So what's the above mean? It means that this thread will state rules and ethics that DJs
should live by. You should already know these things. I'm not your father, so if you bend a few of these rules for the greater good, only you will have to answer for your actions.
Let's begin:
Thou shalt NOT steal
Do not pirate music or steal equipment.
Thou shalt practice and enjoy
DJing is - at its core - about performing and having fun. As with anyone else with great skills, DJs practice
often to hone their craft. If you want to be good, practice. If you want to be great, Practice AND Enjoy. If you just enjoy, you'll suck like 99% of most DJs out there who "just want to have fun."
Athletes train every day. Musicians do too. If you're serious and really want the skills, practicing will get you there.
By the way, the phrase "practice and enjoy" was made popular by
DJTutor.com. Props to all the lads over there.
Thou shalt respect other DJs
Respect other DJs. The sad fact is that most DJs are better than you. Show them respect until you perform regularly in front of 100,000+ crowds... And yes, that's the credibility it takes to be able to talk smack. Until you get there, all you need to do is STFU.
Thou shalt covet skills, not tools
This is the
tenet of DJing: Skills > Tools. If there's any ONE master rule in DJing this is it. Skills, more than anything else, defines the DJ. The more you know, the better DJ you become. The more you know how to do, the better your shows will become.
Having better equipment does NOT make you a better DJ. Having more tracks does NOT make you a better DJ. Having better skills will ALWAYS make you a better DJ, period.
So learn the basics first, grow by learning advanced techniques, and master DJing by pushing the envelope. You will be rewarded. I might even like you eventually.
Thou shalt save for decent equipment instead of buying cheap crap
In the DJ world, you really do get what you pay for. This is eventually learned by everyone, but I'll try to save you time and money. Cheap stuff breaks often and is unreliable. There are certain manufacturers that are always cheaper than others, yet the same more expensive manufacturers continue to dominate in the DJ equipment world.
It is better to save for higher quality gear than it is to spend your hard-earned money on unreliable gear. If you spend on unreliable gear, you'll often find that the gear will break AND
you'll save up and buy the more expensive gear anyway. Learn this lesson early and save money.
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Thou shalt use the highest quality recordings possible
When amplified to dancefloor levels, poorly recorded/encoded tracks become very obvious. Experienced DJs know this and seek to use only the highest quality tracks whenever possible.
This rule means that regardless of how an MP3 was encoded or however the track was made, a DJ uses his or her EARS to decide if a track is worth keeping or if another version is needed. Track file size does not always mean that a track is high quality.
Thou shalt help others
DJF is a fantastic resource for learning and helping other DJs. Be a role model and help others as you learn.
Did I miss anything? If so, add more ethics below...
-KLH
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