ can make a party successful or make it a complete disaster. Regardless, whether you are a professional or a rookie DJ, most dread of playing something off at a crucial moment because it kills the vibe. On the off chance that a DJ plays an inappropriate track at a gig, this implies the need to train more for better DJing abilities.

A well-experienced DJ is capable of creating the right vibe and playing the record that will prop individuals up. Although,  there are sure circumstances when the DJ plays the wrong track. Some professionals fear not being able to discover the right track when needed. DJs usually have a prepared playlist and it can happen that their rundown isn’t directly for the crowd. The songs in the playlist aren’t suitable for the audience or event. This is considered as the worst thing that could happen to a DJ.

In such a circumstance, DJs run through their library to find the perfect track to get people on the dance floor. The best way to prevent this from happening is to get all the information about the gig beforehand. You should ensure that you can play for the audience or groups of people that visit this spot. You need to remember that no two parties are similar in terms of audience, response and choice of music to play. Some other DJs fear that they won’t be able to create an extraordinary memorable atmosphere before coming up short on tunes. The only way to ensure you don’t come up short on tracks is by adding new tracks to your playlist every-time. Endeavor to sort out the tracks to make it simple to discover them when playing at a gig.

3. Fear of making mistakes

Another common fear of DJs is that they are afraid of making a mistake. There are numerous mistakes that a DJ can make. Some of the most common mistakes include playing a wrong deck, mistakenly pushing the cross fader to one side and not noticing that the sound is not coming out. Another common mistake is loading a new track into a playing deck. An easy way to overcome a mistake is to move on from feeling thoughtless and getting back to playing the music. At the point when a DJ makes a mistake like this, the crowd is looking at the DJ to figure out how to react. If you disregard the error in a split second and continue playing the song, the crowd will disregard it as well and enjoy the track.

Furthermore, for some DJs, there’s the risk of booze spilling on their laptops or equipment. In case this happens, you should act quickly by immediately removing all the cables, battery and USB links. Pull out all the audio cables and turn your equipment upside down. Then you should dry everything as much as you can. So, you should not be afraid of making mistakes, rather be attentive and solve it quickly.

4. Not getting paid

For a considerable number of DJs, this fear tops the list. Every DJ is afraid of not getting paid as the payer runs away. This is a very common situation that can be experienced by any DJ. Most DJs are using their skills to entertain people to earn an income. Entertainers ranging from DJs, comedians, and musical artistes face such an issue. This doesn’t imply that they can’t effectively avoid this.

There are sure things that they ought to do to forestall this circumstance. They can create a clear and detailed contract. This contract must be between the payer (client) and the DJ for the services they provide. It will help them if the client refuses to pay. The DJ will not have anything to fear as they will be having legal proof of rendering their services.

5. Fear of not being successful

Many DJs have a fear of not becoming successful. This is a fear that almost every artist has at the beginning of their career. They fear they will not be acknowledged and appreciated for their efforts. Some DJs even fear that they will not be able to keep up with the level of expectation. If you are feeling this way, then it is advised to keep performing at all types of gigs, small or big. The more you perform the more chances you have of being recognized and successful.

An important thing to keep in mind is that you should not accept every gig. Sometimes, a client may ask you to perform at a venue where you are not being paid enough. In such circumstances, you should say no. There is nothing wrong with saying no once in a while. Moreover, you have to keep practicing to enhance your skills. Once you have mastered the skills, you will be able to reach a new horizon of success.

Everyone makes mistakes. You will be successful if you learn from your mistakes and conquer your fears. Irrespective of the fear that is haunting you, it can be controlled and you can start enjoying your DJ performances.

My recommended party pace pusher for this week is Adekunle Gold FT. Kizz Daniel – Jore.