Disc jockeys come in a very wide variety of types and disciplines. There are club DJs who say nothing, ignore their audiences and just spin away on the wheels of steel. Others are very creative, producing a mix of sounds that cajole a dance floor crowd onto a higher state of euphoria.

There are DJs who are real showmen, who dress to impress, to really stand out from theiir audience, and who use their vocal attributes to encourage dancers onto the floor./ Some of them go completely over the top and do get in the eway of the music and of course dancing - which they seem to forget is why they are there.

Turning to radio, there are a variety of radio porgramme hosts who are not DJS, but are simply 'presenters' - they back announce and introduce music, and add in some other bits in between.

Ther term "Disc Jockey" was coined in the golden days of American Top 40 radio (now called CHR - contemporary hit radio). In order to cram in the maximum number of tracks per hour, a real disc jockey would ride in and out of the music, surfing around the vocals and becoming a part of the sound - but complementing the music and adding to the atmosphere, not getting in the way of it.

DJ Training

Traditionally radio DJs would hone their skills on overnight shifts, but today so many radio stations have cut out these 'nursery' shifts and simply use an automatic playout system to provide non stop music; one of the reasons why overall radio standards and the listeners perception of radio have steadilly gone downhill in recent years.

The basic skills can be taught and there are several excellent DJs schools around the world teaching club and radio techniques.

There are many DJ schools which can teach the basic skills, but real life experience is best, and is gained by actually presenting 'on the job'. There is no substitute for sitting in with an experienced DJ and learning from them, but you should ALWAYS try and develop your own style, delivery and personality.

Always do your best to BE YOURSELF.

Hitting The Post

The best DJs would not have any dead air (silence) fading up the instrumental start of a track (called 'the ramp') over the end fade of the previous one and adding their dialogue over any instrumental bits remaining, right up to the start of the vocal, but without actually 'stepping on' the vocal - a technique called "hitting the post".

It needs timing, practice, a third sense and, most of all, the DJ needs to KNOW the music to be able to do that well; but surely, all DJS should know their music? Sadly that isn't the case.

To bring out and develop a DJ's talent, he or she needs to very well practiced with the equipment in use, wknow well the audience he or she is entertaining, and be able to control their voice . All this is possible through practice, and that is the only way.

The Mobile DJ Handbook is also known as How to Start and Run a Profitable Mobile Disc Jockey Service.

Now in its Second Edition, the Mobile DJ Handbook continues to be an excellent guide for novice and experienced DJs looking to build a successful career as the owner-operator of a mobile disc jockey service. The handbook contains many practical tips, expert advice and no small amount of creative strategies. Its also a great guide on how to market and sell DJ services as well as develop and expand and mobile DJ business.

This book contains a lot of excellent advice and information on becoming a professional DJ. Some of the subjects covered are how to secure bookings, how to buy equipment and music and, of course, how to run party dances, contests, and games. Included in the Mobile DJ Handbook are sample contracts, an advertisement and brochure, and resource information.

The Mobile DJ Handbook is an essential reference guide which offers readers all the knowledge and inspiration needed to run a profitable enterprise. It can be obtained from Amazon - just CLICK HERE for more details.

Disc Jockeys in the UK

Broadcasting in Britain has always been rigidly controlled by the establishment (aristocrats, the church and politicians) and disc jockeys, or showmen of most kinds, were not encouraged. The first DJ to broadcast to the UK was probably Stephen Williams, who hosted programmes on Radio Luxembourg in the mid 1930s.

The early 1960s the BBC allowed some programme hosts to be less formal - Pete Murray is often suggested, but it was Sir Jimmy Savile who brought the ballroom showman 'style' to Radio Luxembourg and later Radio 1.

Meanwhile, the first offshore stations such as Caroline and Big L had adopted a far more informal style of presentation. Tony Blackburn was one of the first of the "cheery, bright and happy" people many listeners in the UK heard. he would interact with the music and, being a fomer singer himself, often sing along with bits of records.

Many of the offshore radio DJs had been trained in American radio and stations in the colonies, which had commercial radio. They brought new capabilities of interacting with records too, but it was an American DJ called Emperor Rosko who really turned the UK on to the hot-rockin, flame -throwing style of DJing. Rosko influenced his own colleagues on Radio Caroline South, people such as Tony Prince and Dave Lee Travis,

Rosko developed a highly successful travelling discotheuqe called the Rosko Road Show and commanded some of the highest fees ever seen in the UK for his talents, sponsored by Orange amplification. He also hosted the memorable Rock'n'Roll Revival Show at Wembley in 1972.

In the 1970s Rosko wrote an excellent book for aspiring DJs, both radio and mobile, where he explains all the various bits of equipment found in the studio or on the road. It is still as relevant today; click the cover below to find copies, but it is very rare to find a copy now.

Now semi-retired back to LA, Rosko still produces weekly shows, such as the LA Connection and Rosko's Boot Camp (yeah, lots of soul!) heard on selected stations around the world.

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How to launch & operate

an online radio station

Full details of what you need, how to assemble everything, how much should you pay and how to launch. Where do you get the bandwidth to broadcast, which system should you use and how do you promote your station?

Get all the information you need to get your station on the air. Download it today, onto your computer, tablet or any iPhone or order the printed copy, a great coffee table tool.

The first Rappers were DJs

Now firmly rooted as one of the best selling forms of music, rapping owes its success to radio DJs and club jocks of the sixties.

The first radio DJs to use a rapping style were mainly on black music stations - many of today's superstars cut their teeth in radio presnentation.

Rufus Thomas is a good example, but there are many other legendary DJs, such as Bill Mercer, Jack 'The Rapper' Gibson, Rick Roberts, John R, and especially Doug 'Jocko' Henderson, a Philly DJ on WDAS in the 1970s.

How to DJ Properly

This book forms the perfect introduction for the novice who wants a pair of Technics turntables for Christmas. It contains enough spot-on advice and advanced instruction to be valuable to more experienced DJs.

This is a great book for all aspiring DJs. It's informative, easy to understand for all levels and provides lots of tips and ideas to make it in what is now a very competitive world. But one that can bring untold riches, fame and fortune if you get it right!

Written in an entertaining 'no-bullshit' style, the book is laced with a healthy dose of realism. It shatters some illusions about the dance industry and offers in return some powerfully inspiring visions as it explains the true rewards of the DJ's craft.

How to DJ Properly Includes everything you will ever need to know, from illustrated tutorials on mixing techniques and styles, digital mixing, tips on buying the right equipment and records, advice from superstar DJs aplenty, plus how to make your own tracks and how to throw the best party. Now all you need is to get out of your bedroom and do it!

Turning to radio, there are a variety of radio porgramme hosts who are not DJS, but are simply 'presenters' - they back announce and introduce music, and add in some other bits in between.

How to DJ Properly

DJ Training

The basic skills can be taught and there are several excellent DJs schools around the world teaching club and radio techniques.

Always do your best to BE YOURSELF.

This is a very useful manual for DJs and presenters of all types. With libel and slander laws pervading almost every corner of media, and legal costs potentially a killer for small scale radio operators, the advice and guidance in this book is very important. How would you deal with allegations of defamation and contempt? Perhaps the best advice is to avoid it altogether and this book can help you do just that. It's a manual that describes what you can and what you must not quote from newspapers.

Hang The DJ is written by BBC Journalist and Trainer Paul Hollins. The book also has contributions from legendary radio guru and consultant Paul Chantler, who has considerable experience as a journalist and news editor in radio. Hang The DJ is available as a 84 page softback book for £14.99 or as a Kindle for £9.35 from Amazon.

A lack of knowledge of these laws is no defence if you find yourself involved in legal proceedings, so this book includes plenty of real-life examples of things that have gone wrong in the past. The aim is to give broadcasters the knowledge and confidence to avoid similar mistakes.

Click cover for details.

HANG THE DJ !

a radio presenter's law guide

by Paul Chantler & Paul Hollins

Disc Jockeys

A world of DJs

How to DJ Properly