Ephem
Hello,
Haven't posted here in ages... I kind of gave up DJing, but here I am again, willing to give it another try.
My problem is this : I have everything configured, to pre-listen tracks, got a decent skin that gives me more control and all sorts of other goodies, but I don't really know where to start. I understand music, beats, and I know when a DJ messes up and isn't Beat Syncing probably and I know what sounds right and what doesn't, but I just don't know where to start.. What songs are good to start mixing? What albums should I buy/download that give me nice tunes for mixing? I have 30Gb of Music, from Abba to Daft Punk, but I don't know what to mix with what. I'm guessing the music I have is just normal music and that I need tracks to mix them with, I just don't know where to start to find those tracks.
Any hints?
Cheers,
Mark
Haven't posted here in ages... I kind of gave up DJing, but here I am again, willing to give it another try.
My problem is this : I have everything configured, to pre-listen tracks, got a decent skin that gives me more control and all sorts of other goodies, but I don't really know where to start. I understand music, beats, and I know when a DJ messes up and isn't Beat Syncing probably and I know what sounds right and what doesn't, but I just don't know where to start.. What songs are good to start mixing? What albums should I buy/download that give me nice tunes for mixing? I have 30Gb of Music, from Abba to Daft Punk, but I don't know what to mix with what. I'm guessing the music I have is just normal music and that I need tracks to mix them with, I just don't know where to start to find those tracks.
Any hints?
Cheers,
Mark
Mensajes Sat 28 Mar 09 @ 6:28 am
sirkitbreaker
ok i think you are talking more mash-ups than mixing.....cause mixing is the playing one song smoothly to the next. Are you more interested in play one song on top of the other?
Mensajes Sat 28 Mar 09 @ 3:11 pm
Ephem
Well, anything really, I want to be able to make some nice music for parties and stuff, as well as playing one song to the next.
Mensajes Sun 29 Mar 09 @ 5:09 am
frankcc26
Ephem,
I think you need to go step by step. First of all, you need to know what kind of party are djing. A wedding music might be totally different that the music you were to play for a sweet 16th. A club music might differ by towns, culture, which day of the week, and weather you are starting the party or ending the party.
LAst week example I DJ a Engagement party. They requested no hip hip.
My approach is like writing a paper in college.
a) Introduction/ when people are arriving to the party, so here dont play your best music
b) Body pharagraph/ Middle of the party where people are already drunk and in a dancind mode might show off your best music here
c) Conclusion/ here people are on a going home mode so it is up to you to let them go or keep them in.
Music is so weird and what worked for one party might not work for the other and you need to be able to change with people's moods. I dont personally like to play peoples request but if the party is kind of slow and people are not feeling my music sometimes it helps me find the music that the people are looking for. I think you need to learn that what you might be playing at the time not everyone might like but you need to follow up your heart and bring a set of 4 songs per Genre that is what I do. I was Djing a Sweet 16hs and all the wanted was HIP HOP, I still play some techno/ house/ and club and they enjoyed it. I played more hip hop because that was what people where reacting to more.
I think you need to go step by step. First of all, you need to know what kind of party are djing. A wedding music might be totally different that the music you were to play for a sweet 16th. A club music might differ by towns, culture, which day of the week, and weather you are starting the party or ending the party.
LAst week example I DJ a Engagement party. They requested no hip hip.
My approach is like writing a paper in college.
a) Introduction/ when people are arriving to the party, so here dont play your best music
b) Body pharagraph/ Middle of the party where people are already drunk and in a dancind mode might show off your best music here
c) Conclusion/ here people are on a going home mode so it is up to you to let them go or keep them in.
Music is so weird and what worked for one party might not work for the other and you need to be able to change with people's moods. I dont personally like to play peoples request but if the party is kind of slow and people are not feeling my music sometimes it helps me find the music that the people are looking for. I think you need to learn that what you might be playing at the time not everyone might like but you need to follow up your heart and bring a set of 4 songs per Genre that is what I do. I was Djing a Sweet 16hs and all the wanted was HIP HOP, I still play some techno/ house/ and club and they enjoyed it. I played more hip hop because that was what people where reacting to more.
Mensajes Mon 30 Mar 09 @ 3:33 pm
frankcc26
Also,
I have about 50k songs on a external hardrive. But What I did was I opened up VIP folders, I went over my entire library and I kind of took the ones that are more common and famous out there and splitted them into differnt categories of again vip folders. for example, Best HIP HoP/ RNB/ HOUSE/ TECHNO and so on. So if I was DING and I play that library I knew people where going to react to it and I did not have to go over my 50k song library to find something that they migh like. Also you need to keep yourself downloading the new music because sometimes people want to hear what is on currently playing on the radio. For examples, I will guarantee that if you have a whole bunch of girls toguether and you play the song all my single ladies from Beyonce they will all stand up and dance. If you are playing hip hip you might need to play LIL WAYNE and so on. I am always listening to z100 and different radio stations and if I like a song out there I am sure that someone else migh like it. So Again, you need to have new and old music. You need to start with oldies and then get into what is up to date and so on.
I have about 50k songs on a external hardrive. But What I did was I opened up VIP folders, I went over my entire library and I kind of took the ones that are more common and famous out there and splitted them into differnt categories of again vip folders. for example, Best HIP HoP/ RNB/ HOUSE/ TECHNO and so on. So if I was DING and I play that library I knew people where going to react to it and I did not have to go over my 50k song library to find something that they migh like. Also you need to keep yourself downloading the new music because sometimes people want to hear what is on currently playing on the radio. For examples, I will guarantee that if you have a whole bunch of girls toguether and you play the song all my single ladies from Beyonce they will all stand up and dance. If you are playing hip hip you might need to play LIL WAYNE and so on. I am always listening to z100 and different radio stations and if I like a song out there I am sure that someone else migh like it. So Again, you need to have new and old music. You need to start with oldies and then get into what is up to date and so on.
Mensajes Mon 30 Mar 09 @ 4:32 pm
Ephem
Thanks for your answer Frank, but the thing is, almost all my music is more basic music, I don't have much Club/Techno, and I don't really know what to buy/download that could be good to start mixing... Any hints/guidelines on that?
Mensajes Tue 31 Mar 09 @ 12:44 pm
studio70554
Frankcc26 Your last posted was on point I am doing the same process myself. I been getting my music ready for 5mts now and it seems like every Tuesday I fall behind again. LOL. My advice would be to just go out there and give it a shot don't charge to much because your not on point yet. Get as many gigs as possible to get the feel of it. Your ethier in or your out there are no in between. My first gig im doing is for my best friend birthday party. I am charging him nothing because if I don't do so well there will be no love lost. I have been getting ready for a while now so material wise its hard to fail just GET OUT THERE AND DO THE DAMN THING! The crowd feeds off of your energy so if you look comfortable in what your doing and have a smooth DJ swag the crowd will trust your judgement. GOOD LUCK>>>>
Mensajes Sat 11 Apr 09 @ 7:38 pm
rayandersonjr
Ephem
first things first...what tupe of dj do you want to be?
if you want to be a mash-up type of dj, go out and LISTEN to the mash up dudes in your area, kind of get a feel for what they do, then go home a practice.
also, hate to sound like a jerk, but for real, either you have IT or you dont. If you dont have a good feel for music, this might not be your thing. What i used to do....i would make cds for people...compilation cds. it would take me forever to do that, because I've always tried to make sure the pace, or the feel or "vibe" was right. Like this song sounds perfect after that one, yadda yadda yadda
if you dont have a feel for "sequencing", you might wanna rethink it
first things first...what tupe of dj do you want to be?
if you want to be a mash-up type of dj, go out and LISTEN to the mash up dudes in your area, kind of get a feel for what they do, then go home a practice.
also, hate to sound like a jerk, but for real, either you have IT or you dont. If you dont have a good feel for music, this might not be your thing. What i used to do....i would make cds for people...compilation cds. it would take me forever to do that, because I've always tried to make sure the pace, or the feel or "vibe" was right. Like this song sounds perfect after that one, yadda yadda yadda
if you dont have a feel for "sequencing", you might wanna rethink it
Mensajes Mon 13 Apr 09 @ 8:57 am