Thread: Sorting a set out?

If you go live be-it on the radio or playing out, do you sort a set out in advance?

I have to admit that I have to plan in advance (except for last Friday on Renegade), being inexperienced on the decks I find it hard to totally play off the cuff. I did it last Friday, like I say and really enjoyed it but felt it wasn't as good as I can be.

How do you prepare? Do you know what tunes you're playing tune-by-tune or let it flow and see what happens?

Whenever i used to play out i always planned ahead. Not because i wasn't confident in my ability but because i'd generally bought new tunes that week and wanted to do them justice.

It also makes a difference whether you're getting paid to do it or not. As much as i know a set isn't about the mixing, i used to get the hump with myself if i dropped a vocal over a vocal etc and worry that i wasn't do myself, or paying punters/staff justice.

Even now, as well as i know my tunes, if i wanted to record a set for someone or was preparing to do a radio show (hint, hint Puffa i'd definitely plan what i was gonna play.

I think one of the biggest rules in the DJ'ing world is never go prepared with a list of tracks to play. The main reason for this is because you may think you have this killer set lined up, but what you think is a killer set, the crowd may think is utter crap. So changing your set to suit the crowd is what a good DJ can do.

I think it's a good idea to have a general idea of what you want to play, but also, have a mixed bag of tunes as a "just in case" that's the way I've always done it and it seems to have worked for me. But more or less taking a list of tracks and in what order can be the death of you as a DJ.

I think radio sets are different and you can quite easily pre-plan you set. Playing live though is a no no.

Originally Posted by China-Rising

I think it's a good idea to have a general idea of what you want to play, but also, have a mixed bag of tunes as a "just in case" that's the way I've always done it and it seems to have worked for me. But more or less taking a list of tracks and in what order can be the death of you as a DJ.

See where you're coming from boss but i was generally employed to play a specific genre. For instance, i played a local pub every weekend for 6 months or so where the meal of the day was UK Garage - so thats what i played. Thru the odd oldskool gem in here and there but that was mainly for myself and mates. Horses for courses i suppose.

Originally Posted by dodders

See where you're coming from boss but i was generally employed to play a specific genre. For instance, i played a local pub every weekend for 6 months or so where the meal of the day was UK Garage - so thats what i played. Thru the odd oldskool gem in here and there but that was mainly for myself and mates. Horses for courses i suppose.

There has been 1 case for me where this has come into force.

I was playing in the 90's at a college do. I was mixing away, playing all my favourite tracks ( I didn't want to do anthems, as I thought everyone plays them so I wanted something different) and when I kept on looking up, the dance floor was getting emptier rather than fuller. The crowd just weren't getting my underground experimental stuff, even though it was the genre they liked, so I switched my play by putting on a massive anthem and suddenly the dance floor filled up. I mixed it up like that for the rest of my set and that seemed to work.

If I had just gone with my underground set, all planned out, even though it was the genre people were paying to listen to, then I would have had an empty floor through my whole set.

I saw oakenfold do it on many occasions, he would play this god awful boring set and the crowd just weren't dancing, then he would drop a massive track everyone liked and the roof would list off. It's the sign of a good DJ who is able to read the crowd.

Originally Posted by China-Rising

There has been 1 case for me where this has come into force.

I was playing in the 90's at a college do. I was mixing away, playing all my favourite tracks ( I didn't want to do anthems, as I thought everyone plays them so I wanted something different) and when I kept on looking up, the dance floor was getting emptier rather than fuller. The crowd just weren't getting my underground experimental stuff, even though it was the genre they liked, so I switched my play by putting on a massive anthem and suddenly the dance floor filled up. I mixed it up like that for the rest of my set and that seemed to work.

If I had just gone with my underground set, all planned out, even though it was the genre people were paying to listen to, then I would have had an empty floor through my whole set.

I saw oakenfold do it on many occasions, he would play this god awful boring set and the crowd just weren't dancing, then he would drop a massive track everyone liked and the roof would list off. It's the sign of a good DJ who is able to read the crowd.

Thats sort of where i was coming from. I'd plan my newer, less known tunes as i felt i could play around with them with a bit more freedom but when it came to a banger i'd bring it in and let peeps throw their shapes for the duration.

Just to say Neil, planning or not, its working fella - keep it up.

To dive into what i hope will be a future Curlyism: You're tighter than a nuns knickers!!

Cheers Dodders. I can see both sides and hopefully I'll be at a stage soon where I can play without planning.

Originally Posted by dodders

To dive into what i hope will be a future Curlyism: You're tighter than a nuns knickers!!

You'll hear that on the mic tomorra night Phil

with the exception of the set i played at the forum bash (which was 100% pre-planned due to my first live outing with serato) i've always known what the first 3 or 4 tunes were going to be in a live set, but the rest are spur of the moment, crowd reaction, choices.

if you're putting in the hours practicing/playing then even those spur of the moment choices are mixes done before in the studio so it's more unplanned than unprepared imo

Originally Posted by haze

with the exception of the set i played at the forum bash (which was 100% pre-planned due to my first live outing with serato) i've always known what the first 3 or 4 tunes were going to be in a live set, but the rest are spur of the moment, crowd reaction, choices.

if you're putting in the hours practicing/playing then even those spur of the moment choices are mixes done before in the studio so it's more unplanned than unprepared imo

Yeah Si, kinda like you know what tune goes into what tune so on the whole it's unplanned but calculated unplannedness.

Originally Posted by haze

with the exception of the set i played at the forum bash (which was 100% pre-planned due to my first live outing with serato) i've always known what the first 3 or 4 tunes were going to be in a live set, but the rest are spur of the moment, crowd reaction, choices.

if you're putting in the hours practicing/playing then even those spur of the moment choices are mixes done before in the studio so it's more unplanned than unprepared imo

I was gonna mention on this earlier - unplanned being a much better word than unprepared.

I sort out a set when choosing what tunes i`m gonna play but i tend to spend more time finding a tune to start my set off with

Originally Posted by Justifydj

I sort out a set when choosing what tunes i`m gonna play but i tend to spend more time finding a tune to start my set off with

Know that feelling - just spent half hour doing exactly that and have changed my mind 4 times now....

Originally Posted by dodders

Know that feelling - just spent half hour doing exactly that and have changed my mind 4 times now....

IfI was playing a set on Renegade I'd sort out a folder with loads of quality tunes & rinse the fook out of 'em innit? Can't be that difficult surely....?

id say no it's not right
but then again these days watching Carl cox or Sasha click the mouse pad on a Laptop is deemed as expectable so i give up and say just put on a CD mime and do a "DJ Mistabishi" !
ie. Mistabishi caught faking a DJ set?

ive always gone with what ever tunes happens to be in my eye line lol
and put it this way these days when you have thousands to choose from
due to serato or cd decks ect... it's not like the choosen few are easy picks
as you have that many its pretty dam hard to keep up with your discography
and know every tune off by heart !!! imagine trying to remember 10 thousand plus tunes lol !!

Just go with the flow thats the easiest option
and if your still not happy about it then you need to drink more !!!!

its all about knowing ur tunes if u know ur tunes wellanuff then freestyling it should'nt be a problem imo..... but then thats just me....lol

live sets have allways been a bit 50 50 for me, usually pick 3 - 4 tunes to start off with for a live show, then wing it from there.
for a mix or radio etc, i pick a big bunch of tunes tunes i think will go together (or progress into where i want the mix to go), pile em by my decks, then mix em in sets of 3 or 4, then arange the sets of 3 or 4 into a complete set.
its a good way of getting over that "where to go next" dilema you get when planning mixes.

i can't believe i missed this thread

some good points here, when i used to play out every week you get to know your tunes inside out and already have a load of 2-3 track mixes in your 'stock collection', but as china says, its all about gauging the crowd more than anything else. when i play on renegade occaisionally, i like to plan the first few tunes like a few others here then wing it. my last show on there was planned for the first hour then i amde the rest up as i went. i like the freedom of playing a tune and having a follow up tune pop into your head rather than planning it all. sometimes though even the best laid plans of mice and men can turn to ratshit. i have seen dj's with planned sets clear dancefloors and carry on with thier set, too scared to go freestyle. its a true skill reading a crowd and adapting your style or selection to suit them. makes you wonder how the rat pack keeps getting work though?

I think it all depends what kind of a dj you are. If you are one that does fairly basic mixing then there is no need to prepare, but if you are someone who likes to have intricate mixes that blend then you need to have those mixes set otherwise you get the previously mentioned vocals over vocals and nasty key clashes - if you get those you shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a pair of turntables ever again.

If you are booked to play a hardcore night that plays new tunes then you can sort your set out, unless you are stupid you aren't going to get it wrong and again if you get it wrong you shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a pair of turntables ever again.

Practice makes perfect so why not perfect ?

I think Aidyj buggered it up one night & isn't allowed near the turntables ever again

busted ! ha !

Originally Posted by Aidyj

busted ! ha !