Podcast Archive - Passionate DJ

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Best DJ Controllers in 2020 (The Controller Compendium)

DJ controllers are pieces of hardware which allow hands-on control of music mixing software. The development of robust DJ software, along with the hardware to control it, has been one of the most significant things to ever happen within the industry. As the market continues to grow, we’ve found ourselves with many wonderful options to fit budget, workflow, and choice of software. This guide compares the top DJ controllers, so that you can feel confident before spending your hard-earned money! It has been continuously updated since 2014, helping thousands of DJs like you decide which controller is best for them.

Episode 188: Ten Years Ago (2009)

DJ CONTROLLER GIVEAWAY (Win a Reloop MIXON 4!): https://passionatedj.com/giveaway As the third entry in our “Ten Years Ago” series, today’s episode will focus on the music and happenings of 2009. From the death of the King of Pop, the creation of Glee, and the launch of Farmville… we leave no stone unturned as we explore […]

Episode 187: Going Up & Up (w/MASIN)

Today’s episode features Matt Masin, a DJ from Long Island who has been doing serious work as a club and festival DJ for the past year and a half. Matt joined us for a two-part interview about Up & Up Festival, for which he was playing direct support under headliner Elephante.

As a relatively new DJ, Masin has gained more experience in the past year than many DJs ever will. We wanted to talk to him about his active new music career, and get a feel for how he approaches his music. And it’s a good thing we asked, because Matt drops a lot of golden nuggets in today’s episode.

Episode 186: Prime Time

In today’s episode, David and Trip crawl over the Denon Prime setup… consisting of the SC5000 and X1800 Prime. This rig has made waves in the industry (being pushed along by Denon’s #ChangeYourRider advertising campaign)… and now that Trip owns them free and clear, we take the time to explore the system in-depth and record our results.

Episode 185: Rookie DJ Mistakes

Today, David and Mo talk about common mistakes made by inexperienced DJs. If you’re worried about making common faux pas as a DJ, this is the episode for you! Trainwrecking, poor gain staging, getting drunk, chasing fame, and much more!

Episode 184: Back to Business

The Passionate DJ Podcast RETURNS from a long break! After a long summer… and spring… David, Tony, and Mo get together in the studio to catch up and talk about the happenings of the season. We talk about our break (and Passionate DJ going forward), happenings in our home town, Fam Jam I, new hardware, and streaming service updates.

Episode 183: Knocking The Dust Off

In today’s episode, David and Trip talk about DJ hardware upgrades, the struggles of time management, the pros and cons of RGAS (Rapid Gear Acquisition Syndrome), gaining motivation, and general life stuff. Trip recently picked up a new production toy, trading up his old Native Instruments Kontrol S25 keyboard for the sexy new edition of the S49, with all black keys. We get his first impressions on the new keyboard, talk about some of the latest features of Kontrol and MASCHINE, and drool over the “murdered out” look.

Episode 182: Life, Money, and DJing w/Alex of The DJ Hookup

On today’s episode of The Passionate DJ Podcast, David speaks with Alex Pyatetsky of The DJ Hookup. Alex has a long history within the DJ community, including a 10-year pursuit as a DJ himself. Now, Alex runs the highest-rated online retailer for DJ hardware for several years running. We talk about why some DJs are perpetually broke, networking as a DJ, existing within the DJ community, getting more DJ gigs, the value in mobile DJing, and much more!

In today’s episode we present a recording from Dayton Podfest where David and Mo spoke in front of a crowd about podcast production, content creation, and why we’re passionate about DJing. ⚠️ Passionate DJ is supported via Patreon. Gain access to bonus episodes! We discuss our roles in production, the struggles we have with time […]

BONUS EPISODES: https://patreon.com/passionatedj Today, we go over recent news headlines in the DJ and music industries as we head into the spring season. Here are the news topics we cover in Episode 180: Serato DJ Pro 2.1.1 Released Lets you sync up with Roland drum machines (e.g. TR-8S, TR-8, TR-08, TR-09)Remapping capability for OSAs (Official […]

Passionate DJ is supported via Patreon: https://patreon.com/passionatedj Today is the return of our Pick 3 series, and this time it’s all about TRANCE! On Pick 3, each co-host brings in three tracks that fit the category and shares it with the group as we react and discuss. Today, you’ll hear trance magic from several different […]

Episode 178: DJ Axcess ⚠️ Passionate DJ is supported via Patreon. In today’s episode we speak with Mike Salone, also known as DJ Axcess. Mike is a busy guy to say the least: he plays 40-50 weddings a year, hosts loads of corporate events (with a specialty in sports), and has worked with clients such […]

Episode 177: Ask Us Anything IV This week, we bring back our #AMA segment and answer your questions, as received through our Facebook community page. If you’re not already a member, you can join at https://passionatedj.com/community. This is the fourth time we’ve done this segment, and we really had a great selection of questions to […]

Episode 176: Direct Support Back in September, Paul Oakenfold visited our hometown, and played a set that none of us will soon forget. Our very own Trip Turlington was tasked with the responsibility of being direct support… in other words, he would play before Paul, and ultimately hand the decks over to him. Today we […]

Episode 175: Chatting With Corrupt In today’s episode we speak with James Caudle, also known as Corrupt. Not only is he a killer performer (as he describes it, a “hybrid” DJ), but he’s known for his massive remixes and pounding original tracks. Corrupt made the hour-long drive from Columbus to visit us in the studio, […]

Episode 174: Mixing Up Athens Like what you hear? Please consider supporting us on Patreon. On today’s episode we sit down with B-Funk: a multi-format, multi-faceted DJ from Athens, OH. Brandon drove several hours to meet with the team and talk shop. He’s a long-time fan and supporter of Passionate DJ, so it was great […]

Episode 173: NAMM 2019 (Recap for DJs) ⚠️ Order (or pre-order) the stuff you see in this video here. My first trip to The NAMM Show was, in a word, overwhelming! There was a lot to see and, I don’t think I could’ve visited every booth I wanted to if my life depended on it. […]

Episode 172: Cross Fyre (Festival Documentary Reaction Episode) It’s February, which means The Passionate DJ Podcast is back! ➡️ Keep us going by supporting us on Patreon During our break, the Internet was abuzz with the unveiling of two rival documentaries about the utopian island festival that never was. We watched both the Netflix and Hulu […]

Episode 171: New Year’s Special 2019! Well folks, that’s another great year in the bag! 2018 was a busy one for Passionate DJ, and like we do at the end of each year, we looked back and reflected on everything that made it special. In this New Year’s celebration show, we start out by having […]

Episode 170: Holiday Record Exchange It’s time for one of our favorite shows: our annual Holiday Record Exchange! In this episode of the Passionate DJ Podcast, the whole crew gets together to exchange records for Christmas. We then open the records and play them for each other, while talking about what we like about the […]

Episode 169: Scam Alerts w/DJ Serrato Today in Episode 169, we present a conversation between Mo Dingo and another one of our Passionate DJ Ambassadors, Noel aka DJ Serrato of Phoenix, AZ. As an active mobile DJ advertising his services, he has encountered many different scams and has nearly fallen victim himself. Noel listened to […]

Episode 168: Mobile DJ Life w/DJ Brains In Episode 168, David and Mo hang out with special guest and Passionate DJ Ambassador, DJ Brains! In our conversation, we talk about the ins and outs of mobile DJing. Brains (aka Leo) specializes in weddings, corporate events, and other types of mobile gigs requiring him to bring […]

Episode 167: Well Rounded DJs w/Brian Savage * Note: the camera cut out at the beginning and we lost 2 or 3 minutes. Ain’t technology great? To catch you up: Tony met Brian who was DJing at a local club back in the 90s. He began to observe, study, and learn the craft of DJing […]

Episode 166: Hometown Hustle Today, David sits down with KimL to chat about small-town DJing, electronic music, mixing hardware, and more! Kim has been DJing for about three years, and in that time she has made a name for herself in her local scene. From warming up rooms for the likes of AC Slater and […]

Episode 165: Visiting The Asylum GET BONUS EPISODES ON OUR PATREON CHANNEL! Today on the Passionate DJ Podcast, we’re taking a trip to The Asylum with special guest co-host Matt Freeman. What’s The Asylum? Well, during the 90s and early 2000s, it was an alternative dance club on Patterson Rd. in downtown Dayton, OH. Matt used […]

In Episode 164 of the podcast, David is joined by Passionate DJ Ambassador Greg Lane, aka Gmoney. Greg and David crawl over responses from our Passionate DJ Facebook Group, answering “What’s unique about your own DJing style?” We take these responses and turn them into ten individual traits of unique DJs. As DJs, we often get stuck in our own little box. It becomes easy to stay within our comfort zone. In today’s episode, we hope to inspire you to embrace what’s unique about YOUR DJing style.

Episode 163: 8-bit Upbringing (Music of the Commodore 64) Want these great podcast episodes to continue? Please consider supporting us on Patreon! https://patreon.com/passionatedj In Episode 163, we explore the music of a quirky old box from the 1980s called the Commodore 64. Thanks to the power of its onboard synthesizer, called the SID chip, the […]

Episode 162: New Software Updates for DJs ⚠️ Gain access to our monthly bonus show, Afterparty, by becoming a supporter at https://patreon.com/passionatedj In today’s episode, we talk about all the recent news in the DJ software space… including the latest release of Traktor Pro 3! The new Traktor brings several new features to the table, […]

Episode 161: Discovering Stage Life Electronic music duo Cryztal Grid re-joins us this week on The Passionate DJ Podcast to chat about their first year of performing together. Check out Cryztal Grid on SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/cryztalgrid Since forming their band last August, Cody and Gerrad reflect on what they’ve learned by performing in night clubs and […]

Episode 160: Fresh Local Producers OCTOBER SPECIAL! “Midnight edition” logo tee. Today we’re talking with John Becker of Fresh Local Producers. The goal of FLP is to spotlight and bring together producers of electronic music who live, work, record, and perform in the Midwest. Based out of Cincinnati, FLP aims to bring together music creators, […]

Episode 159: Jaded-ish In today’s episode, Tony and David are joined by a special guest who is a DJ and long-time participant in a local electronic music community. In this candid discussion, Marcus tells us about the changes he’s noticed in the overall scene… and how not all of those changes have been for the […]

Episode 158: Stream of Consciousness Today’s episode features the recording of a Facebook live stream from last Friday – a “stream of consciousness” recording where David answers questions from the chat room and addresses recent posts in the group. If you haven’t joined the Passionate DJ Community on Facebook yet, you can do so here: […]

Episode 157: Beatmatching and Real DJing In Episode 157, we talk about the idea of “real DJing”, and ask the Passionate DJ Community YOUR thoughts on beatmatching, fast-mixing, and what makes someone (or keeps someone from being) a real DJ. Join the Passionate DJ Community on Facebook: https://passionatedj.com/community In the Group, we posted two separate […]

Episode 156: Spotlight on Paul Oakenfold This week, we spend most of the episode highlighting the work of iconic superstar DJ/producer Paul Oakenfold. David plays 10 different tracks which show the breadth of Oakenfold’s work… you’ll hear many different styles represented, including trance, hip-hop, breaks, pop, and more. This coming Saturday (September 22), Paul will […]

Episode 155: Wherefore Art Thou Traktor? Native Instruments has finally made some recent announcements in regards to new hardware and software coming down the pike this year. Namely, new revisions of the Kontrol S2 and Kontrol S4 are on they way, along with Traktor Pro 3 which is said to be written “from the ground […]

Episode 154: Community Wishing Well We’re back from break! In this episode, we take a Question of the Week from our Facebook Group (PassionateDJ.com/Community): “What do you wish other people understood about DJing?” We read all of your great responses to this question, and give our own reactions. One recurring theme we found: feeling underappreciated. […]

Episode 153: Golden Nuggets (Industry Insight From DJs Over 50) Today we’re talking about DJing, growing older, and celebrating the knowledge of seasoned DJs. In Episode 153, David skims over his article Twenty DJs Over 50 Who Still Top The Bill. Along the way, we listen to various clips from these seasoned and insightful DJs, pulled […]

Episode 152: The Dos and Don’ts of Mobile DJing Today we discuss mobile DJing. If you spend your time DJing weddings, corporate gigs, private parties, or special events…. this episode may be invaluable to you, thanks to the wisdom shared by co-host Mo Dingo. We talk about the importance of knowing your music, anxiety over […]

Episode 151: A Very Scratchy 80s Ahhhhh… this episode is really fresh! Today we’re exploring some of the earliest DJ scratching noises ever put on a recorded release. Back in the 1980s, hip-hop DJs were just beginning to discover how a turntable (or two) could be used as a sort of musical instrument. Some examples […]

Hayoooo, we made it to Episode 150! Today, David and Tony talk about recent club shutdowns, lawsuits, and legal issues within the DJing, EDM, and festival communities. We talk about: The first successful lawsuit against the ill-fated Fyre Festival, to the tune of $5 million, by festival “survivors” Seth Crossno and Mark Thompson. Recent libel and […]

Episode 149: 20 Small Wins for DJs On The Passionate DJ Podcast, we encourage everyone to dream big, make bold moves, and constantly get out of the comfort zone. But Episode 149 is about the small wins. Today, we’re going to talk about 20 different ideas that can help get you get mild (but immediate) […]

Episode 148: Community Struggles In today’s episode of the podcast, we give our thoughts on the struggles people are having within the Passionate DJ community. We reached out to our Facebook Group, and pulled lots of great topics. Not a member of our Facebook group? Well, what are you waiting for? https://passionatedj.com/community Here are some […]

Today, David talks about happenings in the DJ industry, and the latest hardware to come out during the summer so far. We kept this one brief, as we didn’t want to drag out the news stories out too much. But there’s a lot going on, and you should know about it! Here are some […]

Today we’re giving you a full preview of Afterparty, our monthly bonus show which is exclusively for Patreon subscribers of The Passionate DJ Podcast. Become a Patron here: http://patreon.com/passionatedj If you’re not familiar with Patreon, it’s a great way to support your favorite creators and help pay them for the stuff you love. You decide […]

2008: the International Year of Languages, Planet Earth, Sanitation… and Potatoes. The Summer Olympics were in Beijing, Bitcoin and Spotify were born, the Large Hadron Collider was built… and Rihanna takes over the pop charts. Today we explore what was happening ten years ago, in the realm of music, DJing, and life. We listen to […]

In honor of the Movement festival, where techno heads converge on Detroit over Memorial Day weekend, we spend Episode 144 diving in to the Belleville Three: Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson, and Derrick May. Here, we listen to clips of interviews and some of the iconic tracks that put “Detroit Techno” on the map. This is […]

Episode 143: How to Get More DJ Gigs Episode 143 focuses on a heavily requested topic: HOW DO WE GET MORE DJ GIGS?! While there’s no magic formula, we do have some tips to try and connect with more people and line up more opportunities. For some bonus tips on how to get more […]

It’s time for one of our favorite recurring episodes: Pick 3! Each of our co-hosts brings in three tracks in a “show and tell” format, where we listen and give commentary. For this installment of Pick 3, we decided to go to each of our respective “back in the day” memories and picked some […]

In Episode 141, we catch last week’s guest co-hosts Gerrad Wise and Cody Christianson for a deep dive in to all things Cryztal Grid. Despite being a very new performing duo, they’re getting all sorts of attention and we were able to snag them as they have just finished performing for Number Fest (16) in […]

Episode 140 has us pushing back some of our regularly scheduled content, in order to bring you some of the latest headlines in DJ and dance music related news! And, our good friends Cryztal Grid join us for some in depth discussion! If you’re not up on Cryztal Grid, yet, make sure you tune […]

Episode 139: AMA (Ask Us Anything) Three (Part 2)

Episode 139 is a continuation of last week’s latest installment of “Ask Us Anything”! Do we avoid food like tacos before recording sessions? What will DJs who rely on iTunes do now that their business model has changed? What music did we used to love that we no longer don’t? What spirits does the team […]

Episode 138: AMA Three (Ask Us Anything) (Part 1)

Episode 138 brings all of the co-hosts back together for another installment of Ask Us Anything! There were a ton of great questions, and we had a lot of fun with this one. Is spinning vinyl more fun? Are you ever too old to start learning how to DJ? Is it ok to sample/use older […]

Episode 137: Adventures in Networking Today’s episode features a side conversation between David and Tony, about interactions within a personal circle. You’ll hear their brainstorm session, as they discuss how to network with DJs (and other influencers within the music community) in a positive way. As DJs, it’s often necessary to reach out to others […]

In Episode 136, we ask….what is longtime fan? Where do you find them? How do you make them? How do you KEEP them? Spoiler alert, we rehash SEVERAL topics that we cover frequently, here at Passionate DJ, because guess what? It’s MOST relevant here, when you’re trying to create and grow the audience that is […]

Episode 135 is all about playing well with others, social cues, and respect…in other words: Etiquette 101 for DJs! We can all think of at least a handful of DJs we know or have seen that violate everything we consider to be good etiquette. But, do we know what it really means to practice “good […]

Today we’re proud to present our exclusive interview with KRANE! KRANE is a Producer/DJ from Oakland, CA who is making huge waves in the EDM/Trap/festival scene. His latest album, Fallout, was released this past October. It’s a powerful electronic album full of big synths, wonky drops, beautiful strings, and gritty bass. With roots in jazz […]

Episode 133: Acid Attack – Dance Music and the 303 (with Matt Freeman)

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Passionate DJ is now on Patreon, and will soon be releasing bonus shows! Go to the Patreon page for Passionate DJ for more details! We know how much you all have been digging the “genre deep dive” episodes, so here’s another coming at ya for Episode 133, with some help from a close […]

Today’s episode is all about showing love for the HOUSE PARTY! For Episode 132, we discuss what we like about house parties, while sharing some stories and tips for throwing and enjoying house parties. What’s not to love about a smaller, more intimate crowd? You can generally play what you want, with lower stress than […]

Thanks for tuning in to Episode 131, where we bang out another installment of our popular Pick 3 series. The theme, this time? Dance Classics! What makes a song, a classic? Totally depends on the context, time period, and the listener. What is classic for some, may not be for others. We left the term […]

Episode 130: (The Return of) Bad DJ Gigs

Episode 130 is one we’ve been wanting to do, for a long time. Way back when, in Episode 17, David did a show all about bad DJ gigs from the audience…and it’s been a fan favorite, ever since. There was so much ground to cover this time, that we brought in extra-special guest Firecat […]

Have you ever done a tag team or B2B set with a friend? It takes a little extra something to pull off a great set with someone else in the booth with you, so that’s what Episode 129 is all about! Between NAMM and some other industry news, there’s plenty to cover from Ableton, Pioneer, […]

Episode 128: State of the Music Industry

For Episode 128, David & the whole crew are together and rummaging through a lot of interesting news that gives us some insight in to the state of the music industry, right now. From Spotify offering up an unconventionally filed IPO, to cryptocurrencies and their role in protecting artists’ rights, things are getting pretty […]

Episode 127: Mashing It Up with DJ 2nd Nature

For Episode 127, we present an exclusive interview with 2nd Nature: DJ, VJ, video editor, and sound designer with a repertoire and a reputation that is second to none. Starting as a DJ at a young age, 2nd Nature (Brett) has honed the skills it takes to rock any party to a razor’s edge, […]

Googling things can be such a fun rabbit hole, and David & the PDJ crew are doing it again in the second installment of “The Google Episode”!!!! We take a bunch of random questions related to music and DJing, and run it through Google to see what happens! Find out the answers to the […]

David & Company are BACK for 2018! And, for Episode 125, fresh back from our 2 week break, we want to start things off on a positive note and find out what inspires us! Before we dig in to that, though, we have to address the big CPU vulnerability scare, as it relates to us […]

Happy New Year, and all our best to you and yours for 2018, from the Passionate DJ Team! Strap in, because we’re going to go over the industry happenings of 2017, the gear no one could stop talking about, and the stuff our team did throughout the year. We’ll also cover some of our favorite […]

Happy Holidays to you and yours! It may be cold outside, but David & Co are heating things up with our 2nd annual holiday record exchange! Last year, we went shopping for a vinyl record exchange with each other, Pick 3 style. And it went over so well, we decided to do it again, this […]

The end of 2017 is fast approaching, and the whole gang got together to reflect back on a crazy year! As we look back on ourselves, in terms of artist development, we discuss our gigs for the year, mixes we did (or didn’t do), and what we wanted to do, but missed the mark on. […]

In this week’s episode, the crew is doing another deep dive in to a specific genre. This time, it’s Glitch Hop! From its humble roots in the obscure Glitch movement of the 90’s, to the bass music heavyweights of today like Bassnectar, Glitch Hop has certainly come in to its own. To illustrate this, Trip […]

Introducing, for Episode 120: Arguably, the driest, most nerdy, technical discussion we’ve had, yet! 😀 Today’s episode consists of CABLES. Specifically, all of the cables you may, or may not, run in to as a DJ. Here, we go through the differences between digital and analog signals, as well as balanced and unbalanced connections. We also […]

Ever wonder what you can do to set YOUR mix apart from everyone else’s? If you answered YES, then pay attention to Episode 119! David, Trip, Tony, and Mo touch on several ways to bring something unique to a set or studio mix: Create a diagram or story arc, while utilizing a design, such as […]

In Episode 118, we started with a show outline, and had a plan. But, sometimes you have to deviate from the plan. What started out as some solid advice from PDJ Ambassador DJ Brains, turned in us going deep in to a tangent on each of the points proposed in his voicemail message. Just some […]

Now that we are all back together for Episode 117, this seemed like a great time to do another “Ask Us Anything” episode…aka our take on #AMA. And, you guys came up with some great stuff! Before we get started, Trip gets to drop a “toldjaso” on the crew upon learning about Pulselocker closing their doors […]

It’s November! Time for us to get caught up on the seasonal updates with our Fall 2017 Bulletin! First, we respond to a voicemail from Avery looking for some clarity on DJ terminology. Thank a Veteran! (United States holiday – Veteran’s Day) Pioneer DJS-1000: A totally different piece of gear from Pioneer, focusing on sample based […]

Episode 115: Pick Three (Halloween 2017)

Episode 115 invites the evil spirits and psychotic demons in to the PDJ studios for a Halloween themed Pick 3! Trip’s 3 Picks: Gravediggaz – Diary of a Madman Spice 1 – Born II Die Ray Parker Jr. – Ghostbusters David’s 3 Picks: DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – Nightmare on My Street […]

For Episode 114, we get real. We’ve dug up some clips of world-famous DJs and then dissected their own words to discuss how it applies to the rest of us. It’s not all glitz and glam, despite these people being where they are, and they all have some very unique insight due to their experiences […]

What we gonna do right here for Episode 113 is go back. WAY BACK. Back in to time… Ten years ago. Sounds like a long time, doesn’t it? Well, David and Trip take a look back and see how much different everything was: 2007 marked the beginning of the mobile revolution. Apple announced the iPhone, and since […]

In today’s episode, we spend some time digging into the progressive house and trance sounds of the 1990s and early 2000s. A close friend joins David as a guest co-host, and together, they explore the dark, tribal, melodic, and hypnotic rave sounds of “the Bedrock era”. Predictably, we spend much of the episode talking about […]

Episode 111: 13 Things All New DJs Should Know

In Episode 111, we review 13 key points that we feel are good things for new DJs to know. While there are certainly more than 13 things that every DJ should know, these were key points we felt were especially important for newcomers to the art and craft. We broke these points down in to […]

For Episode 110, Tony is able to sneak home to talk all about his summer adventures with us. From the grueling schedule, to the intricacies of preparing a stage for a major festival, to the different personalities, Tony doesn’t pull any punches when describing his duties as a stage manager. We also take a voicemail, […]

Way back in the day…Trip had an idea for a blog: Feature songs he loved from WAY WAY WAY WAAAAAAAAY back in the day, telling stories and pointing out the features of these songs that he admired about them. Well intentioned as that idea was, he just couldn’t stay on top of it. Trip’s a […]

Episode 108: Choosing a New DJ Controller (Fall 2017)

Today’s episode of the Podcast is a little different than normal. Every year, David gives a major update to The Controller Compendium: an ultimate buyer’s guide for DJs who are trying to decide which DJ controller is right for them. This episode is an audio version of that guide, for those who prefer to listen […]

Episode 107: DJ and Selector (Mo Visits Jamaica)

In this week’s episode, Mo Dingo travels to Jamaica and brings us an interview from a local DJ and seasoned industry worker. In his chat with DJ Crazy (not to be confused with DJ Craze–that was last week), we learn about the rich and varied DJ culture in Jamaica. The beautiful island country has been […]

In Episode 106, we have a really special treat for you! Hailing from Miami, Florida, we landed an extra special interview with the ONE, THE ONLY, DJ CRAZE! For those of you not hip to DJ Craze, he’s an award winning turntablist and record producer, known for his skillful mixing of genres like hip hop […]

Episode 105: Thinking Harmonically (Our Chat with Mixed in Key)

For Episode 105, we landed an interview with James Araujo of the Mixed In Key marketing team. As the product that has been the leader of the key detection and harmonic mixing game in the digital DJ world, we are honored that they took some time to help explain not just what Mixed In Key […]

Episode 104: Summer 2017 Hardware Updates

For Episode 104, David and Trip do a run down of the year’s biggest gear announcements, before the Summer NAMM event. We have mentioned some of the gear, throughout the year as it came up, but now we can revisit the highlights and put the spotlight on some of the other gear that we overlooked. […]

In Episode 103, David, Trip, and Mo open the show with some banter about recent gigs and life happenings, and address a recent email where a listener gets shafted the day of a gig. Always remember: “Practice safe DJing – Always wear a contract!” For the meat of the episode, we discuss trends that aren’t […]

Episode 102: Pick 3 – Crate Invasion (Mo Dingo Version)

For Episode 102, we take a dive in to Mo’s digital crates for the next iteration of our “Crate Invasion” series. Knowing he’s likely holding on to the most eclectic collection of all of us, we hold his feet to the fire, while also learning a little more about how he organizes his music. Donna […]

Episode 101: Soundcloud… and Other Headlines

In today’s episode of the podcast, we wanted to explore some of the biggest headlines in the DJ and dance music world this summer. Of course, the hot topic right now is SoundCloud and their latest woes, so much of our time is spent speculating about the struggling streaming giant. SoundCloud July 12: TechCrunch reports […]

We finally hit the triple digits! In this special episode of the Passionate DJ Podcast, you’ll hear the replay of our exclusive livestream from July 08, 2017. We were joined by previous guests Mike Donovan, Mister Shifter, and John Chapel. Not only did we have some great conversation about our struggles and successes in the […]

Episode 99: Five Mixes That DJs Should Hear

It’s the last of the double-digits! In Episode 99, I (David) bring in five different mixes which I thinks that DJs should listen to. These mixes have a lot to offer, especially to DJs, because of their mixing style and programming. The first mix is Danny Howells’ Essential Mix from 2007. This mix covers a […]

In Episode 98, we wanted to take this opportunity to celebrate the United States Independence Day holiday to honor the American contributions to DJing. Find out more about the following advancements in DJ technology and culture from American innovators: Beatmatching and Slip-cueing Beat juggling (aka ‘the funk’) Scratching The invention of the phonograph, itself! The […]

In Episode 97, we investigate the worst of the worst: What can go wrong? What do you do if your computer becomes damaged, unbootable, or is stolen? What about when USB media or hard drive can become corrupt or lost? How about when you encounter user errors like accidental file deletion, occupational hazards like beer […]

Before we let loose about all of the things that aggravate us in Episode 96, first we have to let everyone know that Episode 100 is coming upon us, FAST! We will be live streaming, with guests, and interaction from YOU! So, if you’d like to be in on the fun, click here to sign […]

Episode 95: Recording Mixes (and Why We Don’t)

In Episode 95, we tackle the subject of creating mixes. Why do we do it? Promote ourselves, obviously. If you’re a DJ, but don’t have a mix, how do you promote yourself as a DJ? Having a mix is part of the foundation of your brand. Self reflection. To listen back and find our own […]

Episode 94: Equalization and Filters (A Deep Dive)

In Episode 94, we take a detailed look at the EQ, starting with some basics, then getting in to some more complex concepts, all while giving some tips and tricks, as well as audio examples along the way. Learn how the guys approach all manner of EQing, from how to correct audio inconsistencies and adjusting […]

Episode 93: AMA Volume 1 (Ask Us Anything)

In Episode 93, we tackle a bunch of your questions in our very first AMA! Some questions include: – The gear / software needed for a home studio set up? (warning – this conversation starts going down the “production” discussion) – How to broaden your popularity when you are in a particular niche. – What […]

Episode 92: Crate Invasion (Tony Version)

In Episode 92, we start this session with a great voicemail message that has us talking about the future of using social media to promote ourselves as DJs, the difference between producing and DJing and why Trip doesn’t currently have plans to switch from DJing to live performances of his produced tracks, and a clarification […]

In Episode 91, we start the party off by taking a listen to some of the feedback from Episodes 89 & 90, and poke a little fun at Ja-Rule and his Fyre Festival debacle. Then, per popular demand, Tony DeSaro and Trip Turlington give some tips on how to pull off a proper event. Apparently […]

Episode 90: Mixing the Blues Away (Part 2)

Today’s episode is all about how passionate DJs and music lovers utilize music as a sort of personal therapy. In part 2, we start out by discussing some of the actual scientific research behind music therapy. We’ve all heard about the “healing properties” of music, but what’s the evidence? Then, we listen to a call […]

Episode 89: Mixing the Blues Away (Part 1)

Today’s episode is all about how passionate DJs and music lovers utilize music as a sort of personal therapy. David starts off by telling a story of a recent mobile gig which he was flat-out not interested in doing, because he just wasn’t feeling like himself. By the time the event began, he was right […]

For Episode 88, we take some time to reach in to the mail bag and see what’s going on with you all! Before that (but after a light razzing), Mo Dingo divulges the details of one of his recent gigs, where he played a more modern set for a teenager’s Sweet 16 party. Being that […]

In Episode 87, the gang is all together and decide to spend this time to just get all caught up with each other. First we recap the 3DMentional show “Another Trip Around the Sun” featuring Sasha. Mad props to Tony and Billy for pulling it off, David for the KILLER direct support role executed with […]

In this episode: we take a voicemail about motorized controllers, David discusses how he fits DJing into his “work life”, Mo Dingo tells us about some frustrations at a recent mobile gig, and we discuss the struggles of “lone wolf DJs”. Also… Can you get paid for online DJ mixes? Soundcloud recently announced the expansion […]

In Episode 85, all four of us finally got back together after a few weeks of different issues that kept the crew from getting together. Unfortunately, we had to go dark, last week. Trip has taken some time off for family responsibilities and David encountered some issues with Audacity while recording on vacation. Ultimately, while […]

Episode 84: Avoiding “Jaded DJ Syndrome”

Today’s episode covers a lot of ground! After David gives some updates on his personal DJ setup (an eBay shipment arrived!) and talks about why he’s making those changes, the conversation moves into the realm of 3 and 4-deck mixing. A listener calls in to the show, expressing confusion about the purpose of having more […]

Episode 83: How to Know if DJing is For You

In today’s episode, David dedicates some time to those who are undecided about becoming a DJ (or, continuing to be one). How does one know if DJing is a good fit for them, and their lifestyle? It’s not always sunshine and rainbows; there are some important considerations when deciding to actively pursue DJing as a […]

In this week’s episode, we check in on Trip and his fresh conversion to the Mac platform. After several months of Windows issues, he decided it was time to give the Apple platform a try. The core of this week’s topic, however, is approaching an early episode of the podcast with a modern, twist. A […]

For Episode 81, the guys report back after spending the day at the Dayton Record Fair, digging through tons of crates of records and hanging with other DJs and vinyl purists. While Trip and Tony exercised a little more restraint and didn’t purchase anything, David and Mo picked up more than enough to share. Before […]

Episode 80: Pick 3 – Crate Invasion (David Version)

For Episode 80, we return to the Pick 3 format! Only this time, it is David’s turn to be invaded! First up: Mo Dingo pulls DJ Lima & Evanz D’s “A Fresh Mood”…a fresh and funky house jam with lots of cool bassline movement, horn stabs, and filtered disco samples that had the crew bouncing […]

In Episode 79, Mike Donovan drops in while David, Tony DeSaro, Trip Turlington, and Mo Dingo reach in to the Passionate DJ mail bag to respond to some of your voicemail and email messages! The guys take a stab at responding to a listener who is looking for more clarification on how to approach making […]

Episode 78: The 8th Day of the Week (with Mike Donovan)

In this week’s episode, David and the guys finally lock down some time with Mike Donovan, the promoter and mastermind behind the Volume: Deep House Fridays event series in Dayton, Ohio. We’ve made mention of Mike several times on the show. Having come from a rich musical family history, and involved in the prime of […]

Episode 77 has the guys taking an array of questions to the online oracle known as Google, ranging from the serious to the silly, and even some that you may have never thought to ask anyone, for fear of it being considered a “stupid” question. We start out our episode with a question from a […]

Episode 76: How NOT to Get Noticed as a DJ

A lot of people are finding their way in to DJing, these days. Equipment is easier than ever to afford and use, and music is so much more vastly available than at any time in history. Despite this, so many are finding that even though the mechanics and ability to BECOME a DJ have become […]

Episode 75: Restraint & Patience: The DJ’s Lost Virtues

Episode 75 is all about two important virtues which many DJs disregard: restraint and patience. Today is a short solo show, where David first discusses the latest happenings in DJ news before getting on to this beefy topic. We live in a world of instant gratification. Everything we do is “now, now, now!” And anything […]

HAPPY NEW YEAR! This year has been AMAZING for Passionate DJ, and we never saw it coming! 2016 saw a rebranding, and a shift from the articles and online blog content toward the audio podcast show becoming the main offering. The podcast has seen exponential growth, ever since David changed the format to deliver weekly […]

In Episode 73, the gang is all together celebrating the holidays with a record exchange! We each went digging through the crates of our local record stores, thrift shops, and personal collections to find records that reminded us of each other. Did any of you get any wax or new tracks? While many of these […]

Episode 72: Habits We Wish We Had Sooner

In Episode 72, we’re coming up on the holidays and the end of the year, so we thought this might be a good time to do some reflecting. In doing so, we talk a little bit about the habits that we have now and wish we had earlier. First, we hit some of the major […]

On the flip side of Episode 68’s coin (Baller on a Budget), we decided it might be fun to give ourselves an imaginary $10,000 budget, and build some bedroom setups where money is less of an object. Of course, we tried to take some different takes on our setups, rather than all of us going […]

Episode 70: Essential Tips for New DJs (Part 2)

First, and foremost, our hearts go out to those who were lost in the Oakland warehouse party fire, and their families and friends who will be dealing with this loss, for a long time to come. In this episode, we continue with last week’s topic, offering some tips for new DJ’s (and reminders to the […]

Episode 69: Essential Tips for New DJs (Part 1)

We often get a lot of questions, especially geared toward new(er) DJs, so we wanted to take an episode (or two) and address some of the topics we feel are essential for those new to the wheels of steel with some “Essential Tips”. These would even serve as a good reminder for those that are […]

JUST IN TIME FOR THE BLACK FRIDAY & CYBER MONDAY SALES! This episode is dedicated to everyone stackin’ your chips and makin’ each one you spend count. You wanna learn how to DJ, but don’t have the scratch to drop on a 4-deck Pioneer TOUR1 setup? Don’t worry, neither do we! One of the more […]

Episode 67: Legendary DJ Groups (Part 2)

Wrapping up the conversation from Episode 66, the PDJ team takes a deep dive in to what makes the combination of Sasha and Digweed so legendary, over so many years. We talk about why we think these two truly understand the idea of the “musical journey”, and the way their distinct sounds worked together to make […]

Episode 66: Legendary DJ Groups (Part 1)

In Episode 66, we decided that each of us should bring in a DJ duo/trio/group that we all admire and wanted to share with everyone. Of course, this spawned a lot of discussion around not just the DJs themselves, but a slew of topics as we talk about what we love about them. We broke […]

Episode 65: Pick 3 – Crate Invasion (Trip Version)

The night before episode 65, everyone was out and about. Tony and David were out at the 3DMentional annual Halloween party named Yiiiikes! while Trip and Mo were at uBahn. Since everyone was feeling a little rough, we decided to do something fun that we know everyone likes… a Pick 3! This time, we dug through Trip’s bins, and they […]

Episode 64: Female DJs & The EDM Industry w/Kilma

In this week’s episode, we are joined by our friend Kilma! Episode 64 is all about the issues and concerns which women often experience as DJs, or in the “EDM Industry”. Kilma chats with David about several issues which she’s observed in the scene: Denial – The ability for people to admit there’s a problem. […]

A travel agent sells products and services (such as tickets to a resort) on behalf of a supplier. The tickets are bought by the agent for a discount, and then sold to the end customer. The agent’s profit is the difference between the advertised price and the agent’s discounted price… in other words, commission. But […]

Episode 62: Advice for Busy DJs With Day Jobs

This episode might get a little…personal. No, we’re not going to call you out for your Brony status. What we will do, is touch on something we hear (and even say ourselves), quite frequently: “I just don’t have the time.” It’s a self-defeating statement, and one that can be as much an excuse, as it […]

For episode 61, David and Trip Turlington answer a voicemail for a new, aspiring DJ looking to fill his music collection without breaking the bank, before they dig in to this week’s main topic: Gig Preparedness. There’s a lot of things that can ruin your night: Missing an important cable or adapter. custom mapping disasters, […]

It’s a lot of work on the back end, to make things as easy as possible for the busy or touring DJ when they take the stage. For some, it’s a necessity due to schedules and restrictions, or when coordinating with other integral pieces of a show’s experience, like lighting and visuals. For many DJs, […]

Episode 59: Choosing a New DJ Controller (2016 ed.)

In the past few years, the market has really grown for all-in-one DJ controllers. How does one even go about making a decision these days? What features are important? How much do I need to spend? Whether you’re a new DJ, or a seasoned mixmaster simply looking for an upgrade, this episode will help you […]

In Episode 58, David and Trip run through some of the hardware announcements of the summer. First, we take a few jabs at the astronomically priced (and devoid of practicality) CDJ/DJM-TOUR1 system. At a hefty $16,000 for what is, essentially, a dual CDJ-2000nxs2 and DJM-900nxs2 setup with touchscreens, we couldn’t help but snicker through most of this […]

Episode 57: Comfort Zone (Why DJs Should Avoid “Autopilot”)

In this week’s episode, David and Trip talk a bit about complacency, and the pitfalls of getting stuck in “The Comfort Zone”. You know what we mean…you become confident in your skills, you get comfortable, and then you stop pushing yourself. Perhaps it’s because you’ve become accustomed to success, or perhaps it’s because you’re experiencing […]

Episode 56: Happiness and Fulfillment as a DJ (Part 2)

Episode 56 is is all about maintaining happiness, so that we can lead fulfilling and successful DJ careers. This week, we present part 2 of Happiness and Fulfillment as a DJ. DJs have a tendency to think of recorded mixes as “demos”. This makes us think a certain way. We want to show a certain level of […]

Episode 55: Happiness and Fulfillment as a DJ (Part 1)

We’ve all known DJs who seem to have lost their passion or drive. This happens for any number of reasons; they get jaded because of the state of the “scene” (it’s different than when they got into it), they get bored with playing tunes, or they are unable to make any money. Many times, this leads […]

In Episode 54, we chat about a topic near and dear to our hearts: DANCE MUSIC! All of us here at The Passionate DJ Podcast are huge fans of electronic music in its various forms. In this episode, you’ll hear a little bit about how each of us got there, and what keeps us going. Some […]

Episode 53 is a just-for-fun episode. We bring back our “Pick 3” idea… this time, with a focus on hip-hop. Trip Turlington finally rejoins the cast (after some time off to move in to a new place). As you’ll hear, we all had a blast after getting the whole crew back together. Trip starts off […]

Episode 52: A Chat With Disco Donnie, Rave Legend

From the New Orleans rave scene of the early 90s, to the current EDM and festival scene, James “Disco Donnie” Estopinal Jr. has been promoting shows for decades. In Episode 52, Donnie spends some time with us to talk about modern dance music, his origins in the rave scene, and the differences between then and […]

This week’s episode centers around a common problem faced by many DJs: How do I get to play what I actually want to play? A listener writes in to the podcast to ask this question, stating that he has a recurring DJ gig playing at a top 40 bar, but wants to know what steps to […]

Episode 50: Tips for Managing Your Growing DJ Career

Well folks, we’ve made it to Episode 50 of the Passionate DJ Podcast! It’s been a great ride so far, and Tony, Trip, and I are incredibly thankful to be part of such a great community of Passionate DJs. Here’s to the next 50! Today, Tony and I take some time to answer your voicemail […]

Episode 49: The Best and Worst DJ Traits

Welcome back for Episode 49 of The Passionate DJ Podcast! This time, our main topic centers around the top 5 best and worst traits that a DJ can have (in my humble opinion). Give it a listen, and then leave us a voicemail to let us know what you think! For the first half of […]

In this week’s episode, the PDJ crew reviews some articles surrounding discussions about laptop banning in an LA nightclub, the pros and cons of having an “industry standard” hardware set up, and the fluctuating trends between the controller and software technologies with the mainstay and emerging hardware setups from gear giants, like Pioneer. We’ve got […]

For this installment of Passionate DJ, we reflect on David and Tony’s experience at Movement 2016 in Detroit, Michigan. While Trip has been in years’ past, a series of events prevented him from going this year…all good things, thankfully (shout out to PDJ listener Mo Dingo, as he’ll be Trip’s neighbor, soon!) 🙂 That said, […]

Hey gang, Trip Turlington here…As I am uploading this episode, David and Tony are both repping Passionate DJ at the Movement Music Festival in Detroit. I’ve been really jealous, watching all the pictures and videos roll in. I hung back, this year, due to my mom coming in to town for the holiday, and as much as I love my […]

Episode 45: Turntable Maintenance & Mods

In this week’s episode, Trip gives us a once over on proper care, maintenance, and modification of the original weapon of choice for DJ’s since the 1970’s: The Technic SL1200 Turntable. In this episode, we focus mainly on the MK2 model. There is plenty of overlap with other models, but there are also a lot […]

Welcome to another edition of The Passionate DJ Podcast! Episode 44 is all about current happenings in the DJing realm. David pulls several headlines from other DJ and News sites, reads them, and gives opinions on the subject. This is a solo show featuring David only, because Chef Trip was busy throwing cookouts all weekend. […]

We’ve all got lists of “Top X of Y”. In Episode 43, Trip, Tony, and I realized, we’ve been doing all of this talking about the technical aspects of DJing, and talking about what differentiates the genres. But not really opening up and sharing what music drives us, influences us as musicians and DJs, or that brings […]

Many of us DJs have wide eyes and high hopes for playing those mega, big-room, headliner spots and getting paid to travel the world. Realistically, the more common scenario for a club DJ is to be an opener for such an act. The “warmup DJ” has a very specific and important role, and it can […]

Episode 41: Are Controllers Too Amateur for the Big Room?

When a guitarist comes on stage, he wants to play his own guitar. He wants his own tool to perform his own art. Should DJing be any different? The DJ industry has changed over time, where “club standard” or “industry standard” means less and less, and people are bringing their own setups to shows. Sometimes, […]

There is a lot happening in the world of streaming audio this year, especially when it comes to the realm of the DJ. In episode 40, after answering a voicemail from a listener asking about the use of “set rips”, we go over all the current happenings in the streaming space. We cover recent moves […]

Hey folks! We’re back with a killer Episode 39. Sorry for the delay, but some of us succumbed to this nasty bug that seems to be going around. Early on, we cover a handful of topics before getting into the main “meat” of this week’s show: the current state of dance music, and where it […]

You’ve landed a gig. You bought the newest, hottest tracks. You’ve practiced a set list and gone over it so many times, you could land every mix in your sleep. The night of, it’s finally your turn, you plug in, press play, and then the worst thing happens…PEOPLE ARE LEAVING THE DANCE FLOOR! What do […]

Pop culture. Sub-culture. Counter-culture. Mainstream vs. underground. Where are these lines drawn, and why? In episode 37 of The Passionate DJ Podcast, we explore the ins-and-outs of what we call “The Underground”. Is underground music a sound, or an attitude? Is it determined by the amount of money involved, or the size of the culture?

Episode 36: Excuses, Excuses (Helping DJs to Start Making Moves)

This week, Trip and Tony take some time off while David gets caught up with our friend Kilma! The first warning sign that a project is in trouble, often, is that little twinge where we begin to search for excuses. You know what I’m talking about: that pre-loading of responses that our brain begins to compile, just in […]

Episode 35: A Conversation with The Egyptian Lover

On this week’s episode, David, Tony, and Trip sit down with Egyptian Lover, who shares some of his experiences, insight, and inspiration behind his unique, trendsetting style that is still rocking clubs, to this very day!

In this week’s episode, we are thrilled to have Mister Shifter with us at Dayton Studios. As a founding member of Random Movement and veteran drum and bass DJ, Jack has some unique insight, as well as a lot of research and first hand knowledge of the drum and bass genre, scene, and history.

Every time we turn around, we’re getting hit with some new gear or software announcement in the DJ community. This week, it’s digital DJ software company Serato, announcing an iOS app called “Pyro”, which is a (free) music player aimed at the consumer market.

Trip’s Throwbacks: Three Drives on a Vinyl – Greece 2000

Every genre of music has a track that can be held up, throughout the life of that genre, as a defining piece for that genre. When someone asks, “How would you describe [insert genre name here]?”, there’s usually a set of tracks that are at the top of everyone’s favorite list. When we talk about […]

In this episode of the Passionate DJ Podcast, David takes the time to respond to a handful of listener emails who have written in looking for solutions to their problems as a DJ. Overall, this episode is seriously loaded full of strategies and actionable tips. We can almost guarantee that you will hear something useful […]

Episode 31: The Spirit of Radio w/Silent Gloves

In Episode 31, our good friend Steve Gillson, aka Silent Gloves dropped by Dayton Studios just before we started recording, to say hi. Instead, we held him against his will and made him do an interview with us!

Trip’s Throwbacks: Paragliders – Lithium

The first time I heard this track was in the fall of 2000. I was getting myself well established in my area as a DJ, and had gotten hooked up with a prominent local crew, throwing and playing several shows. You’ve probably heard me mention the crew, Collective Intelligence, on the podcast, from time to […]

Episode 30: What Makes a DJ an “Artist”?

In Episode 30, David Michael, Tony DeSaro, and Trip Turlington discuss a sometimes convoluted topic for DJs. Are we artists? Musicians? Both? Neither? Of course, there’s no clear answer, but it doesn’t stop the PDJ crew from peeling some layers back and getting deep in to the topic.

Episode 29: Last Night a DJ Changed My Mind

In Episode 29, after adding to the chatter in the DJ community about the new gear announcements coming out of NAMM 2016, we go into a deeper discussion about some of the qualities and traits we specifically identify with DJs that make them more noticeable, memorable, and unique. The basic question we are trying to answer is, […]

In this episode of the podcast, we reflect back on the guests we’ve had the honor of featuring on the show. We’re seeing lots of growth lately, which is great! But, it also means that there are probably a lot of people who have missed out on some of the knowledge bombs our guests have […]

It’s our second annual “Resolutions” episode! We take several questions from listeners like you, and try to help DJs find resolutions to their problems in order to have a fresh start to the new year. Don’t forget… we take questions all year long. Leave a voicemail and be featured on the show! Before we got down […]

Episode 27: Is Beatmatching Still Relevant?

In Episode 26, Passionate DJ shares some upcoming changes with our community. There’ll be a lot of changes coming in 2016, including image rebranding, shifting the focus to the podcast, looking to bring on sponsors, and some changes to the format of the show. We also announce the addition of Tony DeSaro and Trip Turlington […]

Getting Things Done Through The Power of Networking! Welcome back for another episode of the podcast! This time around, I recorded a sort of “roundtable discussion”… the last half of a meeting of the minds in my local scene. Tony and Billy of 3DMentional Entertainment return to the show to tell us the experiences they […]

PDJ 024 – Halloween 2015: Behind the Scenes of Zombie Hospital

Episode 24 – Happy (Belated) Halloween! Episode 24 is a special, slightly-delayed Halloween episode (since new episodes come out on Mondays)! About this time last year, we were wrapping up The Story Mix Project. This was a 7-week video tutorial series in which I created a story-telling mix, and showed each step along the way. We […]

PDJ 023 – DJ? Producer? Remixer? What’s the Difference?

Episode 23 – Unproductive Terminology! Hey Folks! We’re back for episode 23. This time, we’re talking about the differences between the DJ, the producer, and everything in-between. We also talk about why these lines are so often blurred, how the role of one can bleed into another, and why some people even find themselves in […]

Episode 22 – Elitism or Enthusiasm? This episode of the podcast is all about being a snob, how it affects your DJing, why it is harmful, and even why we can make a positive case for being a snobby DJ. Before I recorded this episode, I sent out a message to my beloved VIP List […]

Episode 21 – How to Become a DJ! Hi folks! It’s time for another edition of the Passionate DJ Podcast. Like our last episode, this one is a sort of “audio version” of an existing article… my most popular post to date, “How to Become a DJ: The Ultimate Guide“. If you don’t have time […]

PDJ 020 – How to Pick a New DJ Controller

Episode 20 – Helping You Make a Tough Decision! This episode is a sort of audio companion to go along with my recently released mega-article, Best DJ Controllers 2015: The Ultimate Guide. If you don’t have time to sit and read, you can listen to this version on-the-go! In the past few years, the market has […]

PDJ 019 – From GOOD DJing to GREAT DJing

Episode 19 – Let’s Do Something Great! In this episode of the podcast, not only do I answer a handful of questions submitted by listeners and readers of the blog, but we dive into the topic of going from a good DJ to a GREAT DJ! A little while back, I wrote a post (check […]

PDJ 018 – Collaboration The Smart Way w/Jon Skinner

Episode 18 – Let’s Stay Togetherrrrrrr! Welcome back to the Passionate DJ Podcast, where in episode 18, we talk about collaboration with other DJs and producers. I decided to discuss this topic with Jon Skinner, who invented a collaborative tool called Music Gateway. This tool allows you to find the right person to help you […]

This one is just for fun! Join me as I share stories of terrible, strange, or hilarious gig experiences submitted by our listeners! One submission tells the story of a laptop crashing right after a big drop during one of the DJ’s largest gigs to date. Another tells of the strange (and unsanitary) mystery someone […]

PDJ 016 – I’ve Got Passion… What About Purpose?

Episode 16 – Passion Plus Action = a DJ with Purpose! In this episode of the podcast, I bring in a full panel of DJ/activists to discuss the issue of purpose. I say “passion and purpose” all the time, but what does it really mean? How can you find your purpose? How can you drive your […]

PDJ 015 – Making SoundCloud Work For You w/Budi Voogt

Episode 15 – Become a SoundCloud Ninja! That’s right, folks… this episode of the podcast is all about SoundCloud. My special guest, Budi Voogt, joins the discussion to teach us all about how to market ourselves online, the changes SoundCloud is making to their platform, and how to improve your presence there. This is a […]

Episode 14 – Do You Hear What I Hear? Back in episode 13, I answered a call from Joseph regarding sound quality. He asked when it’s worth it to invest in high-end audio gear (like sound cards, mixers, etc.) But the question I actually answered had to do with production sound (speakers, amps, etc.) Duh. […]

PDJ 013 – New Year’s “Resolutions” for DJs

Episode 13 – Happy New Year! Happy 2015!! In this special (read: impromptu) edition of the Passionate DJ Podcast, I help 6 of my most valued listeners get answers (‘resolutions’) to their questions. Thanks to Raymond, Ian, Brian, Thiago, Joseph and Alex for submitting voicemails! If you’d like to submit a question for the podcast, […]

Episode 12 – A Listener Keeps Me Honest! Joe Pardo joins me as co-host, and we discuss the latest happenings in the DJ Industry before delving in to a series of emails from a concerned listener of the Passionate DJ Podcast. “Jim”, as we will refer to him, is concerned that I am not preaching […]

PDJ 011 – Local Labor of Love w/3DMentional Entertainment

Episode 11 – Aiming High to Build Locally! In episode 11, I interview Tony DeSaro and Billy Dickensheets of 3DMentional Entertainment – a promotions company focused on bringing new and exciting electronic music events to Dayton, OH. Tony and Billy have excellent synergy, having originally come into the “scene” from different angles (one from the […]

PDJ 010 – Becoming a “Deejaypreneur” w/Casie Lane

Episode 10 – Stepping Up Your Professionalism Game! Episode 10 is all about treating your DJing more like a business in order to build credibility, land awesome DJ gigs, build your fan base, and do justice to your craft. In this episode, I interview Casie Lane: a seasoned DJ and industry insider. Having worked nearly […]

PDJ 009 – Struggles in Small Town Promotion w/John Chapel

Episode 9 – Now Includes YOUR Questions! Hey folks! It’s been a while, but we’re back with episode 9 of the podcast… and I think it’s safe to say that it’s one of the best episodes yet! First, we start out with a Q&A session featuring YOUR questions! After the Q&A and announcements, I have […]

PDJ 008 – Storytelling and Adding Value to DJ Mixes w/Joe Pardo

We’re lifting you Up, Up, Up for episode 8! Here we are with episode 8 of the Passionate DJ Podcast! Today we are having a conversation with Joe Pardo, who is working on a really neat project called Adventurtorium: An Up Inspired Experience. This is a DJ mix which goes above and beyond stringing a […]

PDJ 007 – Finding Your Sound (And Where To Look)

Welcome back, Agent, to episode 007 of the PDJ Podcast. Episode 7 is a spiritual successor to a post I made a while back, titled “Having a “Sound” vs. Having a Genre“. In that post, I talked about the idea of generally disregarding genre labels, and trying to build an overall sound that reflects you […]

PDJ 006 – Turntablism vs. DJing and Competition Strategy, feat. “Vekked”

Sorry for the delay, friends… but we’re back with a fantastic episode number 6! It’s back! Episode 6 of the podcast is for all of you turntablists, or those interested in learning more about the intricacies of exhibitionist-style mixing and competition. This is a topic that has been largely untouched on the Passionate DJ Podcast, […]

PDJ 005 – Life of a Full-Time DJ & The State of Modern Trance w/Laurent Véronnez (aka Airwave)

We’re back with episode 5… and it’s a doozy! Hi folks! I’m excited to announce that this episode is an interview with someone who I hold in very high regard: Laurent Véronnez, better known as Airwave! A 20+ year veteran in the underground dance music scene, Laurent has witnessed a lot: the digital revolution, the […]

PDJ 004 – Small Time Promoter Tips w/Jessica “Fortune” Fenner (pt. 2)

The suspense is over… here’s part 2 of the #SmallTimePromoterTip Podcast with Jessica Fenner! In episode 3, I introduced you to Jessica Fenner of A.part Music out of Milwaukee. If you haven’t listened to episode 3, make sure you go and listen to it first! Outside getting to know Jessica, we talk about some unique […]

PDJ 003 – Small Time Promoter Tips w/Jessica “Fortune” Fenner (pt. 1)

Finally… the first Passionate DJ Podcast Interview! Wow, I’m very excited to announce the release of episode 3 of the Podcast! In this episode, I interview Jessica Fenner, also known as “Fortune”, of A.part Music in Milwaukee. Currently producing 2 weekly parties, both in their third year, one off larger scale events and a DJ […]

PDJ 002 – How To Build Buzz Instead of Hype, and Why

Check it out: episode two of the Passionate DJ Podcast! Episode two is about building buzz, whether it’s for your events, mixes, albums, or anything else you want to promote in the music scene. If you missed the first episode of the podcast, you can listen to it here to get an idea of what […]

PDJ 001: Introducing The Passionate DJ Podcast!

It’s here! The very first episode of the Passionate DJ Podcast! This is different than other DJ podcasts in that it’s conversational (not like a mixtape or DJ set). The idea is that I will talk about different aspects of DJing, hold exclusive interviews, and provide other content that you can’t find elsewhere on the […]