I want to prefix this by saying I’m not here to deliver a sob story or some kind of sympathy post etc. I want to talk about how this pastime has a positive impact on our general mental state.
I’ve always kind of blindly rode the wave that we are on, knowing I love and live for music but not really accounting for what it does to my state of mind. During Covid I started to realise how important it was, and not because I wasn’t playing gigs, but because I actually took effort to mix at home, hone my skills, find music, get into the groove etc. I found myself doing 4/5hr sets at home and getting completely lost in it.
Fast forward to today and it’s been a few months since I mixed (outside of gigs that I don’t really count as they are more business than pleasure), my day job has been pretty brutal with too much going on, it culminated in an 80hr week last week that started a day after I returned from a road trip around Scotland last Friday. When I look back this has really gotten me down and it’s been building up to this point for a long time.
Anyway I finally forced myself on the tables tonight and ended up on there for over 2hrs, playing purely 45s and in some cases just pressing play between tunes… I’ve now come away from it feeling 50 times better, and still amazed by the power of music.
Anyone else feel like this? Or just me talking nonsense?
thank’S for your post and I agree 100 per cent with you.
I proceed /ed as well: After a hard day or during CORONA I mixed only for myself. For this mixing I had to be very concentrated and so I relaxed from the dayly struggle. Listening to what I had recorded it was a moment of success.
I suppose, here are plenty of colleagues acting and feeling accordingly.
Same feels for me Stu, its one of the few things I can do which will push all pressures out of my mind and get me to relax. Hitting the trails on my bike does the same but I cannot ride for 5 hours like I can with playing tunes
My regular job as a train driver is normally pretty good but sometimes it can be tough with horrible accidents with people on the track.
It leaves its mark on the soul, but music is a very good therapy.
Good with some hobbies.
I have been a DJ for 40 years and still keep both clubs and mobile gigs going.
Also has other hobbies such as programming (former job) and laser cutting/engraving.
For me, DJing isn’t something I do when I’m at home as what I do at work is quite intense.
I work on a luxury cruise liner and those contracts aren’t hip on/hop off kind things. They last months. Generally it’s four months on and two months off. Those four months are seven days a week. I find that when I have my two months off, I don’t touch the decks!
It can all get a little bit too much so this year I’ve asked for a year off as I’ve become a dad. This has now shifted my focus away from DJing at home to raising a little man. I’m slowly starting to get back into it all again as time is very limited now.
Being so intense on ship I never really DJ on land. That’ll change now as I fancy getting back into the scene and most likely bars. I feel my club days are over now as I can’t hack it! I ended up too drained and I lost the passion pretty quickly. The clubs were 6am finishes and then up to two hour drives home. I felt like I never wanted to DJ again but slowly I’m getting back into the game.
Playing some classics and keeping your mind focused helps and I do feel when there’s not a lot going on, DJing can be a great release.
I have suffered from depression for almost 20 years, and whilst i am in a good place now, music was one of those vices that helped me escape, helped me relax, or just helped me block out stuff that i was not prepared to or knew how to deal with at the time.
For me, i can quite happily mix away on my gear without a care in the world, and when things work out in that mix it is sublime & relaxing, even better if i manage to record it.
I have several go to albums that i listen to, none of them trance etc when i just need to disconnect and it really helps me focus.
Nice reply Revan:) good to read your experiences and how its helped you out, and also good to hear you are in the right place too. Im fully on board with the alternative music thats away from the DJ stuff.
Ive had another little hit of happiness tonight sorting through my new records, the room was a mess but loved every minute of it, cleaning and marking the BPM up on them before they go in the box.
Never thought of it like that, I bet with that volume of gigs it can be a bit of a chore Mr Wilks. Ive always said I DJ at home way less when im playing out more, even if it’s only a few gigs a month.
I can relate with this Stu, 100%. For me personally, getting lost in the music for a couple of hours is the best type of therapy, releasing those endorphins to quash any anxiety or the like. Having a mix and a groove will lift me up or wind me down as required, it’s the best natural medicine in my opinion.
“Music is a moral law. It gives a soul to the Universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, a charm to sadness, gaiety and life to everything. It is the essence of order, and leads to all that is good and just and beautiful.”- Plato
This is a great thread Stu, I’ve had a few issues over the last couple of years and I always turn to music. I’m always knackered these days as I do a physical job so instead of getting my Mixstream out to play around with I spend a lot of time on Mixcloud watching others playing music, its a great distraction. I go to bed and put my ear buds on listening to music most nights too. Bless the funk
Prior to COVID I was mixing on my iPad via DJay Pro. I’d always enjoyed sharing my love of music with others, and this seemed an easy way to test the waters. The screen interface wasn’t doing it for me, so I splurged on a DDJ-400 early in COVID and within a year progressed to the Prime 4. Of course, none of these things are cheap, but to your point about mental health - I knew the investment was worth it. I’ve gotten so much joy from mixing and sharing tunes with my friends - and even when I am going through very stressful times it’s a great outlet.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts - and thanks to every one on the thread for sharing theirs as well.
DJing feels like meditation…being in the moment…worries slip away.
I suffer from depression, thankfully only kicking up badly a few times a year, but music (and other helpful ingredients) reframe, unblock and energise…the best therapy I also produce, but thats something else too - more expression I guess.
still relevant thousands of years later.
