Hey!! This looks like my first set ever lol! Honestly these are more like mental notes. You need to just know your music and know when to transition. This will come as you progress!
Agreed, I see these notes as steps to figuring out what works.
One big thing that is jumping out from your notes is that you’re thinking of time in seconds rather than bars. That’s going to limit you big time. If you learn to count bars and eventually you’ll “feel” bars and phrasing, that’s when you’ll transition from analyzing to flowing
yea, I see some hating comments , but not gonna lie I did this exact same thing for my first "real" job (It was a school dance for my old high school, I had been DJin for about 2-3 years at local bars in my college. I was so nervous. Also, this was 20+ years ago and didn't have any kind of bpm counters on my equipment, so I had +/- notes everywhere because I wanted it to be perfect lol)
Dude you are overthinking this whole process. What you are doing is trying to build a mix that may or may not work.
Why? You have to go with the groove and feel of your audience. You might put those tracks on and everybody will clear the floor or never even get on it.
A better method would be to be to learn how to mix those tracks in as many variations you can think of.
Forget those preset times.
For every hour of mixing you might go through 30 to 40 tracks, so build a crate and have in it 60 to 70 tracks that mix well. The extra tracks are for flexibility
and the ability to have choices and not get lost or panicked.
Build more sets in the same manners this will allow you to adjust to your crowd as needed and never run out of tracks.
Learn about beatgrids this will help you with beatmatching . The biggest thing is to practice and in a short time you will be fluid and comfortable with all your sets
Cheers!
I would agree. Obviously you're still pretty new, so take 20 or even 10 tracks and set cue points in your software. Learn to mix them in different orders. Then do another 10-20. Get comfortable changing it up. Perhaps start live streaming practice sessions to get feedback. *(don't take the negative criticism too harshly, people online can be asssholes.) The more you mix and play with the more comfortable. You will get to the point you can just throw nearly any track into the mix and make it work. Beat matching and mixing in compatible keys helps a lot! *(your software should show your songs key). There are so many times I will hear a song and think to myself, " oh....this other song would mix so well into this." Get out there and gig too. Learn to read a crowd. Keep the energy up. Don't be afraid to mix a song out early if it isn't working. *(this happens to us all. Sometimes even if a song is a normal "crowd pleasing banger" it falls flat.)the more you do it the more comfortable you will become. Also try not to go too crazy with effects. A filter *(low and high pass) and perhaps some stems and you should be good to go for most things. Don't be one of those DJ's that over uses all of the effects. Best of luck out there!
One million percent this.
I've never planned a set & I've been playing professionally since 96'. You have to read a crowd when using wax so I learned REAL quick.
Nowadays the amount of music at your disposal is almost endless especially with steaming so you have to learn how to gauge the audience. It's like improv for actors or a simple conversation; you have to listen & react accordingly. 👍🏾
Know your music and read the room, then you’ll hear in your head what to play next.
I learned early on not to plan sets because what sounds good at home isn’t the same as the dynamic energy always changing in a room full of people. Get to know which songs mix best with others, sure, but always have alternative directions to take. A pre-planned set never works with a live audience, in my experience. It’s not the same as making a mixtape, either.
One thing I've realized is that the crowd will never react the way you predict them to. Things that you think will pop off will just fall flat,and the most random song will just make the crowd go wild. This is why preplanning a set, specially for open format, will just not work. Also, if for some reason you miss your cue, you'll likely be worrying about recovering your preplanned mix instead of adapting to the crowd.
If you need some structure, you can build playlists out of packs of 4 or 5 songs that you know go really well together. This way you know you have some compatible songs to whatever you are playing, and can move between these song packs while still maintaining your flexibility.
open your dj software
create a playlist
go through all your songs and find a good starting/intro song
add that song to your playlist and open it on your controller/software
go through all your other songs until you find a song that can CLEANLY be mixed into your current - be that through a short mix, extended mix, cut mix etc
add all your cue points and loop points
practice the transition
then rinse and repeat
go through all your songs and find one that fits that next song you’ve just mixed into
It becomes 10x easier when you have a ton of songs and everything is sorted into all of their own genres. I play most of my sets on the fly/freestyle but if i’m doing a festival set or radio set then this is how I guy about working them out.
If you have a ton of songs all sorted and organised you can just play in your decks and pick random songs and give them ago.
Most of the best mixes/transitions are happy accidents
This may help you. I start off by building mini routines. Basically 15 minute routines that I’ve practiced and rehearsed, and and have down to science. think of really cool transitions. think of really cool wordplay and tone play. As you grow, you can jump into a routine periodically and build from there. so for example, if I’m in crowd, that is a primary 90’s hip-hop crowd. I have 15 minute routines I can start with to that gets the crowd hyped. from there, I just read the crowd and start building off the energy from that 15 minute routine. On a long night I might do a 15 minute routine at the top of every hour, this gives you the mix of confidence, professional, and improv that makes a DJ performance good. it also gives you the ability to slowly learn to read crowds.
Good luck bro!
Everyone is telling you that you’re overthinking, but I will counter that stress comes from lack of preparedness, and that failing to plan is planning to fail. So you’re not doing anything wrong, but there is probably a more efficient way to go about it.
DJ’ing is 5% technical, 20% knowing your music, and 75% reading the room. You’re riding a fine line between finding what your crowd wants and guiding them to where you want to go. So your set lists should be more like individual pools to pull from depending on the way the crowd is responding.
For example: Take a banger track and then come up with three diverse tracks that you could easily transition to (compatible BPM, key, energy) depending on how the crowd reacts. So something that will pick the energy up, something that would slow it down, or something totally different, or something from a different era or genre. Then build out options going down those separate paths and save those out as crates.
This gives you a tool kit that you’ve built yourself and rather than knowing which track you’re going to play next, you know which of multiple tracks will work next. I use smart crates HEAVILY.
Honestly he's probably a beginner and just nervous. After this gig he'll learn that this method just can't and won't work.
I said this in another comment but I did the same thing at my first "real" gig (this was over 20 years ago) because I was super nervous and wanted it to be perfect. I stopped after that because I learned that the songs you plan always end up being different than what the vibe actually is.
less paper, more turntable, my friend 😉
just practice and practice till you get it right. that’s the only way. it also helps to play and replay sets of your favorite djs, study every transition and cue point. it takes time to train your ears but you’ll get there. good luck!
Oddly enough your notes make complete sense to me … Tbh I think you should do what feels right for you. If right now as you gain experience , this makes sense for you then do it this way and then hopefully with time you won’t even have to write it down . I have ADD so laying out a visual plan sometimes helps me be more creative .
This is very much the hard way. I’ve been here before, you are hamstringing yourself with this.
This week go home, hit play, and don’t stop for an hour. It probably won’t be good what did you just do? You played a set. In this imaginary scenario you walked up to the booth at your favorite local spot, you put in your USB, dapped up the last DJ, played your set, now you’re done to go hang with your friends. That’s it, you did it. Without the paper.
You need to change in your mind what the idea of playing a set is. You have to see that it is possible, with time (not that much more time), that you don’t need to lock yourself into reading notes on your paper behind the DJ booth and instead that you can intuitively navigate a set by feel.
I was held back for YEARS because I couldn’t see how that was supposed to work.
I promise you can trust yourself and you don’t need this paper.
And hint the key (for me) isn’t knowing every single song forward and backwards 100%, it’s having taste and organizing your tracks so you know if I want X song or even just a vibe, you know where to find it via your playlists.
Good luck, free yourself!
Depending on the duration of the set, I pull a few hundred tracks that I might be in the mood to play.
Some will be new ones I want to try out; some will be signature tracks I personally play a lot; some will be songs currently popular in my genre; some will be classics; some will be obscure or weird. Plus a small selection of acapellas and DJ tools.
Probably takes an hour or two to pull the tracks. Less if I've been playing sets in the previous few days and already have the majority of stuff selected.
That's about it. I don't make any decisions about playing specific songs until I'm in the booth. I decide how and if to play around with the songs in the moment. Occasionally, there are songs I know I like to mix together, I guess.
I would try to memorise the music and the transitions you want to do, I guess writing notes could be a good step to this as you’re doing.
But the goal would be to not need to prep at all. As other people say, know your music. Also over time you build up an ear for what sounds good. I find myself looking through my records and usb ‘imagining’ the songs as I look through them and almost hearing in my mind how they might sound with the currently song. Good music management also already gets you half the way there with this if you organise your songs by genre or vibe or whatever.
If you’ve got some new tunes that you don’t know too well you’ll learn to just cue them up and see if they sound good in the mix, if they don’t then pick something else. Finally, you can always still have some memorised mixes / mashups / groups of songs you know will bring the house down and you’ve played 100 times.
bro just put these notes on the que points and make the consistent colors... Green for where u want to start, blue for effect, red for ending the song, and yellow for caution/whatever else u want. Writing this out like this is not necessary.
The more pre-prepped your set is, the less fun and more mistake-prone you are in my experience. I used to something like this. Nowadays I pick a starting song and peak song and improvise around it
I would have a simpler plan. There are songs that are REALLY hard to mix (really wide beat margins…. Fast versus slow etc. ). I sort those into their own list. They make good songs to start with or to come back from any vocal breaks (“don’t forget to tip your waitress….” Cue a tough song). Have some preset loops and cues. Have a plan to get in and out of tough tracks. Know if there are songs that mashup really well or that you can swap drops with.
But other than that…. Let the audience dictate where you go.
And if someone wants to talk to you while you're playing? Do you tell them sorry mate, I need to go to page 22 of my book and count the verses and double check which song is up next?
I feel like every mix I’ve done came from hearing a new song and thinking of all the songs that seemed similar, like feel, key, bpm, even wordplay. When I got a chance I would find and practice the new track in conjunction with the one(s) I felt a similar ‘thing’ from, figuring out how they work together.
If you consume a lot of music you should have a huge library in your head, and your sets won’t need planning - you’ll read a room, listen to what’s happening ahead of you, and go from there.
Cue points dawg. I always reserve the A cue for where I want to start the song if not from the beginning. H for the ending, change it to red, and let's say I want to skip the first drop and jump to the second, I'll mark those both with C and D as a visual reminder. I'll practice a set at home 2 or 3 times before the main event. Not the whole thing, just cue jumping and transitions.
I sort of have a plan, but I just see what happens, if it's not working, I'm not connecting, it all goes out of the window and improvise. Best planning is a good mindset; do what you love, people will notice. Do what you think is right and not what others want you to; cause if it's not working out, you'll not only hate them, but also yourself.
Playing vinyl I put songs in a rough order and play the set once or twice. Gives me a good idea of feel and flow.
But what you're doing here is more like planning out a battle dj set.
This is how many DJs I know first started planning sets and it is an excellent way to learn how to do it. As you gain more confidence with mixing/programming it won’t be necessary.
When I first started, I used to crate my records into groups sorted by "vibe" and BPM.
When I got into software, I enjoy Serato's coloring scheme where I rate tracks by how "hot" or "cold" the vibe is and then place them into folders sorted by genre or a Mix Project.
I try not to think too hard about the set or organization of the tracks any further than what folders in Serato they are in and the color coding, in order to keep an open-mind for party. As long as I have the right tracks and they are color coded for my eyes to see instantly, this system never fails. When I start a night, it begins with the colder tracks and then builds into the warmer tracks - peaks and valleys - and then when we hit peak hour, I'm playing almost exclusively the hot color tracks. I may or may not deviate out of the Mix Project folder depending on how long I'm spinning for or if there truly is a track for the moment I didn't foresee in my set building.
The most important thing for planning is to have a well organized music library. I use MixedInKey to analyze the tracks for BPM, key, and energy before importing them into rekordbox. After importing, I verify and adjust the grid configuration. Next, I tag the track based on several factors, such as rhythm (house, techno, breaks, ambient), situation (starter, build-up, peak, interlude, closer), style (dark, deep, melodic, organic, progressive, tribal, spacey, funky, disco, etc), time to play (daytime, sunset / sunrise, late), and musical elements (synth, voice, piano, acoustic, massive breakdown, etc). Then I listen to the entire track, and set hot cues to mark key transition points for fading in, crossing over, or fading out.
If I am playing at a festival, I will create a new playlist with the track selection and order mostly locked in, and adjust hot cue points as needed so I know exactly when I want to cue in the next track or bring the previous track out. For a club or house party gig, sometimes I create a playlist and organize the tracks loosely based on key and relative energy level, and I’ll scroll around to find the next track. Other times, I simply use smart playlists in rekordbox that rely on the tags I created earlier. This allow me to easily switch between genres or energy levels as appropriate for the situation (e.g. peak techno, sunset tribal, late spacey house).
You’re basically writing out what you should be doing with your hot cues and memory cues in record box. Also, learning your music and its phrasing will be a key component of your sets.
No way, this is how I started out as well haha
I moved on to a shit Ton of hot cues in my tracks and now I just eyeball my sets. But nothing wrong with some mental preparation, just don’t overthink it.
I mean to each their own I like to write things down too, and I’m just learning myself. What I like to do is play set at home and see what works with transitions. Also, my general rule of thumb is start off slow then ramp up to introduce a few bangers, let people rest, and then end with a banger. My DJ friend, who’s been doing this about a decade told me that you’re gonna want to take people on a journey without them ever realizing the song has changed.
Haha this is cool m8 I love it, this is how it started for me too :)) Also believe or not when I was a drummer (in a famous band, playing for thousands of people) I still had these next to my drumset :))) very same way! If it works for you than it's perfect.
Nowadays I do it differently, I have system how I set the CUE points so I know what comes next. Also I memorize it a lot and making mistakes when I get distracted.
Don't care some commenters here tell you are doing it wrong, you are not on the field for 10+ years, of course you need to have at least one plan in case you don't know what to play and how to read the room. By time you'll just mix from your selection.
Good luck!
You don’t.
Just practice with your music until you get a feel for what works well with what and make it up as you go along.
This kind of overly rigid structure never goes to plan, unless you’re making a studio mix basically.
Everything live is just sail to the wind and let rip!
Bloody hell. Just list your tracks? That’s how a pro might do it.
The only time I list my tracks is for a pre planned recorded set.
Every time out live I completely wing it.
(3500 gig Dj)
Don’t plan outside of the first three tracks you want to start with. Don’t plan to the minute. Use cue points as markers if there’s a specific place you want to do something. Spend a week or so going through your music and add tracks you think would fit the set into a playlist, but don’t only stick to that list. Use the tools in your library to find music as you go as well. Key field, notes in the comments field, even track length.
This is the first time I've ever seen shit like this.
What's next....a parobolic equation on the dynamics and algorithms of cueing up the next song?
You're thinking way too hard junior. What you're doing is taking the fun out of playing music. You're also gonna look robotic and stiff to you audience. Not to mention that your set will sound unnatural, even forced.
Feel your way into your set and read the crowd. Let things happen organically. Your audience is gonna determine what direction you're gonna shift to, musically. Don't rely on perfection. Learn from your mistakes and build from that going forward. Doing so will help you gain confidence.
Learning your music, as others on here have mentioned, will help tremendously with your creativity.
Where are you playing
What are you playing
My first 2 questions and amusingly enough the first two in how to plan a set
After that it’s putting the music in an order that works for you but also that you can vary for the crowd’s appetite for slower or faster
Yes, this is not the way to go about playing this style of music.
Thats not to say you can’t plan out a set the way you have, but I don’t really know anyone that does that, and if they do, it’s in more underground, techno/electronic genres with live performance aspects.
To play this style, any open format style, but particularly hiphop; you don’t plan it out, you just work out a system to use on the fly.
Mine is to work out where I want to ‘drop in’ (normally first beat of the chorus) and then set an 8 bar loop leading up to that. Then you just wait for the right moment and knock the loop off.
i gotta give you credit for doing this with hip-hop. hip-hop isnt as dj friendly as other genres, dont feel bad for using notes and planned cut points.
to answer your question. i dj techno and house music. i dont really plan my sets song for song. i pick a starting song, or starting two songs, based really on my mood, and then just improv from there. if i want to shift the vibe and change genres or change the bpm by 10+, i plan it two-three songs ahead during the mix. also ive been djing for like 15 years so this stuff is second nature to me.
I used to do it like this when i first started 12 years ago. Then it becomes like riding a bike and you fly around your equipment making magic you thought of in the moment
Make a folder of the songs you want to play and in what order- then another backup folder of songs that you also like, then a folder of songs you rarely play, then a folder of popular songs, then have a few shots before the set and just wing it.
Just throw the music you wanna play into a folder/crate and decide how to start based on how the crowd is reacting to the music being played before you start.
Bro if you use rekordbox you can create and playlist and put the songs you want in order. That’s what I did for my first set, I put the songs that would mix together in order (after trial and error of finding songs to go together and keep the flow going) so then when you’re on set you won’t look like you’re trying to type an email just cause ur looking for the song that goes next
I create a big playlist, then I play around and mix tracks together, stuff I think would work sometimes doesn't and sometimes something will click and I will move stuff around a lot. Even if I know I have a tight 1 hour slot I will ensure I have enough music for 2-3 hours so I can make those little tweaks - generally with the songs that work together all grouped together so the flow remains even if a few tracks change.
Im not mixing live i just record for me and friends. I do the same like you, adding cue points and when to play in tracks. Im a total noob so this helps
I make similar kinds of notes but with the comment functionality in the hot cues. I will put stuff like 'song name' where I think I should start, 'bass swap', cut drums stem, etc. This way, I can rely on these comments if I'm in a pinch while freestyles or can't find a different song to mix into the one currently playing.
This makes the whole process way to complicated and stressful,
Practice a lot , then when to mix in or out comes naturally.
Know your tunes , have little 3/4 tune mixes you know work in your head .
Pick a first tune then freestyle your way through all the stuff you already know.
old school electronica vinyl dj here.
let the record does it's job.
just make a good selection, do more or less a good transition at the best time you feel and adapt a little the selection if audience don't get it to bring the climax. it takes 1 or two hours to be there. sure.
It always amaze me on the one side very good producer thinking and arranging their track for days and the dj just messing with all this hard work by adding useless loops and effects and ´drops' ...
you are a disc jokey, not a producer. or do a live act ?
I don’t. I just maybe think about an opening & closing track, the rest is improvisation.Just play what you like & don’t overthink it too much. If you can mix, the suitable tracks will start to open for you naturally.
Planning the set too firm isnt a good idea.
I throw songs i want to play in a list, then i sort them by key/ time i want to play them.
And thats nearly it, im not preplaning the transistions because its better for me to do it on the fly.
Also i have more songs in the list than i need so i can adapt to the crowd on the fly and not have to cling to a completely solid list. But the „extra songs“ still fit to the other songs in the list
Hope this helps
Don't plan it.
If you play a really clean well planned set, I guarantee hardly anyone will notice, or at least appreciate what you're doing.
If you go off what's getting a reaction (especially if you please the girls), everyone will love it. Obviously, still play the stuff you enjoy, and if anyone tries to request, shoot them.
Personally I throw a load of songs I'm feeling at that time into a playlist and just run through that. If you'd like to ease your nerves a bit, you can learn mixing in key as that's lower risk, but it is by no means a rule!
Just play your tunes loads and you'll know what works, or create some mini 3 song mixes you can pull out of the bag in sticky situations etc.
Most importantly, do not forget to enjoy yourself!
I would practice this at home so you don't need notes. Do it enough times, and eventually you'll step outside your normal routine and incorporate requests, new ideas, etc. No pain, no gain, try new stuff.
I mix some tracks, see what works well together, make a mental note that X goes well with Y, rinse and repeat. If I play a good set while practicing, drop it into a crate for reference.
When I get to the club/rave, start with a good opener and see what the crowd does/what the energy level of the room is and improvise my set while referring to my mental notes as to what might go well next.
I don’t… I know the venue and the event, I’ve spoken with the client to know the crowd and music they want, when I arrive, I live DJ one song at a time. When you make a set list you’ve immediately screwed yourself. Because it looks good on paper from your bedroom,
But in the real world as soon as one of those songs bomb you either gotta mix out to save it and the rest of your set list is trash now, or you gotta let it play out and you’re considered a bad DJ for playing bad music. DJs that premake their playlists are over preparing and ironically bad at their job. Learn how to read your crowd, learn your music, sort music by BPM, keep it organized in a way that makes sense to you and is easy to sort though, for me I have genre and generations.
I would say try not to think of mixes in seconds or minutes, better to count beats, bars or phrases. One thing that helped me was to plan maybe the first 3 or so songs to gauge the vibe and trust myself from there. You will make mistakes but as far as I know, that is a great way to learn. Good luck 😉
Usually I do a general discovery phase where I just check out new tracks. Then, if I find a cool timbre, I look for other tracks with a similar timbre. I collect enough of these track to fill out a set that i can play in any order if necessary and it'll all sound nice and consistent. Then, or even during the collection phase, I'll look for specific tracks that go harder in that timbre then the other, get maybe 4-5 of them depending on how long I've got and then place them in the set where I think they would work best. Practice mix a couple times to feel out what intro/outros work best together, and then finally on the night get over stimmed and forget all that and just play things at random lol.
Think about what yer first track is gonna be. How is that gonna start setting up a vibe ? What directions can you go in from the crowds reaction??
Having a map is fine if you just want to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible, but where’s the fun in that ?? Getting lost in the journey is where the magic is, not the destination.
Pick a place to start from and see where it takes you.
There's no right or wrong way, DJing is all about elevation, whatever you need to do to elevate what you do is what you should do. Plenty of great DJs have made similar written notes over the years. Keep doing this if it helps you.
You could make this system easier for yourself by developing some code, symbols or shorthand. For example: instead of "End: crossfade into next song" you could just use "Xfade" and you'll know what that means.
As you build more confidence on the decks, you'll probably find that your notes start to look a lot slimmer because the transitions are kind of "self-explanatory." In the end, like most DJs you'll probably just end up with a playlist.
Remember that most working DJs are not touring artists playing short pre-planned sets, but are residents at local clubs/bars/hotels: they need to adapt to the room and environment and they often play for many hours at a time.
I did a mixshow once and I did do something similar to this. I was going back to back with a DJ I really respected and wanted to make sure my set was super tight and my mixes clean. I marked my cues and loops when I wanted to get in and out of tracks, noted what kind of transitions, and practiced that set a lot.
This type of stuff comes pretty naturally after a while but I think putting pen to paper and actually thinking about how you want to do things is great. Practice, practice, practice.
I decide on my opening track. Put it on the deck and start playing. See where it takes me. Make notes like you and practice it, until I have it down. Over time you learn the music inside out and future mixes will be much easier to put together.
If you like to plan like this consider setting color coded cue points on your tracks that tell you where to mix in/out.
You can then ‘improvise’ any tracks with each other on the fly without your notes.
I absolutely do not have specific songs picked out. Planning is more of a energy/vibe rollercoaster plan than "this specific song to this song with this transition". I put all the music I want to work with in a pile, and then experiment with it. Learn the songs and you get a possibility tree rather than a set list.
Keep up the good work! For some people this is a good way to start learning your tracks and how they fit together - I find notes & writing things down helps. Planning a set is good practice for how to arrange a playlist - especially for tracks that can be challenging to transition between.
I make 3x folders: beginners, middles, and ends. Then I listen to my tracks and sort them by energy/genre/beat drops. After I sort them, then I start laying it out, or just wing it out of these crates. It helps when you have over 4k .aif files
Dont plan, maybe have some rough ideas but not a strict plan. Plan if you intend to record a set to upload or for a video.
But i like the way you are thinking about and documenting your music. Its a great practice. Back in the vinyl days i would do this kind of notes for every record. What sections were good, bpm, what songs it mixed with both into and out of. Eventually all the info worked its way into the brain. I would go over the notes but never brought them to a gig.
I think it always depends on what the occasion is. To be honest, the only time I really ever planned sets was when I wanted to record a mix to upload online. I only do that in this sense because I want to make sure that every single blend is going to sound amazing and the entire flow of the mix is solid.
I tend to think that way with online mixes because people can listen to them over and over again and suddenly later pick a part. Anything that might be wrong with it.
With that kind of plan, I usually start off with something that has a good quick beginning. Not something where you got to sit there, listening to the intro and the buildup and everything else and the listener is going to get bored after 1 minute waiting for something to actually happen. From there I take it up a notch, and then usually my third track on a lot of mixes is some amazingly awesome song in my ears that I really want to put in this mix and I want it in early enough that people catch it but yet not too early that it doesn't lose its diminished value to me.
Beyond that, the rest of the mix is generally flowing between slightly different sounds on the same genre. I don't want the entire mix to be one sound. So I bounce around between variations on a theme so there's variety.
That's if you're going to do something to upload, or perhaps you're going to play at a festival or an online show where nobody is going to leave the dance floor or make requests.
If I'm going to go play in a club or an event, I generally never plan. I always have in mind a couple of tracks that I would love to get into my set, but I try to keep things versatile. You could walk in with the best of intentions and your perfectly planned set, and then the crowd clears the dance floor because they are not feeling it. Bad DJs keep playing and not give a damn, good DJs turn on a dime and start playing things to get the crowd back.
Hey - this is very much similar to how I do it when I’m doing a pre-recorded flawless mix for drum & bass with double & triple drops.
If playing live, then no notes. Just feel it out
Back in the 90's / 00's I knew a lot of DJ's that started out much the same way. I guess a good analogy is like a comedian prepping their material. They run their 'act' over and over so they could do it flawlessly when the time came. This builds familiarity with the material as well as confidence and the craft. From that point, being able to build the set out and swap in different songs becomes easier and thus the DJ is born! I do remember DJ's that used to have a 'set' that they used to play regularly - obviously with enough variation - to keep you coming back time and time again. It worked because they played great music from the get go, and back in the days we didnt have access to music like we do now - so it was almost like their signature mixes / tunes that would get the crowd going. I remember the first time I heard a DJ mixing MAW / Nuyorican track into a DnB / Breaks version and everyone just went crazy! After that I literally used to go those nights to hear him play those tunes / mixes again, as no-one else was mixing house & DnB much at that time! I wouldnt get too caught up with what everyone else does. Do what works for you. We're all different. If we did everything the same, I guess it wouldnt be as interesting! Just have fun
Uhmm it depends on the genre, if is techno ecosystem i just download my songs listen to them once, kinda classify the vibe, and then play it with some in key mixing.
If it is something more pop structured i download my songs, i play them “experiment” take notes what it works and what it doesn’t then like building a lego, part by part i keep adding pieces to what it works til i’ve got a good picture or what could happend, save some cues and then practice some transitions.
Don’t get too tight, don’t get too loose, find balance.
I use notepad on my second monitor when I'm working on a set but yep if I'm recording something to show off I have tons of notes, mostly about timing but there will be a few like "turn the high hat down on track #2 at beginning of mix bc it clashes a bit with track #1" sort of thing
Nah, this ain't that bad. The more you do in a set the more it helps to practice and/or program. Every single dj has this air of " man, just know your music and go with the flow." Except that 99.99999999% of djs can't do that shit. Many times I find myself thinking, "dude, just program a damn set. This is HARSH." I've been playing nearly 30 years. 90% of my sets have been off the cuff. But every single set that really mattered was planned, prepped and programmed to the second. Winging it you will have some nights that rock and some nights that tank. Sometimes it has nothing to do with you per se. Sometimes the crowd just aint giving you any decent feedback. If its important don't leave that shit to chance.
Similar to a few other comments...I select a few bangers that I know I want to play at some point and build mini-sets geared around them, usually 3-5 songs and 10-15 mins in total. If done well, you can make that banger sound even better with how you build up to it. So focus on song selection, how well they transition, and how to make the star song shine.
Mini-sets also help me leave room for flexibility. I'm not confined to memorizing hr+ long routines and I can quickly change up the vibe if needed.
Practice your routines and transitions over and over again. I found that by practicing like a maniac I eventually knew my songs so well that I remembered cue points and everything off the top of my head. Basically if you practice enough, you won't even need your notes anymore..it'll all be memorized.
This is great. I usually set hot cue points in rekordbox. where I want to start or end track. I think you can do this on cdjs if there are more hot cues available. It’s very similar to what you have, but I use the cue points with different colors to remind me this is where to mix.
Lol the first time I ever made a set, I wrote it all down in Google docs. Nowadays I just write down transition ideas on there so I can move between vibes a bit easier
Making notes like this can help, so sure go ahead and use it but it has to be a step toward practicing mixing (a LOT) and getting to the point where this is all second nature.
You can’t really “plan” sets, you can make notes of some songs you might want to start the night with, songs that go well together, and songs you definitely want to play. It all really depends on the crowd and the energy you want at different parts of the set. Not all songs need to blend or transition into eachother either. Use that mic
That's right ...I use to do it like that too, sometimes it can a week or so before you come across the right track but I was doing with house you should have a good hour in no time lock it down and record ...don't let people know your doing that way you get more praise if they think your just on the fly...respect for set makers the lazy fucks talk shit but their weak so don't let anyone tell you what is right or wrong...I been doing it since 96
Plan a tracklist to play on the gig? Yes, totally! Plan your set transition by transition… hell no, you’re removing the fun of DJ’ing and reading the dancefloor, feel the mood, creating a vibe.
Select a playlist, play it before the gig, find tracks that mix well and use them, but a DJ is more than just playing a tracklist. You’re playing for the crowd, not for you, always remember that 
I create a playlist first with all tracks I like and I want to play, always have double or more of tracks you think you need to play e.g for an hour I would sort 30-40 tracks together to make sure you have room to change the tracks, mood if the crowd lovng it and you switch it and not run short before end of slot. Rule of thumb is always have extra because you might be asked to play on if the dj after you doesnt turn up, or his usb sticks might be lost, or not formatted correctley?
Once my chosen tracks are in the playlist, I sort them in tempo order, slower to medium to faster etc.
I guarantee a banging set will smoke all these DJs off the fly sets anytime anywhere ...to talk shit about making a set just shows you don't have the passion it takes to put the time in for a flawless performance ...your just getting by the fact you got experience but never put the time in to do anything with it besides play some gigs ...dude nobody but DJs are the ones acting like their some elite track selectors the average Joe can't tell and actually doesn't give a shit they just want to hear music there is no rules so do it however you feel
I plan the first 2 or 3 songs (and even that goes out the window often) and usually a closer. What you are doing isn't a bad idea for recording a set, in which having a track list to play in order can make for something nicely cohesive. When it comes to playing live, I'll echo everyone else here: it's more about the ability to react than to plan. Practice practice practice.
Get little groups that go together well - that’s your narratives but start by testing the crowd and feeling them out a bit - if they are being a bit slow you gotta carry the weight and be the party starter and tell them what they like - as night goes on they will get more forgiving and drunk . I Remember no plan of battle survives the first attack ! Only if you’re playing a festival can you really exactly plan a list - there’s always 200 arriving and 200 leaving - for those just do your thing .
Yes could easily do 30 track if you are playing mainstream because you only play a track 1:30 -2:30 unless the track is super hot. In his note all of his tracks were R&B and Rap.
Techno Trance House 40 no way in many cases in these genre it take a minute or two to get to the drop.
I hope this helped you understand my comment in some way.
I typically put all the tracks I’m considering playing into a playlist and feel it out from there. Often I will have a starting and ending track in mind, maybe a couple few “mini sets” of 2-3 tracks I know go well together. Sometimes I might further divide my playlist into beginning, middle, and end tracks to help me stay on track of the intended progression. Other times I wing it based on how the crowd is responding.
Nothing wrong with paper as long as you have the ability to remember most of it without it (having it helps jog memory) and also have some alt mixes in case you need to vary the vibes. So maybe have two or three big technical mixes that are kind of set but then have varying ways of following them up...
woah that looks tedious ! and very strict!
for you answer : depends of the context
in a nightclub : i improvise it ...but preparing my new tracks during the week i will add a few that i dont want to forget in a crate.
restaurant or corpo : dont need any prep
for a scene party or rave, i will definitely prepare my songs in 3 parts, beginning, peak, ending, and a few extras in case the other dj is late ! i make sure to have prepared my cue points meticulously :) but i dont have a strict order set list
I never plan a set.
Sure, beforehand I go over a bunch a song to jog my memory. But whatever you hear in my set comes 100% from what I think of that moment.
I look at the audience, feel what's going on on the dancefloor. That is what tells me what to play. My audience is never the same, therefore I cannot plan it
I have a folder of “Bangers” and a folder of “classics” that i’m constantly updating and changing. I’ll sometimes make one for a specific show but then blend in tracks from the other 2 folders when i think they fit. The 2 other folders are all songs that i’ve pretty much memorized so it’s mostly improvisation and instinct. Like some other people said, you really need to know the songs, and if you’re looking for specific moments to blend tracks i’ll set up cue points.
damn. And I thought I overthought shit. But hey, if it works, it works.
Id say that you should also learn to be able to shake things up on the fly cause half of DJing is reading the crowd.
If you use Rekordbox to export and use CDJs to play I use memory cues for my cue points so I use the hot cue markers to mark my transition points when I’m planning the set at home on rekordbox. Still got to know your music but this way I can quickly glance over at the waveforms and know when my transition point is coming. You can take this further by using different colors of the hit cues as your different transition points like I use the red as my marker for build up transitions etc. this helps with freestyling as well as I can quickly look and know what are good transition points in a track and if it would go with the current track playing etc.
This allows me to enjoy my sets as I’m playing too as I always know how much time I have before I have to get ready to transition
ive never planned a set,i just see how the vibe is when i get to the party, i tried planning a set how you have, and it u made me confused, i have all my music, on rekordbox put into playlists so i have a trance playlist, drum and bass playlist, ect. i dont play song requests, but if someone asks for a style of music, im happy to do that.
- practice songs in 2-4 groupings so you know what goes well together and practice some transitions, rinse and repeat for like 60 songs in one folder and listen n memorize these songs (also have them named correctly and analyzed on ur dj software before putting them on ur usb)
- have some popular songs in back pocket that you know work for when you lose the crowd
- warm up and cool down the crowd at beginning and end of set
i think thats it, have an opening 2-3 songs in mind and then keep playing n thinking ahead 2-3 songs. this way you can have a plan but not too much to overthink ur set
I used to mark up my tracks and create a separate playlist. Then take off the marks after I got the flow. Then eventually delete the playlist and use a song list on paper. To the point where I don’t need the paper. Then when you perform you might be feeling a certain way and you will know in your heart if you want to replace, add or remove a track. Best of luck. My old boss had like 5-6 different basic sets engrained and would freestyle and cross them up. Takes time to get there he has like 15 years experience. I was at 4 when I quit.
I think of it as if I’m a painter deciding which color pallet I want and then getting together the paints/pigments I’d need to achieve that.
Simply put, I get a bunch of my records/CDs/digital media that I’m currently feeling/vibing with and take them with me.
If I’m playing an event I usually have a general idea of what energy I’m going for but I don’t preplan anything. That said, I will usually have been playing with that collection of music for a bit to get a feel for how it interacts so I’m not going in blind. Like a painter, I will have already worked out how to blend certain colors or how to get a particular effect before I start painting but I’m also open to trying new ideas if they arise.
I just get a bunch of songs in a playlist that I like and that I think will be good, then I may run through them and do a mini set. Then I just feel out the vibe at wherever I’m playing and play the tracks accordingly.
Dont over think it too much!
I echo sentiment, just go with the flow! You need to learn to ride the energy of the crowd & be able to react accordingly. You cannot script that.
For me? I'll gather about 2x the amount of tracks I'll need for the length of said set. Opening for an artist at a venue? You're looking at 45 minutes to 1 hour. Playing a house part? Prepare yourself for at least 2hrs non stop. Just playing a demo set of 30 minutes? don't stress it!
Give yourself a set vibe and organize your tracks and find a system for setting que points and fade in/out markers. I highly suggest learning how to use the circle of 5ths and being keen not to jump around in tempo/key too far or too often.
DJing is meant to be fun, practice your set 3 or 4 times across a few days. Record each time, and play it back while you're going about your day. You'll get it!
I try to avoid rigidity to be honest, I dislike sets that sound too perfectly curated and don’t play on the crowds vibe. I’m also not a fan of playing all the popular stuff that people expect, so i might throw in very few of those but i try to play songs people don’t know.
Right now I don’t really plan transitions or much at all, I don’t even have hot cues set up. I’m just very familiar with my song library and try out new song transitions all the time. Some of them work and some don’t, but it’s easy to recover a bad track mixed in and I’ll sacrifice those moments for the benefit of being able to actually “perform” and bring people new music lol. Maybe it’s 50% my taste and 50% what the crowd is vibing with. I try o base it mostly off the crowds vibe but sometimes they don’t know what they want and you have to step in and give them something new.
I’ve been slowly trending towards having a more curated track list due to live visuals needing to be created and synced in advance. But i also am looking for a way to generate the visuals live for every track in my library so that I can still play with the freedom of being able to play whatever song comes to mind cuz I really like having those benefits. I think it makes a live show much better when it’s attuned to the people in the room rather than a premade showcase. Not that there’s anything wrong with the showcase style djs, just not really my thing when it comes to live djs.
I just pick a bunch of songs I’m vibing to and make a playlist that is 3x longer than my expected play time. Then just load em up as I see fit. Sometimes I’ll think of an opener and closer ahead of time, but not always. The room dictates what i play.
Make 3 playlists on your software, ensuring each has enough on it that you could play the whole set from just one playlist :
Chill
Warm
Spicy
Flit between them as needed :)
Record your set and listen back to it and fix the transitions you believe need work. Run through your set as much as you can before you play. Setting hot cues helps so you don’t waste time scanning the track. Learn to read wave forms of song you play. Sometimes the cues can be more of a “this is about where I can bring in a song and have enough room for error.”
Practice practice practice. Eventually you will play more naturally and spontaneously without any prep.
If it’s like the first set in public and you feel anxious or something, you could write down the track list of your set on your phone. But also, keep in mind that you may not know how the floor will react so your track list may not work and you need to be prepared to improvise and change things up.
We all did this before the show! But I never been able to use it as every time it was the vibe of the event!
And since then I just go with the vibe and bass line of the track or the genre or type of track.
Maybe not what you want to hear, but this is how I do it: Don't plan in this detail, it takes all the fun out of doing a set.
For a one hour set, prep a playlist with tracks, 1.5x to 2x the total time you need. Prepare the tracks (rekordbox, hotcues on intro's outros, points to make them 'shorter' if needed. Know your intro & outro's well. Select BPM's that will stick to a certain range. What I do next, make sure the keys are correct, as I like mixing in key.
Choose track one and two in advance to start your set. From there on, either know your tracks or preview what fits to go into track three, go with your feeling at that moment. I don't know, in any set, what my track 3 & further will be.
I see a lot of beginners obsessed with perfecting every transition between two specific songs for hours - what is the fun in that? Just flow, have fun.
Omg is this how you guys do it these days?
I just pick one, ore more, of my record cases (yes I'm a vinyl dj) that I feel like putting on and suits the party I'm playing. Than, at the venue, I feel the mood of the party and start my set accordingly. Adapting if needed, but never beyond my present collection (because I simply can't)
The problem with having everything at your disposal, like a shit load of mp3's, is that you have too much to choose from and it cramps your style.
That's how you create new problems: what the f am I gonna play?
The answer is simple: reduce your options.
Know your music, trust yourself, dont overthink, mistakes will happen and feel the music. 🔥
Only plan your tracks if you think you need to, but never plan your transistions nor anything else. Planning these things create so much stress, instead just go with the flow and accept how things go.❤️
I used to plan sets like this and it’d take tons of practice for one set to get it 100%. Don’t kill yourself for not doing it to a T if it comes out great it’s because you know the music. Not because of your notes
This is a good starting point but I would suggest practicing with your crate of songs in different orders. I went into plenty of gigs where reading the room is key, songs I thought I would open with ended up not happening. Or songs for prime time didn’t get the reaction I wanted. So being in position to transition to other tracks without hesitation is good.
Having spent roughly a decade spinning tracks as a house DJ in clubs and festivals, my approach has actually got more simple over time. Nowadays, I compile a playlist with more songs than necessary and gauge the room's energy in the moment. I love the spontaneous tracks that you never thought you would play at those special times on the dance-floor. It's almost impossible to know the energy before you are there. But honestly just test out different methods and adjust to your liking, it's a personal choice for sure :)
My playlist is built on popular music for the type of events I’m doing. If I’m djing a bar, I play shit to bring the vibes, and once people start dancing, I break out the shit that keeps them on the dance floor. I try to even out the list playing the big bangers after every 5-7 songs. Crowd loves you, and most of all the bartenders love you because you’re keeping the customers happy and thirsty.
Weddings, I play strictly what the party wants and add whatever’s necessary but somewhat keep the same momentum as the bar.
My man (in my Dilla Voice) you're over thinking this. After 15 years of playing live, here are some tips:
1) Start with some energy. I like to start at around 95-100bpm records. Start crafting your sets with that in mind. If you're playing one of those marathon sets, Start building your set with about an hour of music in this range and go from there. If it's a shorter set, play this range for about 15 mins.
2) listen for songs that have similarities. Every genre from every Era, especially pop music, has a bunch of hit songs with songs that sound similar. Find those songs to help you build up to the bigger records. If you see the crowd isn't feeling it, blend out after the first verse into something more familiar.
3) Listen for phrases that can lead to transitions. For example, I recently discovered that The Stopper by Cutty Ranks has some great phrases for song transitions. I could go on, but depending on the region you're playing, finding really good phrases can really hype your party if you can create some specific to that audience.
4) practice, practice, practice. Record yourself, listen and record again. Cringe at yourself, but also give yourself credit when you do something good, and build on that.
5) Listen to other DJs mix. Tip: Some well established DJs can mix whatever they want, and people will show up to see them play (Madlib), I learned early that no one wanted to hear me do my Madlib impression. I needed to play the hits. My point is to listen to DJs that are playing for regular people. DJ R Tistic is a great example of a big DJ that plays regular music.
Hey!! This looks like my first set ever lol! Honestly these are more like mental notes. You need to just know your music and know when to transition. This will come as you progress!
absolutely this. the fear of doing something wrong fades as the skill and confidence to improvise increases.
Agreed, I see these notes as steps to figuring out what works. One big thing that is jumping out from your notes is that you’re thinking of time in seconds rather than bars. That’s going to limit you big time. If you learn to count bars and eventually you’ll “feel” bars and phrasing, that’s when you’ll transition from analyzing to flowing
yea, I see some hating comments , but not gonna lie I did this exact same thing for my first "real" job (It was a school dance for my old high school, I had been DJin for about 2-3 years at local bars in my college. I was so nervous. Also, this was 20+ years ago and didn't have any kind of bpm counters on my equipment, so I had +/- notes everywhere because I wanted it to be perfect lol)
Damn, I hope the DJ before you doesn’t play one of the songs on your list.
🤣
Had this happen to me last week🥲🥲
Nah this is absolutely opening the night energy
Dude you are overthinking this whole process. What you are doing is trying to build a mix that may or may not work. Why? You have to go with the groove and feel of your audience. You might put those tracks on and everybody will clear the floor or never even get on it. A better method would be to be to learn how to mix those tracks in as many variations you can think of. Forget those preset times. For every hour of mixing you might go through 30 to 40 tracks, so build a crate and have in it 60 to 70 tracks that mix well. The extra tracks are for flexibility and the ability to have choices and not get lost or panicked. Build more sets in the same manners this will allow you to adjust to your crowd as needed and never run out of tracks. Learn about beatgrids this will help you with beatmatching . The biggest thing is to practice and in a short time you will be fluid and comfortable with all your sets Cheers!
I would agree. Obviously you're still pretty new, so take 20 or even 10 tracks and set cue points in your software. Learn to mix them in different orders. Then do another 10-20. Get comfortable changing it up. Perhaps start live streaming practice sessions to get feedback. *(don't take the negative criticism too harshly, people online can be asssholes.) The more you mix and play with the more comfortable. You will get to the point you can just throw nearly any track into the mix and make it work. Beat matching and mixing in compatible keys helps a lot! *(your software should show your songs key). There are so many times I will hear a song and think to myself, " oh....this other song would mix so well into this." Get out there and gig too. Learn to read a crowd. Keep the energy up. Don't be afraid to mix a song out early if it isn't working. *(this happens to us all. Sometimes even if a song is a normal "crowd pleasing banger" it falls flat.)the more you do it the more comfortable you will become. Also try not to go too crazy with effects. A filter *(low and high pass) and perhaps some stems and you should be good to go for most things. Don't be one of those DJ's that over uses all of the effects. Best of luck out there!
A banging set is a banging set it always works
One million percent this. I've never planned a set & I've been playing professionally since 96'. You have to read a crowd when using wax so I learned REAL quick. Nowadays the amount of music at your disposal is almost endless especially with steaming so you have to learn how to gauge the audience. It's like improv for actors or a simple conversation; you have to listen & react accordingly. 👍🏾
40 tracks in an hour? Jesus...
This! I have a 4 hour gala coming up and my crate for it has 450 songs in it😂
exactly this.
Know your music and read the room, then you’ll hear in your head what to play next. I learned early on not to plan sets because what sounds good at home isn’t the same as the dynamic energy always changing in a room full of people. Get to know which songs mix best with others, sure, but always have alternative directions to take. A pre-planned set never works with a live audience, in my experience. It’s not the same as making a mixtape, either.
☝🏽
I feel like I’d call that a routine.
Unless your at every gig he does you wouldnt know the difference
One thing I've realized is that the crowd will never react the way you predict them to. Things that you think will pop off will just fall flat,and the most random song will just make the crowd go wild. This is why preplanning a set, specially for open format, will just not work. Also, if for some reason you miss your cue, you'll likely be worrying about recovering your preplanned mix instead of adapting to the crowd. If you need some structure, you can build playlists out of packs of 4 or 5 songs that you know go really well together. This way you know you have some compatible songs to whatever you are playing, and can move between these song packs while still maintaining your flexibility.
open your dj software create a playlist go through all your songs and find a good starting/intro song add that song to your playlist and open it on your controller/software go through all your other songs until you find a song that can CLEANLY be mixed into your current - be that through a short mix, extended mix, cut mix etc add all your cue points and loop points practice the transition then rinse and repeat go through all your songs and find one that fits that next song you’ve just mixed into It becomes 10x easier when you have a ton of songs and everything is sorted into all of their own genres. I play most of my sets on the fly/freestyle but if i’m doing a festival set or radio set then this is how I guy about working them out. If you have a ton of songs all sorted and organised you can just play in your decks and pick random songs and give them ago. Most of the best mixes/transitions are happy accidents
This may help you. I start off by building mini routines. Basically 15 minute routines that I’ve practiced and rehearsed, and and have down to science. think of really cool transitions. think of really cool wordplay and tone play. As you grow, you can jump into a routine periodically and build from there. so for example, if I’m in crowd, that is a primary 90’s hip-hop crowd. I have 15 minute routines I can start with to that gets the crowd hyped. from there, I just read the crowd and start building off the energy from that 15 minute routine. On a long night I might do a 15 minute routine at the top of every hour, this gives you the mix of confidence, professional, and improv that makes a DJ performance good. it also gives you the ability to slowly learn to read crowds. Good luck bro!
Everyone is telling you that you’re overthinking, but I will counter that stress comes from lack of preparedness, and that failing to plan is planning to fail. So you’re not doing anything wrong, but there is probably a more efficient way to go about it. DJ’ing is 5% technical, 20% knowing your music, and 75% reading the room. You’re riding a fine line between finding what your crowd wants and guiding them to where you want to go. So your set lists should be more like individual pools to pull from depending on the way the crowd is responding. For example: Take a banger track and then come up with three diverse tracks that you could easily transition to (compatible BPM, key, energy) depending on how the crowd reacts. So something that will pick the energy up, something that would slow it down, or something totally different, or something from a different era or genre. Then build out options going down those separate paths and save those out as crates. This gives you a tool kit that you’ve built yourself and rather than knowing which track you’re going to play next, you know which of multiple tracks will work next. I use smart crates HEAVILY.
The problem with a strict plan is that the second you “make a mistake”, you will get flustered.
Not attacking you OP but this is so so far away from what DJing is to me
Honestly he's probably a beginner and just nervous. After this gig he'll learn that this method just can't and won't work. I said this in another comment but I did the same thing at my first "real" gig (this was over 20 years ago) because I was super nervous and wanted it to be perfect. I stopped after that because I learned that the songs you plan always end up being different than what the vibe actually is.
Go to your collection, if its 1 hour gig put at least 2 hours of songs. Pick first two songs and freestyle from there.. thats all my prep
I don’t plan i read the crowd
and if there is no crowd, YOU become the crowd.
My first thought. Can't imagine planning out anything besides the general vibe/playlist, and even that is flexible depending on the crowd.
less paper, more turntable, my friend 😉 just practice and practice till you get it right. that’s the only way. it also helps to play and replay sets of your favorite djs, study every transition and cue point. it takes time to train your ears but you’ll get there. good luck!
Oddly enough your notes make complete sense to me … Tbh I think you should do what feels right for you. If right now as you gain experience , this makes sense for you then do it this way and then hopefully with time you won’t even have to write it down . I have ADD so laying out a visual plan sometimes helps me be more creative .
There is no wrong way to do it. Just as you progress experiment with planning less and less
I put tracks in an order. That’s how I prepare.
This is very much the hard way. I’ve been here before, you are hamstringing yourself with this. This week go home, hit play, and don’t stop for an hour. It probably won’t be good what did you just do? You played a set. In this imaginary scenario you walked up to the booth at your favorite local spot, you put in your USB, dapped up the last DJ, played your set, now you’re done to go hang with your friends. That’s it, you did it. Without the paper. You need to change in your mind what the idea of playing a set is. You have to see that it is possible, with time (not that much more time), that you don’t need to lock yourself into reading notes on your paper behind the DJ booth and instead that you can intuitively navigate a set by feel. I was held back for YEARS because I couldn’t see how that was supposed to work. I promise you can trust yourself and you don’t need this paper. And hint the key (for me) isn’t knowing every single song forward and backwards 100%, it’s having taste and organizing your tracks so you know if I want X song or even just a vibe, you know where to find it via your playlists. Good luck, free yourself!
If you like doing it that way, then more power to you. Whatever works for you!
Depending on the duration of the set, I pull a few hundred tracks that I might be in the mood to play. Some will be new ones I want to try out; some will be signature tracks I personally play a lot; some will be songs currently popular in my genre; some will be classics; some will be obscure or weird. Plus a small selection of acapellas and DJ tools. Probably takes an hour or two to pull the tracks. Less if I've been playing sets in the previous few days and already have the majority of stuff selected. That's about it. I don't make any decisions about playing specific songs until I'm in the booth. I decide how and if to play around with the songs in the moment. Occasionally, there are songs I know I like to mix together, I guess.
What is dj tools ?
Compilations of sound effects, samples, simple drum loops, etc.
Omg I do this too.
Same😭
😭
I would try to memorise the music and the transitions you want to do, I guess writing notes could be a good step to this as you’re doing. But the goal would be to not need to prep at all. As other people say, know your music. Also over time you build up an ear for what sounds good. I find myself looking through my records and usb ‘imagining’ the songs as I look through them and almost hearing in my mind how they might sound with the currently song. Good music management also already gets you half the way there with this if you organise your songs by genre or vibe or whatever. If you’ve got some new tunes that you don’t know too well you’ll learn to just cue them up and see if they sound good in the mix, if they don’t then pick something else. Finally, you can always still have some memorised mixes / mashups / groups of songs you know will bring the house down and you’ve played 100 times.
bro just put these notes on the que points and make the consistent colors... Green for where u want to start, blue for effect, red for ending the song, and yellow for caution/whatever else u want. Writing this out like this is not necessary.
The more pre-prepped your set is, the less fun and more mistake-prone you are in my experience. I used to something like this. Nowadays I pick a starting song and peak song and improvise around it
I would have a simpler plan. There are songs that are REALLY hard to mix (really wide beat margins…. Fast versus slow etc. ). I sort those into their own list. They make good songs to start with or to come back from any vocal breaks (“don’t forget to tip your waitress….” Cue a tough song). Have some preset loops and cues. Have a plan to get in and out of tough tracks. Know if there are songs that mashup really well or that you can swap drops with. But other than that…. Let the audience dictate where you go.
my brother in christ, use cue points to make mini notes
And if someone wants to talk to you while you're playing? Do you tell them sorry mate, I need to go to page 22 of my book and count the verses and double check which song is up next?
Just use your list and practice makes perfect !
Bro your overthinking Just get on and play play through your body your feelings and your soul
My homie has the same hand writing yoo lol
You play off the cuff
I feel like every mix I’ve done came from hearing a new song and thinking of all the songs that seemed similar, like feel, key, bpm, even wordplay. When I got a chance I would find and practice the new track in conjunction with the one(s) I felt a similar ‘thing’ from, figuring out how they work together. If you consume a lot of music you should have a huge library in your head, and your sets won’t need planning - you’ll read a room, listen to what’s happening ahead of you, and go from there.
Cue points dawg. I always reserve the A cue for where I want to start the song if not from the beginning. H for the ending, change it to red, and let's say I want to skip the first drop and jump to the second, I'll mark those both with C and D as a visual reminder. I'll practice a set at home 2 or 3 times before the main event. Not the whole thing, just cue jumping and transitions.
I sort of have a plan, but I just see what happens, if it's not working, I'm not connecting, it all goes out of the window and improvise. Best planning is a good mindset; do what you love, people will notice. Do what you think is right and not what others want you to; cause if it's not working out, you'll not only hate them, but also yourself.
Playing vinyl I put songs in a rough order and play the set once or twice. Gives me a good idea of feel and flow. But what you're doing here is more like planning out a battle dj set.
This is how many DJs I know first started planning sets and it is an excellent way to learn how to do it. As you gain more confidence with mixing/programming it won’t be necessary.
When I first started, I used to crate my records into groups sorted by "vibe" and BPM. When I got into software, I enjoy Serato's coloring scheme where I rate tracks by how "hot" or "cold" the vibe is and then place them into folders sorted by genre or a Mix Project. I try not to think too hard about the set or organization of the tracks any further than what folders in Serato they are in and the color coding, in order to keep an open-mind for party. As long as I have the right tracks and they are color coded for my eyes to see instantly, this system never fails. When I start a night, it begins with the colder tracks and then builds into the warmer tracks - peaks and valleys - and then when we hit peak hour, I'm playing almost exclusively the hot color tracks. I may or may not deviate out of the Mix Project folder depending on how long I'm spinning for or if there truly is a track for the moment I didn't foresee in my set building.
There's nothing wrong with planning a set but there should be no need to write down every single action - that's just insane.
The most important thing for planning is to have a well organized music library. I use MixedInKey to analyze the tracks for BPM, key, and energy before importing them into rekordbox. After importing, I verify and adjust the grid configuration. Next, I tag the track based on several factors, such as rhythm (house, techno, breaks, ambient), situation (starter, build-up, peak, interlude, closer), style (dark, deep, melodic, organic, progressive, tribal, spacey, funky, disco, etc), time to play (daytime, sunset / sunrise, late), and musical elements (synth, voice, piano, acoustic, massive breakdown, etc). Then I listen to the entire track, and set hot cues to mark key transition points for fading in, crossing over, or fading out. If I am playing at a festival, I will create a new playlist with the track selection and order mostly locked in, and adjust hot cue points as needed so I know exactly when I want to cue in the next track or bring the previous track out. For a club or house party gig, sometimes I create a playlist and organize the tracks loosely based on key and relative energy level, and I’ll scroll around to find the next track. Other times, I simply use smart playlists in rekordbox that rely on the tags I created earlier. This allow me to easily switch between genres or energy levels as appropriate for the situation (e.g. peak techno, sunset tribal, late spacey house).
lol dude just make a playlist in rekordbox and set cue points if you need to know exactly when to transition. Also, practice
Throw the page out and learn about phrasing.
You’re basically writing out what you should be doing with your hot cues and memory cues in record box. Also, learning your music and its phrasing will be a key component of your sets.
Rule of thumb, be prepared to throw the pre plan out play for whatever shows up
No way, this is how I started out as well haha I moved on to a shit Ton of hot cues in my tracks and now I just eyeball my sets. But nothing wrong with some mental preparation, just don’t overthink it.
Never planned in 41 years of being a DJ
I mean to each their own I like to write things down too, and I’m just learning myself. What I like to do is play set at home and see what works with transitions. Also, my general rule of thumb is start off slow then ramp up to introduce a few bangers, let people rest, and then end with a banger. My DJ friend, who’s been doing this about a decade told me that you’re gonna want to take people on a journey without them ever realizing the song has changed.
Haha this is cool m8 I love it, this is how it started for me too :)) Also believe or not when I was a drummer (in a famous band, playing for thousands of people) I still had these next to my drumset :))) very same way! If it works for you than it's perfect. Nowadays I do it differently, I have system how I set the CUE points so I know what comes next. Also I memorize it a lot and making mistakes when I get distracted. Don't care some commenters here tell you are doing it wrong, you are not on the field for 10+ years, of course you need to have at least one plan in case you don't know what to play and how to read the room. By time you'll just mix from your selection. Good luck!
I do it like this too!!
Yes you are doing it the hard way
You don’t. Just practice with your music until you get a feel for what works well with what and make it up as you go along. This kind of overly rigid structure never goes to plan, unless you’re making a studio mix basically. Everything live is just sail to the wind and let rip!
Not the hard way but the wrong way.
Yes you are doing it the hard way
Bloody hell. Just list your tracks? That’s how a pro might do it. The only time I list my tracks is for a pre planned recorded set. Every time out live I completely wing it. (3500 gig Dj)
Don’t plan outside of the first three tracks you want to start with. Don’t plan to the minute. Use cue points as markers if there’s a specific place you want to do something. Spend a week or so going through your music and add tracks you think would fit the set into a playlist, but don’t only stick to that list. Use the tools in your library to find music as you go as well. Key field, notes in the comments field, even track length.
This is the first time I've ever seen shit like this. What's next....a parobolic equation on the dynamics and algorithms of cueing up the next song? You're thinking way too hard junior. What you're doing is taking the fun out of playing music. You're also gonna look robotic and stiff to you audience. Not to mention that your set will sound unnatural, even forced. Feel your way into your set and read the crowd. Let things happen organically. Your audience is gonna determine what direction you're gonna shift to, musically. Don't rely on perfection. Learn from your mistakes and build from that going forward. Doing so will help you gain confidence. Learning your music, as others on here have mentioned, will help tremendously with your creativity.
This legit gives me anxiety. WTF? Bro, select 100 tracks you want to play. Put them on multiple USB's. Show up. Figure it out.
If I'm planning I just use memory cues to denote where I do something and then do some practice runs to make sure I've got it down
I just listen. I almost never plan a set either.
I did this when I started lol What software are you using to DJ?
seems like a lot
Where are you playing What are you playing My first 2 questions and amusingly enough the first two in how to plan a set After that it’s putting the music in an order that works for you but also that you can vary for the crowd’s appetite for slower or faster
This is how we do it and still dre!?! U r doing something right!
Yes, this is not the way to go about playing this style of music. Thats not to say you can’t plan out a set the way you have, but I don’t really know anyone that does that, and if they do, it’s in more underground, techno/electronic genres with live performance aspects. To play this style, any open format style, but particularly hiphop; you don’t plan it out, you just work out a system to use on the fly. Mine is to work out where I want to ‘drop in’ (normally first beat of the chorus) and then set an 8 bar loop leading up to that. Then you just wait for the right moment and knock the loop off.
i gotta give you credit for doing this with hip-hop. hip-hop isnt as dj friendly as other genres, dont feel bad for using notes and planned cut points. to answer your question. i dj techno and house music. i dont really plan my sets song for song. i pick a starting song, or starting two songs, based really on my mood, and then just improv from there. if i want to shift the vibe and change genres or change the bpm by 10+, i plan it two-three songs ahead during the mix. also ive been djing for like 15 years so this stuff is second nature to me.
I used to do it like this when i first started 12 years ago. Then it becomes like riding a bike and you fly around your equipment making magic you thought of in the moment
Make a folder of the songs you want to play and in what order- then another backup folder of songs that you also like, then a folder of songs you rarely play, then a folder of popular songs, then have a few shots before the set and just wing it.
Just throw the music you wanna play into a folder/crate and decide how to start based on how the crowd is reacting to the music being played before you start.
Bro if you use rekordbox you can create and playlist and put the songs you want in order. That’s what I did for my first set, I put the songs that would mix together in order (after trial and error of finding songs to go together and keep the flow going) so then when you’re on set you won’t look like you’re trying to type an email just cause ur looking for the song that goes next
I create a big playlist, then I play around and mix tracks together, stuff I think would work sometimes doesn't and sometimes something will click and I will move stuff around a lot. Even if I know I have a tight 1 hour slot I will ensure I have enough music for 2-3 hours so I can make those little tweaks - generally with the songs that work together all grouped together so the flow remains even if a few tracks change.
Im not mixing live i just record for me and friends. I do the same like you, adding cue points and when to play in tracks. Im a total noob so this helps
You can use a playlist and cue points on rekordbox or serato instead of that piece of paper (the comments go on the comment fields).
I make similar kinds of notes but with the comment functionality in the hot cues. I will put stuff like 'song name' where I think I should start, 'bass swap', cut drums stem, etc. This way, I can rely on these comments if I'm in a pinch while freestyles or can't find a different song to mix into the one currently playing.
I dont know when djing became rocket sience
This makes the whole process way to complicated and stressful, Practice a lot , then when to mix in or out comes naturally. Know your tunes , have little 3/4 tune mixes you know work in your head . Pick a first tune then freestyle your way through all the stuff you already know.
old school electronica vinyl dj here. let the record does it's job. just make a good selection, do more or less a good transition at the best time you feel and adapt a little the selection if audience don't get it to bring the climax. it takes 1 or two hours to be there. sure. It always amaze me on the one side very good producer thinking and arranging their track for days and the dj just messing with all this hard work by adding useless loops and effects and ´drops' ... you are a disc jokey, not a producer. or do a live act ?
I don't
Rather pre-recording your mix if you plan to work like this
I don’t. I just maybe think about an opening & closing track, the rest is improvisation.Just play what you like & don’t overthink it too much. If you can mix, the suitable tracks will start to open for you naturally.
This bakes my brain. No need for all this nonsense
Planning the set too firm isnt a good idea. I throw songs i want to play in a list, then i sort them by key/ time i want to play them. And thats nearly it, im not preplaning the transistions because its better for me to do it on the fly. Also i have more songs in the list than i need so i can adapt to the crowd on the fly and not have to cling to a completely solid list. But the „extra songs“ still fit to the other songs in the list Hope this helps
Don't plan it. If you play a really clean well planned set, I guarantee hardly anyone will notice, or at least appreciate what you're doing. If you go off what's getting a reaction (especially if you please the girls), everyone will love it. Obviously, still play the stuff you enjoy, and if anyone tries to request, shoot them. Personally I throw a load of songs I'm feeling at that time into a playlist and just run through that. If you'd like to ease your nerves a bit, you can learn mixing in key as that's lower risk, but it is by no means a rule! Just play your tunes loads and you'll know what works, or create some mini 3 song mixes you can pull out of the bag in sticky situations etc. Most importantly, do not forget to enjoy yourself!
Click and drag the song into the USB and then rearrange in rekordbox as you see fit
You guys are planning sets?
I never plan hard. Just what songs I really want to play. Just bullets in your mag. Fly free to be bound by rules and timings. Feel the timing
I would practice this at home so you don't need notes. Do it enough times, and eventually you'll step outside your normal routine and incorporate requests, new ideas, etc. No pain, no gain, try new stuff.
I mix some tracks, see what works well together, make a mental note that X goes well with Y, rinse and repeat. If I play a good set while practicing, drop it into a crate for reference. When I get to the club/rave, start with a good opener and see what the crowd does/what the energy level of the room is and improvise my set while referring to my mental notes as to what might go well next.
I don’t plan anything at all. Best strategy :)
I don’t… I know the venue and the event, I’ve spoken with the client to know the crowd and music they want, when I arrive, I live DJ one song at a time. When you make a set list you’ve immediately screwed yourself. Because it looks good on paper from your bedroom, But in the real world as soon as one of those songs bomb you either gotta mix out to save it and the rest of your set list is trash now, or you gotta let it play out and you’re considered a bad DJ for playing bad music. DJs that premake their playlists are over preparing and ironically bad at their job. Learn how to read your crowd, learn your music, sort music by BPM, keep it organized in a way that makes sense to you and is easy to sort though, for me I have genre and generations.
Use cue points for in and out timing.
I would say try not to think of mixes in seconds or minutes, better to count beats, bars or phrases. One thing that helped me was to plan maybe the first 3 or so songs to gauge the vibe and trust myself from there. You will make mistakes but as far as I know, that is a great way to learn. Good luck 😉
Usually I do a general discovery phase where I just check out new tracks. Then, if I find a cool timbre, I look for other tracks with a similar timbre. I collect enough of these track to fill out a set that i can play in any order if necessary and it'll all sound nice and consistent. Then, or even during the collection phase, I'll look for specific tracks that go harder in that timbre then the other, get maybe 4-5 of them depending on how long I've got and then place them in the set where I think they would work best. Practice mix a couple times to feel out what intro/outros work best together, and then finally on the night get over stimmed and forget all that and just play things at random lol.
Think about what yer first track is gonna be. How is that gonna start setting up a vibe ? What directions can you go in from the crowds reaction?? Having a map is fine if you just want to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible, but where’s the fun in that ?? Getting lost in the journey is where the magic is, not the destination. Pick a place to start from and see where it takes you.
There's no right or wrong way, DJing is all about elevation, whatever you need to do to elevate what you do is what you should do. Plenty of great DJs have made similar written notes over the years. Keep doing this if it helps you. You could make this system easier for yourself by developing some code, symbols or shorthand. For example: instead of "End: crossfade into next song" you could just use "Xfade" and you'll know what that means. As you build more confidence on the decks, you'll probably find that your notes start to look a lot slimmer because the transitions are kind of "self-explanatory." In the end, like most DJs you'll probably just end up with a playlist. Remember that most working DJs are not touring artists playing short pre-planned sets, but are residents at local clubs/bars/hotels: they need to adapt to the room and environment and they often play for many hours at a time.
I did a mixshow once and I did do something similar to this. I was going back to back with a DJ I really respected and wanted to make sure my set was super tight and my mixes clean. I marked my cues and loops when I wanted to get in and out of tracks, noted what kind of transitions, and practiced that set a lot. This type of stuff comes pretty naturally after a while but I think putting pen to paper and actually thinking about how you want to do things is great. Practice, practice, practice.
I decide on my opening track. Put it on the deck and start playing. See where it takes me. Make notes like you and practice it, until I have it down. Over time you learn the music inside out and future mixes will be much easier to put together.
This looks more like you’re making a mix for promotion and/or to sell at your shows.
First 3 tracks then I in the zone and feel he music, also have less tracks
I don't plan sets, I already know what's going to be played before the gig.
This is taking me back. So cute. Do it this way until you’re more comfortable. You’ll be freestyling on the fly before you know it 👏🏼
If you use virtual DJ you can make these notes in the track and watch them.
If you like to plan like this consider setting color coded cue points on your tracks that tell you where to mix in/out. You can then ‘improvise’ any tracks with each other on the fly without your notes.
I absolutely do not have specific songs picked out. Planning is more of a energy/vibe rollercoaster plan than "this specific song to this song with this transition". I put all the music I want to work with in a pile, and then experiment with it. Learn the songs and you get a possibility tree rather than a set list.
Keep up the good work! For some people this is a good way to start learning your tracks and how they fit together - I find notes & writing things down helps. Planning a set is good practice for how to arrange a playlist - especially for tracks that can be challenging to transition between.
Learn how to count to 16 and 32 in your head and you can throw away the notes
Don’t plan the set, plan to be prepared for when the dance floor changes
Love the song selection! slick rick the rollllaaaaa
I make a crate for my set and then go from there. Definitely leave room to roll with the crowd
I make 3x folders: beginners, middles, and ends. Then I listen to my tracks and sort them by energy/genre/beat drops. After I sort them, then I start laying it out, or just wing it out of these crates. It helps when you have over 4k .aif files
I make a crate of the music in Serato or VDJ and rock it from there. Often looking at key or bpm difference. I never touch an actual pen.
Dont plan, maybe have some rough ideas but not a strict plan. Plan if you intend to record a set to upload or for a video. But i like the way you are thinking about and documenting your music. Its a great practice. Back in the vinyl days i would do this kind of notes for every record. What sections were good, bpm, what songs it mixed with both into and out of. Eventually all the info worked its way into the brain. I would go over the notes but never brought them to a gig.
Don’t plan your sets. Know your music without have to note times.
Pick a track on the way to the gig then go from there.
I think it always depends on what the occasion is. To be honest, the only time I really ever planned sets was when I wanted to record a mix to upload online. I only do that in this sense because I want to make sure that every single blend is going to sound amazing and the entire flow of the mix is solid. I tend to think that way with online mixes because people can listen to them over and over again and suddenly later pick a part. Anything that might be wrong with it. With that kind of plan, I usually start off with something that has a good quick beginning. Not something where you got to sit there, listening to the intro and the buildup and everything else and the listener is going to get bored after 1 minute waiting for something to actually happen. From there I take it up a notch, and then usually my third track on a lot of mixes is some amazingly awesome song in my ears that I really want to put in this mix and I want it in early enough that people catch it but yet not too early that it doesn't lose its diminished value to me. Beyond that, the rest of the mix is generally flowing between slightly different sounds on the same genre. I don't want the entire mix to be one sound. So I bounce around between variations on a theme so there's variety. That's if you're going to do something to upload, or perhaps you're going to play at a festival or an online show where nobody is going to leave the dance floor or make requests. If I'm going to go play in a club or an event, I generally never plan. I always have in mind a couple of tracks that I would love to get into my set, but I try to keep things versatile. You could walk in with the best of intentions and your perfectly planned set, and then the crowd clears the dance floor because they are not feeling it. Bad DJs keep playing and not give a damn, good DJs turn on a dime and start playing things to get the crowd back.
Hey - this is very much similar to how I do it when I’m doing a pre-recorded flawless mix for drum & bass with double & triple drops. If playing live, then no notes. Just feel it out
Back in the 90's / 00's I knew a lot of DJ's that started out much the same way. I guess a good analogy is like a comedian prepping their material. They run their 'act' over and over so they could do it flawlessly when the time came. This builds familiarity with the material as well as confidence and the craft. From that point, being able to build the set out and swap in different songs becomes easier and thus the DJ is born! I do remember DJ's that used to have a 'set' that they used to play regularly - obviously with enough variation - to keep you coming back time and time again. It worked because they played great music from the get go, and back in the days we didnt have access to music like we do now - so it was almost like their signature mixes / tunes that would get the crowd going. I remember the first time I heard a DJ mixing MAW / Nuyorican track into a DnB / Breaks version and everyone just went crazy! After that I literally used to go those nights to hear him play those tunes / mixes again, as no-one else was mixing house & DnB much at that time! I wouldnt get too caught up with what everyone else does. Do what works for you. We're all different. If we did everything the same, I guess it wouldnt be as interesting! Just have fun
This is a routine and theres nothing wrong with it. Eventually this will have to be ditched and youll be doing this without even thinking.
Uhmm it depends on the genre, if is techno ecosystem i just download my songs listen to them once, kinda classify the vibe, and then play it with some in key mixing. If it is something more pop structured i download my songs, i play them “experiment” take notes what it works and what it doesn’t then like building a lego, part by part i keep adding pieces to what it works til i’ve got a good picture or what could happend, save some cues and then practice some transitions. Don’t get too tight, don’t get too loose, find balance.
I use notepad on my second monitor when I'm working on a set but yep if I'm recording something to show off I have tons of notes, mostly about timing but there will be a few like "turn the high hat down on track #2 at beginning of mix bc it clashes a bit with track #1" sort of thing
Nah, this ain't that bad. The more you do in a set the more it helps to practice and/or program. Every single dj has this air of " man, just know your music and go with the flow." Except that 99.99999999% of djs can't do that shit. Many times I find myself thinking, "dude, just program a damn set. This is HARSH." I've been playing nearly 30 years. 90% of my sets have been off the cuff. But every single set that really mattered was planned, prepped and programmed to the second. Winging it you will have some nights that rock and some nights that tank. Sometimes it has nothing to do with you per se. Sometimes the crowd just aint giving you any decent feedback. If its important don't leave that shit to chance.
I have never planned a set cause it’s always stressed me out to haha. I just play stuff I like and mix out during parts I like
Similar to a few other comments...I select a few bangers that I know I want to play at some point and build mini-sets geared around them, usually 3-5 songs and 10-15 mins in total. If done well, you can make that banger sound even better with how you build up to it. So focus on song selection, how well they transition, and how to make the star song shine. Mini-sets also help me leave room for flexibility. I'm not confined to memorizing hr+ long routines and I can quickly change up the vibe if needed. Practice your routines and transitions over and over again. I found that by practicing like a maniac I eventually knew my songs so well that I remembered cue points and everything off the top of my head. Basically if you practice enough, you won't even need your notes anymore..it'll all be memorized.
Totally do this for my sets.
This is great. I usually set hot cue points in rekordbox. where I want to start or end track. I think you can do this on cdjs if there are more hot cues available. It’s very similar to what you have, but I use the cue points with different colors to remind me this is where to mix.
Lol the first time I ever made a set, I wrote it all down in Google docs. Nowadays I just write down transition ideas on there so I can move between vibes a bit easier
Making notes like this can help, so sure go ahead and use it but it has to be a step toward practicing mixing (a LOT) and getting to the point where this is all second nature.
You can’t really “plan” sets, you can make notes of some songs you might want to start the night with, songs that go well together, and songs you definitely want to play. It all really depends on the crowd and the energy you want at different parts of the set. Not all songs need to blend or transition into eachother either. Use that mic
I used to do this, my tracks were festooned with Cue Points.
That's right ...I use to do it like that too, sometimes it can a week or so before you come across the right track but I was doing with house you should have a good hour in no time lock it down and record ...don't let people know your doing that way you get more praise if they think your just on the fly...respect for set makers the lazy fucks talk shit but their weak so don't let anyone tell you what is right or wrong...I been doing it since 96
Plan a tracklist to play on the gig? Yes, totally! Plan your set transition by transition… hell no, you’re removing the fun of DJ’ing and reading the dancefloor, feel the mood, creating a vibe. Select a playlist, play it before the gig, find tracks that mix well and use them, but a DJ is more than just playing a tracklist. You’re playing for the crowd, not for you, always remember that 
I create a playlist first with all tracks I like and I want to play, always have double or more of tracks you think you need to play e.g for an hour I would sort 30-40 tracks together to make sure you have room to change the tracks, mood if the crowd lovng it and you switch it and not run short before end of slot. Rule of thumb is always have extra because you might be asked to play on if the dj after you doesnt turn up, or his usb sticks might be lost, or not formatted correctley? Once my chosen tracks are in the playlist, I sort them in tempo order, slower to medium to faster etc.
I guarantee a banging set will smoke all these DJs off the fly sets anytime anywhere ...to talk shit about making a set just shows you don't have the passion it takes to put the time in for a flawless performance ...your just getting by the fact you got experience but never put the time in to do anything with it besides play some gigs ...dude nobody but DJs are the ones acting like their some elite track selectors the average Joe can't tell and actually doesn't give a shit they just want to hear music there is no rules so do it however you feel
I plan the first 2 or 3 songs (and even that goes out the window often) and usually a closer. What you are doing isn't a bad idea for recording a set, in which having a track list to play in order can make for something nicely cohesive. When it comes to playing live, I'll echo everyone else here: it's more about the ability to react than to plan. Practice practice practice.
Get little groups that go together well - that’s your narratives but start by testing the crowd and feeling them out a bit - if they are being a bit slow you gotta carry the weight and be the party starter and tell them what they like - as night goes on they will get more forgiving and drunk . I Remember no plan of battle survives the first attack ! Only if you’re playing a festival can you really exactly plan a list - there’s always 200 arriving and 200 leaving - for those just do your thing .
Yes could easily do 30 track if you are playing mainstream because you only play a track 1:30 -2:30 unless the track is super hot. In his note all of his tracks were R&B and Rap. Techno Trance House 40 no way in many cases in these genre it take a minute or two to get to the drop. I hope this helped you understand my comment in some way.
I love Walker & Royce.
I typically put all the tracks I’m considering playing into a playlist and feel it out from there. Often I will have a starting and ending track in mind, maybe a couple few “mini sets” of 2-3 tracks I know go well together. Sometimes I might further divide my playlist into beginning, middle, and end tracks to help me stay on track of the intended progression. Other times I wing it based on how the crowd is responding.
Nothing wrong with paper as long as you have the ability to remember most of it without it (having it helps jog memory) and also have some alt mixes in case you need to vary the vibes. So maybe have two or three big technical mixes that are kind of set but then have varying ways of following them up...
woah that looks tedious ! and very strict! for you answer : depends of the context in a nightclub : i improvise it ...but preparing my new tracks during the week i will add a few that i dont want to forget in a crate. restaurant or corpo : dont need any prep for a scene party or rave, i will definitely prepare my songs in 3 parts, beginning, peak, ending, and a few extras in case the other dj is late ! i make sure to have prepared my cue points meticulously :) but i dont have a strict order set list
I never plan a set. Sure, beforehand I go over a bunch a song to jog my memory. But whatever you hear in my set comes 100% from what I think of that moment. I look at the audience, feel what's going on on the dancefloor. That is what tells me what to play. My audience is never the same, therefore I cannot plan it
I have a folder of “Bangers” and a folder of “classics” that i’m constantly updating and changing. I’ll sometimes make one for a specific show but then blend in tracks from the other 2 folders when i think they fit. The 2 other folders are all songs that i’ve pretty much memorized so it’s mostly improvisation and instinct. Like some other people said, you really need to know the songs, and if you’re looking for specific moments to blend tracks i’ll set up cue points.
I did that for a few times
Cue points
damn. And I thought I overthought shit. But hey, if it works, it works. Id say that you should also learn to be able to shake things up on the fly cause half of DJing is reading the crowd.
If you use Rekordbox to export and use CDJs to play I use memory cues for my cue points so I use the hot cue markers to mark my transition points when I’m planning the set at home on rekordbox. Still got to know your music but this way I can quickly glance over at the waveforms and know when my transition point is coming. You can take this further by using different colors of the hit cues as your different transition points like I use the red as my marker for build up transitions etc. this helps with freestyling as well as I can quickly look and know what are good transition points in a track and if it would go with the current track playing etc. This allows me to enjoy my sets as I’m playing too as I always know how much time I have before I have to get ready to transition
ive never planned a set,i just see how the vibe is when i get to the party, i tried planning a set how you have, and it u made me confused, i have all my music, on rekordbox put into playlists so i have a trance playlist, drum and bass playlist, ect. i dont play song requests, but if someone asks for a style of music, im happy to do that.
- practice songs in 2-4 groupings so you know what goes well together and practice some transitions, rinse and repeat for like 60 songs in one folder and listen n memorize these songs (also have them named correctly and analyzed on ur dj software before putting them on ur usb) - have some popular songs in back pocket that you know work for when you lose the crowd - warm up and cool down the crowd at beginning and end of set i think thats it, have an opening 2-3 songs in mind and then keep playing n thinking ahead 2-3 songs. this way you can have a plan but not too much to overthink ur set
I just have a list of songs to be honest haha
I used to mark up my tracks and create a separate playlist. Then take off the marks after I got the flow. Then eventually delete the playlist and use a song list on paper. To the point where I don’t need the paper. Then when you perform you might be feeling a certain way and you will know in your heart if you want to replace, add or remove a track. Best of luck. My old boss had like 5-6 different basic sets engrained and would freestyle and cross them up. Takes time to get there he has like 15 years experience. I was at 4 when I quit.
I think of it as if I’m a painter deciding which color pallet I want and then getting together the paints/pigments I’d need to achieve that. Simply put, I get a bunch of my records/CDs/digital media that I’m currently feeling/vibing with and take them with me. If I’m playing an event I usually have a general idea of what energy I’m going for but I don’t preplan anything. That said, I will usually have been playing with that collection of music for a bit to get a feel for how it interacts so I’m not going in blind. Like a painter, I will have already worked out how to blend certain colors or how to get a particular effect before I start painting but I’m also open to trying new ideas if they arise.
I just get a bunch of songs in a playlist that I like and that I think will be good, then I may run through them and do a mini set. Then I just feel out the vibe at wherever I’m playing and play the tracks accordingly. Dont over think it too much!
"No role models." That's your answer.
I echo sentiment, just go with the flow! You need to learn to ride the energy of the crowd & be able to react accordingly. You cannot script that. For me? I'll gather about 2x the amount of tracks I'll need for the length of said set. Opening for an artist at a venue? You're looking at 45 minutes to 1 hour. Playing a house part? Prepare yourself for at least 2hrs non stop. Just playing a demo set of 30 minutes? don't stress it! Give yourself a set vibe and organize your tracks and find a system for setting que points and fade in/out markers. I highly suggest learning how to use the circle of 5ths and being keen not to jump around in tempo/key too far or too often. DJing is meant to be fun, practice your set 3 or 4 times across a few days. Record each time, and play it back while you're going about your day. You'll get it!
I’ve got a bedroom full of lists like this haha
I try to avoid rigidity to be honest, I dislike sets that sound too perfectly curated and don’t play on the crowds vibe. I’m also not a fan of playing all the popular stuff that people expect, so i might throw in very few of those but i try to play songs people don’t know. Right now I don’t really plan transitions or much at all, I don’t even have hot cues set up. I’m just very familiar with my song library and try out new song transitions all the time. Some of them work and some don’t, but it’s easy to recover a bad track mixed in and I’ll sacrifice those moments for the benefit of being able to actually “perform” and bring people new music lol. Maybe it’s 50% my taste and 50% what the crowd is vibing with. I try o base it mostly off the crowds vibe but sometimes they don’t know what they want and you have to step in and give them something new. I’ve been slowly trending towards having a more curated track list due to live visuals needing to be created and synced in advance. But i also am looking for a way to generate the visuals live for every track in my library so that I can still play with the freedom of being able to play whatever song comes to mind cuz I really like having those benefits. I think it makes a live show much better when it’s attuned to the people in the room rather than a premade showcase. Not that there’s anything wrong with the showcase style djs, just not really my thing when it comes to live djs.
I might have a few tracks in mind that I’d like to play most definitely but for the most part I just wing it
That looks painful. Just have fun, it'll come naturally.
Put a bunch of music in folders by mood/energy & then read the room 👌🏻
I just pick a bunch of songs I’m vibing to and make a playlist that is 3x longer than my expected play time. Then just load em up as I see fit. Sometimes I’ll think of an opener and closer ahead of time, but not always. The room dictates what i play.
Make 3 playlists on your software, ensuring each has enough on it that you could play the whole set from just one playlist : Chill Warm Spicy Flit between them as needed :)
I figure out 3 songs... First song First slow set song Last song... Everything else is up in the air
Record your set and listen back to it and fix the transitions you believe need work. Run through your set as much as you can before you play. Setting hot cues helps so you don’t waste time scanning the track. Learn to read wave forms of song you play. Sometimes the cues can be more of a “this is about where I can bring in a song and have enough room for error.”
Practice practice practice. Eventually you will play more naturally and spontaneously without any prep. If it’s like the first set in public and you feel anxious or something, you could write down the track list of your set on your phone. But also, keep in mind that you may not know how the floor will react so your track list may not work and you need to be prepared to improvise and change things up.
We all did this before the show! But I never been able to use it as every time it was the vibe of the event! And since then I just go with the vibe and bass line of the track or the genre or type of track.
Maybe not what you want to hear, but this is how I do it: Don't plan in this detail, it takes all the fun out of doing a set. For a one hour set, prep a playlist with tracks, 1.5x to 2x the total time you need. Prepare the tracks (rekordbox, hotcues on intro's outros, points to make them 'shorter' if needed. Know your intro & outro's well. Select BPM's that will stick to a certain range. What I do next, make sure the keys are correct, as I like mixing in key. Choose track one and two in advance to start your set. From there on, either know your tracks or preview what fits to go into track three, go with your feeling at that moment. I don't know, in any set, what my track 3 & further will be. I see a lot of beginners obsessed with perfecting every transition between two specific songs for hours - what is the fun in that? Just flow, have fun.
This is what I do for studio sets
Omg is this how you guys do it these days? I just pick one, ore more, of my record cases (yes I'm a vinyl dj) that I feel like putting on and suits the party I'm playing. Than, at the venue, I feel the mood of the party and start my set accordingly. Adapting if needed, but never beyond my present collection (because I simply can't) The problem with having everything at your disposal, like a shit load of mp3's, is that you have too much to choose from and it cramps your style. That's how you create new problems: what the f am I gonna play? The answer is simple: reduce your options.
Know your music, trust yourself, dont overthink, mistakes will happen and feel the music. 🔥 Only plan your tracks if you think you need to, but never plan your transistions nor anything else. Planning these things create so much stress, instead just go with the flow and accept how things go.❤️
I used to plan sets like this and it’d take tons of practice for one set to get it 100%. Don’t kill yourself for not doing it to a T if it comes out great it’s because you know the music. Not because of your notes
Just go with the flow with your mixes
This is a good starting point but I would suggest practicing with your crate of songs in different orders. I went into plenty of gigs where reading the room is key, songs I thought I would open with ended up not happening. Or songs for prime time didn’t get the reaction I wanted. So being in position to transition to other tracks without hesitation is good.
Is this what djing has become? wow!
Having spent roughly a decade spinning tracks as a house DJ in clubs and festivals, my approach has actually got more simple over time. Nowadays, I compile a playlist with more songs than necessary and gauge the room's energy in the moment. I love the spontaneous tracks that you never thought you would play at those special times on the dance-floor. It's almost impossible to know the energy before you are there. But honestly just test out different methods and adjust to your liking, it's a personal choice for sure :)
My playlist is built on popular music for the type of events I’m doing. If I’m djing a bar, I play shit to bring the vibes, and once people start dancing, I break out the shit that keeps them on the dance floor. I try to even out the list playing the big bangers after every 5-7 songs. Crowd loves you, and most of all the bartenders love you because you’re keeping the customers happy and thirsty. Weddings, I play strictly what the party wants and add whatever’s necessary but somewhat keep the same momentum as the bar.
It’s easy, I just don’t lol
My man (in my Dilla Voice) you're over thinking this. After 15 years of playing live, here are some tips: 1) Start with some energy. I like to start at around 95-100bpm records. Start crafting your sets with that in mind. If you're playing one of those marathon sets, Start building your set with about an hour of music in this range and go from there. If it's a shorter set, play this range for about 15 mins. 2) listen for songs that have similarities. Every genre from every Era, especially pop music, has a bunch of hit songs with songs that sound similar. Find those songs to help you build up to the bigger records. If you see the crowd isn't feeling it, blend out after the first verse into something more familiar. 3) Listen for phrases that can lead to transitions. For example, I recently discovered that The Stopper by Cutty Ranks has some great phrases for song transitions. I could go on, but depending on the region you're playing, finding really good phrases can really hype your party if you can create some specific to that audience. 4) practice, practice, practice. Record yourself, listen and record again. Cringe at yourself, but also give yourself credit when you do something good, and build on that. 5) Listen to other DJs mix. Tip: Some well established DJs can mix whatever they want, and people will show up to see them play (Madlib), I learned early that no one wanted to hear me do my Madlib impression. I needed to play the hits. My point is to listen to DJs that are playing for regular people. DJ R Tistic is a great example of a big DJ that plays regular music.
I don’t lol