DJing for the first time...

sing_minimal

Well-known member
i didn't read other comments so maybe this was said before.. it's very unlikly people will like the same music you like. your idea of dance music is almost surely different to that of the crowd. so pretty much the key is to find out what they like and once you get them to dance you can then slowl try out stuff you like and see the reaction.. you may be disappointed though, as you'll get the best response to those most well known songs..ones they all listen to all the time. they will be coming up to you with their ipods, browsing for songs and asking you to play this and that.. at least this is my experience in clubs where students hang out. ofcourse there are also places much more open for new cool music they may not know yet.. and it's always a nice feeling when you play a nice, obscure, or even difficult to the ear song and someone will come up to you and ask what this songs was. but generally djing can be lots of fun
 

woops

is not like other people
my guide to djing

take your own tape deck and some murky cassettes in case nothing works. at any rate it should be only tunes you want to hear regardless of whether they're party favourites or dance music. a radio is also very useful and fun.

headphones are for ipods.

get a mic, talk to the crowd. turn down the music to zero, say whatever, straight back up. establish a few catchphrases. delay effect if you have one. even better if your mate can do this, he's your mc.

throw records left and right once they've finished playing for effect, they're only records, they can take it.

fuck with the eq and pitch controls as the moment takes you. filters and looping on the mixer are great but not available on every mixer. stop records with the stop button and let them wind down before dropping the next one, etc.

if you have to play requests off ipods have some minimal, beat and tempo free experimental electronics or improv playing over it.

i haven't djed in a while.
 

zhao

there are no accidents
sing_minimal has good points for sure.

but sometimes it is crucial to NOT be swayed by fickle dancers, and stay your course.

trust yourself: your conviction and love of music and your confidence WILL win in the end.

often just 5 minutes later the floor fills up and stays full until 6 AM. so don't be afraid or feel insecure during that first 5 minutes of tumble weeds rolling across the party -- no matter what you do it will be empty in the beginning. people are just arriving and feeling out the space.

but of course there are exceptions to this... if you've brought great detroit techno, and the entire crowd wants hiphop, you may have to change tactics. (but if they all want indie rock you should shut down, tell them all to FUCK OFF, and leave)

i think the trick is to know when to stay the course and when to improvise/go with the flow, and only experience over the years can teach you that.
 

Mr. Tea

Let's Talk About Ceps
get a mic, talk to the crowd. turn down the music to zero, say whatever, straight back up. establish a few catchphrases.

This works especially well if you're working some guy's 40th birthday in a provincial social club. Bonus points if the birthday boy is called Ted or Barry.
 

mistersloane

heavy heavy monster sound
If you play 'Jolene' by Dolly Parton, people will scream, girls will cry and everyone will sing along and dance. Guaranteed every time, even at industrial noise nights.
 

Dwight Yorke

GOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!
Cheers for the advice.

Got my set pretty much sorted. some how going from Sally Shapiro to Tempa T via Animal Collective and Sweet Female Attitude.

I'll let you know how well/badly it goes tomorrow.
 

baboon2004

Darned cockwombles.
Cheers for the advice.

Got my set pretty much sorted. some how going from Sally Shapiro to Tempa T via Animal Collective and Sweet Female Attitude.

I'll let you know how well/badly it goes tomorrow.

that sounds like a top selection! I'd be more than well happy with that.
 

Dwight Yorke

GOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!
just thought

i'd swing by and let you know that it went really well, ended up playing for two and a half hours rather than one...this DJing lark is really fun isn't it?
 

Sick Boy

All about pride and egos
Know your audience, but dont pander to them

If you want to walk away from this thread with one thing, it's this. It's really the only thing you need to know.

Although "don't get fucked before you go on" is pretty essential as well. You'd think I learned this the hard way, but really I just went the hard way and didn't learn.
 
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