DJ-ing and beyond: James Haidak’s tips on maintaining that creative edge during a pandemic
Listen to this articleWhile the COVID-19 pandemic has put a damper on the careers of DJs and producers, as well as music clubs and music events businesses, DJs continue to hone their craft. On today’s blog, European-based DJ James Haidak shares tips on how to maintain that creative edge during a pandemic.
1. Experiment, experiment, and experiment
DJs should never stop creating new things. Experimentation is a great way to stay creative. Today is a perfect time to try new ideas and techniques, work a lot on mastering, and make one’s sound better. DJs can create a chain of effects that they can use to create random sounds or noises. They can try out all the different combinations of pedals and effects that can take a lot of time to find and can be useful for many different sounds.
During the experimentation process, DJs should never forget to record their sound and put labels on them, so they have a library of sorts that they can go back to.
2. Have a routine
While this may seem counterintuitive, having a routine is a great way to keep the mind from staying stagnant, especially if the routine involves creating tracks. Drink coffee and take breaks in-between experimentation sessions. Take time to sit back and think things over. Filter music in mind. Then return to creating tracks.
DJs should treat their time at home the same way they would if COVID-19 hadn’t arrived. They shouldn’t stop honing their skills and staying creative in their minds.
3. Fill in the downtime
For many DJs, there is a lot of free time to take advantage of. During this downtime, they may work on their next album, start a podcast, arrange zoom meetings with other DJs and musicians to pick their brains, go back and review the basics, finish old projects and start new ones, listen to musical scores of stage plays and films to get new ideas, and more.
When the brain stays active, so does a person’s ability to stay creative. Even activities that may seem without connection to DJing, such as art or staying glued to current events, can keep a person’s brain going, and even during these activities, there may be new ideas to learn about the craft.
