05/10/2026
20+ years of DJing and production taught me a lot.
And honestly, some of these lessons took me way too long to understand.
1. You don’t need the best gear.
A better laptop, plugins, speakers or controller won’t suddenly make you a better artist. Learn the gear you already have and get really good at using it.
2. Finish your music.
I spent years starting ideas and moving on to the next one. Finishing tracks teaches you much more than having 100 unfinished projects.
3. Your first version is rarely your best version.
Don’t be afraid to come back to a track days or weeks later. Sometimes the biggest improvement is simply hearing it with fresh ears.
4. Stop trying to sound like everyone else.
It’s normal to be influenced by artists you love. But eventually you need to ask yourself: what actually sounds like me?
5. Don’t judge a track too quickly.
A track that sounds amazing at 2am in the studio might sound completely different the next morning. Take breaks. Test it in the car. Test it in the club. Test it on different systems.
6. Learn how to DJ, not just how to mix.
Reading the room, choosing the right track, building energy and knowing when NOT to change the track are just as important as technical skills.
7. Not every release needs to be a hit.
Some tracks open doors. Some get played by other DJs. Some teach you something. Some simply make you better at producing.
They all have value.
8. Your network grows when you actually support people.
Listen to other DJs. Share their music. Go to their events. Say hello. Collaborate.
The electronic music scene is a community, not just a list of Instagram accounts.
9. Don’t let numbers decide if you’re an artist.
Streams, followers and likes are useful, but they can mess with your head if you let them.
Make music you’re proud of first.
10. Keep going.
20+ years later, I’m still learning new things.
I hope I help a person or 2 , let me know in the comments 🙏
