I've been seriously considering learning to mix... cost and lack of my own place is what's been holding me back so far... but I've always wondered about spinning tracks that aren't so recent, maybe overplayed. Is it generally looked down upon?
Pretty new to all of this, so might seem like a weird question. Just concerned because I never get sick of some songs, but I know other people might.
It depends, really. If it's a track that was just a passing fad when it was recent and got overplayed (Sandstorm) then you will be booed off the stage instantly. However, if it is a track that has gained the status of a "classic" then you can play it and the crowd will love you (unless you play too many of them in the same set, it gets tiresome).
I look at it like this, there are two types of music in this world... good and bad.
If the music is good then you can play it.
With regards to tracks like sandstorm you have to look and see what made it popular. It is worth avoiding tracks that have been hammered to death.
On the other hand I mixed PvD - For an Angel into a set of mine recently and the place went nuts.
It's all about dropping the right thing at the right time. It takes time to learn that skill but will serve you well once you master it.
Play classics by all means but don't hammer them back to back. People quickly get bored of that.
Start to mix and just enjoy it as that's really what it's about.
Originally posted by Nemesis44
I look at it like this, there are two types of music in this world... good and bad.
If the music is good then you can play it.
With regards to tracks like sandstorm you have to look and see what made it popular. It is worth avoiding tracks that have been hammered to death.
On the other hand I mixed PvD - For an Angel into a set of mine recently and the place went nuts.
It's all about dropping the right thing at the right time. It takes time to learn that skill but will serve you well once you master it.
Play classics by all means but don't hammer them back to back. People quickly get bored of that.
Start to mix and just enjoy it as that's really what it's about.
Cheers
Nem
agree with that - people (especially in genres like trance) equivocate new tunes = good tunes and old tunes = bad tunes which is stupid IMO. Playing older stuff can sometimes be refreshing, just go into the DJ promotion forums and see what I mean - too many of the tracklists contain the same tracks.
Jul-01-2004 16:33
Psiweaver
I DJ 120,000 Massives
Registered: Jul 2003
Location: Culver City United States
Basicly what it comes down to is if your a bedroom DJ play what tracks you wanna hear and what tracks make you excited don't play what other people tell you to play. If you start playing out at a club or something simliar then feel free to put 1 or 2 classics in there to mix it up a bit and really get the place jumping.
Jul-01-2004 19:02
Solkanar512
Senior tranceaddict
Registered: Nov 2003
Location: Harvey Mudd, California
quote:
Originally posted by JM-8
agree with that - people (especially in genres like trance) equivocate new tunes = good tunes and old tunes = bad tunes which is stupid IMO. Playing older stuff can sometimes be refreshing, just go into the DJ promotion forums and see what I mean - too many of the tracklists contain the same tracks.
I have to third this one. I'm tired of this race to see who can get the latest and greatest tunes. I find it odd, because other genres place so much emphasis on the art of "digging" for the old, the lost and the forgotten tunes that simply need a DJs touch to bring back to life.
Frankly, obsolescence is for computers, not music. Just ask Bach...
Jul-02-2004 05:05
whitesmoke
at the bar
Registered: Sep 2002
Location: In the hospital
i doubt peeps in Cleveland, OH will look down on you if you play old tunes....they prob dont know any better
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Jul-03-2004 07:53
tu_face
No Known Cure...
Registered: Oct 2000
Location: Sheffield, UK
i think it depends on the situation, and where you are playing. if its in the bedroom, you can play what the fuck you like, nem's good music bad music theory is in play.
if however you are playing out, i think things are slightly different. especially if you are playing seriously in clubs.. although the good music bad music thing still applies i think it is often better to give people a majority of music that they maybe havent heard before. its fine to stick the odd oldie that everyone knows here and there (secret weapon theory), but if you play the same stuff everyone else has already hammered for the last year, i doubt you will impress any promoters.
if the crowd wont have heard it then go for it! a bit like when america discovered trance, all the UK/european dj's went over and played them 10 years of music
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MUGGETS
Jul-03-2004 08:50
Floorfiller
Girl + Sweater = Hotness
Registered: Apr 2002
Location: Illegal Pete's
what you need to do is get your hands on some of them golden oldies that no one knows about and then you can play those as much as you like because people will be like...shit what the fuck is this tune?!?!?!
Jul-03-2004 09:14
Solkanar512
Senior tranceaddict
Registered: Nov 2003
Location: Harvey Mudd, California
quote:
Originally posted by Floorfiller
what you need to do is get your hands on some of them golden oldies that no one knows about and then you can play those as much as you like because people will be like...shit what the fuck is this tune?!?!?!
That's why I love college parties. Those folks know quite little about trance, so you can tease them with the obscure stuff, but then play something more commercial, like PVD, and they all go crazy. It's really all about knowing your crowd.
Jul-03-2004 17:51
dknylady
Supreme tranceaddict
Registered: Aug 2002
Location: NJ baby!
who cares...if you love the song , play it... if you dont' plan on being a sell-out or just getting into dj'ing for the $$$...then play whatever you love, because it should be your thing and nobody else's.
i play a lot of older songs. they are still just as good as they were when they were new. besides new songs always turn into old songs anyway...what are you gonna do, stop playing them ? nope
as for overplayed..if you think it's overplayed why buy it? you want to be unique. (again this is if you plan on other people hearing you spin)