do you start slow then work your way up or just start with the good stuff straight away?

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in dj sets i mean?

― piscesboy, Tuesday, 18 May 2004 17:54 (twenty-two years ago)

I start slow and work my way up because that's the only time I get to play the slower stuff I like to play and I think it helps get people easing into things. But I often seen DJs just start with slamming tracks and people sometimes get excited and start dancing immediately anyway.

― Dan Selzer (Dan Selzer), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 18:13 (twenty-two years ago)

well, if I'm on early as I tend to be, being a relative newcomer, I consider it kind of disrespectful to the other DJs to play slamming stuff, so I try and keep it at a certain level, and maybe play one or two slamming tracks at the end of the set, or try and find really catchy tunes to play which aren't slamming etc.

― Ronan (Ronan), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 18:16 (twenty-two years ago)

I consider it kind of disrespectful to the other DJs to play slamming stuff

Catch-22, 'cause then you'll always be an opening DJ. I play what I normally play, and I don't play filler. Its the promoter's fault for booking me early if he does so, unless its a more discofunk type event in which case my really textured records are probably good warm up flava.

― Xii (Xii), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 18:40 (twenty-two years ago)

"Hi Ho Silver Lining", then "Dancing Queen". Never the other way round.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Tuesday, 18 May 2004 18:49 (twenty-two years ago)

ou of interest, are the people who've replied here mix DJ-DJs (hip hop, techno, house, drum n bass etc) or bar / lounge / rock DJs (ie not beatmixing DJs who play stuff they like / that they think the audience will like)?
Cos, err, without trying to be mean, the latter is just kind of home-stereo-stuff, right?

― paulhw (paulhw), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 01:05 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't think there's a strict division. Most of the non-beatmixing bar DJs I know play a lot of hip hop and house and breakbeat etc. for a dancefloor audience so rules of physical intensity still apply. That said bar DJs don't usually follow a heirarchy of importance so there's no real problem with going hard if the audience is up for it.

I've only DJd for half an hour or so at a time so starting off slow isn't really much of an option.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 01:12 (twenty-two years ago)

I only ever DJ'd once, brought in the really great tracks about a third of the way through - the (small) crowd went nuts at "Mundian To Bach Ke" and I felt so good, but then I lost 'em when I went to the Matthew Dear. If I had it to do over I'd open stronger than I did.

― J0hn Darn1elle (J0hn Darn1elle), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 02:13 (twenty-two years ago)

This thread is sexy. Starting with the title. Then comtinuing with the double entendre anecdotes. Woo, I need to cool off.

― scott seward (scott seward), Wednesday, 19 May 2004 03:13 (twenty-two years ago)

It completely depends on when and where. Some places and times people just aint going to dance so you might as well go slow, because playing your peak tunes will just make you frustrated.

I actually find the biggest dilemma is what to do after the peaks. Like if you built up and up to something you know will blow the roof off, do you switch right down afterwards (what I tend to do) to something pretty, but lower energy, or do you ease down gradually through less slamming stuff?

― Jacob (Jacob), Thursday, 20 May 2004 03:13 (twenty-two years ago)

you gots to ease down gradually. i think.

hey but isn't it up to, like *us* to start the next wave pof doing things our way? completely different sh-t that blows people's heads off? like, larry levan used to drop *ballads* into the middle of sets after midnight! there's so much still to do! it's up to us! i think we should start a revolution. musically speaking. and we aint going to do it playing sandpaper i tels ya that.

― piscesboy, Thursday, 20 May 2004 10:51 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't think it's true that by playing a good warm up set and not banging out big tunes you'll always be a warm up DJ. If someone comes on and slams it out early on in a night they're a crap DJ, generally. I think you must realise I'm talking about house/techno DJs specifically, if someone starts playing anthems at 11 o clock it's generally crap and telling of an oversized ego.

― Ronan (Ronan), Saturday, 22 May 2004 19:18 (twenty-two years ago)

thank you scott seward for making this thread 8x funnier to me.

― Ian Johnson (orion), Sunday, 23 May 2004 03:27 (twenty-two years ago)

i never seem to get to the good stuff

― mullygrubber (gaz), Sunday, 23 May 2004 05:54 (twenty-two years ago)

and sometimes that is frustrating. i tend to wallow in the margins. the big picture seems somehow more interesting. like when xgau says don't bother with the b+'s i seem to find myself digging in the c's. what will i listen to today: a classic or something thats maligned or just something thats minor/not rated?

― mullygrubber (gaz), Sunday, 23 May 2004 05:58 (twenty-two years ago)

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