I guess my point is - this question seems to be slanted towards the opinion that the best tracks are "bangers" or "slammin´" or "huge".


This leads to sets that have a couple big tracks that everyone is playing, and then subpar "filler" (see other recent discussion).

My point is that maybe all of your tracks should be favorites, no matter what the mood is, and when and where you place them in a set is determined by your own creative instinct and intuition.

This is essentially the foundation of deejaying. No one can really tell you where to place tracks, because then you will be missing out on the act of deejaying itself. There are computer programs that can follow suggested playlists.

I don´t play anything I don´t like. When I start to dislike my music after some time (this does happen), I buy different music.

I listen for good music for any occassion or place in a set. Often that is exactly what I am listening for when I preview tracks in a record store or on beatport - that is, I am listening and imagining the perfect vibe, the mood, the space, the crowd, etc whatever it evokes to me. The records speak and have a life of their own, as creations of creative people, and so you have to sort of catch on to that and re-present their creative ideas and that musical power in such a way that the power and mood inherent in that track constructs something new in the context of everything else you are doing.

I know I am writing about this maybe even academically, which I can now while I am sitting in this internet cafe typing, but this shouldn´t be a cerebral process really, and it just comes with talent, experience, time, etc. I mean you listen to other deejays, you go see the world, check out clubs, meet crowds, live different lives, and when you start to accumulate these experiences of musical moods and what not, it helps you to see your tracks in all of their potential.

quote:

Originally posted by DOOMBOT If you are referring to a live set then you can never answer this question with the same answer everytime. If 10 people are standing in a room that holds 500 then obviously you would want to wait to play your huge tracks until the room fills up. It really all depends. That is what the difference between a good dj and a not so good dj is, simply knowing what track to play and when.

I totally agree but tbh I think this is quite obvious, so (correct me if I'm wrong) I felt Oreoh was more after a general idea of "when do you generally end up playing the bigger tunes?"

You could answer just about every question on this forum with "do what you think's best", "let the music guide you", "it depends on the situation and knowing is what makes you a good DJ" sorta thing, but that doesn't help anyone unless it's particularly obvious that the person starting the thread thinks that there is just a formula and it's a case of being told what that is.

But, to actually be a bit more productive, I thought giving some ideas of when the bigger tracks tend to get played in my sets.

___________________
Stu Cox |

quote:

Originally posted by nefardec My point is that maybe all of your tracks should be favorites, no matter what the mood is, and when and where you place them in a set is determined by your own creative instinct and intuition. This is essentially the foundation of deejaying. No one can really tell you where to place tracks, because then you will be missing out on the act of deejaying itself. There are computer programs that can follow suggested playlists.

Completely agreed. A good DJ will define what the 'anthem' in the set is by setting up the mood for that track to be the climax of the set. If I'm playing a Deep House set that is full of moody instrumentals and dubs, then I'm setting up a Blaze vocal, for example, as the track that I want to stand out. Similarly, if I'm playing a set later in the night and I'm creating a real dark Tribal-ish mood, then something light and funky will stand out.

The point is that you can make almost any track you have the focus of the set by playing around it. Set the crowd up to be surprised when you play that one song and change gears.

The best tracks in your set are 'bangin' or 'slammin' or 'huge' when YOU, the DJ, put them in that position to be 'bangin', etc.

___________________
Overload (House/J-Pop/K-Pop): Click
No Pants Dance (Funky House/Electro House/K-Pop): Click
Dark Beach (Deep House): Click

quote:

Originally posted by Stu Cox I totally agree but tbh I think this is quite obvious, so (correct me if I'm wrong) I felt Oreoh was more after a general idea of "when do you generally end up playing the bigger tunes?" You could answer just about every question on this forum with "do what you think's best", "let the music guide you", "it depends on the situation and knowing is what makes you a good DJ" sorta thing, but that doesn't help anyone unless it's particularly obvious that the person starting the thread thinks that there is just a formula and it's a case of being told what that is. But, to actually be a bit more productive, I thought giving some ideas of when the bigger tracks tend to get played in my sets.

The way I see it, you should look at your tracks as tools in your set. If you are good enough, you should be able to pick out a perfect track for each specific moment in the night. For example, I got into a little debate with some people about Gaiser - Withdrawal. To me, it is a very huge track. To everyone else I was speaking with, it wasn't. They were saying there was no way they would play this track at a "peak hour" and would only open a room with it. I disagreed. I think if the time was right at "peak hour", this track could do wonders in the room. But that doesn't mean I would play this track at the same point in every set I play or even close to the same point.

I think for someone who is beginning to dj, then yes you are right, it's best to go by the method of waiting until later in the night or set to play your "banger" tracks.

quote:

Originally posted by Dojomaster26 Completely agreed. A good DJ will define what the 'anthem' in the set is by setting up the mood for that track to be the climax of the set. If I'm playing a Deep House set that is full of moody instrumentals and dubs, then I'm setting up a Blaze vocal, for example, as the track that I want to stand out. Similarly, if I'm playing a set later in the night and I'm creating a real dark Tribal-ish mood, then something light and funky will stand out. The point is that you can make almost any track you have the focus of the set by playing around it. Set the crowd up to be surprised when you play that one song and change gears. The best tracks in your set are 'bangin' or 'slammin' or 'huge' when YOU, the DJ, put them in that position to be 'bangin', etc.

Exactly!