– By Mariya Sethjiwala, Sophia College

The scratching sound of a disc, the innumerable keys on the sound board, the lights of the dance floor, the thump of the music – if this gives you an adrenaline rush, then surely, a part of you wants to make people dance to your tunes and take a party by storm. To be a DJ is the career you need to zero in on then!

Not regarded as a mainstream career option till a while back, Disc Jockeying or DJ-ing today has emerged to be a successful career option for people who know their music and can create foot-tapping numbers to dance on. With the increase in per capita income and the willingness of people to spend on celebrations- no matter big or small, music remains the key. The soaring high awareness of good music among the party-goers and party-hosts has made a good DJ one of the most sought after people in the media industry.

To give you a very basic explanation, a DJ is the person who selects and plays pre-recorded music for a gathered audience for a variety of events and functions. Most professional DJs do much more than just play music: they are responsible for mixing tunes, forming beats, setting the right mood in the club, understanding the clientele and playing music according to their likes and dislikes.

To become successful in any profession isn’t a piece of cake and DJ-ing is no exception. Knowledge of the technicalities of sound is a must if you want to be a DJ; that means concentrating hard in your Radio and Television lectures in the fourth semester of BMM. But let me tell you that these lectures will simply give you a sketchy base. There’s a sea of things you will need to know and learn about like cartridges, needles, mixers, tables and the list is endless.

I’d advise you to follow the current trends of music. A DJ should know at the tip of his fingers what sort of music is in and what is out. Stay glued to top music channels and keep a track on what’s playing on the radio stations as well. Practice is what will make or break your career. Wouldn’t it be really uncool if people are staring at the ceiling when you are playing your music instead of dancing? You need to get hands on training to prepare for your big night. So if you really are sure you want to be a DJ and are willing to spend massive amounts on equipment, then go ahead and buy your own tools. But a wiser option would be to work as an assistant to a DJ and get to used his equipment and learn from him.

The bottom line is that you must strike the right chord with your audience. Once you do then a life of fun, music and a lot of ‘scratching’ awaits you!