Being A Club Dj is Not Complicated.

BsidesBsides 4,244 Posts
edited October 2005 in Strut Central
Now theres some seriously dope dj's on this site that play all kinds of music and get a party hyped, and Im not taking anything away from them...But most of the time when I go out and I see a DJ who's really not Killing it I think its because they are just overthinking shit way too much. This last weekend when I was sloppy drunk I took over for another strutter for about an hour while he went to go mack on some girls and I was thinking about this....I think i played about 6 biggie records and a bunch of jay-z records, that young jeezy track, and some michael jackson. No blends. Sloppy drunken crossfading, no transitions, nothing. When i got off people were acting like i was a genius or something. Pretty much as long as you play a bunch of huge hits, and you have thriller and at least one prince record in the crates, you can kill it all night at most spots. People run into trouble trying to do these breaks into the song that sampled it mixes and mabye playing some overlooked bside or something. The fact is that it doesnt really matter. People dont care. Even if the song is good, you will almost always win with something everybody knows and has heard a million times before. Early in the night is a different story, and you have alot of room for variations. but once everybody is drunk, they just wanna hear the hits! they could care less what else you are doing up there. The mere fact that you have your hands on some turntables will impress most people except for the trainspotters, but who cares what they think anyways?I just think alot of people are working too hard carrying all these records out that no one really wants to hear outside of the bedroom. Now as I have stated, it takes some serious skill to play sets with alot of variations and some people do this very well. But unless its a night where people came to SEE the dj, you are much better off going with the lowest common denominator. NOt a popular opinion im guessing, but I think its probably good advice for people that just want to get gigs. THat was rather long winded, and im not sure why i posted it, but i was just thinking about it and it seems to be true in my experience. any comments?
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  Comments


  • I know you expect me to front, but I can't. I was at that club last night and I gotta give it up--you killed it.






















  • DeeRockDeeRock 1,836 Posts
    The crowd was probably as drunk as you were and in this case yes - you don't even need to mix just play the hits! Second thing is there are so many wack djs now that the crowds are actually used to it so they do think anyone that just plays a song they like is a genious! Lol. Real talk. Me and Chan were saying yesterday how your resume doesn't mean anything to these club owners and how a lot of djs will play for free just to get on. He said what if he liked to do construction so he went and got a job at home depot and worked for free! He he he he................ Anyway, your right a club dj isn't hard but a Good club dj takes some effort.




  • BrianBrian 7,618 Posts
    im not reading this whole thing, but are you really expecting anyone to disagree with this?

  • BsidesBsides 4,244 Posts
    im not reading this whole thing, but are you really expecting anyone to disagree with this?


    no idea mate. I was really high when i wrote it.




  • Now theres some seriously dope dj's on this site that play all kinds of music and get a party hyped, and Im not taking anything away from them...

    But most of the time when I go out and I see a DJ who's really not Killing it I think its because they are just overthinking shit way too much.

    This last weekend when I was sloppy drunk I took over for another strutter for about an hour while he went to go mack on some girls and I was thinking about this....


    I think i played about 6 biggie records and a bunch of jay-z records, that young jeezy track, and some michael jackson.

    No blends. Sloppy drunken crossfading, no transitions, nothing. When i got off people were acting like i was a genius or something.

    Pretty much as long as you play a bunch of huge hits, and you have thriller and at least one prince record in the crates, you can kill it all night at most spots.

    People run into trouble trying to do these breaks into the song that sampled it mixes and mabye playing some overlooked bside or something.

    The fact is that it doesnt really matter. People dont care. Even if the song is good, you will almost always win with something everybody knows and has heard a million times before.

    Early in the night is a different story, and you have alot of room for variations. but once everybody is drunk, they just wanna hear the hits! they could care less what else you are doing up there. The mere fact that you have your hands on some turntables will impress most people except for the trainspotters, but who cares what they think anyways?

    I just think alot of people are working too hard carrying all these records out that no one really wants to hear outside of the bedroom.

    Now as I have stated, it takes some serious skill to play sets with alot of variations and some people do this very well. But unless its a night where people came to SEE the dj, you are much better off going with the lowest common denominator.

    NOt a popular opinion im guessing, but I think its probably good advice for people that just want to get gigs.

    THat was rather long winded, and im not sure why i posted it, but i was just thinking about it and it seems to be true in my experience. any comments?


    Yeah, you can get the crowd hyped by playing like that, but you won't be a successful party dj unless you set yourself apart from everybody else. For example, I know a group of like 10 girls who go to the rub party in brooklyn every month and they are very specific about the things that make that party different from other parties. It's easy to fill in at 2 am and play all the 2 am songs but to do that every week, or every night, and have people ask for you by name is not so easy.

  • I know you expect me to front, but I can't. I was at that club last night and I gotta give it up--you killed it.























    I literally "LOL"'d.

  • p_gunnp_gunn 2,284 Posts
    Now theres some seriously dope dj's on this site that play all kinds of music and get a party hyped, and Im not taking anything away from them...

    But most of the time when I go out and I see a DJ who's really not Killing it I think its because they are just overthinking shit way too much.

    This last weekend when I was sloppy drunk I took over for another strutter for about an hour while he went to go mack on some girls and I was thinking about this....


    I think i played about 6 biggie records and a bunch of jay-z records, that young jeezy track, and some michael jackson.

    No blends. Sloppy drunken crossfading, no transitions, nothing. When i got off people were acting like i was a genius or something.

    Pretty much as long as you play a bunch of huge hits, and you have thriller and at least one prince record in the crates, you can kill it all night at most spots.

    People run into trouble trying to do these breaks into the song that sampled it mixes and mabye playing some overlooked bside or something.

    The fact is that it doesnt really matter. People dont care. Even if the song is good, you will almost always win with something everybody knows and has heard a million times before.

    Early in the night is a different story, and you have alot of room for variations. but once everybody is drunk, they just wanna hear the hits! they could care less what else you are doing up there. The mere fact that you have your hands on some turntables will impress most people except for the trainspotters, but who cares what they think anyways?

    I just think alot of people are working too hard carrying all these records out that no one really wants to hear outside of the bedroom.

    Now as I have stated, it takes some serious skill to play sets with alot of variations and some people do this very well. But unless its a night where people came to SEE the dj, you are much better off going with the lowest common denominator.

    NOt a popular opinion im guessing, but I think its probably good advice for people that just want to get gigs.

    THat was rather long winded, and im not sure why i posted it, but i was just thinking about it and it seems to be true in my experience. any comments?



    true...

    the thing is, how to keep djing that kind of shit fresh for YOU, as after doing the top 40 club hip hop/thriller/prince set you describe more than 5 times, the fun wears off really fucking fast...



  • the thing is, how to keep djing that kind of shit fresh for YOU, as after doing the top 40 club hip hop/thriller/prince set you describe more than 5 times, the fun wears off really fucking fast...

    A truer sentence has never been written.
    Get a rep for playing the OTHER shit, get booked for it, you'll enjoy it more & get rewarded from the constant challenge. Big big big difference.

    Bsides was basically the typical jukebox for his set.
    No hard task at all to satisfy those type of drunken/tripping munters.

  • mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
    Multiple truths being spoken here:

    1) Pretty much as long as you play a bunch of huge hits, and you have thriller and at least one prince record in the crates, you can kill it all night at most spots.

    2) after doing the top 40 club hip hop/thriller/prince set you describe more than 5 times, the fun wears off really fucking fast...

  • CosmoCosmo 9,768 Posts
    Shit I'll play some fucking polka at the club, fuck it.

  • ayresayres 1,452 Posts

    I know a group of like 10 girls who go to the rub party in brooklyn every month and they are very specific about the things that make that party different from other parties.

    Shit I'll play some fucking polka at the club, fuck it.

    I think you're on to something, Cosmo.




  • I have a slightly different take on this. I think being a dj is like being a chef. I see doing a set is like a meal. You gotta give them a well balanced meal. You gotta give them some meat. At the end of the night you can give them some desert. I am gonna sneak them some veggies though. Veggies are the joints that are good for them. I see some dj's try to spin a whole set of veggies and it turns people away unless they are a vegitarian.

  • ayresayres 1,452 Posts
    I have a slightly different take on this. I think being a dj is like being a chef. I see doing a set is like a meal. You gotta give them a well balanced meal. You gotta give them some meat. At the end of the night you can give them some desert. I am gonna sneak them some veggies though. Veggies are the joints that are good for them. I see some dj's try to spin a whole set of veggies and it turns people away unless they are a vegitarian.

    that's a real good way of putting it. i dropped Funky Sensation in the middle of a warmup hip-hop set on Saturday in Philly and the dancefloor went to that next level. it's dope when you think you're dropping a veggie and they eat it up like meat!

  • I see some dj's try to spin a whole set of veggies and it turns people away unless they are a vegitarian.

    This is me. I quite because I can't handle the hate I got. The best night I had was when a club asked me because they had a bad crowd situation and they had to scare away some of the folks so I was asked to play jazz only. That was fun. Otherwise, I was asked for example to DJ Bollywood records only or stricktly soundtracks and most people just wanted club tunes they knew, although the flyer said "soundtrack night" or "Bollywood night". I have very much respect for DJs who can mix it in such a way that the original intent is there but still the crowd goes wild. I have never been able to do that.

    I didn't suck as much when I was asked as a "lounge DJ"

  • DjArcadianDjArcadian 3,630 Posts
    I have a slightly different take on this. I think being a dj is like being a chef. I see doing a set is like a meal. You gotta give them a well balanced meal. You gotta give them some meat. At the end of the night you can give them some desert. I am gonna sneak them some veggies though. Veggies are the joints that are good for them. I see some dj's try to spin a whole set of veggies and it turns people away unless they are a vegitarian.

    I think you just introduced a whole new phrase into the Soulstrut lexicon.

  • Being a club DJ is not complicated. You are correct. 99% of people eat up hearing music that they know and can sing along to and could care less about how it is mixed.

    But isn't there something to be said about taking pride in what you do and doing it well?? Isn't there some art involved?? Do you need affirmation from uninformed people to think you did a good job??

    If you are a club dj and are playing no brainer music, at the VERY LEAST you could mix it well. If you can't do that, you shouldn't even call yourself a DJ. My mom can do that. Let's not forget that there is still that 1% of people out there that are actually listening. Most informed people know you need to give the crowd what they want, so I would never hate on any DJ for doing that, but if you can't mix a record, please don't even get behind the tables. If I was in that club and heard you, I would think you were utterly wack...even if I was your friend, I would not respect you as a DJ. That being said, if a dj is pusing the envelope as far as the tracks he/she is playing and taking big chances on mixing different types of music, the technical aspect becomes the least important part of the night.


  • CosmoCosmo 9,768 Posts

  • DJ_EnkiDJ_Enki 6,471 Posts
    But isn't there something to be said about taking pride in what you do and doing it well?? Isn't there some art involved??

    But isn't there something to be said about taking pride in what you do and doing it well?? Isn't there some art involved??

    But isn't there something to be said about taking pride in what you do and doing it well?? Isn't there some art involved??

    Get a rep for playing the OTHER shit, get booked for it, you'll enjoy it more & get rewarded from the constant challenge. Big big big difference.

    Get a rep for playing the OTHER shit, get booked for it, you'll enjoy it more & get rewarded from the constant challenge. Big big big difference.

    Get a rep for playing the OTHER shit, get booked for it, you'll enjoy it more & get rewarded from the constant challenge. Big big big difference.

    That's pretty much how I look at it.


  • Yo is that in philly? You get a lot of girls dancing in bikinis over there?

  • Me and Chan were saying yesterday how your resume doesn't mean anything to these club owners and how a lot of djs will play for free just to get on.
    Yeah not down with that free one. Young dj cats in the town are really not doin it when they go out like this. Club owners are one thing, but what's up with these youg promoters that throw one show and are thinkin they are made men. I remember one kid came to me talkin about $150 for a night, I fell on the ground laughin in his face. He got all offended and shit. Oh well that's the way it goes. They can keep promoting "DJ-I DJ for Free". I'll keep being the wedding singer for a fee.

    He said what if he liked to do construction so he went and got a job at home depot and worked for free!

    "We need help with record crates on isle 45 right next to garden tools" Chan you are straight comedy.

    But for real these dj's should work on their mixing.

  • BsidesBsides 4,244 Posts
    I think a good point was made about having your own identity. I guess ive never had to deal with that. As I said, i would hardly call myself a dj.



    And yeah, i get the jack osborne thing alot.



  • CosmoCosmo 9,768 Posts
    Hey BSides, my man Mark came through that party you see above and we were rapping about you. I remember you saying you met him out in LA.

  • I have a slightly different take on this. I think being a dj is like being a chef. I see doing a set is like a meal. You gotta give them a well balanced meal. You gotta give them some meat. At the end of the night you can give them some desert. I am gonna sneak them some veggies though. Veggies are the joints that are good for them. I see some dj's try to spin a whole set of veggies and it turns people away unless they are a vegitarian.

    i think the vegetarian is best off doing radio/internet mixes route. danno found himself on ckut, not at the blizzarts. a fantastic vegetarian chef i may add (literally and figuratively)

    i have had some success with meat substitutes.


  • I know you expect me to front, but I can't. I was at that club last night and I gotta give it up--you killed it


    isn't jack osborne ripped now? i thought he went hardbody??

  • reskresk 391 Posts
    it really depends on your crowd i think. If its like a hipster/art show type crowd, i think you can get away with a lot.

    i dj a more "ghetto" (as i hear others describe it) club, if i played biggie or jay z, id clear the floor.

    Im in tallahassee florida, anything not crunk, booty or not southern will clear the floor. I also play a lot of local tallahassee stuff (t-payne, county boyz, etc), and stuff from jacksonville and tampa (tampa tony, tom g, etc) that does good, but for the most part really the only non florida (miami shit gets love)/atlanta/new orleans shit i can get away with, is g unit shit. And still im not playing g unit shit after 12:30.

    id get looks if i played thriller or any kanye (the only time i can get away with kanye shit like gold digger is on more "white"/frat nights)

    keeping the dance floor packed for 4 hours straight is tough, one hour is not so tough

  • I think a good point was made about having your own identity. I guess ive never had to deal with that. As I said, i would hardly call myself a dj.







    And yeah, i get the jack osborne thing alot.








    B-Sides is being modest - he was doing behind the back beat juggles and ill hampsterflareraer scratches. Thanks for taking over for me man, I was getting tired and drunk.

  • BsidesBsides 4,244 Posts
    Hey BSides, my man Mark came through that party you see above and we were rapping about you. I remember you saying you met him out in LA.


    Yeah. Good dude. He stayed with a friend of mine and we blazed mad cali turtle.


  • I just think alot of people are working too hard carrying all these records out that no one really wants to hear outside of the bedroom.

    iam young, iam innocent, i may know nothing (and i really, really need the money...). but to me djing is an artform and art is to teach people. its no big deal getting the crowd moving with records everyone knows, thats for sure. welcome to mainstream culture.
    getting the crowd dancing their ass off with amazing tracks they never heard before - and we all know there are a lot more left to play - makes me feel even better than playing james brown all the time or even playing what THEY want. they can only request what the already know.
    so pleeeaaaassseeeee go and teach them what they like to hear. my opinion.


  • BsidesBsides 4,244 Posts
    I just think alot of people are working too hard carrying all these records out that no one really wants to hear outside of the bedroom.

    iam young, iam innocent, i may know nothing (and i really, really need the money...). but to me djing is an artform and art is to teach people. its no big deal getting the crowd moving with records everyone knows, thats for sure. welcome to mainstream culture.
    getting the crowd dancing their ass off with amazing tracks they never heard before - and we all know there are a lot more left to play - makes me feel even better than playing james brown all the time or even playing what THEY want. they can only request what the already know.
    so pleeeaaaassseeeee go and teach them what they like to hear. my opinion.



    Yeah see, thats cool and all, but its sort of what im talking about. People are trying to go to the club, not class.

    I have the upmost respect for people that can do this. Because as they say "real dj's break records", but it takes quite a balance i would imagine, and you need to bring them back with hits 2 times for every time you play something new.

  • :sigh:

    Dudes,

    the simple solution to this and almost every problem in life is taking the best of both worlds and making something better than either of those worlds on their own.

    i.e. mix up the music - play a couple of current hits, then drop a gem on em (a la All Night Long, Kiss, Billie Jean) or two, and go back into current stuff.

    rinse. repeat.

    You do this for an hour, you can slip in the veggies and the carnivores have no idea they are eating brussel sprouts.


    "This will keep those meat-eaters regular!"
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