Giving back to the community
I always love the opportunity to inspire others through music. I find that music is such a powerful gift, and there is nothing that gives me greater joy that passing this gift onto others.
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of teaching grade 4 & 5 students in Kelowna how to DJ. I have to say, these kids were so interested in what I was doing, and they were so much fun to teach.
I performed a few DJ mixes for them to demonstrate how I transition from song to song, and the importance of creating a smooth mix. I also gave them a breakdown of when my DJ mixer does; what all the fancy buttons do and how much fun I can have using my DJ mixer. You should have seen their eyes light up!
Q&A: After my demonstration, we had a question period. I had so many amazing questions from these kids! Here are a few of the questions, along with my answers:
What is the best part about being a DJ?
The best part of being a DJ is the simple fact that I am in the business of making people happy. Whether it be a wedding, a house party, a corporate function; my sole responsibility is to entertain people through music.
I recently ran into a bride & groom from a wedding I performed at 10 years ago. They mentioned to me that they still talk about the party to this day, and how is was one of the most special days they have ever had. It is a pretty special feel for me to know that my job was responsible for these happy memories.
Has anything ever gone wrong?
This was another great question from these kids. Yes, when you're dealing with any form of live performance, things can go wrong. Luckily for me, it is very rare, but the best thing I can do to prepare for such an event is to always be ready with a backup. For example: I always have a backup computer just in case of a computer crash. I always have backup speakers just incase my speakers blow. No matter what the scenario, I am always ready and prepared.
What does a bad mix sound like?
I simply loved this question, as it showed me how much these kids were engaged in my performance. I eagerly demonstrated what it sounded like when you blended 2 songs in an amateur way. I mixed 2 dance songs, but I altered the speed of each song so that when they were playing, the songs were totally out of sync. The kids could instantly hear how a bad mix would be very noticeable and not ideal at a live event.
After question period, we wrapped things up.
My heart was full
At the end of the class, the students teacher handed me cards that all the kids had made for me, which were signed by each one the students. They then gave me a big round of applause, and proceeded to exit the gym. I have to say, that was one of the more rewarding events I've performed at in quite some time. Who knows; maybe I just inspired the worlds next #1 DJ!
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