In just under a month I'm in the grand final of the telgraph student dj competitionat the ministry of sound, and Im stumped for ideas and im in dire need of inspiration!!!

I get to play for 15 minutes, and im gonna be playing trance. Now I cant really scratch, well i can a little, but i dont wanna have to rely on too many tricks. Can any of you guys throw some ideas at me, please

If i can find somewhere to host it, ill put up my set from the rgional final so you can have a listen to the kind of thing im gonna be doing (its only 9.5MB if anyones got any free space )

Thanks in advance guys

maybe you could fit in as many high energy tracks as possible in 15 minutes.. like as soon as its matched crossfade it. that would be an interesting 15 minutes plus it would prove your beatmatching skills. what do u think?

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Originally posted by eyeball_2003 maybe you could fit in as many high energy tracks as possible in 15 minutes.. like as soon as its matched crossfade it. that would be an interesting 15 minutes plus it would prove your beatmatching skills. what do u think?

This sounded like a ridiculous idea to me at first, but the more I think about it I figure why not? It's most likely your best bet, either that or drop a kind of minimalist trancy track and sample your brains out all over it for 15 minutes...

15 minutes isn't a lot of time for a trance dj, but I've got faith, you can do it!

Cheers,

RJT

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last minute disco dot net

well fuck me, most young jocks would give their right arm to get 15 mins on the ministry system. It is generally regarded as one of the best club systems in the world.

15 mins isnt long really- have to start with a bang. Something that immediately says- 'Look at me fcukers, and pick me'. High energy.

And make sure you look happy, interested and dance around as much as possible. Give them impression you want to fuck the technics because you are so passionate about your playing.

they know you can beatmatch already- they are looking for something different perhaps, energy enthusiasm and style. And also a good selection of tunes. Just mixing 3 5 min trance tracks one after another isnt going to impress them- no matter how smooth or long the mix is.

try and track down a series that was on itv2 (uk) last year- called 'the joy of decks'. Was a national competition, and they showed the final sets on tv. The winner dropped new order- blue monday in the middle of his set and beyonce- crazy in love, despite being a predominantly funky breaks kinda jock. think about it- two all time party anthems. gonna stick in your ( and the judges/crowds) heads. apply that kind of thinking, and you should be fine.

Having never entered a competition in my life, im not sure if thats accurate- but thats what i would do.

Or shag one of the judges

Last edited by Freak on Feb-22-2005 at 16:45

quote:

Originally posted by Freak well fuck me, most young jocks would give their right arm to get 15 mins on the ministry system. It is generally regarded as one of the best club systems in the world. 15 mins isnt long really- have to start with a bang. Something that immediately says- 'Look at me fcukers, and pick me'. High energy. And make sure you look happy, interested and dance around as much as possible. Give them impression you want to fuck the technics because you are so passionate about your playing. they know you can beatmatch already- they are looking for something different perhaps, energy enthusiasm and style. And also a good selection of tunes. Just mixing 3 5 min trance tracks one after another isnt going to impress them- no matter how smooth or long the mix is. Having never entered a competition in my life, im not sure if thats accurate- but thats what i would do. Or shag one of the judges

+1, +1, +1

Listen to Freak. Dancing as much as possible and shagging one of the judges sounds like the most fun way to go about winning...

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last minute disco dot net

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Originally posted by Freak Give them impression you want to fuck the technics

no techs, the comps sponsored by vestax and denon, which means we have to use the new pdx-2300s with that silly J-arm. In the regional heats one of the ******s skipped, but in an almost perfect 4 bar loop so instead ofsorting it i tried to keep it in time!!! Almost fucked up my entire set!!

Cheers for the ideas guys, keep em coming!! The one thing i forgot to mention is that the comp is being held at the ministys student night, which doesnt really have a dance room (save cheesy house) and i doubt anyone else is gonna be playing trance, all deebee and hip hop.

How many decks is there gonna be?, will they have CDJs?, an FX engine, if so try and incorporate this, if you don't have this type of gear then maybe a friend has one, but try dropping one track with a nice beat on one deck, another funky beat on the other deck, to beat juggle back and forth, then drop a vocal track on the 3rd deck and kill the bass, just have vocals going (would be better if it was an accapella) then drop a 2nd vocal track that doesn't quite have as many vocals but would work with the first one, drop it periodically over the mix and use the FX engine to change its sound so it has more of a background vocal sound to it, show the judges (if you can) that yu know how to use all the equipment and that would can really create something unique, if this all sounds confusing and alittle to much, can you imagen what the judges will think about what you can pull of on the decks, anyway this is what I would do, high energy tracks are good, but what if some other DJ plays some slightly better high energy tracks, you need to do something amazing that hopefully none of the other DJs have thought off.

Good luck man, let us know how it goes.

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Originally posted by rturn214 +1, +1, +1 shagging one of the judges sounds like the most fun way to go about winning...

male judges

Also congratulations djdk on getting to the final. I saw the heats for nottingham uni, and the standard wasnt bad at all.

congrats man

all the ideas posted so far sound great

good luck!

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|||CHRISTOPHER THOMAS|||

congrats on making it to the finals and i hope you have the best luck. Try to pick some tracks that nobody has heard before really but that are just amazing that way nobody else will be doing anything simliar to you.

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quote:

Originally posted by rturn214 +1, +1, +1 Listen to Freak. Dancing as much as possible and shagging one of the judges sounds like the most fun way to go about winning...

...or even about losing...

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check out my guest mix for OndaSonora Podcast (aug.2009)

come on guys 15 minutes of dancing and shagging isnt practical, go with my original idea....