When performing live, do you spin what you practice at home . . .as in, do you play two tracks that youve already practiced the transition? Or are you brave enough to mix two tracks that youve never practiced before?

Does anyone know if the big named DJs spin "on the fly" dropping whatever they feel or if they go into a set somewhat already knowing what they are spinning.

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When you start to criticize the times you live in, your time is over. ~Karl Lagerfeld

im pretty sure they do, i think most people just go in with a rough idea of the first few tracks and take it from there... i mean i guess one of the reasons they are the 'top djs' is they can improvise on the spot and i suppose if you know your tracks well enough....

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umm..it depends..if its a residency i usually know the tracks i want to play..but i dont know the order..and i might not play them
if its a one off..like a party"rave" i just bring my records..and about 10 minutes before i go on..i think what im gonna play

I just put on a record that i think would be good to start off with and head from there. Playing planned sets is pretty boring. Sometimes I play 2 tracks that I know go really well with each other but that's about it.

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I usually have the first two records downpat, because if you've practised your first mix to death then you're unlikely to stuff up which boosts your confidence immensely for the rest of the night. Other than that, I just watch the crowd and see what they like. For ages I didn't watch the crowd, I looked at the decks. Now I've learnt to do everything by touch so that I can read the crowd better.

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"To that guy, who asked me to sign this piece of paper saying that I’m number one… thumbs up to you man!!!" - Ferry Corsten

I usually think of the first track I'll play and the second. The rest I just wing it. At home I practice more technical stuff.

I dont' think it matters. I mean, if it's a 4 hour set you can't plan that, just plan the progression.

Now if it's a 1-1.5 hour set, do you not think most big name DJ's have an idea of all 15 tracks they iwll play? Hell half of them are for promotion and or becasue they are paid to play those tracks. So no, I doubt most big namers wing it.

Ill have a rough idea of the kind of set that i want to play, if im playing one track and i know another track that mixes really well into it then ill have it planned ahead of time

other than that i just like to go and throw out tunes see how the crowd reacts then work from there

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Keepin' It Gangsta

quote:

Originally posted by DJ-Kuza I dont' think it matters. I mean, if it's a 4 hour set you can't plan that, just plan the progression. Now if it's a 1-1.5 hour set, do you not think most big name DJ's have an idea of all 15 tracks they iwll play? Hell half of them are for promotion and or becasue they are paid to play those tracks. So no, I doubt most big namers wing it.

This is more likely . . . not only do these guys have their sets planned out, but they'll typically play very similar if not identical sets at different stops on their tour . . . especially in the US. It can be hard to get "practice time" while on the road, so you kind of have to go with what you already know.

quote:

Originally posted by DJ Fin This is more likely . . . not only do these guys have their sets planned out, but they'll typically play very similar if not identical sets at different stops on their tour . . . especially in the US. It can be hard to get "practice time" while on the road, so you kind of have to go with what you already know.

Thats true, and I heard Oakenfold played the same set twice within the same weekend. I guess to most ppl that calls for flaming but it wouldnt matter unless you went to see him both times. . . .then Id be pissed.

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When you start to criticize the times you live in, your time is over. ~Karl Lagerfeld

I think a DJ who plays the same set twice is obviouslly lacking skill. I have played tunes that I only know what genre they are and a rough idea of how they sound when playing out. That is truly doing it on the fly, not having heard some of the tunes before mixing them (sort of feels like overtaking a car on a blind corner!).

But of course there are some tunes which can catch you out if you are not careful. Its a case of knowing these tunes, and indedd even going as far as to have a few tunes that "go well" with these tracks. But these are rare. Go with the crowd, create a flow from their reactions!

i usually take 2 or 3 records and get to know them good to start off my set

then i just go with the flow
i know what direction i want to go towards and what tracks i might want to finish off with, it's just a matter of piecing together the middle

sometimes i'll drop in a 2 tracks together that i know i can mix and i know they sound great together, but i don't know exactly my set is going to be

just know your records and watch the crowd

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