hey burns you should have pssted this in the dj section. but i think it's best to not have your sets planned. you never know what the crowd that you're playing to is gonna like. if you have let's say an uplifting set planned and the crowd is more into prog then you're gonna have a bad show. but if you are able to just play freely without a planned set then you have a lot of room for improvisation. i would try to find out what kind of music the peeps are more inclined to hear and bring those records but also bring different styles and records you know that will help you transition between genres of music. know what i mean. besides even if the peeps want to hear prog maybe they'll get all crazy to a bit of uplifting for a moment before you settle them back in to their groove. don't plan just spin and gauge the crowd and you'll be alright. cheers!

lost

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"This book is dedicated, with love, to Bobby who found the only pound of pure - Faith in a Loving God." Hubert Selby, Jr. dedication to the latest edition of Requiem for a Dream

That is true...
However a set that is planed ahead will most of the time be better, cause it's planned ahead...
and the songs will merge \ sound better together cause you tested it...
so that if you have a pre planned set and an audience to go with it, it's going to b a hell of a party!!!

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yeah when i record my sets i usually plan them almost the whole thing... because of transitions... also because my record collection totally disorganized, so it helps to know at least im gonna be playing "these tracks" and then concentrate on mixing.

when playing out.... less structure (for me) i just throw down whatever feels right and what's near the front of the box haha

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what trainspotters are.

Patticus, you're from vancouver, right ?
Under what name do you spin ?

uh.. patticus.. i guess.. im a bedroom dj.. hehe
or maybe my name
patrick lok

its not really a factor yet

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what trainspotters are.

if you're playing out, don't plan the WHOLE set.. otherwise it'll just suck... plan the first few tracks, then go with what feels right

if you're doing a recording, then i usually plan out what track i'll play and test out some transitions

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Hey Dudes, Some Nice Information There. Does Any-Body Know Of The Big Name DJs Pre-Planning Sets As I Have Heard Judge Jules Do This More Than Once (About 1000 times,he played a sets on radio 1, 9pm-11pm, then the same set at the club after.) I Would Be Intersted In Knowing If DJ Tiesto Does This.....Thanks For Feedback....+-Bonzai-+

i agree that pre-planned sets are better for mixing cds or tapes, but when playing in front of a live audience i feel that it is best to go with the crowd. i would imagine that you've practiced enough where you just have certain tracks that you found just flow together nicely so it's not as if you've never mixed these two tracks before. and just in case you should practice mixing brand new tracks. for example i have my friends come over and pick out a bunch of records and those are the recs i have to make a set with and i try to make it flow together while they sit and listen and give me feedback. sometimes they are recs that i haven't put together before but i think it helps build my skill as a dj. and don't know if big name dj's pre-plan sets or not but tiesto uses a lot of same tracks over and over so it's possible. also pvd has been spinning a lot of the same tracks currently so he might have his favorite mixes so to speak. cheers!

lost

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"This book is dedicated, with love, to Bobby who found the only pound of pure - Faith in a Loving God." Hubert Selby, Jr. dedication to the latest edition of Requiem for a Dream

I generally have a rough idea what I'm gonna play in my mind, harly ever write it down, spur of the moment mixes sound a lot nicer and a lot more natural and full of feel.

I think it completely depends on the situation. I am pretty good friends with a DJ from around where I live and he used to always spin at this club a lot. When he was spinning at the club the records he spun he chose right there and then, whatever he thought felt right bu judging the crowd. BUT! when he spins at raves and only has a two hour time slot he pre plans his set. Maybe for some of you in bigger cities there are always good DJ's playing great tracks around, but this guy is one of the few around here that is bound to play great tracks... in fact normally he doesn't let anyone know anything he is playing before hand and he plays all new stuff that is just banging! and these sets are far better then anything he has every played at a club. So I think it really depends on the situation.

Do you think you are taking it a bit too serious, Pre-planning setz ? I have not really spun in a large club but i dont think it would be good too pre-plann. comments ?