With the iphone now having over 100,000 apps and Blackberry and the new Droid phone starting to catch up, more and more people are jumping in the game. Not just companies with apps for business, games, and social networking, but also DJs and record labels. Is this the wave of the future?
What do apps do?
Well it may not be “the” wave of the future but the future is definitely here. This is “what’s next.” Our mobile phones are now fully capable of becoming our personal computers. You not only go online with them, read e-mail, and download/edit attachments, but with apps you can shop, get directions and navigation, do banking, look up data, make a reservation, and you can even scan UPC codes to do a price check. There are a few apps out there for DJs that allow you to beat mix your ipod songs, scratch on a record, or produce a track. There are also games similar to DJ Hero and an app that acts as a controller for Serato and Traktor.
Apps for DJs
However, some DJs have created their own app to get their fan base connected to them even further. International DJ Jojo Flores has already joined in on the fun. With his new iphone app, which can be downloaded for $0.99, you can find out where he is spinning, listen to his mixes and production, watch videos, leave him comments, sign up for his mailing list, and see his latest pictures. Paul Van Dyke also has an app that does something else. It’s an app made for DJs with a beat counter and frequency analyzer. The record labels and music distributors are also chiming in such as Defected Records and Traxsource. When I searched one site for “DJ” apps it gave 385 listings.
How do I get an app?
There are a couple of ways to go about creating your own app. You can build it yourself or hire a developer to build if for you. On Apple’s website, you can download there iphone developers kit which allows you to develop, test, and distribute your app. It’s $99 to sign up and download it (http://developer.apple.com/iphone/program/). However, you must have an Intel-based Mac running Mac OS X Leopard.
If programming is not for you developers will be glad to do it for you. Mobile Roadie (http://www.mobileroadie.com/) specializes in working with musicians. It’ll run you about $500 plus a monthly fee but it’s a web application that you can manage yourself. Another company, Noepodcast (http://neopodcasts.com/) will set up an app for you that specifically supports podcasts. Finally, a social networking company called “ilike” (http://www.ilike.com/) allows you to create an app and manage your other social networking pages through its interface for $195.
An app is definitely a cool thing to have but it isn’t necessarily right for everyone. Keep in mind that you MUST have CONTENT to make this a worth while project. Without content that has some kind of value to those who download it, the app is useless.
David Sabat
DJ Marketing 101 
In working with many artists I have come to realize how many are still in the “dark ages” when it comes to the importance of using personal apps, web sites and networking sites to really push their product, THEMSELVES.
I read and article lately that with all the access we now have in the palm of our hands the public is quickly becoming more powerful than publishers and marketers, since we can stand at a club, love or hate something and it’s all over the internet in seconds.
Serious thought needs to be put into using these resources to get yourself out there and big!
I think it’s a great opportunity to push yourself forward. However, like every other technology, the success lies in how well one is able to utilize the tool.
Thank you David for the info.
David,
I’m digging the articles, nice work. Thank you for taking the time to share info.
I also have an iphone app and am still trying to figure out how to use it most effectively, beyond being closer to my fans. One idea I came up with, is using the app as a “membership card”, in other words, if you have the casamena iphone app on your phone, you will get discounted admission to my parties and parties that I co-sponsor across the country.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/casamena-official-iphone-app/id333201904?mt=8
Cheers,
Carlos Mena (Ocha Records/Bembe/Yoruba Dance Sessions)
Hey Carlos,
Yes I’ve seen your app. I’m making one the same way you did. But like you said, I want to use it effectively and don’t just want to put it out there until I’ve worked that out.
Thanks for reading!
David