The Art of Producing Custom DJ Drops
Custom DJ drops are mainly used to serve 2 purposes, to remind the listeners of who the DJ is, and to add vibes and energy to the mix.
In order to produce a catchy, custom DJ drop, there are a few things that you need to have.
The first and most important thing, is a naturally interesting voice.
Other things include:
- A computer/ Smart phone
- Microphone
- Headphone/Studio Monitors
- DAW (e.g., Pro Tools, FL Studio, etc.)
Brain Storm
After the DJ has provided you with the basic details like their name, city etc. It’s time to brainstorm a couple ideas.
Say for example a customer needs a custom DJ drop and gives you this info:
Name: DJ Bird Beak
City: London
You need to base the DJ drop around that info.
Your first script idea could be like “You’re in the mix with DJ Bird Beak, London’s finest!”
Your next script could be like “Hey DJ Bird Beak! let’s show them how we do it in London!”
If you are Jamaican, you could come up with something like “Yeah man yuh done know a DJ Bird Beak a shell the place! Wah gwan London!
After you come up with at least 2 scripts, it’s time to decide which one sounds best. You can make that decision yourself or ask others for opinions.
The Recording Process
Make sure that you memorize the script so that you don’t have to read while recording. This allows for the DJ drop to sound natural and authentic.
Also remember to “Say it like you mean it”. Make sure that you are confident in every single word that comes out of your mouth.
The Editing Process
You should remove all unwanted noise and artifacts from your recording. This includes any background noise, rumbles, sibilance, plosives etc.
You can add a little reverb and delay to give the voice a little more taste as well.
Finally, export the file, preferably in WAV audio format.