I hate to say it, but sometimes you have to play that cheesy trancy crap to get the people going. Sometimes they don't really know what good music is so you have to throw in that *please forgive me for saying this* alice deejay and sandstorm. SORRY. Maybe not so drastic of songs like that but sometimes it works. Then when the crowd gets into it, no matter what you play, if it has a beat and its loud, they'll dance to it.

Seriously though, don't take requests. They'll just kill the fuck out of the mood. They'll start requesting hip hop and cheesier trance and it gets you in a terrible mood.

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Do you know what I like?

...trance

I know but they kept asking for them... and all the girls wanted that stupid fuckin' song...
like I had to do it cause they were asking it about 10 times in less then 10 minutes...
lol me I didn't get a fuck.. I played it.. it was a sweet 16..

I've done some gigs in teh past and that one well... it was the cheapest... lol

So DanB
how was your night at Sona ? you did good ?
what did you play ?

well.. i didn't read too much of this post but basically.. it depends on the situation, if you're the first dj, whether the dj before sucked, the crowd itself, your appeal.. etc.. i saw u said ur first.. now this can be a good thing because it will allow you to read the crowd a little bit w/o them really comparing you to any dj's that would be spinning before you. since u already know they are a commercial crowd, u can drop commercial tunes and know that you are probably pleasing them, .. my biggest tip would be to have ur mixing down, don't mix bad because YOU will get nervous.. from my experience, the general audience isn't too critical on fuckups (unless they are major trainwrecks) and even then, you can disguise them.. anyhow, if u do trainwreck, try to remain calm, audience can sense if you are doubting your abilities and when u start to flip out because you think you suck, this will reflect in your mixing. if ur trainwrecking and you can't fix it, just pull out of the mix and slap it over to the new track because there's no sense in dragging your feet any longer than necessary. and as people have already told you, or will tell you, just relax and have fun, afterall we do this because we love it right? if its not fun, then y bother? so just keep relaxed, try to avoid trainwrecks, and if they do happen, move on because chances are the crowd will forget about it (if they even noticed) within a couple mins. the only people that will talk shit to you are other dj's who are there to criticize you instead of give you tips, and those types of dj's are dicks and u should take there best record and crack it (or steal it if its a good tune).. anyhow, good luck, and if the crowd doesn't dance, just act like it doesn't bother you, the more fun you look like ur having will motivate the audience to get up and have fun instead of standing around w/ drinks in their hands..

I was playing mostly trance. I don't think i did extremly good because it was a little bit hard to mix trance with the mixer they have. Did you see it? Vestax Knobber. This was THE worst thing i ever toched. Basically, everything in the mixer is fine except the headphones volume. It just wasnt loud enouth compare to the sound they have there. So it was a little bit hard to do some good tricks in mixing. But i didn't worry about it at all, even if i was the first one to play, i just did what i have to do. The music was loud and good, croud was happy. But from the start, i knew that i will not be able to go far with that Vestax. I wish they had a pioneer.. But no worries. I'll be playig at Medley this month (30th) and they have a "human" equipment there so if you are intreasted, come check it out. I will start warming up the croud with some crap then i'll kick some trance in my set. For more info email me at [email protected]

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www.ample-productions.com

Depends on what crowd youre playing for. Most likely, your crowd wont be trancEaddicts so youre gonna have to resort to some serious ass shaking tunes. If you dont want to play something something too commmercial, Ill say that Tech/House tunes never fail. I recommend the song Dylan Rhymes - Thunderdub and if all else fails, drop songs with a latin beat. That never fails.

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

I would have just told them I don't do requests. What were they gonna do? go cry and not dance while all their friends were?

Once I start spinning(once amit helps me out haha =P) I don't think i'll take requests at all. They'll hire me to do what I do, and that will be to just spin what I want to spin. Of course you gotta feed the audience with a little commercial shit, but for the true clubbers you get to give them all the underground stuff you want =D

quote:

Originally posted by Srezic I would have just told them I don't do requests. What were they gonna do? go cry and not dance while all their friends were?

I always thought a succesful DJ always cares about what the dancers want. Obviously, you cant cater to everyone's requests, but a DJ that does not take take requests might as well DJ for himself in his bedroom.
Not tryin to start anything, just my 2cents.

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

Of course you care about the dancers. But when someone requests a shitty song, and everything is going fine already, then I'm not going to play it. Once things die down a little I might play it for them, but not when things are already going good.

There are two things I want you to remember if you're going to spin in club or disco:

1. TALK to the people!
If you're not spinning at a single event where different DJ are booked to play their style, the audience is usually used to some listening habists. In disco's you're hardly gonna be alone behind the decks, either there's another (resident)DJ or LJ or whatever... they usually know "their crowd". Ask them!
I'm talking from experience here, as I'm working as an LJ, i've seen some (quite well known) DJ's f**k up, just because they stuck too much to their set.
Anyway most of the party (depending on location) will take place around and inside the DJ booth. Remenber that and have FUN!

2. Do some requests.
Not all. Just if if they suit you and your set. Don't play the requested "dancefloor hits" (-> cheesy stuff) right away. Keep em for later, use them to recollect some dancers if the crowd starts to leave.
Remember your best anwer to requests: "yeah, I'll see, if I can fit it..." the requester is happy and you have promised nothing

anyway... good luck!

quote:

Originally posted by halo There are two things I want you to remember if you're going to spin in club or disco: 1. TALK to the people! If you're not spinning at a single event where different DJ are booked to play their style, the audience is usually used to some listening habists. In disco's you're hardly gonna be alone behind the decks, either there's another (resident)DJ or LJ or whatever... they usually know "their crowd". Ask them! I'm talking from experience here, as I'm working as an LJ, i've seen some (quite well known) DJ's f**k up, just because they stuck too much to their set. Anyway most of the party (depending on location) will take place around and inside the DJ booth. Remenber that and have FUN! 2. Do some requests. Not all. Just if if they suit you and your set. Don't play the requested "dancefloor hits" (-> cheesy stuff) right away. Keep em for later, use them to recollect some dancers if the crowd starts to leave. Remember your best anwer to requests: "yeah, I'll see, if I can fit it..." the requester is happy and you have promised nothing anyway... good luck!

could you explain me what is an lj ? coundn't figure that out...

sorry if that's out of topic.

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Allways keep your friends close, and your enemies closer

An LJ is someone who takes care of the light in a club.
Like a DJ takes care of the sound, an LJ makes sure that the light lookes nice and bright...

LJ = Light-Jockey
DJ = Disc-Jockey

Hope this made sense....

djxtension made a good point, but normally I try to make it look dark and flashy

And always remember LJ's are the DJ's best friend