Your bio says that you grew up in and around the commercial music scene…how so?

Maybe not so much the scene I guess, but there was very little influence from underground or electronic music around me (or from what I could see anyway). Everyone referred to anything electronic as “techno”, which kind of clouded up my vision of any other genres in electronic music.

Where did the name DJ Konflikt come from?

When a friend and I were going to do our first school dance, we figured we might as well make up a couple names just for fun. Magically, KonfliKt appeared and I’ve just kind of stuck with it from there.

How did you get your start as a DJ? It seems like something that wouldn’t be easy to just step into, as compared to going out and buying a guitar for example.

My start came from a dance I did in high school, of which I still have a laugh at. My friend and I were trying so hard to learn the basics of DJ’ing before our first dance. We had no idea of the simplicity of digital DJ software or anything like that, so we ended up using 2 laptops running Windows Media Player as music sources, and tried to time the start of each track to flow neatly with the next. Of course this rarely ever worked since we had no way of controlling the pitch of the track. Nevertheless, it was a fun experience.

Shortly afterwards though, I ordered a couple basic CD decks and a mixer to get my feet wet. Unfortunately for myself, PEI didn’t really have a place that carried DJ gear. So I had to do some online research before I bought anything to make sure I was getting what would suit me as a beginner.  It certainly wasn’t a cheap first time investment, but it was definitely worth it.

What would someone need to have to get going?

Like most hobbies, DJ’ing can become quite expensive. Here are a few options for a starting DJ:

- 2 turntables + mixer. This would involve either owning vinyl records, or a vinyl emulation software such as Serato Scratch Live (which would also require a computer), or the combination of both. When buying turntables for DJ’ing, it is more beneficial to get “direct-drive” tables versus “belt-driven” due to the quicker platter response. It is also important to make sure the turntables you buy have a pitch control to adjust the speed of each record.

- MIDI controller + software. This is a market that is currently exploding in the DJ industry. With computers becoming more involved in music production and live DJ’ing than ever, introducing yourself to DJ’ing has never been easier. Basically, a MIDI controller plugs into your computer via USB and literally controls different parameters on the DJ software you are using. I could go on for pages about the current controllers available on the market, but it really comes down to user preference.

Mixers vary in all sorts of shapes and sizes. For the new DJ though, a simple 2-channel will suffice for learning. Of course, every DJ needs a set of headphones for the job. Studio monitors are another thing to look into, although I learned without them, so they certainly are not essential in my opinion. Effects are something that tend to catch the DJ’s eye as well, however I would strongly recommend staying away from them until they have a strong hold on the basics first. Finally, music is the most essential part. It doesn’t come cheap if you plan on building a large collection, but there are plenty of sites and labels that send free promos all the time. Digging for music is a huge part of being a DJ.

Can you make a decent living as a DJ? How does your average work day look?

Absolutely, although it is rare that DJs make their living off DJ’ing alone. Many DJs produce their own music as well, which is what gains them their status in the music and DJ world. As you probably know, there are DJs with values in the multi-million dollar range, so it certainly can be a profitable lifestyle. On the other hand, I make anywheres from $800 to $1100+ per month, which isn’t much, but it allows me to support myself throughout school and the summer months on DJ’ing alone, which is pretty cool for me. I haven’t had to work a more standard job for almost two years now.

Since I don’t “work” until the later parts of the night, it gives me free time during the day to do whatever I want. School work, searching and organizing music, making promotional material, and other hobbies seem to take up most of my daytime hours. When I start to dig more into producing my own music, I’m sure that will eat up a lot of my day.

What’s the best part of the job?

Being able to see people enjoy themselves and know that you are part of the reason for it. As well as exploring all the different genres of music, which is very interesting and rewarding on its own. I never realized how broad the world of music was until I started digging.

The worst?

When I did mobile gigs (school dances, private events, etc) hauling speakers, amps, lights, and DJ gear was just awful, for the obvious reasons. Now that I have gotten myself out of that area of work, the most I have to take to a bar or club are my turntables.

There are a few phrases that most DJs hate hearing at the bar or club. When I hear people come up to me and say things like “can you play dance music?” or “play something with words”, I usually have to bite my tongue for a second. I have a few personal stories that have made my night less than enjoyable. On the other hand, if the worst part of my job is to deal with a couple drunk people each night, I really can’t complain.

Any good stories from a night playing a club?

Seeing everyone dancing and having fun is the best story I can offer. Lucky for me it has happened many times.

What was it like to play at Evolve? Was that your biggest crowd?

It was fantastic! Unfortunately for me, there were some conflicts with one of the stages and scheduling. So my slot ended up being at about 4am on Monday morning, in a different location. There were still people there dancing it up though, so it was all good in the end.

My largest crowd I played for was this past New Years Eve in Charlottetown, where I closed the night out for D.R. One from Team Canada DJs. There were 1500+ tickets sold for the event, which was pretty surreal for me. Having that many people rocking out to your set is a great feeling.

The festival is on its way back, could you fill people in on Evolve for those who don’t know? You’re in this year’s line-up aren’t you?

Evolve is a 3-day festival that takes place every summer near Antigonish, Nova Scotia. It features many local and world-known musical artists, as well as hosting many cultural, social, and environmental awareness workshops.

This year, CBC Radio 3 went on a search for the best music festival in Canada, and Evolve was voted by the people as number one! To say that I am going to be a part of that this year is quite an honour.

Where is DJing going to take you in 5 years?

I really don’t know. Many of the good things that have come about for me for DJ’ing have come out of the blue or from random connections. So hopefully by just trying to get better, producing a few tracks, and continuing to promote myself, things will take flight from there.

What’s the best advice you could give someone?

Practice, practice, practice. Then practice some more. Learn to network yourself and be social as well, if you plan on taking DJ’ing to the next level.

Any thanks?

Most definitely, although I can’t bring up everyone’s name unfortunately. A lot of thanks to my parents for being supportive of my choices. To Warren Keefe for introducing me to Marc LeBlanc (aka Bones from Indie Pop Night), who has been a HUGE factor in my DJ life. To Sean Berrigan who has done photo work for me, as well as spreading the word on myself, and introducing me to some great contacts. Mark Fisher and his promotional team have hooked me up with some great shows in the past. Shawn Younis gave me my first club DJ opportunity at UPEI. Jonas Colter has given me slots at Evolve two years in a row now, and accepted me as a very late submission last year (which I have Marc LeBlanc to thank for that). Solid Gold Workout has constantly had me as a sidekick to a lot of their shows. Donovan Morgan (aka Jakt) has given me good words and opportunities.

There are many, many others who have helped me out in some way (photos, spreading word, contact info, poster design, networking, opportunities, etc) that I also thank. And of course, the people that come out to the shows and have fun all night!