I am, however, going to share a few online services that will allow you to rip audio from sites like YouTube, SoundCloud, Mixcloud, and others.

Of course, you should either

A. get the artists permission

B. buy the track/mix

C. check to see if it’s actually free and legal to download based on rights expressed by the artist.

With that being said – here are the tools you need:

For YouTube: SnipMP3

SnipMP3 is about as easy as it gets in terms of downloading files from YouTube. The main offering, KeepVid, by the same people, can pull the video, too, but if you want just the audio than SnipMP3 is the way to go.

The only issue with SnipMP3 is that you don’t get a great amount of choice when it comes to the audio quality which can ruin some of your hopes to play these tracks/previews in your live mixes (which you should probably avoid, anyway, because it’s important to support the artist). But, quality aside, it’s simple and effective for grabbing files without having to download software.

Note: The site will often ask to run Javascript over and over again – it’s okay – just hit run when it prompts and it’ll eventually give you the option to download.

For SoundCloud: SoundDrain

SoundCloud may have the option to download tracks and mixes, when available, but when you really, really want to get your hands on a copy (for your archive, of course) than I’d highly recommend that you take advantage of the service provided by SoundDrain.com.

SoundDrain is straight forward without all the spammy crap you’d find on other download sites. Plug in the URL of the track/mix/preview you want to grab, click ‘Download’, allow it to process, and then begin downloading the file.

SoundDrain won’t generally give you the file size of the file you’re downloading so you’ll need to sit patiently while it runs (which doesn’t take too long).

For MixCloud: Offliberty

Offliberty.com looks like most of the other sites you’ve seen on this list – it takes a minimalistic approach to the design and implementation of its service with the exception that it will also share short links and the ability to share on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and more.

This is the site that works well with MixCloud.

Like the others – place in the URL of the track/mix you’re trying to grab, let it do its thing, and then right-click and ‘save as’ to grab a copy of the file. Plain and simple.

Bonus: HideMyAss, Audacity, and More Sites

Okay, this one isn’t for downloading but used for those in areas where it’s very common to have YouTube (or other streaming sites) preventing you from listening to tracks (Germany does this, a lot).

HideMyAss is an online service that works similar to the download sites whereas you place in the link you’re trying to access – in which it will then run your connection through a proxy thus giving your access to whatever content.

The basic service is going to show you quite a few ads, understandably, but they’re not entirely intrusive as you’d expect and it’s worth the tradeoff if you want to access the blocked content and can’t find better, easier options.

This can be a big deal if you’re in an area that gets a lot of the content frequently blocked especially if you’re trying to keep up with some of your favorite YouTube channels, producers, and fellow DJ’s that are releasing new tracks, previews, and mixes.

Two other things to mention:

A. Audacity, which is free, has an option for ripping streaming audio coming from your computer.

B. This is a list of 37 other streaming music services you could look into and maybe find a program to pull files from them.

That should pretty much hold you over for all your basic music needs.

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BeginnerDJ made the list (#50).

I’d like to share it with you …

An infographic by the team at CouponAudit

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What other music blogs would you have on this list?

They’re great for getting in touch, browsing the Web, and doing work but our usage begins to cross the line of courtesy when they are raise over our heads at music events.

“Put the phone away” has popped up in your head at least once.

This may sound a bit cranky but I’d like to share a few opinions about the scourge of phones popping up at events that take away from the overall experience … and offer a suggestion that we, event goers, can make to better capture these amazing moments …

Worse than the people up on shoulders

Hey, you know what’s fun? Paying good money to catch an act and you’re stuck behind people that have their girlfriend on their shoulders so it completely blocks your view.

Yeah, you can step to the side but now you’re invading someone else’s space – you don’t wanna be that guy. But … they eventually jump down and everything is good after a while.

The extreme end is the person that just stands there the entire time with their cellphone recording the event.

• Why pay money to watch a show behind a screen?
• Why create a huge distraction because of the light?
• Why bother taking low quality pictures when there are professional event photographers there?

We’re all guilty of it but there’s a huge difference between throwing up your phone for a quick snap of a picture and those that act as if they’re videographers of the event.

You can’t truly enjoy the music if you’re spending all that time chatting with friends on Facebook, recording every tune, or constantly snapping pictures. EDM events are spontaneous and feel way more enjoyable when you just go with the flow.

Your brain is there to record the memories. You don’t need physical copies of every single moment.

Lack of professionalism behind the decks

I recently went to an event where the VIPs, promoters, and the rest of the people behind the decks basically stood there, the entire time of the mix, browsing through their phone as if nothing was going on.

Now, I know that some of these people are trying to stay busy like promoters getting extra people out to the event but think of what it implies on the other side of the decks.

People in the crowd facing the DJ/producer want to become absorbed in the music. They’ve paid good money to catch the act and want to avoid the distractions that would take away from the experience.

Looking forward and seeing a bunch of people just standing idly by on their phone really takes you out of the element; you become very aware that they’re on their phones because their face are all lit up.

I’ve always felt the only people on stage should be either the act or something that goes into the act like performers. Make it a real show. If you’re a producer/DJ that has people standing around on their phones than request that they step away – do it for the crowd.

Encourage a new market

If you really want great photos from a show, video of the event, or an audio file of the mix than make it apparent when you’re talking about the DJ/producer, venue, and professionals about.

What’s better?

A. Dozens of low quality, short clips of an event?

B. One amazing production with full HD video and audio availability?

We’re starting to see this more often on YouTube with live coverage of UMF because there’s a huge demand for it – people want to be part of the experience.

What we, event goer’s, should do is make it possible for a market to flourish in the industry. It would be amazing to see full event recordings available on an artist’s website. Not only would the artist benefit from selling these goodies but we’ll have something physical to show for our participation besides a couple grainy photos, clipping audio tracks, and partial recordings of a song.

What are your thoughts?

I don’t know if it’s just a stick up my ass about this one but phones always pull me out of the element when I see people in the front row spending a great deal of time texting people or continuously shooting the event.

How do you feel about cellphones at events? Do they add to it or are they just one big distraction?

What I want to do, with this post, is to introduce the concept of blogging in order to promote yourself as a DJ and artist, in general.

You may have considered doing something like this in the past but consider this a quick-start guide to blogging; I won’t cover the core basics since it’s been done time and time again (and I got other plans for that) but I want to share some the techniques for getting your mixes found and putting your name out there using the platform.

Understanding a blog as a platform

A blog is really no different from a website with the exception that it’s generally built on a different layer of coding which gives you’re the ability to easily add content and inject a bit of social interaction (like commenting).

The three big contenders for your focus will generally include:

• WordPress
• Tumblr
• Blogger

All will get you started with sharing your mixes and connecting with an audience so it doesn’t matter which you choose – it’s just about committing to blogging on a regular basis.

For me, I prefer installing WordPress because I can play around with the code, install new themes and plugins, and basically have greater control over the site than one that’s hosted on another service.

If you choose to install WordPress than take some time to do the research, watch videos, and ask for help for getting it up and running.

Tumblr and Blogger are free and will be a great way to get your feet wet when it comes to blogging; I’d recommend going with either of these when you’re first getting your go and then making the leap to something like self-hosted WordPress in the future.

So, the whole idea of the blog is that you have your own site which you can share your thoughts, opinions, and expertise.

A blog gives you a platform, much like Facebook, to engage with your fans but it also becomes a method for distributing your work and having it show up in web searches. In all, you control the flow of information so every bit of work you put into the site becomes one step closer to getting found.

Filling out the blog to pull some interest

As a DJ, you’ll most likely use the platform to announce events you’ll be at and your new mixes but here are some other ideas for what you could be doing with the site:

• Answer questions from fans
• Point people to your Facebook or Twitter
• Write up reviews about your favorite albums
• Interview other DJ’s and artists
• Share videos and photos of your gigs
• Start a small shop or your wears

If you’re self-hosting a blog than you’ll want to take a look into plugins and scripts which will allow you to implement things like an online shop or adding your social accounts.

Those going with the free alternatives can use the embed features you’d find on sites like Mixcloud or Soundcloud to add in your mixes – the same is done if you choose to use YouTube to promote your DJ mixes.

What people would generally want is a glimpse at what’s going down on your end. Share some mixes, upload some gig photos, create a video, and talk with people. Sure, they can get this experience on the social networks but having your own site makes a tight-knit community.

Sharing your work and getting found

When it comes to promotion – this is where things get really good.

A lot of aspiring DJ’s will simply share their mixes on Facebook, Twitter, and within the upload sites but having your own blog gives you the ability to piece together pages which will continually promote your work – this mainly comes through having share buttons and it showing up in search engines (if you tag and write about it, correctly).

For example, here’s a little process you can take:

1. Upload your mix to Mixcloud
2. Embed the mix onto one of your blog posts and write out the tracklist and a blurb about the mix
3. Create a video, add the mix audio, and then share it on Youtube – then come back and add that video onto your blog
4. Share the pages on your social media accounts so you get both site traffic and views/listens on your embedded media
5. Let people comment and give feedback about your mixes or drop a contact if they want to get in touch
6. Take a few photos from your last gig and post them up to photo sharing sites, then tag your photos with a link back to your blog
7. Create a podcast and create posts about each new episode

The first few posts will be a bit of a challenge but you’ll find your own process for promotion once the ball gets rolling. Having that platform to share your stuff and bring people back is incredibly powerful.

A few good resources

I don’t want to leave you hanging if you’re ready to jump into all of this so here are a few resources that should get you well upon your way of setting up a blog. Otherwise, check the documentation on some of the other sites which will give you a great understanding of how to start.

1. This book to starting one
2. This video of the entire process

Shoot me a message on the Facebook page for BeginnerDJ and I can certainly give you a breakdown if you need – otherwise, read up, learn a bit, and get to it!

I wouldn’t recommend relying on a web-based app to handle your DJ gigs but they can certainly be a lot of fun when you have some downtime (or if you’re burning away some time at work).

I did a few searches and found a variety of DJ apps on the Chrome web store so I’d like to take a moment to go through one: Digital DJ Pro.

This one wasn’t so much an app as it was basically just a link to the software site.

This DJ mixing app is fairly basic but still packs a punch when you’re comparing it to something such as Virtual DJ. Here’s the breakdown …

Digital DJ Pro: Overview

As I said, Digital DJ Pro is offered through the Chrome web store but you’d still just install a piece of software to your machine.

Click here to see the app

This app isn’t the first (nor the last) DJ mixing tool to hit the Chrome web store but it’s worth taking a look since you have most of the features you’d need to get right into the mix.

Here’s a tutorial/overview someone did on the software:

It’s free and supports MP3, OGG, FLAC, and WAV files. It can also be controlled through a variety of Midi DJ controllers (which is a nice touch). Likewise, you can use timecoded vinyl.

The reviews have it around five stars but you may want to watch out if it adds any other bloatware to your computer during installation.

When installing, I’d recommend you do ‘custom’ otherwise it’ll set your home page and default search to another provider (which is a pain in the ass).You can bypass a lot of this bloa by doing ‘skip these offers’. Also, once it’s installed, you’ll get pulled over to another download site so just skip this.

I went ahead and installed it, and began playing around with a bit of it. The software will ask where you have music files so I pointed it that way. A lot of this is the usual stuff if you’re using digital DJ software.

Overall, the interface isn’t anything to amazing but it does have the basics:

If you’re truly strapped for cash, want to get into mixing before making a major investment, or want to spin while you’re away from your decks than Digital DJ Pro is a decent choice but, overall, I can’t recommend the app because it tries to get additional bloatware on your machine, it’s far too basic to really develop a lot of your skills, and there are better DJ programs out there.

Rating: 1 out of 5

I’m only covering this to show some of the options available. Serious DJ’s would want to avoid this piece but I’d say it would be at least something to play around with if you’re just getting started and have to wait to purchase your gear and software (if you’re going the digital DJ route). Avoid it, or not.

Promoting is just as essential for your stint in DJing as finding good music, learning to mix, and making the right investment in the gear.

However, it’s pretty easy to see that there are a lot of DJ’s and producers getting too far ahead of themselves and that’s when oversaturation starts to kick in.

The major problem here is the fact that everyone can get into DJing/producing because of how inexpensive gear can be these days.

It’s an itch to begin making a name for yourself but if you go too fast – you end up making the same mistakes as thousands of other artists.

Here are some of the reasons why you should not be promoting.

#1: You’re not completely refined in your talent and skills

The DJ scene, as I mentioned, has begun to be overly saturated with artists.

The introduction of Ableton, Cubase, Virtual DJ, Serato, Traktor, and all the other digital-based equipment and programs make it very easy to get started in the game. Unfortunately, not everyone takes their time to really hone their craft and understand their equipment.

What often happens is that someone slaps together a mix, it’s rough around the edges, they get negative feedback, but they feel that it’s just “hate” coming their way so they keep doing what they do without that much direction.

Take a look at the greats – many have said they’re still learning new things each and every day.

Jumping the gun and starting a bunch of promotion when you’re really not that great around the decks means you’re in for a sour surprise when people come down hard on your efforts.

Take some time to really get good at mixing, track selection, and showmanship. Give it a few years, honestly, and then really put on the promotion.

#2: You have much to learn about the industry

The recent years have given us a shitload of artists which have become forgettable.

Maybe it’s the fact that it’s very easy to promote yourself online or maybe it’s the people that just want a quick fix with a new track but artists and DJ’s get cycled through like the flavor of the month.

There are those that dominate the industry and then the bedroom DJ’s that get a break, jump up in the charts, and then disappear from public view because everyone has already moved onto the next one.

Do yourself a favor and learn some history.

Follow some of the DJ’s that have been in the game since the early days, read their biographies, listen to their mixes, pay attention to how they evolved, and try to figure out what made them stick.

Going overboard with your promotion, landing a few gigs, getting some chart-toppers, and then fading out isn’t exactly your dream so hold back a bit before you get caught up in the game.

#3: You may get a false sense of accomplishment

The first people you’ll most likely give a listen, to your mix, will be friends.

But the only problem here is that they’re obviously your friends and they’re not going to butcher your work even if you ask for the finer details. They’re essentially “yes men”, nodding at your mixes, telling you it sounds great, and that you need to land some gigs.

What really matters is what the rest of the world thinks.

You’re not just playing to an audience of your friends and close connections. You’re playing for a group of random people that came out to party.

Your song selection may not be right for the club environment, your mixing style too basic, your ego is far too large and people notice this.

Doing a ton of promotion when you think you’re on the top of your game will be hard hitting. You may get a false sense of accomplishment when you get a ton of views but you may not know why. What tracks did they like? Who shared it? Would they actually pay to see you spin?

Promoting online is easy and free (for the most part) but you need to keep track of people’s reactions rather than just the numbers else you’re in for a burn.

#4: You may have not found your calling, yet

What if you spent every waking hour – outside of practicing – doing promotional stuff?

Well, you start to build a brand, name, and following. This sounds really great when you’re first getting your go but what if you suddenly do a 180 and flip your genre? Do you think these same people want to hear your sound now? Will they still come out to see you spin?

Going at promotion too fast, in the beginning, sets you up so you’re a bit “locked in” to your style and brand. As an artist, the last thing you want is being labeled as “that guy/gal” that spins “that music”.

You’re still learning at the early stages. You’re still exploring the musical genres.

If you build up a huge following just switch gears – you’re not only throwing it away but now people will see (and hear) what you did before and may hold that against you.

It won’t always play out like this but think of your DJing as some kind of big, new product line coming out from a big company. If they botch the launch – they’re stuck paying the damages, ya know?

#5: You don’t know how to handle the attention

Some people take this shit waaaaay to closely and their ego goes through the roof.

What’s something everyone says but it seems few actually follow?

“Leave the ego at the door”

Some DJ’s can get away with it because they attract certain crowds but the vast majority of people don’t want some DJ up there that’s making a complete ass of themselves because they think they deserve the attention.

It’s about the music – not about if you’re hot shit.

Doing a lot of promotion can have some odd side-effects on your ego because you feel important to people but you can’t let it get that way. You’re still spinning music for people’s enjoyment. There are a million other DJ’s out there with great talent and skill. What really makes a DJ worthwhile is how they treat their fans and when they understand when to get out of the way and let the music ride.

What other, possible, negative consequences could come about by doing too much promotion?

Share a comment in the area below or get at BDJ on Facebook.

You can expect a sudden rush of fans, sold out venues, and signing to a label unless you have a bit of a following. Yes, you may be amazing at mixing and even do some production but you shouldn’t leave it to chance in order to make big things happen.

Self-promotion is one of those things that a lot of people start to feel slimy about.

There you have it: you’re a DJ that wants to play music, maybe make some coin, and to really bring a ruckus at the parties – you’re not some advertising agency ala Mad Men style – you’ve seen plenty of ads and it irks you to think of music as a business … but it is, and you have to deal with it.

Electronic music is BIG business these days.

Don’t worry, it’s not all that hard and you don’t have to sell your artistic soul when doing it, either.

#1: People won’t do it for you (in the beginning)

No matter how much you love your fans – you can’t expect them to take time out of their lives to help you get established. They may enjoy your music but there is always another DJ out there pulling at their attention so, to be blunt, you can’t expect your fans to promote for you.

Of course, over time, people will help you once you start making your moves but that beginning part of getting found will be placed almost entirely on your shoulders.

Perhaps the best way to think of this is to look at the early adopters of technology. There are the “nerds” that jump all over something and will talk day and night about how awesome it is; eventually, it starts to go big time and that’s when it makes a break.

So, what you should really do is cultivate a core fan base.

These are your most loyal followers – they’re not in it just for the hype – they’ll stick with you throughout thick and thin. What’s great about these people is that they’re the same type that will share your music all over the Web and the real-world. Treat them right and you’re ace for getting found.

What you should be doing is aim for about 100 or so real fans. It’ll take a while but that core group is more than enough to start building a lot of buzz around your mixes especially if they’re all sharing it on Facebook, Twitter, and other social sites. You just need that initial push and these “early adopters” are the ones that will do it.

#2: It’s actually really easy (so there’s no reason not to)

Promotion is actually really, really easy, when you think about it.

Right now, you’re probably doing some form of promotion and not really realizing it.

Anytime you share something on Facebook, respond to someone’s comment on Twitter, post up a YouTube video response, suggest a track to a friend – you’re promoting for the content creators.

All you really need to do is turn that time and energy inward.

Once you have something of value, your mixes and tracks (if you produce), you have something solid to share.

From that point, it’s a matter of getting your stuff found by doing the same sort of routine you’re already doing on most social networks and when you’re chatting with people. You want to share your ‘brand’ rather than others. You need to explain why giving your mix a listen is worth it over some of the bigger names. You need to carve out a little niche of your own to build that fan base and get people excited for your work.

If you really want an easy way to get started, consider trying this:

1. Make a Facebook page for your DJ presence
2. Shoot a video of your mixing and put it on YouTube
3. Rip the audio and upload that to Soundcloud
4. Jump back to FB and Twitter to share your stuff
5. Run a blog or website which further shares your stuff

Pretty simple, right?

#3: It puts you on the edge (so you keep up on exploring the genres)

Promotion is also one of those things that really get you active in the scene.

Just think about when something big came to your school when you were attending – let’s say something like Pokemon, as a decent example – all of a sudden, everyone wanted in on it. But, being part of the earlier crowd made you go looking for other stuff because the sudden, mainstream rush put you off.

Because everyone was getting into what you already liked – you wanted to go deeper – almost in a hipsterish way but you wanted to explore.

As a DJ, the more you promote the more pressure you place, on yourself, to continually go deeper into your craft. You gain an edge. You want to find obscure artists that no-one else is playing. You want to try new techniques. You want to be unique.

Even if you don’t plan to go big time, doing some promotion forces you to continually improve because you’ve now gained an audience. They don’t want to hear the same old shit.

#4: You gain feedback (since your name is out there)

Feedback is super important for a DJ.

Yes, you should take everything with a grain of salt but you’ll generally build up an ego because you think you’re the shit. Your fans will tell you otherwise. What you think is a banger track turns out to be complete garbage to the fans. Since you need to fill the dance floor – you need to listen.

Likewise, you have something to share within DJ communities (like forums and other online sites). You can gain valuable feedback from your fellow DJ’s which will expand your skills. People will mention where you messed up, what you did well, and comment on your overall style. Take a bit of this and you can definitely go far.

The more you promote – the more you gain listeners – the more listeners means more feedback.

#5: Showmanship starts to form (which goes a long way for DJing)

Don’t go around building up some fake-ass ego like so many big named DJ’s.

Stay humble. You’re playing tracks for people to party to, after all.

But, one that that will come about is your overall showmanship.

Showmanship seems to be one of those things that have been dying out. No, it’s not about just some pretty lights and lasers – I’m talking about actual engagement with the audience.

Yes, you do need to focus on your mixing and you can’t afford to mess up but you gotta get the crowd hyped up and into it. Just playing music, a lot of the time, isn’t enough these days especially with limited attention span and phones polluting the dance floor. You gotta keep ‘em hooked.

Take on a personality if you have to. Try on masks. Write a manifesto. Do something that allows you to be creatively liberated.

People remember great tracks but they remember the experience far more readily. Give it to them. Make it mind blowing. Make them talk. Keep up with your craft, mix your best, but bring a show.

A very important thing to remember

Promotion doesn’t have to be a sleezy thing.

Yeah, there’s a lot of people that are just assholes and slimy when it comes to promoting because it seems like they publish their mix on any and all status updates (and any chance they can). These people are whatever – you have to appreciate their commitment but good music will bring in the people.

You gotta pay your dues.

Stick with it. Keep mixing. Get your name out there. Build fans. Natural fans. Don’t spam people. Don’t feel bad that you’re trying to get found because everyone has to do it. It’s the nature of the biz. It’s not sleezy or slimy.

Promote yourself.

I’m sure you’ve noticed but Electronic is getting big.

One side of the equation means that many new artists will be discovered unlike before plus the music will continue to spread and, hopefully, make for some happy, fun times. The other side may be a little grim due to the mainstream adoption of the music which could turn sour (as we’ve seen with a lot of hip hop over this last decade).

The following are some of my predictions – so take them with a grain of salt – they may not be here anytime in the next year or so but could be down the line. In the end, I want to hear your predictions in a comment below, getting at me on Twitter, or posting something on the BDJ Facebook page.

#1: Electronic music will be so stupidly large that we’ll face a moment of over-saturation

What happens when the price of music equipment drops and interest in a genre goes up?

The best case example of how I would relate Electronic music would be through the adoption of the Internet. In the beginning, it was only the few that had access to the tool but, over time, everyone and their mother was on the Web. With it came a lot of innovation and many amazing things but it has also lead to an overabundance of media, vapid relationships, and major time wasters.

I’m gonna go out on a limb an predict that the combination of interest and cheap equipment will lead to a moment of pure saturation where it’ll become tedious to discover new music because so many people would be making it.

We see a bit of it now especially when there are free sites like YouTube, Mixcloud, and Facebook to share mixes, tracks, and other multi-media. It feels like each passing day forces us to spend a greater amount of time weeding through the crap in order to find the gems.

Sure, DJ’s used to do this with crate digging but the big difference is that they were limited to what was available in a brick-and-mortar shop – now we have sites like Beatport with millions to sort through.

Likewise, Electronic will become very mainstream (it took it quite a while, don’t you think?) which means artists that aren’t even in the music will begin to produce some of it. Radio waves will become saturated with ‘meh’ tracks, everyone will be a DJ, and we’re all stuck wading through the crap.

Perhaps this would be the time when Electronic goes back to its roots after the mainstream is tired of the music – it’ll slink away while the masses move onto a new genre.

#2: One (or two) of the major Electronic music festivals will come to an abrupt close

Love Parade saw an abrupt end after a slew of people were trampled during a mad rush. Electric Daisy Carnival had to move out of L.A. because of pressure from the city due to an overdose. Ultra Music Festival got under heavy fire for expanding into two weekends.

We may love music festivals but you can sure as hell see that those in the state and federal government doesn’t care much for it – no matter how much business it brings into the area. Most of it stems around the drugs but there has always been an underlying hatred for the counterculture which is why we’ve seen multiple attacks on the growth of Electronic especially in the U.S. and U.K. during the 90’s.

I’m betting that one or two of the big festivals are going to come to a close.

It’ll most likely be political or it may come from shitty management. I’m thinking the political angle would be the first to shut things down and the result would be others coming to a close due to the inability to properly gain permits and, thus, pulling the companies behind big events under.

#3: There may be a backlash for the “superstar” DJs

I forgot who said it but allow me to botch its summary.

Basically, the DJ is there to play music. We love music. For some reason, we take this love of music and associate it with the DJ, hence why the majority of the crowd will face toward the DJ booth rather than huddling, facing toward the people that came with them.

A great DJ deserves the praise when they pull out an amazing track and does a wonderful job at mixing (seamlessly) because it keeps the energy rocking. Unfortunately, too many “superstar” DJ’s have allowed their ego to over inflate and they have turned what is basically just playing music as some massive skill.

That’s not to say there aren’t amazing artists doing amazing things behind the decks but a lot aren’t exactly putting in their all into the act.

It always blew my mind that a DJ could get paid so much but the production team skimps out on turning it into a show. Hell, if Rabbit In The Moon can do small shows but still put on full-on spectacles with their limited budget than these big-named DJ’s should pony up a little extra than just lasers and video screens.

But I digress.

The prediction I’m making here is that people will begin to feel burnt-out by this over inflation of DJ ego and begin to turn away from the big names.

There will be a greater amount of variety at festivals, plenty of new talent, and all of which will capture our attention than the same old show we’ve been seeing for years.

#4: Sound quality and music production is going to be mind-blowing for even the most basic producer

Just think of how far technology has come since the earliest recording (not to mention the form factor for our digital storage).

Each year we see greater advancements into sound recording which means the samples used in a lot of production will continue to improve. Likewise, new synthesizers, drum machines, and other effect modules gain greater quality from our ever-expanding widening of technology.

Lest we forget the growing crowd of computer programmers and developers working on new production technology which will forever change the way we make music. Add in inexpensive production equipment like midi keyboards, low cost mixing and sound software, and digital media that allows for near instantaneous transfer and we’ve got a recipe for one major technological revolution when it comes to Electronic music.

I predict it will be virtually impossible to distinguish between a bedroom recording and that which has been mastered by industry professionals.

A fine-tuned ear can hear a big difference in sound and mixing quality but this line will begin to blur as these new advances come into the hands of hungry producers.

#5: Showmanship will be just as important as the mixing

Kind of touching on #3, I think we’ll definitely see a rise in the cross-over between DJ and VDJ with many new tools and equipment that will allow the DJ to integrate visuals and additional effects into their mixing which will bring the music to the next level.

I can see it now: holograms, sync’d video and lighting, integration of the crowd through projection, omni-directional speakers that can hone the music to specific areas, and sound sent through lasers (yes, this is already real).

It may take a while and even longer for DJ’s to adopt these additions to their setups but it will turn what has traditionally been someone standing, jumping behind the decks (or throwing cake at people) into a one man orchestra (think: that episode of Futurama where Fry is playing the holophonor).

What will especially be interesting is the fact that the younger generation will quickly adopt these technological advancements which means the next, big DJ could be that youngin’ that’s borderline cyberpunk.

What are your predictions for the future of Electronic music?

Discovered any new technologies you believe will make its entry into the world of Electronic music?

Feel a shift coming to the music that’s good (or bad)?

Share your thoughts and predictions so we can do a little reflection some years down the line.

We’ve got some money to burn, we’re ready to setup our flights, hotels, and meet ups, but there’s still one big thing to check off our to-do list: how in the hell we plan to survive it all.

Basics: Sorting Your Funds

Festival hopping is expensive as hell.

After the first few – you’ve probably already burned through a good chunk of your cash; so, we know that festivals are going to eat up big money because of the expenses:

• Flights
• Ground travel
• Hotels or hostels
• Food and drinks
• Tickets
• Booze
• Party stuffs

Tickets to the festival cost almost $300 USD? Than you better expect to drop around $1,000, no doubt.

I doubt you’re a financial wizard but I would highly recommend taking a bit of time to work over your budget and get a better mastery over your savings.

Resource: Personal Finance via Reddit

I would recommend you take whatever you believe your budget for each festival to be and tack on about 25% extra for all those unexpected expenses like if you got a ticket, got stranded and needed to take a taxi, or found yourself spending a little extra on drinks.

Choices: Picking and Choosing Festivals

There are a lot of music festivals going on in your area and you couldn’t even imagine the sheer amount once you open up to the idea of long distance travel to other countries.

You’ve got your personal preferences but I’d try to answer a few of these when pin-pointing which you’ll end up going to:

• What genres are represented?
• Does it provide something new?
• Can I camp or am I crashing at a hotel?
• How far out of the way is it?

I know you probably have a few festivals you love going to each year but why not try something new this year? Try out some new music and hell – try genres outside of EDM.

For me, it’s a nice balance between camping and a mix of good headliners but interesting acts off to the side to explore my taste in music.

Resource: The 2013 EDM music festival guide

Realistically, you can’t get to them all so I would say start with a handful that peak your interest or ones you’ve been putting off because of funds or timing. The other big ones will be there so go out and explore something new this year, yeh?

Localize: Learn the Area

Short and quick: learn about the location you’re going to.

Most times, you’ll end up at the location a few days in advanced which makes for a great little trip of its own especially if you know the local hot-spots for eating, entertainment, and culture.

Likewise, you’ll want to pick up a bit of the local language if you’re going to a foreign country especially the basics like please, thank you, sorry, and some basic questions like ‘how much’ and ‘where is …’.

Here are a few suggestions:

• Read some guides on the area via LonelyPlanet
• Watch a few travel shows about the location
• Try to get in touch with people in the area

You might as well get to know the lay of the land now, including the locals, while you’re still a few months out of the way.

Resource: Free travel guides via WikiTravel

Hell, you can probably make a few connections with other festival-goers before you ship out so that you can explore the area with people you’ll end up partying with – that’ll be a blast.

Survival: Bring the Right Equipment

Camping? Staying at a hotel? Driving there?

Lots of questions you should figure out and most of these can be found on most of the festival websites under some form of FAQ page or their own “survival” guide.

Generally speaking – you’ll never be fully prepared for a festival because there is always a few items you’ll forget because of all the excitement. No worries.

Remember this:

• You can (almost) always find some of the bigger stores for supplies
• A lot of the bigger cities has a Chinatown district (great for cheap clothes)
• Trading works well when you’re at a festival (yay barter system!)
• You can never bring enough beer (if it’s a camping-type)

For God’s sake: GET A DECENT TENT!

I can’t say how many times I’ve shown up for festivals with some shitty $30 tent just to freeze my ass off or bake under the sun without much room to move around – and then it sucks even harder when you’re trying to share a tiny tent with other people.

If the fest doesn’t provide camping than just do your research as to the public transport (if you didn’t drive), fares for taxi’s, hotels and hostels, and especially the laws around the area so you don’t go getting arrested for some stupid j-walking.

Resource: What to bring to festivals

Make the investment, seriously. If you’re off to go festival hopping for a couple years than pony up the money now and get better equipment than just buying new shit each year.

PLUR: Party, Responsibly

Don’t become the dude that starts flipping his shit in a parking lot. The bitch that starts fights with everyone she bumps into. Nor the douchebag that over does it and gets themselves in the hospital.

Learn to control yourself.

A few things:

• Know your limits
• Take frequent breaks
• Don’t be stupid with what you ingest
• Never fully trust people trying to sell you shit at festivals
• Create meet up points if you lose your group

And don’t be a fucking moron and start drunk driving. It’s not about if you’re endangering your life – it’s that you’re putting far too many others at risk especially if a ton of people are pouring out all at once. Take a taxi or get someone else to drive. It’s quite basic.

Resource: Understand PLUR

Yeh, it’s a bit cheesy but here is my simple suggestion: don’t be an asshole.

Have fun, party your ass off, but don’t go around being aggressive to people trying to have fun and don’t you dare cause harm to others.

Finale: The Comedown

Nobody really talks about it but there is a comedown once the party is all said and done.

You’ll definitely glow for quite some time but then reality sinks back in and you get a little bummed because you’re not out there with your friends, hearing great music, and seeing awesome sights.

I would suggest some of the following for that post-festival comedown:

• Start prep and get hyped for the next festival
• Get in touch with the contacts you tried to make at the festival (follow through)
• Create a cool album or video of your experience
• Write about it
• Reflect on what you’ve accomplished and launch into the next thing

Personally, I like to write a page or two about what I experienced though I never really share it. It’s not really for reading – more just to get my thoughts and experience as a way to relive it all. Then, it’s the pictures and videos.

As Dr. Seuss said: “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”

Hope the guide helped.

Over to you … what would you recommend doing before, during, and after a music festival?

There’s a lot that we’ll put our minds and bodies through in order to see our favorite artists.

The big item any EDM fan’s to-do list is to catch a few concerts.

This year, 2013, is shaping up to be one of the most epic.

We grit our teeth at the rising prices of the major festivals. Many will go mad just trying to get to the locations due to air traffic delays. Spending a ton of money on a hotel just to crash out for only a few hours seems like a complete waste.

But once we’re there … oh boy … once we’re there … it’s magical.

The lights. The music. The vibe. The friends.

This is why we do festivals.

Each one brings a new experience – each gives a great memory.

I went ahead and compiled a good, starter list of some of the festivals that, no doubt, you’ll want to check out this year. I’m keeping it more related to EDM and by no way can I cover them all but I threw in a couple that would be awesome to experience, none-the-less.

Here’s what you can expect.

Ultra Music Festival

One of the largest in the States, UMF is going for two weekends this year. The line-up will look familiar if you’ve been the last couple of years but considering being able to catch this amount of great acts – I can’t see why you would complain (too much). Tickets are expensive, as you would expect, and Miami is getting a little snippy about it being two weekends so if you go – be safe and don’t be stupid.

When: Weekend 1 (March 15 – 17), Weekend 2 (March 22 – 24)

Link: Ultra Music Festival

Winter Music Conference

Ultra may steal a lot of the buzz around what’s going on in Miami in March but don’t forget that an entire week is dedicated to electronic music – it’s the Winter Music Conference. If you can, definitely try to get to Miami for this full week because there are a TON of shows going on during WMC. Plus, there are some panel discussions, trade shows, and exhibits for the business end of the music.

When: March 15 – 24

Link: Winter Music Conference

TomorrowLand

Held in Belgium, TomorrowLand is quickly becoming one of the biggest festivals on our planet. In 2013, TomorrowLand will be going into its ninth edition. Previous years have pulled some of the biggest names in the industry like Afrojack, Armin, Carl Cox, Fatboy Slim, and a ton of others. Over 180,000 people attended last year – tickets sold out fast – so if you’re trying to get to this one, this year, keep that ticket page open and ready the moment it goes on sale.

When: July 26 – 28

Link: TomorrowLand

Coachella

We’ve all heard of Coachella so the festival needs no introduction. This year, you can probably expect a line up just as massive as before. And yes, you will keep hearing rumors about Daft Punk playing. There will be two weekends for Coachella, tickets will run you some serious coin, but there will definitely be good vibes if you make it out to this one.

When: Weekend #1 (April 12-14), Weekend #2 (April 19-21)

Link: Coachella

Global Gathering

Another in this line-up which can’t be skipped is Global Gathering which caters to basically any and all genres of music, has camping, ticket prices aren’t too bad, but currently lacks a line up but considering they pulled in over 150 acts in previous years – you can expect it to be pretty awesome. Get on over to the UK, have some fish & chips, talk shit to people, and dance your ass off at GG.

When: July 26 – 27

Link: Global Gathering

Kazantip

Here’s a premise: let’s have a festival spanning 5 – 6 weeks on a 15 acre beach, music played 21 hours each day, located in Ukraine. I’m not making this up. It’s hard to describe what goes on since there really isn’t much law enforced while the festival is going on. Here, just look at this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDampV_Tl6U.

When: TBD

Link: Info at Kazantip-Republic

Moogfest

There’s a bit of confusion going on with Moogfest as it seems that (according to this article) the Moogfest you know will be rebranded as Mountain Oasis Electronic Music Summit (that’s a mouthful) but there will also be a Moogfest (something about the licensing and whatnot). Whatever comes of it, Moogfest has definitely made its mark on the southern side of the States. In honor of Bob Moog, creator of the Moog synths (of course), this gathering pulls in a wide variety of great artists – plus the tickets aren’t too bad either – and, if you’ve never been to North Carolina, you’re going to have a blast. No line up at the time of this writing, though.

When: October 25 – 27

Electric Daisy Carnival

Ah, EDC. I went to both Vegas and Orlando this last year and had an absolute BLAST (even though the second day was cancelled due to high winds). I can honestly say that EDCV is an incredible trip with a lot of amazing acts, you’ll love the festival rides, performers, and overall vibe. EDC Orlando brought a lot of the flare on a smaller scale but just because it’s not as big – doesn’t mean you should skip it. There’s no camping but whatever – you’re in Vegas! – or, for Orlando, there’s a lot going on down town to check out. Also, EDC is in New York, Chicago, and Puerto Rico.

When: (Vegas) June 21 – 24, (Orlando) TBA, (New York) TBA, (Chicago) May 24 – 26, (PR) TBA

Link: Electric Daisy Carnival

Creamfields

Creamfields does it big. This festival has been going on for some time now and continues to bring new vibes to the festival experience. Big headliners, you can camp, tickets are very reasonable, the people going are quite an array of good spirits, plus it’s likely you’ll find one in your area of the world as it’s going international with off-shoot events. Basically, the festival offers everything you’re looking for.

When: August 23 – 25

Link: Creamfields

BPM Festival

BPM Festival is actually over but I wanted to throw this in here because of the sheer support, impact, and ruckus they brought to the festival scene. A week long event, BPM had a massive line up and ran a hard party in where else but Playa del Carmen, Mexico. I wish I could have made it there this year but I was off in Canada. Maybe next year we’ll all meet up?

When: January 4 – 13

Link: BPM Festival

Sonar

Sonar is an odd festival that you can’t quite put your finger on. The lineup is very diverse and may not fully cater to the electronic scene but that’s a good thing because it brings in acts that challenge your nature of sticking to just one genre. I would say, as a music lover, it’ll be a good thing to break from the normal and check out Sonar. It’s held in Barcelona, Spain, but has found a home in other countries since its start in 1994.

When: June 13 – 15

Link: Sonar

Electric Zoo

Up in New York, they’ve got a little thing called Electric Zoo, you may have heard of it. Held in Randall’s Island Park, EZ has been killing it with the lineup and festival experience. This is one of those events where you get the best of both worlds – great music and atmosphere plus you’re right there in one of the biggest cities in the world – which makes for an epic trip of its own. You can expect most of the big names you see headlining other festivals to be in attendance.

When: August 30 – September 1

Link: Electric Zoo

Electric Forest

Tucked away into the forest, on a big piece of property, with sprawling tent cities popping up houses the Electric Forest festival. Lineup is coming soon but 2012 showed a lot of variety and choice with a range of acts from Bassnectar to Girl Talk. Four days of camping, music, and vibes will put you in the right spot. Mixed reviews are present but, overall, you gotta love the atmosphere it sets up and there’s enough variety that you aren’t forced into the usual lineup you’d find at a lot of other events. Ticket prices are fair for the length of the event (running between $199 – $259).

When: June 27 – 30

Link: Electric Forest

Camp Bisco

Not a lot of info on the 2013 edition of Camp Bisco as far as lineup, dates, and ticket prices but just take a look back at the previous years and you can get a general idea. Previous events had five stages, two dance tents, workshops, and a silent disco. They pulled in 100+ artists. Camp Bisco has been running for quite some time so it’s refined and never fails to deliver.

When: TBA

Link: Camp Bisco

Burning Man

Not going to forget Burning Man. I don’t think I really even need to introduce this festival (if you’d even call it that); you’ve seen the videos, browsed the pics, read some articles – it’s out there – it’s a beast – it’s always been on your to-do list. Tickets are a little pricey, running about $380, but they do offer a ‘low income’ option if you’re truly strapped on cash (about $190 each). Each year, it’s something new, so it’s hard to even explain what will be going on this year.

When: August 26 – September 2

Link: Burning Man

I know it’s not a complete list of all the events going on but I think this should get you started in doing some planning for the 2013 festival year. Be sure to check out the events and festivals section of BeginnerDJ for other listings.

Sources and Additional Listings:

• http://seatgeek.com/blog/concerts/music-festivals
• http://www.metrowize.com/music-festivals-guide
• http://www.musicfestivaljunkies.com/festival-genre/electronic/
• http://electronic-life.tumblr.com/festivals

So …       Which of these do you want to get out to?