I will be spinning at a well known club in Los Angeles from 9PM-2:00AM. Creating a track list and a solid set really progresses the night very well (from my experience). In this case I would have to prepare about 45-55 tracks for the entire night (roughly a five hour set).

I feel that this works for me, but it is also VERY time consuming to create such a large set. Some will also argue that it may not necessarily flow with the night and what the crowd is feeling. However in my opinion, this also is dependent on whether or not the crowd is aware of who the DJ is as an artist (style, genre); in this case they are aware.

I would love to hear everyones opinion on this matter and if they find any flaws in it...I mean after all we are aware of many artists that prepare sets already in hand with a certain idea of how the night will flow.

Any comments would be much appreciated.

Last edited by Sound O fTrance on May-12-2008 at 00:39

Instead of picking a whole track list what you should do is go at 9 i am going to play blah and at 10 i'll play blah blah etc. so that you can keep a flow but all the tracks in beetween you can play according to crowd responses and other shit.

___________________
HARD TEKNO

hmm thats an idea to have a shot at..

so you are saying select a few significant tracks as markers, and base the rest of the mix off of them?

quote:

Originally posted by Sound O fTrance so you are saying select a few significant tracks as markers, and base the rest of the mix off of them?

Yeah that's not a bad approach.

Having a completely pre-planned setlist is fine, as long as you're willing to deviate from it if and when you need to. Personally, every time I've had any kind of plan of what I was going to play, it's gone straight out the window as soon as I've got on.

This is normally pretty heavily based on what the DJ before has done, so if you're playing for the whole night you won't have that issue, although the chances are you'll change your mind based on how the crowd react to previous bits of your set.

So take a lot of music and just keep an eye on the dancefloor so you know whether your setlist is working, or if you need to change your approach at some point.

___________________
Stu Cox |

I made a tracklist for the first time I ever played in public, but after that I didn't feel it was necessary. I feel it is a hindrance actually as you don't really know what you should play until you're there and you see the people, or at least that is how I feel.

___________________
I've never been able to eat a whole baby.
Kill the women. Eat the children.
It's just one of those days where you want to bend over everyone you know and kiss their ass goodbye with a big sideways boot.

Latest Mix

Also, if it's like any of the straight up clubs down here, they don't start letting people in until around 11 at the earliest. Lounges are different of course. If that's the case over there, think about trying to save some of your better tracks for later.

___________________
Click the link below to stream all of my mixes past and present. New mixes go up about once a month. Enjoy!

www.mixcloud.com/jluger

Last edited by miamitranceman on May-11-2008 at 18:58

yea you are absolutely right miamitrance, it starts at 9PM and it's at an upper lounge/bar. I don't expect people to arrive until 10:30-11PM

i think i will definitely create a tracklist because i hate to begin the night jumping from DIRTY HOUSE, to progressive etc. I always feel as though the progression into the groovier sound is what makes the night that much better...

quote:

Originally posted by Zild I made a tracklist for the first time I ever played in public, but after that I didn't feel it was necessary. I feel it is a hindrance actually as you don't really know what you should play until you're there and you see the people, or at least that is how I feel.

In regards to my previous statement...what you are saying perfectly makes sense. But don't you think the roundabout is already based off of who you are as an artist and what is expected of your sound? I mean if you play hard house for 20 minutes and techno the next, thats fine.

But I don't feel you should have 3,000 songs lined up in case some people are not "satisfied". You play what you play (in context obviously)

quote:

Originally posted by Sound O fTrance But I don't feel you should have 3,000 songs lined up in case some people are not "satisfied". You play what you play (in context obviously)

Unless you're a Top Dj, that mentality is gonna get you nowhere. Remember your #1 Job as a DJ is to make the crowd happy and have them dancing all night.

I agree with everything Stu said. I don't create playlists, but I do go to the club with a style on mind. However, I also go prepared to change my style at any given moment. Not all crowds are the same. Like Stu said, most of the time playlists go out the window the moment I get there. Perfect example was Friday night. I played at an underground party. I had in mind a dark house set. However, the moment I got on, I realized that was the wrong crowd for that style. Than I switched it up to trance and BAM!!! Everyone started dancing. Quite honestly, I didn't wanted to play trance but I did just to make sure the people there had fun. Which they did cause they kept complementing me and making little hearts.

quote:

Originally posted by DjWoody Unless you're a Top Dj, that mentality is gonna get you nowhere. Remember your #1 Job as a DJ is to make the crowd happy and have them dancing all night. I agree with everything Stu said. I don't create playlists, but I do go to the club with a style on mind. However, I also go prepared to change my style at any given moment. Not all crowds are the same. Like Stu said, most of the time playlists go out the window the moment I get there. Perfect example was Friday night. I played at an underground party. I had in mind a dark house set. However, the moment I got on, I realized that was the wrong crowd for that style. Than I switched it up to trance and BAM!!! Everyone started dancing. Quite honestly, I didn't wanted to play trance but I did just to make sure the people there had fun. Which they did cause they kept complementing me and making little hearts.

+1

happens to me too all the time

___________________
Tony Morello Dot Com
Soundcloud
Facebook
Twitter
The Drunken Monkey Podcast
The Mixdown Podcast presented by Tony Morello

quote:

Originally posted by DjWoody Unless you're a Top Dj, that mentality is gonna get you nowhere. Remember your #1 Job as a DJ is to make the crowd happy and have them dancing all night. I agree with everything Stu said. I don't create playlists, but I do go to the club with a style on mind. However, I also go prepared to change my style at any given moment. Not all crowds are the same. Like Stu said, most of the time playlists go out the window the moment I get there. Perfect example was Friday night. I played at an underground party. I had in mind a dark house set. However, the moment I got on, I realized that was the wrong crowd for that style. Than I switched it up to trance and BAM!!! Everyone started dancing. Quite honestly, I didn't wanted to play trance but I did just to make sure the people there had fun. Which they did cause they kept complementing me and making little hearts.

good point...I guess I should confess that I am also paranoid that I want to present a solid mix (not that this is not possible without a tracklist). But I guess its almost assured with something already in line for the night. Hmmmm I'm kinda annoyed now!

To Woody, just out of curiosity do you always play the night by ear? Or do you have somewhat of a style/genre you typically tend to play (I'm not sure if the situation you mentioned was just one night from the many gigs you have played)...I feel like what you mentioned is SO TRUE (regarding your #1 job is to keep people happy and dancing). But then again I feel as though the flexibility should be there to SOME extent with the idea that you stand as an artist/dj/producer.(I also may be doing a horribly wrong comparison to top-name DJ's).

I know of many DJ's that mash all genres of EDM and I just feel like it's not really appealing in most cases.

Last edited by Sound O fTrance on May-12-2008 at 03:26

You're playing 5 hours, so you can afford to mix in a few different genres to not to bore people out.

Like others said, have an idea of what you want to play, but prepare to change your set on the fly if you feel that the crowd isn't digging it.

I've seen a lot of DJs who walk in with set tunes they want to play, but failed to read the crowd so it may be a perfect set technically, but because the DJ didn't read the crowd, turned out to be really shitty set.

Also, playing tunes that you think the crowd wants to hear is more imporant factor to consider than what you want to hear.

I have a feeling that I'm telling you how to suck eggs so I'm going to shut up now.

Good luck

___________________
Latest mix: Yohan - Full Spectrum (Fall 14 promo)
Like my stuff? Join my FB group here!

quote:

Originally posted by chinamon not true. i say "ugh" but i am a tranny.

quote:

Originally posted by kotsy lol colour me retarded