burble
Hi all!
I've been messing around as a house / techno dj for a bit now, doing some parties and art openings and whatnot, and I'd love to move into doing some clubs. Now at these past gigs nobody really knew what I was playing at all so it didn't really matter, but I'm sure the clubs will have a pretty savvy crowd. But anyways...
My question is; do any of you ever play older stuff, or only the hot new off the presses stuff? I have so much wonderful music, and I'm always scouring sites (I always buy my stuff) for new stuff, but sometimes that stuff is new to me but not brand new. I like to literaly mix up old and new stuff, but not sure if that would fly.
Thoughts? Thanks!
Inviato Fri 16 Mar 12 @ 9:53 pm
djspynn
As far as what to play that would actually be dictated by 2 different things...
1) Around Here in Southern MA the Clubs sit down with the DJ and figure out what kind of night it is going to be such as Back to the Eighties where all you hear is Pop/ New Wave/ Glam 80's Music, Old Skool Night (R&B/ Hip Hop/ Rap/ Pop) From The 80's & early 90's or such as you are doing let's just say a Techno Night... Now what you would have to do is tell the club you are going to be spinning these kinds of styles such as Electronica, House, Trance and Techno.... They all would work..
2) Now if you wanted to go deeper (I am not familiar with all the different kinds of techno) You could have a specialized night...
What I would do since you are starting out is to find a Bar/ Pub kind of place that has DJ's we have a few around here that bring DJ's in on the weekends (Thur-Sun) kind of thing and you could get your start that way... Best thing is to build a reputation out there and create a follow and then visit a club one night. Become a regular even on nights you do not like the music... Have a few drinks and listen to what people are say. Strike up a few conversations with patrons get the ins and outs... Every time you go make sure you bring your music and a few demo cd's of your work (or a press pack) and wait for the right moment... By having your music in your car you can use a DJ's call out to your advantage, you can just ask to talk to a manager... I have done that one before and got a short stint at a big night club....
Just keep plugging away at things make sure you keep practicing.. Also if you have CD decks and not just a computer that is a good way to practice as well... Not all clubs have Computer hook ups... Most of the time there is usually CDJ's or Dual Deck systems....
1) Around Here in Southern MA the Clubs sit down with the DJ and figure out what kind of night it is going to be such as Back to the Eighties where all you hear is Pop/ New Wave/ Glam 80's Music, Old Skool Night (R&B/ Hip Hop/ Rap/ Pop) From The 80's & early 90's or such as you are doing let's just say a Techno Night... Now what you would have to do is tell the club you are going to be spinning these kinds of styles such as Electronica, House, Trance and Techno.... They all would work..
2) Now if you wanted to go deeper (I am not familiar with all the different kinds of techno) You could have a specialized night...
What I would do since you are starting out is to find a Bar/ Pub kind of place that has DJ's we have a few around here that bring DJ's in on the weekends (Thur-Sun) kind of thing and you could get your start that way... Best thing is to build a reputation out there and create a follow and then visit a club one night. Become a regular even on nights you do not like the music... Have a few drinks and listen to what people are say. Strike up a few conversations with patrons get the ins and outs... Every time you go make sure you bring your music and a few demo cd's of your work (or a press pack) and wait for the right moment... By having your music in your car you can use a DJ's call out to your advantage, you can just ask to talk to a manager... I have done that one before and got a short stint at a big night club....
Just keep plugging away at things make sure you keep practicing.. Also if you have CD decks and not just a computer that is a good way to practice as well... Not all clubs have Computer hook ups... Most of the time there is usually CDJ's or Dual Deck systems....
Inviato Fri 16 Mar 12 @ 10:37 pm
ShyneGTA
burble wrote :
but I'm sure the clubs will have a pretty savvy crowd.
but I'm sure the clubs will have a pretty savvy crowd.
Not really, many DJs play new tracks that are not on the radio yet and people ignore them, 6 months later once is on the radio people think its the best track ever. Generally people cant make out a good tune unless they are told its a good one.
Having said that, I play Latin as well as English stuff, I think this is what keeps me employed, having the versatility to adjust to different crowds and have the necessary material to do so is great, I do a lot of clubs as well as private events, my music collection goes as far back at the 50s till now.
Dedicating promoting yourself to one genre of music will limit you to a specific crowd and cut down on your sales. I get regular work from a club but the crowd is completely different every time, sometimes its all 80s sometimes its all ages.
When you dedicate yourself to one genre, you better hit it BIG and industry changing right off the bat, otherwise its going to be a steep hill to climb.
Cheers!
Inviato Sat 17 Mar 12 @ 1:32 pm
A Man and His Music
djrasza wrote :
Not really, many DJs play new tracks that are not on the radio yet and people ignore them, 6 months later once is on the radio people think its the best track ever. Generally people cant make out a good tune unless they are told its a good one.
burble wrote :
but I'm sure the clubs will have a pretty savvy crowd.
but I'm sure the clubs will have a pretty savvy crowd.
Not really, many DJs play new tracks that are not on the radio yet and people ignore them, 6 months later once is on the radio people think its the best track ever. Generally people cant make out a good tune unless they are told its a good one.
So funny, and true. One of the reasons I love Men's clubs, is because I can play anything. However, I still play to who's there, not who I want to be there. I look around the club and see who's there, and if there are some older guys there, Bam!!! I drop an oldie. There is no use in playing a cut, if no one there will appreciate it. My dancers will have a fit, but I tell them that I'm not playing for them. I'm trying to keep the clients here so you can make money, so you can give me money. It's like any other profession, once you have been doing it for a while, you get better at it, and will get better at judging the crowd. So, old and new can definitely be mixed together, and most of the clients will love it.
Inviato Sat 17 Mar 12 @ 3:01 pm
burble
Thanks for the responses, guys! Great info, but I think some clarification is needed...
I guess my situation is this: I played music for a living for a while and decided that that business isn't for me, so I'm not so much worried about getting any old gig to make money as I am finding venues which are open to the styles of music I like to dj.
So I guess my question could have been phrased better, more like this - If you're doing a gig at a club spinning, do you guys use mainly the newest stuff in your collection, or do you ever use some tracks a year or two or three older, maybe even some classics like stuff from the late 90's / early 2000's?
sorry for the confusion!
EDIT - just read the last post , so I guess this post can be disregarded
Again - thanks for the great info all!
Inviato Sun 18 Mar 12 @ 11:00 am
wildcountryclub
burble wrote :
maybe even some classics like stuff from the late 90's / early 2000's?
maybe even some classics like stuff from the late 90's / early 2000's?
THANK you very much for making some of us feel really old, and for making some of us shake our heads in disbelief.
if you want "classics" try digging back farther than that. or try these: http://www.amazon.com/Retro-Club-Classics-Various-Artists/dp/B000003S94/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1332096353&sr=8-2 and i'm sure other will point out other tracks even older if you ask them.
what the guys said previously is right, but if you're going to limit yourself to only trying to find gigs where they only want what you like to listen to i wish you luck. and trust me one this one: there is absolutly nothing wrong with playing older songs if you have learned how to read the crowd and know when to do it!
Inviato Sun 18 Mar 12 @ 1:55 pm
burble
wildcountryclub wrote :
THANK you very much for making some of us feel really old, and for making some of us shake our heads in disbelief.
burble wrote :
maybe even some classics like stuff from the late 90's / early 2000's?
maybe even some classics like stuff from the late 90's / early 2000's?
THANK you very much for making some of us feel really old, and for making some of us shake our heads in disbelief.
Oh man - not my intent at all! As a guy in his early 40's, the last thing I want to do is that...
As a matter of fact , my original post was inspired by a comment I received once - "man you got Space Manoeuvres in there - that's OLD.
I mean, I could mix in some William Orbit Strange Cargo stuff as well...
Inviato Sun 18 Mar 12 @ 2:11 pm
wildcountryclub
last night i was asked for EVERYTHING - from rick springfield to old school hip hop/rap (boyz n da hood) to david guetta. i've had nights where i thought i was at a geriatrics convention with nothing but old songs requested.
long story short - nothing wrong with playing the older stuff as long as you make your crowd happy.
jenga.
long story short - nothing wrong with playing the older stuff as long as you make your crowd happy.
jenga.
Inviato Sun 18 Mar 12 @ 3:29 pm
that was wildcountryclub, rush chairman .....
he's kinda a new superhuman species , an experiment.....
combined human and alien DNA crossed with the caffeine molecule
he was first to notice that Justin Bieber is the anti-christ ......
he's kinda a new superhuman species , an experiment.....
combined human and alien DNA crossed with the caffeine molecule
he was first to notice that Justin Bieber is the anti-christ ......
Inviato Sun 18 Mar 12 @ 7:50 pm
@ burble , sorry i digressed and hijacked ....
"Generally people cant make out a good tune unless they are told its a good one."
that's funny , wish i'd said that ........
so yes definitely mix old and new
now here's some background dirt on the people dishing out this advice to you......
they are all correct , even though each is a bit , uhh , derailed , if ya know what i mean ........
AMaHM ..... he's good at judging a room , trust me, i've seen him selling the software at
2 dj expo's ........
wildcountryclub ...... he can judge a room too .... suffers fools not at all
me/chuck .......i can judge a room and i gave 'em 15 years and a roundhouse kick....
TearEmUp.......he's actually the most old school and new school in the whole frazzled bunch ....
he invented house in circa 1874 , dev team for the first edison phono, first remix of "Mary Had
a Little Lamb" ..... nowadays he podcasts ......
"Generally people cant make out a good tune unless they are told its a good one."
that's funny , wish i'd said that ........
so yes definitely mix old and new
now here's some background dirt on the people dishing out this advice to you......
they are all correct , even though each is a bit , uhh , derailed , if ya know what i mean ........
AMaHM ..... he's good at judging a room , trust me, i've seen him selling the software at
2 dj expo's ........
wildcountryclub ...... he can judge a room too .... suffers fools not at all
me/chuck .......i can judge a room and i gave 'em 15 years and a roundhouse kick....
TearEmUp.......he's actually the most old school and new school in the whole frazzled bunch ....
he invented house in circa 1874 , dev team for the first edison phono, first remix of "Mary Had
a Little Lamb" ..... nowadays he podcasts ......
Inviato Sun 18 Mar 12 @ 10:34 pm
xcakid
burble wrote :
Hi all!
I've been messing around as a house / techno dj for a bit now, doing some parties and art openings and whatnot, and I'd love to move into doing some clubs. Now at these past gigs nobody really knew what I was playing at all so it didn't really matter, but I'm sure the clubs will have a pretty savvy crowd. But anyways...
My question is; do any of you ever play older stuff, or only the hot new off the presses stuff? I have so much wonderful music, and I'm always scouring sites (I always buy my stuff) for new stuff, but sometimes that stuff is new to me but not brand new. I like to literaly mix up old and new stuff, but not sure if that would fly.
Thoughts? Thanks!
Hi all!
I've been messing around as a house / techno dj for a bit now, doing some parties and art openings and whatnot, and I'd love to move into doing some clubs. Now at these past gigs nobody really knew what I was playing at all so it didn't really matter, but I'm sure the clubs will have a pretty savvy crowd. But anyways...
My question is; do any of you ever play older stuff, or only the hot new off the presses stuff? I have so much wonderful music, and I'm always scouring sites (I always buy my stuff) for new stuff, but sometimes that stuff is new to me but not brand new. I like to literaly mix up old and new stuff, but not sure if that would fly.
Thoughts? Thanks!
I play at an open format club. So for me its Top40, House, Electro, Dance, HipHop. I cover from 80's-current in each of those genres. Friday nights are typically a bit older crowd at the club I am at so I play a bit more of the older stuff 80's, 90's and early 2000. Saturday crowds can be primarily hip hop or Top40 and House. It really just depends on the crowd I have.
The Club Manager, Owner or Promoter of the club will typically dictate what you can and cannot play. Most clubs I have played at likes to brand themselves to a certain sound. Here in Dallas you have LIzard Lounge which is primarily EDM and you have Mantus Lounge which is nothing but House. My club does not want nights to be HipHop. I can play HipHop, but the owner does not want it to be the focus of the night. Another bar I play at wants me to stick to Top40 and 80's. Goes on....
Club DJs for the most part brand themselves to a specific sound, at least the successful ones that I have come across. I mean look at all the famous DJs that tour. They all have branded themselves to a specific sound. Club tend to do the same and hire DJs with the sound they like.
Inviato Mon 19 Mar 12 @ 1:04 pm
joflo
+++++++++++++One of the reasons I love Men's clubs, is because I can play anything.+++++++++++++++++++++
So true, so true! That s only one reason for me specialising in that market (one is the beautiful girls for sure ;-)) ).
So true, so true! That s only one reason for me specialising in that market (one is the beautiful girls for sure ;-)) ).
Inviato Mon 19 Mar 12 @ 2:34 pm