DJ Dynamx: The beginning
Being a successful DJ in Hawaii is no easy task. It's hard enough everyone with a pair of beats and an app they downloaded from the Google Play Store thinks they have what it takes to rock a crowd. But what does it really take? What will distinguish YOU from everyone else? How do you get on the path to even playing in front of people? These are the questions I've asked myself when deciding what I wanted to accomplish in my career.
First off, I don't consider myself by any means the authority on becoming successful as a DJ. These are my personal experiences and the steps that I've taken to accomplish my goals. The first step for me was deciding if I was really going to invest in equipment to get started. I was already exposed to the art of DJing through a friend, DJ Quelz, that played gigs at Dave & Busters on the weekends. He introduced me to the person who hired him, DJ Jimmy Taco from 102.7 DaBomb. I would go on weekends and stand in the DJ booth and just watch, how they set-up the equipment, what they played, and how they read the crowd. Anyone can play the same tracks, and in fact I see most DJ's DO. What distinguishes YOU from the rest is HOW you play the tracks and the creativity YOU add to the set. I knew I wanted to add my own spin to it so I decided to invest in my own setup.
I did my research online and asked DJ Quelz and DJ Jimmy Taco for their opinions on what equipment to buy(I ended up getting a Numark v7 controller that worked better for my needs against the advice I was given lol). They were able to point me in the right direction for getting my music and building my library. It really helps when you can ask people who are already doing what you want to do for help. If you don't know anyone personally I would suggest going online watching Youtube videos and commenting/asking questions or checking out some local spots near you and introducing yourself to the DJ. Whatever you do DO NOT just stand near the DJ booth and stare at the DJ. We hate that (plus it's creepy)! You'll find that most of us are pretty cool and actually want to help other DJ's.
Now that I had my setup, how was I going to get gigs in front of crowds? One of the very first gigs I did was at a middle school sports day for FREE. I would take any gigs I could just to get the experience and would practice and record myself to see where I needed to get better, which eventually led to DJ Jimmy Taco calling me up and asking if I wanted to play at Dave & Busters.
These days social media can play a big role in getting noticed, which will eventually get you gigs if you're good. Take the Iron DJ competition for example. I knew I wanted to compete onstage with Hawaii's top DJ's, but entrance was by invite only. They announced the last spot in the Iron DJ competition was to be determined by a contest on Sound Cloud for the DJ with the most listens, likes, and comments. I knew this was my chance to be up there so I recorded a mix and submitted it. I ended up winning the online Sound Cloud contest and was able to perform in the Iron DJ Competition at the Republik alongside Hawaii's greatest DJ's.
At this point in my career my goal is to build a brand and fill the need for good quality DJ's for events throughout Hawaii. I've realized that doing mobile Gigs can help stabilize the amount of gigs I have lined up, which is how Dynamx Entertainment was created. Here in Hawaii there is no shortage of parties, family gatherings, and especially weddings. I created Dynamx Entertainment to cater to all types of events from Grad Parties to Postcard Hawaii Weddings. I also knew I needed to add more than my DJ skills to these types of events. While at a recent wedding gig, I saw a photo booth setup at the entrance while all the guests were arriving. Light bulb! I can do that! With my passion for photography, what better way to showcase it than adding it to my services. We are now proudly offering a high quality photo booth rental to go alongside our DJ services. I plan to make Dynamx Entertainment Hawaii's premier DJ/Photo Booth service. We're ready to rock your next event!
