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Do some djs prepare the set before a gig?
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smehoparanoya
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Feb 25, 2009 17:40
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On 2009-02-25 12:26, Buddha Monkey wrote:
taking a large dump before a set is all the preparation I need!
OH and maybe a taste of some sweet M30W!
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Sounds like you're playing progressive house or club music to me 
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This information, is disinformation
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x-rayz
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Feb 25, 2009 19:00
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DJSarasin
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Feb 25, 2009 21:40
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I usually just go and play a set and choose what i want to play right then and there.
But if i am playing a really important LARGE gig (not that all gigs are not important) i generally will know what time i am playing and the crowd is expecting my style at that time.
So i will do my homework before hand.
Not going to GREAT lengths....just selecting a batch of trax i want to play (usually my new stuff or new Unreleased) and i will then arrange it in a playlist on WinAmp or something.
Then i will take one further step. I check the trax for compatability (there are certain things i look for that will make a mix really go down well) and re arrange again.
Now i know the trax will sit well with each other in my mixes.
I might not follow that playlist EXACTLY.
I know that these 3 tracks work well in sequence....and those other 3 etc....
So its like i have bunches of tracks that work well together.
Now i can arrange those bunches during my set.....according to crowd appreciation....and progression.
In between these bunches of trax....i have my WINNERS. Trax that i know is gonna KILL the floor.
I spread them out through the set....inbetween the bunches of trax.
Seems to work very well for me.
These have been some of my most EPIC mixes.
You get a nice build up and KILL em....just to do that over and over....till my time is up!
Works the crowd to a frenzy!
Beartrap - SA
WEBSITE:
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DJ SET DOWNLOAD:
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VIDEO:
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Kitnam
Mantik
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Posted : Feb 27, 2009 20:54
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my friend till (aka bitshift) and me have a dj gig all 4-6 weeks and we are preparing each one of them:
we talk and brainstorm about the time, location, lineup and special circumstances of the event and try to figure out what the mood will be and what kind of sound would work out best and try to pre-organize trackcollections for it. we know its not planable 100% but it helps a lot for about 20%-50% of every gig..
some examples:
we play at morningtime from 4 o clock to open end, an electrohouse-dj (headliner) is playing in front of us.
-> we take some medium-electro-tracks (some slow down ones) with us to have some fodder if we need to make a bridge from electrohouse to our techno/house-music.
-> we take a lot deephousy tracks and classic atmospheric tracks with us and also some morning compatible hits from robert babicz, extrawelt, stuff like that.
result: we did not play one electrohouse-track but the last 3 hours of our set have beeing greatly enriched by our preparation in case of playing deephouse. was the first time i played this kind of house anyway. - realy nice music for morning.
another situation:
we play from 10 - 2am as a party warmup after us comes a liveact playing minimal techno.
-> we collect some chillout and ambient tracks.
-> we try to prepare a set which is not pushing the button to hard because the liveact needs to have its positive influence and impact at 2 oclock am.
it turned out that we played chillout until 11.30 which was realy nice because there have been only 20-30 people (the rush came 01:30) . and we could build up our set reeeally slowly. the liveact has become realy thankfull that we either tried to stay relaxed until he starts and also keeped our levels down.
you do not need to make tracklists. this would make no sense, too. you need to arrange your tunes in a spontaneous way, but prepare yourself best for this - this will make your flow much easier. preparation is a key. this begins with even thinking about the party you gonna play.
but i think a dj playing 2-3 times a week does not need this.
my 4 cents.
cheers.
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x-rayz
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Feb 28, 2009 00:49
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theendtone
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Mar 13, 2009 11:15
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i dont plan set cuz for loose all the fealing (so bored to practice and go and the same in stage ) and the dance floor is all relative i choose in the moment ....... |
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Ascension
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Mar 13, 2009 16:18
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I always think it's important to plan your start and end. Not necessarily what tracks you will play, but the mood (and bpm) you are going into and coming out of for your set. This is a great way to have a good flow, but also leave room for improv track selection.
If I'm playing a longer set, I will usually find groupings (3-5) of tracks that fit well together and contain a similar idea. This way it's easier to flow from idea to idea without taking big jumps or dips.
In the end it's all about progression and practice. Each set is a journey and it's your duty as the dj to guide the listeners/dancers through it. It's not a sin to plan an entire set- I know a lot of djs that are VERY good at this. I usually find that pre planned sets sound a lot better because the dj knows what to expect and the track selection is there. Some psy tracks are goofy and can throw you off if you haven't practiced them before. http://soundcloud.com/ascensionsound
www.chilluminati.org - Midwest based psytrance group |
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Symptom
Started Topics :
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19
Posted : Mar 18, 2009 02:47
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I usually since I only have a year of experience prepare first 2 tracks and go on from there.
Having a prepared set is kidna boring and sometimes tracks that you don't like at home will sound very nice at a party.
So my final answer no it's not a good idea. You will get better if you just play what comes to mind... Exploring your collection :D:D::D |
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theendtone
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Mar 18, 2009 17:33
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Quote:
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On 2009-03-13 16:18, Ascension wrote:
I always think it's important to plan your start and end. Not necessarily what tracks you will play, but the mood (and bpm) you are going into and coming out of for your set. This is a great way to have a good flow, but also leave room for improv track selection.
If I'm playing a longer set, I will usually find groupings (3-5) of tracks that fit well together and contain a similar idea. This way it's easier to flow from idea to idea without taking big jumps or dips.
In the end it's all about progression and practice. Each set is a journey and it's your duty as the dj to guide the listeners/dancers through it. It's not a sin to plan an entire set- I know a lot of djs that are VERY good at this. I usually find that pre planned sets sound a lot better because the dj knows what to expect and the track selection is there. Some psy tracks are goofy and can throw you off if you haven't practiced them before.
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+1
(3-5) of tracks that fit well together and contain a similar idea thats the trick
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dirtyphreak
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Mar 31, 2009 06:05
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DJSarasin
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Mar 31, 2009 15:36
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Ascension
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Mar 31, 2009 16:43
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On 2009-03-31 06:05, dirtyphreak wrote:
prepared sets kill the flow,
each track must be mixed
at the right moment
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Completely untrue. I know plenty of DJs that plan their entire set and KILL it at a party. If you know what fits your timeslot and what it being played before and after you, you can prepare a really good set. Like anything with DJing, it's all about practice.
http://soundcloud.com/ascensionsound
www.chilluminati.org - Midwest based psytrance group |
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rich
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Mar 31, 2009 20:28
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I can sometimes hear when a DJ is playing a pre-planned set. There's a certain contrived flow to it, with a smug smirk on his face "yeah you guys are gonna go nuts right.... now!" Once I hear that I have to leave. Unless the DJ is a friend of course, then I just laugh.
Nothing worse than a DJ sticking his ego too far into his set, and a playlist means he's put too much thought into it, with an anticipated, expected outcome. Well I say fuck that! Here's your outcome (middle finger).
Actually I've planned sets before for club parties, but to me thats kind of different than a psychedelic trance party.
And to new DJs, sure go ahead and try it for the experience. But don't make it a habit. And especially, don't get cocky with it.
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polly
IsraTrance Junior Member
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Posted : Mar 31, 2009 22:14
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LOL
this topic is funny.
It's not about do you premake your set or not, its all about your dj skills and now i'm not talking about how good you are mixing, there is so much more to it than mixing.
someone will make exelent set with premade set and someone will fuck it anyway... what i'm saying is that the guy who will master it will master it with premade or on the flow, with perfect mixes or terrible trainwrecks...
I have played premade and with out any thinking and what i have learned that works best for me is to make a set and practice it, try different combos and learn. then i go to set and have first transition planed and from there go with the flow but still i have this premade set to lean on if i get in "trouble"
Quote:
| There's a certain contrived flow to it, with a smug smirk on his face "yeah you guys are gonna go nuts right.... now!" |
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thats only knowing your tracks
everytime when i go thru my cd case on gig and see track that i really love and know that it will rock the floor i have this stupid grin on my face cause mostly i just play for my self
And how i read the crowd.
I try to see if they want to go mental or should i bring it down for a while so people can get some energy or do they just want to be on this trippy journey that stays on and on and on constantly morphing to new levels of psychedelia
http://www.myspace.com/polly_potb
http://www.miazu-polly.com
http://www.sangomarecords.com
http://www.peopleofthebutterflies.org |
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rich
IsraTrance Full Member
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Posted : Mar 31, 2009 22:55
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That 'stupid grin' like a mischievous child about to give his friends a sneaky surprise is ok, polly. It's the smug smirk that bothers me
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