We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Fredy Salguero. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Fredy below.

Fredy, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

In 2019, I bought my first DJ controller, a small DDJ 400 by Pioneer DJ. I found it on offer up for a decent price, so I pulled the trigger. From my first big rave back in EDC LA 2010, I was always fascinated by the sonic control the DJ’s had. I fell in love with the music and the journey DJ’s took us on. So after 9 years of participating, I decided to learn that craft. I attempted to teach myself without any guidance just by playing around with Rekordbox and the controller, however, I figured it wasn’t the best way for me to improve. YouTube University, was the biggest support I found. Specifically, an account called, Club Ready DJ, that was run by instructor Andrew from Australia. I invested in his online course program after viewing hours of his free videos and that really propelled me to learn different mixing skills and the fundamentals of being a DJ.

With a combination of watching the videos and hours of practice I continued to improve. Once the pandemic hit, I had even more time to hone in on my skills and I would start live streaming my own DJ radio show called the Shredy Hour every week. By the end of the 2020 my skills had improved drastically and I felt ready to invest in a bigger, more club-like, controller. That is when I invested in a DDJ 1000, this was the best investment for me because it was similar to what is used in a club and I could also use this controller to play gigs.

Fast forward to 2022, I was laid-off from my corporate job and after months of not finding a job, I decided to double down on my DJ skills. I took a job working for a wedding DJ company. After about two months of training I was finally ready to be on my own. I constantly did multiple weddings a week, made mistakes but learned even more. I learned how to find my mic voice, read the dance floor, and how to mix different genres. I loved doing it and after a year working with them, I moved on to find more opportunities and familiarize myself with the business of DJ’ing and event curation. This is something I am still improving on at this time of this interview, but it has been a great journey. I invested myself in a 12-week business course to network and learn in more depth how to run a business. This has been a few years in the making but it all started because I took faith into my own hands and followed my intuition. My next step in my learning journey is learning how to produce music to release my own tracks.

The only thing I would have changed is learning how to do what I do a lot sooner in my life. But I am a believer that everyone has their own timing.

The most essential skills for me were the ability to mix cleanly, reading the crowd, and being adaptable to any situation that may occur. These skills have helped me offer an incredible experience to my clients and to the parties that I host or am a part of.

Obstacles that stood in my way of learning were my self-confidence in the early days. I would take big breaks in between because I felt like I wasn’t truly getting it. On top of that, imposter syndrome would randomly strike (and still does at times). However, I’ve learned to feel the waves of that and convince myself that those feeling are not for me.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Fredy but I go by the DJ moniker – Shredy. I am based in Los Angeles (born and raised), with a focus on the elements of house, disco, techno and more. I also provide DJ services for Weddings, Corporate events, and private events. My goal is to provide my clients with a memorable event with a professional service.

“Music is the tool to express life – and all that makes a difference” – Herbie Hancock. This quote speaks truth to how music plays a vital role in creating the most memorable moments of our lives. Whether it’s a wedding, a birthday, or a first date, music has the ability to transform these experiences into lasting memories.I strive to help you celebrate life’s special moments through unforgettable, professional mobile DJ services. From the initial consultation to the final song, I’ll work with you to curate your dream into a reality.

My target customer is anyone seeking a unique sounding event experience. Oftentimes we hear the same complaints of DJ’s: who sound like a playlist, are on the mic every two seconds, or they don’t connect with their clients. with years of experience and an ear and ability to seamlessly blend your favorite music, w/ an extra focus on house music, have professional mic presence and ensure that both parties are on the same page: from music selection to timelines. The aim is to provide quality.

In my early stages I am providing the basic needs of any event: the DJ equipment, Mic, 2 professional speakers, and dance lights. At this time any extra equipment that may be needed is rented from a reliable source to ensure a successful event. Two critical pieces that set me a part is the ability to perform events both in English and in Spanish. Secondly, the personalized consultation will be thorough to ensure the DJ has all they need.

By 2027, I aim to expand inventory to better serve client/event needs. This includes a photo booth rental service, additional lighting, and a variety of sound system options. In addition to other DJ’s for a variety of DJ/MC styles available for clients and events. By 2030, the goal is to secure a warehouse or studio space to hold equipment and to provide a safe space for aspiring DJs/creatives to practice their skills.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My mission is to set my future self and family up for success by doing what I love to do; creating experiences and taking people on a musical journey. One of my biggest goals is to eventually travel around the world to DJ with other artists at different venues and festivals.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

The most helpful resource for me was being apart of the Community Business Academy provided by LIFT-LA. LIFT-LA is a national non-profit who’s mission is to break the cycle of poverty. A quick little story is that I used to be a Program Manager here. It truly was a great experience to work with such passionate people and help my community of Los Angeles. The full circle moment for me was when they asked me to DJ their yearly homecoming event in which they informed me of the Community Business Academy. It is a 12-week program designed to help you network with other entrepreneurs and learn how to build your business idea. I have benefited greatly from this program and it has set me up for more success! It is free all you need to do is apply and if you are a good fit and there is space you can have a chance to invest in yourself.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shredy__dj/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fsalguero2/
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/shredy02

Image Credits

Steven G.