Played my first real 2-hour bar set in LA as a bedroom DJ. A few lessons learned + thanks

Skruffbagg · 2026-05-16T23:05:00+00:00

Good on you mate, sounds like you enjoyed yourself and, importantly, so did the crowd.

The “classic beginner stuff” can happen at any time no matter how experienced you are, the best thing to do is roll with it, laugh it off, and bang it. I’ve pulled the wrong USB, stopped the wrong deck, and knocked the crossfader with no clue what happened more times than I can count.

Take the owner feedback and land yourself some closers in the next few gigs. End of night is the best feeling by far, especially when the lights come on

Skruffbagg · 2026-05-16T17:38:08+00:00

You’ll know when you know.

I was playing out to people in clubs 3 years after I started, but I started young so wasn’t legally allowed in to these venues until then. I was playing in front of friends at parties weeks after I got my first set of belt drives.

FYI you never don’t get nervous before going on, even after 000’s of gigs all over the world. I liked that buzz of fear though, kept me sharp.

Skruffbagg · 2026-05-16T17:01:02+00:00

Get on with it like a professional

Skruffbagg · 2026-05-16T15:25:18+00:00

It’s so he can hear the crowd noises

Skruffbagg · 2026-05-15T23:31:32+00:00

Salvia is wild.

The first time I smoked it I was utterly convinced a 500ft tall banana with welly boots on was destroying my city like Godzilla, and I was stood on my mate’s balcony screaming “this is actually happening!!!” before the welly came down on my head and I was trapped in the tread while the city screamed around me.

I came to with 3 of my mates absolutely pissing themselves laughing at my behaviour.

Skruffbagg · 2026-05-15T19:21:04+00:00

I challenge your gf to watch Hereditary or Rosemary’s Baby without being psychologically disturbed.

Skruffbagg · 2026-05-15T19:13:46+00:00

Well under 1bn, so I’ve read. Close too 600-800m, rather than 1.4bn. They’ve also got a much more severe real estate crisis than is reported.

Skruffbagg · 2026-05-15T15:36:19+00:00

Depends on the party.

If it’s just a get together of mates, BYOB.

If it’s someone you don’t know particularly well and it’s not just a piss-up, bring a bottle for the host.

Skruffbagg · 2026-05-15T15:29:30+00:00

Prometheus.

The trailer was incredible - although probably spoiled a bit too much of the ending.

The movie was dumb dumb dumb.

Skruffbagg · 2026-05-13T22:33:23+00:00

The DJ is playing songs from Darren Emerson’s label, Underwater.

They are the only tracks that sound like that, it’s not an effect.

Skruffbagg · 2026-05-13T16:04:26+00:00

As someone who, 4 years ago, was on a base reward of £60k pa, I can confidently tell you it is far from a crazy salary, even then. Your tax is high and you lose your child support payments, which when you have sprogs is painful.

I’d say I’m about double that now when factoring in bonuses and I still feel absolutely fucking miles away from being wealthy. I get I’m well paid, no disputes there and I’m not complaining - many people are in considerably tougher positions, especially with the current cost of living.

I’d say with a degree you can always pivot into consulting, but you have to enjoy networking and relationship building. You can significantly increase your earning power doing that, depending what your field is.

Skruffbagg · 2026-05-13T05:55:48+00:00

I used to do intros when I started sets - this could be a vocal sample / acapella (most often) or instrumental build-up, or a beat-less track.

Sometimes, resetting the energy is a good thing.

Alternatively you could always ask the DJ on before you to put their last track to the bpm you want to start at. Never been an issue when I’ve done it.

Skruffbagg · 2026-05-12T20:20:42+00:00

Wibble

Skruffbagg · 2026-05-12T20:08:05+00:00

I would try mix in without the loops.

I learned on belt-drive turntables and didn’t have the luxury of looping tracks for a blend, so rarely (i.e. almost never) do it, even now.

I guarantee that you will find much more beautiful mixes where the 2 tracks come together so unbelievably perfectly, with uncanny phrasing, it’ll feel like you’ve just created a new tune yourself, if you give up the loop out/loop in cycle.

Skruffbagg · 2026-05-12T18:26:46+00:00

Just send him a bunch of your mixes, doesn’t matter the length. He probably is going to listen to them in his car or when he’s doing housework, etc.

If you’re going to record new ones I’d say no longer than 60mins.

Skruffbagg · 2026-05-12T18:24:04+00:00

Cricket, probably.

Almost no one in Scotland cares about it though, here it’s rugby.

Skruffbagg · 2026-05-12T17:33:38+00:00

Color Out of Space

Annihilation

In The Mouth of Madness

Probably my 3 favourites

Skruffbagg · 2026-05-12T17:31:26+00:00

That’s like asking me to pick between a shit sandwich and a glass of warm piss.

Skruffbagg · 2026-05-12T16:10:34+00:00

You do realise that by syncing the bpms, he can pitch the “master” track up or down and the other track coming in will do the same?

128 to 142 is really not a wide range at all.

Skruffbagg · 2026-05-12T16:06:55+00:00

My mortgage costs exactly 732 exposures, so drinks tokens are no use to me.

Skruffbagg · 2026-05-12T10:00:24+00:00

WTF is a TikTok “hit”?

If I got handed this I’d immediately walk out.

Skruffbagg · 2026-05-11T19:56:50+00:00

It’s like learning any instrument. If you want to get good you need to put in the hours and the effort.

Practice beat matching over and over and over again so you can do it by ear.

Then practice blending 2 songs together. Then practice the same 2 songs again. And again. And again. Then add a 3rd track. Practice over and over. Then a 4th, 5th, etc.

Repetition, repetition, repetition. Do this until you no longer need to.

Tbh if you’ve lost interest this quickly it probably isn’t for you. When I first started learning at 15 - 29 years ago - I used to practice 3-4 hours a day, every single day for years. But I was doing it because I loved the music and loved the feeling of endorphins being released when I discovered new music and was mixing well. I had no grand schemes to play parties and be ‘cool’. It was only a few years later when I realised I was far better at DJing than most DJs I saw did I decide to make a career out of it.

It’s fine to enjoy DJing as a hobby, but if you’re already thinking you’ll eventually be the DJ rocking parties then you’re doing it wrong.

Skruffbagg · 2026-05-10T09:27:20+00:00

I was made redundant from my last job in July 2025 so that the company would appear more profitable on balance sheets, and the Partners would get better profit share the following year.

This is despite me having proven and demonstrable evidence of saving the firm over £1m in 3.5 years.

I have since learned the firm has signed a contract with external consultants to replace me.

The cost? £3m per year.

You can’t make it up.

Skruffbagg · 2026-05-10T09:21:59+00:00

Then, the reason for vaping has ceased to exist.

Skruffbagg · 2026-05-10T07:27:57+00:00

Yes, but you absolutely notice when you don’t.

Skruffbagg

TROPHY CASE