Dec072011
It was only back in August that I managed to grab 200 Likes on facebook. In only four short months I’ve hit the next milestone of 300 Likes and I am still going strong.
So what better way of giving something back to my loyal followers than putting together a special Facebook-only exclusive mix for all of you? That’s just what I’ve done and you can go and grab it on my Facebook page right now.
Thank you so much to each and every one of you that downloads my funky disco house podcasts each and every month and thank you for all the kind words and comments that you leave. The positive feedback I get really does keep me going.
Thanks again! 
Much love,
Paul
x
Oct302011
I came across this great website the other day called Mix Of The Day. The idea is quite simple, each day they guys over at mixoftheday.co.uk post up a hand-selected high quality mix of their choosing - and I’ve been featured on a couple of occasions! Thanks guys! 
They know their stuff as they post up mixes across various dance music genres such as Funky House, UK Garage, Breaks, Drum & Bass and House. Please go and pay them a visit and Like them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter too so that you stay up to date with the latest mixes that they discover.
mixoftheday.co.uk
mixoftheday Facebook
@mixoftheday_
Aug022011
With the arrival of Google+ now firmly in place amongst the social network big players, the question you need to ask yourself each time you post an update is whether or not to post it word for word exactly the same across all of your social networks, or tailor each update to different audiences. Of course, it’s entirely possible that you have ditched one service for another, for example closing your Facebook account to move over to Google+ in which case you need ever only worry about one aspect of your online social movements. But for those of us that use Google+, Facebook AND Twitter (and possibly even more), do you really want to be posting the same content across all of your social network sites?
For a long time now there have been services like HootSuite and Tweedeck that allow you to post to different networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, Buzz, MySpace (LOLz), etc but with another major player moving into the arena isn’t it all just getting a little bit cluttered now?
Information Overload
Let’s take a look at things from a fan’s perspective. Chances are, they Like you on Facebook, and they follow you on Twitter. If you are posting the same content to both FB and Twitter, why does your loyal fan need to see the exact same content across the two networks? Why should they read the exact same info twice? It’s because you don’t want your followers/fans/whatevers to miss out on important news and events that you want to share with them and you want to cover all of the social network bases.
But think about it for a minute. It could be argued that the updates you supply on each network should be different to take advantage of the differing sharing and interaction capabilities. For example, if I’ve got something quick and simple to say or share with the world, the first place I go to is Twitter. I use Twitter mainly for commentary on the world, talking about the things I like and the things that piss me off. Twitter is great as it has a forced character length which keep your updates concise and is great for firing one-off pics from my mobile phone to an integrated service like Twitpic. On the other hand, if I find a web page that I like which I want to share on the net, I usually head towards Facebook to do this. Facebook allows for a much longer description than Twitter does and also collates Likes and comments into one place so that discussion and response becomes easier.
Mixing It Up
Yes, of course I share links and comments from time to time across all three networks but I like to try and mix it up a bit if I can. Even on Facebook I tend to divide my updates even further. On Facebook I have a Like page, I have a group page and I have my personal “me” page. The Like page is content that revolves around me and will include online mixes and links to blog posts from my own site. Jeez that all sounds a bit self-indulgent, but hey its a Like page and that’s what it should be.
In my Group, I tend to share great DJ mixes that I have found online from a wealth of sources such as Soundcloud, Mixcloud, Podomatic and so on. At the same time I invite others to post up any great mixes that they have found into the group. I try my best to do this daily and so each mix I share I call it my “Mix Of The Day” a hand-selected personal recommendation of a great mix that I think will appeal to the same people that like my mixes too. This Mix Of The Day labelling also crosses over into Twitter territory where I hashtag my Mix Of The Day updates with #mixoftheday, thereby inviting others to post links to their mixes of the day and add the same hashtag to it.
Social Networking Is Rarely static
It’s all one constantly moving, bubbling entity that doesn’t really stay the same and so because of this I like to tailor my updates to take advantage of each network’s funtionality. So with Google+, for example, let’s say I want to find out who remixed a specific tune that I heard. I only want to ask the people who are most likely to know which are, in this case, my DJ friends. I fire out an update to my DJ circle and it’s done without the need to clog up someone else’s network stream with a question they probably wouldn’t be able to answer.
It’s still early days for Google+ and over time we will be able to realise the finer qualities and major advantages but for now Google+ gets all of my serious updates. My Facebook group gets awesome mixes, my Like page stays up to date with stuff that I’ve either written, performed or produced, my personal Facebook account is for stuff that is less serious and Twitter is usually reserved for rants, hat-tips and smart-alec comments.
So What’s The Answer?
Of course, the solution to all of this is to put everything all under one social network roof. That’s the real honest answer here and we both know it. Once place for everything. But the trouble is, to market yourself as a DJ, limiting yourself to just one network is also placing a limit on your fanbase too and do you really want to limit the size fanbase you have when this is the most important factor when it comes to getting bookings?
What do you think? How many social networks are you signed up to? Do you post exactly the same content across all of them? Have you closed one network account down to move to another? How are you using Google+ to your advantage?
Jul092011
As a DJ, I buy a fair amount of mp3’s online. Most of my spare time is taken up with listening to promos or browsing through dance music online. There are several places that I go online that cater for my specialist Funky House niche and one of those places I go to is djdownload.com which I reviewed over a year ago along with 8 other sites.
Below is a list of reasons why I love DJD so much. Quite a few of the reasons are common to other online music stores but for me personally, DJD has all these things in one place.
You Don’t Lose You Place When You Log In
This is one of those small subtle changes that make a world of difference when visiting a site. When I used to visit DJD to browse music, I’d find a track on their site that I liked and wanted to buy but wasn’t logged in. I would go to log in but as soon as I clicked the “log in” button I was sent back to the home page and subsequently lost the page I was previously on. Now what happens is that you stay on the same page when you log in. Sounds like an obvious minor detail but not all online stores do this and if you allow your browser to remember your details you can log in in just 2 clicks.
Good Choice Of Options When Downloading Tracks
Once your purchase is complete you can choose to download all the tracks in one go or grab them one by one. If you even feel like downloading them at a later date you can do this too. For me, the one click download everything option is great as I can get all my purchases with the minimum of fuss and effort. The tracks are bundled and delivered in a ZIP file which means you get them on your computer that little bit faster too.
3 Prices For 3 Levels Of Audio Quality
DJD’s pricing is nice and simple and the options they give you for the music you want to download is straightforward too. With most tracks on their site you can grab a 192kb mp3 for around 99p suitable for playback on mp3 players, or you can grab a club-quality 320kb mp3 for around £1.30, or if you want that lossless sound then grab a WAV for a few pennies more. You don’t need any more options than that and the tiered pricing is sensible too.
Better Prices Than The Rest
For me, I have found that the prices on DJD are generally the cheapest around. I know that based on the music I buy, a typical basket of tracks bought on Beatport for example will be more expensive than the exact same basket on DJD. It’s possible to buy the entire top 10 tracks on the home page of DJD for a tenner which means you are spending just £1 a track. Bargain!
They Give You Free Music
For every 10 tracks I purchase, I receive a download “token” to use to get any track I like for free. I don’t know of any other store that does this and it’s a nice little touch to reward loyal customers. I like to keep hold of my token (I don’t think it expires) and use it on some of the promos/new releases that are priced a little higher than other tracks so I can get the full benefit from the free download token.
Great Memory
When browsing music, often I will not make a purchase that same day; perhaps I might like to come back a few days later, add more things to the basket and then get all my music in one go. DJD allows me to do this when I’m logged in by remembering what was in my shopping cart the last time I visited. I can then line up a number of tracks for purchase throughout the week and buy them all in one go at a later date. This is useful as it helps to avoid the small charge levied for transactions under £3, a charge that is common to many other online music stores and not just DJD.
One Of The Best Online Customer Services In The World
I have rarely found the need to get in touch with DJD, but as I have been a customer of theirs for several years it’s inevitable that I have been at some point. The customer service I have received from DJD on every occasion has always been absolutely spot on. Staff on the phones and in emails are the nicest, most polite people I have ever met working on customer helplines in pretty much any industry.
Methods Of Payment
I can pay by credit card, Paypal or online ‘wallet’ (if you like you can deposit an amount into a virtual wallet where it is kept until you decide to use it). DJD will store my card details to make checkout a fast and simple process - all that is required is my CVV number from the back of my card and checkout is complete. Simple and fast - two important things I look for when shopping online. A lot of, if not all other, stores do this, but I find DJD’s to be the slickest and hassle-free.
It’s not all roses and cupcakes however, there are a few areas I feel DJD could improve on:
There’s No Specific “Funky House” Genre
Both Juno and TrackItDown have a “Funky House” genre, sadly DJD does not. If it did, this would help me to specifically filter out the tracks I don’t want to listen to and would save me bags of time in the long run. However it has to be said that some of the little gems I’ve come across in the past have been when I’ve strayed unknowingly into a different sub-genre of House so maybe it’s a blessing in disguise. I’d still like it as an option though.
The Audio Player Is Slow And Clunky
DJD was one of the first stores to use the needle-drop technology of previewing a song in its entirety prior to purchase and being able to jump to whatever part of the track you wanted to listen to is a bonus. Nowadays this is quite a common thing to see on other sites and it has to be said that other sites do it much better than DJD, Beatport currently being my favourite in this respect. The trouble with DJD’s player is that it is very slow and clunky to use. For me, the tracks take a long time to load in to the player and do not always start straight away; an unwanted frustration when trying to fly through a load of different tracks.
They Don’t Know Me
Although DJD likes me enough to give me free music, they aren’t too hot on recommending new music to me. When I log in to my account there is a list of tracks that DJD think I will like based on my previous purchases. Unlike Amazon for example, I find that they miss the mark quite far with this feature. The tracks they put forward are rarely good matches for the style I like and often they will suggest music I have already purchased previously. If this was tightened up a bit I feel it would make discovering new music easier, faster and more enjoyable.
In Summary
I hope the guys at DJDownload appreciate all the nice things I have said about their online digital music store and will take on board some of the things I have mentioned that could be improved. All in all they are a great place to shop for music and are easily my favourite simply because they stock the music I like for the best price and give me a free download once in a while combined with great customer service.
All content in this article is correct to the best of my knowledge at time of publication.
Jun112011
So I’ve just received a spam tweet enticing me to click on a link. Just for shits and giggles I decide to see what pointelss crap people are trying to sell me and I click a link that takes me through to a website.
First impressions of the site tell me it is for music publicity and promotion. You chuck them a few dollars and in return they will promote and publicise you as an artist.
However after looking a little deeper I begin reading some of their “offers”. For $39 you can buy 500 plays of a mix or demo, or if you want 500 downloads you too can buy this for $69.
The idea is that when people check out your Soundcloud page, Mixcloud page, Reverbnation page (or whatever site hosts your mix demo) you appear to be a lot more popular than what you are as you now have over 500+ plays and over 500+ downloads of your mix.
WHAT. THE. F!?!?!?
Im angry. Im angry for two reasons. Firstly im angered that there is a market for where people want to actually buy this service and Im also angry that there are people out there who supply it.
I understand that there is a lot of pressure on upcoming DJs and artists to get noticed in the noisy crowd of this ever-changing fast-paced industry but when it comes to the point where you feel you must pay for a service like this you really have to question if you are in it for the right reasons. Surely you also need to question if you are actually any good at what you do if you have to fake your popularity.
The point is you don’t know how good you are because no one real is giving you feedback.
Im intrigued as to what kind of people pay for a service like this? Its not unlike the Japanese trend of renting friends. Services like this are preying on the vulnerable and the naive and selling to people who beleive that a large number of plays/downloads means you are really good.
This website I looked at even does a “Youtube Promotion Service” where you can buy 10,000 views for $199. Right, heres the thing… Youtube is a web site. Its owned by Google. Google is not stupid. Google is a multi-billion dollar company who has made their money through ranking the popularity of website content on the net. They arent stupid and they know their shit. If your video on Youtube suddenly gets 10,000 views overnight then Youtube is going to know something dodgy is going on. You could see your video being removed, your account could be shut down and I wouldn’t be suprised if you get banned for trying to cheat the system in this way. The website couldn’t care less if this happens and you could find yourself with no Youtube account at all on top of being $199 out of pocket.
Whatever happened to hard work, self-publicity and promotion? Have things really changed that much in this industry?
I shouldn’t really be singling out this one example from this one website - there are loads of services available from many different companies out there that all fall under the same shame bracket; buying Myspace friends, buying Twitter followers, buying Facebook ‘Likes’, buying Soundcloud plays, the list goes on. I see this kind of stuff on a daily basis and today has been the tipping point for me. It’s all so very, very wrong.
Not only are you cheating your way through your ‘career’ but you are falsifying your own popularity. For who? To make yourself feel good? To impress booking agents? Let me ask you whats going to happen when you do get your booking and no-one turns up? Are you going to find yet another service to buy people to attend your gigs? Get a grip.
In the long run you can’t beat a bit of good self promotion and publicity. On my own Facebook Like Page I’ve currently only got around 125 ‘Like’s. Sure I’d love to have more but I would never dream of buying them. Whats the point? Surely it’s the online equivelant of buying a load of life-size cardboard cutouts of people, sticking them all in your bedroom and pretending you are playing to a packed venue. Ego-stroking pointlessness.
I think its the uneducated, misinformed people that are being preyed upon by services like this. When part of a sales pitch is along the lines of “Pageviews and downloads are one of the first things promoters look at online” then how are artists supposed to think otherwise? I’m not having a go directly at people that use this kind of service because not everyone is aware of how or where to promote themselves online and I guess on the face of it, to those that are just starting out it must seem like a good deal. But if you truly want to publicise your self and get people liking you, you should really roll your sleeves up and put in a bit of hard work. If you truly have a passion for what you do then this will not be a problem at all and it will never feel like a chore.
Listed below are some of the places that I have signed up to in order to help publicise myself as a DJ:
You know what, at the end of the day I’m not the most popular DJ in the world. In fact on most of these sites I pale in comparison to a lot of the other users. But I’m happy with that because I know where I am and I can always work harder to increase my popuarity and exposure to the world. On my own personal site, immediately after my Biography I list a shed load of genuine testimonials from real people who actually love what I do. Here’s just one example:
“My first experience of your music is the May Mix 07. I used to be part of Innervision at Turnmills and have been a big clubber for 10-12 years and you have a sublime and unique talent. The 20 or so people that I have passed this mix on to have been blown away. Great tunes, perfect mixing and an emotional journey perfectly orchastrated.”
You can’t buy feedback like that for all the money in the world.
Jul292010
The DJ Mag Top 100 DJs list is now being compiled and voting is underway. As usual Im sure there will be contoversy over those DJs that make it and those that don’t. I’m sure there will be loads of unknown DJs and also entries in the chart that will make you go “WTF?”
So, in a shameless plug to try and get my laughable face on that wall of fame, I’d like to ask you to vote for me in the Top 100 list. You don’t have to have me as your first choice, but somewhere on the list I will love you forever if you could type into that small white box the words “Paul Velocity”.
Vote for me now
Jul202010
The BIG Defected Summer Sale has begun. Choose 3 summer albums and get one free! Choose from a selection of Ibiza albums from Defected, Strictly Rhythm, Subliminal, Bargrooves and Azuli. Clothing, wall art and DJ Gear is now reduced by 20%.
The summer sale ends 31st July. Discount will automatically apply at checkout.
Go to the Defected Sale
Jun172010
Always looking to expand my horizons and reach out to fresh new ears, my DJ sets can now be found on the wonderful Mugasha website. Mugasha makes it really easy to listen to Electronic Music podcasts and long sets from world famous DJs.
The ranks of DJs that Mugasha have on board currently are Tiesto, Markus Schulz, Andy Moor, Matt Darey, Menno de Jong, Roger Shah and I am honoured that my mixes are considered to be ranked among these great DJs.
I hope the Mugasha listeners like my sets! Check me out here for the intro:
http://aux.mugasha.com/new-show-funky-house-mix-by-paul-velocity
and here for the latest mix:
http://mugasha.com/funky-house-mix/june-2010
May112010
Worm Sign’s slogan is “Passionate about T-Shirts and inspired by music” and it really does sum up what they’re all about. Worm Sign began life in 2009 as a collection of T-Shirts designed for DJ’s and music fans, taking inspiration from the World of music. Their passion for T-Shirts extends from selling their own designs to showing off T-Shirts that they love from around the World on their Blog.
Worm Sign have given me a very special discount code that I can share with you. If you enter the word wormfriend into the voucher code box, you will get an instant 10% off your order.
Check it out: wormsigntshirts.co.uk
Older Posts »
Its not often I post stuff like this up on my site but I felt I just had to draw your attention to the amazing talent of the dj/producer 
