I have always been into music as far back as I can remember. I started listening to genres such as Rock and Metal when I was younger.\

Then one day was introduced to The Prodigy, who opened up my eyes to the world of dance music. This band led me to find out about DJing; the rest is history.

Technology- Not Too Long Ago:

My DJing journey didn’t quite start back in the vinyl days as I was a bit too young for that. When I started, DJs were playing on CDJs with CDs, and the world of controllers was very much in the early stages.

My very first attempt at DJing was on the Algoriddim Djay app when it was released on iPhone back in 2011. I was instantly hooked! The idea of transitioning between two songs just excited me so much. I really couldn’t get enough.

That Christmas, I asked my parents for a controller that connected with a wire to my iPhone. It was called the Numark iDJ Live. I remember all my time apart from school was spent on this thing. Every. Single Day.

Looking back on it now, the controller was very simple with limited features, but it felt like groundbreaking technology! It’s nothing compared to what is available to the beginner market these days.

But it got the job done, and I even did my first house parties with this controller! Unfortunately, it no longer works, but it holds a place in my heart, and I could never get rid of it!

A New Era of Technology

The reason for bringing this up today is that it doesn’t matter what equipment you start with, if any! Living in 2023, we have the gift of technology at our fingertips, making learning much more accessible than ever.

Our ​How To DJ Using A Laptop For Free​ is still one of the most popular blog posts and is an excellent place for anyone contemplating their first step into DJing.

I’d love to hear about all your first DJ setups, let me know what equipment got you started on your DJing journey, and what you are using now.

What I’m Reading 

Outside of DJing, one of my favourite things is stand-up comedy. I listen to a bunch of comedy podcasts and watch quite a lot of stand-up specials on Netflix.

I found that comedians have a similar lifestyle to DJs in many ways. They go to the comedy clubs to try out new material, see if they work and if not, go back to the drawing board.

The same is for DJs when we try new things in the club. Sometimes they work, and it’s a hit. Other times they need a little extra work before they can be tried out again.

Comedians are also in a similar world, where your friends do what you’re doing. Like with us DJs- a lot of our friends are often DJs.

It can almost be seen as “competition”, but if you look at it as a way of helping each other out, supporting each other and providing one another with opportunities, it opens up a world where everyone wins.

I have just finished the audiobook ‘I’d Like To Play Alone Please’ by Tom Segura. He’s hands down one of my favourites. This book had some awesome stories and had me in fits of laughter throughout. If you’re into comedy, I highly recommend it!

Tune Of The Week 

HoneyLuv, Seth Troxler, Paul Johnson – Sex & The City (MK Remix)

My tune of the week is the brilliant MK remix of HoneyLuv’s Sex & The City.

This track reminds me of some early 2000s Deep House. The stabs and the bassline are so good, I can definitely see this track doing the rounds in Ibiza this summer. Check it out.

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New From Crossfader HQ 

Have you seen this weeks latest video? We’ve got 9 transitions for you to try out in your next practise session! Check them out on YouTube below.