View Full Version : When you're next on deck
I had to cover a shift for one of my bellmen last night at the hotel and being a bellman means standing there and thinking about shite for hours on end. So I started to think about this question...
When you're the next dj up, how do you start your set? There's the dj's who cut the power and let the last dj's record come to a halt and there's others who try to keep the music non stop. How do YOU transition? :bbjohnson:
it really depends on the record... if the dj before is playing some really hype rave prog, then i'm keeping that shit going... if they are playing some crappy vocal or trancey track then i cut the power
the sex molesters
2004-12-03, 01:07 PM
i always mix. of course my record selection is extremely diverse anyway, so there really isn't anything i can't mix out of. except some of my own records sometimes :blush: but that's another story entirely....
i always mix. of course my record selection is extremely diverse anyway, so there really isn't anything i can't mix out of. except some of my own records sometimes :blush: but that's another story entirely....
:haha: yea i hate that shit... train wrex always suck
some people i know buy records that mix with the ones they already have... me personally and it looks like you also, buy records because we like them, even if they dont mix with anything, we will try our damndest
i'm sure most people feel out each situation. although it has always bothered me when people cut the power. if someone is playing house or breaks or even "trance" i'll beatmix in, unless i feel that it's necessary to "cleanse the vibe" and start fresh. in which case i'll try to use a good intro. if the dj's record is cutting into my set time i'll mix in as fast as i can, while keeping pace and flow but if i'm up at bat early i'll show the last dj some respect by letting their record play out.
coming off of drum & bass into breaks or house is always wierd because i think i do something different each time. most of the time i'll just cut in during a breakdown (as long as there isnt too much going on)
Paul Dailey
2004-12-03, 01:16 PM
It really depends on the style the person in front of you is playing and also the kind of event you are playing.
In a Club, I hate it when the DJs cut the power of start with their own intro. It takes a while to build the vibe in any room, so if the promoter has done his homework and arranged the DJs in the right order...there is no reason for the DJ to ruin the vibe the jock before him has set up. Just mix in and keep going.
At a party or "rave", I think it is more accepted to start from scratch and build your own vibe. Many times, people EXPECT you to start with an intro, so they know a new DJ is stepping up. At these events, I usually start with an intro...but most of the time, it is say, some keyboards riff that I layed down at home...that has no beats, but that can still mix perfectly into what was playing before.
Again, I hate it when the DJ just cuts the power...because in my eyes...that is like saying, ok...that DJ sucked...let me show you how it is done. And in order for a party to really work, all the DJs need to be working together to set a certain vibe for the night...not all trying to compete to see who is the biggest, baddest, loudest etc.
Pseudo Society
2004-12-03, 01:17 PM
Your right, it does depend on the situation. I spin techno n electro so often times the speeds are off or would not mix well.
Often times I will play the other dj's record (cutting, fading, whatever without scratching) and either slowly lower the volume while fading into something with vocals. Otherwise I find myself finding something that is strictly melody for a few without a beat that will mix well (like Rhythm is Rhythm - Strings of Life works damn good.)
Matt Sanborn
2004-12-03, 01:30 PM
Depends on who I am playing after, what they are playing, my mood that night, what is in my bag, what I had for breakfast, etc.
Djing is not planned for me. Well, except for picking out what tracks to bring. So- I dont really know till the dj before me unplugs his phones. Then I asses the situation/floor vibe/etc and run with it.
There are times just to cut the power and start from scratch, and there are times to mix outta the guy before you.
When I had to go on after Feelgood in the main room at Buzz there was no way I wanted to loose what momentum he had built...so I just mixed in and kept goin, another time I had to play there after Reid Speed...and well, I stopped her record as there was no way I was going to try to get my house rekkid into her DnB one.
The Logic Theorist
2004-12-03, 01:58 PM
I'll say this much:
If I'm set to go on at 11, and DJ before me drops a 12 minute track at 10:59 and then asks me to let it run through the second break, shit is getting cut at 11. I may even throw the record at him.
In general, if the vibe is one I want to run into my set I'll match out of it and keep it going. If not, I'll cut it an start over. But either way, I make it a point to let people know the DJ has changed somehow. Generally though, unless I'm playing early in the night, I'm not about dropping the 2 minute intro at the beginning of my set.
Simon
2004-12-03, 02:00 PM
I think it varies, it really depends on the situation you are in.
If you are the headliner of the event, an intro is fine... but headliners in MOST cases will let the last record completley play out, if they don't mix out. Turning the table off and letting it die is often considered rude, and does not show respect to the previous.
I, in general play pretty bangin stuff, but I like to start from scratch most of the time becouse, while it may be agressive... I like to play at a slower tempo than most (128 generaly) (opens the harder stuff up and gives it a funk) and I need the full scope of my pitch to work the records I am playing +8 and -8, (i often notice at 128 I have no problems there) Just becouse it's a slower temo does not mean that the enegery will go down either... thats a comon misconception of overthinkers
I'll generaly only mix out if the person before me is up my alley, at my general tempo.
Matt Sanborn
2004-12-03, 02:17 PM
If you are the headliner of the event, an intro is fine... but headliners in MOST cases will let the last record completley play out, if they don't mix out. Turning the table off and letting it die is often considered rude, and does not show respect to the previous.
:werd:
empath
2004-12-03, 02:31 PM
If you are the headliner of the event, an intro is fine... but headliners in MOST cases will let the last record completley play out, if they don't mix out. Turning the table off and letting it die is often considered rude, and does not show respect to the previous.
Whoever the guy that tiesto brought with him to play his intro was very polite about asking me whether I wanted my last record to play out or not.. i was like no, go ahead, it's your night do what you want.. but it was nice that he asked..
Simon
2004-12-03, 02:35 PM
That's generaly the right thing to do.
empath
2004-12-03, 02:36 PM
I've just started planning to play records that i don't care about as 'my last track'
i got so sick of people mixing out of great records just because they're bored.
Christine
2004-12-03, 02:46 PM
As a mostly-downtempo DJ I usually find myself going on before other DJs rather than after them, so I guess I have more experience seeing what the next DJ does to mix or transition out of my final record.
I was really impressed with the guy from Jazzanova (the bearded guy--I think his name is Alex) when I was opening for him in July at Five. He brought in little bits of his first record here and there during my final record, teaser-style. It was a good setup for when he brought that record in completely.
In cases where the opening DJ's style is totally different from the headliner's, I think turning off the turntable is fine. But there are different ways to do it--depending on the context and how the headliner goes about it, it could sound like the logical division between two very different styles, or an attention-getting "hey, look at me!" ploy, or a respectful acknowledgement of the previous DJ's set, or (if the record gets cut off really early) a "to hell with that stuff!" gesture.
The Logic Theorist
2004-12-03, 02:47 PM
I think it's more respectful to calculate your last record to run out about when the next DJ is supposed to go up.
Matt Sanborn
2004-12-03, 02:53 PM
I think it's more respectful to calculate your last record to run out about when the next DJ is supposed to go up.
I have found headliners dont really pay close attention to set times...they go on 15-20 mins late or early and it doesnt matter to them.
I could see a local dj getting mad he doesnt get his full 1.5 hour set tho :wink:
plus the last thing I am thinking about when playing is how long my last track is and if it will end by the time the next guy is up....I just keep going all the way to the end...what they do with the last track is up to them
Christine
2004-12-03, 02:57 PM
I have found headliners dont really pay close attention to set times...they go on 15-20 mins late or early and it doesnt matter to them.
Heh, I thought this was true of almost all DJs, especially with regard to going on late!!
(Not me, though.)
the sex molesters
2004-12-03, 03:01 PM
i'm no headliner, but honestly i don't really pay attention to set times either. i go on when the dj before me wants me to, and i finish up when the dj after me wants me to. this is usually due to the fact that i don't have a watch.
The Logic Theorist
2004-12-03, 03:01 PM
I have found headliners dont really pay close attention to set times...they go on 15-20 mins late or early and it doesnt matter to them.
I could see a local dj getting mad he doesnt get his full 1.5 hour set tho :wink:
plus the last thing I am thinking about when playing is how long my last track is and if it will end by the time the next guy is up....I just keep going all the way to the end...what they do with the last track is up to them
Nah I'm just saying, if you know your time is almost up, don't throw on the longest record you have. I'm usually paying attention to time because that's how I build my sets, so it's no biggy for me to throw on a 5 min track if I'm off in 4 or a 10 min track if I'm off in 9. Or.. a 2 min track if I'm off in 1, cause I don't really let tracks play that long.
:wink:
Matt Sanborn
2004-12-03, 03:04 PM
you are WAY too anal lol. thank god you dont play after me cuz I would laugh at you if I looked over and you were staring at your watch counting down to the exact time you went on. :wink:
I dont even know how long any of my tracks are minute wise...
The Logic Theorist
2004-12-03, 03:07 PM
you are WAY too anal lol. thank god you dont play after me cuz I would laugh at you if I looked over and you were staring at your watch counting down to the exact time you went on. :wink:
I dont even know how long any of my tracks are minute wise...
Well.. if you played on the radio you'd have to have an exact feel for time. It's not a minute by minute breakdown really, I just have a general idea of how long I want my sets to do what for. Then again, I'm used to playing for 5-9 hours so some planning is necessary. If you do a set that long and blow your wad in the first 2 hours, you end up with a really long night.
the sex molesters
2004-12-03, 03:10 PM
you are WAY too anal lol. thank god you dont play after me cuz I would laugh at you if I looked over and you were staring at your watch counting down to the exact time you went on. :wink:
I dont even know how long any of my tracks are minute wise...
yea, lol, i know which ones i can smoke a cigarette on or get another drink or use the bathroom.... but as for actual time? nope, couldn't tell ya.
apple
2004-12-03, 03:14 PM
thank god you dont play after me cuz I would laugh at you
lol classic line
Matt Sanborn
2004-12-03, 03:17 PM
ha! I didn't mean it like that :neener:
yea, i used to do marathon sets at front page in dc... man i would get so bored sometimes. but i always saved the good stuff for the last 3 hours
Matt Sanborn
2004-12-03, 03:21 PM
Then again, I'm used to playing for 5-9 hours so some planning is necessary. If you do a set that long and blow your wad in the first 2 hours, you end up with a really long night.
planning schmanning.
just remember to disperse your hot tracks, or while its early and not many are there, warm up with Bsides.
I used to do 4 hour sets at Gua Rapo every month...what a long night...did 5 hours in the front room at buzz one time- not nearly as long of a night.
DJ STEEVROCK
2004-12-03, 03:37 PM
When Im on I let my presence be felt.. Im cuttin shit off, especially if im headliniin. I think every DJ should have a respectable introduction without causing too much interuption. Some crowds at parties dont know too much about djing, they can confuse you for the wackkk ass dj that was on before you. I always think about the crowd. Im like the Don King of djing I like to build up the hype.
Jay Selway
2004-12-03, 06:34 PM
I usually ask the dj that is playing what they would like me to do.
Example why this is important:
I dj'd at Spirit NYC in August. The last record I played was a track my friend wrote - he happened to be at the party and flipped out that I dropped it (killer track btw) anyway, I asked the next dj if he could let the song play out since my buddy who wrote it was there. He said sure, and I unhooked my headphones and walked away. Not 30 seconds after i did that did he slam the WORST fucking trainwreck EVER right into my buddies track. Not even half way thru the song.
Its just disrespectful. Not only to the prior dj, but to the crowd that was enjoying the song.
Also.. if a dj is going to be following me, I always ask what they are planning on doing with their set - like if I'm playing too fast or heavy.. or if they want me to tone down the energy a bit or build it up... In the long run - you might not get to throw on every track you wanted to - but you'll come off as a respectful dj and a nice person.. which gets you alot further then good mixing.
Liftedtrance
2004-12-03, 06:37 PM
Whoever the guy that tiesto brought with him to play his intro was very polite about asking me whether I wanted my last record to play out or not.. i was like no, go ahead, it's your night do what you want.. but it was nice that he asked..
i think thats really cool that he asked and wasnt just gonna go ahead and step all over everybody just b/c he was with tiesto.
very cool
Jay Selway
2004-12-03, 06:38 PM
didn't tiesto get all pissed at empath?
Liftedtrance
2004-12-03, 06:40 PM
oh yea, something about he brought the energy level up to high, or did too good of a job or something????
Jay Selway
2004-12-03, 06:43 PM
yeah.. some djs can get pissed about that...
John Fleming was really cool about it when i played before him at buzz in august. I asked him if he was planning on playing any of the tracks I had on a few CDrs and if I was playing too heavy. He was nice as could be and told me to to go ahead and play as energetic as possible. I think he really respected the fact that I asked.
Matt Sanborn
2004-12-03, 06:45 PM
I dj'd at Spirit NYC in August. The last record I played was a track my friend wrote - he happened to be at the party and flipped out that I dropped it (killer track btw) anyway, I asked the next dj if he could let the song play out since my buddy who wrote it was there. He said sure, and I unhooked my headphones and walked away. Not 30 seconds after i did that did he slam the WORST fucking trainwreck EVER right into my buddies track. Not even half way thru the song.
That sucks...
BUT- In all honesty when I am going up after someone I absolutely HATE it when they *ask* me to play out their last track, which of course ends up being a 10 minute anthem.
IMO if the guy before me wants to hear that track in its entirity, then he should have played it earlier in his set.
also- if I go on at 12 and it is 1215 and I am going on- you can rest assure I am not going to let your long ass track play through.
It is respectful to let it play if you want to do that- but it is kind of an unspoken rule.
my .02
MURAMASA
2004-12-03, 07:16 PM
If it's another DnB DJ I do my best to mix out, unless they're playing at a pretty slow bpm. I agree though, every situation, crowd, etc, calls for a different tactic... it's a part of knowing your crowd, even if you haven't started playing for them yet.
If it's electro, however, I usually make it a point to take the record off as quickly as possible, break it over my knee, and toss the pieces at the DJ who played it. I generally try to aim for his/her eyes.
:P
The Logic Theorist
2004-12-03, 07:24 PM
also- if I go on at 12 and it is 1215 and I am going on- you can rest assure I am not going to let your long ass track play through.
Isn't this what I said, then you said something about laughing at me? :neener:
Matt Sanborn
2004-12-03, 07:39 PM
ummm kind of.
the laughing was more at the mental image of some anxious dj getting pissed cuz he is not getting his full set cuz the guy before him is over a few mins
The Logic Theorist
2004-12-03, 08:01 PM
Nah there's no getting pissed involved, I just cut the record and start my set. :wink:
I'm just saying me personally, I try to watch the time and make sure if I want to hear a record, it's not running way over into the next DJs set.
Sidenote: I do hate it when I'm tagging with somebody, and my 3 records take 4 minutes, and their 3 records take 15.
Matt Sanborn
2004-12-03, 08:04 PM
Sidenote: I do hate it when I'm tagging with somebody, and my 3 records take 4 minutes, and their 3 records take 15.
amen
When Ken and I do our Section 8 gigs I make his slow ass hurry up
I like taggin with muniz as we both throw tracks down fast
yvonison
2004-12-03, 09:50 PM
I could see a local dj getting mad he doesnt get his full 1.5 hour set tho :wink:
drum and bass events 101
Paul Dailey
2004-12-04, 02:03 AM
you are WAY too anal lol. thank god you dont play after me cuz I would laugh at you if I looked over and you were staring at your watch counting down to the exact time you went on...
If you are playing at a party or a "rave" where each DJ is only given 1 hour to play...then you really SHOULD be keeping track of time...otherwise, you are bound to get your last record turned off.
In a club setting, where each DJ has multiple hours...a few minutes either way is no big deal. But there is nothing worse than a DJ who plays a 2 hour set...and then 1 minute before the end, mixes into a 12 minute track. Fuk That.
Yeah, I agree with finding a way to end a track that is cutting into 12 minutes of your slot. But you guys also hit the nail on the head w/ cutting the power being disrespectful. I think it's actually disrespectful to the crowd. No one really wants to hear a record slowly come to a halt in my opinion.
Matt Sanborn
2004-12-04, 02:02 PM
In a club setting, where each DJ has multiple hours...a few minutes either way is no big deal.
this was my point.
hour sets? Who just plays hour sets??
PYVND
2004-12-05, 03:17 AM
The only experience I have had with this is when a fellow raver and DJ asked me to let his final record play out. It was an ok track (that I myself have on vinyl), we were at the beach, and I know it meant something to him. Thinking back, he asked in a way that suggested he was ready for me to say no. I never would have turned it down--it is about a feeling after all.
and in the world of radio djing, that's called "station formatting."
: ORI :
2004-12-05, 12:49 PM
this was my point.
hour sets? Who just plays hour sets??
Everyone on NYE will be.
shade
2004-12-05, 01:03 PM
dnb dj's are almost always stuck with hour sets.
i almost exclusively cut a record out by turning down the power, and/or spinning it back a bit while starting up my first record. i think its a useful break in the flow because it lets people know that a new dj has come on. its not so much, 'look at me,' as it is 'hey, somethings happening.'
i dont really see this as dropping energy on the floor though, but it could be because of the nature of dnb versus other things- its kind of easier to stop/start things without having a problem. maybe its cause of shorter or quicker builds and break downs.. or maybe im just pulling that out of my ass, i dont know. i think the intro to a track can have plenty of energy, and even if its just heavy beat thats all highs or mids and highs without bass, it can keep things going. sometimes its nice to drop out of things and just let that happen for a minute.. even in the middle of a set, this is why rewinds dont bug me so much. yeah they can be overused of course, but if its a good track, its got a good intro, and theres nothing wrong with hearing that every once in awhile.
i dont really particularly feel like mixing out of a dj before keeps energy moving that much more. a good intro can be no different than some other breakdown in a track, and its perfectly natural for tunes to lose elements and build back up in the middle of a set. plus.. nine times out of ten.. if im recording and the dj out of me mixes out, theyre going to wreck. its just murphy's law.
im really surprised to find that some people think its rude to start your set this way... i feel more like its rude not to give the dj a proper "end" to his set.
BrianH
2004-12-05, 01:08 PM
I try and have a few tracks for every genre that meshes well with what I play. For example, Alex Calver does a good mix of techno with a bit of psy trance appeal so I like to play his tunes after a techno DJ.
EmmaK
2004-12-05, 01:30 PM
personally, i like it sometimes when dj's do a little bit of a backspin or let the record slow down to the end...and i particularly like it when d'n'b is about to come on (if a diff genres was on right beforehand) because it allows for that particular kind of intro track, which builds hype for the junglists, who are usually about to explode at that point. explode in the sense of "wOOt!", not angrily. now, if two genres are highly compatible (or the dj styles) then a continuous mix can be nice, and anyone who's paying attention *should* be able to hear the differences between various dj's.
shade
2004-12-05, 01:34 PM
personally, i like it sometimes when dj's do a little bit of a backspin or let the record slow down to the end...and i particularly like it when d'n'b is about to come on (if a diff genres was on right beforehand) because it allows for that particular kind of intro track, which builds hype for the junglists, who are usually about to explode at that point.
:werd:
i'm sayin! :yes:
the sex molesters
2004-12-05, 02:48 PM
im really surprised to find that some people think its rude to start your set this way... i feel more like its rude not to give the dj a proper "end" to his set.
it's not so much rude to end a set that way.... but be careful WHEN you end the set! i have personally spun with a few dnb djs who don't seem to even be listening to the set before them.... they walk up to the decks, and as soon as they have their headphones in and their first record out, BAM there goes the power on the table, or BAM there's a backspin, and all of a sudden my track is over... sometimes even in the middle of a vocal! i think that's fucked up and rude. so i guess the real ticket here is that, whatever you do, do it at the RIGHT TIME. as with anything in djing, that's really what makes a difference.
btw, for those djs who don't believe it's possible to mix dnb and anything else and make it sound good... it is possible, and i'd be more than happy to show you sometime.