A day in the life of a DJ
The car is loaded with turntables, microphones and boxes of records, while hours have been spent thinking up the perfect mix. This is just the beginning of a typical day for disc jockey Jules Berger.
Six years ago, Berger said he was given $1,000 from his parents to go toward a car of choice. His decision? Buy a set of turntables instead.
“I had never really heard anything about DJs, I didn’t know anything about it. But I ended up really liking it.” Berger said. “I generally do house parties, and occasionally I’ll play at bars. But I am not really a dance DJ.”
Becoming a DJ was not just a divine and natural gift, but Berger said it took him some time to really perfect his skills.
“It took me years to feel confident enough to go out and perform. When I would tell people I was a DJ, I got the reaction of , ‘Oh, you’re a DJ, that’s great.’ People were very indifferent.”
A typical gig day for Berger, he said, starts out as any normal day, with a big breakfast and a list of odd and end things to do. However, as the day proceeds, it eventually turns into quite the event.
“I basically spend hours thinking about the set I am going to play that night. I’m a little bit different of a DJ. I generally don’t take requests; I choose what I am going to play that morning, while I am doing other things. It is more of a performance to me. I need the time to think about what I am going to play that evening, how I am going to mix it together, and how to make it a good show.”
Using his multitasking skills, Berger said he spends the early morning as preparation time.
I take the time to gather the equipment: turntables, microphones, and records,” Berger said. “I am very limited on taking any special equipment, which makes the packing process easy. And I then load my car and go.”
Once the actual mixing and performance begins, the decision of what and how to play comes into effect for Berger.
“You have to read the crowd and feel them out,” he said. “If they don’t like one style of music, I will try and steer away from that. I’ll test them out. I’ll try one record that the majority of people enjoy and feel them out from that.”
Berger said he has a wide assortment of music. He plays a good selection of ’80s dance pop, hip hop, classic rock and others.
“My favorite part of being a DJ is listening to music, but more specifically my music,” he said. “During the gig, I play the music, listen to the music and get people to dance. Sometimes even I’ll sit there and dance. But my favorite is to yell at the people in my microphone. I just basically go and have a good time.”
Being a DJ, he said, may sound like the perfect solo job, but it is definitely far from it.
“Doing this job by myself is a very arduous process. It’s usually five or six hours which can quickly become a long night. I have several friends that are OK, and even my brother recently started to DJ, so they come with me and I let them perform a little too.”
One of the greatest parts of being a DJ, he said, is that it gives him the excuse to spend the majority of his time practicing and perfecting his mixes.
“Everyday I get to practice for an upcoming show,” Berger said. “I try different combinations of records to see what sounds better and just have fun. Being a DJ is not really a job, it’s more of something I enjoy doing. I don’t really have a title or get paid much money. It’s just something I love doing.”