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View Full Version : Come back after 5 years break! Alone or Duo?



DjGuyDeshaies
01-07-2017, 03:51 AM
Wow! What a ride was 2016!!! Ever since I lost all my equipment and my music in a nasty house fire in 2011 all I wanted was to get back at Djing… One thing this tragedy could never take away from me is my love and passion for music…

July 2016, I decided to restart all over again. Went and bought myself a Traktor Kontroler S8 and accessories. I had also to rebuilt my music library from scratch... My goal then was to get back on the market within 6 months. I had to work hard to achieve this goal considering that the technology changed a lot in five years. Last I played in a bar in 2011 was with Technics SL1200 and CDJ,s 100S.

Well, today I am kinda proud to say I achieved my 2016 goal. I was just confirmed, a couple of days ago, my first booking. YES I made it! Friday January 13th 2017 I will be playing my first gig b2b with a friend in a Techno event in Montréal.

Here is the question! I initially thought I would come back into the market as me alone but I just had an offer/request from a good friend to join him and market ourself as a duo.

What is best? Alone or Duo? Is it more dificult to get booked as a Duo? What are the pros and cons of working as Duo?

Windows 95
01-07-2017, 04:34 AM
Off the bat, one con I can think of;
Your pay is divided between two people.

Dix
01-07-2017, 06:11 AM
Personally, I would not take on a partner (other than my wife). But I dont think I would market the business as a duo even if I chose another partner. If yall want to work together ok, but if you get two gigs in one night, each of you can take a gig & double your money (provided both of you have equipment).
The biggest problem is, partners sometimes disagree & get in the way. I just prefer solo. Just me.

Hygro
01-08-2017, 10:19 PM
y not both?

DJ Matt
01-09-2017, 06:44 AM
whatever brings in the gigs :D

DjGuyDeshaies
01-09-2017, 05:47 PM
Off the bat, one con I can think of;
Your pay is divided between two people.

Of course the obvious one... ;-(

DjGuyDeshaies
01-09-2017, 05:50 PM
Yeah, need to know who I am marrying with otherwize it go uggly quite fast...

DjGuyDeshaies
01-09-2017, 05:51 PM
whatever brings in the gigs :D

Keep it open sounds like a plan... that way we can still get the best out of it!

dlove
01-10-2017, 01:06 AM
hey Guy, first of all, congrats on keeping the faith thru adversity! Great to hear.

and I'll say it can be more exciting as a duo, as you hype each other up and create an energy that's contagious, and it's no problem to play out as an individual sometimes, as well as being part of a duo, a lot of dj's have a few projects on the go at once. Best of luck for the future!

ZSquared
01-15-2017, 01:14 AM
I think if you want to work as a duo you would have to have a solid similar base of interests in DJing and performing to minimize any potential clashing of interests. Being solo can be good or bad depending on how creative you are as an individual. If you aren't that creative, then having a partner can usually help promote creativity as a whole by feeding off of each other's ideas.

DjGuyDeshaies
01-15-2017, 09:44 PM
hey Guy, first of all, congrats on keeping the faith thru adversity! Great to hear.



Thank you very much for your kind words!

DjGuyDeshaies
01-15-2017, 09:48 PM
....Being solo can be good or bad depending on how creative you are as an individual. If you aren't that creative, then having a partner can usually help promote creativity as a whole by feeding off of each other's ideas.

That is a very good point! Complementarity would be a win win situation!

DjGuyDeshaies
01-15-2017, 10:45 PM
Thanks to everyone for your kind advices... As for the question: Alone or Duo? I think keep it open is the answer! For my very first gig, I was approach by a promoter that knew my style and my personality and he suggested to join in with Jemy Lachance (https://soundcloud.com/jemylachance). We've known each others for quite a while and everybody, promoters, DJ's, friends keep saying we should work together. I have to admit, the connection between him and I his very spontanious and easy.

One of you mentionned the complementarity is very important and I agree 100% on that point. Jemy is very creative with his music and is not shy to try and experiment with his music as well as new technology. As for myself, «the hold timer» from the vinyl èra. I am more the rational type of guy... I like complex and multi layer mixing but gee I also enjoy letting a good track play all the way... Good at networking, finding new gigs, branding and marketing...

SO! Last friday was «The Day» I had the most fantastic night in a long time. The event was a huge success even if we were competing with Carl Cox playing about 2 miles away from us. We filled the place Play Montreal (http://playmontreal.club/store/). Lots of people showed up and some even came from a 600 kilometers drive to be part of this. I had forgot that nice, warm and rewarding feeling to spin in front of a crowd. Jemy and I had a blast... Overall this was a fantastic way to come back in the booth... It feels like I am back to life... He he he...

Our set is available on my Souncloud account...

Les Vendredis Undr Groov (https://www.facebook.com/events/261238870955752/)

Dick Slitherington
05-18-2017, 09:22 PM
If your Dj'ing I would say alone, and if your producing I would say Duo. But that's just personal preference. Good Luck on your new journey !!!!!!

tomaszp
05-19-2017, 11:56 AM
I think that You'll have easier job plaing in duo. But IMO I would like to act solo :) I always want to have control on everything.

Best regards,

Tomek

Not Applicable
05-19-2017, 12:29 PM
I have played both single and as a duo.

Whenever my partner started playing crappy records and I'd be like wtf, man. Seriously?

I have to work alone. With a duo it is much harder to create a musical journey that takes the crowd to different levels. You would have to try and be in the same train of thought, have the same mixing style, and a different vision in what to play next.