How To Become A Famous Singer In 6 Easy Steps

 Today we’re going to look at how to become a famous singer in 6 steps. If you’re a beginner singer and want to know what it takes to give yourself the best chance of making it in the music industry, be sure to read to the end for all the details. If you want a guide which will help improve your vocals in general, check this guide on becoming a better singer.

Disclaimer: While these below six points will go a long way to helping you reach your desired level of fame as a singer, there is no guarantee that you will become famous. This will come down to a few different things, such as how talented you are, being in the right place at the right time, and more. That said, doing the below will greatly increase your chances of making it as a successful singer. Be sure to read all 6 points to get a good idea of what needs to be done.

1. Build Your Way Up To Fame

  A common misconception about fame in the music industry is that it will come overnight. It’s easy to see someone in the charts for the first time, and assume they haven’t been working hard for some time leading up to that. In reality, this isn’t normally the case.

If you want to be a famous singer, you will need to work at it. You won’t start out doing world tours or writing number one hits. You need to work your way up the ladder.

Start out by aiming to become known with your family and friends. When they recognize your talents and let you know you’re genuinely good enough, network out and start to build up your name in different areas. Start establishing your name in your local area, on online music forums, on already established YouTube channels, on local radio stations and the like.

Once you have this local market covered and people are talking about you, expand once again. Each time aim to conquer a bigger market, using the buzz you gained in the previous area to get more people to give you a chance.

This is the best way to become a famous musician, one stage at a time.

2. Have A Unique Selling Point If You Want To Become A Famous Singer

 A unique selling point, USP for short, is a way to differentiate yourself from the crowd. You don’t want to be doing the same thing as every other singer out there; if you are, what’s going to make people buy into you over the others?

Your USP doesn’t have to be anything big, but it has to be noticeable. It could be that you structure your songs differently, that you have a voice that’s different from the norm, or simply that you do what you do at a much higher level than everyone else. Yes, that in itself is a unique selling point, as people will see they can only get the best by being a fan of yours.

If you don’t already have a USP, you may want to think about creating one. Once you do, make sure it’s clear to people what it is. Sometimes it will be tangible, but other times you will have to drop it into the conversation via interview or on your website, etc.

Don’t say “My USP is”, instead say “I like to do *this* which I don’t think is something fans get anywhere else”. This will help make you sound like you’re thinking of them, and also put the idea in their mind that you stand out in some way. This is an important step if you want to be a well-known singer.

3. Market Yourself As A Singer

 If you want to become a famous singer, you will need to learn how to market yourself. That, or you will need someone to market for you.

If you haven’t got the budget to pay someone to market you, then it’s all down to you. You may want to check out our marketing for musician guide for tips and advice on how you can do this.

Marketing is the process of raising awareness of yourself as a singer. The first step in getting your fans is letting people know you exist. Second is making them be open to listening to you. This is a much trickier job than it sounds, so don’t underestimate how much work is required to make this happen.

With all the other singers and musicians fighting for people’s attention, music fans have become overwhelmed with the choice available to them. The result? Many people are blocking out most artist that throw themselves their way. Even if you’re giving away a free download, the majority of people will actively ignore it. Giving out a free CD? A lot of the time it’ll end up on a shelf never to be listened to.

It has become increasingly difficult to market yourself as a musician, but with the right knowledge it is possible. Being a famous singer will require you to have a lot of fans, so if this is what you want to achieve, then you need to get your marketing hat on asap. Without it, you simply won’t reach your goals.

OK, so here are three other tips teaching you how to become a famous singer. Point number 8 is especially important, so make sure you read on to the end:

4. Learn How To Sing Properly

 OK, so this may seem like an obvious point, but if you aren’t a good enough singer you’ll never, never become a famous singer. You can market yourself all you want, but if people don’t want to listen to you, you’ll never move forward in your singing career.

It’s never a bad idea to take singing lessons if you haven’t already, so you may want to look into that. Alternatively, you can always take an online singing course which is a lot cheaper than the hourly rates many vocal teachers charge. Either option is good, as strengthening your voice and improving your vocal range can only be good for your music career as a whole.

Ultimately, your goal should be to be the best you can be. Britney Spears is not an impressive singer. Neither is Wayne Coyne from the Flaming Lips. There are plenty of others that can hold their own, in their own unique way (they’ve developed their USP), but aren’t necessarily at the top of their game.

Nevertheless, they are famous. It’s true that being undeniably good will open doors that being so-so simply won’t. But you don’t need to be Idina Menzel either. You can make up for your weaknesses with image, branding, marketing, and attitude.

But don’t fool yourself about how good you are (or aren’t), because that can come back to bite you in the butt later. Get an honest opinion from someone you trust. If you’re tone-deaf, you’re in trouble. But most of the time, there is a way to progress and to improve as a singer, and that’s the path you should follow.

5. Collaborate With Musicians And Industry Figures That Are Bigger Than You

 He art of using other’s authority is one of the best ways to get yourself known. One of the quickest ways of getting in front of a relevant audience is working with someone who already has an established audience in your niche. If you can get this person to recommend you or be on a song with you, you are going to get in front of their audience, and have the chance for them to become your fans too. You can also study under them as a backing singer, if they are amenable to the idea.

While it may be hard to collaborate with someone big in your genre at first, keep working at it. Start with a lesser-known person with a decent buzz, and start working with more known artists as you are able. The more you work with others and get your name out there, the more people will want to work with you. As time goes on, you’ll find it easier and easier to get the more prominent collaborations, and your audience will grow at a decent rate as a result.

6. Join A Band & Generate A Ton Of Interest In The Music

 What do you do when you’ve been putting your best foot forward for years, and you still can’t find success and fame as a singer? You take charge of the situation.

There are many bands looking for great singers. Working with a talented singer can make a huge difference for them, because signing duties often fall to the bass player or guitarist, who may not be great singers to begin with.

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How To Become A DJ: A Beginner's Guide

How To Become A DJ: A Beginner's Guide 

Learn how to become a DJ, and you learn to match your own musical expression with the desires of a given audience. It’s not just matching beats, or scratching over songs. It’s about being observant, empathic, and reactive.

It’s not difficult to start. But it is difficult to stand out, and to be exceptional. There is a lot more to becoming a DJ than knowing how to mix one song into another.

My goal in creating this guide is not to teach every single individual DJ skill, in great detail. Rather, you can use this guide as a resource while establishing yourself as a happy and successful DJ.

I’d also like to invite you to listen to my weekly talk show: The Passionate DJ Podcast. Featuring exclusive interviews, tips, stories, entertainment, and inspiration for DJs… it is the first (and only) show of its kind. We would love for you to join us in our journey to become better DJs through passion and purpose.

How to Become a DJ: Getting Started

Below, I have recommended a 10-step process. However, it’s important to remember that while the steps are simple, they require dedication. Contrary to popular belief, learning to DJ is not an effective route to overnight success. This takes work, and hustle, and time.

There are many different kinds of DJs, and many different reasons for those DJs to exist. In this guide, we will start with getting serious about YOU: what is it that you want to get out of this? From there, you can get a better idea of where to focus your energy.

By the end, my hope is that you will be well on your way to building your career and learning the craft of mixing music.

Let’s get on with it!

Step One: Learn What DJs Actually Do

What kind of DJ are you interested in becoming?

Strictly speaking, a DJ is anyone who plays pre-recorded music for an audience. If someone hires you to advance an iPod playlist at a cookout, you’re DJing.

Since you’ve made it to this guide, let’s assume you’re interested in doing more than that.

So, let’s break it down into a few simple categories. These are not hard and fast definitions, because many people (such as myself) often end up juggling several types of DJ roles.

The Club/Bar DJ (Resident)

This is the DJ that has a recurring gig at the local night club or bar.

Each club has a different feel, reputation, and audience… which also means that clubs vary in what they expect from their musical selection. Typically, the night club DJ’s job is to keep the dance floor moving, uninterrupted… often by doing long blends (transitions) between songs, or some other trickery to keep people’s feet moving.

Ideally, this DJ knows how to ramp the energy up and down to balance between an active floor and a busy bar.

The Performer/Guest DJ

People go to see this DJ because of who they are, their reputation, and what people think they can do behind the decks. This can include anyone who has built up a following that people will come out to see.

The more “exhibitionist” DJs also fit in here, such as turntablists (people good at cutting, scratching, and various record tricks), and other live and semi-live performers.

The Mobile/Wedding DJ

A notably different style of DJing can be required of the mobile DJ. This is usually more of the entrepreneur type, and typically where you will have the best chance for success in making a living.

This kind of DJ often needs to be comfortable with taking requests (and sometimes even entire playlists), speaking into a microphone, and investing in his or her own sound equipment.

The Radio DJ

The concept of the DJ owes it’s origins to radio.

The radio DJ’s job varies greatly, from the person who announces the weather between songs, to full-on music curation. While many corporate radio DJs have lost control over musical selection,  this role can now be fulfilled via online radio and podcasts.

What About Producers?

Many people often confuse DJing with producing music. DJing is playing pre-recorded music to an audience; producing is the original creation or recording of music.

In other words, someone produces a techno song, and then a techno DJ plays that song at a festival. Sometimes that is the same person.

This is often hard for people to wrap their heads around, especially in the realm of electronic music, because it’s performers often do some hybrid of the two… whether that is live, or in the studio.

In episode 23 of The Passionate DJ Podcast, we discuss the difference between the two:

All in all, it’s important to realize that there are many different types of performers. Some are strictly DJs, some play a “live PA” (complete with hardware synthesizers or drum machines), and many land somewhere in-between. You can think of it as a spectrum.

What is it that excites you about becoming a DJ? Is it the thought of directing a dance floor in a big dirty warehouse somewhere? Playing big tracks at summer festivals? Starting a wedding DJ business? Building an audience for an online radio show?

The choice is yours, but it’s important to give this some thought, as it will help you know how to pursue your career or hobby.

Step Two: Determine Why You Want to DJ

Do you have stars in your eyes? Want to start a business? Just for fun? There are a lot of reasons that you may wish to learn how to become a DJ. The most important thing is to be completely honest about what those reasons are.

And, since we’re being completely honest… I wouldn’t count on success if your sole purpose is to get rich and famous.

That’s not to say that you cannot make money in today’s world as a DJ, nor does it mean that you shouldn’t shoot for the stars. I’m a big fan of the idea that anything worth doing is worth doing with full conviction, passion, and effort.

But, DJing is not a fast path to fame. Many people become DJs, but very few become superstars. You have to hustle, you have to love it, and you have to work on it even when it sucks.

And in today’s world (where “everyone” is a DJ), standing out takes a lot of hard work and a lot of luck.

Many people want to DJ because they love music and the idea of sharing it with a receptive audience. Many will attempt to use it as a tool to get laid. Some want it as a source of income.

Whatever the reason is, identify it so that you can act accordingly.

How does one know if DJing is a good fit for them, and their lifestyle? It’s important to consider whether DJing is “right” for you. If you’re not sure, I go over a list of questions you can ask yourself , in Episode 83 of the podcast:

It’s not always sunshine and rainbows; there are some important considerations when deciding to actively pursue DJing as a “career”.

Step Three: Test The Waters

Let’s get an idea of what a DJ does, by getting your feet wet with some free software.

There are a number of different options here, so I’ll just briefly cover a few of the popular ones. The first two are free, and the last has a free demo.

Virtual DJ Home

Atomix Virtual DJ is an entirely free and fully functional piece of DJ software. It supports as many decks as you want, and includes pretty much all the bells and whistles that you would expect, such as key lock, sync, loops, sampling, recording, and more.

If you want more advanced features, such as timecode control (we’ll get into this later) or video output, you can upgrade to one of their paid products.

Many people choose Virtual DJ because it is fully featured, well supported by the community, and it is free.

Mixxx

This is another popular option, and for good reason. It is entirely cross platform (there’s even a Linux version!), very well-featured, open-source, and even supports timecode control right out of the box. To my knowledge, this is the only free software to do that.

The community has built-in support for many popular library formats and DJ controllers.

Traktor Pro 2

Native Instruments’ Traktor Pro 2 is my personal choice. It is not free, but they do provide a free and fully-functional demo so that you can try it out before making an investment.

Traktor’s syncing, quantization, and effects are some of the best in the industry. They also offer their own hardware, which is fully integrated with (and designed for) Traktor. Upgrading to Traktor Scratch Pro gives you timecode support.

Additonally, a number of third-party controllers come with Traktor LE (the “lite edition”) bundled. This is a very low cost way to start with Traktor if you plan on buying some hardware anyway.

There are many more options outside of this… Numark Cue, Image Line’s Deckadance, PCDJ, Serato DJ (requires approved controller), and more. This will come down to a matter of preference… however, it’s worth noting that Traktor and Serato are considered to be the industry standards.

Choose a software package and start playing around with it. There are plenty of tutorials on YouTube which over the basics of popular DJ software.

One more thing worth mentioning: if your entire goal is to be a scratch/turntablist/exhibitionist DJ, you can do very little with a keyboard and mouse. You will probably need to invest in turntables, or at least a very capable controller, to head down this road.

Step Four: Learn Basic Skills

There are a number of basic skills to consider when learning how to become a DJ: mixing, EQing, phrasing, beatmatching, and prep. We’re going to cover them briefly, here.

Beatmatching

You’ll quickly learn that this is a major point of contention in the DJ community.

The reason is that technology has, arguably, made this skill obsolete. All the major DJ software packages, and latest industry-standard Pioneer gear, has built-in “sync” functionality.

The purpose of beatmatching is to get the two tracks you’re mixing to play at the same tempo (the speed at which the song is playing) and phase (the beats from both tracks playing in-time with each other).

Think about it like two cars driving next to each other on the highway.

• Tempo is the same as the speed, such as 60 MPH.
• Phase is having the two cars directly next to each other.

So, why learn beatmatching when there is such a thing as a sync button? Well, firstly it gives you the ability to beat-mix on pretty much anything out there. Turntables and some CDJs require you to do this manually.

But most importantly, it helps to develop and tune your ears so that you know what to listen for (when tracks drift out of time, phase, etc.)

Even when I’m using DJ software and allowing it to sync my tracks, I use my ears to adjust the phase appropriately… since I know how it sounds from beatmatching.

I’m the kind of DJ who doesn’t like spending hours prepping and beat-gridding his tracks, but I’ve never felt the need to because I can do all of these things manually.

The overall point is that learning to beatmatch will make you a better mix DJ, whether you’re digital or not. That being said, many mobile and radio DJs feel no urge to beatmatch at all.

You can always come back to this later, but I think learning to beatmatch early is a great idea.

Beatmatching is accomplished using a pitch fader (to adjust tempo). You use a jog wheel, pitch-bend button, or the physical manipulation of a record to adjust phase.

Phrasing

That’s phrasing, with an “r”… not phasing.

This one will make sense to anyone who has ever played a musical instrument. A song’s structure is based on beats and bars (measures), which make up the song’s phrases.

Phrasing simply means to mix your tracks together at points in the songs which make sense.

Almost all music that you will be DJing is in 4/4 time, whether you play electronic dance music, hip-hop, funk, or top 40. What this technically means is that there are four beats in a measure (bar), and that the quarter note gets one beat.

In contrast, 6/8 time means that there are 6 beats in a measure, and the eighth note gets one beat. The takeaway is that you need to learn how to count to four, as most “DJ-able” music is 4/4.

Volume/Gain Control

A typical DJ mixer (as well as mixing software) contains a few types of volume control.

Firstly, each channel should have a gain or trim knob, which allows you to adjust the level of the signal (by watching your meters).  Then, each channel has a line fader (unless it’s a rotary mixer, in which case you will have a knob).

The line fader adjusts how much signal you’re sending to your main output, which also has its own overall volume control. Then, of course, there’s the crossfader which allows you to fade between one channel and another.

If you’re just learning how to mix and you don’t have any hardware yet, you can still control these things in software. Some programs, such as Traktor Pro, have an “auto-gain” feature. It gets you in the ballpark of where you want to be so that your levels match up when mixing one song into another.

Volume control is often a subject of debate. Traditionally, while watching meters… green is good, red is bad, yellow is pushing it.

Unfortunately, many companies adjusted the way their mixers work in such a way that it caters to bad habits. Since amateur DJs sometimes tend to slam everything “in the red”, companies adjusted their products to compensate.

In addition, DJ software has its own gain structure. This can make things quite confusing.

Read your manual to better determine where you should be maxing out your signal.

When in doubt, staying in the green is just fine. If you need more volume, boost it on the amp/PA/house end… don’t distort your signal before it even gets there.

EQing

Equalizing (EQing) is the act of boosting or dropping certain frequencies so that two tracks can blend together well. It is is an art in itself.

The majority of your “space” gets consumed by lower frequencies, especially in dance music. So, typically you won’t mix two loud kick drums over one another, since they are simply too loud to combine.

A typical DJ mixer will have a three-band EQ (low, mid, and high…. or bass, midrange, and treble). Some mixers (such as higher-end Allen & Heath offerings) will include four bands: low, low-mid, mid-high, and high.

There is much to be said for proper equalization, both as a tool, and as a means of creative expression.

Equalization will not fix a bad mix, nor will it work miracles. We use it to surgically combine two or more audio signals, and to polish a well-chosen mixture into something worthy of an audience.

Step Five: Break Out of the Box

If you’re starting to get an idea of how things work, and you’re enjoying messing around with your DJ software, it’s probably time to invest in some hardware. This will give you an idea of what DJing feels like.

You can start with a keyboard and mouse, but this is quite limiting compared to DJ-specific hardware. You can take a few different routes, here:

The All-in-One Controller Route*

Undeniably, this is the easiest way to start learning how to become a DJ using hardware. Many modern controllers are good enough to consider “professional grade”.

Most modern all-in-one controllers have everything that you need to mix an entire set, including a built-in sound card (audio interface). Most of them have CDJ-style jog wheels (though, not all of them… for instance, the Kontrol S8 by Native Instruments uses touch strips instead.) This is normally the cheapest and most reasonable route to start DJing, especially if you already have a laptop.

Not sure what to get? Check out my Controller Guide, where I give my thoughts on the best options currently available. This should help you make an informed decision, based on your budget and preferred software.

* This is the preferred option for most new DJs.

(Pros: everything you need, simple to use, often made to integrate with particular software, great for mobile setups. Cons: it’s hard to fit bulky controllers into crowded booths, often plasticky or toy-like, sometimes shunned by pros, requires laptop.)

The Modular Controller Route

This is often the choice for geeky/gadgety types, or people who have very specific needs for the way they perform.

You can piece together a modular setup from any number of smaller controllers. Some examples are the Kontrol X1 from Native Instruments, and the Xone:K2 from Allen & Heath.

You then need to make sure you have some sort of good sound card (audio interface) to use for handling all these audio signals, cueing with headphones, etc. However, some modular controllers (such as the K2 and Reloop Contour Interface Edition) actually have a sound card built-in.

Pay close attention when going this route, in order to make sure you cover your bases. Modular setups are the most flexible, but usually they are also the most complex.

(Pros: flexibility, can piece together setup over time, unlimited options, satisfies “Gear Acquisition Syndrome”. Cons:setups can get complex, your setup is non-standard, often plasicky or toy-like, sometimes looked down upon by pros, need multiple USB ports or a hub, may require external mixer and sound card, requires laptop.)

The CDJs (CD turntables) + Mixer Route

When compared to a laptop and comprehensive software, CDJs can seem fairly limited. In order to get in the same ballpark as software when it comes to features, you have to splurge on something like the Pioneer CDJ-2000nexus, or at least something like the Denon DN-S3700. Then, you need to add an expensive mixer on top of that.

Suddenly, you’re talking about spending a lot of money. However, some people don’t need all those features. For standard mixing, the Pioneer CDJ-350or a used pair of CDJ 800s or CDJ 1000s are just perfect.

Denon has a pretty nice lineup of CD turntables too, just keep in mind that Pioneer is largely considered to be the industry standard.

This is the main reason that people want to go the CDJ route…  any noteworthy club in the world has a set of CDJ 2000’s, or at least 1000’s (now discontinued). People want to know how to play on this kind of gear, so they can just show up with their music and go.

(Pros: It’s what pro club DJs use (familiarity), most modern CDJs are great for scratching, most new ones support USB drives, most clubs have these. Cons: pricey option, especially at the higher end (“Pioneer tax”), limited when compared to software.)

The Vinyl + Mixer Route

Records are harder to mix than any of the other listed options. Vinyl is also the most expensive format to buy music on. So why would anyone want to go this route?

Three reasons: it’s rewarding, it’s sexy, and people love it.

For a lot of people, mixing records is simply fun. Many DJs love that tactile feel of moving the physical record, and many people love watching a “real” DJ playing “real” records. It’s also still the best route for the pure scratch DJ.

This isn’t the route for everyone, but for many, it’s the only way.

(Pros: it’s rewarding, it’s fun, some consider it more fun and rewarding, it’s fun to watch, it will gain you respect. Cons:music is expensive, vinyl is more difficult, it’s the least portable option, and you have little technological assistance.)

Timecode/HID and Hybrid Setups

Many people feel that using a hybrid setup can give you the best of all worlds.

I love the feel of mixing records, and I love the convenience of showing up somewhere and not having to make room for a bulky controller. However, I love some of the functionality that I gain from software… such as perfectly quantized loops and the convenience of a meticulously organized music collection.

If you look up DVS (digital vinyl system) on Wikipedia, you will see a definition like this:

“Vinyl emulation software allows the user to physically manipulate the playback of digital audio files on a computer using the turntables as an interface, thus preserving the hands-on control and feel of DJing with vinyl. This has the added advantage of using turntables to play back audio recordings not available in phonograph form. This method allows DJs to scratch, beatmatch, and perform other turntablism that would be impossible with a conventional keyboard-and-mouse computer interface or less tactile control devices. The technology is also referred to as DVS for either Digital Vinyl System or Digital Vinyl Software.”

Basically, the idea is that you use a special vinyl which contains a special kind of audio signal that your software picks up and uses to manipulate digital files.

You can then add modular controllers to add whatever functionality you feel that you are missing from the traditional “decks-and-mixer” setup.

Many modern players now support MIDI and HID connectivity, which allows you to accomplish the same thing without the use of special timecode media.

In many ways, a DVS setup is a compromise for traditional DJs who don’t want to change their workflow, but want (or need) to take advantage of modern features. It may be a bit convoluted for someone just starting out.

(Pros: best of all worlds, feel like you’re mixing records but using any files you can find/buy, fun to watch. Cons:though it has a small footprint, it can be irritating to set up in a club environment; easy to turn your turntable or CDJ into an expensive “midi controller” unnecessarily.)

Step Six: Record a Mix (Tell a Story)

Once you have a basic idea of how to do basic mixing, it’s time to record yourself and analyze it. Use the knowledge you’ve gained thus far, and see what you sound like!

Since software can record everything in-the-box, this is easily accomplished for laptop DJs. If you’re mixing externally using a standalone DJ mixer, you will need to either route the sound back into a computer to record, or use some other kind of recording device.

Many standalone DJ mixers (such as the DN-X1600 or the Pioneer DJM-850) these days contain an internal sound card, so you can record from them digitally even if you’re using external sources such as turntables or CDJs.

Now, recording a “studio” (bedroom) mix is obviously a little bit different than playing in front of a crowd. Some of the skills which are important in a live setting, such as reading a crowd, do not apply when recording a personal mix.

However, you can use this opportunity to think about how to “tell a story” with your set. This doesn’t mean it has to be an all-out concept mix. Just think about how you want to start, where you want to be when you finish, and how you want to get there.

Perhaps you can imagine that you’re in front of a crowd, and play that scenario out in your head.

This is the point at which you teach yourself not to be mediocre. Novice DJs tend to hammer out their “banger” tracks, one after another, for an hour or two. There’s no sense of ebb and flow; no sense of direction.

Most people find this boring and tiresome. Of course, you are the DJ and you have the creative license to play however you wish. But, I suggest learning how to think of a DJ set in the context of the whole instead of its individual parts… this is what separates decent DJs from great ones.

I like to approach a recorded mix like a well-constructed artist album. It’s not entirely flat, but it’s entirely cohesive.

This is the point where you can experiment, try different things, and see what works. Try recording a mix, putting it away for a few days or a week, and then coming back to listen to it.  elieve me, it’s much easier to be objective when listening to your mix when you wait a while before listening to it!

If you’re like me, you might be pleasantly surprised that any “mistakes” you make don’t sound nearly as bad as you thought they did during the recording session.

 Step Seven: Build a Following (Brand Yourself)

Once you have a mix or two recorded that you’re proud of, you might start getting feedback from others… especially from people you don’t know. Construct your support base, build an online presence, show your worth.

I’ve noticed that, in most cases, people who listen to your mixes because they know you will rarely give you feedback that is useful (unless you are good friends with an experienced DJ).

While it doesn’t hurt to be told that your mix is “nice” or “cool” or that you did a “great job, man!”, it doesn’t help you much, either.

Upload your mix somewhere (such as mixcloud.com), and try to get some feedback. Reach out to people who you know personally, and will give you honest and useful feedback.

Contact them personally, either in-person or with a well-considered message. Tell them that you value their thoughts, and are trying to become a better DJ.

If you’re a genre-specific DJ, perhaps seek out forums, Facebook groups, and other communities based on those styles.

One important thing, though… make sure that you’re not just leeching from these communities. Do what you can to give back!

Eventually, you will want to build an online presence for yourself. I highly recommend having a personal homepage (preferably, with your own domain) and a Facebook fan page, at the very minimum.

Having something to link and refer people to is critical, so that you can show what you can do to potential promoters or customers.

If you’re good, consider making some YouTube videos of short mixes/mashups/whatever your focus is.

Building an online presence is a good route to take these days, but while it will help you develop certain skills, it will not get you gigs.  That’s when you need to move on to local promotion.

Step Eight: Hustle (Put In Your Time)

This is probably the most crucial step in the whole process. Make yourself valuable to your scene or demographic.

If you’re trying to break in to a particular scene, you need to make yourself valuable to that scene before you expect to start playing shows.

There’s no one specific way to approach this. But, suffice it to say, if nobody knows who you are, you’re not going to get many gigs.

Early in my journey as a small town DJ, I was attempting to break into a desolate scene. Absolutely nothing was going on… crickets!

My approach was to go to a struggling night club and offer to promote my own event series.

I ran a monthly Thursday night for about a year. It wasn’t a raging success. But, it got me used to club DJing, hooking up to a real PA, and small-scale promotion.

In the bar/club world, it’s largely about who you know. That’s just the way that things often work. Befriend some like-minded people in the scene, and make yourself valuable to them.

Find those people out there who think like you, for there’s power in that synergy. It’s amazing what can happen in the name of common interest.

If you do it right, you’ll end up with some great new friends. Start supporting their shows and gigs. Above all, think about how you can make yourself useful to them and your potential audience.

What are you doing that is valuable for your scene of interest? When it comes to the club scene, collaboration is almost always preferable to competition.

Step Nine: Pursue Your First Gigs

Now is the time to put you in front of some actual people. That’s what it’s all about!

A great way to get some experience under your belt is to throw house parties, if that’s your thing. Book a few local seasoned DJs to play, and warm up for them. Set them up, just as if you were opening up for a headliner in a club.

If you’re getting into the whole mobile DJing thing, try finding special one-off events that you can play (you might not want to start off with your first gig being someone’s wedding).

This can be anything… one of my favorite places to play happens to be a consignment shop. Weird, right?

You may have to do some shows for free (and, be careful here, as it’s easy to get stuck playing for free). In the club scene, throwing your own night is another great way to get some gigs, gain experience, and become known.

Start handing out demos and/or business cards to promoters, DJs, and friends at their events. Show them that you were willing to support them… people will notice.

A few tips in regards to scoring your first few gigs:

• Become known by the regulars in your scene or venue before approaching a manager/promoter formally.
• If you’ve done a good job with step seven, don’t just sell yourself as a DJ… sell yourself as a brand.
• You’re probably going to play your share of empty rooms. Get over it, and keep pressing on.

Quick side note:  How many long-time DJs do you know that give off that jaded vibe, after they have “put in their time” for so many years?

The truth of the matter is that the DJ hustle never ends, unless you’ve somehow managed to reach legendary status. Make sure to check your ego, and don’t let experience get to your head.

Staying humble and always having a “how can I provide value” approach will keep you fresh and positive.

Step Ten: Hone Your Craft

Great; so you learned some skills, scored some gigs and the DJ bug bit you. Congratulations; you’ve learned the basics on how to become a DJ!

So now you can simply kick back and let the gigs flow in, right? Wrong! Learn to work the floor, and consider some more advanced skills.

This is where you start putting in work so that you can become an expert at your craft. Unfortunately, many man (MANY) DJs skip this step once they’re “good enough”:

There’s a lot more to DJing than just transitions. You must learn to read the crowd: a skill which allows you to both predict and react to an audience in order to find common musical ground.

You must focus on music curation. Get better at finding music which reflects your unique tastes, yet works with your audience.

You must realize that context is everything in the world of DJing. The same song will have a much, much different effect depending on your time slot, venue, demographic, crowd size, and more.

You must learn to play the right gigs. Decide whether or not a potential booking is actually a good fit for your style, approach, and “resumé”.

There are a number of other things you can do to make yourself stand out as a DJ. A lot of DJs (especially ones who play a lot of melodic content) like to mix in key. Turntablists/scratch DJs can never have enough practice and fine-tuning of their skills. Maybe you’re interested in adding more “live” elements to your set, using drum machines, samplers, remix decks, live musicians… the list is endless.

Just make sure that you are actually doing something worth listening to or watching… gimmicks will only take you so far.

While you should learn how to choose appropriate gigs… you should also be versatile. This doesn’t mean that you have to arrive at every gig with every style of music, and compromise your own sense of style and musical taste in order to water it down for the masses. It simply means that you shouldn’t pigeonhole yourself if you want to provide value.

I know that when I play a fashion show in a night club, I need to play music that is upbeat and bouncy without being too obnoxious or vocal. I know that when I play an underground event at a warehouse somewhere, my crowd is going to be bored to tears if I play 95bpm jazzy trip-hop. Big wobbly dubstep tracks don’t typically belong at a coffee shop at 8 PM.

Some Final Tips

Don’t expect to quit your day job right away. In today’s digitally accessible world, learning how to become a DJ is easy… but making a living DJing is hard. I’m not saying it can’t be done… it can! But it’s important to realize that you need to put in the work, and it doesn’t happen overnight.

Do what makes you happy.

Don’t ever move past step 10 on this list. Always develop yourself as a person and as a DJ. Don’t stagnate!

Learn the value of subtlety. This will help you with your crowd reading and will help you turn your sets into a journey instead of a cyclone.

It doesn’t matter that anyone can DJ these days. What matters is that you do it better.

What To Do Next

 The hustle of the DJ never ends, and in order to be successful, he or she must be willing to evolve and mold themselves in order to meet the wants and needs of their audience over time.

There’s a lot to consider when deciding how to become a DJ. It can be intimidating to take all of this in. But, we’re here to help.

At the Passionate DJ Podcast, we strive to become the best DJs we can be. We hope that you will join us as a listener. Because together, we’re becoming better DJs through passion and purpose.

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How to Become a Singer: 8 Steps to Singing Pro

How to become a singer: The 8 step method to kickstarting your singing career and getting paid to sing.

 You dream of being on stage. When you hit the perfect high note, the massive crowd roars in appreciation.

This is your stage, and you want to be on it now. But it seems so far away. Sitting at your computer, or on the bus looking at your smartphone.

How are you ever going to make this dream a reality? How to become a singer and make real money so you don’t have to do the crappy day job any more?

You fear people not thinking you are good enough. Being booed off stage. What if you enter a competition but freeze up during your big song? Going home humiliated. You see it on TV all the time.

Well, the truth is, every singer you admire started somewhere. They weren’t always perfect, certainly not as good as they became.

Sometimes, it’s the toughest experiences that teach us the most…

Why I Can Help You Become a Singer

 One of my first gigs ever was at my high school prom. I decided to sing all original songs, no covers. A bad choice for a room of teenagers who just wanted to dance to songs from the charts.

I didn’t make it to the end of the show before being booed off stage. That’s a tough experience for a 16 year old, new to performing. Humiliated in front of the 200 people I’d spent the last 5 years at school with.But, here I am now and I’m pretty sure I’m the only person from my school year who became a professional singer.

I’ve made a full time living from singing since 2006. I’ve been paid to sing all over the world from Alaska to Dubai. From France to Cambodia. From the UK to Australia.

It wasn’t easy. But I’ve learned a lot over the years, including how to read a room and sing the right songs to make them happy. I learned that the hard way, didn’t I.

I made this career for myself. Along the way I’ve helped lots of other singers and musicians get their start too. Now I can help you too.

Is This Article For You?

Perhaps you just want to improve your singing voice so you can sing in the shower…

But, I’m willing to bet 95% of you reading this would rather be on stage showing off your singing. And, if you had the choice of singing for free, or getting paid to sing, most of you will be happy to take the money.

This article is for anyone getting started singing professionally.

If you have earned less than $500 from singing in the last 6 months. Keep Reading.

If you have earned more than that, you perform live for money every month but want to know how to turn that casual income into a full time job you need to move to the advanced class and read “How to Become A Singer: Turn Full Time Professional” where I’ll help you figure out how to turn your passion into a paycheck.

Get Your Start As a Singer

 If you are sticking with me for the 101 class, by the end of this article, you’ll have a clearer idea of how to become a singer and get paid to sing. You’ll be able to form an action plan for your next steps to getting ahead as a singer and earning money.

What you won’t be getting is the formula for fame… why not? Anyone giving that away for free on the internet doesn’t know the real formula. Seriously, a formula for fame? That’s worth millions of dollars. It’s not going to be available free.

So, this is not a get rich and famous quick pile of BS. This is a proven method that worked for me and many others and will help you get moving. Ways to build your confidence, talents and start to find recognition for your singing.

Remember, you don’t have to be famous to earn a living from singing. I’m not. But also, you don’t have to sacrifice your dreams of fame to make a living from singing. You can work at both simultaneously.

There are so many career options that pay. I’ve done a full list: How to become a singer: The Ultimate guide to Singing Careers & Jobs.

So, why not earn money singing, quit your day job and focus on your passion – one day it may be more than just the job you love, it may be what takes you into a world of fame and fortune. But, right now, you have to start somewhere.

You need a plan. I’m going to help you figure one out.

8 Steps to becoming a singer

Firstly, you are already a singer. Only 1% of the population is genuinely tone deaf, the other 99% can learn to sing. Some people have more natural talent but almost everybody can succeed at singing if they want to enough.

This brings me to the most important 1st step…

1. Believe in yourself and your dream

You must focus on this from the get go. There will be people who support you, there will be people who question your choices. These choices are yours to make, think about ways to respond to people who question your decisions.

One of the proudest moments of my life was being able to quit my desk job and never go back. Focus on that future success story, the thing you want more than anything else. Imagine yourself having it, and how it will feel.

Whenever you have doubts, remember that feeling.

2. Improve your singing

You don’t have to be the best singer in the world to get paid or get famous… but it helps!

Actually, for some singers, it could be the make or break. Why take the chance when there is an advantage these days that didn’t even exist 10 years ago…

• Get high quality singing lessons online.

They are much cheaper than getting a personal singing teacher. There are some great ones on the market.

Once you’ve learned proper technique and know you have the commitment to become a singer, you can progress to get private lessons or an online personal tutor through Skype.

• Getting lessons is by far the most important thing I ever did for my singing.

This is why, after years of singing pro, I still went ahead and joined yet another singing course in 2012. Apart from learning new techniques, there are loads of advanced classes out there, as well as those for beginners.

Sign up to my email list and I’ll send you a whole bunch of recommendations as well as advice to start improving your vocal range today and how to get paid to sing.

3. Sing as much as possible

Don’t wait until you have had a bunch of lessons to get singing! Sing anywhere you can. In the shower. At karaoke. Go to jam nights. Sing along to backing tracks at home. Learn guitar and sing along with that.

f you sing every day, you keep your voice “in shape” just like you would for other muscles in your body. The more you work it, the stronger it’ll be and the longer it will last when you power it out on stage or in the studio.

Warm ups, regular use and good technique are the three most important factors for healthy singing. There are loads of lesser factors like staying hydrated, I cover a most of them in my free email series and free e-book.

Note: If you sing a lot and your voice seems worn out or strained – stop! Rest your voice. Although you should sing everyday, don’t injure your voice by over singing.

• Get on stage and sing as much as possible

It’s not just about vocal training. You should also be getting on stage and singing as much as possible too. At first you may not be sure how to do this. Certainly not how to get paid for it. So, Karaoke is a starting point many turn to.

• Sing outside of your comfort zone

Keep doing it. But, be aware, that you need to get into other performance situations. Ones without the words on a screen. Perhaps with a live band or in an unfamiliar venue. These early experiences will shape how adaptable you are in the future. Sometimes you’ll have to perform and won’t be able to hear your voice clearly. Sometimes, you’ll have loads of space, others you will be crammed in the corner of a room.

The more of these experiences you have, the better you’ll be at performing under pressure and handling anything the world can throw at you.

This will build your confidence and stage presence! You’ll also be getting exposure, building your resume and improving as a singer.

4. Have a “go to” song.

Have a song, that you will nail every time, as your “go to” song. No matter how you feel at that moment, when the spotlight shines on you, you will get that one perfect.

• Choose the perfect song for you

It needs to be something that everyone in the audience knows and likes, so they will be with you from the first line.

It needs to be something that fits perfectly in your vocal range so you never have to strain for any notes, even if you forgot to warm up. You need to know that you will not struggle with any part of the song. That you know the words perfectly.

If you only get to sing one song for a showcase, it’s this one. If you are halfway through a set and something knocks your confidence, sing this song next to get back on track. If you are nervous about opening a show, open with this one.

As time goes on, you’ll figure out a list of “Super” songs so you have plenty to fall back on.

But, please don’t choose Mustang Sally, its been done to death!  And most agents are not going to be impressed by the song everyone else does – be unique and stand out.

5. Learn To Embrace Rejection & Criticism.

Before you step on stage, be ready for some people not to like your singing.

I’ve had people shout insults at the stage, even recently, and I do this for a job! Justin Bieber is hated by millions, yet has plenty of fans too.

As with most things in life, it’s pretty hard to please everyone. Half the time when you get put-downs, it’s because the person is jealous or insecure. Do what you do. Keep Improving and ignore rudeness.

• Learn which criticisms to ignore and which to accept.

Because honest and constructive criticism is an essential tool to help you improve. Don’t get this advice from random audience members. Get it from other singers and people who actually have a clue. But, make sure you ask them to be brutal.

Friends and family are always supportive. Sometimes, being too supportive is not helpful. The best advice comes from experienced people who have no reason to sugar coat their suggestions.

• When it comes to rejection, you have to grow a thick skin.

Singing is a competitive industry. Rejection is a learning experience. If someone turns you down, you shouldn’t take it personally.

It’s easy to think “It must be because I suck”. But, most the time it could be “We needed someone blonde for this role” or, “the other applicant has worked for us before”.

• Ask why you didn’t get a job or audition

There are often some really simple reasons you don’t pass auditions or get work. It’s often good to ask why. If it is something you couldn’t have done anything about, you’ll feel a whole lot better. If it’s something you were doing wrong, you’ll have the opportunity to fix it for next time.

• Rejection & criticism are essential learning experiences

It may be hard to be told you are singing out of tune or that your tone is bad – but these are things you can fix: Vocal training will fix both – you can actually learn perfect pitch!

I can promise you one thing. If you don’t take on criticisms and work on them, you will NEVER be successful. Only people who try to improve, end up succeeding. You are going to make mistakes. Everyone does. You will learn from them. If you bury your head and avoid learning from them, you will not improve and will never reach your full potential.

No matter what criticism comes your way, the worst thing you can do is let it get you down.

6. Network with people that are doing better than you

If you want to know how to become a singer, you need help from others who are more experienced.

It’s too easy to become the karaoke king at your local bar and start believing that you are going to be “huge” one day. Maybe it could happen… It’s more likely to happen if you broaden your horizons.

• Go beyond your current network to find other contacts

The bigger your network, the more chance you have. The more successful the people in your network, the better access you have to opportunities. Good opportunities.

It’s who you know, not what you know. This old saying is even more relevant in singing. You could be the best singer in the world but, barring a few youtube sensations, you need to make contacts to get ahead.

The scariest part of this as a novice is approaching experienced people and expecting them to help you. If you are just starting out, you may also have no idea how to start making contacts.

• Get people who don’t know you to want to help you

The best way to get accepted is to forget your own ego, and flatter the person you are wanting to learn from. Say, “You are such a great singer and you are obviously doing really well, what’s your secret?”

As long as you are sincere in your comment, most singer won’t be too suspicious of your flattery and will be more than happy to talk to you about their career. Once you form a bond and prove you are a good singer, you’ll find other singers will help you.

7. Set achievable Goals

This is the most important thing you can do. They need to be small, specific goals though:

• Good Example: “I want to sing to an audience of more than 100 people within 3 months”, then go out of your way to figure out a way to do it and apply yourself to making it reality.
• Bad Example: “I want to be a famous singer” This can be your dream, or end goal, but it is not a useful step on the road to success.

Set lots of small goals. Take it step by step. If your initial goal is too big, it’s overwhelming and it’s hard to know what to do to get there. Build on each small goal towards your big goal. Its the prize at the end, not the stepping stone on the way.

8. Get your first paid work

Whether this is getting paid to sing live, to host karaoke or from selling your own music online, it’ll give you confidence. Getting paid will validate that you have the potential to do this.

As your career progresses you’ll find it easier to get work. Once you figure out exactly how to become a professional singer, you’ll have the right state of mind and business savvy to get paid to sing all the time.

But, if you are just starting out, you might need to take whatever work you can, just to get hired and get experience.

• Get started finding paid work by singing for free

A good place to start is offering to sing for free with local bands or local theatre. Live experience looks great on your CV, helps you grow your confidence and you’ll likely make connections with other people who may be able to help you in the future.

Doing a first gig for free for any client where repeat work is possible, is ok. Make it clear that any follow ups should be paid gigs. If they like you, they pay.

• Know the value of your voice

Once you prove yourself and are singing at a level where people enjoy your shows, you should be getting paid. That payment may be through selling copies of your album, or the venue paying you the door takings or a flat fee.

If you continue to play for free once you are a skilled performer and singer, you are doing a disservice to other pro singers and to yourself. If venues think they should get high quality entertainment for free, they stop paying anyone. Thats bad for all singers.

What’s Next? Take Action

Once you start singing for money, you really have become a singer. It’s no longer a hobby or a dream. Your next step will be to increase your singing income, get paid regularly and shoot for the stars! There are so many ways to do this. And the internet makes it easier than ever to make money from singing.

Set a goal right now. Everyone wanting to become a singer is at a different stage. So whether your goal is to:

• Sing on stage for the first time
• Get a paying gig
• Enter a singing competition
• Record yourself singing and put it on youtube

Set a date to reach your goal. Choose something to achieve within one month and something to achieve within 6 months. Put a note in your calendar and actively make sure you act on it.

Becoming a singer takes commitment but it’s a rewarding career

It’s easier to get there if you know what you are doing, if you have a mentor. I would like to help you improve your singing and learn how to earn more money as a singer.

I reserve my best content for email subscribers. So join the FREE list and get exclusive advice that will show you how to become a singer.

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